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Introduction: In the Arab Gulf countries, anemia, including iron deficiency anemia )IDA(, considered one of the main public health problems. Although, the World Health Organization reported that IDA as the most common type of anemia, which made up half of all anemic cases all over the world, there were limited research performed among preschool children about anemia in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of previously undiagnosed anemia and IDA among children between 2 to 6 years old. In this study, several risk factors that might contribute to the high prevalence of anemia were assessed. Methods: The study was carried out in Taif city during the period from January 2023 to April 2023. Blood samples were collected from 200 preschool children and analyzed for hematological parameters as well as related biochemistry tests to investigate the prevalence of previously undiagnosed anemia and IDA. Results: The majority of the study participants were Saudi 99% and aged 4 to 6 years 72.5%. Most of children participants, 92.5% had normal haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and normal levels of red blood cells (RBCs) and normal hematocrit indicating their non-anemia health status. In this study, previously undiagnosed anemia were reported within 6% of children indicated by low Hb concentration, low RBC count and abnormal low hematocrit level. Out of these undiagnosed anemic children, there were 25% diagnosed with IDA. Conclusions: Since, anemia and IDA are still a public health problem among preschool children in Saudi Arabia this study suggested that the hematological blood examination should be done to students as a requirement before school which may reveal the presence of previously undiagnosed anemia and might associated with low mantle and functional performance among children. Moreover, further studies are recommended at all regions of the Kingdome to investigate the underlying related risk factors, which will provide more insight ....

Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of vascular calcification which is defined as the pathological deposition of minerals in the vasculature, and is strongly linked with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Since estrogen-replacement therapy is associated with increased cancer risk, there is a strong need for safer therapeutic approaches. In this study we aimed to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of the phytoestrogen resveratrol against vascular calcification in ovariectomized rats, a preclinical model of postmenopause. Furthermore, we aimed to compare the effects of resveratrol to those of estrogen and to explore the mechanisms underpinning those effects. Treatment with resveratrol or estrogen ameliorated aortic calcification in ovariectomized rats, as shown by reduced calcium deposition in the arterial wall. Mechanistically, the effects of resveratrol and estrogen were mediated via the activation of SIRT1 signaling. SIRT1 protein expression was downregulated in the aortas of ovariectomized rats, and upregulated in rats treated with resveratrol or estrogen. Moreover, resveratrol and estrogen reduced the levels of the osteogenic markers: runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) which have been shown to play a role during vascular calcification. Additionally, the senescence markers (p53, p16 and p21) which were also reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of vascular calcification, were reduced upon treatment with resveratrol and estrogen. In conclusion, the phytoestrogen resveratrol may be a safer alternative to estrogen, as a therapeutic approach against the progression of vascular calcification during postmenopause.

Background: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a common inflammatory skin disease involving dysfunction of the pilosebaceous unit. Many mechanisms for the pathogenesis of acne have been postulated. However, the precise pathogenesis is still uncertain. Objective: This study aimed to measure serum calprotectin levels in AV and to correlate its level with the activity and severity of the disease. Patients and methods: A total of 80 subjects were subdivided into two groups; group I included 40 patients complaining of AV with different severity levels, and group II had 40 healthy age and sex‐matched participants as a control group. Serum calprotectin level was measured in both groups by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results: Serum calprotectin concentration was statistically significantly (p=0.0001) higher in the patient group when compared to the controls. There was a statistically significant (p = 0.001) difference among subgroups of patients according to disease severity regarding serum calprotectin concentration. There was a high-significant positive correlation between serum calprotectin concentration and disease severity. Calprotectin concentration could be used to diagnose AV with cutoff points higher than 1.03 ng/ml (with 77.5% sensitivity, 80% specificity) and also can detect its severity with cutoff points higher than 1.1 ng/ml with 96.3% sensitivity, 100% specificity to differentiate the mild cases from moderate and severe ones. Conclusion: Serum calprotectin concentration represents a valuable tool for diagnosing the inflammatory nature and monitoring the disease activity in AV patients.

Overexpression of two carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms, CA IX and XII, in several hypoxic solid tumors provides an extracellular hypoxic microenvironment, interferes with extra- and intracellular pH regulation, thus favoring hypoxic tumor cell survival, proliferation and metastasis. In the current study, a selective inhibitor for human CA isoforms IX and XII (isatin-bearing sulfonamide, WEG-104), was incorporated into nanosized spherical niosomes at high encapsulation efficiency to allow for an enhanced and sustained antitumor activity. In vivo, administration of WEG-104 that is either free (10 mg/kg) or loaded into niosomes (5 mg/kg) into a mice model of Ehrlich ascites solid tumor resulted in comparable efficacy in terms of reduction of tumor weight and volume. Administration of WEG-104-loaded niosomes (10 mg/kg) exhibited superior antitumor activity compared to the free drug, evidenced by reduced tumor weight and volume, marked reduction in the activity of CA IX and XII, and suppression of HIF-1α and MMP-2. Moreover, prominent increase of caspase 3 and pronounced decrease in VEGF immune expression were observed in the treated animals. Hence, loading of molecularly designed compounds that targets CAs in hypoxic solid tumors into nanosized delivery systems provided an auspicious strategy for limiting solid tumor progression and malignancy.

Gastric ulcer is a serious medical condition that can be developed due to an imbalance in the protective and destructive factors of the gastric system. Available therapies do not provide definite cure, thus, there is an urge to seek for alternative treatments. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid that possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the current study, the antiulcerogenic effect of quercetin in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer (EI-GU) rat model was compared to Antodine® (a reference drug), to elucidate the potential underlying mechanisms. Quercetin (50 mg/kg) and Antodine® (20 mg/kg) were given orally for one week post ulcer induction by ethanol. EI-GU was associated with downregulation of SOD, CAT, Nrf2 and HO1, and accompanied by upregulation of inflammatory markers (

AA1050 plates of 8 mm thickness were processed via bobbin-tool friction stir processing technique at a constant rotation speed of 600 rpm and different travel speeds ranging from 50 to 300 mm/min using three-pin geometries of triangle, square, and cylindrical. The temperatures of the processed zone, the advancing side, and the retreating side were measured; the machine torque during processing was also recorded. The processed materials were evaluated in terms of surface roughness, macrostructure, tensile properties, and hardness measurements. The fracture surfaces of the tensile fractured specimens were investigated using SEM. The results indicated that the pin geometry and processing speed significantly affect the generated heat input and the morphology of the processed zone. The peak temperature in the center of the processed zone decreases with increasing the travel speed from 50 to 300 mm/min at all applied pin geometries. The maximum temperature of ~400 °C was reached using the cylindrical pin geometry. The machine torque increases with increasing the travel speed at all applied pin geometries, and the highest torque value of 73 N.m is recorded using the square pin geometry at 300 mm/min travel speed. The top surface roughness of the processed area using the cylindrical pin is lower than that given by the other pin geometries. Under all applied conditions, the hardness of the processed area increases with increasing travel speed, and the cylindrical pin shows a higher hardness than the other pin geometries with 19% enhancement over the BM. The AA1050 processed using a cylindrical pin at 200 mm/min travel speed and a rotation speed of 600 rpm produces a sound processing zone with the highest ultimate tensile strength of 79 MPa.

Increased fructose consumption is among bad nutritional habits that contribute to increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases. We proposed that coffee, the most popular beverage worldwide, may protect against the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated the protective potential of decaffeinated green coffee bean extract (GCBE) and the possible potentiation of pioglitazone (PIO) effects by decaffeinated GCBE in fructose-induced AD in rats. Twenty-four rats [12-untreated and 12-pre-treated (for 4 weeks) with GCBE] consumed drinking water supplemented with 10% fructose for 18 weeks. Twelve of these rats (6-GCBE-untreated and 6-GCBE-pre-treated) were treated orally with PIO starting on the 13th week for 6 weeks. Prophylactic administration of GCBE attenuated oxidative damage (increased cortical reduced glutathione and superoxide dismutase activity), while decreased malondialdehyde. It retarded the activation of acetylcholine esterase, increased acetylcholine level in the cortex of fructose-induced AD. It also impeded the upregulation of beta-secretase-1and the accumulation of Aβ plaques that were induced by fructose drinking. With PIO therapy, GCBE showed better effects alleviating oxidative stress and Aβ extracellular plaques formation, while improving cholinergic activity, learning, and memory ability. In conclusions, the consumption of GCBE may protect against the development of AD and delay the progression of AD when given with PIO. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Decaffeinated dietary supplement of green coffee bean extract attenuated the deleterious consequences of fructose-induced Alzheimer's disease in rats. It improved the antioxidant status and cortical cholinergic activity, while hindered the changes responsible for amyloid plaque formation. It also improved the impaired learning and memory. These results, if confirmed by clinical studies, may recommend the consumption of decaffeinated green coffee beans extract as dietary supplement or as a regular beverage to protect against AD in individuals with family history or early signs of AD. With pioglitazone, such dietary supplement improved pioglitazone efficacy and delayed the progression of AD.

Objectives: Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is the most commonly used glycemic index among diabetic patients. The present study sought to investigate the relationship between HbA1c and lipid parameters among healthy pregnancies and gestational diabetic cases. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five Saudi pregnant women within the age group of 19 to 43 years were selected for this crosssectional study. The participants were categorized into with and without gestational diabetes (GDM), all of whom were non-smokers; in addition, they neither had a previous history of chronic illnesses nor were they on any medications which could alter lipid profile and HbA1c concentrations. Totally, 75 g of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was utilized to identify 25 women with GDM. All biochemical tests including HbA1c, fasting blood sugar (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol) were performed by a biochemical auto-analyzer. The collected data were statistically analyzed using a paired student’s t test. The P values of

Objectives: The purpose of the current work is to evaluate D-dimer plasma level among both normal and complicated pregnancies such as gestational diabetes (GD) and hypertension (GH) among Saudi females. It is also focused on exhibiting any possible factors that could also play a role in rising D-dimer levels besides the age of the pregnant woman and the period of gestation. Materials and Methods: A semi-quantitative latex agglutination assay was performed in the blood sample of healthy non-pregnant, pregnant and pregnant females with GD and GH. Results: The results exhibited that 92% of pregnancies with GH and 90% of multiple pregnancies had high D-dimer levels. The analysis of the effect of age of pregnant women on D-dimer concentrations presented that 100% of pregnant women with GD, GH or multiple pregnancies aged above 40, had high levels of D-dimer. The results of the relationship between gestational age of pregnancies and D-dimer showed that by reaching the third trimester, about 66.6% of women who had multiple pregnancies had D-dimer concentration above 2000 ng/mL. Interestingly, all the pregnant females with GH had D-dimer concentrations above 2000 ng/mL. Conclusions: This study postulated that the concentrations of D-dimer significantly increase during pregnancy associated with common complications such as GD and GH. It is the first study to demonstrate the possible risk factors during pregnancy, which include age, number of pregnancies, gestational age and pregnancies with GD and GH, especially among Saudi Arabian women.

The role of leader empathic concern is examined in the context of negative feedback delivery. We argue that leader displays of empathic concern decrease negative affect and increase positive affect following negative feedback, resulting in more positive evaluations of the leader's feedback-giving effectiveness and improving the leader's promotability. In a video-based online experiment (Study 1) using a US sample (n = 177), both conditions experienced a decline in negative affect over the course of the feedback episode; however, participants exposed to leader empathic concern experienced a significantly greater increase in positive affect and evaluated the leader's behaviour as more effective than those in the control condition. In a field-study (Study 2) using archived multisource data on a sample of organizational leaders (n = 306), the positive relationship between leader negative feedback quality (subordinate-rated) and (boss-rated) promotability was strengthened by subordinate perceptions of leader empathic concern. Practitioner points Leaders should show empathic concern when delivering feedback to subordinates. Leaders should be trained in how to recognize subordinates’ emotional reactions and to communicate their understanding and concern for subordinates’ well-being during the provision of performance feedback. Organizations should reward leaders who demonstrate empathic concern for their subordinates when providing feedback. Leaders should be educated about the career-related benefits associated with demonstrating high-quality negative feedback and empathic concern.

Depression is the most common illness that affects a large number of individuals in all countries. It is believed that decreased levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine are the main cause of depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), their mechanism is to increase the amount of neurotransmitters in the CNS. Design, synthesis and molecular docking of novel compounds namely amino acetylenic derivatives of aryloxy as isostere for aryloxypropylamine. The reaction of 7-methoxy-2-naphthol with propargylbromide generated 7-methoxy-2-(prop-2-yn-1-yloxy) naphthalene (ZR-1). ZR-1 was subjected to Mannich reaction yielded the derivatives of aryloxybutynylamines (ZR-2 to ZR-7). The Mp, FTIR, 1H-NMR, C13-NMR, DSC, elemental analysis and HPLC were consistent with the assigned structures. The molecular docking results obtained for aminoacetylenic compounds showed that the new novel 7-methoxy-2- {[4- (piperidine) but-2-yn-1-yl]oxy}-naphthalene (ZR-4) provide effective π overlap with binding sites of SERT protein by ionic, hydrogen bonding and overlap of aryl and cyclic amine moieties with the amino acids of transporter protein, which produce the binding energy (-109,69 kcal/mol) for ZR-4 relative to paroxetine (-114.18 kcal/mol), that may lead to promising drug in the treatment of depression.

The present study aims to emphasize the enhanced efficacy of long acting in-situ gel forming implants (ISGFI) based on poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) matrix to deliver anti-psychotic risperidone over extended time periods with reduced administration frequency. Schizophrenic patients show considerable difficulties in adherence and compliance to oral medications associated with negative outcomes including symptoms exacerbation and psychotic relapse. The studied optimized ISGFI formulation, comprised of 2.85:1 ratio of DMSO solvent:PLGA (type 75:25), was subjected to various characterization studies including morphological real-time changes, scanning electron microscopy and in-vitro drug release study. Pharmacokinetics and behavioral evaluations of anti-psychotic action of ISGFI systems were pursued on healthy and schizophrenia-induced rats respectively then compared to results of marketed microspheres. Morphological observations showed the immediate formation of whitish smooth ISGFI system owing to the rapid PLGA solidification after rapid DMSO dissipation into the external medium. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the slow gradual biodegradation of the formed ISGFI. The optimized formulation assured its effectiveness to produce satisfactory initial burst and cumulative risperidone release and obviate costs of additional tablets needed during the commercial product use. Pharmacokinetic study manifested the effective performance of ISGFI to extend risperidone release for longer period (72 days) in comparison to the marketed formulations (48 days). Besides, optimized ISGFI were more effective in improving ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like symptoms in experimental rats, particularly in the first week of study period. Meanwhile, in-vitro, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations had advocated the potential advantages of ISGFI systems for treating schizophrenia with improved adherence and compliance of patients.

Background: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an intracellular parasite mainly found in the central nervous system CNS, however, it can persist in multiple tissues in the body. Moreover, T. gondii is the commonest protozoans causing infections among individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of T. gondii infection among AIDS patients in Makkah at Saudi Arabia. Methods: Fifty patients with AIDS proved to be positive by ULTRA HIV Ag-Ab Enzyme Immunoassay, and thirty healthy volunteers negative for AIDS by ULTRA HIV Ag-Ab Enzyme Immunoassay were subjected to determination of anti T. gondii immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody seropositivity and anti T. gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody seropositivity using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: The results showed that the seropositivity rate of anti T. gondii IgM antibodies among AIDS patients (18%) was significantly higher than in the healthy volunteers group (3.33%). Regarding the serum level of anti T. gondii IgG antibodies among AIDS patients, it was 30% significantly higher compared with those of the seropositive healthy volunteers (6.67%). Conclusions: These statistically significant results support the association between T. gondii infection and AIDS and suggest the usefulness of providing data for an educational program that will be designed to prevent T. gondii infection among AIDS patients.

Objective: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, involves brain insulin signaling cascades and insulin resistance (IR). Because of limited treatment options, new treatment strategies are mandatory. Green coffee bean extract (GCBE) was reported to attenuate IR and improve brain energy metabolism. We aimed to investigate the possible use of GCBE as a prophylactic strategy to delay the onset of AD or combined with pioglitazone (PIO) as a strategy to retard the progression of AD.Methods: Rats received 10% fructose in drinking water for 18 weeks to induce AD. GCBE-prophylactic group received GCBE for 22 weeks started 4 weeks prior to fructose administration. The PIO group treated with PIO for 6 weeks started on week 12 of fructose administration. The GCBE+PIO group received GCBE for 22 weeks started 4 weeks prior to fructose administration and treated with PIO for the last 6 weeks of fructose administration.Results: Pretreatment with GCBE, either alone or combined with PIO, alleviated IR-induced AD changes. GCBE improved cognition, decreased serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate, increased phosphoinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) activity and protein kinase B (Akt) gene expression, decreased glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GS3Kβ) gene expression and Tau hyperphosphorylation.Discussion: GCBE exerted neuroprotective effects against IR-induced AD mediated by alleviating IR and modulating brain insulin signaling cascade.

Psychological stress associated with depression is common among medical students and considered as an important indicator for mental health. Mental disorders might cause numerous undesirable personal and professional consequences such as; growing cynicism and social isolation. This study aimed to assess the degree of depression among undergraduate students in College of Applied Medical Sciences at Taif University. The presence and severity of depression was measured by using the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) scoring. The overall percentage of depression in the study is seen in 75.7% of the students, with major depression (Scores>15) found in 18.7% of students. The result of this study revealed the proportion of male and female students who had depression, to be 62% and 81.4% respectively and this difference showed statistical significance (P value 0.05). Interestingly, the percentage of students decreased sequentially as the depression severity score became higher.

Objective: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was identified in 1981, among homosexuals in the United State of America, since that time more than 60 million individuals were living with this disorder. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of AIDS that has no cure at present. The level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the attitudes toward patients are crucial factors in eradicating the disease. Methods: A cross-sectional study has been conducted for a period of two months and 155 undergraduate male students in the College of Applied Medical Sciences at Taif University participated in the study. The study aimed to assess their scientific knowledge, awareness and attitude. Results: the survey results showed that more than half of the participants did not know the relation between AIDS and HIV and low awareness level toward the modes of HIV transmission was observed. For example 54% of students were not aware that coughing and spitting could not transmit the infection. However, many students were aware of the link between toilet seat used by a person with AIDS and HIV infection and between sharing cloths with AIDS patients and HIV with 81% and 83% respectively. Negative attitude towards HIV/AIDS persons was seen in the majority of participants. Conclusion: This study is the first of its kind to be conducted among undergraduate male students at Taif University, and brought into limelight some important issues in relation to AIDS. This study concluded that, these students need to be more aware about HIV transmission modes and protection methods, which can be achieved by enhancing their knowledge about HIV.

Despite the remarkable advances and the modern innovations, which have transformed laboratory diagnostics from manual and labor-intensive service to fully automated process, the clinical laboratory still shows a number of pre-analytical errors that might lead to erroneous patient diagnosis and treatment that follows. This is a retrospective study performed to investigate the major causes of pre-analytical errors that led to sample rejection at clinical biochemistry department in the laboratory of Hera’a General Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The result of this study revealed that samples with visible haemolysis after centrifugation was the most common cause accounting for 35% of total rejections. Furthermore, this study reported a number of different reasons for sample rejection including; mismatching patient’s information on the tube and request, incomplete patient’s data and clotted samples. Therefore, this study suggests keeping a record of the errors at all stages of the pre-analytical process and then devising corrective strategies for prevention of such laboratory errors.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic endocrine disorders all over the world. The Kingdome of Saudi Arabia found to be among the ten countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes. Unfortunately, the last reported study performed in Saudi Arabia on the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetic among Saudis aged 15 and older showed 57.8% of those were undiagnosed previously, which adds to the disease medical complications and economic cost. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of previously undiagnosed diabetic among Saudi female age over 18 years at Taif city. This will help in early detection of the disorder, make screening program more cost effective and reduce the chance of developing of serious health complications, such as heart disease, kidney disease, and many others. Four study campaigns were arranged in public locations and blood glucose level was recorded from 200 female participants. This study showed that 8% female were provisionally undiagnosed with diabetes pending confirmation of the result by formal venous plasma glucose determination; these subjects were referred to their primary health care provider for confirmation of the diagnosis and further management. Moreover, 10% had indeterminate results and were advised to check their fasting blood glucose. The majority of participants who were undiagnosed with diabetes previously were non-smoker and un-active physically. However, 56% had family history of diabetes. The findings of the study calls for increased awareness of diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes to encourage for early detection of pre-diabetes, which might minimize the related complications.

Overwhelming evidence indicates that consumption of fruits and vegetables with antioxidant properties correlates with reduced risk for cancers, including leukemia. Carrots contain beneficial agents, such as β-carotene and polyacetylenes, which could be effective in the treatment of leukemia. This study investigated the effect of carrot juice extracts on myeloid and lymphoid leukemia cell lines together with normal hematopoietic stem cells. Leukemia cell lines and nontumor control cells were treated with carrot juice extracts for up to 72 hours in vitro. Induction of apoptosis was investigated by using annexin V/propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometric analysis, and results were confirmed by using 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole morphology. Effects on cellular proliferation were investigated via cell cycle analysis and cell counts. Treatment of leukemia cell lines with carrot juice extract induced apoptosis and inhibited progression through the cell cycle. Lymphoid cell lines were affected to a greater extent than were myeloid cell lines, and normal hematopoietic stem cells were less sensitive than most cell lines. This study has shown that extracts from carrots can induce apoptosis and cause cell cycle arrest in leukemia cell lines. The findings suggest that carrots may be an excellent source of bioactive chemicals for the treatment of leukemia.

Substantial evidence indicates that psoriasis is a T-lymphocyte-mediated autoimmune disease. However, longstanding data also indicate IgG and complement deposition in upper epidermis of psoriasis plaques. This led us to propose that autoantigen–autoantibody interactions in the skin may also be of pathogenic importance. Here, we have confirmed the presence of IgG in upper lesional epidermis and used high-resolution two-dimensional immunoblotting of extracts from this tissue, and laser desorption mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides, to define a series of epidermal proteins that bind IgG from psoriatic serum. The most prominent of these autoantigens are homologues of the serpin, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), the other autoantigens identified including arginase 1, enolase 1, and keratin 10. Blood levels of IgG autoantibodies that bind to SCCA proteins were significantly higher in psoriasis than healthy controls ( P =0.005), but were not detectable in sera from patients with active atopic dermatitis. To our knowledge, SCCA proteins have not previously been described as autoantigenic in animals or humans and form complexes with IgG that are associated with complement deposition. These findings expose potentially pathogenic humoral immunologic events and thus possible therapeutic targets in psoriasis.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) that has no cure at present. Recently, medical education is the best tool to prevent the infection. The level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the attitudes toward patients are crucial factors in eradicating the disease.

Physicians are primary customers of laboratory services and their perception of the provided services is considered an important measure of quality assurance. This study investigates the physicians’ satisfaction of laboratories’ services, in Maternity and Children Hospital in Makkah, to identify strength and possible limitations, which might inform the development plans for more efficient services.

A number of business practices have increased the extent to which organizations utilize global work teams including the growing number of multinational corporations putting diverse employees together and the widespread use of technology allowing employees to collaborate and communicate across time zones and borders. Recent work suggests that leaders need to be more culturally competent in order to understand and appropriately react to nuanced cultural differences among diverse team members in these types of global teams. Specifically, there is a growing notion that Western techniques for managing performance feedback might not be entirely effective across different cultures. Performance management and the provision of job performance feedback is one leader competency that has received scant attention in a cross-cultural framework and yet is critical for the effective management of both individuals and teams. Leaders of global teams need to acknowledge that individuals from other cultures may have different styles and preferences for feedback. They should also understand their own cultural preferences for the provision and receipt of feedback and adopt style switching to accommodate the needs and expectations of others.

Linear polarization measurements have been performed for $��$-rays in $^{91}$Ru produced with the $^{58}$Ni($^{36}$Ar, $2p1n$$��$)$^{91}$Ru reaction at a beam energy of 111 MeV. The EXOGAM Ge clover array has been used to measure the $��$-$��$ coincidences, $��$-ray linear polarization and $��$-ray angular distributions. The polarization sensitivity of the EXOGAM clover detectors acting as Compton polarimeters has been determined in the energy range 0.3$-$1.3 MeV. Several transitions have been observed for the first time. Measurements of linear polarization and angular distribution have led to the firm assignments of spin differences and parity of high-spin states in $^{91}$Ru. More specifically, calculations using a semi-empirical shell model were performed to understand the structures of the first and second (21/2$^{+}$) and (17/2$^{+}$) levels. The results are in good agreement with the experimental data, supporting the interpretation of the non yrast (21/2$^{+}$) and (17/2$^{+}$) states in terms of the $J_{\rm max}$ and $J_{\rm max}-2$ members of the seniority-three $��(g_{9/2})^{-3}$ multiplet., 19 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables

The EUROnu project has studied three possible options for future, high intensity neutrino oscillation facilities in Europe. The first is a Super Beam, in which the neutrinos come from the decay of pions created by bombarding targets with a 4 MW proton beam from the CERN High Power Superconducting Proton Linac. The far detector for this facility is the 500 kt MEMPHYS water Cherenkov, located in the Fr\'ejus tunnel. The second facility is the Neutrino Factory, in which the neutrinos come from the decay of {\mu}+ and {\mu}- beams in a storage ring. The far detector in this case is a 100 kt Magnetised Iron Neutrino Detector at a baseline of 2000 km. The third option is a Beta Beam, in which the neutrinos come from the decay of beta emitting isotopes, in particular 6He and 18Ne, also stored in a ring. The far detector is also the MEMPHYS detector in the Fr\'ejus tunnel. EUROnu has undertaken conceptual designs of these facilities and studied the performance of the detectors. Based on this, it has determined the physics reach of each facility, in particular for the measurement of CP violation in the lepton sector, and estimated the cost of construction. These have demonstrated that the best facility to build is the Neutrino Factory. However, if a powerful proton driver is constructed for another purpose or if the MEMPHYS detector is built for astroparticle physics, the Super Beam also becomes very attractive., Comment: Results from the Framework Programme 7 project EUROnu, which studied three possible accelerator facilities for future high intensity neutrino oscillation facilities in Europe

Present study aimed to study effect of Salacia Chinensis, a herbal drug, on stabilization of renal functions, and markers of endothelial dysfunction in diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.30 stable diabetic CKD patients were randomized into 2 groups; group A and B of 15 patients each. Group A was given trial drug Salacia chinensis 1000 mg twice-daily while group B received placebo. Measures of renal function: Serum creatinine and creatinine clearance; markers of endothelial dysfunction: Interleukin-6 and serum Homocysteine, and lipid profile were measured at baseline and during follow-up period of 6 months.There was stabilization of renal function as measured by serum creatinine and creatinine clearance in patients who received Salacia Chinensis compared to placebo (P value0.05), suggesting that Salacia chinensis may retard the progression of chronic kidney disease. Similarly, there was significant decline in both serum homocysteine and IL-6 levels. [P value0.05 for both].This pilot study showed a promising role for Salacia chinensis as a renoprotective drug, but further prospective studies involving large number of patients are needed to confirm this and also to delineate possible mechanisms.

Organizations engaged in international operations must navigate complex intercultural dynamics for successful performance, necessitating identification of individuals who are likely to succeed in these environments and training personnel in cross-cultural competence (3C). To do so, adequate competency models of 3C need to be developed and valid 3C assessment instruments must be identified or generated. The present chapter reviews issues and challenges in 3C model development and illustrates these problems in an analysis of the Defense Language Office's Framework for Cross-Cultural Competence. The comparative advantages of competency versus causal models of 3C are discussed and an integration of competency and causal models is suggested. An examination of 34 instruments that have been recommended in the 3C civilian and military literatures for assessing cross-cultural competencies and their antecedent factors showed that existing 3C measures suffer from poor construct validity and have not been empirically linked to important outcome variables. A measurement strategy that eschews self-report methods and broadly assesses KSAOs and behavioral competencies is advocated.

New therapies for leukaemia are urgently needed. Carrots have been suggested as a potential treatment for leukaemia in traditional medicine and have previously been studied in other contexts as potential sources of anticancer agents. Indicating that carrots may contain bioactive compounds, which may show potential in leukaemia therapies. This study investigated the effects of five fractions from carrot juice extract (CJE) on human lymphoid leukaemia cell lines, together with five purified bioactive compounds found in Daucus carota L, including: three polyacetylenes (falcarinol, falcarindiol and falcarindiol-3-acetate) and two carotenoids (beta-carotene and lutein). Their effects on induction of apoptosis using Annexin V/PI and Caspase 3 activity assays analysed via flow cytometry and inhibition of cellular proliferation using Cell Titer Glo assay and cell cycle analysis were investigated. Treatment of all three lymphoid leukaemia cell lines with the fraction from carrot extracts which contained polyacetylenes and carotenoids was significantly more cytotoxic than the 4 other fractions. Treatments with purified polyacetylenes also induced apoptosis in a dose and time responsive manner. Moreover, falcarinol and falcarindiol-3-acetate isolated from Daucus carota L were more cytotoxic than falcarindiol. In contrast, the carotenoids showed no significant effect on either apoptosis or cell proliferation in any of the cells investigated. This suggests that polyacetylenes rather than beta-carotene or lutein are the bioactive components found in Daucus carota L and could be useful in the development of new leukemic therapies. Here, for the first time, the cytotoxic effects of polyacetylenes have been shown to be exerted via induction of apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle.

Pneumolysin (PLY) is a key Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence factor and potential candidate for inclusion in pneumococcal subunit vaccines. Dendritic cells (DC) play a key role in the initiation and instruction of adaptive immunity, but the effects of PLY on DC have not been widely investigated. Endotoxin-free PLY enhanced costimulatory molecule expression on DC but did not induce cytokine secretion. These effects have functional significance as adoptive transfer of DC exposed to PLY and antigen resulted in stronger antigen-specific T cell proliferation than transfer of DC exposed to antigen alone. PLY synergized with TLR agonists to enhance secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-12, IL-23, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-1α and TNF-α by DC and enhanced cytokines including IL-17A and IFN-γ by splenocytes. PLY-induced DC maturation and cytokine secretion by DC and splenocytes was TLR4-independent. Both IL-17A and IFN-γ are required for protective immunity to pneumococcal infection and intranasal infection of mice with PLY-deficient pneumococci induced significantly less IFN-γ and IL-17A in the lungs compared to infection with wild-type bacteria. IL-1β plays a key role in promoting IL-17A and was previously shown to mediate protection against pneumococcal infection. The enhancement of IL-1β secretion by whole live S. pneumoniae and by PLY in DC required NLRP3, identifying PLY as a novel NLRP3 inflammasome activator. Furthermore, NLRP3 was required for protective immunity against respiratory infection with S. pneumoniae. These results add significantly to our understanding of the interactions between PLY and the immune system., Author Summary Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a pathogen of global significance, causing diseases including pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia. In order to develop improved pneumococcal vaccines it is essential to understand how the bacterium interacts with the host immune system. Pneumococci produce a range of pathogenicity factors, among which the toxin pneumolysin plays a central role and has potential as a vaccine candidate. Here, we demonstrate that pneumolysin can directly activate innate immune cells and dramatically amplify the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These enhancing effects of the toxin do not require Toll-like receptor (TLR)4. In particular, the toxin exerts a potent effect on interleukin (IL)-1, which is an endogenous pyrogen and powerful activator of IL-17A production. This effect results from activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome complex and NLRP3 is required for protection against the pathogen in vivo. To induce protective immunity against pneumococci, IFN-γ and IL-17A are thought to be essential. We show that pneumolysin plays a key role in promoting these cytokines both in vitro and in vivo during respiratory infection. The results add significantly to our understanding of the interactions between pneumococci and the immune system and support investigations into the inclusion of pneumolysin or its derivatives in novel pneumococcal vaccines.

Nano-particle image velocimetry (nPIV) uses evanescent-wave illumination to measure two velocity components, U and V, tangent to the wall in a region with thickness of order of hundred nano meters. In this region the illumination intensity decays exponentially with distance normal to the wall, z, and hence tracers closer to the wall have “brighter” and “bigger” images than those that are further away, i.e. at larger z. Moreover fluid velocity varies in this region with z and hence tracers at different distance from the wall move at different speeds. Furthermore, Brownian displacement of particle tracers in this region is comparable to the displacement due to the fluid convection. The variation in the displacement of particle images in this region, with different brightness and velocities, can bias the near-wall velocities obtained using standard correlation based PIV method. Artificial nPIV images of nano particle in a flow field with linear out of plane velocity profile were used in this work to investigate the impact of these issues upon the accuracy of nPIV data. Uniform and Gaussian random distribution noise were added to the images to simulate electronic noise and shot noise, respectively. The artificial images were obtained and processed for various experimental parameters to incorporate different illumination profile and shear rates. The results demonstrate that non-uniform illumination affects the bias in the estimated tracer velocity for the shear flow. Non-uniform intensity also affects the bias due to Brownian diffusion; however, correction for Brownian diffusion can reduce this bias error.Copyright © 2010 by ASME

Patch clamping was used to investigate, for the first time, the electrophysiological properties of pores formed by a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin in the membrane of nucleated cells rather than in artificial membranes as previously. Pneumolysin pores in inside-out patches of CHO cell membranes had a broad range of conductance classified into small (200 pS), medium (200 pS and1 nS) and large (1 nS). A lytic-deficient mutant of pneumolysin (W433F) induced a similar spectrum of channels but there were more small channels than with wild-type (WT) toxin and the number of events was decreased. The WT toxin also induced channels when given to the inside surface of the plasma membrane.

Ozone (O3) exposure at Italian background sites exceeds UN/ECE concentration-based critical levels (CLec), if expressed in terms of AOT40. Yet the occurrence of adverse effects of O3 on forests and crops is controversial. Possible reasons include (i) ability of response indicators to provide an unbiased estimate of O3 effects, (ii) setting of current CLec in terms of cut-off value and accumulation level, (iii) response functions adopted to infer a critical level, (iv) environmental limitation to O3 uptake and (v) inherent characteristics of Mediterranean vegetation. In particular, the two latter points suggest that critical levels based on accumulated stomatal flux (CLef) can be a better predictor of O3 risk than CLec. While this concept is largely acknowledged, a number of factors may limit its applicability for routine monitoring. This paper reviews levels, uptake and vegetation response to O3 in Italy over recent years to discuss value, uncertainty and feasibility of different approaches to risk assessment.