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This article presents an empirical investigation of the effects university brand personality and student-university identification have on student participation and citizenship behaviour in the context of higher education. The study employed a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 433 university students. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results revealed that only the sincerity and lively facets of university brand personality play a vital role in informing student-university identification. Furthermore, when students perceive their university brand to be more sincere, they are more likely to exhibit citizenship behaviour. The study also found that students who identify with their university engage in various forms of participation and citizenship behaviours. University administrators can streamline their marketing and branding communication to emphasise specific brand characteristics in order to improve student identification with the university and student engagement in university-supportive and extra-role behaviours. 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Scopus

Viktor V Chirikov,1 Chris Walker,2 Jennifer M Stephens,1 Patricia Schepman,3 Richard Chambers,4 Mahmoud Bakir,5 Gregory W Poorman,1 Seema Haider,6 Mohammed Farghaly7 1OPEN Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Global Medical Affairs, Viatris, Tadworth, UK; 3Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Pfizer Inc, New York, NY, USA; 4Biostatistics, Pfizer Inc, Collegeville, PA, USA; 5Upjohn Export B.V., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Pfizer Inc., Groton, CT, USA; 7Dubai Medical College, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Jennifer M StephensOPEN Health, Bethesda, MD, USATel +1 703 625 5943Email jstephens@pharmerit.comObjective: Data on osteoarthritis patients from the PRECISION trial were used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of celecoxib (100 mg twice daily) versus ibuprofen (600– 800 mg three times daily) and naproxen (375– 500 mg twice daily). The perspective was that of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) healthcare system.Methods: Discrete-state Markov model with monthly cycles, 30-month horizon, and 3% discount rate was constructed to assess incremental costs per quality adjusted life year (QALYs) gained from reduced incidence of three safety domains examined in PRECISION: renal, serious gastrointestinal (GI), and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Costs for managing these toxicities were derived from Dubai Administrative Billing Claims (2018). Median monthly drug costs were derived from UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention’s published prices ($26.98 celecoxib; $20.25 ibuprofen; $20.50 naproxen). Health utility and excess mortality associated with toxicities were sourced from the literature. The willingness-to-pay thresholds used were 1 and 3 GDP per capita ($40,000–$120,000).Results: The total average cost per patient was $812.88 for celecoxib, $775.26 for ibuprofen, and $731.17 for naproxen while cost components attributed to toxicities were lowest with celecoxib ($360.26, $438.31, and $388.60, respectively). Patients on celecoxib had more QALYs (1.339), compared with ibuprofen (1.335) and naproxen (1.337), resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $11,502/QALY gained for celecoxib versus ibuprofen and $39,779 for celecoxib versus naproxen. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated celecoxib to be 81% cost-effective versus ibuprofen and 50% versus naproxen at $40,000/QALY. The most influential model parameters were MACE relative safety and drug costs.Conclusion: From UAE third payer perspective, celecoxib is a long-term cost-effective treatment for osteoarthritis patients when compared with ibuprofen, and equally likely as naproxen to be cost-effective. With the expected increasing burden of chronic diseases in the Gulf region, study findings can inform decisions regarding the cost-effective pain management of osteoarthritis in UAE.Clinicaltrials.gov Registration Number: NCT00346216.Keywords: Markov, NSAIDs, comparative effectiveness, safety, Gulf region, AfME, MENA

Over the past decade, the development of high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) has been responsible for more effective management of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, the gaps in optimal care for this complex disease remain. Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada®) is a highly efficacious DMT that shows better patient outcomes and therapeutic benefits, but its use is under-recognized in the Gulf region. Experts in the care of multiple sclerosis shared their opinions based on study data and daily clinical experience in identifying the appropriate patient profile suitable for alemtuzumab’s therapeutic benefits. Age, disease activity and severity, disability status, physician experience, and economic condition are some of the key indicators for alemtuzumab use.

Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Entwicklung des Islamischen Finanzwesens in der Golfregion und sucht zu erklären, wie es dieser Region gelang, ihre führende Rolle in dieser Industrie zu steigern. Er nutzt hierzu die einschlägige Sekundärliteratur und die Statistiken des Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). Der Artikel behandelt sowohl die Staaten des Golf-Kooperationsrats als auch Iran. Diese Länder verfügen weltweit über die Mehrheit der islamischen Finanzanlagen. Die Golfregion spielt eine zentrale Rolle im Islamischen Finanzwesen und dieses verbindet die Golfregion mit anderen Weltregionen. Diese beherrschende Rolle der Golfregion beruht auf den Präferenzen ihrer Bevölkerung für shari‘a-konforme Produkte, ihre Finanzkraft, die politische Unterstützung der Regierungen und die Internationalisierungsbestrebungen ihrer islamischen Finanzinstitute. Der Artikel beleuchtet auch die Unterschiede innerhalb der Region. The article aims at describing the development of Islamic finance in the Gulf region and to explain how the region was able to increase its leading role in this industry. It uses and interprets relevant secondary literature and the statistics of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). This article includes both the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iran. These countries own the majority of the Islamic financial assets world-wide. The Gulf region plays a central role in Islamic finance and Islamic finance connects the Gulf region with other world regions. This dominating role of the Gulf region is caused by the preference of its population for shari‘a-compliant products, its financial strength, the political support of the governments and the internationalization efforts of its Islamic financial institutes. The article will also throw light on the differences within the region. Bu makale, Körfez bölgesinde İslami finansın gelişimini anlatmak ve bölgenin bu endüstrideki öncü rolünü nasıl geliştirdiğini açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır. Makalede ilgili ikincil literatür ve İslami Finansal Hizmetler Kurulu'nun (Islamic Financial Services Board, IFSB) istatistikleri kullanılmış ve yorumlanmıştır. Bu makale hem Körfez İşbirliği Konseyi (Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC)) ülkelerini hem de İran'ı içermektedir. Bu ülkeler, dünya genelindeki İslami finansal varlıklarının önemli bir bölümüne sahiptir. Körfez bölgesi, İslami finans alanında merkezi bir rol oynamakta ve İslami finans, Körfez bölgesini diğer dünya bölgelerine bağlamaktadır. Körfez bölgesinin bu baskın rolü, nüfusunun şer’i hükümlere uygun ürünleri tercih etmesinden, mali gücünden, hükümetlerin politik desteğinden ve İslami finans kurumlarının uluslararasılaşma çabalarından kaynaklanmaktadır. Makale, bölge içi farklılıklara da ışık tutacaktır.

Beginning from early this decade, global LNG market is going through dramatic changes. The market is increasingly becoming oversupplied and competitive by new large volumes from Australia, USA and Russia. At the same time, share of Japan and South Korea, two of the largest LNG importers in the global LNG market is decreasing. At the same time, China, India and European countries are becoming new demand center and at the same time, countries in the South East Asia are emerging as important players in the market. Natural gas is the fastest growing fossil fuel and LNG demand is increasing even faster than trade volume of pipeline gas. Natural gas consumption is growing because infrastructure is more readily available around the world and its merit as environmental-friendly fuel is greatly helping its position in national energy mix in many countries, such as China, India and countries in South East Asia. At the same time, the LNG market has grown into more mature stage as new buyers and sellers keep on entering the market. Due to the improvement of technology of floating liquefaction plants or floating regasification plants, entrance into global LNG market became easier, especially for smaller players. By using FLNG, buyers and sellers do not even have to invest billions in order to construct onshore LNG export and import plants. They can even rent the floating LNG vessels for several years, which is considerably easier and cheaper than building onshore LNG plants. Traditional sellers and buyers are facing new era and exporters are experiencing unprecedent competitions as importers are left with more choices. There is enough supply in the market therefore, length of term LNG contract is becoming shorter and contract volume is decreasing. Supply surge is faster than demand hike. As a result, spot LNG price went down to one of the lowest levels in modern LNG history. It is believed that the most important factor that caused oversupply in the global natural gas market is emergence of the US as one of the largest LNG exporters and closure of US market to sellers, which once regarded as one of the potentially largest natural gas importers in the world. Oversupplied LNG market is the domino effect of successful development of shale in USA. However, the fact USA became major LNG exporter, instead of major importer, is not the only reason for changing market paradigm. Its geographical location has greatly helped the US LNG exporters become global swing supplier. LNG plants in the Gulf of Mexico can access Asia Pacific region and Europe, two of the most important markets, with ease. It was all made possible because of expansion of Panama Canal. In my opinion, there are only two swing suppliers, Qatar and USA, together with Mozambique in the future. However, it turned out to be the US LNG is not always cheaper than LNG from other sources, which was considered otherwise in the beginning of this decade when the US LNG projects began to take FIDs. US LNG is often pegged to Henry Hub, its domestic natural gas hub located in Louisiana At the same time, Asian buyers began less inclined to sign long-term contracts indexed to Henry Hub prices and learned that it also has price-risks like LNG provided by other projects. As competition in the market is reaching unprecedented level, price competitiveness, credit ratings of sellers and ability to supply at desired timing are more valued than ever.Strengthening competitions will not seriously affect the position of Qatar in the market due to following reasons: (1) Qatar LNG has one of the lowest break-even price (2) Swing supplier - Qatar can send LNG to any major buyers in the world (3) Exporter with proven track record (4) Qatar is located ideally from new demand centers, South Asia, South East Asia, Gulf countries and LNG demand in Europe is growing rapidly. However, Qatar will face much stronger competition in the major importing countries in the East Asia due to new suppliers from Australia, US and Russia and LNG market price will be more likely lower than previous years. But it is anticipated Qatar will keep its position thanks to above-mentioned factors.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on Global Warming of 1.5?C presents the assessment concerning accelerated deep decarbonization, which is at the core of global mitigation strategy. The same report also presents the high agreement and robust evidence of risks in faster and deeper mitigation strategies through possible threats to multiple social and economic dimensions of sustainable development for both countries with rich hydrocarbon resources and nations with high dependency on fossil fuels for revenue, economic development and employment generation. The same concerns are also presented in literature on just transition, which are representing the arguments concerning possible job loss, loss of investment flow despite new resource identification, high risks of stranded assets, lower revenue earning with fluctuating oil and gas prices, and dwindling resources. Another set of literature on policy instruments talk of need for diversification of economy and energy sector to ease these adverse consequences of transition and need for creating enabling conditions. The diversification discourse is mostly dominated by focus on new investment opportunities limited to wind and solar energy sectors. At the same time, the countries at risk discussion get dominated by GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. On the other hand, all these discourses ignore multiple challenges and realities in many small but fast emerging developing country perspectives. Therefore, this paper presents and discusses a possible energy transition roadmap, where the existing infrastructures and resources are utilized as enablers for a faster and deeper cross-sectorial decarbonization. The research question of this paper is how can accelerated global transition address the 'trio': 'just, sustainable, and peaceful' transition through cooperation with oil and gas dependent emerging economies and what is the potential for leapfrog. We refer this 'trio' with reference to oil and gas based fossil fuel energy systems, which is caught up in a complex combination of problems due to likely uncertainty and redundancy of human resource currently engaged in the sector, stranded asset due to prospective early retirement of infrastructure and projected reduction in investment, and need for finding substitute of fossil based energy carrier to cleaner, renewable energy carrier. In this way, development of hydrogen society/economy have been pointed out as possible roadmap for accelerated decarbonization, by solving the problem of affordable large scale energy storage from intermittent renewables and enabling continuous use of combustion based technologies without carbon emission. Our hypothesis is that paving the way for and realization of the future hydrogen economy can be accelerated by utilization of natural gas and petroleum-related knowledge, technologies, experience, and infrastructure. Large scale hydrogen production via conversion of existing technologies for gray hydrogen (hydrogen from natural gas without carbon capture and storage) to blue hydrogen (hydrogen from natural gas with carbon capture and storage), will create a functioning hydrogen market and support development of hydrogen based energy conversion technologies to pave the way for green hydrogen (hydrogen from renewable energy sources). This paper includes an introduction part, and then, the issue are discussed from economical, environmental, societal, and technological points of view. Finally, a comprehensive roadmap for launching a hydrogen hub (HH) for the Gulf region is proposed from a geopolitical aspect.

Objective To analyze three essential oils isolated from three different brands' clove samples collected from Gulf region and tested their antimicrobial activities. Methods The essential oils were isolated from powder clove samples by water distillation method and analyzed and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial activities of the three isolated essential oils were calculated on the diameter inhibition zone by disc diffusion method against three bacterial strains with amoxicillin standard. Results Twenty-eight, twenty-two and twenty-six chemical ingredients with high percentage were characterized based on gas chromatography retention time from clove essential oils collected from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirate and Jordan. The highest antimicrobial activity was obtained from Saudi Arab against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonus aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and the lowest was from Jordan and the order of antimicrobial activity was Saudi Arabia>United Arab Emirate>Jordan. Conclusions All three essential oils from Gulf region are containing very portent chemical ingredients and it could be used as medicine or antibiotics for different aliments.

Hosting mega-events can not only catalyse urban development, but also lead to an improvement of local planning systems and building planning capacity. Events can create knowledge transfer from one city to another, and be used as tools for experimenting new prototypes and urban templates but on a smaller scale. Within this context, this research aims at identifying strategies for leveraging mega-events to improve local planning capacity. Relevant best practices in the use of events as planning enhancers are derived from the literature, and then applied to a case study, the city of Doha. In fact, the capital of Qatar has all the characteristics for benefiting from events. Firstly, it is a city that has already and will host in the imminent future many international events. Secondly, Doha is managing with difficulties its rapid urban development, and needs to improve its planning system. Results show there is a potential for benefiting from events in two ways: they can assist knowledge transfer from international consultancy to local agencies, and vice versa. In addition, events can act as the glue for overcoming the fragmentation of Doha's planning system, by facilitating the implementation of 2030 Qatar National Vision, the country's comprehensive blueprint. This article was made possible by GSRA grant # GSRA1-1-1119-13007 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the author. Scopus

The paper deals with irregular migrants from Tǝgray region, northern Ethiopia to the Gulf region. In recent years irregular migration has become rampant not only in the region, but also in the country. The massive emigration of the youthful population is having adverse socioeconomic, psychological and political impact. It is also damaging the image of the country and it can be argued that also the development endeavors of the country are undermined. A study on irregular migrants is also triggered by the following observations : 1. it is associated with all sorts of life-threatening risks and yet its magnitude has been increasing enormously ; 2. it is happening when there are also legal means of migrating out of the country, and 3. there are indications that lately it is changing its nature i. e. from human smuggling to human trafficking. The topic is timely and seeks critical intervention. But despite this fact it is not well researched and not well less understood. Thus it is high time for thorough empirical research like this that will lead to the full understanding of the problem. Based on the empirical data collected from field research in different localities of Tǝgray the paper discusses the drivers of migration, the processes of the irregular migration and those involved in it and the reasons why persons are resorting to irregular migration when the legal means of migrating to the Gulf is there., Des jeunes dans des voyages périlleux : migrants irréguliers du Tegray, Éthiopie du Nord, vers la région du Golfe Ce papier s'intéresse aux migrants irréguliers de la région du Tegray, dans l'Éthiopie du Nord, vers la région du Golfe. Ces dernières années, les migrations irrégulières augmentent non seulement dans la région, mais aussi dans le pays. L'émigration massive de la jeunesse a un impact socio-économique, psychologique et politique négatif. Cela nuit à l'image de l'Éthiopie, et mine les efforts de développement du pays. L'étude de ces migrants irréguliers est encouragée par les observations suivantes : 1. leur voyage est associé à toutes sortes de risques vitaux et pourtant son ampleur a crû énormément ; 2. cela se passe alors qu'il existe des moyens légaux de migrer hors du pays ; et 3. des indications montrent que la nature du voyage est en train de changer, de contrebande d'êtres humains au trafic d'êtres humains. Ce sujet est opportun et nécessite une intervention critique, bien qu'il soit peu étudié et peu compris. Il est temps que des recherches empiriques facilitent la compréhension du problème. Fondé sur des données empiriques recueillies lors de terrains d'enquête dans différents sites du Tegray, cet article discute les facteurs de migrations, les procédures de la migration irrégulière et les acteurs qui y sont engagés, ainsi que les raisons pour lesquelles les personnes choisissent ce type de migration alors qu'il existe des moyens légaux pour émigrer vers le Golfe., Berhe Fesseha. Youths on Perilous Journeys: Irregular Migrants from Tǝgray, Northern Ethiopia, to the Gulf Region. In: Annales d'Ethiopie. Volume 28, année 2013. pp. 345-361.

In this paper Raman spectroscopy is performed on silicone rubber housing materials that have been taken from 200 kV and 400 kV transmission line insulators, located in the Gulf region. The service areas of these insulators feature heavy depositions of sands and dusts yet with intermittent durations of fog and wetting on the surface. In addition, the creepage distances have been selected for heavily polluted conditions as per IEC 60815, thereby expecting light aging conditions for the analyzed housing materials. The increase in the Raman band intensity of Si-OH rationed to the Raman band intensity of Si-O-Si is found as a useful aging indicator for the analyzed surfaces. On the other hand, a careful analysis is required when using the Raman band intensity of alumina tri-hydrate rationed to the Raman band intensity of Si-O-Si in order to indicate the reduction in the polymer content due to aging. Ultra-violet radiation oxidizing the surface is the main factor reported to deteriorate the analyzed materials. An increased influential effect is also speculated for both the aging time in service for the 200 kV insulators and for electric field enhancement inducing surface discharges as approaching the energized side of the 400 kV insulators. Using Raman spectroscopy to assess the condition of service-aged silicone rubber insulators can be advantageous as, with a special apparatus, this method can be implemented on site., 2016 IEEE Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena (CEIDP), October 16-19, 2016, Toronto, ON, Canada

[No abstract available] Scopus

The IMPROVE™ study was a 26-week, multinational, open-label, non-randomized study, carried out in 11 countries. Aim To evaluate the safety and efficacy of biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) in patients with type 2 diabetes under routine clinical practice. Study design There were no prescribed procedures for this study except for the collection of data. Result Data obtained at baseline and Week 26 in patients from the Gulf region is presented. From the Gulf region, 1613 patients (61% males) were enrolled with a mean age of 50.5 years and a mean BMI of 30.4 kg/m 2 . The majority of the patients (57.0%) were treated with OAD only, while 34.3% patients were previously treated with insulin ±OAD and 8.7% were treatment naive. After 26 weeks of treatment, the mean HbA 1c was reduced by 1.4% from 9.3% at baseline to 7.9% at Week 26. The mean FBG was reduced by 66.6 mg/dL from 212.4 mg/dL at baseline to 145.8 mg/dL at Week 26. No major hypoglycaemic episodes were reported as SADRs during the study. The rate of major hypoglycaemic episodes was reduced from 0.13 episodes/patient year at baseline to 0.05 episodes/patient year at Week 26. A lower risk of minor hypoglycaemia was also observed. Body weight was reduced by 0.6 kg from 85.4 kg at baseline to 84.7 kg at Week 26. Conclusion BIAsp 30 improved glycaemic control without increasing the risk of hypoglycaemic episodes and weight gain after 26 weeks’ treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes from the Gulf region.

India Migration Report 2016 discusses migration to the Persian Gulf region. This volume: • looks at contemporary labour recruitment and policy, both in India and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries; • explores gender issues in migration to Gulf countries; and • brings together latest field data on migrants across states in India. Part of the prestigious annual series, this volume will interest scholars and researchers of economics, development studies, migration and diaspora studies, labour studies, and sociology. It will also be useful to policymakers and government institutions working in the area.

In this paper, we discuss the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Gulf region. We examine the importance of providing state-of-the-art ASD interventions, and highlight social robots as therapeutic tools that have gained popularity for their use in ASD therapy in the West. We also elaborate on the features of social robots that make them effective and describe how they can be used in such settings. We then emphasize the significance of taking cultural context into account in order to develop indigenous tools for ASD therapy, and explain the different ways in which social robots can be made culturally adaptive to maximize their potential impact on children with ASD. Springer International Publishing AG 2016. The work is supported by an NPRP grant from the Qatar National Research Fund under the grant No. NPRP 7-673-2-251. The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. Scopus

This study explores what constitutes students' satisfaction with university experience and examines the influence of overall satisfaction with the university experience on students' co-creation behavior - namely, participation behavior and citizenship behavior. Drawing upon a sample of 379 students and using structural equation modeling, the results suggest that perceived university reputation and perceived faculty competency are the key influential factors in determining students' satisfaction with university experience. The findings also provide empirical support to the direct role student satisfaction plays in enabling student participation and citizenship behavior. The results support the notion that student satisfaction mediates the relationship between the antecedent variables of perceived university reputation and perceived faculty competency, and student citizenship behavior. The findings have implications for universities seeking to compete in a complex market-driven higher education setting. 2015 Taylor & Francis. Scopus