Opportunities, Challenges And Risks Of Transition Into Renewable Energy : The Case Study Of Arab Gulf Cooperation Council

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states have abounded underground fossil fuel resources and high potentials for renewable energy (RE). However, given the Peak Oil Theory and the international climate change regulations and protocols, investments in RE became a first-class candidate. The current conceptualized study investigates barriers, risk, and opportunities associated with the transition to RE generation in member states of GCC. The study deploys secondary data extracted from published statistics and related literature. Via an interpretive, exploratory and explanatory approach, we conclude that there is a long-term need to expand uptake of RE technologies in order to meet the possible medium to long-terms energy and economic securities. Bureaucratic inefficiency and fuel subsidies along with absence of both suitable investment framework and supporting energy policies for investments in RE were found to be significant barriers to RE deployment in the GCC states. The current paper argues that the GCC has a specific climate advantage for RE. Therefore, if RE options are utilised ideally by the GCC member states they can play a significant role in substituting conventional energy sources and in sustaining energy and economic securities of the GCC member state

Assessment of Syrian Obstetric Care Providers Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Preconception Care and Associated Factors: An online Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Preconception care was instituted in 2013 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote more attention to pregnant women by medical staff. Preconception care attempts to optimize pregnancy outcomes and promote health by managing and treating variables that influence it. Obstetric care providers in LAMICs have been reported to have low levels of preconception care awareness. This study investigates the Knowledge, attitudes, and practice-related features of obstetric care providers in Syria's public health institutions about preconception care.   Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Syria between 6 September 2022 and 7 October 2022 to evaluate obstetric care providers' Knowledge, attitudes, and practice at public health institutions regarding preconception care and related concerns. The questionnaire was designed using a validated scale from a prior study conducted in Ethiopia. The inclusion criteria for study participants were obstetricians and gynaecologists, midwives and residents, and nurses of Obstetrics and Gynecology. There were six sections in the questionnaire (sociodemographic information, Knowledge, practice attitude, additional factors associated with Preconception practice, and related actual & potential access to resources). The data were subjected to descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis using the IBM SPSS V. 28.0 software.   Results: The mean age of 499 participants was 31.8 (SD = 9.7). Most participants were female (81.8%) and physicians (60%). 91.4% of respondents were deemed knowledgeable about preconception care. the most identified question (96.2%) was (Women intending pregnancy should be encouraged to defer pregnancy until they have reduced their drug, alcohol, and cigarette usage). (24.8%) participants regularly queried their patients about their reproductive life plan, with women aged 18 to 49 being the most often questioned group (92.3%). Only 18.6% of physicians routinely informed their patients about environmental dangers and contaminants. In addition, 53.5% of responders inquired about the patient's surgical and medical histories. 29.7% of participants strongly agreed that PCC provides an opportunity to improve the health of couples, particularly women, whereas 18.2% are certain that PCC does not belong to their scope of duties. Knowledge was more likely to be poor among participants who had never seen a doctor practicing PCC than among those who had (OR=2.81, P value = 0.026). Participants who did not get training on reproductive life plan examination throughout their practice time were less knowledgeable than those who did (OR = 2.91, P value= 0.04).    Conclusion: Our results have shown that obstetric care providers in Syria have good Knowledge of and low to moderate practice and attitude towards preconception care. Improving access to training, carrier development, Internet, and library services is vital to improving PCC training. It is recommended that extra platforms be made accessible to obstetric care providers during their training to assist them in becoming preconception carers and in raising awareness about the significance of preconception care

Left Atrium of the Mature Dromedary Camel Heart (Camelus dromedaries): Microanatomy

The current work was carried out on the left atrium of ten healthy mature camels. The specimens were collected and examined histologically after being fixed in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin. The atrium was processed till paraffin sections obtained and stained. Microscopically, the left atrium is consisted of three major tunics; the internal endocardium, the middle myocardium, and the external epicardium. The endocardium is the inner layer of the atrial wall and consisting of the endothelial layer of simple squamous epithelium that lining the atrium, subendothelial layer of loose connective tissue supporting the endothelium and the subendocardial layer that connecting the endocardium with the myocardium. Myocardium is the middle layer of the atrium, forming the main mass of the atrial wall. It is sandwiched between an outer epicardium, that covers the atrium, and an inner endocardium, that lines the atrial chamber. It is mainly formed from bundles of the contractile cardiac myocytes; myocardiocytes that arranged in strands or branching columns. The left atrium is externally covered with the epicardium that is relatively thin in comparison with the myocardium and consisting of a subepicardial layer of highly vascularized loose connective tissue and the mesothelium of simple squamous epithelium

Knowledge of Cancer Among Syrians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background:  The worldwide burden of cancer continues to rise, mainly due to global demographic changes and an increase in cancer-causing habits, such as smoking, epically in low-income countries. The Syrian National Cancer Registry (SNCR)estimates that 17,599 new cancer cases were diagnosed before the start of the war in 2011. According to statistics from the Al Bairouni 2020 hospital-based registry, which includes data on more than 60% of Syrian cancer patients, the number of cancer diagnoses has been rising in Syria. There is no research conducted in Syria to determine people’s knowledge about cancer and risk factors, symptoms, and signs. This research aims to determine how well-informed Syrians were on the following topics:(i) the age-related risk and prevalence of cancer; (ii) cancer signs and symptoms; and (iii) cancer risk factors. In addition, determining how well-informed different demographic categories.   Method: This is a cross-sectional study which was conducted in Syria. Participants who were eligible to participate in the study who were residents of Syria irrespective their age or gender. The instrument of survey was a structured questionnaire the content of which was adapted from the validated cancer awareness measure (CAM) the cam was translated to Arabic and a scoring system was applied to the questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed via several social media platforms.   Results: A total of 1463 participants completed the questionnaire. There were 768 respondents (52.5%) said that there is no relation between age and cancer. Almost all the participants (85.6%) thought that the breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, while around half of the participants (55.1%) reported that the prostate cancer was the most common cancer among males. The most frequently reported cancer symptom was unexplained weight loss (73.2%), followed by unexplained swelling/lump (66.5%). The level of knowledge about cancer signs/symptoms among the participants were good in 623 (42.6%), fair in 594 (40.6%), and poor in 246 (16.8%). The most commonly recognized risks of cancer were smoking (83.5%).   Conclusion: According to this research, taking into consideration the war and the bad economic situation that Syria is facing, Syrians’ knowledge towards cancer is acceptable. However, it is not meeting the ideal expectations. More research should be held to dig deeper into this issue

Assessment Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Tuberculosis Among Syrian People: An online cross-sectional study

Background: TB was reported to have the highest mortality rate among other infectious diseases in 2018 worldwide. Syria and other low-income countries have a higher incidence rate of TB in comparison to high-income countries. Stigma toward TB is extremely high in low-income countries like Syria, and these stigma delays patients from seeking healthcare facilities. Our purpose in this study is to assess the Syrian's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward TB and understand their Practice related to this disease.    Methods: An online cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed between15 September 7 October 2022, among Syrians to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward TB. This questionnaire was adapted from a published study, and the inclusion criteria were all male and female Syrian citizens aged 18 or above. The survey was divided into four questions: the first section assessed sociodemographics, and the other sections were about knowledge, attitude, and practices, respectively. Using IBM SPSS V. 28.0, the data were submitted to descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses.   Results: About (38.6%) of the 1407 participants in this research were male. The research participants' knowledge scores indicated that 78.1% have excellent knowledge. However, 54.1% of interviewees agreed that shaking someone's hand may transmit tuberculosis. Regarding attitude, more than two-thirds (85.7%) of the participants in the survey had an optimistic outlook. Accordingly, most participants (81.3%) had effective TB preventive and control practices. Participants aged 61 to 70 had more TB knowledge than other age groups (P value<0.05; mean=6.63, SD=1.13). Participants with chronic illness had a more positive attitude toward tuberculosis than those without (P value<0.05) (mean=2.17, SD=0.63). Participants with a university degree demonstrated more TB practice than those with lower levels of education (mean=6.17, SD=0.85). Participants with a university degree were expected to have 4.38 times more TB knowledge than those without formal education (P 0.05). Participants with a university degree were projected to practice tuberculosis 10.63 times more often than those without education (P 0.001).   Conclusion: Our results indicate that there is poor knowledge regarding the route of transmission of TB; therefore, more efforts should be made to raise awareness about TB transmission, as understanding these facts is a crucial aspect in mitigating the incidence of TB. Consequently, individuals reported poor practices toward TB; for that reason, educating individuals about good practices toward TB should take priority in Syria as war has destroyed the understructure of the healthcare system

Assessment Syrian Population Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study from Syria

Background: Based on the stroke mortality rate, Syria was ranked 98th worldwide in 2020. Approximately 80% of strokes are avoidable by managing well-known modifiable risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Due to the high prevalence of several modifiable risk factors for stroke in Syria, it is necessary to increase Syrians' understanding of strokes and encourage people to engage in healthy practices to eradicate these risk factors. This research aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and health-related perceptions of adult Syrians about stroke.   Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted between 2 September and 10 October 2022 among Syrians using an online survey to measure their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding stroke. This questionnaire was derived from a previously published article, and the inclusion criteria for this research were all Syrian residents aged 18 or older. The questionnaire utilized for this study consisted of three major sections: socio-demographic data, knowledge of stroke, and attitudes and perceptions about stroke.   RESULTS: 53.3 % of the 1,143 research participants were female. Most respondents (94.3%) recognized the brain as the organ impacted by stroke. Hypertension was the stroke's most identifiable cause and risk factor (72.8% and 73.6%, respectively). 72.8 % of participants recognized hypertension and atherosclerosis as causes of stroke. 94.3 % of survey participants accurately identified the oranges impacted by the stroke; however, only 50.1% properly identified the warning symptoms. 61.4 % of participants utilize the Internet as a source of stroke-related information. 22.3% of individuals aged 21 to 30 had identified at least one stroke warning sign. 12.58% of individuals with a high socioeconomic position have shown a solid understanding of stroke risk factors. Females were projected to be 1.55 times more knowledgeable about stroke warning signs than men (P value<0.05). It was expected that participants who believed that stroke is avoidable would be 2.2 times more knowledgeable about stroke warning signals than those who disagreed (P value<0.05). Participants who identified more than four causes of stroke were expected to have 14.77 times more knowledge of stroke risk factors than those who did not (P value<0.05).   Conclusion: Our research shows that although knowledge of stroke risk factors and symptoms is moderate to good, there is still a lack of perceptions toward this disease. Hopefully, this will encourage hospitals and other medical groups to continue their awareness-raising campaigns about the dangers of this illness. Stroke prevention and community response may be greatly enhanced by raising public consciousness of the condition and fostering individual agency in coping with it

Relationship between gaming disorder across various dimensions among PUBG players: a machine learning-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundPlayerUnknown’s battlegrounds (PUBG), a widely played multiplayer online game, has sparked interest and concern regarding its impact on players. This study explored the relationship between factors such as cultivation level, motivation, religious engagement, gaming disorder, and addiction among PUBG players.MethodsThis study employed a convenience sampling technique to select a sample of 500 PUBG players. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was used to identify the primary factors contributing to the level of cultivation.ResultsMale participants exhibited a higher level of cultivation than their female counterparts did. According to the ANN model, gaming disorder exhibited the greatest normalized importance, with a value of 100%. This was followed by the religious level, which had a normalized importance of 54.6%. Additionally, motivation level and gaming addiction demonstrated normalized importance values of 47.6 and 44.4%, respectively. This study revealed a statistically significant correlation between engaging in PUBG and the cultivation effect observed among respondents.ConclusionThis study highlights several noteworthy factors, including gaming disorder, religious affiliation, motivation level, and gaming addiction. These factors offer valuable insights into understanding gaming behavior and devising effective interventions