Search

Research on the mental health of university staff during the COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered a high prevalence of probable anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among academic and non-academic staff in many parts of the world. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and resilience among a sample of faculty and staff members working in the Higher College of Technology campuses in the UAE. From September to November 2021, a cross-sectional study was carried out using an online survey. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, The Patient Health Questionnaire (9-items), and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale were used to assess anxiety, depression, and resilience. The impact of COVID-19 was assessed using a designated list of questions. The results demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted the mental health of the studied sample of university workers, with almost 16% of the participants having moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety symptoms. This study highlighted significant differences in the participants' depressive and anxiety symptoms due to sociodemographic differences. Depression and anxiety symptoms were most prevalent among females, those of UAE nationality, and never-married workers, with females scoring 5.81 on the PHQ-9 compared to only 4.10 in males, p = 0.004 *. UAE-national participants had significantly higher mean PHQ-9 scores than their non-national counterparts (6.37 ± 5.49 SD versus 4.77 ± 5.1 SD, respectively, p = 0.040 *). Overall, the total mean scores of all participants were below the assumed cut-off threshold of having a high resilience level (29.51 ± 7.53 SD). The results showed a significant difference in severe depression symptoms as a result of the impact of COVID-19. These results could imply that the COVID-19 pandemic might have augmented negative mental health impacts on this sample of university workers. This study highlighted some areas where the responsible authorities can intervene to further protect and enhance the mental health of university workers, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kohat fold and thrust belt, located in North-Western Pakistan, is a part of Lesser Himalaya developed due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The structural evolution records of this area indicate that it consists of tight anticlines and broad syncline structures. Previous studies show that the structural pattern of this area has been produced due to multiple episodes of deformation. In the present research, 2D seismic data has been integrated with our field surveys to clarify the role of active strike-slip faulting in reshaping the surface structures of Shakardarra, Kohat. At the surface, doubly plunging anticlines and synclines are evolved on evaporites as detachment folds, truncated by thrust faults along their limbs. Seismic data show that the thrust faults originate from basal detachment located at the sedimentary-crystalline interface and either cut up section to the surface or lose their displacement to splay or back thrusts. At the surface, the Shakardarra Fault, the Tola Bangi Khel Fault, the Chorlaki Fault, and the axial trend of fold change their strike from EW to NS showing that the thrust and axial trend of folds are rotated along the vertical axis by the influence of the Kalabagh strike-slip fault. Strike-slip motion dominates the style of deformation at the northern segment. The current deformation is concentrated on the splay faults in the northern segment of the Kalabagh Fault. We propose that Shakardarra is sequentially evolved in three episodes of deformation. In the first phase, the detachment folds developed on Eocene evaporites, which are truncated by thrust faults originated from the basal detachment in the second phase. In the third phase, early formed folds and faults are rotated along the vertical axis by the influence of Kalabagh strike-slip fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide. In the UAE, NCDs account for nearly 77% of all deaths. There is limited empirical research on this topic in the UAE. We aimed to examine the association of non-communicable diseases and the sociodemographic characteristics among the adult population of Dubai. Methods: The study used secondary data from the Dubai Household Health Survey (DHHS), 2019. DHHS is a cross-sectional complex design, stratified by geographic area, and uses multistage probability sampling. In this survey, 2247 families were interviewed and only adults aged 18+ were included for the analysis. The quasi-binomial distribution was used to identify the socio-demographic characteristics association with NCDs. Results: The prevalence of NCDs among the adult population of Dubai was 15.01%. Individuals aged 60+, local Arabs (Emirati), divorced and widowed individuals, and individuals who were not currently working reported NCDs more than the other groups. In the regression analysis, the association with NCDs were reported among elderly people, males, unmarried individuals, older individuals who are unmarried, and Emiratis. Conclusion: The study identified several socio-demographic characteristics associated with reporting NCDs. This is one of the few studies related to NCDs in Dubai. Allocating appropriate resources to the population groups identified is crucial to reduce the incidence of NCDs in the Emirate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau is considered to be one of the best natural laboratories for seismological research. This study sought to determine the spatial variations of b-values in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau, along with its surrounding areas, and the relation with the region's fault blocks. The study region lies within 27–36.5° N, 78–89° E, and its fracture structure consists of strike-slip faults, as well as normal and thrust faults. A catalog record from 2009–2019 provided 4431 well-centered earthquakes that varied in magnitude from 0.1 to 8.2 M. The record was obtained from China's seismological network, which is capable of recording low magnitudes to analyze b-values in the study area. The key findings of this study are as follows: (1) the range of earthquake depth in the region was 0–256 km, with the depth histogram showing a high frequency occurrence of shallow earthquakes in the area; (2) a time histogram showed that the major earthquakes occurred between 2014–2015, including the notable 2015 Gorkha earthquake (M = 8.2); (3) the b-value computed in the study area was 0.5 to 1.6, but in most of the study area, the b-value ranged from 0.6 to 0.9, which was a low to intermediate value, due to the presence of strike-slip faults in the central part of the study area and underthrusting in the region (south of the study area); and (4) a high b-value was found in the northwestern and eastern regions of the area, which proved that the area is prone to small earthquakes in the near future. The study also showed that the central and southern areas of the study region had low to intermediate b-values, meaning that it is prone to destructive and massive earthquakes with high magnitudes, such as the Gorkha earthquake (southern part of the study area). Low b-values revealed the degree of variation in rock properties, including large stress and strain, a fractured medium, a high deformation rate, and large faults. Small b-values were observed when the stress level was high in the investigated region, which might be used to predict a massive high-magnitude earthquake in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]