Makkah City Research Articles

Isolation and identification of the oral bacteria and their characterization for bacteriocin production in the oral cavity.

Oral cavity is a diverse ecosystem which harbors immense diversity of microorganisms like fungi, virus and bacteria. Some of these microorganisms are involved in causing multiple infections. Oral flora is continuously changing due to connection with the external environment and produce bacteriocin against each other to compete for nutrient in this mini ecosystem. Current study was aimed to explore and compare the bacterial fauna of both healthy and non-healthy dental samples, by isolation and identification with biochemical tests to characterize the bacteriocin production. During study 120 swabs were taken from both healthy and unhealthy subjects. Samples were collected from the dental clinics of Makkah City, in sterile eppendorfs containing 1 ml nutrient broth, and were incubated overnight using shaking incubator. Bacteria were isolated following identification through Gram staining, microscopy and biochemical test. Total 15 strains of bacteria were isolated during the study amongst which 8 strains were gram positive and 7 strains were gram negative. The most dominant species of the gram positive strains was Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 26). On the other hand, Escherichia coli (n = 26) was the prominent specie amongst the gram negative strains. Overall, the dominated family was Enterobacteriaceae (19.36%) followed by Streptococcaceae with 13.83% abundance. One of the most cariogenic strain Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 14) was also isolated. The bacterial strain diversity between these two type of ecosystem was approximately the same, with slight variation in Shannon (HS:2.627187, NHS:2.653594) and Simpson diversity (HS:0.923461, NHS: 0.92684) index. The current research revealed that bacteriocin production in the Enterobacter species was prominent against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Apart from this other strains like Klebsiella pneumoniae and Exiguobacterium spp were also able to produce bacteriocin against Enterobacter species and Bacillus cereus respectively.

Delineation of shallow groundwater potential zones using integrated hydrogeophysical and topographic analyses, western Saudi Arabia

Groundwater potentiality mapping is currently receiving more attention, particularly in arid regions, where natural freshwater resources are limited and scarce and instead costly unconventional methods such as seawater desalination are widely used to satisfy water demands. Water demand in Makkah city is considered a vital task, which receives millions of visitors every year for religious purposes. The present study evaluates the potential zones of groundwater in the southwest Makkah city applying hydrogeophysical modeling approach that integrates geoelectrical resistivity in form of vertical electrical sounding (VES), ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and topographic analyses. VES results indicate five main geoelectric layers: (1) dry wadi-fill deposits with a true resistivity varying from 73 to 650 Ohm.m and average thickness of 3.14 m, (2) partially saturated sands with a resistivity range between 19 and 43 Ohm.m and average thickness of 13 m, (3) water-bearing layer of saturated sands with a resistivity range between 55 and 110 Ohm.m, and average thickness of 52 m, (4) highly fractured diorite rocks with resistivity values ranging from 750 to 1450 Ohm.m and average thickness of 1.5 m, and (5) fresh diorite basement rocks with a resistivity of more than 4000 Ohm.m. Results of GPR profiles support the gained results of the VES technique, and together they are confirmed by the wells data. The integrated results suggest a structural control on the groundwater accumulation and call for a detailed mapping of alluvium-covered faults to provide a high-resolution mapping of groundwater occurrences and ensure environmental sustainability in southwest Makkah city.

Impact of elevation and slope aspect on floristic composition in wadi Elkor, Sarawat Mountain, Saudi Arabia

The current research was carried out in Wadi Elkor, one of the Sarawat Mountains regions, which is a special location from an environmental standpoint and one of the only places in Saudi Arabia where a range of Palaearctic flora co-exists with Afrotropical species. The study aimed to determine the floristic composition as well as the effects of slope aspect and elevation on species, life forms, and phytogeographical elements distribution. The study area is located in Wadi Elkor, a valley in the Sarawat Mountains that cuts off the Al-Hada escarpment, 47 km southeast of Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. We conducted the research at three different locations, each with a different elevation and slope aspect. Based on floristic composition, Ward classification moreover Jaccard comparisons were performed. A total of 189 species was discovered, divided into 131 genera and 43 families. The current study identified Argyrolobium rarum Dumme as a new vascular plant in Saudi Arabia's terrestrial flora. In the current study, the Gramineae, Leguminosae, and Compositae families contributed 29% of the total plant species, whereas 14 families were represented by one species each. Solanum was the most numerous genus, with seven species, followed by Acacia and Pulicaria, each with six species, while Commicarpos and Euphorbia, each with four species. At an elevation of 1060 m above sea level, the north facing slope had the most plants, genera, and families. Therophytes had the most species, accounting for 44%, followed by Chamaephytes, which accounted for 26%. Hemicryptophytes accounted for 12% of the total, while phanerophytes accounted for 10%. In the studied area, the bioregional Saharo-Sindian and Sudano-Zambesian groups were the most well-represented (41%). The floristic composition, as well as the distribution of life forms and phytogeographical components, were found to be significantly affected by the elevation and slope aspects. The study showed that slope aspect and elevation both affected the distribution of plant species, with elevation being the most influential of the two variables.

Land value assessment based on an integrated Voronoi-geographically weighted regression approach in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

ObjectiveMakkah Al-Mukarramah is the holiest city of the Islamic world because of the presence of the Holy Mosque which is also known as Al-Haram. Due to lodging and business activities around the Holy Mosque, Makkah city has experienced a rapid urban growth and an increase in population. Hence, it is necessary to develop an efficient land value assessment method that takes into account the main factors influencing the prices of land in Makkah. MethodsThis study proposed an integrated Voronoï- Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). Voronoi diagrams were used to subdivide the space into regions which were generated based on the spatial location of land value input data. Then, the GWR regression equation related to each land value input data was applied to the entire corresponding Voronoï region. The proposed approach ensured a continuous estimation of the prices of land in the whole study area. ResultsBased on the results obtained from this research, the property price in Makkah varies between 4000 SAR/m2 and 14050 SAR/m2 according to the location of the property. Because of the holiness of Makkah, the lands nearest to the Holy Mosque have the highest prices. However, comparison with ground value data showed that there is a variation of percentage between −17% and 22%. ConclusionsThe proposed model overestimated the prices of lands around the Holy Mosque, even though the prices remain higher; this was because the Voronoï-GWR model captured the high demand on lands surrounding the Holy Mosque. Nevertheless, the proposed model underestimated the prices of land in the southern region of the study area because of the presence of mountains with new infrastructures under construction not considered.

Reaktualisasi Pengukuran Arah Kiblat Dengan Metode Segitiga Bola Pada Masjid Dan Musholla

An understanding of the Qibla direction is very important for Muslims, because facing the Qibla is one of the legal requirements for performing prayers. Although now the technology to determine the Qibla direction is sophisticated, it is necessary to know how to determine the actual Qibla direction. The determination of the direction of the Qibla with the spherical triangle method is based on a triangle on the surface of the globe which is formed by three large circles of the globe, namely two circles of the earth's longitude and one circle of Qibla. The intersection of the three large circles forms three points, namely point A (Makkah), point B (the location where the Qibla direction will be calculated), and point C (the North Pole). The steps in determining the Qibla direction include: (1) Prepare the data needed in calculating the Qibla direction of a place, namely latitude and longitude data for the Kaaba (Makkah city), as well as latitude and longitude data for the location/city to be calculated. the qibla direction; (2) Calculation of the Qibla direction using the formula , with: B = Angle of the direction of the Qibla of a place, C = The difference between the longitude of the Kaaba and the longitude of the place where the Qibla direction is being sought, a = 90o – tp (latitude), and b = 90o – ka (Kaaba latitude); (3) Calculation of true Qibla azimuth from true north in a clockwise direction, where true Qibla azimuth = 360o – Qibla direction angle (B); (4) Determination of the actual Qibla direction by measuring using an arc ruler as large as true Qibla azimuth from true north.

Food waste recycling for compost production and its economic and environmental assessment as circular economy indicators of solid waste management

Organic waste management (OWM) currently follows the linear economy principle in most of the Gulf countries. Most CE studies to date revolve around the reduction, recycling, and reuse of the material in a production and consumption chain. In this study, the whole process chain's economic and environmental monetary values were investigated to convert organic food waste (OFW) into compost, following the CE indicators. The monetary savings from macronutrients (carbon and NPK) enrichment by applying compost to the soil and its replacement value of the mineral fertilizer have never been reported in the CE model. The OFW production of Makkah city is estimated to increase up to 1.60 Mt in 2030 because of domestic population growth and an increasing number of pilgrims traveling to perform religious rituals. This massive quantity of OFW can produce 0.23–0.40 Mt of compost in 2015–2030 and reduce 0.043–0.076 Mt of CH4 emission. The implementation of this technology will generate net revenue of 240–419 MSAR from compost selling along with a potential substitute of 124–216 kt of chemical fertilizers during 2015–2030, following the CE. The environmental savings (waste dumping and carbon crediting related to CH4 reduction) can be 618–1078 MSAR, while fertilizer replacement savings will be 74–129 MSAR in 2015–2030. In general, implementing the composting technology following the CE model has the potential to add a cumulative net revenue of 1626 MSAR to the national economy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2030. Implementing the CE model in OFW generates compost, reduces waste management problems by closing the materials recycling loop, generating extra income, and adds net revenue to the national economy. It will also help the decision-makers devise a suitable sustainable waste management policy.

Using sustainable development indicators in developing Saudi cities—case study: Makkah city

Abstract The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved a rate of 69% in development sustainability level and ranked 101st out of 157 countries participating in the United Nations (UN) Convention of Sustainable Development Achievement. This shows a weakness in the extent of achieving sustainable development in the cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Makkah city, as one of the most significant cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was selected to measure to what extent it achieves sustainable development. The study sought to identify the indicators through which the extent of sustainable development achievement can be measured in Makkah. The values of indicators in Makkah were determined with reference to the accredited authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, such as the General Authority for Statistics and the establishment of the Makkah Comprehensive Plan. In addition, the quality-of-life program document was reviewed and links between the sustainable development indicators and livability indicators included in the quality-of-life document were considered. Then, a gap analysis was identified to find out the difference between the status in Makkah and the standard established by the UN and those included in the quality-of-life document. Finally, the study revealed the extent of achieving sustainable development in Makkah, which reached a score of 77.5%. The weaknesses of the city were determined in comparison to the established standards. Initiations and several programs were proposed for the purpose of bridging the gap identified in the study.

COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Medication Dispensing and the use of Health Services in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Aims: March 2020, WHO revealed that COVID-19 was a pandemic. Coughing, sneezing, close contact with infected individuals speeds up the disease spread. Saudi Arabia's government and the Ministry of Health sought to spread social awareness of the importance of quarantine and restriction, but unprecedented challenges and obstacles emerged. Therefore, in this study, the effect of COVID-19 on the dispensing of medication and the use of health care services evaluated.
 Study design: This survey, cross-sectional, was performed in Makkah city individuals.
 Place and Duration of Study: This survey was run out in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia for seven days, starting from June 15, 2020, to June 22, 2020.
 Methodology: Survey of 112 applicants (33 men, 79 women; age range 16-56+ years) had been performed to explore COVID-19 impact on medication dispensing and the use of health care services regarding sociodemographic data in Makkah city residents, Saudi Arabia.
 Results: This study demonstrated that most of the survey respondents coped well with COVID-19 changes. A significant correlation was found between coping with COVID-19 changes and the age of participants (F(df) = 7.846 (4,107), P-value 0.006) and (F(df) = 4.025 (4,107), P-value 0.047), respectively. Of all the participants, 68.75% had been able to dispense a prescription medication during COVID-19 restrictions. Among them, 30.36, 21.43, and 16.96% dispensed a prescription once, twice, and more than three times, respectively. The data showed that 67.86% of the participants successfully purchased medication from a community pharmacy during COVID-19 restrictions. There was no change in medication availability or price, at about 61.61% and 76.79%, respectively. A significant correlation between medication availability-price (F(df) = 4.025(3,105), P-value 0.047) was found. During COVID-19 restrictions, 51.79% of the respondents were able to access health care services such as hospitals that provide health checking, or substance use for disease treatment. Interestingly, 25% of the participants had the same accessibility to health care services.
 Conclusion: This research revealed that through the COVID-19 pandemic, the dispensing, availability, and price changes of medication and the use of health care services were running in a good manner. This would show that although there were restrictions due to COVID-19, access to medication or health care services was running smoothly.

Assessment of microbiological quality of food preparation process in some restaurants of Makkah city.

Microbiological contamination of food processing surfaces and utensils increases considerably the risk of food-borne illnesses via cross-contamination. Hence, the safety of served meals and beverages can be evaluated through the assessment of the microbiological quality of food contact surfaces in food-serving establishments. This study carried out in Makkah city aimed to assess the microbiological contamination levels on food processing surfaces and utensils in 43 restaurants from the 9 main districts in the city. A total of 294 swab preparations were taken from 16 types of food contact surfaces including cutting boards, food containers, knives, serving dishes and other utensils were examined. Ninety samples (31%) showed more than 10 CFU/cm2 which were considered positive for microbiological contamination. Meat chopping devices and cutting boards were found as the most contaminated food contact surfaces (60% and 50%), while washed serving dishes and fridge handles were the least contaminated (21% and 18%). Microorganisms detected in the study were Klebsiella spp. (18.7%), Escherichia coli (17,7%), Staphylococcus aureus (4,4%), Pseudomonas spp. (1.7%), Proteus spp. (0.7%), Bacillus cereus (0.7%), and Candida sp. (0.3%). Klebsiella spp. and E. coli were observed in at least one sample from each of the sixteen different food contact surfaces. The incidence of restaurants with contaminated food contact surfaces was significantly variable among the different districts, with a value as high as 57% in the most affected district and 20% in the less affected. No contamination with Salmonella spp. or Listeria spp. was detected, however, the detection of Bacillus cereus, a toxin-forming microorganism, in two different restaurants underlines the need for continuous microbiological assessment to ensure standard sanitation levels in restaurants and catering establishments of Makkah city.

Practice of wound closure techniques among emergency physicians and surgeons in Makkah City Hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Wound suturing is a procedure performed by medical and surgical specialists. While there are many different suturing techniques and materials used to treat patients, the choice of which to employ depends on different variables that affect the outcome of the procedure.Design and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted to provide descriptive data regarding the practice of wound closure techniques, and to develop an awareness of scar formation factors. A total of 172 general surgery (GS) surgeons and emergency (EM) physicians in Makkah city hospitals in Saudi Arabia participated in the study.Results: More than 50% of the practitioners favored the simple interrupted technique for the treatment of all types of studied wounds. The other most common techniques among participants were the subcuticular and vertical mattress methods, respectively, while the use of a stapler was limited to certain wound types. Regarding suturing material, polyglycolic acid was the most frequent material used by 50.1% of participants, whereas only 22% of the participants selected nylon material for wound suturing. However, this study showed a good level of awareness among participants, with significant p-values (p<0.05) of strongly agree and agree regarding the essential factors affecting wound healing and scar formation.Conclusions: The result provides insight into the most common suture techniques and materials used in wound closure. There are wide variations in selecting these techniques and materials among the participants. Also, we found that there is good awareness amongparticipants about factors that lead to scar formation. Significance for public health The main contribution of this study that it has been shown areas for improvement and the need for intensive education and awareness regarding the proper use of techniques and materials in skin suturing and wound closure. This contribution will lead to acquire the optimum outcomes in any wound closure procedure which include the decrease in wound complication, increase speed of repair, cosmoses, patient and physician satisfaction, better cost of repair, and other intended outcomes.

Lack of Zika Virus and Other Recognized Flaviviruses among the Mosquito Vectors during and Post the Hajj Mass Gathering.

Makkah city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), contains many of the world’s mosquito vectors of parasitic and arboviral disease and is the site of the Hajj mass gathering. As such there is a risk of exportation and globalization of vector-borne viruses, including the re-emerging Zika virus (ZIKV). There was international concern regarding the introduction of ZIKV to KSA and potential international spread of the virus following the 2016 Hajj which took place few days after the Rio summer Olympics at the height of the ZIKV pandemic. We aimed to detect flaviviruses, including ZIKV, circulating among mosquito hosts in the city of Makkah during and post the 2016 Hajj pilgrimage. Mosquitos (adults and larvae) were sampled from 15 sites in Makkah city during and post the 2016 Hajj and identified to species by morphological keys. Mosquitos were pooled according to date of collection, location, and species. A Pan-Flaviviruses RT-PCR assay that enables identification of 51 flaviviruses species and three tentative species was used to detect flavivirus RNA directly from mosquito homogenates. Between the 10 September and 6 October 2016, 9412 female mosquitos were collected. Of these, 81.3% were Aedes aegypti, 18.6% were Culex species, and 0.1% were Anopheles species. Of the total 493 mosquito pools generated, 242 (49%) were positive by the Pan-Flaviviruses primer set. Sequence analysis revealed that none of the mosquitos carried a pathogenic flavivirus, including ZIKV, but were infected with a novel insect-specific flavivirus. We found no pathogenic flaviviruses circulating in Makkah city during and post the 2016 Hajj and no evidence of introduction of ZIKV through the pilgrimage. Enhanced vector-borne diseases surveillance, prevention, and control are crucial in KSA especially during international mass gatherings such as the annual Hajj to prevent outbreaks and the spread of viruses with epidemic and pandemic potentials.

Etiology of end-stage renal disease amongst hemodialysis patients in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia

In recent years, the number of hemodialysis (HD) patients has increased in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with increased rates of hospital admission, morbidity, and mortality. Globally, the most common causes of ESRD are diabetic nephropathy, hypertension, glomerulonephritis, infections, and chronic obstruction. However, very limited data have been presented regarding the etiology of ESRD in Saudi Arabia, especially in Makkah City. Therefore, this cross-sectional study is designed to determine the underlying etiologies of ESRD in hemodialysis patients. The study was conducted among 306 patients who were recruited from Makkah hospitals and HD centers. The obtained data showed that diabetes was the most common cause of ESRD (34.3%), followed by hypertension (20.9%), drug misuse (12.1%), hereditary conditions (10.1%), urinary tract obstruction, and urinary retention (9.8%), unknown reason (8.2%), and chronic inflammation of the kidneys (3.3%). In conclusion, this study highlights the most important factors contributing to ESRD in the Makkah region. Thus, national campaigns should be performed to increase awareness about these factors and to possibly reduce the incidence of the disease.

WRF-Chem Simulation for Modeling Seasonal Variations and Distributions of Aerosol Pollutants over the Middle East

Atmospheric aerosols and dust have become a challenge for urban air quality. The presented study quantified seasonal spatio-temporal variations of aerosols, tropospheric ozone, and dust over the Middle East (ME) for the year 2012 by using the HTAP emission inventory in the WRF-Chem model. Simulated gaseous pollutants, aerosols and dust were evaluated against satellite measurements and reanalysis datasets. Meteorological parameters, temperature, and wind vector were evaluated against MERRA2. The model showed high spatio-temporal variability in meteorological parameters during summer and low variability in winter. The correlation coefficients for all the parameters are estimated to be 0.92, 0.93, 0.98, and 0.89 for January, April, July, and October respectively, indicating that the WRF-Chem model reproduced results very well. Simulated monthly mean AOD values were maximum in July (1.0–1.5) and minimum in January (0.1–0.4) while April and October were in the range of 0.6–1.0 and 0.3–0.7 respectively. Simulated dust concentrations were high in April and July. The monthly average aerosol concentration was highest over Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates and Jeddah, Makkah. The contributions to urban air pollution were highest over Makkah city with more than 25% from anthropogenic sources.

Urban Heat Island Effects on Megacities in Desert Environments Using Spatial Network Analysis and Remote Sensing Data: A Case Study from Western Saudi Arabia

Contemporary cities continue to face significant geoenvironmental challenges due to constant rapid urbanization. Furthermore, the governments of cities worldwide are considering the green cities approach to convert their cities’ weaknesses into opportunities. The 2030 Saudi vision supports smart growth concepts, with a vision of speeding up economic growth while ensuring that natural assets strengthen the country’s foundations. The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a threatening phenomenon that increases the required cooling loads and negatively affects urban communities and the quality of life, especially in arid environments. This study integrates remote sensing and spatial network analysis to investigate the UHI using the distribution of land surface temperatures (LST) extracted from satellite data during both winter and summer seasons in Makkah city. We investigated and compared the UHIs in two districts, Al-Sharashef and AlEskan, representing the organic and deformed iron-grid with fragmented paralleled street networks, respectively. The spatial analysis of different LST maps, which were derived from Landsat-8 images revealed significant differences between the two case studies. The mean temperature for the AlEskan district was 1–1.5 °C higher than that of the Al-Sharshaf district. This difference can be attributed to the different urban fabrics between the two districts. Moreover, the zones that are currently under construction show relatively higher LST compared to residential zones. The research revealed that the organic/compact urban fabric is better than the deformed iron-grid urban fabric in mitigating the UHI. However, these results are specific to the test site; however, they emphasize the role of integration of remote sensing and spatial network analysis in urban planning. In light of these findings, we recommend integrating remote sensing-based LST analysis with spatial analysis of urban fabrics to better understand the causal effects of UHI, especially in cities located in desert environments. This can help mitigate the impact of projected global warming and contribute to improving the quality of urban life.

An automatic approach for detecting building fences from high-resolution images: the case study of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract In the light of the constantly expanding technological advancements concerning high-resolution satellites and imaging techniques for investigative and information uses it is important to look at how these algorithms progress to acquire more reliable data in a much efficient manner. This study aims to (1) investigate the ability to use remote sensing and geographic information system techniques to extract the detecting building edges in the City of Makkah and (2) investigate new machine learning techniques to derive the illegal building fences in the study area. Two WorldView-3 images will be the first obtained for the City of Makkah in 2016 and 2018. Convolutional neural networks algorithm will be investigated to detect all the fences within the two images. These traits have been utilized to create automated object detection techniques, which are a core requirement of information extraction and large frame analysis of images covering large expanses of land. In high-resolution images, object detection identifies objects belonging to a class, locating them using a bounding box. Based on satellite images time series, the outputs will detect the changes that occurred during 2016 and 2018. A web map application will be designed as the primary tool to make it easier, illustrating the differences between the main changes. Evaluation of binary classifiers approach will be used to evaluate the outcomes of building fences based on several performances that measure data interpretation. Preliminary findings will illustrate the precision and accuracy of the used machine learning algorithm. The research findings can contribute to the federal/municipal authorities and act as a generic indicator for targeting building fences for urban areas and/or suburban areas.

Nationwide Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundEstimated seroprevalence of Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a critical evidence for a better evaluation of the virus spread and monitoring the progress of COVID-19 pandemic in a population. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence has been reported in specific regions, but an extensive nationwide study has not been reported. Here, we report a nationwide study to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the population of KSA during the pandemic, using serum samples from healthy blood donors, non-COVID patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) in six different regions of the kingdom, with addition samples from COVID-19 patients. MethodsA total of 11,703 serum samples were collected from different regions of the KSA including; 5395 samples from residual healthy blood donors (D); 5877 samples from non-COVID patients collected through residual sera at clinical biochemistry labs from non-COVID patients (P); and 400 samples from consented HCWs. To determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2, all serum samples, in addition to positive control sera from RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients, were subjected to in-house ELISA with a sample pooling strategy, which was further validated by testing individual samples that make up some of the pools, with a statistical estimation method to report seroprevalence estimates. ResultsOverall (combining D and P groups) seroprevalence estimate was around 11% in Saudi Arabia; and was 5.1% (Riyadh), 1.5% (Jazan), 18.4% (Qassim), 20.8% (Hail), 14.7% (ER; Alahsa), and 18.8% in Makkah. Makkah samples were only D group and had a rate of 24.4% and 12.8% in the cities of Makkah and Jeddah, respectively. The seroprevalence in Saudi Arabia across the sampled areas would be 12 times the reported COVID-19 infection rate. Among HCWs, 7.5% (4.95–10.16 CI 95%) had reactive antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 without reporting any previously confirmed infection. This was higher in HCWs with hypertension. The study also presents the demographics and prevalence of co-morbidities in HCWs and subset of non-COVID-19 population. InterpretationOur study estimates the overall national serological prevalence of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia to be 11%, with an apparent disparity between regions. This indicates the prevalence of asymptomatic or mild unreported COVID-19 cases.

An Anthroponomastic Study of Makkan Community

This study is based on anthroponomastics (anthroponymy), the study of personal names, which is one of the principal branches of onomastics: the study of proper names of all kinds. In this study, personal names of Makkan males and females are investigated hoping to shed some light on the naming system applicable in the city of Makkah, in particular, and in Saudi Arabia in general. Thus, the study attempts to answer the following questions: 1- What are the socio-cultural aspects of Makkan anthroponomastics? 2- What are the linguistic aspects of Makkan anthroponomastics?

Geo-environmental impact assessment of rock-cutting activities on the mountainous urban areas, western Saudi Arabia

This study evaluates the geo-environmental impacts of ongoing rock-cutting activities on the environment and the health of the residents in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. The total quantity of rock-cuttings from one site was estimated using satellite data, a special algorithm, and mathematical models as 280,000 m3, which represents a large amount of rock debris from one excavation site. These debris were ultimately dumped into arid valleys. Rock-cutting processes also release a high percentage of silica dust particles (crystalline silica) and, in some cases, radon and some radioactive elements that cause alarming air pollution. Air pollutants percentage (PM2.5) reached 624 ppm and noise levels were estimated as 81 dB, which is above the acceptable limits. The total radiation intensity in the rock-cutting process areas showed normal levels, in the range of 34 milli-Roentgen/h. Conversely, inhaled dust in Mina area ranged between 35 and 190 μg/m3. The results showed also that the silica concentrations in Mina area ranged between 0.8 and 14 μg/m3, with an average concentration of 7.8 μg/m3. Medical geological and geo-biological simulations of the air pollutant hazards on human enzymes showed a notable 3B75 co-crystal form, which was characterized as glycated human hemoglobin. The ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys at the rock-cutting sites showed cracks and joints in the subterranean layering near the excavated areas, which were most likely caused by rock-cutting processes.

The Impact of Customer Experience and Relationship Quality on Corporate Reputation in the Hotel Sector

Given the intensive competition in the hospitality industry, customer experience has become a vital concern for the hotel sector. This study examines to what extent customer experience (CE) impacts corporate reputation (CR) through the mediating role of relationship quality (RQ). The authors put forward and test a theoretical framework of direct effects of CE on CR and for RQ on CR. Moreover, the research model examined the indirect effects of CE on CR via RQ. Hypothetically, CE together with RQ is likely to influence CR. Empirical results based on a sample of 377 guests from hotels in Makkah city in KSA demonstrated that CE has a positive direct impact on RQ and positive indirect effect on CR which support the hypotheses. Results also indicate that CE provides a foundation for RQ and CR. Thus, they conjecture that CE and RQ enhance CR. Accordingly, they encourage KSA hotel sector to cultivate their CE for harnessing their RQ in order to boost CR in the long run.

The Dynamic Fluctuation of Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus (Olivier) in Makkah Al-Mukarramah city

The red palm weevil(RPW),Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is one of the most threatening pests of date palm trees in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Which considered as category Iinsect pest in the Gulf region and the Middle East, according toFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Therefore, this research was planned to study the dynamic fluctuation of RPW, its relationship to some environmental factors (temperature &amp; relative humidity) and to determine sexual ratio in Makkah city during 2019. In addition to clarifying color preference by using food bait pheromone traps (FBPTs). The results revealedthe presence of RPW throughout the year, with significant differences in numerical densities according to different collection times. The study also recorded the highest population density during April &amp; March, and it was the highest significantly compared to that were collected during July, October, August and September. The study also recorded two peaks of RPW activity throughout the year. A major summit in April and a smaller summit in December. Statistical analysis results showed that the RPW has significant activity at spring compared to the other seasons, while the least active for RPW was at autumn.The results also showed a negative significant correlation between the mean population density of RPW and temperature; and a positive non-significant correlation between seasonal abundance and relative humidity, with significant differences between the mean of male and female with ratio(1:3), respectively. Black traps were more effective and significantly in attracting RPW than other tested colors.