Search Results (33)

Background/Objectives: Adenomyosis is increasingly being identified in women of childbearing age as a cause of infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. As hysterectomies are not suitable for fertile women, conservative surgical management has become a promising solution. We aimed to synthesize current evidence on conservative uterus-sparing surgical techniques for adenomyosis, focusing on implications for infertility treatment and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Europe PMC from 2022 to July 2025 was conducted using combinations of the words “adenomyosis,” “fertility,” “infertility,” “pregnancy outcomes,” “adenomyomectomy,” and “uterine-sparing surgery.” Sixteen high-relevance studies were chosen that included reproductive-aged women who had conservative surgery for adenomyosis. Results: Excisional techniques such as adenomyomectomy yield pregnancy rates of >50% and live birth rates of up to 70% in focal disease, with less success in diffuse disease. Non-excisional approaches—high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and uterine artery embolization (UAE)—yield equivalent pregnancy (40–53%) and live birth (35–74%) rates in selected patients, with fewer surgical complications. Adjunctive hormonal therapy, particularly GnRH agonists, appears to improve outcomes. Risks include placenta accreta spectrum disorders and uterine rupture (≤6%), especially in diffuse adenomyosis. The type of lesion, location, and junctional zone thickness are strong predictors of fertility outcomes. Conclusions: Conservative surgery can augment fertility in appropriately chosen women with adenomyosis, with removal being the preferred treatment for focal disease and non-removal techniques offering encouraging alternatives in mild or intracorporeal disease. The addition of adjunct hormonal therapy and standardized patient selection criteria will optimize results. The lack of European professional society guidelines underscores the need for harmonized protocols in order to standardize the diagnosis, surgery, and reporting of results. Full article

Climate literacy is pivotal for preparing future leaders to address global climate challenges and build a sustainable future. Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a central role in embedding sustainability principles, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 (Climate Action), into curricula to cultivate responsible leadership. This study examines the integration of SDG 13 within the business curriculum at Delta University (UAE), assessing undergraduate students’ perceptions of climate education and how teaching methods shape sustainability leadership. Using a mixed-methods approach—a closed-ended survey and Q-methodology—the research analyzes students’ awareness, engagement, and subjective perspectives on pedagogical strategies. The results reveal a disconnect between theoretical knowledge and students’ ability to apply these principles in real-world business contexts. While students acknowledged climate action’s importance and supported active learning pedagogies (e.g., case studies, simulations), skepticism persisted about SDG 13’s applicability to business operations. The findings highlight the need for curricular reforms, aligning curricula with national sustainability strategies (e.g., UAE Net Zero 2050) to bridge theory and practice. This research advocates for HEIs to prioritize climate competencies, ensuring that graduates can address environmental challenges through actionable frameworks. By transcending symbolic commitments, HEIs can empower students to lead regionally and globally, advancing sustainability education’s role in achieving equitable, low-carbon societies. Full article

Considering the current role of technology, this research aims to investigate the impact of the metaverse on social development and psychological well-being in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The focus remains on Generation Z, as an important portion of the country’s metaverse users. Supported by the technology determinism theory, this research used a structured questionnaire to gather data from 363 respondents. The analysis indicates that metaverse technology significantly impacts social development and psychological well-being. The effect of metaverse technology on social development remained positive, with the p-value at p > 0.000. In addition, metaverse technology also has a significant positive effect on psychological well-being (p > 0.000), with the findings showing strong statistical support for this relationship. These results confirm that metaverse technology plays a significant role in improving both social and psychological facets. Thus, it is concluded that the metaverse creates immersive virtual environments that help unique forms of social interaction and connectivity, confounding geographical barriers. This can improve social skills and communication and promote a strong sense of community. The metaverse offers a directed and engaging space to practice social interactions and gain confidence, indicating its positive, constructive role in society. Full article

Islam influences Muslim societies through rules, regulations, and legislation. This paper highlights Islamic principles and legislation that protect the rights and dignity of older adults and compares them to policies and laws that have been applied and implemented in the United Arab Emirates. A comparative method was utilised to conduct this study, relying on sources that present the rights of older adults in Islamic Sharia, as well as official sources from the United Arab Emirates, where information on laws and regulations related to older adults is published. Full article

The plight of migrants and the need to foster their integration into diverse societies are of concern to global communities, governments, and charitable organizations. This study explored the roles of philanthropic organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in demonstrating solidarity towards migrants, exploring the multifaceted dimensions of compassion and support rooted in diverse religious principles. The study adopted a qualitative approach guided by the interpretivist paradigm when collecting and analyzing data. From its findings, the study highlights the integral role they play in addressing the complex needs of migrant communities. For instance, they provide food and financial support in clearing hospitals, tuition, and rent bills. In addition, the findings show that the organizations identify migrants in need through their open-door policy, encouraging those in need of support to contact them directly, with collaboration also being essential for the effectiveness of their services. By affirming the positive contributions of religious charities, this study underscores their role in promoting the well-being and social cohesion of migrants, ultimately exemplifying a shared commitment to humanitarian values and reinstating faith in the collective capacity for compassion and solidarity. Full article

In arid climates, a significant portion of the urban peak energy demand is dedicated to cooling and air-conditioning during the summer. The rapid urbanization rates in developing countries, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have intensified the pressure on energy resources to meet the indoor comfort needs of residents. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in energy demand, with a 2.3% rise recorded in 2018. Electricity consumption in residential buildings accounted for over 48.6% of the total electricity consumption. The choice of building fabrics used in a residential building can significantly impact the building’s passive performance and carbon footprint. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of how specific fabric details influence cooling energy usage in arid climates. To achieve this, a validation simulation model was initially created as a base case for a residential housing typology in Al Ain, UAE. This was followed by a parametric energy evaluation of various building envelope features. The evaluation was based on the reduction of yearly cooling load energy. The simulation results indicate that incorporating 50 mm of expanded polystyrene insulation into the outside walls significantly reduced energy consumption for cooling requirements in the arid UAE climate. Furthermore, no substantial difference was observed in the various roofing choices, including cool and green roofs, gravels, and sand roofs. Additionally, we concluded that the total solar energy transmittance (g-value) of windows played a more significant role than thermal transmittance (U-value) in reducing solar heat gain within the spaces. These findings should guide strategic decisions on building envelope upgrading for sustainable societies. Full article

It has become standard practice for governments and transportation engineers around the world to infuse sustainability principles into their plans as higher-level goals and priorities, with indicators to reflect the same. The transformation towards sustainable mobility should involve the three interconnected pillars of sustainable development: environment, social equity, and economy. These pillars, known in the business field as the ‘triple-bottom-line’, require specific indicators that can be used to measure the attainment of each pillar. There is evidence that the social equity impacts of construction projects, such as transport projects, and their distributional effects across various segments of society have traditionally been viewed as secondary or subsidiary concerns relative to their economic and environmental impacts. Recognizing the relative relegation in both academic and policy circles of social impacts and the ‘weak’ tools to identify such impacts, this research aims to employ a hybrid decision method based on the analytic network process and Delphi method to identify the major adverse impacts of highway automobiles on health and social equity in the UAE. In doing so, governments will be better positioned to mitigate adverse impacts through engineering, urban planning, technological, and other appropriate initiatives. Throughout the Delphi process, 15 health and social equity indicators have been validated by experts in the field of sustainability and transportation through an iterative process. Then, experts in the same field were chosen to develop and validate the ANP model based on the validated indicators through pairwise comparison questionnaires. The results and findings revealed that the experts’ judgment preferences are consistent (inconsistency value less than 0.1), wherein the highest priority is the ‘Safety’ indicator, and the lowest priority is the ‘Public participation in transport decision’ indicator. Full article

In the face of globalization and diversity in the United Arab Emirates, the post-oil generation of Emiratis face unique challenges in navigating their cultural and national identities. Previously published research and scholarly works have engaged in complex discourse around Emirati identities, describing them as a population with similar genealogical backgrounds, ancestry, history, and cultural values. However, the element of heterogeneity among Emiratis remains highly under-examined. This research paper will examine the experiences of Emiratis with dual identities in the UAE, investigating their perceptions, attitudes, and narratives on being labeled as the “other” by their compatriots; exploring the spaces where hybrid Emiratis, locally known as “halfies”, choose to reveal and conceal their multiplicity. In order to examine this complex socio-cultural phenomenon, semi-structured interviews with twenty Emiratis with twin identities were employed for this empirical study. The examination of the interviews uncovered the difficulties that individuals with mixed heritage encounter, as well as their strategies for overcoming these obstacles in order to find acceptance in a society that values a shared national identity. The research findings contribute to the scholarship of Emirati identity construction. Full article

This study aims to explore the potential role of higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates in driving the world’s progress toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The objectives of the study also include examining the challenges faced by the universities while integrating the SDG into their systems. This study adopted a mixed-method study design by conducting interviews with deans (15) and a survey with faculty members (350) of the universities in the UAE. The most pressing challenges reported were difficulties in the identification of priorities for the most impactful SDGs for universities, reduction of the environmental footprints of universities, the lack of sufficient collaboration and communication among universities, tracking the progress of SDGs in the absence of reporting protocols, impediments to participation from cultural and societal factors, bureaucratic hurdles, and political and economic influence over prioritization of SDGs in universities’ strategic planning. However, governmental change in economic and energy policy was highlighted as a favorable measure to accelerate the adoption of SDGs by the universities. Additionally, the results show that the scope of research and collaborative projects at the universities are limited and do not bring about any substantial change in society. Full article

While past studies have considered the relationship between art and architecture, art and society, or society and architecture, few consider all three, let alone when discussing these subjects in the United Arab Emirates. This article presents the evolution of the art scene in that country’s three largest emirates, from its foundation as a federation through today, as a reflection of local societal truths. Since its early days, each concerned emirate—Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, has developed an art scene unique from the others, and each one has been housed in different kinds of mostly vernacular—though sometimes academic—architecture. Through data collection of the various types of architecture employed in each emirate, this article explores possible reasons why each state has its own art scene, and what can explain this phenomenon. Abu Dhabi, the wealthy capital, has “starchitect” designed institutions; the more avant-garde Dubai employs recycled industrial hangars (or structures made to look as such); while the more traditional Sharjah repurposes historical structures for artistic use. Over time, each emirate begins to borrow different architectural tendencies hitherto mostly seen in the other states, demonstrative of the constant competition the three emirates have with each other. Beyond the local implications, these structures provide a rich discussion on what is considered vernacular in a modern context, as well as where the definition of one stops and the other begins. Full article

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, which has resulted in an increase in the detection of noncommunicable diseases such as cancer. Despite its screening and early detection efforts falling short of the target coverage of the intended population, the number of reported cases and deaths in UAE has increased over the years. A few studies have been conducted to understand the hurdles to cancer screening in UAE, mostly focusing on breast and colorectal malignancies. There are no studies or surveys that have addressed the barriers and hurdles to overall cancer screening in UAE’s population. Through this is the largest survey to date, we aimed at assessing UAE society’s perception of cancer and early screening and detection. The survey was constructed using the SurveyPlanet platform. The survey was then distributed on social media for direct and snowball sampling, including Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook), and Twitter. Interestingly, 71.3% of the respondents reported that they were fine mentioning or discussing cancer, while 28.2% reported that they were not comfortable with it. Moreover, 91.8% of the respondents knew the meaning of the early detection or screening of cancer, while 8.2% did not. The ability of respondents to correctly identify different types of cancer screening varied. This study suggests that regulatory authorities need to raise more awareness about cancer, especially among younger generations, and create screening recommendations and guidelines that should include younger people. Lastly, hospitals, cancer charity organizations, educational institutes, and the media should address target audiences to raise cancer awareness among them. Full article

Cyberattack prevention factors have a significant impact on the perception of social and moral values in the business context. Despite leaders’ significant role in encouraging and enculturating cybersecurity practices in their organizations, there is a noticeable gap in the literature to highlight empirically how leaders and top management in organizations foster organizational cybersecurity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the role of cybersecurity leadership in financial organizations in preventing cyberattacks and investigate other human and non-technical factors related to the individual in financial organizations. Based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), the research framework was developed with the tallying of new variables focusing on the role of an organization’s cybersecurity leadership, training frequency, and the role of government frequent alerting. This research employed a quantitative research method. The data were collected through a questionnaire from 310 financial executive officers from selected banks in UAE that use digital technology to enhance their daily banking operations. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), the results indicated (1) a significant association between all investigated independent variables and cybersecurity leadership through hypothesis (H8–H14); (2) cybersecurity leadership mediates the relationship between investigated independent variables and cyberattack prevention, from hypothesis (H15, and H16–H22); (3) no significant association between investigated independent variables and cyberattack prevention from hypothesis (H1–H6), except hypothesis (H4 and H7), which show a significant association. The coefficient of cybersecurity leadership in this study is viewed as a prevention element against cyberattacks based on the findings. With greater cybersecurity leadership success, the implementation of cyberattack prevention increases. This study emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity leadership in a cyberspace environment that protects against cyberattacks and promotes cybersecurity awareness within financial organizations and society in UAE. Full article

Background: Although vitamin D levels and underlying vitamin D receptor (VDR) genetic polymorphisms have been linked to many common diseases including obesity, the association remains unclear. There is also co-existence of pathologically high proportions of obesity and vitamin D deficiency conditions in our UAE society. We therefore aimed to determine the genotypes and allele percentage frequency distribution of four polymorphisms—FokI, BsmI, ApaI and TaqI—in the VDR gene in healthy Emirati individuals and their association with vitamin D levels and chronic conditions including diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity. Methods: 277 participants who were part of a randomized controlled trial had their assessment that included clinical and anthropometric data. Whole blood samples were taken for measurements of vitamin D [25(OH) D], four vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism SNPs, including BsmI, FokI, TaqI and ApaI, metabolic and inflammatory markers and related biochemical variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the influence of vitamin D receptor gene SNPs on vitamin D status after adjusting for clinical parameters known to influence vitamin D status in the study population. Results: Overall, 277 participants with a mean (±SD) age of 41 ± 12, 204 (74%) of them being female, were included in the study. There were statistically significant differences in vitamin D concentrations between different genotypes of the four VDR gene polymorphisms (p < 0.05). There were, however, no statistically significant differences in vitamin D concentrations between subjects with and those without the four VDR gene polymorphisms genotype and alleles except for AA and AG and allele G in Apal SNP (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant independent associations between vitamin D status and the four VDR gene polymorphisms after adjusting for dietary intake, physical activity, sun exposure, smoking and body mass index. In addition, no significant differences were found in the frequency of the genotypes and alleles of the four VDR genes among patients with obesity, diabetes and hypertension compared to those without these medical conditions. Conclusions: Although we found statistically significant differences in vitamin concentrations between different genotypes of the four VDR gene polymorphisms, multivariate analysis revealed no association after adjusting for clinical parameters known to influence vitamin D status. Furthermore, no association was found between obesity and related pathologies and the four VDR gene polymorphisms. Full article

Behavioral problems cause limitations in the social skills of children without disabilities and affect the functionality of children with disabilities. The Emirati child adaptation scale (ECAS) was developed in the UAE to provide reliable and valid information on the behavioral adaptation skills in children with and without intellectual disability (ID). The scale’s item pool consists of 651 items that identify behavioral adaptation deficits across the 10 domain–skill areas of communication, pre-academic, listening, social, self-care, self-orientation, motor skills, operational society, life, and health and safety. The scale was administered to 1542 children with disabilities and 920 children without disabilities. The scale is deemed essential, as it enables psychologists, special education teachers, health professionals, and researchers to implement a reliable psychometric tool of adaptive and behavioral functioning of 1–18-year-old individuals. The development and structure of the Emirati child adaptation scale is described and discussed. Full article

The six Gulf monarchies—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE)—are more politically stable than their peers in the Middle East and North Africa. Explanations for governance resilience range from repression to neopatrimonial and instrumental legitimacy, hydrocarbon-based rentierism, and permissive regional and international environments. This paper considers, in view of the proliferation and uptake of renewable energy in the Gulf, how governance resilience may be affected as a result of changes in state-society relations during the energy transition away from a fossil-fuel-based energy system. It offers a qualitative analysis of the impact of renewable energy deployment in the Gulf, supported by a rich array of secondary literature and data. It also offers a deep, if brief, dive to highlight intra-regional nuances. The authors conclude that in the short term, renewable energy deployment has a very modest impact given its limited share of power generation. In the longer term, even assuming that stated ambitions for renewable energy are fulfilled, no negative impact on monarchial resilience is expected thanks to gains in legitimacy and revenue streams, as well as purposeful alignment with an external environment supportive of renewable power in developing countries. Full article