Arabian Peninsula Countries Research Articles

Retrofitting measures for reducing buildings cooling requirements in cooling-dominated environment: Residential house

Air conditioning systems in hot and developing countries are the major energy consumers. Unfortunately, Arabian Peninsula countries still rely completely on fossil fuel. Therefore, there are compelling reasons to investigate the energy consumption in buildings and its environmental impact.The current paper studies the effect of different retrofitting measures for reducing cooling load of buildings in hot climate. A common type of residential house with dimension of 12 × 12 × 3 m in Qatar was chosen as a case study. Five energy retrofitting measures of the building envelope have been considered in this study: (1) U-value of the external shell, (2) indoor set-temperature, (3) lighting efficacy, (4) the color of external shell, and (5) windows' quality. Hourly analysis program was used for calculating the cooling load of the case study. The anticipated costs associated with the implementation of the retrofitting measures were calculated based on the local current prices in Qatar. Simple payback period for each measure was assessed in the present study. The simulations show that the energy saving of 53% can be obtained at the working conditions of Qatar. The payback period of the examined measures is relatively short and varies between 0.5 and 4 years.

The Effect of Corporate Governance on Bank Financial Performance: Evidence from the Arabian Peninsula

This paper investigates the effect of internal corporate governance mechanisms and control variables, such as bank size and bank age on bank financial performance. The sample of this study comprises of both conventional and Islamic banks operating in the seven Arabian Peninsula countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Regression analysis (OLS) is used to test the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on bank financial performance. The results of this study reveal that there is a significant relationship between corporate governance and bank profitability. Board size, board activism, number of outside directors, and bank age significantly affect Tobin’s Q. Meanwhile, ROA and PM are affected by ownership concentration, audit committee, audit committee meetings, and the age & size of the bank. The results are consistent with previous literature that the correlation between corporate governance and firm performance is still not clearly established and that impact of corporate governance on bank financial performance in developing countries is still relatively limited.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus: A Review

Context: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection is an emerging human disease that has been reported from the Arabian Peninsula and Middle East countries since 2012. Although zoonotic transmission was postulated, virological and serological finding suggest that the dromedary camels act as the potential reservoirs of MERS-CoV infection to humans. As October 2014, a totally 855 confirmed cases with 333 related deaths were reported to WHO. All cases occurred in or epidemiologically linked to affected countries. The virus ability to induce a pandemic attack is limited. The clinical presentations vary and range from asymptomatic infection to severe respiratory disease and death. However, most severe disease occurs in elderly and in those with underlying conditions. Infection prevention and control measures are critical to prevent the possible spread of MERS-CoV infection is health care facilities and in the community. The WHO encourages all member states to perform surveillance of patients with acute severe respiratory infection and to carefully monitor any unusual patterns. This paper aims to review the current key characteristics of MERS-CoV infection in human and update the WHO recommendations about this illness.

The effect of corporate governance on bank financial performance: evidence from the Arabian Peninsula

This paper investigates the effect of internal corporate governance mechanisms and control variables, such as bank size and bank age on bank financial performance. The sample of this study comprises of both conventional and Islamic banks operating in the seven Arabian Peninsula countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Regression analysis (OLS) is used to test the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on bank financial performance. The results of this study reveal that there is a significant relationship between corporate governance and bank profitability. Board size, board activism, number of outside directors, and bank age significantly affect Tobin’s Q. Meanwhile, ROA and PM are affected by ownership concentration, audit committee, audit committee meetings, and the age & size of the bank. The results are consistent with previous literature that the correlation between corporate governance and firm performance is still not clearly established and that impact of corporate governance on bank financial performance in developing countries is still relatively limited.

The Effects of Corporate Governance on Bank Performance

Whereas banks operate under different management, board of directors, ownership structures, and government regulations, there is no specific optimal corporate governance model that may be applied to all banks. This study investigates the effect of internal corporate governance mechanisms such as board structure, ownership structure, and audit function as well as other variables such as bank size and bank age on bank financial performance. The sample of the study comprises of both conventional and Islamic banks operating in the seven Arabian Peninsula countries, namely Yemen and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Regression analysis (OLS) is used to test the aforementioned effect. The results of this study reveal that there is a significant relationship between corporate governance and bank profitability. Board meetings and bank age have positive and significant effects on ROE. Meanwhile, board independence and bank size have negative and significant effects on ROA. In addition, while bank age and board committees have positive effects on Profit Margin, ownership concentration has a negative effect on this profitability measure. These results are consistent with previous studies. However, the literature indicate that the correlation between corporate governance and bank performance is still not clearly established and that impact of corporate governance on bank financial performance in developing countries is still relatively limited.

Detection of MERS Circulation in Kuwait

In June 2012, a previously unknown human coronavirus was isolated from a 60 year-old Saudi-Arabian patient who died from acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiple organ failure [1]. Subsequently, the novel virus was detected from several additional residents and visitors of the Arabian Peninsula countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This virus is currently called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus (MERS-CoV). It is the first virus belonging to betacoronavirus lineage C that has been associated with human disease. Globally, from September 2012 to date, WHO has been informed of a total of 157 laboratoryconfirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV, including 66 deaths [2]. It is recommended for physicians to be vigilant toward testing for MERS-CoV. Other potential causes of respiratory infections should be ruled out using routinely available laboratory tests. Lower respiratory tract samples such as bronchoalveolar lavage are recommended better than upper respiratory tract samples to test for MERS-CoV. A number of RT-PCR assays that are specific for the novel coronavirus have been developed. These include an assay targeting upstream the E protein gene (upE), an assay targeting the open reading frame 1b (ORF 1b) gene and an assay targeting the open reading frame 1a (ORF 1a) gene [3]. The assay for the upE target is considered highly sensitive, with the ORF 1a assay believed to be of equal sensitivity. The ORF 1b assay is considered less sensitive than the ORF 1a assay but may be more specific [3]. By November of 2012, the virus had already been discovered in multiple countries in the Arabian peninsula including Qatar, Jordan and Saudia Arabia .In that time it was also feared that the virus also circulated in Kuwait. The situation was made worse by the arrival of the Hajj season when several thousands of KUWAITI people traveled to Saudi Arabia in the presence of the virus which behavior was unknown. Therefore, MERS-CoV PCR was established targeting ORF-1b in the virology unit in Mubarak Alkabeer Hospital Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait in December of 2012 to screen for the presence of the virus in the country as a cause of severe respiratory tract infection and to detect any imported cases. On November, 2013 another method was replaced to test for MERS-CoV after screening with upE is ModularDx Kit corona Orf1a by TIB and the previous method is now used as secondary test. Almost one year after the identification of the new virus we would like to report our experience.

Thermal tolerances of reef corals in the Gulf: A review of the potential for increasing coral survival and adaptation to climate change through assisted translocation

Corals in the Gulf 1Although virtually all standard maps use the term “Persian Gulf”, the term “Arabian Gulf” has become commonly used in publications of studies conducted in the waters of Arabian Peninsula countries. The nonpolitical generic term “Gulf” is therefore used here for this marine area.1 withstand summer temperatures up to 10°C higher than corals elsewhere and have recovered from extreme temperature events in 10years or less. This heat-tolerance of Gulf corals has positive implications for the world’s coral populations to adapt to increasing water temperatures. However, survival of Gulf corals has been severely tested by 35–37°C temperatures five times in the last 15years, each time causing extensive coral bleaching and mortality. Anticipated future temperature increases may therefore challenge survival of already highly stressed Gulf corals. Previously proposed translocation of Gulf corals to introduce temperature-adapted corals outside of the Gulf is assessed and determined to be problematical, and to be considered a tool of last resort. Coral culture and transplantation within the Gulf is feasible for helping maintain coral species populations and preserving genomes and adaptive capacities of Gulf corals that are endangered by future thermal stress events.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with self-reported carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among office workers in Kuwait

BackgroundThe prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is not well understood in many Arabian Peninsula countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported CTS in Kuwait.FindingsA cross-sectional, self-administered survey of CTS-related symptoms was used in this study. Multivariate logistic regression was also used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for factors of interest. Participants in this study were adult office workers in Kuwait (n = 470, 55.6% males), who worked in companies employing more than 50 people. Self-reported CTS was reported in 18.7% of the group (88/470). CTS was significantly associated with the following demographic factors: female gender, obesity and number of comorbid conditions. Self-identification of CTS was also associated with key symptoms and impairment in daily activities (e.g., wrist pain, numbness, weakness, night pain, difficulty carrying bags, difficulty grasping [Chi-Square Test for Association: P < 0.05 for all symptoms/activities]). However, symptoms such as wrist pain, weakness, and functional disabilities were also frequently reported among those who do not self report CTS (range: 12.1%–38.2%).ConclusionsPrevalence of self-reported CTS among office workers in Kuwait is 18.7%, and the risk factors for CTS in this population included female gender, obesity and number of related comorbidities. The frequency of symptoms in the sample who did not self report CTS suggest that CTS may be under-recognized, however further research is required to assess the prevalence of clinically diagnosed CTS.

Strategic requirements for plant conservation in the Arabian Peninsula

This paper briefly evaluates the activities of the Arabian Plant Specialist Group (APSG), which were initiated in response to the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC). For the Arabian Peninsula countries of Oman, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, substantial progress has been made towards meeting the 2010 targets of a regional plant checklist, an IUCN Red List and a programme of identifying and describing Important Plant Areas. A proposal to revise the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation for 2011–2020 is considered with respect to the strategic requirements for successfully implementing a revised strategy in the Arabian Region. Particular attention is paid to the development of online identification tools, to the widespread collection of biodiversity data and the education and training required for ensuring that conservation initiatives in the region are viable in the long term.

The impact of premarital HIV testing: a perspective from selected countries from the Arabian Peninsula

Although voluntary HIV testing is still more dominant than the mandatory form, in accordance with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Centers for Disease Control recommendations, there are still millions of people who are mandatorily tested before marriage. This article presents policies toward mandatory premarital HIV testing (PHT) in selected Arabian Peninsula countries, focusing on details of the testing as experienced by high-school students, who were participants of a recent research study conducted in the United Arab Emirates. With a high acceptance for mandatory premarital and periodical marital HIV testing among young Emirates, showing a feeling of vulnerability to contracting the infection, possible explanations for such feelings is also discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of PHT are presented with a focus on Arabian Peninsula countries. The author concludes that while a positive PHT result may be socially isolating, the challenge in Arab countries is to stimulate efforts into shifting social norms toward a destigmatization of disease, acceptance, and support of HIV-infected persons with reference to religion and compassion. Recommendations, which consider the specific nature of Arab countries, predominately governed by Islamic laws are formulated. A PHT program could benefit from adequate legislation acts followed by education and counseling based on government policy, religious body support, and an involvement of NGOs and international agencies.

IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

An Important Plant Area programme has been initiated for the Arabian region by the IUCN Arabian Plant Specialist Group. The aim of this programme is to assess hotspots of plant diversity in the region and designate the most important as Important Plant Areas. These assessments are conducted on the basis of specific criteria and this paper presents the criteria which have been adopted for the Arabian Peninsula countries of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. These Arabian criteria differ from those originally developed for Europe, and so they are presented here in full. This paper also discusses the context of the Important Plant Area programme and its ability to provide a framework for conservation planning.

Saudi Arabian Y-Chromosome diversity and its relationship with nearby regions

BackgroundHuman origins and migration models proposing the Horn of Africa as a prehistoric exit route to Asia have stimulated molecular genetic studies in the region using uniparental loci. However, from a Y-chromosome perspective, Saudi Arabia, the largest country of the region, has not yet been surveyed. To address this gap, a sample of 157 Saudi males was analyzed at high resolution using 67 Y-chromosome binary markers. In addition, haplotypic diversity for its most prominent J1-M267 lineage was estimated using a set of 17 Y-specific STR loci.ResultsSaudi Arabia differentiates from other Arabian Peninsula countries by a higher presence of J2-M172 lineages. It is significantly different from Yemen mainly due to a comparative reduction of sub-Saharan Africa E1-M123 and Levantine J1-M267 male lineages. Around 14% of the Saudi Arabia Y-chromosome pool is typical of African biogeographic ancestry, 17% arrived to the area from the East across Iran, while the remainder 69% could be considered of direct or indirect Levantine ascription. Interestingly, basal E-M96* (n = 2) and J-M304* (n = 3) lineages have been detected, for the first time, in the Arabian Peninsula. Coalescence time for the most prominent J1-M267 haplogroup in Saudi Arabia (11.6 ± 1.9 ky) is similar to that obtained previously for Yemen (11.3 ± 2) but significantly older that those estimated for Qatar (7.3 ± 1.8) and UAE (6.8 ± 1.5).ConclusionThe Y-chromosome genetic structure of the Arabian Peninsula seems to be mainly modulated by geography. The data confirm that this area has mainly been a recipient of gene flow from its African and Asian surrounding areas, probably mainly since the last Glacial maximum onwards. Although rare deep rooting lineages for Y-chromosome haplogroups E and J have been detected, the presence of more basal clades supportive of the southern exit route of modern humans to Eurasian, were not found.

Characterization of Rift Valley Fever Virus Transcriptional Terminations

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) (genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae) has a tripartite negative-strand genome and causes a mosquito-borne disease among humans and livestock in sub-Saharan African and Arabian Peninsula countries. Phlebovirus L, M, and N mRNAs are synthesized from the virus-sense RNA segments, while NSs mRNA is transcribed from the anti-virus-sense S segment. The present study determined the 3' termini of all RVFV mRNAs. The 3' termini of N and NSs mRNAs were mapped within the S-segment intergenic region and were complementary to each other by 30 to 60 nucleotides. The termini of M and L mRNAs were mapped within 122 to 107 nucleotides and 16 to 41 nucleotides, respectively, from the 5' ends of their templates. Viral RNA elements that control phlebovirus transcriptional terminations are largely unknown. Our studies suggested the importance of a pentanucleotide sequence, CGUCG, for N, NSs, and M mRNA transcription terminations. Homopolymeric tracts of C sequences, which were located upstream of the pentanucleotide sequence, promoted N and M mRNA terminations. Likewise, the homopolymeric tracts of G sequences that are found upstream of the pentanucleotide sequence promoted NSs mRNA termination. The L-segment 5'-untranslated region (L-5' UTR) had neither the pentanucleotide sequence nor homopolymeric sequences, yet replacement of the S-segment intergenic region with the L-5' UTR exerted N mRNA termination in an infectious virus. The L-5' UTR contained two 13-nucleotide-long complete complementary sequences, and their sequence complementarities were important for L mRNA termination. A computer-mediated RNA secondary structure analysis further suggested that RNA secondary structures formed by the sections of the two 13-nucleotide-long sequences and by the sequence between them may have a role in L mRNA termination. Our data demonstrated that viral RNA elements that govern L mRNA termination differed from those that regulate mRNA terminations in the M and S segments.

The Politics of Border Disputes

TERRITORIAL BORDERS ON THE Arabian Peninsula have long been the source of bitter disagreements. The peninsular states - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen - have periodically challenged their respective frontiers. Though disagreements over territorial demarcations simmered among the peninsular states for decades, in the aftermath of the 1990-1 Gulf War, challenges to the status quo intensified, with competing claims dramatically thrust onto the regional political agenda. The purpose of this article is to examine and explain the almost simultaneous ignition of brush fires all along the international frontiers on the Arabian Peninsula.At one extreme, resolution to outstanding border disputes was pursued violently. For example, armed confrontations occurred in 1992 and 1994 along the border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and in 1995, 1997, and 1998 between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. At the other extreme, competing territorial claims were hurriedly accommodated. For example, after ten years of negotiations to define their respective borders, Oman and Yemen eventually reached a preliminary settlement in 1992, and a final agreement in 1997. Between these extremes was much posturing and bargaining. The point is that, whether through armed conflict or diplomatic agreement, after years of inertia territorial issues were confronted with a heightened sense of urgency in the wake of war.NEW INTEREST IN OLD DISPUTES: CASES AND THEMESThe question of international frontiers on and near the Arabian Peninsula took on great saliency because the competition for economic resources and the search for political identity were complicated by the absence of a viable regional arrangement for security. In the early 1990s, various peninsular states accelerated their efforts to explore and develop oil reserves near politically sensitive boundaries, in part to offset a flat international market and the 'maturation of older fields.'(f.1) Most important, the Gulf War of 1991 was a catalyst that brought into sharp focus new political realities. Old tensions were exacerbated and new territorial understandings were pursed vigorously as the logic of territoriality gained potency in the political climate of 'self-definition and self-assertion.'(f.2) The new interest paid to old disputes was further intensified by the lack of an effective institutional mechanism by which to accommodate divergent claims, as is clearly demonstrated by comparing five on-going and three newly resolved territorial contests on and near the Arabian Peninsula. The complexity of tripartite frontiers that are 'resolved' only through bilateral agreements is addressed.(f.3)In the comparative analysis of the eight cases, three factors are addressed: historical lineage, contested issues, and mediators. The basis for progress in the disputes that have been resolved through interstate negotiations is also explored and the similarities are emphasized so as to allow more general patterns to emerge from the territorial challenges made by the states in the region, though differences are acknowledged. The eight disputes involve the following sets of actors: - Saudi Arabia and Qatar, over approximately fifteen miles of territory; - Saudi Arabia and Yemen, over land near the old division of North and South Yemen; - Iran and the United Arab Emirates, over the islands of Abu Musa and the Tunbs; - Bahrain and Qatar, over the Hawar Islands and surrounding reefs; - Iraq and Kuwait, over the islands of Warba and Bubiyan, and Umm al Qasr; - Oman and Yemen (finalized in May 1997); - Oman and the United Arab Emirates (settled in April 1993); and - Saudi Arabia and Oman (finalized in 1995).Individually, some of these disputes appear relatively insignificant; however, against the backdrop of regional and peninsular politics since the end of the Gulf War, they assume much more significance, and the status of international boundaries for future relations among the Arabian Peninsula countries is painted in starker colours. …