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This study aimed at determining the effectiveness of self-questioning strategy in developing independent thinking in teaching physics. The researcher used the Independent Thinking Test on a purposive sample consisted of (46) students from the first secondary scientific class in Amman schools in Jordan. A quasi-experimental approach was adopted. To analyze the data a statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used. The study showed a statistically significant difference between the means of the two groups (experiment and control group) in the independent thinking level and it was in favor of the experimental group. The study recommended preparing and developing teaching programs according to the self-questioning strategy and conducting similar studies on new samples at different age levels and new variables.

Hazim Abdulkarim Khatib,1 Waleed Ahmed Alghamdi,2 Ahmed Hussein Subki,3 Nadeem Shafique Butt,4 Mohammed Saad Alsallum,5 Ahmed Salem Alsulaimani,6 Sara Faisal Alnajjar,7 Fahad Daifallah Alzaidi,8 Abdulrahman Ali Alasmari,9 Hussein Mesfer Alshamrani,10 Faten Al-Zaben,2 Harold G Koenig2,11,12 1Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Internal Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Community Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Emergency Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Diagnostic Radiology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Medicine Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 10Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 11School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People’s Republic of China; 12Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USACorrespondence: Waleed Ahmed Alghamdi; Harold G Koenig, Email wagalghamdi@kau.edu.sa; harold.koenig@duke.eduIntroduction: Skin Picking Disorder (SPD) is a skin-related disease, also recognized as psychogenic excoriation, dermatillomania, or excoriation disorder. SPD is defined as a habitual picking of skin, which in turn harms skin tissue. Given the paucity of information on SPD symptoms, their prevalence, and risk factors in Saudi Arabia, the present study seeks to fill this gap by investigating these factors in a community sample from Jeddah.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the city of Jeddah. The Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R) scale was administered to a convenience sample of 520 respondents. A partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) for “impairment” and “symptoms severity” subscales was assessed by evaluating the validity of measurement and structural models.Results: Skin picking behavior was reported by 28.8% (n=150). A significant level of skin picking disorder symptoms was present in 1.2% (n=6). Skin picking visual effect, depressive symptoms, and being unmarried were the only positive independent predictors of the total SPS-R score.Conclusion: SPD symptoms are relatively common among the adult population in Jeddah, but those with threshold symptoms indicative of SPD are relatively few. Such behavior is particularly common in vulnerable groups such as those with depressive symptoms and the unmarried. More attention to this condition by clinicians will improve the quality of life of those affected, and reduce the emotional and physical health consequences of this often unrecognized condition.Keywords: skin picking disorder, dermatillomania, excoriation disorder, prevalence, risk factors, The Skin Picking Scale-Revised scale

الأهداف: هدفت الدراسة إلى تعرُّف التحديات التي تواجه أندية الدوري الأردني للمُحترفين من وُجهة نظر اللاعبين أثناء جائحة كورونا تبعًا لمتغيِّرات: النادي، وسنوات الخبرة، والمؤهِّل العلمي. المنهجيَّة: استخدم الباحثان المنهج الوصفيَّ المسحيَ لملاءمته طبيعةَ الدراسة وأهدافَها، وتكوَّنت عينتُها من لاعبي أندية الدوري الأردني للمُحترفين البالغ عددُهم (180) لاعبًا ضمن (12) فريقًا جرى اختيارُهم بالطريقة العمديَّة والمُسَجَّلين في كشوفات أندية الاتحاد الأردني لكرة القدم للموسم الرياضي 2020/ 2021، كما استُخدِمَ كرونباخ ألفا والتَّكرارات والنِّسب المئويَّة وتحليل التبايُن المُتعدِّد ومعامل ارتباط بيرسون. النتائج: أظهرت النتائجُ أنَّ التحديات التي تواجه أندية الدوري الأردني للمُحترفين من وُجهة نظر اللاعبين أثناء جائحة كورونا وعلى المستوى الكُلِّيِّ جاء بدرجة متوسطة، كما أظهرت وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائيَّة وفقًا لمتغيِّر سنوات الخبرة ولصالح أصحاب الخبرة الأقل من (5 سنوات)، وتبعًا لمتغيِّر النادي ولصالح ناديي الأهلي والصريح. الخلاصة: أوصى الباحثان بضرورة إقامة دورات مُتَخَصِّصة في كيفيَّة التعامل معَ جائحة كورونا بالتعاون معَ الأندية والجامعات في ظلِّ التحديات والصعوبات المتتالية التي تحتاج إلى تعليم وتأهيل وتدريب.

Abstract Background Oral health problems especially dental caries are common in school children, and education programs may help to prevent these conditions. The aim of current study was to examine the effects of an educational program based on a Health Belief Model (HBM) to improve oral health behaviors of elementary school children. Methods A total of 112 children ages 6–12 years old accompanied by one of their parents were randomly assigned to intervention/test and control groups. In the intervention group, five consecutive weekly educational sessions based on the HBM were provided, while the control group received only routine education delivered by the dental clinic. The Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) score, papillary bleeding index, and responses to the HBM questionnaire were assessed in the intervention and control groups at baseline and three-month follow-up after the intervention was completed. Within-group and between-group differences were examined using the Student’s t-test and analysis of covariance. Results All HBM domains were improved at follow-up in the intervention group compared to the control group (p

Waleed Ahmed Alghamdi,1 Ahmed Hussein Subki,2 Hazim Abdulkarim Khatib,3 Nadeem Shafique Butt,4 Rahaf Ali Alghamdi,1 Mohammed Saad Alsallum,5 Ahmed A Alharbi,1 Mohammad Nasser Almatrafi,1 Abdullah Ahmed Alobisi,1 Faten Al-Zaben,1 Harold G Koenig1,6,7 1Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Internal Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Community Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People’s Republic of China; 7Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USACorrespondence: Waleed Ahmed Alghamdi; Harold G Koenig, Email wagalghamdi@kau.edu.sa; harold.koenig@duke.eduBackground: The present study examined the prevalence of and risk factors for symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in the general population of Jeddah, a large port city in Saudi Arabia.Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of 520 adults. We used a validated self-screening measure to assess BDD, the body dysmorphic disorder questionnaire (BDDQ).Results: The prevalence of significant BDD symptoms among the general Saudi population was 8.8% (ie, those scoring above the cut off for BDD on the BDDQ). Over half (52%) of all respondents reported concerns about the attractiveness of their body parts, and of those expressing such concerns, 66% were preoccupied with these thoughts. Only 3% of all respondents opted for cosmetic surgery because of these concerns, and most of those individuals (69%) had only one surgery. Nearly 9% of all respondents reported that these concerns affected their relationships with family and friends. Almost 15% of all participants spent an hour or more each day thinking about these concerns. Patients who reported a history of depression were 3.8 times more likely to have BDD. Other variables included in the model predicting high BDD scores (eg, age, job status, and marital status) did not achieve statistical significance.Conclusion: Significant symptoms of BDD (based on the BDDQ) are not uncommon among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Risk factors for this condition were female gender, younger age, being unmarried, and in bivariate and multivariate analyses, history of depression and female gender. These findings underscore the need for increased awareness by clinicians of this disorder, particularly when treating patients with depressive disorder, particularly among women.Keywords: body dysmorphic disorder, body image, prevalence, Saudi Arabia

Abdelkarim Aloweidi, Subhi Alghanem, Isam Bsisu, Omar Ababneh, Mustafa Alrabayah, Khaled Al-Zaben, Ibraheem Qudaisat Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, JordanCorrespondence: Isam BsisuDepartment of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, School of Medicine, University of Jordan, PO Box 13046, Amman 11942, JordanTel/Fax +962 6 535-5000Email isam_bsisu@hotmail.comPurpose: Perioperative cardiac arrests (CAs) are a rare but catastrophic perioperative complication. Much about incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of such events are still unknown. This study investigated anesthesia-related CAs at a tertiary teaching hospital.Methods: CA incidence within 24 hours of anesthesia administration was prospectively identified from May 1, 2016 to April 31, 2019. Each CA was matched by four other cases without CA receiving anesthesia on the same date and under similar operating conditions. The CA cases were reviewed and assigned to one of three groups: anesthesia-related, anesthesia-contributing, and anesthesia not related.Results: A total of 58,303 patients underwent 73,557 procedures under anesthesia during the study period. In sum, 27 CAs were reported for incidence of 3.7 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations (95% CI 2.3– 5.1). Eleven CA were anesthesia-related for incidence of 1.5 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations. Four CA cases were anesthesia-contributing for incidence of 0.5 per 10,000 anesthesia administrations, while 53% of the anesthesia-related and -contributing CAs were due to respiratory problems. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score, cardiovascular surgery, emergency surgery, and increased duration of surgery were significantly correlated with CA incidents when compared to the control group. ASA physical status score is an independent risk factor of the occurrence of perioperative CA (OR 7.6, 95% CI 2.6– 22.4; P< 0.001).Conclusion: Identifying factors associated with increased risk for anesthesia-related CA is of great importance in risk stratification for surgical patients. ASA physical status score was found to be a major factor in predicting perioperative CA, since patients with higher ASA scores had a statistically significant increased risk of CA. Therefore, extra precautions must be taken when dealing with unprepared patients who have uncontrolled medical illnesses, especially those who will be undergoing emergency surgery.Keywords: anesthesia, cardiac arrests, surgery, incidence

ObjectiveOf the present study was to evaluate the impact of end-stage knee OA on patient's perception of their functional abilities and quality of life (QoL) using the self-reported questionnaire; the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and to determine the contribution of knee pain on patient's perceived outcomes.MethodsPatients with end-stage knee OA who are on the waiting list for total knee arthroplasty were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Patients were asked to fill out the KOOS questionnaire. Knee pain for both sides was quantified on a continuous scale from 0-10. Age, and anthropometric data were recorded. Descriptive statistics were calculated for patients' characteristics, and for the scores of each KOOS subscale. Hierarchical linear regression models were created to determine the contributions of knee pain on two KOOS subscales; the function in daily living (KOOS-ADL), and the knee-related quality of life (KOOS-QoL).ResultsPatients in this study scored low across KOOS subscales (27.7% - 54.2%) with the QoL subscale being the lowest. After accounting for age and BMI, hierarchical linear regressions revealed that knee pain in both sides were determinants of self-perceived KOOS-ADLs, while only knee pain in the most-affected side significantly contributed to lower KOOS-QOL scores.ConclusionEnd-stage knee OA negatively impact the patients' perceived function and quality of life. Patients' KOOS scores were similar to those reported in other countries, with QoL being the domain most affected. Our findings demonstrate that the level of knee pain has a determinant effect on our patients' perceptions of functional abilities and QoL. As waiting-list patients, addressing knee pain with a targeted regimen prior to TKA, as well as increasing patient's awareness about knee pain management, may improve/ or minimize deterioration in perceived functional ability and QoL while awaiting TKA.

Oxidative stress, COX-2, LDHA and hyperglycemia are interlinked contributing pathways in the etiology, progression and metastasis of colon cancer. Additionally, dysregulated apoptosis in cells with genetic alternations leads to their progression in malignant transformation. Therefore, quinazolinones 3a–3h and 5a–5h were synthesized and evaluated as antioxidants, enzymes inhibitors and cytotoxic agents against LoVo and HCT-116 cells. Moreover, the most active cytotoxic derivatives were evaluated as apoptosis inducers. The results indicated that 3a, 3g and 5a were efficiently scavenged DPPH radicals with lowered IC50 values (mM) ranging from 0.165 ± 0.0057 to 0.191 ± 0.0099, as compared to 0.245 ± 0.0257 by BHT. Derivatives 3h, 5a and 5h were recognized as more potent dual inhibitors than quercetin against α-amylase and α-glucosidase, in addition to 3a, 3c, 3f and 5b–5f against α-amylase. Although none of the compounds demonstrated a higher efficiency than the reference inhibitors against COX-2 and LDHA, 3a and 3g were identified as the most active derivatives. Molecular docking studies were used to elucidate the binding affinities and binding interactions between the inhibitors and their target proteins. Compounds 3a and 3f showed cytotoxic activities, with IC50 values (µM) of 294.32 ± 8.41 and 383.5 ± 8.99 (LoVo), as well as 298.05 ± 13.26 and 323.59 ± 3.00 (HCT-116). The cytotoxicity mechanism of 3a and 3f could be attributed to the modulation of apoptosis regulators (Bax and Bcl-2), the activation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways via the upregulation of initiator caspases-8 and -9 as well as executioner caspase-3, and the arrest of LoVo and HCT-116 cell cycles in the G2/M and G1 phases, respectively. Lastly, the physicochemical, medicinal chemistry and ADMET properties of all compounds were predicted.

Ahmed Hussein Subki,1 Abdullah Khaled Agabawi,2 Muhab Mohammed Hindi,2 Nadeem Shafique Butt,3 Mohammed Saad Alsallum,4 Rawan Ali Alghamdi,2 Siham Hussein Subki,2 Fahad Alsallum,2 Abdulaziz Ahmed Alharbi,5 Yousif Ibrahim Lodhi,6 Sultan Alandijani,1 Faten Al-Zaben,7 Harold G Koenig,7,8 Ayman M Oraif2 1Department of Internal Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Biostatistics, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Neurology, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5‏Department of Emergency Medicine, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Internal Medicine, East Jeddah Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Psychiatry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USACorrespondence: Ayman M OraifDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 53 806 2000Email ayman_oraif@yahoo.comBackground: The patient–doctor relationship is one of the most important factors in determining the outcome of healthcare. The first step in establishing this relationship is choosing a physician. This study sought to identify patient preferences concerning the gender of their obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN) physician and the effect of religion and society on these choices.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the OB-GYN outpatient clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah between February 2017 and June 2017. A total of 227 female patients were recruited. Eligible were women ages 18 years or older who had attended the clinic at least three times. A 30-item questionnaire was administered.Results: Significantly, more female doctors were preferred for pelvic examination in lower income group (p=0.003), while male doctors were preferred for surgery (p=0.010) in higher income group. Significantly more male doctors were preferred for pelvic examination and gynecological surgery in > 35-year age group (p=0.015 and p=0.017, respectively). With regard to predictors, embarrassment was the most significant factor reported for not choosing a male obstetrician/gynecologist (OB-GYN) in the younger age group. Nearly three-quarters (71.2%) of respondents with age ≤ 35 reported embarrassment as a factor for not choosing a male OB-GYN; 79.7% of this subgroup indicated that female doctors were more knowledgeable about women’s health issues.Conclusion: Participants expressed a strong preference for female providers overall, although some women preferred male providers during certain circumstances (gynecologic surgery). Despite these gender preferences, more important to women in their choice of OB-GYN provider was the doctor’s experience, qualifications, and reputation. Such trends are consistent with those culturally similar countries and in line with trends worldwide. These findings have the potential to significantly impact the personal health for women in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East where religious and cultural traditions are so important in decision-making.Keywords: gender, preference, obstetrics, gynecologist, patient care

Abstract Background Adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) and food insecurity (FI) may influence health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in individuals with celiac disease (CD). This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to a GFD, FI, and HRQOL in individuals with CD. Methods This cross-sectional study included 97 adults (mean age: 34 ± 9 years) diagnosed with CD. The participants were on a GFD for more than 6 months. Sociodemographic characteristics and medical history were assessed. Adherence to a GFD, FI, and HRQOL were assessed using validated questionnaires. Results Most participants (73%) adhered to a GFD, and 62% were experiencing FI. Individuals with CD faced difficulty in accessing GF foods due to the high cost (90%) and limited availability (79%). The mean overall HRQOL score was 60. Scores on the physical and mental health domains were 69 and 47, respectively. Adherence to a GFD was significantly associated with FI (P = 0.02), while there was no association between adherence to a GFD and HRQOL measures (P > 0.05). Participants facing FI had lower scores in emotional well-being and mental health domains, and overall HRQOL (P

This in vitro study focused on the antimicrobial activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of three organs (stems, roots, and leaves) of Pistacia lentiscus against nine bacterial species, two fungal, and one yeast strain. A comparative study of the yield, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) composition, and polyphenol content of the different extracts was conducted. The obtained data showed that the yield of the methanolic extracts (between 13% and 33.3%) was greater than that of the aqueous extracts (between 10% and 18%). The highest yield recorded was in the presence of the methanolic leaf extract, followed by the stem and root extracts. Methanolic extracts are richer in polyphenols than aqueous extracts. Indeed, the highest content was observed in the leaf methanolic extract (28.4 mg GAE/g), followed by the stem (2.96 mg GAE/g), and then the root (2.62 mg GAE/g). HPLC revealed variability in the chemical compositions of the different methanolic extracts. The leaf extract was richer in phenolic acids and flavonoids than the stem and root extracts. Regarding antimicrobial activity, it was concluded that the different methanolic extracts of lentisk were more active than the aqueous extracts. In addition, the different methanolic extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested strains, despite their morphology and Gram-staining. Indeed, the maximum inhibition zones and the minimum inhibitory concentrations for the bacterial strains sensitive to the different methanolic extracts of the mastic tree were in the range of 7 to 11 mm and 12.5 to 25 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, these extracts showed greater inhibitory activity against the tested fungal strains (A. niger and A. flavus) and yeast (C. albicans) than against the bacterial strains. These extracts can be used to treat antimicrobial infections and as food preservatives.

Plant-based medicine is a popular emerging field. If one follows the research of this domain, will observe that the majority of the work is focused on different herbs as medicinal plants. However, many vegetables and fruits, their juices and extracts, possess medicinal properties and have been used as such since ancient times. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the main aliments in many countries. Although regarded as a staple food, people observed its beneficial and medicinal properties. Bioactive components such as anthocyanin, polyphenolic compounds, coumarins, calystegines and triterpenes have been indicated to stimulate immune function, reducing oxidative stress and free radical damage, reduce cardiovascular disease risk, suppress cancer cell growth, prevent and improve symptoms of diabetes and hypoglycemia, suppress HIV symptoms, act as hepatoprotective while being part of a nutritious aliment all together. A sweet potato diet can therefore supplement medication for any of the above-mentioned affections. The current article sets to review the benefits and medicinal properties of sweet potato as regarded by specialty literature. The outcome is to list the main components and the medical benefits observed, outlining the potential uses of Ipomoea batatas in the plant-based medicine field. The review sets to investigate components in all plant parts: tuberous roots, leaves and young shoots.

Introduction: The Demirjian's method has been advocated since 1973 as a universal method in dental age (DA) estimation. Several studies in different populations have shown that DA was overestimated compared with chronological age (CA). The Objective of the Study: The aim of this study was to assess the DA in Jordanian children aged 4–17 years using the Demirjian method and compare it with the standard values provided by Demirjian. Design of the Study: This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects and Methods: Five hundred and eighty four panoramic radiographs of healthy children of both genders. The CA was scored from the medical record of the child and the dental age scored on all seven left mandibular teeth in the panoramic radiograph based on demirjian's method. Statistical Testing: All data were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 25. The statistical analyses were performed using an independent samples t-test and a correlation coefficient to analyze quantitative data and a scatter plot. Results: The DA was overestimated than CA, especially in the intervals between 6–7, 14–15, and 16–17 years in females, and in the interval 12–13 and 16–17 years in males. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between CA and DA according to the girls in the intervals 9–14 years, and there were significant correlations between CA and DA related to boys in the intervals 6–7, 8–11, and 15–16 years. The results from this study have shown that Demirjian “s method cannot be applicable to be used to determine the estimated DA of the Jordanian population. Conclusion: The Demirjian's method for dental estimation is not valid for the Jordanian population, and there should be another method for dental age estimation.

Background and Objective: Functional disturbances of gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) might exist in obesity. However, studies on its association with the gastric hormones in obesity phenotypes are lacking. The objective was to study the association of GMA with the serum levels of key gastric hormones in different obesity phenotypes.Methods: A total of 139 adults (31.00 ± 11.12 years) were classified into different metabolic phenotypes of obesity: 1) normal weight-lean (NWL group): BMI 9.7 kg/m2 in females and >6.3 kg/m2 in males; 3) metabolically healthy obese (MHO group): BMI ≥25 and FMI ≤9.7 kg/m2 in females and ≤6.3 kg/m2 in males; and 4) metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO group): BMI ≥25 and FMI >9.7 kg/m2 in females and >6.3 kg/m2 in males. The GMA was measured at the baseline and post-prandial state using a multichannel electrogastrography with a water load satiety test. The average power distribution by the frequency region and the average dominant frequency were used for analysis. Anthropometric measurements and bioelectric impedance analysis were performed to calculate the FMI and fat-free mass index (FFMI). Serum levels of ghrelin, gastrin, and irisin were measured by ELISA kits according to the manufacturer’s protocol.Results: Compared to the NWL group, gastrin and ghrelin levels were significantly low in the MUO participants, while irisin was significantly high. The EGG showed significantly lower baseline and 20-min normogastria frequencies in the MHO and MUO groups. In the MHO group, baseline duodenal frequency was positively correlated with the gastrin level, while normogastria times were positively associated with the irisin level and negatively associated with the ghrelin level. In the MUO group, percentages of bradygastria frequencies at 10, 20, and 30 min were positively correlated with the BMI and FFMI. This bradygastria was correlated positively with the irisin level and negatively with the ghrelin level.Conclusion: The EGG patterns might be associated with obesity-related gastric hormones in different obesity phenotypes. EGG may be a promising clinical tool in obesity assessment. The association of the EGG patterns with hormonal levels needs further investigation for potential practical uses.

Background and Objectives: Obesity is a chronic inflammatory condition and is considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The effects of obesity management via sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and lifestyle intervention (LS) on inflammatory cytokines, redox status, and CVD risk were studied in this work. Materials and Methods: A total of 92 participants (18 to 60 years old) with obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2 were divided into two groups: the bariatric surgery (BS) group (n = 30), and the LS group (n = 62). According to the achievement of 7% weight loss after 6 months, the participants were allocated to either the BS group, the weight loss (WL) group, or the weight resistance (WR) group. Assessments were performed for body composition (by bioelectric impedance), inflammatory markers (by ELISA kits), oxidative stress (OS), antioxidants (by spectrophotometry), and CVD risk (by the Framingham risk score (FRS) and lifetime atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk (ASCVD)). Measurements were taken before and after six months of either SG or LS (500 kcal deficit balanced diet, physical activity, and behavioral modification). Results: At the final assessment, only 18 participants in the BS group, 14 participants in the WL group, and 24 participants in the WR group remained. The loss in fat mass (FM) and weight loss were greatest in the BS group (p < 0.0001). Levels of IL-6, TNF-a, MCP-1, CRP, and OS indicators were significantly reduced in the BS and WL groups. The WR group had significant change only in MCP-1 and CRP. Significant reductions in the CVD risk in the WL and BS groups were detected only when using FRS rather than ASCVD. The FM loss correlated inversely with FRS-BMI and ASCVD in the BS group, whereas in the WL group, FM loss correlated only with ASCVD. Conclusions: BS produced superior weight and fat mass loss. However, both BS and LS produced a similar reduction in the inflammatory cytokines, relief of OS indicators, and enhancement of antioxidant capacity, and consequently reduced the CVD risk.

The Cossee–Arlman mechanism of nickel-catalyzed oligomerization and dimerization with various N∩N-type ligands was studied using the DFT method. For the L1 ligands (L1 = 2,9-disubstituted 1,10-phenanthroline), the dimerization energy barriers for R = Me and R = Ph are about 17.9 and 15.8 kcal mol−1, respectively. However, the presence of Ph substituents at positions 2 and 9 of the L1 ligand reduces the free energy barriers for the dimerization and trimerization processes by approximately 2.1 and 8.1 kcal mol−1, respectively. Therefore, the Ph substituents prevent the removal of β-H from 1-butene, thus promoting the formation of 1-hexene. This result is consistent with experimental observations. In the case of the L2 ligands (L2 = substituted 2-benzoxazole-pyridines) with R1 = H and R2 = H or Me, and R3 = H, the calculated dimerization energy barriers for the systems (H-H) and (H-Me) are about 12.8 and 20.5 kcal mol−1, respectively. The energy barrier for the system with R1 = H and R2 = R3 = Me (Me-Me) is about 20.9 kcal mol−1. Thus, the activity of these systems towards the formation of 1-butene can be arranged as (H-H) > (H-Me) > (Me-Me). As for L3 ligands (L3 = 2-benzimidazolylpyridine derivatives), six systems with R1 = H, Me, tBu; R2 = H, Me, were studied. The calculated dimerization energy barrier values indicate that the (H-H), (H-Me), and (H-tBu) systems (10.8, 11.1, and 10.9 kcal mol−1, respectively) are more active than the (Me-H), (Me-Me) and (Me-tBu) systems (18.8, 19.1 and 19.0 kcal mol−1, respectively). Finally, for the L4 ligand (L4 = 2-benzoimidazol-8-alkylquinoline derivatives), nine systems were studied, divided into three groups: A system (R1 = H and R2 = H or Me or Et), B system R1 = Me with identical R2 substituents, and C system (R1 = Et with identical R2 substituents). Based on the values of the calculated energy barriers for dimerization and trimerization, the B system shows higher activity than the other systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Moral injury has been found to be prevalent among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Aims The present study examines the relationship between spirituality, moral injury, and mental health among physicians and nurses in mainland China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method An online cross-sectional study was conducted involving 3006 physicians and nurses in mainland China, where the COVID-19 pandemic has caused high rates of hospital admission and death. The Moral Injury Symptoms Scale-Health Professional was administered, along with measures of mental health and spirituality. Hierarchical linear regression modelling was used to examine the mediating and moderating role of moral injury in the relationship between spirituality and mental health. Results Spirituality was positively correlated with moral injury (β = 2.41, P < 0.01), depressive symptoms (β = 0.74, P < 0.01) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.65, P < 0.01) after controlling sociodemographic variables. Moral injury significantly mediated the relationship between spirituality and both depression and anxiety, explaining 60% (0.46/0.76) of the total association between spirituality and depression and 58% (0.38/0.65) of the association with anxiety. No moderating effect of moral injury was found on the spirituality–mental health relationship. Conclusions Although they were the findings of a cross-sectional study, these results suggest that concern over transgressing moral values during the pandemic may have been a driving factor for negative mental health symptoms among Chinese health professionals for whom spirituality was somewhat important. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the causal nature of these relationships.

Background Although mental distress and quality of life (QoL) impairments because of the pandemic have increased worldwide, the way that each community has been affected has varied. Aims This study evaluated the impact of social distancing imposed by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on Brazilians’ mental health and QoL. Method In this cross-sectional community-based online survey, data from 1156 community-dwelling adults were gathered between 11 May and 3 June 2020. We examined independent correlates of depression, anxiety and QoL, including sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, optimism/pessimism and spiritual/religious coping. Dependent variables were assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depressive symptoms, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale for anxiety symptoms, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF for QoL. Correlates of depressive and anxiety disorder were estimated using logistic regression. Results There were high levels of depressive symptoms (41.9%) and anxiety symptoms (29.0%) in participants. Negative spiritual/religious coping was positively correlated with depressive disorder (odds ratio (OR) = 2.14 95% CI 1.63–2.80; P < 0.001) and with anxiety disorder (OR = 2.46 95% CI 1.90–3.18; P < 0.001), and associated with worse social and environmental QoL (P < 0.001). Healthcare professionals were less likely to have depressive symptoms (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.55–0.93; P < 0.001). Participants with friend/family with COVID-19 scored lower on psychological and environmental QoL (P < 0.05). Participants with a longer duration of social isolation were less likely to experience anxiety disorder (OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–0.99; P = 0.004). Conclusions We found high levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms and low levels of QoL in Brazil, which has become a pandemic epicentre. Several characteristics were associated with negative mental health symptoms in this study. This information may contribute to local health policies in dealing with the mental health consequences of COVID-19.

In this study, we will present an efficient and selective adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The silica-based adsorbent is functionalized by 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a] pyridine-3-carbaldehyde (SiN-imd-py) and the characterization was carried out by applying various techniques including FT-IR, SEM, TGA and elemental analysis. The SiN-imd-py adsorbent shows a good selectivity and high adsorption capacity towards Cu(II) and reached 100 mg/g at pH = 6 and T = 25 °C. This adsorption capacity is important compared to other similar adsorbents which are currently published. The adsorption mechanism, thermodynamics, reusability and the effect of different experimental conditions, such as contact time, pH and temperature, on the adsorption process, were also investigated. In addition, a theoretical study was carried out to understand the adsorption mechanism and the active sites of the adsorbent, as well as the stability of the complex formed and the nature of the bonds.

The mechanism of enamine-mediated organocatalytic [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction of Hagemann's ester to p-toluenesulfonyl azide in the present L-proline as a catalyst has been investigated using M06-2X functional with the 6-31+G(d) basis set. The effects of the different solvents were studied with a 6-311+G(d,p) basis set. In addition, the effects of the keto ester substitutions: one model system M1 (R1 = CH3 and R2 = H) and two real systems R2 (R1 = R2 = Me) and R3 (R1 = Et and R2 = Me) also studied in this work. DFT results indicated that the different solvents show the same effect, which leads to a decrease in the ΔG298 along the reaction pathway compared to the gas phase. Moreover, the model system M1 has a lower activation free energy (17.5 kcal/mol) than real systems R2 and R3 by about 3.8 and 3.2 kcal/mol in the solution phase (DMSO), respectively. Analysis of the global and local reactivity indices of the reactants was performed in the gas and solution phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work involves the synthesis of 2,2′-(6-(piperidin-1-yl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)bis(hydrazin-2-yl-1-ylidene))bis(methanylylidene))diphenol 4, characterization, and the DFT studies of the reported compound. The crystal unit cell parameters of 4 are a = 8.1139(2) Å, b = 11.2637(2) Å, c = 45.7836(8) Å. The unit cell volume is 4184.28(15) Å3 and Z = 4. It crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system and Pbca space group. The O…H, N…H, C…H, H…H and C…C intermolecular contacts which affect the crystal stability were quantitatively analyzed using Hirshfeld calculations. Their percentages were calculated to be 9.8, 15.8, 23.7, 46.4, and 1.6% from the whole contacts occurred in the crystal, respectively. Conformational analysis was performed using DFT calculations for 17 suggested conformers and the most stable conformer was found to be the one which is stabilized by two intramolecular O-H…N hydrogen bonding interactions. This conclusion was further revealed by natural bond orbital calculations.