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Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a significant global health concern, with its incidence doubling over the past three decades. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) pose a major threat to CKD patients, surpassing the risk of progressing to end-stage renal disease. While previous studies worldwide have shed light on this association, limited research has been conducted in Saudi Arabia regarding this burden. This study aims to fill this gap by identifying the prevalence and risk factors of CVD in CKD patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 2017 and 2022., Methods: A six-year retrospective review of medical records at KAUH was conducted, including 465 non-end-stage CKD patients aged 30 to 79. Data, including demographics, clinical information, and laboratory results, were collected and statistically analyzed to investigate the association between variables., Results: Out of 465 CKD patients, 262 (56.3%) were diagnosed with CVD, with congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease being the most common types. The majority were male 259 (55.7%), non-Saudi 278 (59.8%), and aged 60 years and older 291 (62.6%). Hypertension 394 (84.7%) and diabetes mellitus 336 (72.3%) were prevalent comorbidities. Severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, proteinuria, diabetes mellitus, and higher BMI were identified as significant risk factors for CVD in CKD patients., Conclusion: This research contributes valuable insights into the prevalence and risk factors of CVD in CKD patients in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the need for early detection and intervention. The identified risk factors provide a basis for developing targeted preventive strategies to mitigate this population's CVD burden., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Nabalawi et al.)

Background: Hypertension (HTN) is the most significant modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overall mortality. HTN is defined as a systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mmHg. Generally, arrhythmias are characterized by a disruption of the heart's regular rhythm. They are strongly associated with increased risks of CVDs and sudden death. The most common arrhythmia worldwide is atrial fibrillation (AF). HTN, diabetes mellitus (DM), and coronary artery disease (CAD) are major risk factors for arrhythmias., Objective: We aimed to identify the postoperative effects and risk factors of HTN and cardiac arrhythmia in patients who underwent cardiac surgery at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) from 2015 to 2022., Methods: A retrospective record review was conducted by collecting data from KAUH electronic medical records. A total of 402 patients participated in this study. This study includes all hypertensive and arrhythmic patients who underwent cardiac surgeries., Results: Of the 402 patients studied, 209 had pre-operative HTN, and 47 had preoperative AF. Developing post-operative arrhythmia was found to significantly increase perioperative morbidity and mortality (p < 0.001). Risk factors for HTN and arrhythmia included increased age, higher BMI, and DM., Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest an association between preoperative HTN and AF and elevated rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality. AF emerged as the predominant arrhythmia type. It is advisable to optimize patients' health status prior to surgical procedures. Moreover, further research is recommended in this field to deepen our understanding of the perioperative implications of HTN and arrhythmias., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Bayazed et al.)

Objective: Certain advantages of donkeys are still not listed as for other equine species. Moreover, donkeys lack comprehensive scientific studies. The present study examines the histological architecture and histochemical characteristics of the esophagus in the Iraqi local breed donkey ( Equus asinus )., Materials and Methods: Eight esophagus samples were collected from a local breed donkey. Tissue specimens (~1 cm 3 ) were collected from the cervical, thoracic, and abdominal regions of the esophagus and processed via routine histological technique. The tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Massons Trichrome, and combined Alcian blue (pH 2.5) plus PAS (AB-PAS)., Results: The esophagus of the local breed donkey had folded mucosa wrapped by thin non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The heights of epithelia of the cervical and thoracic regions of the esophagus were significantly higher than that of the abdominal regions. The lamina propria consisted of dense fibrous tissue that appeared thickest in the thoracic and abdominal regions of the esophagus. The muscularis mucosa disappears at the cervical region, while the thoracic and abdominal regions of the esophagus contain thick, scattered, interrupted bundles of smooth muscle fibers. Tunica submucosa was very thick at the thoracic and abdominal regions of the esophagus, composed of loose connective tissue filled with compound tubular mucoserous esophageal glands. Using a combined AB-PAS stain, mucous alveoli within the esophageal glands indicated strong acidic mucopolysaccharide. Tunica muscularis of the cervical and thoracic regions was built up by striated muscle fibers and turned into smooth type at the abdominal region of the esophagus., Conclusion: The esophagus of the local breed donkey shows considerable histological similarities with the other mammals that make this species reliable as an experimental model of digestive tissue., Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest are declared by the authors., (Copyright: © Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Research.)

Most particle detectors are based on the hypothesis that particles are emitted randomly upon nuclear decay. In the present work, we tested the hypothesis of the existence of correlation in the random trajectories of alpha particles emitted from [Formula: see text]Am source and the null hypothesis of random trajectories. The trajectories were clued through the registration of track in a solid-state nuclear track detector. The experimental parameters were optimized to identify the possible sources of correlation in the track registration and the detector conditions upon exposure and etching to avoid misleading results. The optimization included authentication of linearity in registration efficiency with exposure time to prevent coalescence of registered tracks. The statistical inference processes were based upon adaptive quadrates analysis of the spatial data, and entropy and divergence analysis of the quadrate data together with the null hypothesis of Poisson distribution of random trajectories. The clustering and dispersion analysis were performed with central deviation tendency, empirical K-function, radial distribution analysis, and proximity Analysis. Results showed a pattern of gained information within the registered tracks that may be attributed to the alteration in the alpha particles' trajectories induced by the strong electric field due to atoms in the source compound and encapsulation film., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) lasers are now widely used in therapeutic and other medical applications. Some of these applications require to deliver the laser energy deep toward the desired tissue target or organ. The aim of this in vitro study is to investigate practically whether the modulation of laser energy by employing the therapeutic ultrasound or electrical energies can increase the penetration depth of the laser light inside the tissue. Such modulation was implemented in this study by coupling the (c.w.) diode and Nd:YAG laser energies with the ultrasound or AC current simultaneously as they pass through preprepared ex vivo bovine muscular tissue strips. Two wavelengths of diode lasers were used, 637 and 808 nm beside the 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser. The results showed a noticeable decrease of these laser attenuation factors as they pass through the tissue strips in the presence of the ultrasound or AC energies. By using this coupling modulation, the capability of increasing the laser penetration depths inside the tissue was confirmed without having to increase their applied power.

The effect of wound illumination time by pulsed diode laser on the wound healing process was studied in this paper. For this purpose, the original electronic drive circuit of a 650-nm wavelength CW diode laser was reconstructed to give pulsed output laser of 50 % duty cycle and 1 MHz pulse repetition frequency. Twenty male mice, 3 months old were used to follow up the laser photobiostimulation effect on the wound healing progress. They were subdivided into two groups and then the wounds were made on the bilateral back sides of each mouse. Two sessions of pulsed laser therapy were carried along 15 days. Each mice group wounds were illuminated by this pulsed laser for 12 or 18 min per session during these 12 days. The results of this study were compared with the results of our previous wound healing therapy study by using the same type of laser. The mice wounds in that study received only 5 min of illumination time therapy in the first and second days of healing process. In this study, we found that the wounds, which were illuminated for 12 min/session healed in about 3 days earlier than those which were illuminated for 18 min/session. Both of them were healed earlier in about 10-11 days than the control group did.

Low-level lasers are used in general therapy and healing process due to their good photo-bio-stimulation effects. In this paper, the effects of diode laser and Nd:YAG laser on the healing process of practically managed skeletal muscle trauma has been successfully studied. Standard impact trauma was induced by using a specially designed mechanical device. The impacted muscle was left for 3 days for complete development of blunt trauma. After that it was irradiated by five laser sessions for 5 days. Two types of lasers were used; 785-nm diode laser and 1.064-nm Nd:YAG laser, both in continuous and pulsed modes. A special electronic circuit was designed and implemented to modulate the diode laser for this purpose. Tissue samples of crushed skeletal muscle have been dissected from the injured irradiated muscle then bio-chemically analyzed for the regeneration of contractile and collagenous proteins using Lowry assay for protein determination and Reddy and Enwemeka assay for hydroxyproline determination. The results showed that both lasers stimulate the regeneration capability of traumatized skeletal muscle. The diode laser in CW and pulsed modes showed better results than the Nd:YAG in accelerating the preservation of the normal tissue content of collagenous and contractile proteins beside controlling the regeneration of non-functional fibrous tissue. This study proved that the healing achieved by the laser treatment was faster than the control group by 15-20 days.

Background: The early detection of skin cancer may highly increase the chances of its healing. One of the non-invasive methods of such detection based on the Oblique- Incidence Diffuse Reflectance (OIDR) measurements of the reflected diode laser light from the skin. In this research we designed and implemented the OIDR reflectometry measuring system with a 650 nm diode laser source to aid physicians in diagnosing both squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and basal cell carcinomas(BCC)., Method: The laser is delivered obliquely to the skin surface by an optical fiber fitted through a tube holder of CCD camera. The diffused reflected laser light from the skin is captured by the CCD camera and sent to a computer, which is supplied by a specially prepared Matlab program to analyze these images in order to decide in a time whether the lesion is malignant or benign. Fifty cases were diagnosed under supervision of the consultant section of The Governmental Specialized Marjan Teaching Hospital - MOH - Iraq., Result: The fifty diagnosed cases by this technique, the results were 90% accurate., Conclusion: The method of laser oblique-incidence diffuse reflectance (OIDR) combined with using the developed algorithms that have high classification rates may prove useful in the clinic as the process is fast, noninvasive and accurate.

A complex sum method of quantifying the magnetic susceptibility of a long, narrow cylinder embedded in a uniform medium has been developed. The radius of the cylinder can be as small as one pixel. The susceptibility inside the object is extracted from the magnetic resonance complex images, using two concentric circles around the axis of the cylinder. The numerical simulations of this complex sum method are in good agreement with the phantom studies. Specifically, the method was tested with a susceptibility difference of -9 ppm to mimic air/tissue interface in the human body at 1.5 T with an echo time of 5 ms. Phantom studies using an air-filled cylinder in a solidified gel have shown that the susceptibility of the gel cannot be determined by the usual least-squares-fit method but can be determined by the complex sum method to within 5-10% of the expected value.