research-compendium-2006-2007

Page 1


Ajman University of Science and Technology Network (AUST Network) Research, Information and Training Council (RIT Council)

ANNUAL RESEARCH COMPENDIUM 2006/2007

Volume 3 Ajman, United Arab Emirates February 2008


Supervision: Dr. Ahmed Ankit Vice President Cultural Affairs and External Relations Ajman University of Science and Technology Network

Revision: Research and Working Team chaired by Mrs. Nuha Hashimi Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering & Interior Design, AUST Network

Contact: Prof. Dr. Omer A. Attef General Secretary, Research, Information and Training Council Ajman University of Science and Technology Network PO Box: 346, Ajman, UAE Tel.: +971-6-7056213 Fax: +971-6-7438888 Email: jrac.attef@ajman.ac.ae


AUST Network - RIT Council

The Exalted Said:

" O my Lord ! increase me in knowledge." 020.114

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

1


AUST Network - RIT Council

2

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Message From His Excellency, The President of AUST Network In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, His Family and His Companions. Dear Scholars and researchers, Greetings, We are pleased to introduce this new compilation of abstracts of research papers published by the faculty of Ajman University of Science and Technology Network (AUSTN) during the academic year 2006-2007. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the members of the Research, Information and Training Council who have maintained the tradition of this publication for a third year. We also express our gratitude to the members of the research and working group who have spared no effort in contributing to the project. This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of AUSTN, and two decades of teaching, training, research, expertise and practice. These five fundamentals build upon the foundations of education, information and investment to form the university’s comprehensive vision. It is this vision which has guided our endeavors and contributed to our achievements throughout the institution’s history – beginning with its inception as a college in 1988, then later as a university, and now as a network. Our approach has been to link research with practice; research activity at AUSTN is, therefore, initiated and carried out by means of collaborative work between groups across AUSTN community. This method has proved highly successful, creating

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

3


AUST Network - RIT Council

an institutional culture of research and an active enthusiastic body of faculty committed to research activity.

and

This issue marks a new departure for AUSTN. Rather than being simply a compilation of abstracts, it is intended to serve as a means by which we can market our research projects, showcase our skills, and express our readiness to work with other research and scientific institutions to create a strong research infrastructure and a mature innovative environment. In this way we aim not only to share the benefits of our academic endeavors within the academic sphere, but also to extend beyond those bounds to serve the wider community. May Allah Bless You. Dr. Saeed Abdullah Salman President, Ajman University of Science & Technology Network President, Association of Arab Private Institutions for Higher Education President, Euro-Arab Research Network

4

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Preface

Since the inception of Ajman University of Science and Technology Network (AUSTN), H.E. Dr. Saeed Abdullah Salman has spared no effort in preaching for research till this notion became deeply rooted in the consciousness of all AUSTN community. Research is indeed the backbone of the University and the safety valve for the University community at large. It is even further highlighted by initiating the Development and Reform in which H.E. the President has reiterated that this project cannot be fully fulfilled unless "we valorize and prioritizing" research. Such a view is very much in line with the comprehensive vision of the University where the top priority is to teaching and research which, in turn, lay out the basis for the three other standards of training, expertise and practice. Thus, every faculty member is very recognizant of the comprehensive innovative environment AUSTN is offering. This is seen in terms of the facilities it provides, such as exchanging of expertise with Examining Eye experts, engaging in scientific evaluation of research as part of the mission of the Research, Information and Training Council as well as that of the Wise and Elite House, enabling AUSTN faculty members to participate in academic conferences and thus offering them the opportunity to interact with other researchers from abroad, to name but a few. This research endeavor has yielded quite a number of field research directly linked with the interests of the community either in applied sciences (dentistry, alternative medicine, pharmacology, environment, water and energy) or in humanities (psychology, sociology, communication and translation).

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

5


AUST Network - RIT Council

Within this comprehensive innovative environment, students are no exception and can engage in research under the supervision of Research, Information and Training Council as part of their graduate studies in the fields of business administration, information systems and ground water management. Other specializations are also under study and new disciplines will be launched soon. Moreover, AUSTN hosts the UNESCO Chair of water to which it devoted a material budget for the purpose of promoting related research. It also makes use of its UNESCO Fund-in-Trust to develop academic staff and provide incentives to undertake research. AUSTN has had a number of research cooperation projects with many organizations like World Health Organization and Higher Commission on Scientific Miraculousness in Q’uran based in Egypt, among others. In view of the efforts invested so far, we, in AUSTN, aim at being a center of expertise rather than a mere traditional university. This is in order to be able to have our share in the patent inventory and intellectual property rights. In doing so, we aspire to get out from the cocoon of self-marginalizing nations and remove the stigma of negative consumerism. Hence, AUST researchers are publicizing themselves and their research following an unbiased and realistic approach. With such efforts, although modest as they are, we believe, they are likely to contribute to the comprehensive development project of the UAE and the Ummah as a whole.

Dr. Ahmed Ankit Vice President Cultural Affairs and External Relations Ajman University of Science and Technology Network

6

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Table of Contents Faculty Of Engineering: -

17

PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS AND SUBSEQUENT UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS: Fahar G. Hayati and Anas N. Ali

19

ENHANCEMENT OF PRACTICAL TRAINING OUTCOME THROUGH PRIOR INTERNAL TRAINING PROGRAM: Fahar G. Hayati and Mustahsan Mir

20

ANALYSIS OF A NORMALIZED LMS ADAPTIVE FILTER WITH A SINGULAR INPUT COVARIANCE MATRIX: Eweda Eweda

21

MODIFIED EE PROGRAM AT AUSTN: FROM CONCEPT TO IMPLEMENTATION: Mustahsan Mir and Fahar G. Hayati

22

-

MODELING MEMS WITH MATLAB'S SIMULINK: A. Majid

23

-

THE ROLE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN GCC COUNTRIES: A. Majid

24

A NEW BLIND IMAGE WATERMARKING TECHNIQUE USING DUAL MERGED WATERMARKS IN LOW-FREQUENCY BAND DCT COEFFICIENTS: Ayman Tawfik, Ahmed N. Al-Gindy, Hussain Al Ahmad, and Rami A. Qahwaji

25

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF REFRACTIVITY IN UAE: Kifah Al-Ansari, Abdulhadi Abu Al-Mal and Rami A. Kamel

26

A COMPARISON STUDY OF INDUCTION MOTOR POSITION CONTROL USING VARIABLE STRUCTURE VERSUS PID CONTROLLER WITH PRESCRIBED TRANSIENT RESPONSE: Hasan A. Haj Daoud Zidan

27

BEARING MOVEMENT AFTER OXFORD UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: A MATHEMATICAL MODEL: J. O’Connor and A. Imran

28

BEARING MOVEMENT AFTER OXFORD UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE, MENISCAL-BEARING KNEE: A. Imran, and J. O’Connor

30

-

-

-

-

-

-

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

7


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

THE FUTURE OF OUR PAST: Bouzid Boudiaf

32

-

RECENT ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN GROWTH IN U.A.E.: Bouzid Boudiaf, and Mohammed Arrar

34

THE REGIONALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM ARCHITECTURES: FROM THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PROJECT TO THE PROJECT OF ARCHITECTURE: Bouzid Boudiaf, and S. Makky

35

THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE IN THE PALESTINIAN VILLAGE: Jihad Awad

37

STANDARD PROGRAMMING DESIGN OF LECTURE HALL FOR DEVELOPING THE ART EDUCATION: Naglaa Sami Abdelaziz

38

-

-

Faculty Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences: -

ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIAL AND MICROSOMAL ATPASE ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF DOPAMINERGIC D2 RECEPTORS: Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab, Moawia M. Al-Tabakha, Bassem Sadek, and Samir Bloukh

43

FUNCTIONAL LINKAGE BETWEEN RENAL GLUTAMINE AND RENAL HOMOCYSTEINE IN CHOLESTEROL FED RATS: Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab

44

- ANTAGONISM BETWEEN TAURINE AND BROMOCRIPTINE IN RAT UTERUS IN VITRO AND IN VIVO: Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab

46

-

-

-

8

41

CHANGES IN SERUM VITAMIN D3 METABOLITIES LEVELS AND IN THE 45CA TRANSPORT IN VITRO IN AN INVERTED INTESTINE (INTESTINE CALCIUM ABSORPTION AND RESORPTION FROM BONE) IN ALLOXAN DIABETES RATS: Hassan N. Al-Qieshawi, Samir Bloukh, Moawia M. AlTabakha, Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab

48

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIETARY GLYCINE AND FREE ASPARTATE, BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS AND TYROSINE CONTENTS IN THE BRAIN IN THE RATS: Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab

50

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

KADIS®-BASED DIABETES MANAGEMENT IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Eckhard Salzsieder, Petra Augstein, Lutz Vogt, Ernst-Joachim Freyse, Klaus-Dieter Kohnert, Abdul Azeem A Ali, Zakia Metwali, Omer Attef, Waffa Amour, Iman Salman, Abd Al Muaty Younis, Magda Zaki, and Nasser Jabbar

52

®

TELEMEDICINE-BASED KADIS COMBINED WITH CGMS™ HAS HIGH POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING OUTPATIENT DIABETES CARE: Eckhard Salzsieder, Petra Augstein, Lutz Vogt, Klaus-Dieter Kohnert, Peter Heinke, Ernst-Joachim Freyse, Abdel Azim Ahmed, Zakia Metwali, Iman Salman, and Omer Attef

54

SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF DIPYRIDAMOLE AND ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID IN PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS AND BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS BY SYNCHRONOUS AND FIRST DERIVATIVE SYNCHRONOUS FLUORIMETRY: Yasser EI-Shabrawy

56

CHILDREN DIABETES: Rania Alkhani and Yasser EIShabrawy

57

HUMAN CHIMERA … AM THE TWIN OF MY OWN!!: Eman Elzain Omara and Elhadi N. Mahmoud

58

DISEASE OF THE CENTURY REVEALS IN CHILDREN: Yara Malek, Noha Ahmed and Abduelmula R. Abduelakrem

59

CHILDREN CONSUMPTION OF FIZZY DRINKS AND JUNK FOOD IN UAE IS ALARMING: Mariam M. Bader, Reem O. Obeisi, Samar M. Munir and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem

60

PREVALENCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK FACTOR AMONG THE ADULT VISITORS OF GLOBAL VILLAGE, DUBAI SHOPPING FESTIVAL 2006: Sahar Alia, Noha Allam, Hedaia Alnajjar and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem

61

PATIENTS VIEWS AND OPINIONS ON GENERIC PRESCRIBING AND SUBSTITUTION PERFORMED BY PHARMACISTS: Mais A Yacoub, Sarah A. Al-Akshar and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem

62

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

9


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of

65

Information Technology: -

-

-

NEW TRAVELING SALESMAN PROBLEM APPROXIMATION ALGORITHM: H. F. Kendela, M. Ayman Al-Ahmar, and E.-S. M. El Horbaty

67

THE SEGMENTATION OF OFF-LINE ARABIC CHARACTERS, CATEGORIZATION AND REVIEW: Amer Al-Nassiri, Shubair A. Abdulla and Rosalina Abdul Salam

68

A NEW ARABIC (AHD/AMSH) HANDWRITTEN DATABASE: Amer Al-Nassiri, and Shubair A. Abdulla

69

Faculty of Dentistry: -

-

-

-

-

-

-

10

71

INCIDENCE OF THIRD ROOT IN MANDIBULAR PERMANENT FIRST MOLAR: AN ENDODONTIC CHALLENGE: Ali M Rashid and Abdul-Haq A Suliman

73

DETERMINATION OF RESIDUAL DENTIN CARIES AFTER CONVENTIONAL MECHANICAL AND CHE-MOMECHANICAL CARIES REMOVAL WITH CARI-SOLV™: Abdul-Haq A Suliman and Omar S Rahawi

75

THE EFFECT OF AMALGAM ALLOY TYPES, SURFACE TREATMENTS, AND BONDING AGENTS ON THE SHEAR BOND STRENGTH BETWEEN AMALGAM AND RESIN COMPOSITE: Raghad A. Rasheed and Abdul-Haq A Suliman

76

TEMPERATURE RISE BENEATH A LIGHT–CURED MATERIALS USING TWO TYPES OF CURING MACHINES: Sabah A Ismail and Abdul-Haq A Suliman

78

THE BACTERICIDAL EFFICIENCY OF CHLORHEXIDINE AS AN ENDODONTIC IRRIGANT: Abdul-Haq A Suliman, Ghada Y. Abdul- Rahman and Wiam M. Al–Ashou

79

TOBACCO ASSOCIATED LESIONS OF THE ORAL CAVITY: Dhafira Hassan Majed

81

SCREENING FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS USING GINGIVAL CREVICULAR BLOOD: Yousef Khader, Bashar AlZu’bi, Ahmad Judeh and Mohammed Rayyan

82

CARIES EXPERIENCE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN UAE: REVIEW AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS: Raghad Hashim, Murray Thomson, Manal Awad, and Kathren Ayers

83

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

DENTAL CARIES EXPERIENCE AND USE OF DENTAL SERVICES AMONG PRESCHOOLERS IN AJMAN, UAE: Raghad Hashim, Murray Thomson, Kathren Ayers, James Lewsey, and Manal Awad

84

QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES TO INVESTIGATE MOTHER'S ORAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE IN AJMAN: Raghad Hashim, Murray Thomson, Manal Awad, and Kathren Ayers

85

ORAL HEALTH, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS, DIETARY HABITS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN AJMAN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Raghad Hashim, Murray Thomson, Manal Awad, and Sheila Williams

86

ORAL HEALTH OF ARAB CHILDREN: Manal A Awad, Raghad Hashim, Emad El Subeihi

88

THE ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF DENTAL STUDENTS IN AJMAN UNIVERSITY: Shaima Al-Mashhadani and Raghad Hashim

89

ORAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHERS IN UAE: Nuha Hawas and Raghad Hashim

91

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG DENTISTS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Kalid Al-Ali and Raghad Hashim

92

DENTAL DISEASES IN SUBJECTS WITH -THALASSEMIA MAJOR: Mohamed A Jaber

93

INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES AND OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AMONG THE DENTAL STAFF: Mohammed Mustahsen ur Rehman and Quratulain Khalid Dar

95

FACTORS AFFECTING PATIENT’S SATISFACTION WITH THE CARE PROVIDED BY DENTAL STUDENTS: Mohammed Mustahsen ur Rehman

96

EFFECTIVENESS OF FOUR DIFFERENT LIGHT-ACTIVATED COMPOSITES CURE WITH DIFFERENT LIGHT ENERGY DENSITIES: Ali A. Al- Shekhli, Haitham J. Al-Azzawi and Isra’a A. Al- Aubi

97

FACEMASK VERSUS FACEMASK WITH RPE THERAPY: SOFT TISSUE ANALYSIS: Ekmen, O, Kilicoglu, H, Qasrawi, O, and Gorgun, O

99

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

11


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

-

-

FACEMASK VERSUS FACEMASK WITH RPE THERAPY: SKELETAL AND DENTOALVEOLER COMPARISON: Gorgun, O, Kilicoglu, H, Qasrawi, O, Ekmen, O

100

MISSING TEETH: PROSTHETIC REHABILITATION FOLLOWING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT: Qasrawi O, Gümrü D, Kılıçoğlu H, Yeniyol S, Karabuda ZC, and Özdemir T

102

APPLICATION OF MINI SCREW IN ORTHODONTICS: Gümrü D, Qasrawi O, Kılıçoğlu H, and Özdemir T

103

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN PATIENT WITH ECTODERMAL DYSPLASIA: A CASE REPORT: Osama QASRAWI, E. Bahar TUNA, Hülya KILIÇOĞLU, Cüneyt KARABUDA, and Jawad ABDEL-HAK

104

Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities: -

-

-

-

12

105

USES OF METHODS OF SOCIAL MARKETING IN THE PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ISSUES, A CASE STUDY ON THE FRENCH CHANNEL USHUAIA: Khaled Zamoum and Ashref Abd Al Mogeit

107

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS USING WEB PAGES - A FIELD STUDY ON SECTORS OF ARAB YOUTH IMMIGRANTS IN THE UAE DURING THE SPRING 2006: Ashref Abd Al Mogueit and Khaled Zamoum

108

VIRTUAL WORLD EPISTEMOLOGY DUBAI e-GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE STUDY APPLICATION ON A SAMPLE FROM DUBAI e-GOVERNMENT WEBSITE USERS: Khaled Zamoum

109

COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS OF INTERPRETING: Sahab Abdul Aziz

110

STYLISTIC PROBLEMS CONFRONTING ARAB STUDENTS IN ARABIC- ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Kadhim H. Bakir and Hashim G. Lazim

111

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences -

-

-

-

-

-

-

113

THE DEGREE OF PRACTICING SKILLS OF TEACHING TILAWAH BY ISLAMIC STUDIES INSTRUCTORS IN AJMAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NETWORK: Majed Zaki Al-Jallad

115

DOMAINS AND EVALUATION TOOLS USED BY ISLAMIC EDUCATION TEACHERS ON THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Majed Zaki Al-Jallad and Muayed Asad Denawi

116

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEARNING CYCLE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL AND CONCEPT MAPS ON NINTH GRADE STUDENTS ACQUISITION OF JURISPRUDENTIAL CONCEPTS: Majed Zaki Al-Jallad and Omar Abdul-Kader AlShamalti

117

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING BRAINSTORMING STRATEGY ON FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEVELOPING THEIR CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Majed Zaki Al-Jallad

118

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONGOING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: Zuhrieh Shana

119

A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF ARAB WESTERN RELATIONS WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO EDUCATION AND THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN STANDARD ARABIC AND ITS USE AS MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES: El Tayeb El Mansour El Hassan El Zaki

121

LEARN MATHEMATICS WITH MATLAB AT THE UNIVERSITIES: Osama Agami Rashwan

122

EFFECTS OF SELF-ESTEEM AND GENDER ON HUMOR STYLES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, AN EMPIRICAL STUDY: Ahmed Hussein Al- Shafey

123

READING IN THE INTRODUCTION OF IBN KHALDOUN ABOUT URBAN SCIENCE: Mohammed Abdel Hai

124

COMMUTATIVITY CRITERIA IN BANACH ALGEBRAS: Ould Hamoud Cheikh

126

THE WORD (AMEEN) AND ITS USES IN SUPPLICATION AND ARABIC LANGUAGE: Mazen Ahmed Jaradat

127

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

13


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

-

-

WISDOM AND ITS PROGRESS IN THE POETRY OF ABITAMAM (A PRESENTATION AND AN ANALYSIS): Hashim Salih Manna

128

THE BLINDNESS OF BASHSHAR AND ITS EFFECT, IN HIS PSYCHOLOGY AND HIS LITERARY WORK: Hashim Salih Manna

129

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MATHEMATICS: Yusuf Mahmud

131

TERMINOLOGY AND HUMAN DISCOURSE: Yusuf Mahmud

132

Faculty of Business Administration: -

-

-

-

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING REGULATION FOR PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION - AN UAE PERSPECTIVE: Srinivas Inguva

135

PREDICTING TRUST WITHIN ORGANIZATION: THE ROLE OF PERCEIVED JUSTICE IN MEDIATING THE IMPACT OF LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE ON TRUST IN ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISOR: Mohamed Gamal Abo Elmagd

137

CHANGING PATTERN OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) IN ASIAN REGION: ISSUES, MOTIVES AND STRATEGIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Rajesh Mohnot

138

ARE UAE ISLAMIC BANKS ADEQUATELY CAPITALIZED? Ibrahim Elsiddig Ahmed and Sayed Abbas Ahmed

139

THE DYNAMICS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY TRACKS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Sahel Al-Rousan

140

Institute of Environment, Water and Energy -

14

133

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE ALEXANDRIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT: Maghawri Sh. Diab, Zeinelabidin S. Rizk and Magdy A. Assar

141

143

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

-

-

SOURCES OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND WATER IN WADI AL BIH AQUIFER, RAS AL KHAIMAH EMIRATE, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Zeinelabidin S. Rizk, Abdulrahman S. Alsharhan and Warren W. Wood

145

CULTURAL CONSOLIDATION…THE BEST WAY TO ABSORB SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Riadh H. Al-Dabbagh

146

THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONS: Riadh H. Al-Dabbagh

147

The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in their articles and for the validity of the results herewith published which do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AUST Network.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

15


AUST Network - RIT Council

16

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Engineering

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

17


AUST Network - RIT Council

18

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS AND SUBSEQUENT UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS Fahar G. Hayati and Anas N. Ali Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network METSMaC 2007 Conference, The Petroleum Institute Abu Dhabi, March 17-19 2007 The aim of this work is to investigate the correlation in the performance of Ajman University of Science & Technology (AUST) students in the electrical engineering programs and university mathematics with their average score in high school and their score in mathematics, which are considered as the basis for admission into the engineering programs. The study also investigates the performance of students in selected electrical engineering core courses that rely heavily on mathematics. The performance of a population of 72 students with high school average score above 90% and who have completed all five engineering mathematics courses at AUST was determined and analyzed. The outcome of such investigation could help in revising the admission policy to electrical engineering programs.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

19


AUST Network - RIT Council

ENHANCEMENT OF PRACTICAL TRAINING OUTCOME THROUGH PRIOR INTERNAL TRAINING PROGRAM Fahar G. Hayati and Mustahsan Mir Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Engineering Education and Training, Kuwait, April 9-11, 2007 This paper describes the modified training program for engineering students at Ajman University of Science & Technology Network (AUSTN) and its impact on developing the desired skills of trainee students. It also explains the rationale for modifying the earlier training program that was based solely on training at external engineering sites. In the modified program, an internal training component has been added and its successful completion is a prerequisite for starting the external training. The details of the internal training program, conducted by the Faculty of Engineering, are provided and its impact on the preparedness of trainee students for their external training at engineering sites is discussed. Feedback received from the trainee students is analyzed and some recommendations for further improving the overall training program are presented.

20

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

ANALYSIS OF A NORMALIZED LMS ADAPTIVE FILTER WITH A SINGULAR INPUT COVARIANCE MATRIX Eweda Eweda Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 9-th International Symposium on Signal Processing and Its Applications, Sharjah, UAE, 12-15 February 2007 The paper analyzes the signal behavior of an adaptive filter whose adaptation is governed by the normalized least mean square (NLMS) algorithm when the covariance matrix of the filter input is singular. The signal behavior is evaluated in terms of the mean square of the excess output error of the filter. The analysis is done in the context of adaptive identification of a time-invariant plant. The plant input and plant noise are assumed stationary and mutually independent. Under these assumptions, it is found that the long-term average of the mean square excess error of the NLMS algorithm is proportional to the algorithm step size. This implies that in spite of the singularity of the input covariance matrix, the steady state signal behavior of the algorithm can be made arbitrarily fine by using a sufficiently small step size. The analytical results of the paper are supported by simulations.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

21


AUST Network - RIT Council

MODIFIED EE PROGRAM AT AUSTN: FROM CONCEPT TO IMPLEMENTATION Mustahsan Mir and Fahar G. Hayati Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Engineering Education & Training, Kuwait, April 9-11, 2007 This paper describes the rationale for carrying out a thorough evaluation and subsequent replacement of an earlier 5-year Electrical Engineering (EE) program at Ajman University of Science and Technology Network (AUSTN) with a new 4-year program that has been accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE. It discusses the issues concerning the curriculum development, enhancement of practical skills, improving the problem-solving skills, and developing the design and implementation skills of EE students by different means. It also places strong emphasis on developing their generic attributes. The development and implementation of the new 4-year EE program are explained and it is shown that it has all the essential features needed to produce electrical engineers that can face the challenges of the 21st century.

22

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

MODELING MEMS WITH MATLAB'S SIMULINK A. Majid Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network ICMSAO-07, March 24-27, The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE With Matlab’s Simulink, it’s possible to simulate dynamical models of linear and time invariant systems (LTI) implemented in MEMS applications, whereby a prime-mover such as a DC motor being the electromechanical system driving an inertial load in a closed loop feedback configuration with supplementary blocks such as compensating blocks, filters, integrators and geometrically coordinated converters such as those used for robotic systems. The electromechanical prime mover in MEMS is basically a DC motor with series field to avoid having another supply for the field. DC series motor is used extensively in traction applications where steady state speed is determined by the friction and gradient forces. The dynamical model of the load is expressed as an inertial system with friction and assuming different line-of-shaft orientation both for the input and output. For precise speed control of servo system, a closed loop control system is advised to get advantages of improved accuracy, fast dynamic responses and reduced effects of load disturbances and system nonlinearities.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

23


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE ROLE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN GCC COUNTRIES A. Majid Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The 9th Annual Electric Power Conference, 1-3 May 2007, Illinois, USA Due to the present high oil prices, prices fluctuations and their future upward trend, some investments can be directed to the utilization of solar and other renewable energy systems, such as passive and active thermal solar systems, hydrogen cells and cyclic hydro systems. It is believed that the infrastructure of these systems is particularly feasible through the current large constructions and investments in real estate industry throughout GCC countries. It is also feasible in rural and arid areas such as farms and small villages due to the relatively low power demand and load characteristics. Due to the rapid expansion of residential load demands, a policy targeting these areas can be implemented in integrating solar systems with the utility grid, in which up to 30% of load demand utilized by these dwellings can be supplied by solar systems. Examples of distribution schemes in which small and medium areas are supplied by PV-utility connected feeders are outlined. This can lead to the disintegration, liberalization and privatization of energy systems. The electric energy and power disintegration in such small areas would save resources, reduce interactions and increase reliability. This paper focuses on suggested new regulations needed to control the utilization of renewable energy systems in newer real estates and rural areas in order to make benefit of recent high oil prices. It also focuses on the sizes and types of renewable energy systems that can be implemented in the Gulf region.

24

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

A NEW BLIND IMAGE WATERMARKING TECHNIQUE USING DUAL MERGED WATERMARKS IN LOW-FREQUENCY BAND DCT COEFFICIENTS Ayman Tawfik, Ahmed N. Al-Gindy, Hussain Al Ahmad, and Rami A. Qahwaji Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Conference on Communication, Computer and Power ICCCB’07, Muskat, Oman, pp. 455-458,Feb. 2007 This paper deals with a new blind technique for robust image watermarking in the DCT domain. The technique is based on embedding watermark information in sixteen low-frequency band coefficients of the DCT sub-blocks. Dual watermarks have been merged and embedded multi-times in the host image. The Embedding process is based on changing the selected DCTcoefficients of the host image to odd or even values depending on the binary watermark’s bit value. The proposed blind watermarking embedding has shown to be strongly robust against several attacks.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

25


AUST Network - RIT Council

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF REFRACTIVITY IN UAE Kifah Al-Ansari, Abdulhadi Abu Al-Mal and Rami A. Kamel Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Symposium on Rainfall Rate and Radio Wave Propagation (ISRR ’07), Sona College of Technology, Salem, India 29-30 January 2007 Published through the American Institute of Physics, USA, AIP Conference Proceedings No. 923, Pages 232-247 This paper presents the initial results of the refractivity statistics in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) for a period of 14 years (1990-2003). Six sites have been considered using meteorological surface data (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Al-Ain, Ras Al-Kaimah and Al-Fujairah). Upper air (radiosonde) data were available at one site only, Abu Dhabi airport, which has been considered for the refractivity gradient statistics. Monthly and yearly averages are obtained for the two parameters, refractivity and refractivity gradient. Cumulative distributions are also provided.

Note: This work was sent also as a contribution for the international telecommunication union, ITU, United Nations, and has been discussed in the study group 3 meeting (16-25 April, 2007) in Geneva where the contribution was sponsored by the Emirates Government. The work was considered as a significant contribution and the results were uploaded to the Data Bank of the ITU.

26

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

A COMPARISON STUDY OF INDUCTION MOTOR POSITION CONTROL USING VARIABLE STRUCTURE VERSUS PID CONTROLLER WITH PRESCRIBED TRANSIENT RESPONSE Hasan A. Haj Daoud Zidan Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network MMAR07, Poland, 27-29 August, 2007 This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of variable structure controller with prescribed transient response to control the position of the induction motor drives. Based on the function augmented sliding hyper plane, we can guarantee the position tracking error converges within a reasonable specified time interval. Superior performance of variable structure controller is exhibited over a fixed gain PID-controller. Robustness of variable structure controller against parameter variations and external disturbances is confirmed. Finally, the control algorithm has been validated by both simulation and experimental testing.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

27


AUST Network - RIT Council

BEARING MOVEMENT AFTER OXFORD UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: A MATHEMATICAL MODEL J. O’Connor and A. Imran Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Orthopedics: May 2007 Supplement. [the article is available for free download at the site: www.orthosupersite.com] Movements of the meniscal bearing on the tibial plateau after Oxford knee arthroplasty (Biomet Orthopedics, Inc, Warsaw, Ind) reflect tibiofemoral movement. They have been shown to be load dependent. This article describes the use of a mathematical model of the knee in the sagittal plane to show that movement differences under load are caused by differences in ligament strains induced by different combinations of external loads and muscle forces. During passive flexion, roll-back of the femur on the tibia is required to minimize the forces transmitted by the ligaments. Backward movement of the meniscal bearing on the tibial plateau during passive flexion and forward movement during passive extension are seen before wound closure during Oxford knee arthroplasty (Biomet Orthopedics, Inc, Warsaw, Ind). Bearing movements of 12.7 mm in the medial compartment and 15 mm in the lateral compartment have been measured during passive flexion to 90° in vitro after bicompartmental arthroplasty. Bearing movements measured in vivo after medial and lateral unicompartmental arthroplasty by comparing static radiographs taken in extension and at 90° flexion revealed significantly smaller values. The differences between in vitro and in vivo measurements were attributed to the presence of passive muscle forces. Recently, fluoroscopic methods were used to track bearing movement continuously over the range of motion (ROM) during passive and active extension/flexion and during a steep step-up exercise (Price et al, unpublished data, 2003). Active extension

28

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

exhibited significantly less forward-bearing movement on the tibial plateau than did passive extension, whereas step-up exhibited backward-bearing movement. In this article, the investigators use a mathematical model of the replaced knee in the sagittal plane to show that activity-dependent differences in bearing movements arise because different activities require different patterns of external loads and muscle forces leading to different patterns of ligament strain. The development of the model is built on earlier work by Zavatsky and O’Connor, Gill and O’Connor, and Lu and O’Connor.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

29


AUST Network - RIT Council

BEARING MOVEMENT AFTER OXFORD UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE, MENISCAL-BEARING KNEE A. Imran, and J. O’Connor Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Innovating Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty Sponsored as an educational service by Biomet Orthopedics, Inc; Nov. 2006; Blenheim Palace, Oxford Shire, UK Introduction: The paper by Baré has demonstrated that the movements of the meniscal bearing on the tibial plateau after medial Oxford UKR are load-dependent. A mathematical model of the replaced knee in the sagittal plane shows that these differences arise from differences in the loading and stretching of the ligaments. Method. Models of ligament architecture and their attachment areas on the bones were based on anatomical studies of Friederich et al (Orthopäde, 1992, 21, 125-34) and Mommersteeg et al (J Anat,1995, 187(Pt 2), 461-71). The positions of the articular surfaces of the model prosthesis on the femur and tibia were chosen on the basis of anatomical studies of Feikes (DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford, 1999). The position of the centre of the femoral component above the tibial plateau was determined by its radius and the chosen thickness of the meniscal bearing. The antero-posterior position was determined by trial and error: if the chosen position was too far posterior, the model ACL and MCL were excessively loaded; if the chosen position was too far anterior, the PCL and LCL were excessively loaded. For passive motion, it was assumed that all ligaments were just unloaded and unstretched. For active flexion/extension of the leg under gravity with the femur horizontal, components of ligament forces had to be in equilibrium with those of the patellar tendon and leg weight forces. Results The model bearing remained stationary on the tibial plateau during passive flexion to 15º and then moved steadily backwards 7.5mm during flexion from 15º to 90º. During quadriceps-resisted active flexion under gravity, the bearing was

30

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

2mm posterior to its unloaded position at extension and moved backwards only 1.5mm during flexion to 66ยบ. From 66ยบ to 90ยบ, active and passive bearing movements were very similar. Conclusion. Differences between active and passive movements arise from differences in stretching of the ligaments.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

31


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE FUTURE OF OUR PAST Bouzid Boudiaf Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering and Interior Design Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The 2nd International Conference and Exhibition on Architectural Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges; 11-13 February 2007, Dubai, U.A.E. The last decade of the XX century was marked by a deep economical and political changes provoking some irreversible transformations in the socio cultural organization and the physical structure. These changes can be explained by the failure of the economical models on which were worked out the different policies of development and principles of growth and management. The economical models of Ford and Keynes were replaced by the new economical order, which is characterized by a new economical logic based on the accumulation of the capital. This new order led implicitly to the process of restructuring economy through the emphasis of the specialization and the flexibility. Implicitly this new order led Algeria to readjust the political and economical environments in the hope to be in adequacy with the project of globalization. This readjustment is based on the rationality, and is materialized through the management of the human resources and the territorial planning at different scales and levels. In 1997, the Algerian population reached 30 millions, a figure which is expected to rise by another 5 millions by the year 2010. More than 50% of the population is living in cities (Algiers alone represents almost 20% of the urban population), which represents more than 100% increase in city dwellers in a period of less than 20 years.(Bearing in mind that 25% of the dwellings have been built between 1999 and 2005 and for the other 75%, 2/3 of them necessitate whether a rehabilitation or some maintenances). The impact of this rapid urban development is that large areas of almost all the Algerian cities, situated in the

32

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

North of the country, look the same. As a result, the city of today differs from its past in several respects : size and scale, street layout, land use patterns, architectural style and type of housing. Traditional urban form and building which would have provided information about regional and national identity have been largely replaced by forms characterizing the international and universal buildings and spaces. These changes have altered the city’s form and have given rise to questions about the impact of these changes on the image of the city in terms of size and cultural values. So the concept of urban space becomes a determinant of the ability of planners, architects, engineers and administrators to provide an environment which is adequately structured to avoid chaos and to maintain an acceptable quality of life.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

33


AUST Network - RIT Council

RECENT ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND URBAN GROWTH IN U.A.E. Bouzid Boudiaf, and Mohammed Arrar Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering and Interior Design Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Symposium on Architecture and Urban Growth in UAE AUSTN, 19/03/2007, Ajman, U.A.E. Changes that have taken place in the U.A.E. since the 1970’s have been drastic. The sudden increase of the urban population has resulted in a fracturing of tradition. The social, economic and spatial metamorphoses of the towns in the Emirates have been emphasized by and under the pressure of the process of modernization and urbanization whose dimensions could be described as phenomenal. Development of contemporary institutions coupled with the increase of the motorization lead to the transformation of towns into cities. These changes have inevitably a great impact on the values and particularly on the aesthetics. The introduction of the grid street pattern has changed the visual image and quality of the urban areas. A basically organic and pedestrian oriented urban pattern changed into a strictly geometric and vehicle oriented one. In parallel with the socio – economic changes in the Emirates society, new technologies have been developed or imported mainly in the form of new construction techniques, building materials and the methods of construction management. New structural and environmental control possibilities have been increased with the introduction of reinforced concrete, steel and air conditioning. In this paper, we will identify the characteristics of the environment that might allow us to make a link between National Identity and Built form?

34

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE REGIONALISM AND INTERNATIONALISM ARCHITECTURES: FROM THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PROJECT TO THE PROJECT OF ARCHITECTURE Bouzid Boudiaf, and S. Makky Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering and Interior Design Ajman University of Science and Technology Network

Regional Architecture and Identity in the Age of Globalization; 13-15 November 2007; CSAAR (Centre for the Study of Architecture in the Arab Region) and the National School of Architecture and Urbanism, Tunis, Tunisia The development of an architectural project requires a specific knowledge and involves many questions. What is the nature of the project? How does the nature of the project involve knowledge of certain kinds? What are the sources of this knowledge (local, regional or international, abstract or real)? This Conference gives us an opportunity to discuss these issues through the case of the department of architectural engineering at Ajman University of Science and Technology, not only in terms of a structure for the formation of architects but to identify the department from the doctrinal point of view. These questions will be treated by looking at, on the one hand the structure of the department, and on the other hand by analysing the different projects developed in the Studio of architecture (Fourth year and Graduation Projects). Hence of the fact that the structure of the environment has a direct impact on the behaviour of the users, one notice that the majority of operations planned distinguishes themselves by their demarcations and differences with regard to the immediate environment. The same remark is observed in projects developed in the department of architecture, in the sense that most of the projects are referred to the projects and buildings published in the different magazines of architecture. The question of regional style or international style in Architecture will be discussed trough the development of the Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

35


AUST Network - RIT Council

project of architecture as a pedagogical exercise. This question will lead us to see the relation between design knowledge and other sources of knowledge. This paper is an analysis of these different questions, and it is from them that we will explore, on the one hand, the stylistic preferences in the development of the projects of architecture at the department, and on the other hand the role of self-criticism, the immediate environment and the history of the architecture in the process and development of the architectural project.

36

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE IN THE PALESTINIAN VILLAGE Jihad Awad Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering and Interior Design Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal, Vol. 3, No. 11, 2006, pp 225-261 In Palestine, two major types of traditional village houses have prevailed. The first one is characterized by its vaulted roof and hence called “The Vaulted House”. The second type has a flat roof that consists of timber and layers of clay, and supported by transverse arches (Qanater) and is called “The Qanater House”. Although the first type has prevailed mainly in the central mountainous regions of Palestine, today’s West Bank, it has been considered in some studies as the sole type that represents the traditional house in Palestinian villages, ignoring the second type, the Qanater house. This study proofs that the “Qanater house” is equally important and was even more dominant in many areas. Moreover, it is older than the “Vaulted house” and has represented the original village house in Palestine up to the beginnings of the 20th century. The purpose of this study is to highlight the two major types, with emphasis on the “Qanater house”, and make a comparison between them.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

37


AUST Network - RIT Council

STANDARD PROGRAMMING DESIGN OF LECTURE HALL FOR DEVELOPING THE ART EDUCATION Naglaa Sami Abdelaziz Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Architectural Engineering and Interior Design Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The Fourth Conference of Fine-Arts Faculty, Cairo 1-3 April 2006 Educations, especially "Fine-Arts", are considered as the enhancing base of the universal taste within any society. No need to mention that the direct education is depended on several factors, from which we can highlight on; the professor, the student, and the interior educational environment. It was my main characteristic for scoping the importance of the interior design of the lecture hall within the Fine-Arts faculty, or institutions, or colleges. The importance of these interiors is the focus and is the importance of the educational process, within this developed world, this multi-media environment, this globalization and opening over all the civilization to prepare a conscious and updated generation. One of the most important tools in the interior and architecture design education is the lectures hall side by side with the studios. Many fundamental features and facilities have to be involved and achieved within these lectures hall interiors, to improve the educational operations. As first step to producing a competent interior at the level of the purpose, it's to defining the main problems to be solved. Primary problem will be the exterior sound pollution, followed by the interior acoustical elements to be respected. Third will be, of course, the addition of the high need of new multi-media system in the precise location within the interior. Those factors can only be solved within the aesthetical interior environment- furnishing and decoration- for any interior lectures hall. The standard programming design is the guideline for solving these previous points in purpose to designing any lecture hall

38

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

interior, at the international level of design and interior integrating all the environmental interior elements.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

39


AUST Network - RIT Council

40

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

41


AUST Network - RIT Council

42

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIAL AND MICROSOMAL ATPASE ENZYME ACTIVITIES IN THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF DOPAMINERGIC D2 RECEPTORS Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab, Moawia M. Al-Tabakha, Bassem Sadek, and Samir Bloukh Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 10th Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences (CSPS) Annual Meeting, 18th Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis (PBA) Annual Meeting, 64th Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) Annual Meeting number: CSPS_157 May 30 – June 2 2007 Purpose, Previous research has shown that mitocondrial ATPase may have a role in the action Dopaminergic D2 receptors. It is therefore, thought of interest to investigate the effect of bromocriptine, sulpride or their combination on the mitocondrial and microsomal ouabain sensitive and ouabain insensitive Na+ /K+-ATPase in the liver of rats. Methods In Vivo treatment was carried out to study the effects of bromocriptine mesylate 10mg/kg, sulpride 10 mg/kg; or bromocriptine mesylate 10mg/kg + sulpride 10 mg/kg, compared to a control group, in order to measure liver Na ŘŒ+K-+ATPase activity. The drugs were injected intraperitoneally daily for 14 days. Mitocondrial and microsomal fractions were obtained by the methods of Schwartz. Results, pretreatment of rats with both bromocriptine and sulpride given simultaneously had resulted in complete abolition of both stimulation caused by bromocriptine and inhibition that resulted from sulpride on mitochondrial as well as microsomal ATPase activities. In conclusion, it is quite possible that both mitochondrial and microsomal ATPase enzyme activities may play a role in the mechanism of action of dopaminergic agonist and antagonist drugs and it may also play an important physiological as well as pathological role in the function of dopaminergic receptors.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

43


AUST Network - RIT Council

FUNCTIONAL LINKAGE BETWEEN RENAL GLUTAMINE AND RENAL HOMOCYSTEINE IN CHOLESTEROL FED RATS Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 9th IATDMCT Congress, Louisville, Kentucky, USA, April 23-28 2007 The effects of the long - term cholesterol intake on free amino acids in the kidneys of rats were investigated, using an automatic LKB Amino Acid Analyzer [Biochrom Ltd., Cambridge, England]. Administration of cholesterol at 100mg/kg/day for 20 weeks significantly elevates the free levels of aspartate from 1759 ± 197 to 2022 ± 66 (*P<0.05), therionine from 880 ± 026 to 1082 ± 093, serine from 1279 ± 033 to 1621 ± 154 (**P<0.01), glutamic acid from 1340 ± 073 to 2128 ± 172 (****P<0.001), glycine from 1894 ± 137 to 3175 ± 314 (****P<0.001), alanine from 2548 ± 245 to 3851 ± 268 (***P<0.005), valine from 1064 ± 033 to 1447 ± 41 μmol /100 (*P<0.05), cystine from 103 ± 006 to 168 ± 001 (****P<0.001), methionine from 371 ± 011 to 455 ± 033 (*P<0.001), isoleucine from 683 ± 021 to 871± 110(*P<0.05), leucine from 1359 ± 048 to 2033 ± 061 (***P<0.005), lysine from 1182 ± 055 to 1514 ± 25 (*P<0.05), histidine from 318 ± 014 to 388 ± 032 (*P<0.05) and arginine from 471 ± 057 to 592 ± 065 μmol /100 wet tissue (*P<0.05) in the kidneys. Under the same condition cholesterol administration at 100 mg/kg/day for 20 weeks significantly decreased homocystine from 100 ± 007 to 57 ± 018μmol /100 wet tissues (*P<0.05) in the kidneys Meanwhile, glutamine was not detected in the kidneys of the cholesterol fed rat. These alterations in the content of the amino acids in the kidney tissues were associated with a significant elevation in the plasma gamma glytamyl transferees [γGT] activity. In conclusion, this data provides the first evidence that the cholesterol intake influences content of the renal glutamine which is a necessary feature of the normal physiological

44

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

homeostasis in response to alterations in the concentrations of renal homocysteine, other sulfur containing amino acids and remaining amino acids. Thus, under pathological conditions; it seems likely that there is an imbalance between cholesterol intake and renal glutamine and homocysteine utilization, production and metabolism, those causes an increase in the circulating levels of homocysteine leading to pathological processes associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

45


AUST Network - RIT Council

ANTAGONISM BETWEEN TAURINE AND BROMOCRIPTINE IN RAT UTERUS IN VITRO AND IN VIVO Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Sharjah University Journal, PAS Journal (2007), Vol 4 No 1, 63-76 (http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/news/journal/index.htm) Purpose, Our previous work has shown that high plasma taurine levels was found in hyperprolactinaemic patients; these levels returned to normal after bromocriptine (dopaminergic agonist, D2) treatment for three months. Furthermore we reported that bromocriptine decreased the myometrial PGI2 release in rats; whereas taurine increased the content of the myometrial PGI2 concomitant with the content of the mymetrum TXA2 in the rats as indicated in their metabolites. It was suggested that the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase could modulate the production of PGs in several tissues. Bromocriptine is shown to stimulate Na+/K+ATPase in the liver of rats, meanwhile taurine inhibits sperm plasma membrane Na+/K+-ATPase. It is therefore, thought of interest to investigate the effect of bromocriptine, taurine or their combination on the isolated rabbit jejunum and on the rat uterus in vitro and their effect on the activety of Na+-K+-ATPase in the uterus was also examined in vivo. Methods, the effect of bromocriptine on the isolated tissues and after pretreatment of the tissue with sulpiride, haloperidol, cyproheptadine or taurine were studied in vitro. Rabbit jejunum and rat uterus (in estrus) were obtained by the usual methods and suspended at 37째C in oxygenated Tyrode's and DeJahlon's solutions respectively. Isotonic contractions were measured using Bioscience Isotonic Transducers. In Vivo treatment was also carried out to study the effects of bromocriptine mesylate 10mg/kg, taurine 200 mg/kg; or bromocriptine mesylate 10mg/kg + taurine 200 mg/kg, compared to a control group, in order to measure uterine Na+, K+-ATPase activity. The drugs were injected intraperitoneally

46

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

daily for 14 days. Results, Bromocriptine 0.1-0.26 mM stimulated the isolated rabbit jejunum and the rat uterus. Sulpiride and haloperidol failed to antagonize the induced contractions. The latter were abolished by pretreating the tissues with cyproheptadine or taurine. Na+, K+-ATPase activity ATPase from rats uterus, pretreated with bromocriptine, showed significantly (P<0.01) higher activity compared to controls. Taurine, on the other hand, caused a significant inhibition of the uterus Na+/K+-ATPase activity. Pretreatment with both taurine and bromocriptine abolished completely the effects of either bromocriptine or taurine alone on the uterus Na+/K+-ATPase activity. In conclusion, Activation of serotonergic receptors may underlie the appearance of some side effects such as hallucinations observed in Parkinson's disease patients ingesting large doses of bromocriptine. Furthermore, on a wider basis, these results showed that bromocriptine and taurine were acting by clearly antagonistic mechanisms in the uterus in vivo and in vitro. The ability of taurine to inhibit uterine Na+,K+-ATPase activity, together with the role of taurine its role as an endogenous regulator of PGs, and with the suggestion of the activity of Na+K+-ATPase modulates the production of PGs in several tissues, point to the functional correlations between taurine, PGs and K+-ATPase activity in the uterus. Thus, the result of the present study gives strong evidence for physiological and pharmacological roles of taurine in protection and implantation of embryo in different clinical fields. Therefore, on the base of these results of the present study, Bromocriptine could be used as postcoital contraceptive where taurine could be clinically used for protection and implantation the embryo especially in vitro fertilization.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

47


AUST Network - RIT Council

CHANGES IN SERUM VITAMIN D3 METABOLITIES LEVELS AND IN THE 45CA TRANSPORT IN VITRO IN AN INVERTED INTESTINE (INTESTINE CALCIUM ABSORPTION AND RESORPTION FROM BONE) IN ALLOXAN DIABETES RATS Hassan N. Al-Qieshawi, Samir Bloukh, Moawia M. AlTabakha, Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 10th Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences (CSPS) Annual Meeting, 18th Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis (PBA) Annual Meeting, 64th Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) Annual Meeting number: CSPS_234 May 30 – June 2 2007 Purpose: Osteoporosis, as well as clinical osteomalacia and rickets are well complications of diabtes mellitus. Numerous metabolic disorders as indicated by laboratory abnormalities of mineral levels, radiographic evidence of osteopenia, and decreased bone mineral density can affect bone formation or resorption. The exact pathogenesis of these disorders has not been fully established but altered vitamin D3 metabolism appears to be the major importance. Thus this study has been undertaken to investigate the effect of alloxan on serum levels of the most abundant vitamin D3 metabolitie 25- dihydroxy vitamin D3 and the most active metabolitie 25- dihydroxy vitamin D3 and on calcium metabolism. These parameters were done for the purpose of correlating the changes in vitamin D3 metabolities levels if any with revelant serum electrolytes such as calcium and phosphate and with such an enzyme as alkaline phosphatase. Serum glucose and urea levels were measured to follow the effect of alloxan if any on carbohydrates and protein metabolism. Methods: Two groups of male Wistar strain rats were injected intraperitoneally with alloxane either as single 100 mg/kg or as daily doses of 100 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days. Control groups receiving the vehicle only were also included. Serum 25-(OH) D3

48

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

and 1Îą, 25-(OH)2 D3 were isolated, purified and determined by competitive binding assays (RIA). Sera were analyzed as well for calcium, inorganic phosphate, urea and glucose levels and for alkaline phosphatase activity. In addition the duodena from treated rats were isolated and used for determination of 45Ca transport in vitro in an inverted intestine over certain time period (intestine calcium absorption and resorption from bone). Results: Alloxan whether in acute or chronic treatment induce increase in the serum urea levels. A highly significant increase in the serum glucose levels. On the other hand a single dose of alloxane induced a slight increase in serum inorganic phosphate associated with highly significant increase in serum alkaline phosphatase activity. One week administration of alloxan exerted a significant increase in serum inorganic phosphate level and significant decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase activity. The serum levels of 25-(OH) D3 were significantly increased in the two groups of alloxane treated, concometant with significant decrease in the serum 1Îą, 25-(OH)2 D3 level.. At the same time alloxane did induce some increase in duodenum 45Ca transport in vitro. Conclusion: These results indicated that alloxan does interfere with the coversion of vitamin D3 to its active metabolities. The hypocalcemia could be due to decrease 1Îą, 25-(OH)2 D3 level, icreased intestinal calcium transport and reduced bone turnover. The significant decrease of Alkaline phosphatase activity seen in our results may be due to decrease release of bone alkaline phosphatase from osteoblast which either diminished in number or reduced in the cellular activity. Thus, it is recommended to supply diabetic patients with ample amounts of calcium and vitamin D3.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

49


AUST Network - RIT Council

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN DIETARY GLYCINE AND FREE ASPARTATE, BRANCHED-CHAIN AMINO ACIDS AND TYROSINE CONTENTS IN THE BRAIN IN THE RATS Abdulrahim Abu Jayyab Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Experimental Biology, ASBMB American Society For Biochemistry and Molecular Bilogy and the XXXV International Congress of Physiology, Annual Meeting, in San Diego, California (2006) Current scientific research has indicated that glycine is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord, where it participates in a variety of motor and sensory functions. Glycine is also present in the forebrain, where it has recently been shown to function as a co-agonist at the N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptor. It was interesting to study the effect of long term intake of glycine on free amino acid in brain contents in rats, using an automatic LKB Amino Acid Analyzer [Biochrom Ltd., Cambridge, England]. Feeding glycine 100 mg/kg/day for 14 weeks significantly elevates the contents of valine from 71 ± 02 to 103 ± 06 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05), methionine from 46 ± 06 to 64± 08 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05), isoleucine from 48 ± 05 to 75 ± 08 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05), leucine from 123 ± 05 to 170 ± 15 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05) and tyrosine from 41 ± 03 to 53 ± 04 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05)in the brain tissues. These results are associated with a significant reduction in aspartate from 1182 ± 23 to 880 ± 20 μmol /100 g wet tissues (*P< 0.05). The glycine content in the brain showed no any significant changes. It is suggested that, there are interaction mechanisms between glycine and some amino acids namely aspartate, branched chain amino acids and tyrosine which play physiological function in the brain. Also, these results might explain the concept that

50

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

aspartate & glycine form an excitatory/inhibitory pair which plays an important role in the brain. In conclusion, it should be an emphasis on the important role of these amino acids which might play as mediators in the mechanism of actions of a variety of neuropsychopharmacologic agents. It is likely that the wealth of new information on glycine and these amino acids will result in an even better understanding of their potential role(s) in various neuropsychiatric disorders and in the discovery of even more of effective therapeutic agents.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

51


AUST Network - RIT Council

KADIS®-BASED DIABETES MANAGEMENT IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Eckhard Salzsieder1, Petra Augstein1, Lutz Vogt1, ErnstJoachim Freyse1, Klaus-Dieter Kohnert1, Abdul Azeem A Ali2, Zakia Metwali2, Omer Attef2, Waffa Amour2, Iman Salman2, Abd Al Muaty Younis3, Magda Zaki4, and Nasser Jabbar3 1 Institute of Diabetes "Gerhardt Katsch" Karlsburg, Karlsburg - Germany; 2 Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network, UAE 3 Sheikh Khalifa Hospital, UAE; 4 Ajman Medical District, UAE Emirates Medical Journal (2007); 25(2): UAE, August 2007, pp 221-229 KADIS® (Karlsburger Diabetes Management System) is a successfully tested software program that can be used in an interactive manner as a Disease Management Program (DMP) to optimize a person’s daily diabetes treatment regimen. It is based on individual insulin/glucose sensitivity characterization by applying data from a continuous glucose monitoring system. A single center, prospective, open-label study was performed in 18 insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Twelve of 18 subjects completed the pilot study. The primary outcomes were: HbA1c reduction by 1.2 % (p<0.05) and mean blood glucose reduction by 1.9 mmol/l (p<0.05). The secondary outcomes revealed a significant reduction of hypo- and hyperglycaemic episodes from 48% to 24% per day (50% reduction, p<0.05). Reduction of insulin requirements was only significant in type 2 diabetes (-11.0 IU, p<0.05), whereas in type 1 a non significant slight increase in insulin requirements by 0.4 IU was observed. The overall reductions in insulin requirements by 1.4 IU per day, and of caloric intake by 1.2 BU per day were not significant. The reduction of HbA1c by 1.2% suggests the following: (i) study subjects benefited from the study; (ii) the KADIS®

52

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

recommendations were reliable, and useful for physicians and acceptable to patients, and (iii) the DCC速-model for diabetes care was applicable in the Arabian environment. The pilot study provides proof of concept for the DCC速 model for the UAE. The DCC速-model was applicable and has a high potential to contribute substantially to improvement of diabetes care in the UAE.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

53


AUST Network - RIT Council

TELEMEDICINE-BASED KADIS® COMBINED WITH CGMS™ HAS HIGH POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVING OUTPATIENT DIABETES CARE Eckhard Salzsieder1, Petra Augstein1, Lutz Vogt1, KlausDieter Kohnert1, Peter Heinke1, Ernst-Joachim Freyse1, Abdel Azim Ahmed2, Zakia Metwali2, Iman Salman2, and Omer Attef2 1 Institute of Diabetes "Gerhardt Katsch" Karlsburg, Karlsburg - Germany; 2 Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network, UAE Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, USA, Volume 1, Issue 4, July 2007 (© Diabetes Technology Society), pp: 511-521 The Karlsburg Diabetes Management System (KADIS®) was developed over almost two decades by modeling physiological glucose–insulin interactions. When combined with the telemedicine-based communication system TeleDIAB® and a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS™), KADIS has the potential to provide effective, evidence-based support to doctors in their daily efforts to optimize glycemic control. Methods: To demonstrate the feasibility of improving diabetes control with the KADIS system, an experimental version of a telemedicine-based diabetes care network was established, and an international, multicenter, pilot study of 44 insulin-treated patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes was performed. Patients were recruited from five outpatient settings where they were treated by general practitioners or diabetologists. Each patient underwent CGMS monitoring under daily life conditions by a mobile monitoring team of the Karlsburg diabetes center at baseline and 3 months following participation in the KADIS advisory system and telemedicine-based diabetes care network. The current metabolic status of each patient was estimated in the form of an individualized “metabolic fingerprint.” The fingerprint characterized glycemic status by KADIS-supported visualization of relationships between the monitored glucose

54

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

profile and causal endogenous and exogenous factors and enabled evidence-based identification of “weak points” in glycemic control. Using KADIS-based simulations, physician recommendations were generated in the form of patientcentered decision support that enabled elimination of weak points. The analytical outcome was provided in a KADIS report that could be accessed at any time through TeleDIAB. The outcome of KADIS-based support was evaluated by comparing glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and 24-hour glucose profiles before and after the intervention. Results: Application of KADIS-based decision support reduced HbA1c by 0.62% within 3 months. The reduction was strongly related to the level of baseline HbA1c, diabetes type, and outpatient treatment setting. The greatest benefit was obtained in the group with baseline HbA1c levels >9% (1.22% reduction), and the smallest benefit was obtained in the group with baseline HbA1c levels of 6–7% (0.13% reduction). KADIS was more beneficial for patients with type 1 diabetes (0.79% vs 0.48% reduction) and patients treated by general practitioners (1.02% vs 0.26% reduction). Changes in HbA1c levels were paralleled by changes in mean daily 24-hour glucose profiles and fluctuations in daily glucose. Conclusion: Application of KADIS in combination with CGMS and the telemedicine-based communication system TeleDIAB successfully improved outpatient diabetes care and management.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

55


AUST Network - RIT Council

SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF DIPYRIDAMOLE AND ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID IN PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS AND BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS BY SYNCHRONOUS AND FIRST DERIVATIVE SYNCHRONOUS FLUORIMETRY Yasser EI-Shabrawy Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Synchronous fluorimetry using zero and first derivative methods are described for the simultaneous determination of dipyridamole (DPR) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids. These methods are based on a native fluorescence of DPR and ASA. Concentration range of 5 to 90 ng ml-1 for dipyridamole and 5 to 100 ngml-1 for acetylsalicylic acid are determined by measuring the fluorescence at 336 nm and 368 for DPR and ASA respectively using phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 and its first derivatives. The relative standard deviations obtained by zero and first derivatives are ±0.58 and ±0.76 for dipyridamole and ±O.79 and ±0.88 acetylsalicylic acid respectively. Correlation coefficient is about 0.9999 for both. The detection limits were determined as (S/N = 3) are 0.05 ngml-1 for diplyridamole and acetylasilicylic acid. The proposed procedure is successively applied for the simultaneous determination of both drugs in pharmaceutical preparations and in biological fluids.

56

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

CHILDREN DIABETES Rania Alkhani and Yasser EI-Shabrawy Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder which is characterized by an elevation of fasting blood glucose caused by a relative or absolute deficiency in insulin. Diabetes is classified into two types; type I, the patients are Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) and Type II, the patients are non-insulinDependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Actually it is difficult to distinguish between both types of diabetes in children because criteria for differentiating between them are confusing; that is, children with type I can be overweight; children with type II can develop ketoacidosis

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

57


AUST Network - RIT Council

HUMAN CHIMERA ‌ AM THE TWIN OF MY OWN!! Eman Elzain Abbas Omara and Elhadi N. Mahmoud Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 A chimera is a person who exhibits two sets of DNA within his/her body. Chimeras are formed when twin embryos merge together to become one embryo which is completely opposite of identical twins who are formed when a single embryo split into two. This occurrence takes place in the very early stages of the embryo development. Such genetic variation plays a major part in variation of the drug treatment as it may alter the drug metabolism in an unexpected way. It also results in many complication regards to donating of organs. Around 30 cases of chimerism have reported worldwide and there probably many more who will never discover their unusual origins. Most Chimeras go through life unaware of their unusual constitution.

58

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

DISEASE OF THE CENTURY REVEALS IN CHILDREN Yara Malek, Noha Ahmed and Abduelmula R. Abduelakrem Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Winner of DUPHAT Second Merit Prize Trophy In the oil exporting Arab countries, the economic growth and development have been dramatic. Such development has brought benefits and has set the scene for transformation of lifestyles, eating habits, and traditional societal and family structure in the region. Although obesity is not considered as a disease, yet it is accompanied by worse complications, and despite the fact that it is spreading vigorously, people do tend to ignore it. What is alarming is that obesity did not only invade the adults, but it has also reached our innocent children, resulting with the manifestation of diseases that were uncommon amongst kids. Against this background we decided to undertake a study to investigate the problem among our school children between the ages of 6 to 15 year old. The research is based upon developing questionnaires and distributing them on students in Ajman primary and secondary schools. Primary school health education might hold the key to raising awareness amongst children and their families and teachers on the prevention of obesity and other associated diseases.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

59


AUST Network - RIT Council

CHILDREN CONSUMPTION OF FIZZY DRINKS AND JUNK FOOD IN UAE IS ALARMING Mariam M. Bader, Reem O. Obeisi, Samar M. Munir and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Winner of DUPHAT Second Merit Prize Trophy Many UAE children survive on a diet of junk food. Parents from their side try to send their children to school with wholesome food, but junk food is the norm and they feel like they are swimming against the tide. Against this background and the fact that such topic has never been approached in the UAE, a study was undertaken with aim to raise awareness among the children to the risks of fizzy drinks and junk food. A questionnaire was prepared and distributed to schoolchildren in five Emirates. The effect of fizzy drinks on some widely used sweet was also compared with the effect of water. Almost 184 (35%) of the interviewed school children were reported that they prefer soft drink but not water. Despite the fact that that more than 475 (90%) of children under investigation reported that they would like to advise their friends to stop consumption of soft drinks or at least to reduce it, almost one quarter of the studied sample reported that they consider soft drink as an important part of their daily life. The project will discuss the findings and will explore the fact that simply facilitating the availability of bottled water and encouraging the removal of fizzy drinks and junk food might help in a drastic shift away from fizzy drinks consumption in schools.

60

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

PREVALENCE OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK FACTOR AMONG THE ADULT VISITORS OF GLOBAL VILLAGE, DUBAI SHOPPING FESTIVAL 2006 Sahar Alia, Noha Allam, Hedaia Alnajjar and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Winner of DUPHAT Third Prize Trophy The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors has been increasing in UAE. More than 25% of the total death in the UAE was attributed to CVD in 2003. This figure is expected to surpass 30% in 2010 making it one of the biggest scourges in the UAE human history. At least ten risk factors can help predicting the likelihood of CVD. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the likelihood of developing heart disease. Against this background it was decided to undertake a study with aim to examine the prevalence of selected risk factors associated with the development of CVD in a sample of the adult visitors of global village, Dubai Shopping Festival 2006. Clustering of CVD risk factors is common in UAE. Prevention, detection, and treatment of CVD risk factor should be an important component of a national strategy to reduce the increasing burden of CVD in UAE. The poster will look at the most important cardiovascular risk factors in the studied sample and discuss the findings in the light of present practice.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

61


AUST Network - RIT Council

PATIENTS VIEWS AND OPINIONS ON GENERIC PRESCRIBING AND SUBSTITUTION PERFORMED BY PHARMACISTS Mais A Yacoub, Sarah A. Al-Akshar and Abduelmula R. Abduelkarem Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network DUPHAT, The 8th Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, March 2007 Winner of DUPHAT Merit Prize Since the genesis of earth, people around the world suffered from diseases, and they would look for the cure whether it's spiritual, physical, or pharmaceutical medicines. As life progressed medicine was extracted from plant and animal resources and used for healing those who were ill. New medicines were invented and developed according to people's needs. As the technological evolution started many pharmaceutical companies appeared and competed with each other in the discovery and development of new drugs for the current diseases of our time. That was the prime stone in the making of the generic drugs. Then companies started competing in the production of the generic less expensive drugs. In this research a total of 95 patients and customers were approached and invited to take part in the study during the study period of 2 months (January and February, 2007). The average age of the sample polled was 28+10 years and almost 55% of the patients interviewed were males. In the question regarding the acceptance of new generic medication, about eleven (12%) patients reported that they would choose to take the drug without arguing. However, about 52 (55%) would choose to take it after making sure that the two drugs are the same, 31 (33%) would refuse to take the new drug and would either insist on the old one or would leave and look for their drug in other pharmacies. Interestingly, sixteen (17%) of patients surveyed thought it's unreasonable to reject generic medication while 6 (7%) felt that they don't trust the pharmacist, and 71

62

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

(75%) felt more comfortable towards using the old drug. Sadly, almost 65(68%) of the patients surveyed reported that they would take more medication than doctors prescribe because they feel that generic drugs are less effective! Also, 42(44%) of the patients surveyed approved that they would stop taking their medication if they're not happy with the results. Other more interesting results were found in the survey on patients' views and opinions.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

63


AUST Network - RIT Council

64

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Information Technology

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

65


AUST Network - RIT Council

66

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

NEW TRAVELING SALESMAN PROBLEM APPROXIMATION ALGORITHM H. F. Kendela, M. Ayman Al-Ahmar, and E.-S. M. El Horbaty Faculty of Information Technology Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Review on Computers and Software Vol. 2, No. 4, Pages 325-330, July 2007 The traveling salesman problem (TSP) has been studied by many researchers and a great variety of heuristics and implementations with varying solution quality/running time tradeoffs have been proposed. In this paper, we introduce a heuristic algorithm that uses nearest neighbour heuristic first to find an initial tour and then uses a local search component to improve the quality of the solution. The implementation of our algorithm is given. The local search consists of utilizing a combination of brute force and 2-Optimal techniques on small parts of the tour. The results of our implementation are compared with corresponding results using nearest insertion heuristic on the same instances. The effectiveness of our algorithm derives from the improved tour quality achieved with reasonable running times.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

67


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE SEGMENTATION OF OFF-LINE ARABIC CHARACTERS, CATEGORIZATION AND REVIEW

2

Amer Al-Nassiri1, Shubair A. Abdulla2 and Rosalina Abdul Salam3 1 Faculty of Information Technology, AUST Network Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences, AUST Network 3 School of Computer Sciences University SaMalaysia, Pulau Pinang – Malaysia IRECOS, Vol. 2, No. 5, September 2007

A successful Arabic character recognition system improves interactivity between the human and the computers in many applications such as: digital archiving of ancient Arabic manuscripts, check verification, and documents analyzing. In spite of this fact, Arabic character recognition has not received enough research. The goal of automating character recognition can not be achieved without solving the segmentation problem. The cursive nature, rotation, strokes variety, and character slanting of Arabic word make the process of character isolation a very difficult one. According to the morphological features, the Arabic characters are connected to one another within one word by junction lines. The researchers realized this fact and started publishing methods to solve the problems of the segmentation. These methods are classified in many ways. This paper categorizes the segmentation methods into two approaches: Junction-Seeking Approach (JSA) and Recognize-Segment Approach (RSA) and provides a comprehensive review for segmentation methods in the last 20 years. The contribution also involves analyzing of the preprocessing stage and the techniques that are commonly used in the Arabic character recognition system.

68

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

A NEW ARABIC (AHD/AMSH) HANDWRITTEN DATABASE Amer Al-Nassiri1, and Shubair A. Abdulla2 Faculty of Information Technology, AUST Network Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences, AUST Network 1

2

Proceedings of ACIT2007, Tishreen University, Syria, November 26-28, 2007 This paper introduces new database for Arabic handwritten words. The Arabic handwritten database (AHD/AMSH) represents a utility to facilitate the experiments of the character recognition algorithms. It contains three types of images: word, isolated character, and digit images. The AHD/AMSH can be used for baseline detection, characters segmentation, normalization, thinning, training and testing purposes. The stages of construction of the AHD/AMSH database were planned carefully to ensure its excellence. 150 words, 35 courtesy amount and 20 digits were used to fill the form which has been filled by 82 writers in 5 different age groups. The results were 12300 words, 29028 sub-words, 56170 characters, 2870 courtesy amounts, 820 Indian digits, and 820 Arabic digits. After dividing the database into two categories, training and testing, it has been tested manually and systematically.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

69


AUST Network - RIT Council

70

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Dentistry

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

71


AUST Network - RIT Council

72

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

INCIDENCE OF THIRD ROOT IN MANDIBULAR PERMANENT FIRST MOLAR: AN ENDODONTIC CHALLENGE Ali M Rashid1 and Abdul-Haq A Suliman2 1 Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Mosul University 2 Restorative Dept. Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. Al–Rafidain Dent J. 2006; 6(2): 194-198. Aim: To investigate the incidence and the morphology of third root for the mandibular permanent first molars from indigenous Iraqi population and their significance in the successful of endodontic treatment. Materials and Methods: A clinical, radiographical prospective evaluation of first mandibular permanent molar teeth (n = 788) and laboratory analysis of 695 extracted first mandibular permanent molars collected from University Mosul, College of Dentistry, Department of Conservative Dentistry and private dental clinic were collected and examined. All the clinical cases treated as third root present, unless otherwise both 90º, 20° mesial radiographical shift and trapezoidal access opening excluded the presence of this macrostructure. The third root was classified in three groups on the basis of the curve of the root/root canal according to Ribeiro and Consolaro (1997). Chi–square was used to determine the significance between both genders, whereas descriptive statistics was used to describe the result of observations. Results: Upon clinical and laboratory observation of total 1483 first mandibular permanent molars, 121 (8.1%) exhibited radix entomolaris (RE), 17 (14%) were classified as type I (straight root/root canal), 33 (27.2%) as type II (an initially curved entrance and the continuation as a straight root/root canals) and 71(58.6%) as type III (an initial curve in the coronal third of the root canal and a second buccally orientated curve starting from the middle to apical third). Statistical analysis with Chi–square indicated no significant differences between both genders regarding the occurrence of RE. In all cases, RE occurred bilaterally. Out of 71 teeth attended for clinic, 87.3% teeth required retreatment, Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

73


AUST Network - RIT Council

while the apparent reason of extraction for 86% of 50 collected extracted teeth with RE seemed failure of endodontic treatment and the cleaning and obturation confined to the mesial and distal canals only. In all cases, the orifice of the RE was located distolingual from the main canal in the distal root. Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of this unusual root morphology in mandibular first molars. Radiographs exposed at two different horizontal angles are needed to identify this additional root. The access cavity must be modified in a distolingual direction in order to visualize and treat the RE; this results in a trapezoidal access cavity.

74

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

DETERMINATION OF RESIDUAL DENTIN CARIES AFTER CONVENTIONAL MECHANICAL AND CHE-MOMECHANICAL CARIES REMOVAL WITH CARI-SOLV™ Abdul-Haq A Suliman1 and Omar S Rahawi2 1 Restorative Dept. faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. 2 Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Mosul Al–Rafidain Dent J. 2006; 6 (Sp Iss): 101S-106S Aim: To examine the efficacy of chemo–mechanical dentin removal method in vitro. Material and Methods: Forty eight extracted permanent teeth with occlusal caries. The dentin caries of each tooth was removed either with chemo–mechanical method using Carisolv™ or mechanically using round bur. Cutting and caries removal monitored by checking the hardness of dentin with a dental explorer and stopped when teeth in each group showed either a leather hard texture or a sharp scratching sound was heard. The caries activity of the remaining dentin was assessed by using an acid red as a caries indicator. The mean surface areas of the pink zone (caries active, pH <5.5) and yellow zone (caries inactive, pH >5.5), of each caries lesion was calculated using AutoCAD computer software. Result: Revealed that for teeth treated with Carisolv™ the surface area of remaining carious dentin was significantly more when it compared with teeth that treated mechanically in each group, using unpaired t–test regardless of the clinical criterion for caries removal. Conclusion: Carisolv™ is effective in caries removal when used as chemomechanical caries removal than conventional mechanical method and the mean surface areas of remaining affected carious dentin was more in chemomechanical than conventional mechanical meaning that more tooth structure is preserved using chemomechanical method.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

75


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE EFFECT OF AMALGAM ALLOY TYPES, SURFACE TREATMENTS, AND BONDING AGENTS ON THE SHEAR BOND STRENGTH BETWEEN AMALGAM AND RESIN COMPOSITE Raghad A. Rasheed1 and Abdul-Haq A Suliman2 1 Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Mosul 2 Restorative Dept. Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. Al–Rafidain Dent J. 2006; 6 (Sp Iss): 38S-47S Aims: To evaluate the effect of amalgam alloy types, surface treatments, bonding agents, on the shear bond strength between set amalgam and resin composite restorative materials. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and thirty eight holes (6mm in diameter and 2mm depth) prepared in a 2x2.5 cm cold cure acrylic resin blocks in which amalgam was condensed. The 338 samples were divided into two groups, the control group which consisted of 26 intact amalgam samples, and the repair group consisted of 312 repair amalgam samples. Each group (intact, and repair) was subdivided into two groups according to the type of amalgam alloy. Half of the samples were filled with spherical amalgam alloy and the other were filled with admixed amalgam alloy. The repair samples then divided in to four groups according to the surface treatment, in turn each subgroup divided into three groups according to the bonding agent. The samples were thermocycled, before shear bond strength was tested. The mode of failure was observed for each specimen. Results and Conclusion: The statistical analysis showed that the repair strength was 50% of the intact strength, and the admixed amalgam samples showed higher shear bond strength than spherical amalgam samples. The group roughened with diamond bur showed higher repair bond strength than the groups received other surface treatment. The use of dentin bonding agent (All–Bond 2 and Alloybond) would increase the repair bond strength between the amalgam and the composite

76

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

restorative materials. And the mode of failure was mostly an adhesive type.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

77


AUST Network - RIT Council

TEMPERATURE RISE BENEATH A LIGHT–CURED MATERIALS USING TWO TYPES OF CURING MACHINES Sabah A Ismail1 and Abdul-Haq A Suliman2 1 Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Mosul 2 Restorative Dept. Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. Al–Rafidain Dent J. 2006; 6(1): 20-25 Aim: To measure the temperature rise induced by a light emitting diode (LED) curing unit and by quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) curing unit using two types of composite resin XRV Herculite and Venus. Materials and Methods: Forty extracted non–carious single canal premolars were cleaned and bisected longitudinally. Class V preparations were cut on the buccal surfaces. The teeth were divided into four groups; each of ten. The teeth in the first and second groups were restored with XR– Herculite composite resin. The teeth in the third and fourth groups were restored with Venus composite resin. The composite resin in the first and third groups were polymerized using QTH curing unit “Astralis” for 40 seconds; the light intensity was 502 mW/cm2. The distance between the tip of the light and the composite was 3 ± 1 mm. The composite resin in the second and fourth groups was polymerized using LEDs “Ultra–Lite 200 E plus” curing unit for 20 seconds; the light intensity was 536 mW/cm2 using the same distance as the first and third groups. The temperature rise at the pulpal wall was recorded by placing a thermocouple on the pulpal wall directly under the restoration. Results: The lowest temperature rise during LED irradiation with Venus composite resin followed by LED irradiation with XRV Herculite composite resin. Whereas QTH curing units with XRV Herculite composite resin produced higher values, QTH curing units with Venus composite resin produced the highest temperature rise. Conclusion: The temperature rise of LED curing units and QTH curing units used in this study was under the limits that affect the integrity of the dental pulp.

78

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE BACTERICIDAL EFFICIENCY OF CHLORHEXIDINE AS AN ENDODONTIC IRRIGANT

3

Abdul-Haq A Suliman1, Ghada Y. Abdul- Rahman2 and Wiam M. Al–Ashou3 1 Restorative Dept. Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. 2 Department of basic Sciences College of Dentistry, University of Mosul Department of Conservative Dentistry College of Dentistry, University of Mosul Al–Rafidain Dent J. 2006; 6(Sp Iss): 71S-78S.

Aims: to determine the bactericidal efficiency of 0.75% Chlorhexidine in vitro. The time required for this irrigant to start its antimicrobial effect on the selected microorganisms isolated from the infected root canals and unidentified samples taken from root canals with necrotic pulps were evaluated. Materials and Methods: The substantive antimicrobial effect of 0.75% Chlorhexidine in vitro is also considered. Samples taken from 13 teeth with necrotic pulp from patients attended the Department of Conservative Dentistry, College of Dentistry at Mosul University. The turbidity method was applied to determine the antimicrobial effect of 0.75% Chlorhexidine and the combination of 0.5% Chlorhexidine and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite comparing with the antimicrobial effect of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, the time required for these materials to start their antimicrobial effect on the selected microorganisms was determined using contact test. The antimicrobial effectiveness were evaluated at different time intervals, immediately, 5, 10, 15 minutes after the contact of the microorganisms with the irrigating solutions. Results: Both 0.75% Chlorhexidine and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite are effective on microorganisms collected from root canal. There is no significant difference between Chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite in their antimicrobial effect on the anaerobic microorganisms, but Chlorhexidine is more effective on the aerobic microorganisms. Conclusion: Chlorhexidine 0.75% and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite has an immediate effect Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

79


AUST Network - RIT Council

on the selected microorganisms and unidentified samples from the teeth with necrotic pulps. The combination of Chlorhexidine 0.5% and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite has an effect started after 5 minutes.

80

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

TOBACCO ASSOCIATED LESIONS OF THE ORAL CAVITY Dhafira Hassan Majed Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The Second Annual Medical Conference of the International Iraqi Medical Association, 12th -14th April 2007, Sharjah-UAE The excessive use of tobacco has been associated with various lesions of the oral cavity. The different ways in which tobacco is used lead to considerable variation in appearance, site and frequency of these lesions. The local oral effects of tobacco have received relatively little attention and are not widely acknowledged among the general public outside the potential for cancer. The purpose of this presentation is to summarize current concepts of such local oral effects, especially the nonmalignant changes, and to discuss effects of commonly used smoking habits in the UAE. The crucial role of dentists in detection and early management of these lesions is highlighted.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

81


AUST Network - RIT Council

SCREENING FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS USING GINGIVAL CREVICULAR BLOOD Yousef Khader, Bashar Al-Zu’bi, Ahmad Judeh and Mohammed Rayyan Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Journal of Dental Hygiene 4, 2006; 179-182 This study was conducted to assess the usefulness of the gingival crevicular blood for estimating the glucose level during routine periodontal examination using Xitux® Diagnostics SmartX self-monitoring blood glucose device among Jordanian patients attending dental teaching clinics. A total of 34 type 2 diabetic patients (18 males and 16 females) and 26 non-diabetic patients (14 males and 12 females) participated in this study. Glucose level was measured in a sample of gingival crevicular blood and in another sample obtained by finger puncture using a self-monitoring device. Glucose measurements from gingival crevicular blood samples, ranged from 57 to 250 mg dl-1 with a mean of 125.4 ± 60.7 mg dl-1 (±SD) and glucose measurements obtained by finger puncture, ranged from 62 to 263 mg dl-1 with a mean of 131.9 ± 61.1 mg dl-1. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was performed to assess the correlation between the glucose measurements in these two samples. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed an almost perfect positive correlation between the gingival readings and finger-puncture readings (r = 0.997, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, gingival crevicular blood can provide an acceptable source for measuring blood glucose level. However, the technique to obtain an acceptable blood sample from gingival crevices is not always feasible which would limit its application as a clinical practice. Additional studies that refine this technique and use larger sample size are recommended.

82

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

CARIES EXPERIENCE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN UAE: REVIEW AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Raghad Hashim1, Murray Thomson2, Manal Awad3, and Kathren Ayers2 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 3 University of Sharjah, College of Dentistry, United Arab Emirates The Dental News Journal 2007; 16(1): 20-26 Objectives: The purpose of this study was to review the prevalence of caries in preschool children in UAE over the past 15 years, to discuss possible local risk factors and to highlight the different aspects related to the planning, implementation and evaluation for interventions at the national and community levels. Method: Epidemiology studies performed between 19912006, using the WHO criteria for dental caries among preschool children were retrieved and reviewed. Result: The caries experience of preschool children was high. The mean dmft of (4.9-8.6) were reported, the d component comprised (72-94%). A secular change of caries experience in the two decades was not apparent. The amount of untreated caries lesions was high. Conclusion: This review finding indicates the importance of monitoring the dental health of UAE children and has implication for preparation, planning, implementation and evaluation of future preventive programs in which the UAE government and private industry might participate.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

83


AUST Network - RIT Council

DENTAL CARIES EXPERIENCE AND USE OF DENTAL SERVICES AMONG PRESCHOOLERS IN AJMAN, UAE Raghad Hashim1, Murray Thomson2, Kathren Ayers2, James Lewsey2, and Manal Awad3 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 3 University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates The International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2006; 16: 257-262. Objective: to estimate the prevalence and associations of dental caries in the primary dentition of young children in Ajman, UAE. Methods: Random sampling was used to select children aged 5 or 6 years old who were enrolled in public or private schools. Clinical examinations for caries were conducted by a single examiner using WHO criteria. Parents completed questionnaires seeking information on socioeconomic background, oral hygiene and dietary practices, fluoride use, and dental service utilization. Logistic regression modelling was used to identify risk markers and risk indicators for caries prevalence. Results: The total number of children sampled was 1297, of whom dental examination and questionnaire data were obtained for 1036 (79.9%), of whom 50.0% were female. The prevalence of dental caries in 5- and 6-year-old children was 72.5% and 79.7% respectively (P<0.01), with respective mean dmfs scores of 9.2 (sd, 12.6) and 11.4 (sd, 13.3) respectively (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that age, sex, income, nationality, mother's education, dietary habits; oral hygiene and dental utilization were significantly associated with caries experience. Conclusion: Dental caries prevalence and severity in young children in Ajman are relatively high, and socioeconomic factors, dietary habits, oral hygiene, and dental utilization are important determinants of that dental caries experience. There is an urgent need for oral health programs targeted at the treatment and underlying causes of dental caries of those children.

84

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES TO INVESTIGATE MOTHER'S ORAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE IN AJMAN Raghad Hashim1, Murray Thomson 2, Manal Awad3, and Kathren Ayers 2 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 3 University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates This research was nominated for Giddon Award in the 85th International Association of Dental Research –IADR- conference held in New Orleans –United State of America, June 2007 Objectives: This qualitative study was designed to obtain more information related to feeding practice and fluoride use by mothers of preschool children (aged 2-5 years) in the emirate of Ajman, and the ability of these mothers to accept/reject preventive advice and action, in order to explain the previously recorded high caries prevalence in preschool children to determine a strategy to control dental caries in this population. Methods: Six groups, each comprising 6-10 mothers from urban and rural areas from different nationalities of Ajman emirate were selected. Questions were formulated using information obtained from a previous questionnaire survey using a funnel approach. All sessions were audio recorded and information was analyzed using the cut and paste technique. Results: In total, 42 mothers participated in the focus groups and the result showed that some mothers had slightly unfavorable attitudes towards the diet (high consumption of carioganic food) of their young children, while the use of fluoride, other than in toothpaste was rare. However, favorable opinions by these mothers were also reported, as many were in favor of community water fluoridation and encouraged the idea a dental preventive program. Conclusion: The mother's attitude was positive toward prevention, but their knowledge of dental caries and the effect of cariogenic food on the teeth were confused. Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

85


AUST Network - RIT Council

ORAL HEALTH, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS, DIETARY HABITS OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN AJMAN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Raghad Hashim1, Murray Thomson 2, Manal Awad3, and Sheila Williams2, 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 3 University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates The FDI Annual World Dental Congress – Dubai –United Arab Emirate, October, 2007 Objective: To investigate the association between oral health, in terms of dental caries, and socioeconomic factors, and dietary practices in 5-6-year-old children in Ajman, UAE Methods: A one-stage cluster sample was used to randomly select children aged 5 or 6 years old who were enrolled in public or private schools in Ajman, UAE. Clinical examinations for caries were conducted by a single examiner using WHO criteria. Parents completed questionnaires seeking information on child and family characteristics, dietary habits, and oral hygiene. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk markers and risk indicators for caries experience. Results: The total number of children sampled was 1297. Dental examination and questionnaire data were obtained for 1036 (79.9%), of whom 50.0% were female. The prevalence of ECC in 5- and 6-year-old children was 72.9% (95% CI, 61.8, 83.9) and 80.0% (95% CI, 76.0, 84.4) respectively, with mean dmft scores of 4.0 (sd, 4.1) and 4.9 (sd, 4.3) respectively (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that frequency of snacking between meals per day, snack consumption level and the frequency of brushing had a significant effect on the severity of ECC, while only the snack consumption level and the frequency of brushing had a significant effect on plaque score. There was a strong association between plaque score and the severity of ECC.

86

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Conclusions: The prevalence and severity of ECC in young children in Ajman is high, with child and family characteristics, dietary habits, and oral hygiene practices being important determinants. Young children in Ajman would benefit from health promotion strategies directed towards appropriate dietary practices and oral hygiene measures framed within culturally specific guidelines.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

87


AUST Network - RIT Council

ORAL HEALTH OF ARAB CHILDREN Manal A Awad1, Raghad Hashim2 and Emad El Subeihi1 University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates 2 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates,

1

The FDI Annual World Dental Congress – Dubai –United Arab Emirate, October, 2007 Introduction: A review of the literature was performed to summarize the dental caries and periodontal diseases experiences of Arab children in Middle Eastern countries. Materials & Methods: A Medline search using the keywords “dental caries”, “periodontal diseases”, “Arab” and “children” revealed many hits from which English –language articles were reviewed. Results: In Saudi Arabia, one study showed that the mean dmfs scores among 5-6 years old children was as high as 21.5 (s.d: 3.2). In Jordan, 31% of 4-5 years old children had a dmft score greater than 4, and 66% of these children had gingivitis. Furthermore, a recent survey in the UAE showed that, 5-6 years old local children had significantly higher levels of decayed surfaces compared to other Arab children [ds=9.9 (s.d: 12.5) and ds: 7.6 (sd: 10.9), p<0.01,respectively]. Conclusion: Therapeutic and preventive oral health measures are imperative to reduce the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal diseases among children in Arab populations.

88

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF DENTAL STUDENTS IN AJMAN UNIVERSITY Shaima Al-Mashhadani and Raghad Hashim Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network The 84th International Association of Dental Research Conference –IADR- Brisbane –Australia, June, 2006 Objectives: Several researchers have investigated the attitude and behavior of dental students regarding their oral health habits, and the influence of the scientific information dispended during dental study on their own oral hygiene, oral health habits and oral health status. The aim of this study was to determine the oral health habits, oral hygiene and dental caries level among the final year dental students in Ajman University, United Arab Emirates. Method: The 101 students, mean age 25 sd (7.1) took part in this study, whoever took part in this study responded to an announcement for students who wish to participate in an oral health survey. Participants were asked to complete questionnaire regarding their oral health habits. In addition, they received oral examinations using the WHO criteria. Results: The dental examination revealed that overall the mean DMFS was 8.5 (sd 6.8) while mean plaque score was 0.3 and (sd 0.5). The univariate analysis showed that (67.3%) consume sugar containing food once daily, (54.4%) brush their teeth twice a day, (70.3%) used other method for cleaning their teeth apart from tooth brush, (88.2%) visited the dentist during the last year. In addition the Bivariate analysis revealed that there were significant association between DMFS score and students Nationality, frequency of eating/day, frequency of brushing, using other methods of tooth cleaning and making dental visits. Conclusion: Dental students are highly motivated toward maintaining their oral health. However their oral health did not reach a satisfactory level. This half victory shows that it is necessary to put more emphasis on the teaching of prevention in

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

89


AUST Network - RIT Council

our faculty and especially on finding the best way to transmit the message of oral health promotion.

90

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

ORAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHERS IN UAE Nuha Hawas and Raghad Hashim Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network The 84th International Association of Dental Research Conference IADR- Brisbane –Australia, June, 2006 Objectives: To assess the oral health related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of schoolteachers in the U.A.E. Method: This study was conducted in the U.A.E., the five Northern Emirates were included in this study. A questionnaire was designed to elicit information on teacher's age, year of teaching experience, and ethnicity. In addition, information was also collected on the different areas of oral health related issues. Two stage simple random sampling scheme was used. Both male & female teachers were included. Results: Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 2376 teachers for a response rate of 91%. A significant proportion of the teachers knew about the causal factors in dental caries, however relatively few were aware of the useful effect of sugar free gum (24%) and pit & fissure sealants (11%). Most of the teachers were aware of the importance of tooth brushing (62%). School teachers wanted to be involved in oral health education. Conclusion: Although teachers had positive attitudes towards participating in oral health education for school children, there were some knowledge gaps and some inconsistent opinions about efficacy and relative effectiveness of caries prevention methods which might benefit the population they teach. Training of teachers should aim at improving their level of knowledge on oral health. This will facilitate their role as health educators.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

91


AUST Network - RIT Council

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG DENTISTS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Kalid Al-Ali and Raghad Hashim Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network The FDI Annual World Dental Congress – Dubai –United Arab Emirates, October, 2007 Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of occupationally related health problems and their associations to work practice, personnel characteristics, physical, social factors and general health status. Method: A cross-sectional study by using one-stage complex sampling technique using a self reported questionnaire distributed to all 844 dentists, working in the three largest cities (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah) in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Results: Seven hundred and thirty three 733(86.9%) dentists aged 22-70 years responded. The most common occupational health problems were musculoskeletal pain 498(67.9%) and percutaneous injury 307(41.9%). Around one fifth 135(18.4%) of dentists had a history of contact dermatoses, and around one sixth 118(16.1%) had systemic problems, and 99(13.5%) are smokers. Only 285(38.9%) of dentists reported exercising on a regular basis. Conclusion: The present study showed high risk of musculoskeletal symptoms and percutaneous injuries among dentists. Also, a tendency towards increased occurrence of skin symptoms was noted among dentists. As exposure to potential infectious agents is of concern; continuing education in the avoidance of percutaneous injuries would be beneficial. Further studies are needed to identify causes of musculoskeletal pain and to identify the appropriate interventions to reduce its prevalence, as would similar measures to reduce exposure to agents which may produce contact dermatoses. The awareness of occupational health problems should be highlighted at all clinical and research symposia.

92

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

DENTAL DISEASES IN SUBJECTS WITH -THALASSEMIA MAJOR Mohamed A Jaber Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network Proceedings of the Libyan Dental Conference, Libya, 2007 BACKGROUND: Several studies have described the impact that dental caries and periodontitis may have on the dentitions of individuals with thalassemia, but there are no reports about the thalassemia patients in UAE. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to describe oro-facial manifestation of thalassemia patients and to analyze the prevalence and severity of dental caries, periodontal problems, the frequencies and types of dental and facial developmental anomalies and to compare that with normal control subjects. Material AND METHODS: Sixty children with thalassemia attending Thalassemia Center of Al-Wasel Hospital Dubai were selected for the study. In the evaluation, the children were compared with normal control group selected from children attending Faculty of dentistry Ajman University dental clinic and matched for age and sex. Clinical assessment include extraoral and intraoral examination, including hard and soft tissue, measurement of DMF and dmf while periodontal evaluation included the recording of plaque index (P1), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL). using Silness and Lรถe plaque index (Pl.I), Lรถe and Silness gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD). RESULTS: Compared with normal controls, children with thalassemia had fewer teeth erupted. Dental caries was significantly higher in thalassemia patients group (P < 0.0001) compared to the healthy controls. Periodental problems were more frequent in the thalassemia than the non-thalassemia sample (67.4 per cent cf 34.7 per cent), with more of the thalassemia children showing poor oral hygiene (59.2 per cent cf 8.2 per cent), and developmental dental defects. Patients with Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

93


AUST Network - RIT Council

Thalassemia showed a higher frequency of malalignments in both the deciduous and permanent dentitions compared with the children in control groups. The frequency of malalignments was higher in the permanent than in the deciduous dentition. In the deciduous dentition, the frequency of malalignments was similar in the maxilla and mandible, and in both boys and girls. In the deciduous dentition, the thalassemia group presented a higher frequency of malalignment in the upper central incisor, lateral incisor, and canine regions compared with the normal children. Conclusion: Individuals with thalassemia have an increased prevalence of dental caries compared with otherwise normal, age-matched control groups. Thalassemia is not associated with increased levels of gingivitis or periodontitis

94

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES AND OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AMONG THE DENTAL STAFF Mohammed Mustahsen ur Rehman and Quratulain Khalid Dar Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network Journal of Pakistan Dental Association, Vol 16(02) April-June 2007, pp 65-70 Objectives: Dental health care workers (DHCW's) are exposed to a variety of microorganisms and occupational hazards during dental procedure. The aim of this study was to explore awareness and attitudes regarding infection control procedures and occupational hazards in dental settings of private and government organizations in the United Arab Emirates. Material and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 120 DHCW's of which 100 responded. All were aware of infection control procedures and occupational hazards. Result: Only 67% were vaccinated against HBV. Special containers for sharp disposal was used by 95% of the study population where as 94% ensured instrument sterility before using them, 42% used rubber dam during endodontic and 12% during restorative procedures. Dental water supply/suction systems within the past 6 months were inspected by 76%, contact with amalgam in 45%, & 55% didn’t store scrap amalgam. 7 % suffered sharp injury with in the past month, and 15 % within the past 6 months, 74% suffered from backache, 37% held x-ray intra-orally for their patients while 26% used lead aprons. Fifth- nine percent had attended seminars or workshops on infection control & occupational hazards and 81% periodically evaluated & updated infection control measures for themselves & their staffs. Conclusion: The use of standard precautions, employee training and arrangement of workshops or seminars on proper infection control are emphasized in dental practice settings of government and private organizations. Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

95


AUST Network - RIT Council

FACTORS AFFECTING PATIENT’S SATISFACTION WITH THE CARE PROVIDED BY DENTAL STUDENTS Mohammed Mustahsen ur Rehman Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network Journal of Pakistan Dental Association, Vol 16(02) April-June 2007, pp 147-152 Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the level of patient satisfaction regarding cleanliness in the clinic, student-doctor achievement, appointments, comfort of the staff, student courtesy and dental health care provided by the student – dentists. Material and Methods: Patient files were drawn from records that had been registered for comprehensive dental treatment during the year 2004 - 2005. Two hundred fifty files of adult patients were included in the study in which the patient satisfaction questionnaire was filled up by the patient upon completion of the treatment. The main questionnaire used to determine the level of satisfaction was composed of two sections. Results: An average 45.06 % (39.6 - 52.4%) rated the clinic cleanliness, student- doctor achievement, dental care quality, comfort, staff-student courtesy and appointment as excellent, 52.73% (47.2 - 55.6%) rated it as good, 1.93% (0.4 - 4.4%) as fair and only 0.19 % (0.0 - 0.4%) of patients rated it as poor. An average 97.6% (90 - 99.6%) of patients were satisfied whereas 2.3 % (0.4 - 10%) were dissatisfied with student – doctor achievements and dental health care provided. Conclusion: Majority of patients were satisfied with dental care provided by the student-dentists. Clinic cleanliness, patient comfort, staff-student courtesy, latest sophisticated equipment, highly qualified teaching staff, free dental treatment and convenient appointments may play an important role in patient satisfaction.

96

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

EFFECTIVENESS OF FOUR DIFFERENT LIGHT-ACTIVATED COMPOSITES CURE WITH DIFFERENT LIGHT ENERGY DENSITIES Ali A. Al- Shekhli, Haitham J. Al-Azzawi and Isra’a A. Al- Aubi Faculty of Dentistry Ajman University of science and Technology Network Al Mustansiriya Dental Journal, Iraq, Vol 3(3), 2006, pp 224-229 Background: This study investigated the influence of light energy density (intensity x time) on the effectiveness of composite cure in view of the curing profiles of light-polymerization units with different light- activated composites to determine the energy density that satisfies adequate polymerization of all lightactivated composites types used in this study. Materials and methods: This study investigated the hardness of the top/bottom surfaces and hardness ratio of 2-mm thick composite specimens after exposure to different light energy densities. Parameters included five light intensities (200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mW/cm2) and seven curing times (20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 seconds) for each of the four different light-activated composite materials (Tetric Ceram, Heliomolar, Herculite XRV and Degufill Mineral). Results: Statistical analysis of the data by using the one-way analysis of variance revealed that, most of the hardness ratios exhibited a very highly significant difference according to intensity, composite type and curing time. The results indicated that, Heliomolar and Degufill Mineral light-activated composites required approximately (36 J/cm²) energy density for adequate polymerization for a 2-mm thick specimen while, Herculite XRV and Tertric Ceram light-activated composites required approximately (12 J/cm²) energy density for adequate polymerization for a 2-mm thick specimen. Conclusion: This study indicated that, final curing should not be done with energy density less than (300 mW/cm2 for 120 seconds, 400 mW/cm2 for 90 seconds and 600 mW/cm2 for 60

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

97


AUST Network - RIT Council

seconds) for Heliomolar and Degufill Mineral light-activated composites.

98

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

FACEMASK VERSUS FACEMASK WITH RPE THERAPY: SOFT TISSUE ANALYSIS Ekmen, O1, Kilicoglu, H1, Qasrawi, O2, and Gorgun, O1 1 Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics. Istanbul-Turkey 2 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates 82nd Congress of the European Orthodentic Society, July 4-8, 2006 – Vienna-Austria AIM: To evaluate and compare soft tissue changes gained by facemask therapy with and without RPE. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 36 CI III subjects (16 male, 20 female) were evaluated and separated in 3 groups. ; I. Group (n=12, mean age 11.01+ 1.38) was treated with facemask and RPE, II. Group (n=12, mean age 10, 04 + 1.22) was treated with only facemask as described by Delaire, and III. Group (n=12, mean age 9.86+ 1.24) was used as control group and consisted of untreated individuals with similar malocclusion. Study was carried out on 72 lateral cephalograms taken pre and post face mask application for treatment groups, pre and post observation for control group. Kruksal Wallis test was used for statistical analysis RESULTS • When compared with control goup,H angle showed a significant increase in treatment groups (p<0.05).But there is no significant difference between these groups. • In both treatment groups,while B-VP and Pg-VP moved backward,soft tissue Si and PgS followed these points. • While lower jaw rotated backward Ii-VP distance decreased and lower incisor retruded backward relatively • In both treatment groups upper lip came forward (Ls-Steiner S line ; p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In both treatment groups concave profile became more balanced and both upper and lower lip showed good improvement.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

99


AUST Network - RIT Council

FACEMASK VERSUS FACEMASK WITH RPE THERAPY : SKELETAL AND DENTOALVEOLER COMPARISON Gorgun, O1, Kilicoglu, H1, Qasrawi, O2, and Ekmen, O1 1 Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontic, Istanbul l-Turkey 2 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 82nd Congress of the European Orthodentic Society, July 4-8, 2006 – Vienna-Austria AIM: To compare skeletal and dentoalveolar changes after facemask therapy with and without RPE. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Lateral cephalograms of 36 patients (16 male, 20 female) with Cl III malocclusion were evaluated. Data was divided into 3 groups; I. Group (n=12, mean age 11.01+ 1.38) was treated with facemask and RPE, II. Group (n=12, mean age 10, 04 + 1.22) was treated with only facemask as described by Delaire, and III. Group (n=12, mean age 9.86+ 1.24) was used as control group and consisted of untreated individuals with similar malocclusion. Study was carried out on 72 lateral cephalograms taken pre and post face mask application for treatment groups, pre and post observation for control group. Kruksal Wallis test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS • Sagittal discrepancy was decreased in both treatment group, in the meaning of ANB and WITS measurement, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). • There was a statistically significant different in the anterior face height parameters (N-ANS, ANS-Me and N-Me) between two treatment groups (p<0.05). Total anterior face height increased more in facemask group than to facemask with RPE. • Lower incisors were retruded 2.29 +3.6 mm in facemask with RPE group and 4.58 +1.68 mm in facemask group but the difference was not statistically significant. (p>0.05)

100

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

CONCLUSION: It is concluded that both treatment groups showed similar improvements in sagittal plane. It is suggested that individual’s vertical growth should be considered carefully.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

101


AUST Network - RIT Council

MISSING TEETH: PROSTHETIC REHABILITATION FOLLOWING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT Qasrawi O1, Gümrü D2, Kılıçoğlu H2, Yeniyol S2, Karabuda ZC2, and Özdemir T2 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontic, Istanbul l-Turkey Oral Implantology Journal 2007; 2:2: 31-40 Especially in adolescents, missing teeth in anterior part of the maxilla cause functional, aesthetical and psychological problems. For treatment of missing teeth, apart from conventional methods (removable partial dentures, maryland bridges, fixed dentures), osteointegrate implants developed by Branemark et al. may be used. On account of function and aesthetics, implant application is a reliable and predictable method. It is significant to apply implants after active bone growth period in adolescents. In this study, two patients have a prosthetic rehabilitation following orthodontic treatment. In first case after the preparation of necessary room for missing upper left central incisor, an implant is applied. In the second case, after mesialization of canines to the place of lateral incisors, which are congenitally missing, an implant is applied in the gained space. As a consequence, osteointegrate implant application in anterior part of maxilla is fairly conservative and aesthetic method.

102

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

APPLICATION OF MINI SCREW IN ORTHODONTICS Gümrü D1, Qasrawi O2, Kılıçoğlu H1, and Özdemir T1 1 Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontic, Istanbul l-Turkey 2 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, Oral Implantology Journal 2007; 2: 20-30 Recently, mini screws are widely used to maintain orthodontic anchorage. Mini screws used in palatal bone, alveoler process, retromolar regions and tuberosity, minimize patient cooperation and reduce treatment time. Occasionally conventional intra-oral anchorage gaining methods are not only inefficient, but also have some side effects. Hence, mini screws are significant alternative for stable intra-oral anchorage. Besides, application and elimination of mini screws are quite easy. In this study, mini screws are applied in two patients. In first case, in order to intrude lower left premolars which were extruded due to early extraction of upper left premolars, a mini screw is placed between the roots of lower left premolars. İntrusion is achieved by an elastic between the segmental arch applied to the lower premolars and mini screw. In second case, mini screw is placed between the roots of lower right first and second molars to distalize canine and lower anterior segment. After beginning canine distalization, canines resist distalization. Whereupon canine resistance is reduced by a partial alveolar corticotomy to continue orthodontic treatment. As a consequence, by mini screws, desired dental movements are achieved without anchorage loss and side effects caused by conventional methods.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

103


AUST Network - RIT Council

MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN PATIENT WITH ECTODERMAL DYSPLASIA: A CASE REPORT Osama QASRAWI1, E. Bahar TUNA2, Hülya KILIÇOĞLU2, Cüneyt KARABUDA2, and Jawad ABDEL-HAK2 1 Faculty of Dentistry, Ajman University of science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates, 2 Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Turkey 10th International Congress of the Turkish Orthodentic Society, 24-28 September 2006, Istanbul - Turky Ectodermal dyplasia (ED) is a congenital disorder defined by the dyplasia of ectodermal layer (hair, nails, enamel of the teeth and skin). These disorders occur in 1 in 100.000 births. Due to functional, esthetic and psycological problems treatment should start at early age on these patients. Dental and skeletal development should be evaluated and the most suitable prosthetic alternative should be chosen. A 17-years-old girl was referred for management of the oral manifestations of her hypohidrotic ED. Oral examination revealed 7 missing teeth on maxilla and 8 on mandible with dental malformations. Treatment plan consisted of dental treatment, orthodontic treatment and oral implantation. After dental rehabilitation, orthodontic treatment was completed, and dental implants with implant-supported fixed prosthesis were replaced. In order to improve their dental, esthetic, and functional requirements, clinicians should take a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach with such these patients.

104

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

105


AUST Network - RIT Council

106

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

USES OF METHODS OF SOCIAL MARKETING IN THE PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION ISSUES A CASE STUDY ON THE FRENCH CHANNEL USHUAIA Khaled Zamoum and Ashref Abd Al Mogeit Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Athawabit, a Quarterly Journal of Culture, Development and Politics, Yemen, Vol. 47, Jan. – Mar. 2007, pp. 76 – 108 The environmental Information highlights as a modern concept that goes beyond the news context to the educational and awareness. This study comes within this framework to focus on defining the theoretical arena of the environmental information on one hand, and identifying the areas in which it operates on the other. The aim of this study is to highlight the methodological standards used in social marketing campaigns in order to adapt it toward marketing and promoting positive environmental values.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

107


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS USING WEB PAGES - A FIELD STUDY ON SECTORS OF ARAB YOUTH IMMIGRANTS IN THE UAE DURING THE SPRING 2006 Ashref Abd Al Mogueit and Khaled Zamoum Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal, Vol. 11, Issue 2 – 2007, pp: 281 – 337 This study sought to measure the effectiveness of the use of the Internet by Arab governments, through the measurement of the size of turnout on these pages and the sufficiency that results from it, and how this correlates with the improvement of the Image of the Mother Country in the mind of its citizens. It (the study) measures also the impact of factors affecting positively and negatively on the subject, in the period from 1/4/2006 to 31/4/2006, all done through field study on a sample of 825 single of arab immigrants in the United Arab Emirates.

108

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

VIRTUAL WORLD EPISTEMOLOGY DUBAI e-GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE STUDY APPLICATION ON A SAMPLE FROM DUBAI e-GOVERNMENT WEBSITE USERS Khaled Zamoum Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 12th Annual Conference: Communication at the Crossroad of Globalization, Arab–U.S. Association For Communication Educators, Zayed Universsity, UAE. Oct. 2007 Since the beginning of the fifties of the last century the signs of the virtual societies began to appear linked as they were to the technology revolution in the media and communication field. The virtual society becomes since then reality in the people and institutions lives, especially in the services, electronic commerce, data information, entertainment, and electronic administration. In fact, the electronic government represents one of multiple faces of this radical change towards the virtual behavior. This problematic of this study focuses on the presentation and specificities of the virtual society through the daily public practice and by studying the traits of the Dubai eGovernment. This study aims at the recognition of the essence and foundations of the virtual society, and on the other side the online use endorsed by the public in the real life. This study uses two main methods: The first one, implies the description and analyzes the specificities of the virtual society concept and the Dubai eGovernment. The other is the scanning method which is used to study a sample from the Dubai eGovernment website users.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

109


AUST Network - RIT Council

COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS OF INTERPRETING Sahab Abdul Aziz Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities Ajman University of Science and Technology Network English Language and Literature Studies Dec. 2006. Vol. V, No.2, Ain Shams University This paper is centered on the communicative aspect of interpreting as a resource of verbal behaviour. Interpreting is viewed as a combined decoding and encoding operation involving the transfer of information from one person to another via linguistic code signals forming a communicative activity. The interpreter, as a special type of transmitter or mediator between a source text producer and recipients, is seen as switching signals of one information–bearing code or language to those of another.

110

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

STYLISTIC PROBLEMS CONFRONTING ARAB STUDENTS IN ARABIC- ENGLISH TRANSLATION Kadhim H. Bakir and Hashim G. Lazim Faculty of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Published online in: www.translationdirectory.com Away from simplistic definitions, translation is, in fact, both a painstaking and an arduous process especially with regard to style. To prove this lucidly, a translation test (Arabic into English) has been administered to 40 advanced-level students of the Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Translation, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network. Dealing with a passage of fair length (170 words), the testees have committed stylistic errors in areas pertinent to literal vs. free translation, mistranslations, inadequate translation, inexact rendering, and L1 interference. It has been found that the students have generally focused on translating words as isolated entities. Their task, however, should have been directed, rather, towards dealing with complete discourse in its diverse dimensions.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

111


AUST Network - RIT Council

112

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

113


AUST Network - RIT Council

114

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE DEGREE OF PRACTICING SKILLS OF TEACHING TILAWAH BY ISLAMIC STUDIES INSTRUCTORS IN AJMAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NETWORK Majed Zaki Al-Jallad Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences Vol. 8, No. 2, June 2007, pp 13-36 This study aimed at investigating the degree of Practicing Skills of Teaching Tilawah by Islamic Studies instructors in Ajman University of Science and Technology Network from students point of view, in the light of variables of sex and (AGPA). The sample of the study consisted of (279) students who were enrolled in the program for preparing Islamic Education teachers at the university campus in Al-Fujairah. The research instrument (Questionnaire) was constructed by the researcher, it was consisted of (66) items divided into five domains, and its validity and reliability were verified. The main results of the present study showed that students responses revealed a moderate degree for the whole domains of the study, it was also showed that the first domain (the objectives of teaching Tilawah) acquired the highest degree of students responses, followed by the (teaching aids) domain, on the other hand, the rest of the domains acquired moderate degree. The analysis also revealed that there were no significant differences regarding the variables of sex and students (AGPA) on the study domains as a whole, while there were differences concerning the variable of students (AGPA) on third and fourth domains.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

115


AUST Network - RIT Council

DOMAINS AND EVALUATION TOOLS USED BY ISLAMIC EDUCATION TEACHERS ON THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

2

Majed Zaki Al-Jallad1 and Muayed Asad Denawi2 1 Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Islamic Education Teacher, Al-Ebtekar School, Gheyathy, UAE Journal of Sharjah University, Vol. 4, No. 3, Septmber 2007

This study aimed at identifying of the domains and evaluation tools used by Islamic Education teachers on the assessment of students in light of the variables of sex, academic qualification, and experience. The sample of the study consisted of (87) Islamic Education teachers selected randomly, in which (38) were males and (49) were females. Their perceptions were elicited by a questionnaire especially developed by the researchers which comprised (42) items distributed over eight domains. The main findings of the present study showed that teachers responses revealed a moderate degree of the use of evaluation tools on the study domains as a whole. It is also showed that activities domain acquired the highest degree of responses. Besides, results showed that concerning the use of evaluation tools in the psychomotor domain got the lowest degree. The analysis also demonstrated no significant differences regarding the variables of sex, academic qualification and experience on the degree of teachers’ use of the evaluation tools stated in the study instrument.

116

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEARNING CYCLE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL AND CONCEPT MAPS ON NINTH GRADE STUDENTS ACQUISITION OF JURISPRUDENTIAL CONCEPTS Majed Zaki Al-Jallad1 and Omar Abdul-Kader Al-Shamalti2 1 Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network 2 Faculty of Education, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Journal of Sharjah University, Vol. 4, No. 1, February 2007, pp199-231 This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of the leaning cycle model and concept maps on the acquisition of ninth grade students of the jurisprudential concepts. This study attempted to answer the following question: is there any significant differences between ninth grades students acquisition of jurisprudential concepts that are related to the teaching method? The study sample consisted of (74) students and distributed over (3) randomly selected classes. To achieve the aims of the study, the researchers designed an achievement test to investigate students acquisition of the jurisprudential concepts, and a pre-acquisition jurisprudential knowledge test. The content validity and reliability of both tests were examined. The researchers, also, designed teaching material of the jurisprudence unit for the ninth class in accordance with the learning cycle and conceptual maps. After conducting the study, the researchers administered the achievement test to examine the extent of acquisition of the jurisprudential concepts. Findings showed that there were statistically significant differences in acquisition of jurisprudential concepts related to the method of teaching in favor of experimental groups i.e. learning cycle and conceptual maps.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

117


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING BRAINSTORMING STRATEGY ON FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEVELOPING THEIR CREATIVE THINKING SKILLS IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Majed Zaki Al-Jallad Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Journal of Um Al Qura University for Educational, Social and Human Sciences, Vol. 19, No. 2, July 2007, pp 56-104 The present study was designed to explore the effectiveness of using brainstorming strategy on students' achievements and developing their creative thinking skills in Islamic Education The sample of the study consisted of (28) fifth grade male students, it was distributed into two groups: the experimental group used brainstorming strategy, while the control group used the normal way of teaching. Students' achievements and creative thinking skills were measured by using two tests developed by the researcher. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences on students' achievements, and on developing their creative thinking skills both in the total results of the test and in each single skill examined (fluency, flexibility and originality) in the favour of experimental group. The study recommendations stated the importance of using brainstorming in teaching Islamic Education, and the importance of developing teachers competencies on methods and techniques of teaching thinking in general and creative thinking in particular.

118

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

DEVELOPMENT OF AN ONGOING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Zuhrieh Shana Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Vol 4, No. 7, July 2007 (http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jul_07/article03.htm) Ajman University of Science and Technology like other accredited and reputable higher education institutions, needs to regularly assess the effectiveness of its academic programs. This commitment is documented in its institutional mission "to guarantee pertinence and quality of educational programs through the constant assessment of learning outcomes". It is a well established fact that a single assessment tool may not give an accurate and reliable result. Consequently, it is recommended to use a variety of assessment tools and programs to ensure fair and objective judgments of real achievement of the graduates. The "Nine Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning" (AAHE, 1992) supports the significance of broad representation of assessment tools in order to cross traditional boundaries and take an innovative approach in pursuing excellence in student learning's assessments. In this regard, an electronic assessment program, Objective-Based Course Assessment Program, is being designed to be used as a systematic and ongoing process of determining if the program is meeting its expectations. The paper discusses and describes justifications for this assessment program, conceptual framework, and an example of its usage at the Department of Educational Technology/Ajman University of Science and Technology (AUST). When assessment of each objective of all courses in the curriculum is completed, the degree to which program goals and objectives have been achieved is determined. Although it is designed and utilized for the Department of Educational Technology, AUST, this template-

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

119


AUST Network - RIT Council

like assessment program can be adapted and used in any academic program at any educational institution. Editor’s Note: Assessment is the basis of course development and continuous quality improvement. This comprehensive program improvement strategy developed for the Ajman University Science and Technology program revisits goals and assessment procedures on a regular basis to maintain academic programs that are relevant and high in quality.

120

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF ARAB WESTERN RELATIONS WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO EDUCATION AND THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN STANDARD ARABIC AND ITS USE AS MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES El Tayeb El Mansour El Hassan El Zaki Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The Journal of Dubai Islamic and Arabic Studies College (Majallat Kulliat Al dirasat Al Arabia wal Islamia-Dubai) Issue No. 34 –December 2007 The paper deals with the educational and cultural ties between the Arab World and the West. It surveys the nature of these ties: their historical origin, context, continuation, expansion, adaptation, and implications for education, language policy and language planning in the Arab World. Section A starts with a brief historical background about the early Arab – Western contacts. This is followed by dividing the region into 3 subregions: the Eastern, the Middle, and the Western. The region is then divided into two cultural zones: English and French and each Zone is further sub-divided into Primary and Secondary. Section B outlines the emergence of western-modeled education and its impact on traditional education during the 19th and 20th centuries in all regions and zones. Section C follows in very broad terms the development of Modern Standard Arabic within the context of Arabic Renaissance and educational reforms. Section D considers the use of MSA as a sole medium of comedium in Arab Education in all zones particularly in the postindependence era. Section E, the final section, gives a very brief appraisal of the paper pointing out to, and trying to justify, its limitations.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

121


AUST Network - RIT Council

LEARN MATHEMATICS WITH MATLAB AT THE UNIVERSITIES Osama Agami Rashwan Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Book, Publisher: Al-Falah Library, 2007 ISBN: 9957-17-072-4 Written for students, this book uses MATLAB to solve examples and provide an introduction to the fundamentals of mathematics. Topics covered include calculus, differential equations, Linear Algebra, Basic Statistics, and programming in MATLAB. MATLAB and Simulink are introduced and used to solve numerous examples in the book. The Curve Fitting Toolbox is also briefly introduced. It is promoted by the Mathworks at: http://www.mathworks.com/support/books/book14130.html?lan guage=21&language=21

122

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

EFFECTS OF SELF-ESTEEM AND GENDER ON HUMOR STYLES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AN EMPIRICAL STUDY Ahmed Hussein Al- Shafey Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Conference of Psychology, Cairo, 18-22 November 2007 This study aimed at finding out the effect of both self-esteem and gender on humor styles. The Humor Styles Questionnaire and Self-Esteem Test for Adolescence and Adults were administered to a sample of 540 (270 males, 270 females), half of them had high self-esteem, and another half had low selfesteem. The results showed: 1- The self-esteem had main effect on all humor styles. 2- The gender had only effect on Affiliative Humor, and Aggressive Humor. 3- There was no statistically significant interaction between self-esteem and gender on humor styles as a whole. The results were discussed in the light of literature available.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

123


AUST Network - RIT Council

READING IN THE INTRODUCTION OF IBN KHALDOUN ABOUT URBAN SCIENCE Mohammed Abdel Hai Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The Journal of Arabic History (Majallat Attarikh Al Arabi) Issue No. 39 -Casa Blanca March 2007 This article reflects clearly the view of Ibn Khaldoun in his famous Introduction about the mechanisms controlling human sociology across its various developmental stages. The view is based on two issues: The first: revealing the path of the development of human community and the factors affecting and shaping it namely intrinsic needs operating within the place and the environment. These factors are controlled in the first stage of Bedouin Urbanization by the natural factor and in the second stage of Urban Development by the cultural factor. The second: specifying the function of history which according to him is the critical evaluation of the social behavior of man which is controlled by the human mind and analogy using the philosophical values and criteria predominant at the time of Ibn Khaldoun. Beside and within these two issues Ibn Khaldoun discussed many theories in addition to human gathering like the oval shape of earth and the relation between animals, plants and non-loving things and the effect of the environment on human life style and many other issues which have been rediscovered in modern times and which formed the foundation of modern thinking (particularly Historical Materialism and Evolution). Seven centuries have passed since this book has been written and it is still novel and unique particularly in the Arab Culture and the Human Culture in general. Although this seminal work has been compiled in a different era of the Islamic and Arab history it is still valid for understanding the world of today given the differing contemporary circumstances.

124

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

For all these reasons the Introduction is the most famous Arab work of its kind. It has been translated into many languages and more than 300 studies in different languages have been written about it. Besides many Academic Chairs have been established worldwide for more than a century in the most famous institutes.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

125


AUST Network - RIT Council

COMMUTATIVITY CRITERIA IN BANACH ALGEBRAS Ould Hamoud Cheikh Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The 5th UAE Math-Day Conference, 28th & 29th April 2007 Etisalat University College, Sharjah, UAE We consider complex Banach algebras satisfying the condition (xy)k = xkyk for all x ; y in the algebra where k is an integer (k≼2). We show that for k = 2 and k = 3, this condition yields commutativity in unital Banach algebras. For higher values of k, commutativity is obtained for semi-simple algebras. The extension of the results to wider classes of topological algebras is also considered.

126

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE WORD (AMEEN) AND ITS USES IN SUPPLICATION AND ARABIC LANGUAGE Mazen Ahmed Jaradat Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal, Vol 12, No. 1. 2007 This paper is dealing with the word (Ameen), one of the historical and linguistic issues which occupied the mind of linguists and Qur’anic exegetes, and widely found in their books. We find in some books a profound discussion of the word but brief discussion would be found in the Qur’anic interpretation books. Ibn Al-Khashshab in sixth century of Hijra (d. 567 h.) has collected what had been written about the word and shed light on the importance of it, with particular emphasis on the worshipper’s use of it in the end of the verse the opening (Fatiha). The treatise that Ibn Al Kashshab has written is entitled (A Flash of speech concerning the word “Ameen” which is used in the supplication and its grammatical rule in the Arabic Language). This important manuscript is a rare one and it has derived its content from many sources.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

127


AUST Network - RIT Council

WISDOM AND ITS PROGRESS IN THE POETRY OF ABITAMAM (A PRESENTATION AND AN ANALYSIS) Hashim Salih Manna Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Altrath Al-Arabi Magazine, Damscus, Vol.101 (2006) Year 26 This is a study that introduces “Wisdom;” its conditions and its features, and records its presence in the poetry of Abitamam; it was divided into two parts: The first part is represented in the study of “Wisdom,” which varies between mimicking, building on and employing the inherited “Pieces of Wisdom and Proverbs.” The second, observes the progress of “Wisdom” –in the poetry of Abitamam – through his dependence on philosophy, logic, justification and interpretation in a style which is based on giving the evidence, providing the proof and proving the claim that he used to gain through his observations and awareness in his depict of the status quo, and his contemplation of life itself and his portrayal of the human temperaments and behaviors.

128

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE BLINDNESS OF BASHSHAR AND ITS EFFECT, IN HIS PSYCHOLOGY AND HIS LITERARY WORK Hashim Salih Manna Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal, Vol. 11, No.1 (2006) Bashshar was born blind; he never had a look at this life; he never saw what exists in it, nor he saw its colours, and that what made him be isolated from everything that stands on “the bases” of vision, which feeds him with the means of observation that prints the images of things and reflects them, and reacts with them, and lives with them side by side and supplies its possessor with such outcomes. Despite of all this, his very handicap did not stand in the way of excelling in his poetry writings, and his ability to produce better than those who enjoyed “sound eyes” could produce of artistic imagery, for he composed it with a unique formula in his private inner world, which in turn is supplied, successfully, from his outward world. His handicap made him a very sensitive person a possessor of high and delicate poetic “deep” sense, as if he possessed “a sixth” faculty of feeling, or as if he developed the faculty of hearing, to a very great extent, which in turn compensated him for his lost faculty of seeing which he considered as a virtue and not as a shortcoming; it helped him to have a wider scoop “of life”; and granted him with a deeper reflection, and comprehension of things, that, in addition, made him “see life” and whatever “exists” in it, can be comprehended by “the heart”, and the ear and not by the eye “merely”, since senses replace each other and function in the places of each other. In fact, some “people” believed that seeing weakens the smartness of the heart, and keeps the beholder occupied with what he envisages or beholds of things, and this causes the malfunctioning of his reflection and creative innovation, and dispels his feelings and emotions. Verily, Bashshar has had overcame all sorts of obstacles, and surpassed all kinds of

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

129


AUST Network - RIT Council

pitfalls, and lead his life not just like those who can see, but even better.

130

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF MATHEMATICS Yusuf Mahmud Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Conference On Mathematics, Al Ithad School, Dubai, UAE, (2007) We survey literature concerning different views related to the philosophy of mathematics and summarize these into three distinct views: realistic, Platonic and logistic philosophies. In addition, we survey, extensively, the contributions of different nations and cultures in different eras in the field of mathematics concentrating on Arab-Muslim contributions. Finally, we discuss the relevance of mathematics in three areas, i.e.: enhancing the practice of systematic thinking, structuring basic sciences and practical uses that cover all facets of human life.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

131


AUST Network - RIT Council

TERMINOLOGY AND HUMAN DISCOURSE Yusuf Mahmud Faculty of Education and Basic Sciences Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal, Vol. 12, No.3 (2007) In this piece of work, we attract attention to the important issue of the necessity of accurately identifying the meanings of different terms to guarantee the beneficial human discourse at all levels. Examples considered include the terms: religion, belief, freedom, technology transfer, spirit and spiritual acts, mind and soul and Hadith terminology in Islam. Examples of the lack of decent discourse and miscommunication among people belonging to different cultures and those belonging to the same culture due to the ill defined terms are stressed upon.

132

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Faculty of Business Administration

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

133


AUST Network - RIT Council

134

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING REGULATION FOR PROTECTION AND REMEDIATION -AN UAE PERSPECTIVE Srinivas Inguva Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business Administration, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network International Economic Conference On Trade And Industry (Trade and Industrial Development: Contemporary Challenges and Policies), Penang, Malaysia, 3-5 December, 2007 The purpose of any accounting system is to provide managers across the organization with information that facilitates not only Control of activities and refinement of operational plans but also the accountability. With changing accounting policies both the corporate and financial worlds’ effective and consistent deployment of accounting logic by keeping environmental protection is highly essential for rapidly polluting current environment. In years past, environmental issues were often ignored by both corporations and individuals. Environmental accounting is used to determine measures to promote sustainable environmental management. Implementing measures that strike a balance between cost reduction and environmental impact reduction is crucial to promoting sustainable environmental management. The release of new International Accounting Standards (IAS), the World Bank, United Nations, and International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) environmental guidance documents has added pressure to the IASC to come out with an environmental standard. UNCTAD has been at the forefront of work on environmental accounting. The Group recommended that it concentrate its future efforts on examining available guidance on the main issues in environmental financial accounting and on identifying key environmental performance indicators and their relation to financial performance. Ultimately, this has given a focus to form a framework for environmental accounting which may be used by national standard-setters. Such a framework will comprise a set of recommended "best-practices" which will be drawn from Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

135


AUST Network - RIT Council

the work of national professional accounting bodies, industry groups and accounting standard setters. The present study is aimed to focus the environmental accounting issues and the legal framework for environmental protection and remediation in the UAE. The required information for the study has been collected from secondary sources those include the official publications of the government and non government agencies. The study is limited to the law and regulation related to the environmental accounting issues in the UAE and; the summary of the study would reveal the effective environmental protection and remediation frame work for current environmental accounting practices in UAE.

136

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

PREDICTING TRUST WITHIN ORGANIZATION: THE ROLE OF PERCEIVED JUSTICE IN MEDIATING THE IMPACT OF LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE ON TRUST IN ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISOR Mohamed Gamal Abo Elmagd Faculty of Business Administration, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network The Economic and Business Review, No. 2, pp. 1-79 (2007) This study examines the relationship between elements of leader-member exchange relationship (LMX) and trust in organization and supervisor, with particular intention to investigate the mediating effect of procedural and interactional justice on this relationship. A hypothesized path model based on theoretical literature was generated to represent causal relationships among the variables. Two paths were explored: (a) the relationship among LMX, procedural justice, and trust in organization, (b) the relationship among LMX, interactional justice, and trust in supervisor. Regarding path 1, findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between LMX and procedural justice, and LMX and trust in organization. Surprisingly, the relationship between procedural justice and trust in organization, and the mediating effect of procedural justice on the relationship between LMX and trust in organization were non significant. With reference to path 2, findings indicated a statistically significant relationship between LMX and interactional justice, LMX and trust in supervisor, and interactional justice and trust in supervisor. The mediating effect of interactional justice on the relationship between LMX and trust in supervisor was also significant. Important practical implications and recommendations for managers and future research were presented.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

137


AUST Network - RIT Council

CHANGING PATTERN OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) IN ASIAN REGION: ISSUES, MOTIVES AND STRATEGIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Rajesh Mohnot Faculty of Business Administration, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Volume 3, No.2, 2007; Page 158-169 Asian region has always been considered as a prudent centre for investment particularly by United Kingdom, Japan and the United States of America. During last couple of years, FDI has become an imminent factor for the Asian countries, may be in the face of globalisation and financial crisis of 1997. This paper reviews the changing pattern of FDI in Asian region in context to the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997. It also assesses the role of FDI in the growth of the economies of Asian region. The study attempts to test the variance level of FDI among the sample countries especially after the financial crisis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Post Hoc Tests are applied to see further where exactly variance lies.

138

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

ARE UAE ISLAMIC BANKS ADEQUATELY CAPITALIZED? Ibrahim Elsiddig Ahmed and Sayed Abbas Ahmed Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business Administration, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Directions II Conference, Kuwait University, Kuwait, January 2007 Capital is one of the key factors to be considered when the safety and soundness of a particular bank is assessed. An adequate capital base serves as a safety net for a variety of risks in the course of business. The study is mainly concerned with whether Basle II accord can be applied by Islamic banks or there is a need for some adjustments to replicate it. One of the main research findings is that there is no contradiction between the measures of Basle and AAOIFI and instead there is a uniformity.. This research is also taking into account the role of capital in Islamic banks, adequacy of banking capital, how adequate capital is defined, and mainly how adequate capital can be measured in conventional and Islamic banks in UAE. The study used four ratios (Tier2 to Tier1, Capital to Total Deposits, Capital to Total Assets, and Capital to Weighted Average Risky Assets) to measure the adequacy of capital and it is found to be adequate under the four used ratios. The four Islamic banks had been selected to attain the objectives of this study. An average of three financial periods had been selected (2003 through 2005) to analyze also four ratios of capital adequacy. During this period the economic situation is highly stable and progressing and all banks were able to apply Basel requirements. The paper is divided into three main parts: The first part is about introduction and literature review, the second part highlights the research problem and methodology; and in the third part we analyzed the collected data and presented the findings of the study.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

139


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE DYNAMICS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY TRACKS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Sahel Al-Rousan Faculty of Business Administration, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network Journal of International Selling & Sales Management, Vol.32, No. 32, (2007), UK This paper examines and analyses the various international trade policy tracks designed by a fast-growing open country such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Available evidence suggests that the various policy tracks being pursued by the UAE to promote its international trade interests far and wide have important lessons for a cross-section of developing countries The idea to promote ‘open regionalism’ in the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is also subjected to a careful scrutiny in this paper with a view to examining its implications for other regional groupings in the world.

140

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

Institute of Environment, Water and Energy

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

141


AUST Network - RIT Council

142

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE ALEXANDRIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

2

Maghawri Sh. Diab1, Zeinelabidin S. Rizk2 and Magdy A. Assar3 1 Faculty of Science, Menoufiay University, Egypt Institute of Environment, Water and Energy, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network, United Arab Emirates 3 RODECO consulting GMBH, Germany

Journal of Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Volume 33, Number 64, July 2007 The Alexandria city is located on the southern edge of the Mediterranean Sea and has a pleasant weather, attracting over a million vacationers each summer. During summer seasons, the population of the city increases from 3.7 millions to 4.7 millions, and is predicted double by the year 2022. The Nile water delivered to the area does not meet the escalating demand especially during the summer months when peak drinking water and irrigation demands coincide. The objectives of this study are to assess water resources in the Alexandria Governorate and evaluate water management strategies. To achieve these objectives the authors have collected data on the prevailing climate, surface water resources, major aquifer, water production, quality and losses, in addition to projections of population, water demands and per capita water use. The average daily water production in Alexandria during 2007 is 2.9 million cubic meters (m3) subdivided into 62% residential, 30% industrial and commercial and 8% governmental. The per capita water consumption has jumped from 227 liters per capita per day (LCD) in 1999 to 640 LCD in 2007. The unaccounted for water, ranging from 37% in 2003-2004 to 48% in 1992-1993, is above the normally acceptable range of water losses (5% to 20%). It was estimated that 70% of unaccounted for water is related to unmetered commercial losses. The Block Mapping Program (BMP) implemented in 1992 revealed that 32% of water losses in the houses at eastern Alexandria were not Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

143


AUST Network - RIT Council

actually used, but counted by master meters in buildings. To BMP has also increased revenue and reduced unaccounted for water, but unfortunately, it was only applied to 5% of the total service area, which includes Alexandria and parts of Al Buhayrah and Matruh Governorates. Projections of populations and water demands for the period 2007-2022 shows that 5% reduction in water losses saves half a million Egyptian pounds and 217000 m3 of water per day or serves an extra million people. Reduction of water losses by 10% saves a million Egyptian pounds and 434000 m3 of water per day or serves an extra 2 million people. Finally, 20% reduction in water losses saves 2 million Egyptian pounds and 867000 m3 of water per day or serves an extra 4 million people.

144

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

SOURCES OF DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND WATER IN WADI AL BIH AQUIFER, RAS AL KHAIMAH EMIRATE, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

1

Zeinelabidin S. Rizk1, Abdulrahman S. Alsharhan2 and Warren W. Wood3 Institute of Environment, Water and Energy, Ajman University of Science and Technology Network, UAE 2 Faculty of Science, UAE University, UAE 3 Department of Geological Sciences, Michigan State University, USA Hydrogeology Journal, Vol 15, No. 7, 5 May 2007, Š Springer-Verlag 2007

Regional brines that underlie the potable groundwater appear to be responsible for the increase in dissolved solids in the Wadi Al Bih aquifer in the Ras Al Khaimah Emirate, United Arab Emirates. In this karstic carbonate aquifer, groundwater extraction exceeds recharge and the reduced heads can induce transport of underlying brines into the potable water aquifer. Increasing dissolved solids with time threatens the continued use of groundwater for agricultural and domestic uses. The potential of intrusion of seawater, dissolution of minerals, or intrusion of regional brines as a source of these solutes were evaluated based on groundwater samples collected in April and September 1996 from the Wadi Al Bih well field and isotope data from previously collected samples. Hydrogeologic conditions and solute modeling suggest the dominant source of solutes in the Wadi Al Bih aquifer is most likely an underlying regional brine. The pervasive presence of tritium is consistent with recent (since 1960s) recharge in the drainage basin, thus, the solutes and water appear to be from different sources. The chemical and isotopic data are also consistent with enhanced groundwater recharge associated with dams constructed to reduce flooding.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

145


AUST Network - RIT Council

CULTURAL CONSOLIDATION‌ THE BEST WAY TO ABSORB SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Riadh H. Al-Dabbagh Institute of Environment, Water and Energy Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal: Vol.11, Issue 3, (2006) A careful investigation of the human culture at large would definitely prove that it has been historically cumulative in its knowledge, material and other aspects. The early features of civilization sought to utilize the material and non-material potentialities to organize people's social lives, especially the social order. Culture itself, which represents the essence of originality, was transferred from one generation to another though it has been refined by cutting back some of its elements and ingredients to ascertain its continuity and compatibility with the requirements of changing life. Yet, culture could retain its essence, values, distinctive and harmonious structure. Humanity, on its part, continued to be backed up by the components of various human cultures. The advent of industry heralded a turning point in human history as it led to a much quicker development of the value system and the props of human culture. As a result, various ideologies appeared; they were based, for a long time, on human productivity and the novel consequences of the industrial revolution. This resulted in social mobility, social change, knowledge dissemination and experience accumulation. With all these in mind, humanity began to witness a tremendous disparity among various cultures. As such, new unprecedented procedures began to appear especially those pertinent to development and the balance between life requirements and culture components.

146

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007


AUST Network - RIT Council

THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONS Riadh H. Al-Dabbagh Institute of Environment, Water and Energy Ajman University of Science and Technology Network AUST Network Journal: Vol.12, Issue 2, (2007) Science and technology represent two basic powers that back up the movement of history and bring about changes at the personal, social, national and international levels. From time immemorial, they have considerably contributed to the development of human cultures. Irrespective of the ruling regimes, science and technology used always to form an essential element for economic prosperity, thus led to experience accumulation required to broaden the productive and cultural bases and consequently improved the living standards. This is especially true of the Arab-Islamic culture which was able, at its earlier stages, to take in science and technology in the regions conquered, the neighboring areas, and even the distant places as well. The Arab-Muslims tended to develop sciences, added to them and applied them on a large scale. During times of stagnation and weakness, the Arabic Islamic culture gradually began to lose its power for scientific development; conversely, Italian republics, and then the Western states, worked very hard to translate knowledge, sciences and technology from Arab-Islamic and other cultures with the aim of achieving comprehensive renaissance.

Annual Research Compendium: 2006/2007

147


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.