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Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a zoonotic pathogen that showed growing resistance to antibiotics. No descriptive analysis highlights the threat of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) of E. coli among livestock in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Herein, we conducted phenotypic and genotypic resistance studies on E. coli isolates from livestock samples in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi based on routine diagnosis between the periods 2014–2019. Bacterial culture and disk diffusion methods were used for bacterial isolation and phenotypic resistance analysis. Resistance mechanism was studied by PCR targeting the most commonly resistance genes: ampicillin (blaSHV, blaCMY, and blaTEM-1B), tetracyclines (tetA and tetB), co-trimoxazole [sulfamethoxazole (sul1, sul2, and sul3) + trimethoprim (dfrA1 and dfrA17)], aminoglycosides [aph(3'')-Ia, aph(6)-Id, and aac(3)-IV], and fluoroquinolones (qnrA and aac(6’)-Ib-cr). Analysis of 165 E. coli isolates showed resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, and enrofloxacin by 157/165 (95.4%), 154/165 (93.6%), 141/165 (86%), 139/165 (85%), and 135/165 (82.7%), respectively. Predominant resistance gene/s detected by PCR were blaCMY (119/160, 72%) and blaTEM-1B (154/160, 96.3%) for ampicillin; tetA (162/164, 98.8%) and tetB (112/164, 68.3%) for tetracyclines; sul2 (156/164, 95%), sul3 (138/164, 84%), and dfra17 (74/164, 44.5%) for co-trimoxazole; aph(3'')-Ia (134/164, 82.1%) and aph(6)-Id (161/164, 98.2%) for aminoglycosides; and aac(6’)-Ib-cr (61/61, 100%) for enrofloxacin. Both phenotypic and genotypic analyses revealed that all E. coli isolates were multidrug-resistant (resistance to 3, 4, and 5 antibiotics classes by 3.6%, 57.6%, and 38.8%, respectively) carrying one or more resistance gene/s for the same antibiotic. PCR profiling confirmed the presence of resistance genes corresponding to their antibiotic profile. Results of the study will highlight the knowledge based on E. coli AMR related to livestock in UAE that may call for interventions.

A transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) is characterized by the application of medications onto the skin's surface to deliver drugs at a controlled and predefined rate through the skin. Spanlastics, an elastic nanovesicle capable of transporting various pharmacological substances, shows promise as a drug delivery carrier. It offers numerous advantages over traditional vesicular systems applied topically, including enhanced stability, flexibility in penetration, and improved targeting capabilities. This study aims to develop meloxicam (MX)-loaded spanlastics gel as skin delivery carriers and to look into the effects of formulation factors like Tween80, Brij 35, and carbopol concentration on the properties of spanlastics gel, like pH, drug content, extrudability, spreadability diameter, viscosity, and release profiles in addition to Ex vivo skin permeation for optimal formula. The optimal formula of spanlastics gel (GF1) shows acceptable pH (6.2±0.14), excellent extrudability( 92%), drug content (97.1±0.14), spreadability diameter (cm) (10.8±0.28), sustained release 70.7±0.57% for six hours and the steady-state flux of meloxicam through rat skin was increased 83.52- fold as a result of spanlastics in comparison to the plain gel. The vesicles produced in this investigation could potentially interact with or merge with the stratum corneum as a result of their elasticity, which may also be the mechanism that increases the penetration into the skin. According to our findings, dermal delivery vehicles for MX may be provided via spanlastics gel.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) significantly impacted the lifestyles of millions of people, with new challenges arising as the pandemic progresses. However, little attention has been given to issues like fertility intentions and pregnancy planning during COVID-19. Consequently, we aimed to investigate the influence of the pandemic on pregnancy and fertility decisions among the residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We surveyed UAE residents of reproductive age between November 2021 to June 2022 via the Google Forms platform and collected data on demographics, associated health conditions, COVID-19 infections, as well as plans for pregnancy and fertility intentions. We presented data through descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and used Pearson's χ test to compare the characteristics of participants who reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced their fertility preferences with those who reported that it had not. Overall, 564 participants completed the survey, of whom 115 (20.4%) stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had influenced their fertility preferences. Meanwhile, 234 (41.5%) reported previous history of COVID-19 infection; regarding post-COVID-19 infection symptoms, 53 (22.6%) reported decreased libido and 40 (17%) reported trouble in conceiving a baby. Participants who were ≤30 years of age were less likely to be influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic on their decision on fertility compared to those >30 years of age. Factors like education, income, chronic health conditions, and previous history of COVID-19 infection or vaccination did not have any significant effect on the COVID-19 pandemic influence on fertility preferences. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought in new challenges which could affect fertility and this needs to be studied further for planning effective measures.

Background Nowadays dental implants are commonly used and to fulfil esthetic demands, zirconia has been suggested as an implant material as an alternative to titanium. Many researchers and systematic reviews are documented on it, but the results have been often inconsistent. This overview of systematic reviews aimed to report on the factors that influence the clinical effectiveness of zirconia (Zi) versus titanium (Ti) dental implants in anterior region. Methods This overview of systematic reviews (Registration Number CRD42023396206) is in accordance with the Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar databases were sourced for systematic review and meta-analyses. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) criteria and Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews” (AMSTAR-2), evaluated the quality. The PICO-focused question of this overview of systematic reviews was “What are the various factors influencing the clinical performance of Zi versus Ti implants in the anterior area?”, Evaluations were assessed by two assessors. In case there was any uncertainty or dispute among the reviewers, the work was included for further screening. Using Cohen's kappa, the inter-reviewer reliability was evaluated. Results Six reviews were chosen from 57 suitable reviews for this data analysis. Although the survival and effectiveness rates backed titanium implants, there was no conclusive proof of marginal bone loss. Zirconium implants performed better in terms of aesthetics. Conclusion Clinical performance of zirconia could be considered at par with titanium implants in the anterior area. Titanium has exhibited greater mechanical performance but no significant difference between two recorded. In future, studies with improved design are needed to identify biological and technical factors that affect implant’s efficacy. Novelty and relevance This is the first overview of systematic reviews focusing specifically on the anterior region, evaluates both aesthetic and biomechanical performance of Zi and Ti Implants, offers detailed insight into material-specific advantages and limitations. In the present clinical scenario it addresses a critical gap by comparing the performance of Zi and Ti implants and evaluates patient-centred priorities, particularly in the highly visible anterior region.

(1) Background: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious animal disease affecting small ruminants, leading to significant economic losses. There has been little published data on PPR virus (PPRV) infection in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); (2) Methods: four outbreaks reported in goats and Dama gazelle in 2021 were investigated using pathological and molecular testing; (3) Results: The infected animals showed symptoms of dyspnea, oculo-nasal secretions, cough, and diarrhea. Necropsy findings were almost similar in all examined animals and compliant to the classical forms of the disease. Phylogenetic analysis based on N gene and F gene partial sequences revealed a circulation of PPRV Asian lineage IV in the UAE, and these sequences clustered close to the sequences of PPRV from United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Iran; (4) Conclusions: PPRV Asian lineage IV is currently circulating in the UAE. To the best of our knowledge, this is a first study describing PPRV in domestic small ruminant in the UAE.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was for a long time one of the poorest countries in the world. By the 1960s, the discovery of oil had totally transformed the economic and social patterns of the country. Oil revenue has given the country one of the highest incomes per capita in the world. With such huge oil wealth, the government has adopted different welfare programmes aimed to improve the living conditions of UAE citizens. The low-cost housing programme is one of these welfare programmes whereby the government finances building finished housing units and allocated them free for those in need. Between 1973 and 1992, the standard of the low-cost house has changed dramatically. The built-up area has increased four times while the construction cost has multiplied by 10. The cost of a typical low-cost house in 1994 was Dh 450,900 ($121,800). This research aims to study the implications of the free low-cost housing programme on the housing conditions of the low-cost housing occupants and those would-be occupants. It aims also to examine whether the free low-cost housing programme meets with what the target group want the government to provide. The free low-cost housing programme has many drawbacks. The free low-cost housing provision, particularly the improved low-cost housing, has resulted in high demand relative to supply, enabling only the few to access housing services. Moreover, it has provided large improvements for those who are actually in no need of government support and those who only require partial support. It has also resulted in a waste of resources of both the allocatees and government, causing deterioration of the low-cost housing stock and part of the existing housing stock, and providing no sustainable source of funds. The free low-cost housing programme does not match the housing preference of the target group. Housing provision based on the target group's housing preferences would result in providing more support for a greater number of citizens, changing their role from being passive recipients to active participants and the government's role from being one of control over all housing processes to that of being one actor among many, providing a sustainable source of funds and encouraging people to improve their own housing resources. However, housing provision following the target group's housing preferences may not gain official support.

The effectiveness of the inactivated BBIBP-CorV vaccine against severe COVID-19 outcomes (hospitalization, critical care admission and death due to COVID-19) and its long-term effectiveness have not been well characterized among the general population. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic health records of 3,147,869 adults, of which 1,099,886 vaccinated individuals were matched, in a 1:1 ratio to 1,099,886 unvaccinated persons. A Cox-proportional hazard model with time varying coefficients was used to assess the vaccine effectiveness adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity, ethnicity, and the calendar month of entry into the study. Our analysis showed that the effectiveness was 79.6% (95% CI, 77.7 to 81.3) against hospitalization, 86% (95% CI, 82.2 to 89.0) against critical care admission, and 84.1% (95% CI, 70.8 to 91.3) against death due to COVID-19. The effectiveness against these severe outcomes declined over time indicating the need for booster doses to increase protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes. There is limited real-world evidence for the effectiveness of the BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) vaccine against severe COVID-19 disease. Here, the authors use data from Abu Dhabi and estimate effectiveness at 80% against hospitalization; 86% against critical care admission and 84% against death.

This study presents an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on people’s mobility trends, air quality, and utility consumption in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Records of lockdown and subsequent easing measures, infection and vaccination rates, community mobility reports, remotely sensed and ground-based air quality data, and utility (electricity, water, and gas) consumption data were collected and analyzed in the study. The mobility trends reflected the stringency of the lockdown measures, increasing in the residential sector but decreasing in all other sectors. The data showed significant improvement in air quality corresponding to the lockdown measures in 2020 followed by gradual deterioration as the lockdown measures were eased. Electricity and water consumption increased in the residential sector during the lockdown; however, overall utility consumption did not show significant changes. The changes in mobility were correlated with the relevant air quality parameters, such as NO2, which in turn was highly correlated to O3. The study provides data and analysis to support future planning and response efforts in Sharjah. Furthermore, the methodology used in the study can be applied to assess the impacts of COVID-19 or similar events on people’s mobility, air quality and utility consumption at other geographical locations.

Purpose: Disruptive innovation has been considered an important input to the economic growth of a business operation. Responding to the changing landscape towards disruptive innovation resulting from advanced technological development, the UAE government has started to focus seriously on the development of new disruptive technology platforms. Thus, as an initial step in developing a model of disruptive innovation factors that contributes to the financial service performance in the UAE, this study was geared towards investigating the disruptive innovation factors towards financial service performance. Design/methodology/approach: This research employed a quantitative research method. The data were collected from 315 respondents among executive banking officers at Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, in Abu Dhabi through questionnaires. Findings: The results indicated that disruptive innovation factors of financial service performance in the UAE showed a rather high level of technology intention towards innovation. As for the disruptive innovation factors, the economic, environmental and social were proven significantly and positively related to financial service performance. Therefore, the results supported Innovation Diffusion Theory and Technology Acceptance Model that both disruptive business models and disruptive technology influence a financial institution's performance. Research limitations/implications: This paper offers important implications specifically This study has successfully shed some light on the willingness of current disruptive innovation to transform into a financial service performance context. The result of this study suggested that every business leader is playing a crucial part in influencing others to take up disruptive innovation practices in business. Since financial institutions can only practice disruptive in- novation transition when the owner-managers appreciate it, it is therefore viable for the existing financial institution to share their own experiences or success stories with others. The government needs to have disruptive innovation since financial service performance is assumed to be a significant job and become an impetus of monetary and economic development in UAE, with the commitment of 80 percent of absolute innovation establishments in UAE that add to 20 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while shares 10 percent exports of the country. Concerning the national agenda vision 2021, the government aimed at becoming a high-income nation. Originality/value: The disruptive innovation factors can be a focus on economic, environmental, and social for enhancing a financial service performance. Yet, the integration of disruptive technology as cost-benefit, compatibility, and complexity in the relationship between a disruptive business model in the value proposition, resources accessibility, and business structure with disruptive innovation factors towards financial service performance.