BackgroundThe Qatar Biobank aims to collect extensive lifestyle, clinical, and biological information from up to 60,000 men and women Qatari nationals and long-term residents (individuals living in the country for ≥15 years) aged ≥18 years (approximately one-fifth of all Qatari citizens), to follow up these same individuals over the long term to record any subsequent disease, and hence to study the causes and progression of disease, and disease burden, in the Qatari population.MethodsBetween the 11th-December-2012 and 20th-February-2014, 1209 participants were recruited into the pilot study of the Qatar Biobank. At recruitment, extensive phenotype information was collected from each participant, including information/measurements of socio-demographic factors, prevalent health conditions, diet, lifestyle, anthropometry, body composition, bone health, cognitive function, grip strength, retinal imaging, total body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and measurements of cardiovascular and respiratory function. Blood, urine, and saliva were collected and stored for future research use. A panel of 66 clinical biomarkers was routinely measured on fresh blood samples in all participants. Rates of recruitment are to be progressively increased in the coming period and the recruitment base widened to achieve a cohort of consented individuals broadly representative of the eligible Qatari population. In addition, it is planned to add additional measures in sub-samples of the cohort, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain, heart and abdomen.ResultsThe mean time for collection of the extensive phenotypic information and biological samples from each participant at the baseline recruitment visit was 179 min. The 1209 pilot study participants (506 men and 703 women) were aged between 28–80 years (median 39 years); 899 (74.4 %) were Qatari nationals and 310 (25.6 %) were long-term residents. Approximately two-thirds of pilot participants were educated to graduate level or above.ConclusionsThe pilot has proven that recruitment of volunteers into the Qatar Biobank project with intensive baseline measurements of behavioural, physical, and clinical characteristics is well accepted and logistically feasible. Qatar Biobank will provide a powerful resource to investigate the major determinants of ill-health and well-being in Qatar, providing valuable insights into the current and future public health burden that faces the country.
Traffic incidents generate many adverse impacts, especially as far as traffic congestion, air pollution, fuel consumption, and secondary crashes are concerned. Therefore traffic incident responders and operators must know how to improve the efficiency of traffic incident management. This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effects of traffic accident characteristics on accident response time, with fully parametric hazard-based duration models with emphasis on the accelerated failure time metric. Accident characteristics and response times were obtained from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. For an investigation into the factors affecting response time, data were retrieved from the Federal Traffic Statistics System and the Abu Dhabi Highway Collision Investigation Branch (AHCIB) for the period January to December 2009. For the purpose of this study, “response time” was defined as the length of time between the first report of the incident being received by AHCIB and the time that the first collision investigator arrived at the scene. After a goodness-of-fit test was conducted, a Weibull distribution with frailty was used. Results showed that various accident characteristics, including day of the week, month of the year, accident type, and location of the accident, affected response time. These results highlighted some weaknesses in the current highway accident management practices in Abu Dhabi, particularly the impact of lack of resources on the ability of the AHCIB to respond to an accident immediately upon notification of its occurrence. This paper suggests some measures designed to mitigate response problems.
Protection, conservation, and site-management planning are normally fi nanced and conducted on major archaeological sites only, where there are expectations for visitor access and economic returns. Many smaller sites with lesser visible remains are then virtually abandoned, despite the value of their physical remains and archaeological, historical, and scientifi c potential.A pilot project by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (now Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority) was conducted at Rumeilah, an Iron Age site excavated over the past forty-fi ve years. The project consisted of a full-scale site-management planning process including documentation and assessment of the site conditions and of its administrative context to demonstrate the benefi ts of applying value and community-based sitemanagement planning processes to 'invisible' heritage. The process resulted in the development of a management plan which identifi es continued explorations at the site and in the involvement of local schools and universities the activities that will be able to sustain its long-term preservation.
Background: Helicobacter pylori infections are extremely prevalent worldwide. H. pylori infection is a factor in the genesis of gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastric cancer, and rarely gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid-tissue lymphoma (MALT). Outcomes of infected patients are variable from one population to another. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries are made of six monarchies: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. They have many cultural and economic similarities including the health-care sector. Data about H. pylori infection prevalence in these countries are limited. This particular infection is common in this part of the world as in other developing countries with resistant H. pylori strains documented. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate continuity of patient care practice in Gulf Countries by studying a specific example at a regional Tertiary Care Center. Materials and Methods: A descriptive retrospective pilot study, conducted in a tertiary care center in the United Arab Emirates from 2013 to 2014, reviewing electronic medical records for patients tested and followed for Helicobacter pylori infection. Three tests were performed to establish diagnosis: Urea Breath Test, H. pylori stool antigen testing, or gastric biopsy with histopathological examination. Patients tested positive for H. pylori positive were provided first appointment to initiate treatment according to two established regimens. They were further followed, with repeat testing, in order to establish if they achieved H. pylori eradication. Result: A total of 480 patients were tested for possible H. pylori infection, 168 of them tested positive for this infection (100%). However only 107 patients (64%) showed up for a first follow-up appointment to check testing result and start therapy whereas more than one-third: 61 patients (36%) missed this appointment. After starting therapy for H. pylori eradication, only 48 patients (29%) kept their second follow-up appointment needed to confirm their H. pylori status post-treatment. Another 35% (59 patients) missed this appointment. Therefore of the initial 480 investigated individuals only 10% completed the process as indicated. Conclusion: The total rate of missed follow-up appointment exceeded two-thirds (71%) of patients infected with H. pylori in an UAE tertiary care center. This result reflects obvious discontinuity of care. In addition, this practice is likely prevalent in other medical fields within the Gulf Council Cooperation Countries which have similar cultural and educational settings. Many identifiable causes contributing to the degradation of care continuum are discussed.
The Iron Age II site of Hili 2 (Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) is remarkable because of its preservation. The initial excavations, begun in the 1970s, unearthed mudbrick walls preserved in places two meters high. Fieldwork recommenced at Hili 2 in 2018 and as part of this effort the previously exposed architecture was re-examined. Of particular interest were three collapsed mudbrick walls that were excavated in order to conserve the surrounding architecture. The walls were removed course by course, providing new insight into mudbrick construction and raising questions about the social organisation of Iron Age settlements.
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