<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Physical inactivity has been linked to various noncommunicable diseases and their related health problems. As primary health care physicians (PHCPs) play a crucial role in promoting health and preventing disease, this study aims to determine the extent of physical inactivity among PHCPs and its impact on their counseling practices. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A cross-sectional study was conducted across all primary health care centers in Qatar, targeting 511 physicians. A modified self-administered WHO stepwise tool was used to measure physical activity (PA) with another questionnaire to assess the counseling practices among PHCPs. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Out of 511 physicians, 306 (59.9%) responded to the survey. The majority of the participants were male (58.1%) with an average age of 45.8 ± 7.9 years. The majority of PHCPs were from the UK (44.3%), while only 4.1% were Qatari. Family physician consultants made up 51% of the respondents, while 30.2% were general practitioners, and the average years of experience were 14 ± 8.3 years. Only 39.5% of the respondents met the WHO PA recommendations. 50.5% of the physicians were overweight, and 23.1% were obese. The median percentage of patients counseled about PA was only 60 [IQR: 40–80]%, and there was no link found between a physician’s PA level and the percentage of patients they counseled on the subject. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Physicians reported a high prevalence of physical inactivity. Furthermore, the practice of counseling the public on PA was low. Interventions are needed inside and outside the workplace to improve the PA among PHCPs and their counseling practices.

The use of alternative water sources such as tertiary treated wastewater is considered very important for growing crops due to irrigation water scarcity, particularly in arid regions like the UAE. Treated wastewater contains nutrients that are essential for the cultivation of nutritively important crops. In the present study, we evaluated and compared the effect of differently treated wastewater samples using an auto-pot watering hydroponic system. The growth solution was prepared using well water (H), and treated wastewaters collected from different geological areas Abu Dhabi (H1) and Al Ain (H2). The study was carried out with two wheat varieties (ESWYT and SAWYT)) obtained from the CIMMYT Genetic Resource Centre. Temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) of the growth solutions were monitored. Twelve weeks after planting, the wheat plants were harvested and root, shoot and spike biomasses were measured. The H2 treatment had a positive impact on wheat growth and different morphological characters, especially for SAWYT variety. Moreover, for both the varieties, highest grain yield, total chlorophyll and carotenoids were observed with H2 treatment. Between the treatments H1 and H2, there was only a slight variation in protein content and fiber content for both the wheat varieties. The growth of wheat plants was inhibited by H1 treatment due to the high electrical conductivity of the wastewater. The final kernel was analyzed and the levels of Ca, K and P were higher in plants grown in H2. The study revealed appreciable results suggesting that the hydroponic effluents are a strong fertilizer source. In addition, the use of treated wastewater in the irrigation of wheat crops in hydroponic systems has been considered as a useful alternative wastewater disposal method without the possibility of accumulation of heavy metals in the soil.

The process of cement manufacturing produces a huge amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). The utilization of alternative waste materials from various industrial processes as a partial substitution to cement is encouraged due to environmental and specific technical requirements. This strategy will have the potential to reduce cost of cement, conserve energy, and reduce waste volumes. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate effect of the replacement of cement with modified fly ash (MFA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) to reach 80% total replacement on mechanical and durability performance of cement mortar. Normal consistency, the initial and final setting times, compressive strength and electrical resistivity of all the ternary mixtures were determined and compared with the control binder. Compressive strength and electrical resistivity were tested at various curing ages of 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. Test results revealed that the normal consistency of the ternary mixtures increased with increasing the GGBS and MFA content, while the initial and final setting time decreased compared to that of control mixture. The results also showed that the compressive strength of all the ternary blends mortars were lower at early and later ages in comparison with control mortar. The reductions in the compressive strengths of the ternary mixtures T40, T60 and T80 compared to the control mixture were approximately 16%, 29% and 37%, respectively at 28 days. The surface electrical resistivity of ternary blends mixtures was higher than the control mixture at all curing ages. The use of GGBS and MFA in the production of cement mortar and concrete can significantly help in reducing the CO2 emissions of the cement industry and reduce the overall cost of cement.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a major plant grown under natural conditions in the Middle East and is subject to multiple environmental stresses. Increased concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation in the growth environment can have a high impact on plant carbon accumulation, and the various factors can function in opposite directions or cause additive effects. The objective of the present investigation was to screen UAE date palm for susceptibility to elevated level of CO2, UVB and their combined effect on a date palm variety was assessed in transparent open - top chambers (OTC) conditions in the hot climate of UAE. After the screening of the cultivars, experiment was conducted in an OTC facility and the treatments were given for 120 days. After the treatment of the selected cultivar, content of chlorophyll a, b and total, carotenoids, protein, amino acids, phenol and activities including γ-glutamyl kinase, proline oxidase, a-tocopherol and peroxidases activity were determined. The results revealed that the high concentration of CO2 alone increased the growth parameters, whereas the treatment with UV-B significantly affected the growth of the plant relative to regulation. Enzyme observations have shown that an increase in antioxidant enzymes can affect a defense response to the abiotic stress-induced cellular damage. Further extension of this study with other cultivated varieties, other stress parameters and determination of yield parameters will give scope to identify new stress tolerant cultivars of date palm trees.