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الأهداف: هدفت الدراسة التعرّف إلى أبرز التحدّيات التي تواجه إدارة الابتكارات في مؤسّسات التعليم العالي بسلطنة عمان من وجهة نظر الطلبة قبل، وأثناء، وبعد الابتكار. المنهجية: لتحقيق هدف الدراسة، استُخدم المنهج الوصفي بأسلوب البحوث النوعية وفق تصميم البحث الظواهري، واستُخدمت المقابلة شبه المهيكلة وسيلةً لجمع البيانات، وطُبقت على (30) من الطلبة المشاركين في المسابقات، والحاصلين على تمويل بحثي، وينتسبون إلى جامعتين حكوميتين، وثلاث جامعات خاصّة في السلطنة، وتمّ اختيار العيّنة من مجتمع الدراسة بطريقتين: كرة الثلج، والقصدية. النتائج: أظهرت النتائج أنّ هنالك عددًا من التحدّيات تواجه إدارة الابتكارات في الجامعات العمانية قبل وأثناء وبعد الابتكار حسب خبرات الطلبة، ورغم تقسيم التحديات؛ إلا أن ما يظهر في مرحلة قد يمتدّ أثره للمراحل اللاحقة. وكشفت النتائج أن من تحديات مرحلة ما قبل الابتكار: التنقيب عن الأفكار الابتكارية، وتشكيل الفريق، واختيار المشرف المناسب. أما التحديات أثناء مرحلة الابتكار، منها: التحدّيات الشخصية، والسياسات والقوانين، والموارد البشرية، والموارد المالية والتمويل، وآليات التنسيق والتواصل بين الجهات، والحاضنة، والمعرفة والبيانات، وتحدّيات مرتبطة بصنّاع القرار. وفي مرحلة ما بعد الابتكار، ظهرت تحديات: الموارد البشرية، وقلة المتابعة بعد انتهاء فترة المشاركة، وقلة استعداد الجهات لتبنّي الابتكار، إضافة إلى تحدّيات تسويق الابتكار والمنافسة مع الشركات الأخرى، والتحدّيات المجتمعية. الخلاصة: تقترح الدراسة وضع تصوّر للتخفيف من التحدّيات التي تواجه الطلبة المبتكِرين من وجهة نظر الطلبة أنفسهم، وكذلك من وجهة نظر القائمين على الابتكار في مؤسّسات التعليم العالي بسلطنة عمان، وإجراء مزيدٍ من الدراسات حول التحدّيات التي تواجه إدارة الابتكارات في مؤسّسات التعليم العالي، في سياق جامعاتٍ أخرى وعلى عيّنةٍ أكبر من الطلبة المبتكِرين في سلطنة عمان.

The present study aimed to explore the impact on working culture due to pandemic caused by Covid-19, and whether there were statistically significant sex and experience differences in Sultan Qaboos University staff perceptions. The current study used a questionnaire that applied to a sample consist of 156 staff, of whom 100 were males, and 56 were females. The results of the questionnaire indicated that staff perception the organizational culture during covid-19 pandemic with moderate level. According to sex variable, (13) items of organizational culture during covid-19 pandemic had significant differences from staff perceptions on organizational culture during covid-19 pandemic referred to male, while (3) items had no significant differences. Regarding to staff experience, five of 16 items were significantly differences according to staff experience.

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى الكشف عن واقع توافر أبعاد الأمن الوظيفي لمعلّمي المدارس الخاصة في سلطنة عمان وتحديد مدى تأثرها ببعض المتغيرات الديموغرافية (النوع والجنسية)، علاوة على رصد تحديات ومقترحات تحقق أبعاد الأمن الوظيفي لدى معلّمي المدارس الخاصة من وجهة نظرهم. وقد تم بناء استبيان من أربعة محاور: الأمن المرتبط بالاستمرار في الوظيفة، الأمن المرتبط بالتغيرات التي تطرأ على الوظيفة، الأمن المرتبط بالعناية بالموظف، والأمن المرتبط بالحاجات الاقتصادية. وقد تكوّنت عينة الدراسة من 324 معلّما ومعلّمة من المدارس الخاصة في سلطنة عمان. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى أنّ درجة توافر الأمن الوظيفي على تدرج خماسي هي متوسطة أو مرتفعة في محاورها. كما أنّها مرتبة تنازليًا كالآتي: محور الأمن المرتبط بالعناية بالموظف: 3.76، ومحور الأمن المرتبط بالاستمرار في الوظيفة: 3.75، ومحور الأمن المرتبط بالتغيرات التي تطرأ على الوظيفة: 3.71، ومحور الأمن المرتبط بالحاجات الاقتصادية: 2.96. كما كشفت الدراسة عن وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية في بُعدين من أبعاد الأمن الوظيفي طبقًا لمتغيّر الجنس لصالح الإناث، وكذلك طبقًا لمتغير الجنسية لصالح العُمانيين. ومن أهم ما أوصت به الدراسة: تأمين حقوق المعلّمين في المدارس الخاصة، ووضع سلّم ثابت وعادل لرواتب المعلمين في المدارس الخاصة.

Abstract The most common semiquantitative method of evaluation of pulmonary lesions using 18F-FDG PET is FDG standardized uptake value (SUV). An SUV cutoff of 2.5 or greater has been used to differentiate between benign and malignant nodules. The goal of our study was to investigate the correlation between the size of pulmonary nodules and the SUV for benign as well as for malignant nodules. Methods Retrospectively, 173 patients were selected from 420 referrals for evaluation of pulmonary lesions. All patients selected had a positive CT and PET scans and histopathology biopsy. A linear regression equation was fitted to a scatter plot of size and SUVmax for malignant and benign nodules together. A dot diagram was created to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy using an SUVmax cutoff of 2.5. Results The linear regression equations and (R2)s as well as the trendlines for malignant and benign nodules demonstrated that the slope of the regression line is greater for malignant than for benign nodules. Twenty-eight nodules of group one (≤ 1.0 cm) are plotted in a dot diagram using an SUVmax cutoff of 2.5. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated to be 85%, 36% and 54% respectively. Similarly, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for an SUVmax cutoff of 2.5 and found to be 91%, 47%, and 79% respectively for group 2 (1.1–2.0 cm); 94%, 23%, and 76%, respectively for group 3 (2.1–3.0 cm); and 100%, 17%, and 82%,, respectively for group 4 (> 3.0 cm). The previous results of the dot diagram indicating that the sensitivity and the accuracy of the test using an SUVmax cutoff of 2.5 are increased with an increase in the diameter of pulmonary nodules. Conclusion The slope of the regression line is greater for malignant than for benign nodules. Although, the SUVmax cutoff of 2.5 is a useful tool in the evaluation of large pulmonary nodules (> 1.0 cm), it has no or minimal value in the evaluation of small pulmonary nodules (≤ 1.0 cm).

Background: In Jordanian traditional medicine, Clematis cirrhosa is commonly employed for the management of different diseases. Numerous investigations have documented the cytotoxic properties of different Clematis species against numerous types of cancer. Previously, we demonstrated the potential cytotoxicity of Clematis cirrhosa against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells. Extending our work, the current research aimed to explore the possible mechanisms underlying its antiproliferative activity with a plant safety evaluation., Methods: This study evaluates the extract's impact on the cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell migration through in vitro assays, LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis, docking studies, and an acute toxicity evaluation., Results: The Clematis cirrhosa ethanol extract (CEE) induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest (19.63%), triggered significant apoptosis (41.99%), and inhibited cell migration/wound healing by 28.15%. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed increased expression of the proapoptotic markers BAX (6.03-fold) and caspase-3 (6.59-fold), along with the reduced expression of the antiapoptotic BCL-2, in CEE-treated cells. Moreover, CEE significantly restrained angiogenesis by reducing VEGF mRNA expression by 63.9%. High-resolution LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS studies identified 26 metabolites, including phenolic compounds, fatty acids, and triterpenoids. Docking studies suggested that manghaslin had the highest binding affinity for VEGFR-2, followed by calceolarioside B, quercetin 7- O -rhamnopyranoside, luteolin, and quercetin-3,7- O -diglucoside. On the other hand, salvadoraside exhibited the highest binding affinity for the inhibition of caspase-3, followed by quercetin-3,7- O -diglucoside, kaempferol-3,7- O - α -L-dirhamnoside, manghaslin, and tectoridin, supporting the observed apoptotic effects. Interestingly, the outcomes further indicate that a single oral administration of up to 5000 mg/kg CEE is safe for consumption., Conclusions: These outcomes point to the potential of Clematis cirrhosa as a promising candidate for further exploration in cancer therapy.

Background and study aims Endoscopic resection of appendiceal orifice (AO) polyps extending inside the appendiceal lumen is challenging given the inability to determine polyp lateral margins and risk of appendicitis. Transcecal endoscopic appendectomy (TEA) ensures en bloc resection of these complex polyps. Patients and methods This case series includes patients who underwent TEA by a single endoscopist in the United States. Technical success was defined as achieving complete removal of the appendix along with AO polyp in an en bloc fashion. Results In total, nine patients were included (mean age 69.7 ± 9.6 years). The average appendix size was 4.07 ± 2.02 cm. Technical success was achieved in 100% of the patients. The average procedure length was 118.1 ± 44.21 minutes. The en bloc resection rate, R0 resection rate, and curative resection rates were 100%. Patients were observed for an average of 3.1 ± 1.6 days. One patient developed loculated fluid collection 9 days post procedure, which resolved on its own with oral antibiotic therapy. No other adverse events were recorded. Conclusions This was an early study of the feasibility of TEA in the United States. This novel technique, in early-stage development, is potentially safe and associated with a minimal risk profile in expert hands. Further prospective studies are needed to standardize the technique., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Tara Keihanian: Tara Keihanian is a consultant for Neptune Medical, ConMed, and Lumendi. Mai Khalaf: No conflict of interest to disclose. Fuad Zain Aloor: No conflict of interest to disclose. Dina Hani Zamil: No conflict of interest to disclose. Salmaan A. Jawaid: Salmaan Jawaid is a consultant for ConMed, Creo Medical, and Lumendi Mohamed O. Othman: Mohamed O. Othman is a consultant for Olympus, Boston Scientific Corporation, Abbvie, ConMed, Creo Medical, Lumendi and Apollo. Mohamed O. Othman received research grants from Lucid Diagnostics, AbbVie and ConMed., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Background Adolescents are increasingly facing nutrition-related issues such as overweight, obesity, and underweight, and eating patterns may significantly contribute to these issues. So, this study aims to assess the nutritional status and eating patterns of female secondary school students in Kirkuk City, Iraq.  Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study design was applied, which took place between January 13 and May 30, 2024. The convenience non-probability sampling method was used to select 525 female secondary students in six female government secondary schools. Interview techniques and a structured questionnaire were used to collect data. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), was used for the data analysis. Results The mean age of the participants was 15.66 years old (SD 1.56). The finding revealed that 84 (16%) of secondary school female students were underweight, 100 (19%) of them were overweight, and 22 (4%) were obese. On the other hand, 423 (80.6%) of them reported eating snacks between meals, 497 (94%) reported eating fast food, and 378 (72%) reported skipping meals. The chi-squared test concludes that eating fast food and consuming energy drinks show significant associations with weight status, with a p-value less than 0.05.  Conclusion A quarter of the female secondary school students were overweight or obese, and about one-sixth of them were underweight. Most of them either had snacks between meals, frequently ate fast food, or skipped meals. For these reasons, it is crucial to implement a school-based nutrition program in Iraqi schools., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Research Ethics Committee at the College of Nursing, University of Kirkuk issued approval 5. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Mehammed-Ameen et al.)

Background and Aims: Postoperative stricture is a serious common adverse event after extensive endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the esophagus. Self-assembling peptide (SAP) gel has been shown to promote tissue healing and re-epithelialization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the SAP gel for esophageal stricture prevention after ESD., Methods: This was a multicenter prospective study of patients who underwent esophageal ESD followed by SAP gel application between March 2022 and December 2023. Patients were included if the ESD mucosal defect involved ≥50% of the circumference of the esophagus. High-risk cases were defined as mucosal defects ≥75% of the circumference. Stricture was defined as the inability to pass an endoscope ≥8.9 mm in diameter or a narrow-caliber lumen in a patient with symptoms., Results: A total of 43 patients (median age, 71 years; 81.4% male) underwent ESD (median resected specimen size, 50 mm) during the study period. SAP gel (median, 3 mL) was successfully applied in all cases (median time, 4 minutes). In aggregate, stricture occurred in 20.9% (9 of 43) of the cases. Stricture developed in 30.8% of the high-risk cases: 80% (4 of 5) after circumferential ESD and 19% (4 of 21) in those with defects ≥75% but <100% of the circumference. All cases of stricture resolved with endoscopic treatment. Three cases (6.9%) of postoperative bleeding occurred and were adequately managed endoscopically., Conclusions: We show that SAP gel application was easy, quick, and associated with a relatively low stricture rate comparable to other prophylactic methods. Additional comparative studies are needed to corroborate these preliminary findings., Competing Interests: Disclosure D. Yang: consultant for Olympus, Fujifilm, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, 3D-Matrix, Microtech, and Neptune Medical; and research grants from Microtech and 3D-Matrix. M. K. Hasan: consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, Neptune Medical, and Microtech. M. Gabr: consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, ConMed, 3D-Matrix, Fujifilm, and Adaptiv Endo. S. Jawaid: consultant for Lumendi, Creo Medical, and ConMed. M. Othman: consultant for Olympus, Boston Scientific, Creo Medical, Apollo Endosurgery, Lumendi, AbbVie, and Nestle; and research support from Boston Scientific, ConMed, Lucid Diagnostic, AbbVie, and Nestle. M. J. Rojas De Leon: Consultant for Boston Scientific. N. Sharma: consultant for Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Steris, and Olympus. P. V. Draganov: consultant for Olympus, Fujifilm, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Microtech, Cook Medical, and 3D-Matrix. All other authors disclosed no financial relationships. The study was supported by a research grant from 3D-Matrix. 3D-Matrix was not involved in the design of the study, its conduct, analysis, or interpretation of study results. None of the authors participated in the development of the self-assembling peptide gel or benefit from its sales., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive treatment for superficial gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. 1,2 ESD practice is expanding significantly in the United States and Western countries. This is attributed to a shorter hospital stay, better quality of life, and fewer adverse events compared with surgery. In the United States, ESD usually is performed and managed in an outpatient setting (ambulatory ESD) or with an overnight hospital stay. This practice is in contrast to Eastern Asian countries, where 3 to 5 days of hospital stay is a routine process for observation after ESD. A Swedish study showed that patients with well-selected colorectal neoplasms (median tumor size, 37 mm) could be managed safely in an outpatient setting after ESD. 3 A North American multicenter ESD study also reported that ambulatory ESD was safe and feasible in selected cases (noninvasive cancers, no adverse events, high-volume endoscopists with short procedure time). 4 However, procedural and technical aspects that enable safe outpatient management of patients after ESD need to be investigated., (Copyright © 2024 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and study aims Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) allows removal of tumors en-bloc. Western adoption of ESD has been hindered by its steep learning curve. Western data regarding ESD learning curve are limited. We analyzed the learning curve of a single endoscopist at a tertiary referral center in the United States. Patients and methods All consecutive ESDs performed by a single endoscopist at a tertiary referral center in the United States from 2015 through 2022 were identified. Descriptive statistics and CUSUM analysis were used to describe the learning curve for en-bloc, R0 resection, and resection speed. Results In our study, 503 patients with 515 lesions were included. Severe submucosal fibrosis was found in 17% of the lesions. The rates of en-bloc, R0, and curative resections were 81.9%, 71.1%, and 68.4%, respectively. CUSUM analysis showed that the learning curve plateaued at 268, 347, and 170 cases for en-bloc resection, R0 resection, and achieving a resection speed > 9 cm 2 /hr. Fibrosis significantly affected the R0 resection rate in the regression analysis (95% confidence interval 0.21-0.55). In colonic ESD curve analysis, the learning plateau was reached after 185 cases for both en-bloc and R0 resection. Conclusions Following ex-vivo training in an animal model, an untutored expert operator achieved competency in ESD between 250 and 350 procedures. Our data can inform development of future training programs in the West., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Mai Khalaf: has no conflicts to disclose. Fares Ayoub: has no conflicts to disclose. Mohamed O Othman: Consultant for Olympus America, AbbVie, Boston Scientific Corporation, Lumendi, Apollo, Conmed and Medtronic. Research grants from Olympus America, AbbVie, Boston Scientific Corporation, Lucid Diagnostic and US Biotest. Salmaan Jawaid: consultant for ConMed, Creo Medical, and Lumendi. Kristin Staggers: has no conflicts to disclose. Johanna W El-Haj: has no conflicts to disclose., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Alkali Activated Slag Concrete (AASC) has been a sustained research activity over the past two decades. Its promising characteristics and being environmentally friendly compared to Ordinary Portland Cement made AASC of exceptional interest. However, there is still no firm mix design, for the AASC, that can provide desirable fresh and hardened properties based on the composition of the binder and activator. This research specifically aims to investigate the affecting parameters on the slump and compressive strength of alkali-activated slag/lime-based concrete and provide a better understanding of the potential reasons for these characteristics. The experimental program consisted of two stages; the first stage studied the effect of different binder and activator compositions, and the second stage studied the water-to-binder ratio and binder content effects on the slump and compressive strength of alkali-activated slag/lime-based concrete. The binder and activator compositions were defined through two main parameters, the hybrid factor (HF = CaO/Si 2 O + Al 2 O 3 ) and the solution modulus (Ms = SiO 2 /Na 2 O). The compressive strength, initial slump, and slump loss were measured to evaluate the different mixes and specify the optimum range of compositions. Based on the studied parameters, the effective range to achieve desirable slump and concrete compressive strength is from HF 0.6 up to 0.8 at Ms 1.5, this would achieve a compressive strength of more than 30 MPa and a slump of 100 mm after 90 min., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Among patients with cirrhosis and pre-malignant or early malignant mucosal lesions, surgical intervention carries a much higher bleeding risk. When such lesions are discovered, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) may offer curative therapy with lower risks than surgery and improved outcomes compared to traditional endoscopic resection., Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of ESD in patients with cirrhosis., Methods: Patients with cirrhosis undergoing ESD between July 2015 and August 2022 were retrospectively matched in 1:2 fashion to controls based on lesion location, size, and anticoagulation use. Procedural outcomes were compared between groups., Results: A total of 64 Lesions from 59 patients were included (16 cirrhosis, 43 control). There were no differences in patient or lesion characteristics between groups. En bloc and curative resection was achieved in 84.21%, 78.94% of the cirrhosis group and 88.89%, 68.89% of controls, respectively, with no significant differences. Cirrhotic patients had significantly higher rates of intra-procedural coagulation grasper use for control of bleeding (47.37% vs 20%; P = 0.02). There were otherwise no significant differences in adverse event rates. In the 29 patients with follow up, we found higher rates of recurrence in the cirrhosis group compared to controls (40% vs 5.26%; P = 0.019), however this effect did not persist on multivariable analysis controlling for known confounders., Conclusion: ESD may be safe and effective in patients with cirrhosis. Most procedure related outcomes were not significantly different between groups. Intra-procedural bleeding requiring use of the coagulation grasper use was expectedly higher in the cirrhosis group given the known effects of liver disease on hemostasis., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Robert Luke Pecha, Fares Ayoub, Ankur Patel, Abdullah Muftah, Michael Wright, Mai Khalaf: No conflicts of interest to disclose. Mohamed O. Othman: Mohamed O Othman is a consultant for Olympus, Boston Scientific Corporation, Abbvie, ConMed, Lumendi and Apollo. Mohamed O Othman received research grants from Lucid Diagnostics, AbbVie and ConMed., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bronchial asthma, a common chronic respiratory disease, should be managed and controlled correctly to prevent symptoms and maintain a good quality of life. Viral upper respiratory infections, especially the widespread COVID-19 virus, can exacerbate asthma. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 severity (mild, moderate, severe) on asthma control compared to a control group without COVID-19. Asthma control was assessed using Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores and spirometry before and after COVID-19 infection. Statistical analysis revealed a significant decline ( P = 0.001) in asthma control following mild to moderate COVID-19 recovery, evidenced by increased asthma symptoms, lower ACT scores, difficulty managing asthma, and increased need for asthma medication., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 by the authors.)

A novel series of triazole-benzohydrazone hybrids was efficiently designed and synthesized as antiproliferative agents, targeting different kinases. All compounds were screened via the National Cancer Institute (NCI) against 60 cancer cell lines, where compounds 16, 17, and 18 exhibited growth inhibition percent (GI%) of various leukemia subpanels with values of 70.33%, 64.13%, and 76.03%, respectively. Compound 18 showed broad-spectrum antiproliferative efficacy toward most cancer cells, with outstanding potency regarding melanoma (MALME-3M GI% = 101.82%) and breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 GI% = 85.87%), while proving safe toward the WI-38 normal cell line, compared to doxorubicin. Multikinase investigation including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met), proto-oncogene B-Raf, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase was accomplished to reveal its plausible mechanism of action, giving the ultimate potency against both VEGFR-2 and c-Met with IC 50 values of 0.055 and 0.042 μM, respectively, while displaying moderate to good inhibition concerning the remaining kinases. DNA binding capability was excluded using the methyl green colorimetric assay. Further, it exhibited both early and late apoptotic induction by about 16- and 9.4-fold over the control, respectively, triggering cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. Physicochemical properties and bioavailability radar plot inferred drug-likeness characteristics for compound 18. The molecular docking study assessed the binding pattern with the active sites of c-Met and VEGFR-2., (© 2023 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.)

Antipsychotic drugs like chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPZ) are widely used to treat mental illnesses but can accumulate in the environment if not properly disposed of. Long-term exposure to trace levels of such pharmaceuticals may pose health risks. This study reports a colorimetric assay for detection of the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPZ) based on its ability to reduce gold ions and form gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Optimization of reaction conditions such as pH, temperature and reagent concentrations enabled quantitative analysis of CPZ concentrations from 0.1-30 μg mL -1 , with a detection limit of 0.06 μg mL -1 , 0.23 μg mL -1 quantification limit and less than 3.5% RSD. The AuNPs exhibited a characteristic surface plasmon resonance band at 527 nm detectable by UV-vis spectrophotometry. Method validation with spiked serum, urine and environmental water samples demonstrated acceptable accuracy and precision. Interfering substances showed minimal impact, indicating resilience and specificity. This rapid, inexpensive colorimetric assay could facilitate environmental monitoring and biomedical analysis of antipsychotic drugs., Competing Interests: The authors confirm that there are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background and Aims: Complete closure after endoscopic resection of large nonpedunculated colorectal lesions (LNPCLs) can reduce delayed bleeding but is challenging with conventional through-the-scope (TTS) clips alone. The novel dual-action tissue (DAT) clip has clip arms that open and close independently of each other, facilitating tissue approximation. We aimed to evaluate the rate of complete closure and delayed bleeding with the DAT clip after endoscopic resection of LNPCLs., Methods: This was a multicenter prospective cohort study of all patients who underwent defect closure with the DAT clip after EMR or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of LNPCLs ≥20 mm from July 2022 to May 2023. Delayed bleeding was defined as a bleeding event requiring hospitalization, blood transfusion, or any intervention within 30 days after the procedure. Complete closure was defined as apposition of mucosal defect margins without visible submucosal areas <3 mm along the closure line., Results: One hundred seven patients (median age, 64 years; 42.5% women) underwent EMR (n = 63) or ESD (n = 44) of LNPCLs (median size, 40 mm; 74.8% right-sided colon) followed by defect closure. Complete closure was achieved in 96.3% (n = 103) with a mean of 1.4 ± .6 DAT clips and 2.9 ± 1.8 TTS clips. Delayed bleeding occurred in 1 patient (.9%) without requiring additional interventions., Conclusions: The use of the DAT clip in conjunction with TTS clips achieved high complete defect closure after endoscopic resection of large LNPCLs and was associated with a .9% delayed bleeding rate. Future comparative trials and formal cost-analyses are needed to validate these findings. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT05852457.)., Competing Interests: Disclosure The following authors disclosed financial relationships: M. K. Hasan: Consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, and Microtech. A. Saeed: Consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, Endogastric Solutions, and Medtronic. S. Friedland: Consultant for Intuitive and Capsovision. M. Bilal: Consultant for Boston Scientific. N. Sharma: Consultant for Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Steris, and Olympus. S. Jawaid: Consultant for Lumendi, Creo Medical, Boston Scientific, and ConMed. M. Othman: Consultant for Olympus, Boston Scientific, Creo Medical, Apollo Endosurgery, Lumendi, Abbvie, and Nestle; research support from Boston Scientific, ConMed, Lucid Diagnostic, Abbvie, and Nestle. J. H. Hwang: Consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, Medtronic, Microtech, Lumendi, Neptune, and Fujifilm. N. Cosgrove: Consultant for Boston Scientific and Olympus. M. A. Arain: Consultant for Boston Scientific, Olympus, and Cook Medical. D. Yang: Consultant for Olympus, Fujifilm, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, 3D-Matrix, Microtech, and Neptune Medical; research grants from Microtech and 3D-Matrix. All other authors disclosed no financial relationships. Research support for this study (D.Y.) was provided by Microtech., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the intricate relationship between exposure to information sources, trust in these sources, conspiracy and misinformation beliefs, and COVID-19 anxiety among 509 Omani citizens aged 11 to 50, representing 11 governorates. Employing structural equation modeling, we not only examine these associations but also explore how trust and COVID-19 anxiety act as moderating variables in this context. Additionally, we delve into demographic factors such as age group, educational level, gender, and place of residence (governorate) to discern potential variations.Our findings reveal that trust in health experts is inversely related to belief in conspiracy theories, while trust in health experts negatively correlates with exposure to conspiracy and misinformation. Intriguingly, trust in health experts exhibits divergent effects across governorates: it diminishes conspiracy and misinformation beliefs in some regions but not in others. Exposure to personal contacts and digital media, on the other hand, is associated with heightened beliefs in misinformation and conspiracy theories, respectively, in select governorates. These distinctions may be attributed to proximity to Muscat, the capital city of Oman, where various media outlets and policy-making institutions are situated. Furthermore, lower educational attainment is linked to greater belief in conspiracy and misinformation. Females reported higher levels of conspiracy theory beliefs and COVID-19 anxiety while no significant differences were detected in misinformation beliefs.This study sheds light on the intricate dynamics of misinformation and conspiracy theories in the context of COVID-19 in Oman, highlighting the pivotal roles of trust and COVID-19 anxiety as moderating factors. These findings offer valuable insights into understanding and addressing the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories during a public health crisis., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Isoselenocyanates are valuable coupling partners required for preparing key chemical intermediates and biologically active molecules in an accelerated and effective way. Likewise, (Z)-2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chlorides have been employed in numerous one-step heteroannulation reactions to assemble the structural core of several various kinds of heterocyclic compounds. Here, we describe the inverse electron demand 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of isoselenocyanates with a variety of substituted (Z)-2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chlorides to generate, regioselectively and stereoselectively, a series of 5-arylimino-1,3,4-selenadiazole derivatives comprising a multitude of functional groups on both aryl rings. The synthetic method features gentle room-temperature conditions, wide substrate scope, and good to high reaction yields. The selenadiazoles were separated by gravity filtration in all instances and chemical structures were validated by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and high accuracy mass spectral measurements. First conclusive molecular structure elucidation of the observed 5-arylimino-selenadiazole regioisomer was verified by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal-structure measurement was successfully carried out on (Z)-1-(4-(4-iodophenyl)-5-(p-tolylimino)-4,5-dihydro-1,3,4-selenadiazol-2-yl)ethan-1-one and (Z)-1-(5-((4-methoxyphenyl)imino)-4-(4-(methylthio)phenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,3,4-selenadiazol-2-yl)ethan-1-one. Likewise, the (Z)-geometry of the hydrazonoyl chloride reactant was proven by X-ray diffraction studies. As representative examples, crystal-structure determination was carried out on (Z)-2-oxo-N-phenylpropanehydrazonoyl chloride and (Z)-N-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2-oxopropanehydrazonoyl chloride. Density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP-D4/def2-TZVP level were conducted to support the noted experimental findings and suggested mechanism., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Petroselinum crispum (Mill) Fuss is an aromatic plant belonging to the Apiaceae family and used in gastronomy as a spice. Several studies have been developed in leaves but studies are limited in seeds, especially the essential oils obtained from seeds. The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical profile of the volatile compounds of this essential oil by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to evaluate its phytotoxic activity on Lactuca sativa seeds and to carry out an in silico analysis on the target enzyme of the herbicide glyphosate 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase (EPSP). The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation for two hours and then was injected into a GC-MS, the phytotoxic assay was carried out on Lactuca seeds and the in silico evaluation on the EPSP synthase focused on the volatile compounds similar to glyphosate, docking analysis, and molecular dynamics to establish the protein-ligand stability of the most active molecule. The chromatographic analysis revealed 47 compounds, predominated by three compounds with the most abundant percentage in the total content (1,3,8-ρ-menthatriene (22.59%); apiole (22.41%); and β-phellandrene (15.02%)). The phytotoxic activity demonstrated that the essential oil had a high activity at 5% against L. sativa seed germination, inhibition of root length, and hypocotyl length, which is comparable to 2% glyphosate. The molecular docking on EPSP synthase revealed that trans-p-menth-6-en-2,8-diol had a high affinity with the enzyme EPSP synthase and a better stability during the molecular dynamic. According to the results, the essential oil of P. crispum seeds presented a phytotoxic activity and might be useful as a bioherbicide agent against weeds.

Background: Large appendiceal orifice polyps are traditionally treated surgically. Recently, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have been utilized as alternative resection techniques., Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic resection techniques for the management of large appendiceal orifice polyps., Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted to assess the feasibility and safety of EMR and ESD for large appendiceal orifice polyps. This project was approved by the Baylor College of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Patients who underwent endoscopic resection of appendiceal orifice polyps ≥ 1 cm from 2015 to 2022 at a tertiary referral endoscopy center in the United States were enrolled. The main outcomes of this study included en bloc resection, R0 resection, post resection adverse events, and polyp recurrence., Results: A total of 19 patients were identified. Most patients were female (53%) and Caucasian (95%). The mean age was 63.3 ± 10.8 years, and the average body mass index was 28.8 ± 6.4. The mean polyp size was 25.5 ± 14.2 mm. 74% of polyps were localized to the appendix (at or inside the appendiceal orifice) and the remaining extended into the cecum. 68% of polyps occupied ≥ 50% of the appendiceal orifice circumference. The mean procedure duration was 61.6 ± 37.9 minutes. Polyps were resected via endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, and hybrid procedures in 5, 6, and 8 patients, respectively. Final pathology was remarkable for tubular adenoma ( n = 10) [one with high grade dysplasia], sessile serrated adenoma ( n = 7), and tubulovillous adenoma ( n = 2) [two with high grade dysplasia]. En bloc resection was achieved in 84% with an 88% R0 resection rate. Despite the large polyp sizes and challenging procedures, 89% ( n = 17) of patients were discharged on the same day as their procedure. Two patients were admitted for post-procedure observation for conservative pain management. Eight patients underwent repeat colonoscopy without evidence of residual or recurrent adenomatous polyps., Conclusion: Our study highlights how endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, and hybrid procedures are all appropriate techniques with minimal adverse effects, further validating the utility of endoscopic procedures in the management of large appendiceal polyps., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Tara Keihanian has received fees for serving as a consultant for Lumendi and Neptune Medical. Mohamed O Othman has received fees for serving as a consultant for Olympus America, Abbvie, Boston Scientific Corporation, Lumendi, Apollo, Conmed, and Medtronic. Mohamed O Othman has received research funding from Olympus America, Abbvie, Boston Scientific Corporation, and US Biotest., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spread through air spaces (STAS) is a recently described route of tumor invasion associated with poor prognosis in primary lung cancer. Aim of this study was to investigate the presence of STAS and to assess its prognostic significance in patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) for solitary metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC)., Materials and Methods: All 49 CRC patients (30 male and 19 female, median age 66 years) who underwent PM between January 2008 and December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed., Results: STAS was identified in 26.5% ( n  = 13) of resected specimens. Location of pulmonary lesions (central vs. peripheral) was assessed based on the available computed tomography imaging ( n  = 47, 96%). STAS was detected in all five patients with central metastases (100%) versus 7 of 42 (17%) with peripheral metastases ( p  = 0.0001). Locoregional recurrence occurred in STAS-positive patients ( n  = 4 of 13 vs. n  = 0 of 36), all STAS-negative patients remained recurrence-free ( p  = 0.003). Median number of alveoli with STAS involvement was four (range from 2 to 9). There was statistically positive relationship between the number of alveoli invaded with STAS and locoregional recurrence of metastases ( p  = 0.0001). The presence of STAS is not a factor affecting the 5-year overall survival rate ( p  = 0.6651)., Conclusion: We identified STAS as a frequent finding in resected CRC lung metastases and found insignificant association with outcome., Competing Interests: None declared., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Background: English language anxiety (ELA) is a prevalent phenomenon in language education. It is one of the most commonly investigated non-linguistic variables in studies of language learning. Accordingly, numerous studies have paid great attention to the factors leading to FLA., Methods: As instruments of ELA have not been subjected to a rigorous test of item response theory (IRT), this study conducted such analysis using the Rasch rating scale model. ELAS scale developed using classical testing theory (CTT), which consists of 32 items measuring four sub-scales (listening, speaking, reading and writing anxiety), was analysed using IRT. WINSTEPS software and SPSS version 26 were used to examine the psychometric properties, sex differential item functioning (DIF) and Rasch analysis of the ELAS in the Egyptian context. A total of 604 participants were recruited for data collection., Results: The main findings indicated that the scale yielded a good approximation of Rasch assumptions and appears to be a valid and reliable tool. DIF was computed using the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) method and Welch's t-test, which indicated that no sex bias was detected for any item of the ELAS., Conclusions: This paper presents a promising ELA instrument characterized by adequate validity, reliability and objectivity in addition to potential for precise use in comparison between males and females because it is invariant across sex., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Terminal sterilization of bone allograft by gamma radiation is required to reduce the risk of infection. Free radical scavengers could be utilized to minimize the deteriorating effects of gamma radiation on bone allograft mechanical properties. The objective of this research is to assess the changes in structural and chemical composition induced by hydroxytyrosol (HT) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) free radical scavengers in gamma sterilized cortical bone. Bovine femurs specimens were soaked in different concentrations of HT and ALA for 7 and 3 days respectively before irradiation with 35 KGy gamma radiation. The attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the X-ray diffraction techniques were utilized to analyze the changes in chemical composition induced by irradiation in the presence of free radical scavengers. A significant increase in the proportion of amide I and amide II to phosphate was noticed in the irradiated group, while in the pretreated groups with ALA and HT this effect was minimized. In addition, gamma radiation reduced the mature to immature cross links while ALA and HT alleviated this reduction. No significant changes were noticed in the mineral crystallinity or crystal size. Bone chemical structure has been changed due to gamma irradiation and these changes are mainly relevant to amide I, amide II proportions and collagen crosslinks. The deteriorating effects of gamma sterilization dose (35 kGy) on chemical structure of bone allograft can be alleviated by using (HT) and (ALA) free radical scavengers before irradiation.

Aim of the Work: This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the clinical reliability of N-terminal fragment of proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in identifying patients with cardiotoxicity in the early hours following scorpion sting., Subjects and Methods: This study involved 483 children aging between 2-17 years who were admitted to Minia University Poisoning Control Center from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2019 with a history of scorpion sting, and on clinical evaluation symptoms were manifested. All subjects were clinically examined, investigated for NT-proBNP and CPK-MB on admission, 6 h and 24 h post-envenomation; and subjected to 24 h cardiac monitoring with periodic ECG every 6 h., Results: Assessment of CPK-MB levels showed a significant increase in all moderate to severe cases 6 h post-envenomation. Assessment of NT-proBNP levels showed a significant increase in all moderate to severe cases on admission and 6 h post-envenomation. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the NT-proBNP level after 24 h compared with that measured on admission. The sensitivity of NT-proBNP for the diagnosis of myocardial injury at hospital admission was significantly higher than that of CPK-MB., Conclusion: NT-proBNP may be a valuable and sensitive laboratory biomarker to predict cardiotoxicity of scorpion sting in the early hours.

Twenty-eight fungal endophytes were recovered from the different parts of Ginkgo biloba and screened for their Taxol producing potency. Among these isolates, Penicillium polonicum AUMC14487 was reported as the potent Taxol producer (90.53 μg/l). The chemical identity of the extracted Taxol was verified from the TLC, HPLC, NMR, EDX, and FTIR analyses. The extracted Taxol displayed a strong antiproliferative activity against HEPG2 (IC 50 4.06 μM) and MCF7 (IC 50 6.07 μM). The yield of Taxol by P. polonicum was optimized by nutritional optimization with the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) using Plackett-Burman and Central Composite Designs. In addition to nutritional optimization, the effect of γ-irradiation of the spores of P. polonicum on its Taxol producing potency was evaluated. The yield of Taxol by P. polonicum was increased via nutritional optimization by response surface methodology with Plackett-Burman and FCCD designs, and γ-irradiation by about 4.5 folds, comparing to the control culture. The yield of Taxol was increased by about 1.2 folds (401.2 μg/l) by γ -irradiation of the isolates at 0.5-0.75 kGy, comparing to the control cultures (332.2 μg/l). The highest Taxol yield was obtained by growing P. polonicum on modified Czapek's- Dox medium (sucrose 40.0 g/l, malt extract 20.0 g/l, peptone 2.0 g/l, K 2 PO 4 2.0 g/l, KCl 1.0 g/l, NaNO 3 2.0 g/l, MgSO 4 . 5H 2 O 1.0 g/l) of pH 7.0 at 30.0 °C for 7.0 days. From the FCCD design, sucrose, malt extract and incubation time being the highest significant variables medium components affecting the Taxol production by P. polonicum ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Gamma radiation sterilization is the method used by the majority of tissue banks to reduce disease transmission from infected donors to recipients through bone allografts. However, many studies have reported that gamma radiation impairs the structural and mechanical properties of bone via formation of free radicals, the effect of which could be reduced using free radical scavengers. The aim of this study is to examine the radioprotective role of hydroxytyrosol (HT) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on the mechanical properties of gamma-sterilized cortical bone of bovine femur, using three-point bending and microhardness tests. Specimens of bovine femurs were soaked in ALA and HT for 3 and 7 days, respectively, before being exposed to 35-kGy gamma radiation. In unirradiated samples, both HT and ALA pre-treatment improved the cortical bone bending plastic properties (maximum bending stress, maximum bending strain, and toughness) without affecting microhardness. Irradiation resulted in a drastic reduction of the plastic properties and an increased microhardness. ALA treatment before irradiation alleviated the aforementioned reductions in maximum bending stress, maximum bending strain, and toughness. In addition, under ALA treatment, the microhardness was not increased after irradiation. For HT treatment, similar effects were found. In conclusion, the results indicate that HT and ALA can be used before irradiation to enhance the mechanical properties of gamma-sterilized bone allografts.

Background: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Visfatin is an adipokine produced by visceral fat tissue and liver cells. Transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) noninvasively assesses liver fibrosis and steatosis., Aim: To measure visfatin level in 80 children and adolescents with obesity as a potential biomarker for NAFLD and assess its relation to transient elastography., Methods: Abdominal ultrasound, liver stiffness and CAP measurements were performed for all patients. Fasting lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, insulin level, liver and kidney functions, coagulation profile and serum visfatin levels were assessed., Results: Among patients with obesity, 31 (38.8%) had NAFLD and 16 (20%) patients had elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT), while 9 (11.2%) had both NAFLD and elevated ALT. Transient elastography showed that 12.5% had fibrosis stage F1, 2.5% had F2 and another 2.5% had F3 while none had F4. Using CAP, 23.8, 13.8 and 17.5% had S1, S2 and S3, respectively. Serum visfatin levels were significantly elevated in all patients compared with nonobese controls. Higher visfatin levels were found among patients with dyslipidemia, NAFLD, elevated ALT and steatosis defined by CAP. Serum visfatin was related to the degree of fibrosis and steatosis. Visfatin cutoff value 18 ng/mL could significantly detect the presence of NAFLD with 83.9% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity. Serum visfatin was positively correlated to BMI, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, ALT, total cholesterol, liver stiffness and CAP., Conclusions: Visfatin could be a promising serum biomarker for monitoring liver disease among pediatric patients with obesity.

Background and Aim: Drinking water of poor microbiological quality contains high percentages of microbes causing outbreaks of mainly coliform-related diseases. These microbes could be controlled by many hygienic standards including disinfection, but disinfectants misuse causes the developing of disinfectant-resistant strains. The present study aimed to investigate drinking water bacterial profile, determine chlorine-resistant strains, and statistically correlate that with the used disinfectant and disinfection process variables. In vitro evaluation of the bactericidal effect of the most commonly used disinfectants in cattle operations against the isolated chlorine-resistant strains and detection of qacE resistance gene in the isolated chlorine-resistant Escherichia coli strains in some cattle farms suffering coliform and non-coliform related disease around Egypt., Materials and Methods: A structured questionnaire is used to survey a convenience sample of 132 Egyptian cattle beef and dairy farms suffering emerged epidemics to identify commonly used disinfection process, disinfectant types, disinfectants frequency, and rate of use. One hundred and thirty-two water samples were collected for microbiological analysis to obtain water bacterial profile and testing resistance to chlorine. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the level of association between microbial profile and presence of chlorine-resistant strains in each farm with used disinfection, disinfectant types, and rate of use in these farms., Results: A wide range of disinfectant types used for variable purposes inside cattle farms with a different frequency of use and the highest percent of farms 25.8% use 4-5 types of disinfectants, followed by 25% of farms use two types, then 18.9% use three types. Microbial profile of water samples revealed isolation of E. coli , Streptococcus faecalis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Salmonella spp., Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., Shigella flexneri , Serratia marcescens , and Yersinia enterocolitica in percent (98.5, 97.7, 97.7, 76.5, 66.7, 36.4, 78.8, 74.2, 30.3, 29.5, and 14.4% of cattle farms, respectively), from which five E. coli , four Salmonella , four Pseudomonas , two Klebsiella , and four Streptococcus strains expressed chlorine resistance. Statistical analysis showed weak to moderate correlation (rho 0.15-0.46) between bacterial profile strains count and presence of resistant strains with different farm disinfection, disinfectant types, and rate of use. Experimental evaluation of the bactericidal effect of the eight selected disinfectants on the chlorine-resistant isolated strains revealed that peroxymonosulfate killed 19/19 isolated strains/15 min contact time, and quaternary ammonium compounds killed only 3/19 strains/15 min contact time. The qacE resistance gene was detected in 3/4 isolated chlorine-resistant E. coli strains., Conclusion: Drinking water microbial profile strains and resistance to disinfectants are widely varied in cattle farms, and this variance depends on critical factors among which the disinfection process types used disinfectant types and frequency of disinfectants use or change., (Copyright: © Kamal, et al.)

The Reef Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is one of the most dangerous venomous fish known, and has caused occasional human fatalities. The present study was designed to examine some of the pathological effects of the venom from this fish in Sprague Dawley rats. Crude venom was extracted from venom glands of the dorsal spines of stonefish specimens collected from coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba (in the northeastern branch of the Red Sea). The rats were given intramuscular injections of the venom and acute toxicity and effect on selected serum marker enzymes as well as normal architecture of vital organs were evaluated. The rat 24 h LD50 was 38 μg/kg body weight. The serum biochemical markers; alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) increased after 6 h of administration of a sub lethal dose of the venom and remained significantly raised at 24 h. Amylase levels also significantly increased after venom injection. The venom caused histological damage manifested as an interstitial hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and necrosis. The demonstrated rises in the levels of different critical biochemical parameters in the serum may have led to the observed abnormal morphological changes in these organs. These results may account for some of the clinical manifestations observed in victims of stonefish envenomation. Thus, the presented data provide further in vivo evidence of the stonefish toxic effects that may threaten human life and call for the need for special measures to be considered., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The spatial distribution of 50 ornamental fish species from shallow water habitats on coral reefs were investigated using visual census techniques, between latitudes 11-29°N in the Red Sea, in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, and in the adjacent Gulf of Aden in Djibouti. One hundred eighteen transects (each 100×5 m) were examined in 29 sites (3-8 sites per country). A total of 522,523 fish individuals were counted during this survey, with mean abundance of 4428.2 ± 87.26 individual per 500 m² transect. In terms of relative abundance (RA), the most abundant species were Blue green damselfish, Chromis viridis (RA=54.4%),followed bySea goldie, Pseudanthias squamipinnis (RA= 34.7), Whitetail dascyllus, Dascyllus aruanus (RA= 2.6%), Marginate dascyllus, Dascyllus marginatus (RA= 2.0),Red Sea eightline flasher Paracheilinus octotaenia (RA=1.0),andKlunzinger's wrasse, Thalassoma rueppellii (0.7%). The highest number of species (S) per 500 m² transect was found on reefs at the latitude 20° in Saudi Arabia (S=21.8), and the lowest number of species was found at the latitude 15° in Djibouti (S=11.11). The highest mean abundance (8565.8) was found on reefs at latitude 20° in Saudi Arabia and the lowest mean abundance (230) was found on reefs at latitude 22°, also in Saudi Arabia. Whereas, the highest Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index was found in reefs at the latitude 22° (H`=2.4) and the lowest was found in reefs at the latitude 20° (H`=0.6). This study revealed marked differences in the structure of ornamental fish assemblages with latitudinal distribution. The data support the presence of two major biogeographic groups of fishes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden: the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden group and the group in the northern and central Red Sea. Strong correlations were found between live coral cover and the number of fish species, abundance and Shannon-Wiener Diversity indices, and the strength of these correlations varied among the reefs. A conclusion was done that environmental differences among the reefs and the habitats investigated were important components of abundance variations and species diversity of ornamental fish along latitudinal gradients in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors has become the first-line treatment of erectile dysfunction nowadays. The daily application of tadalafil has become a line of treatment of other diseases such as pulmonary hypertension and cardiomyopathy. This study aimed at exploring whether the chronic use of tadalafil has an adverse effect on the testes and semen of old albino rats. Sixty male albino rats were divided into three groups. Group 1: given 2 ml saline orally for 90 days. Group 2: received tadalafil orally (1.8 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 3 months equivalent to 20 mg day(-1) for 3 months as in human dose) and Group 3: received tadalafil orally (1.8 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for 6 months equivalent to 20 mg day(-1) for 6 months as in human dose). Animals were observed daily for signs of toxicity and mortality. Body weight and food consumption were recorded once a week. After sacrificing the animals, gross examination of the testes was performed in situ and then the epididymis was processed for the evaluation of sperm parameters and testes with other organs relative weight was calculated. Testicular histopathological examination was performed to evaluate microscopic changes in the seminiferous tubules. The mean testicular weight was significantly lower in animals of Group 3, and no significant changes were observed in Group 2. Sperm count showed a significant time-dependent decrease. Sperm motility decreased significantly in both groups with higher effect in Group 3. Incidence of abnormal forms increased in both groups (about 5 and 7 times in Group 2 and 3 respectively). Histological examination revealed mild changes in Group 2 and moderate changes in Group 3 in the form of loosely packed connective stroma around seminiferous tubules, reduction in number of spermatogenic cells with sloughing of many spermatocytes within the lumen of some tubules. Large vacuoles appeared in the tubules which contained a fewer number of sperm. Sperm bundles were degenerated in most tubules and completely absent in others. It is concluded that chronic daily use of tadalafil produces detrimental effects on the structure and function of the testes of old male albino rats which are duration dependent., (© 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Purpose: Glaucoma drainage implants are a useful alternative in treating glaucomas that are resistant to medical therapy and conventional glaucoma filtration surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate flexible Ahmed glaucoma valve implant for selected cases of refractory glaucoma regarding its efficiency in controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) and possible postoperative complications of its implantation and their management., Method: Patients included in this study were selected from patients with uncontrolled IOP by conventional filtration surgery as well as maximum tolerable topical medical treatment when surgery or laser is unlikely to control IOP. For every patient, complete history of age, sex, and history of previous ocular disease was done. Ocular examination for IOP measurement, best-corrected visual acuity measurement, and condition of conjunctiva was done. Ahmed glaucoma valve flexible plate implant (FP7 and FP8) was used., Results: The present study included 40 eyes of 40 patients and preoperative IOP ranged from 32 mmHg to 58 mmHg with a mean of 40.36 ± 7.78 mmHg. The postoperative IOP ranged between 14.0 mmHg and 28.0 mmHg with a mean of 18.73 ± 4.8 mmHg. The criteria of success were applied in 37 eyes of 40 eyes (92.5%); they included 30 eyes (81.8%) with absolute success and 7 eyes (18.9%) with partial success., Conclusions: Flexible Ahmed glaucoma valve plate implant is a satisfactory method for controlling elevated IOP in cases of refractory glaucoma with success rate of 92.5% and lower incidence of immediate postoperative and implant-related complications.

We aimed at studying the acute cardiotoxicity of the most commonly used antipsychotics in Egypt using QTc interval and NT-proBNP as markers for the early detection of such cases. Eighty-two admitted patients, at El-Minia PCC (period from 1-7-2005 to 30-6-2010), were classified into 3 groups: I: acute thioridazine overdose (n = 28), II: acute pimozide overdose (n = 23), and III: acute clozapine overdose (n = 31). Patients were investigated for NT-proBNP level and QTc on admission (day 0) and after 24 h (day 1). All the studied drugs had the ability to induce cardiotoxicity in the form of hypotension and dysrhythmias. Thioridazine and pimozide had potentially serious cardiotoxic effects than clozapine. NT-proBNP levels were elevated significantly in all groups on days 0 and 1 when compared with the reference value and a significant decrease in the same parameter on day 1 when compared with that of day 0 within the same group. QTc showed a significant prolongation in all studied groups on days 0 and 1, and there was a significant shortening of QTc on day 1 when compared with that of day 0 within the same group. A significant positive correlation of NT-proBNP level elevation with QTc prolongation was reported in all groups on days 0 and 1. Serious dysrhythmias were associated with QTc prolongation greater than 500 ms. And it was concluded that NT-proBNP, in adjunction with QTc measurement, may be a valuable and sensitive laboratory biomarker to predict cardiotoxicity of antipsychotic overdose. Larger multicenter studies are still needed to verify this possible relationship.

Background and Objectives: Shisha smoking, one of the commonest methods of smoking tobacco among Arabs, increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of shisha smoking among male students of three colleges and to identify factors associated with shisha smoking., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 500 male students of three colleges (medicine, applied medical sciences and dentistry). Data were collected from 371 students using a self-administered questionnaire., Results: The overall prevalence of shisha smoking was 12.6% (8.6% shisha only and 4.0% both shisha and cigarettes). Thirty students (63.8%) started shisha smoking at ages of 16 to 18 years. Seven students (15%) smoked shisha daily. Cafiotas or restaurants were the favorite places for smoking (70.2% of students). There was a high prevalence of shisha smoking among students whose mothers had a secondary (19.1%) and higher (53.3%) education., Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of shisha smoking among university students. The majority of students started shisha smoking at a young age. Public health measures, including the banning of smoking in public places are recommended.

Purpose: Conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR) is the gold standard for the treatment of many cases of canalicular obstruction since 1965 (Kominek & Cervenka, 2004). With a proper CDCR and a well-placed Jones tube, the success rate in our experience is almost 100%. The most frequent complication is extrusion and dislocation. Rates as high as 49% have been reported in some studies (Rose & Welham, 1991). Various modifications have been introduced in the tube design in order to minimize extrusion, including tubes with suture holes, the frosted Jones tubes, and regular porous polyethylene-coated tubes. The regular porous polyethylene-coated tubes are covered by a long sleeve of porous polyethylene, which irritates the conjunctiva causing discharge and sometimes granuloma formation. We describe here a modification of this tube with a much shorter porous polyethylene sleeve to minimize the ocular irritation and discharge., Methods: Ten patients, age 29-50 years, with complete canalicular obstruction and excessive tearing after failed DCR with canaliculoplasty were included in this study. All patients underwent CDCR with anastomoses of the sac mucosa with that of the nasal mucosa via posterior and anterior flaps. Subsequent placement of porous polyethylene-coated Lester Jones tubes were done at the site of carunculectomy. The regular porous polyethylene coat was shortened using a surgical blade to correspond to the fistula opening, only without extension to the caruncle. The average length of the coat in the 10 cases was about 5 mm., Results: Postoperatively, all patients had surgically successful outcomes, with no complaints of epiphora or discomfort. All tubes are still in proper position and functioning well. Our follow-up has been limited to an 18-month period., Conclusion: CDCR with the modified porous polyethylene-coated Lester Jones tube has the same advantages of the traditional porous polyethylene-coated tube. Moreover, it reduces the discharge and ocular irritation, which are the main complications of the CDCR with the current porous polyethylene-coated Jones tube.

Gibberellic acid (GA) production from milk permeate was studied by 28 mutants of Fusarium moniliforme, among which mutant gamma-14 was selected as the best producer. Experiments were carried out in shaker flasks and fermentative process was analyzed with free and immobilized cells. Immobilization of mutant gamma-14 cells onto loofa sponge discs was studied with respect to the optimization of the incubation temperature, initial pH, inoculum size (number of discs) and its reusability for GA production. Best yield of GA (2.40 gl(-1)) was recorded by immobilized cells under optimized cultural conditions (4 immobilized discs, 30 degrees C and pH 5). Data obtained during four reusable cycles showed high stability of GA production and reduction in the initiation time of acid production, resulting in higher levels of GA in shorter time duration. Immobilization of mutant gamma-14 cells onto loofa sponge discs, permitted repeated reuse under the specified fermentation conditions for GA production from milk permeate.

The potential of Aspergillus niger fungus and Spirogyra sp., a fresh water green algae, was investigated as a biosorbents for removal of reactive dye (Synazol) from its multi component textile wastewater. The results showed that pre-treatment of fungal and algal biomasses with autoclaving increased the removal of dye than pre-treatment with gamma-irradiation. The effects of operational parameters (pH, temperature, biomass concentration and time) on dye removal were examined. The results obtained revealed that dried autoclaved biomass of A. niger and Spirogyra sp. exhibited maximum dye removal (88% and 85%, respectively) at pH3, temperature 30 degrees C and 8 gl(-1)(w/v) biomass conc. after 18h contact time. The stability and efficiency of both organisms in the long-term repetitive operation were also investigated. The results showed that the non-viable biomasses possessed high stability and efficiency of dye removal over 3 repeated batches.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of 2 anesthesia techniques for pediatric refractive surgery, propofol/fentanyl and ketamine/midazolam., Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Magraby Eye & Ear Center, Muscat, Oman., Methods: This prospective clinical study was of children ranging in age range from 3 to 12 years who were followed for myopic anisometropia with amblyopia after failure of conventional correction or patients with superficial stromal corneal opacities. The children were scheduled to have refractive surgery under general anesthesia using propofol/fentanyl (P/F group) or ketamine/midazolam (K/M group). All drugs were administered intravenously., Results: Thirty patients were included in the study and were divided randomly into 2 equal groups. Both groups were comparable in age, weight, sex, duration of anesthesia, and duration of surgery. Time to complete recovery was significantly shorter in the P/F group. The hemodynamic changes observed in this study were not of clinical significance. Three patients in the P/F group showed arterial oxygen (O2) saturation of less than 90% and supplemental O2 was given by nasal cannula. The incidence of postoperative agitation and vomiting was significantly higher in the K/M group, while the need for jaw thrust was significantly higher in the P/F group. The difference between both groups in the ophthalmologist satisfaction score was not significant., Conclusions: Propofol offered some advantages for brief procedures outside the traditional operating rooms. It is short acting, and has a rapid offset resulting in shorter postoperative monitoring and a smoother recovery profile. It has greater potential for respiratory depression than ketamine. Hence, greater vigilance and experience with the pediatric airway is recommended with its use.

This study investigates the molecular phylogeny of seven lionfishes of the genera Dendrochirus and Pterois. MP, ML, and NJ phylogenetic analysis based on 964 bp of partial mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b and 16S rDNA) revealed two main clades: (1) "Pterois" clade (Pterois miles and Pterois volitans), and (2) "Pteropterus-Dendrochirus" clade (remainder of the sampled species). The position of Dendrochirus brachypterus either basal to the main clades or in the "Pteropterus-Dendrochirus" clade cannot be resolved. However, the molecular phylogeny did not support the current separation of the genera Pterois and Dendrochirus. The siblings P. miles and P. volitans are clearly separated and our results support the proposed allopatric or parapatric distribution in the Indian and Pacific Ocean. However, the present analysis cannot reveal if P. miles and P. volitans are separate species or two populations of a single species, because the observed separation in different clades can be either explained by speciation or lineage sorting. Molecular clock estimates for the siblings P. miles and P. volitans suggest a divergence time of 2.4-8.3 mya, which coincide with geological events that created vicariance between populations of the Indian and Pacific Ocean.

This study was designed to evaluate one of the commonly used scoring systems--Score I--(categories from 0-5) to other two suggested scoring systems--Score II & III--(categories from 0-1 and 0-2 respectively), to test the degree of dye penetration for leakage studies. Class V cavities were prepared on 100 extracted human upper central incisors and filled with light cured composite. Herculite, and high copper amalgam. Tytin. All teeth were immersed in sodium fluorescein dye to test the degree of dye penetration. The results revealed that the suggested score II is very easy, simplified and representative but not indicative regarding the severity of dye penetration as score I. Score III are indicative and obvious discussion can be obtained rather than score I. For any leakage study the use of non parametric measurement is preferable than parametric ones.

160 specimens of composite (80 chemical and 80 light cured) were prepared in teflon mold 4 mm x 2.5 mm in dimension. Plaque samples were collected using absorbent paper points from 20 normal persons and 20 persons with cervical carious teeth. The samples were inoculated in TSB containing both types of composites. Duplicate cultures were done for aerobic and anaerobic incubations at 37 degrees C. There was no effect of both types of composite on the quality of the isolated organisms from normal group or patient group. Chemical and light cured composite increased significantly the count of aerobic bacterial plaque from normal group. While they decreased the count of aerobic bacterial plaque from patient group and also the anaerobic bacterial plaque from both normal and patient group.

An in-vitro study of marginal leakage around class V restorations, prepared in freshly extracted upper central incisors, tested two types of high copper amalgam: spherical high copper amalgam (Tytin) and spherical high copper amalgam containing palladium (Valiant). No significant statistical difference was noted between the two types of amalgam at the three testing periods. It seemed that the addition of palladium did not improve the marginal leakage.

The shear strengths of Maryland (acid etch) bridge cements were investigated and ranged from 44 to 70 MPa. The bulk shear strength of the resin cements is sufficient; the weak link in the system (other than the technique sensitivity) is the interface at or adjacent to the resin and metal or the resin and enamel. The resin cements were polished and etched, and scanning electron micrographs were taken and digitized to illustrate the filler particle sizes and distribution.

A retrospective review of Hodgkin's disease in 26 children of 14 years of age and below admitted to Jordan University Hospital during the period from 1976 through 1981 was conducted. This review showed a preponderance of males, particularly in the first decade of life, with prominence of the prognostically unfavourable histologic sub-types and advanced clinical stages.