Search

Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Noor Al Khathlan,2 Abdulelah Fawzi Alharbi,3 Turki Alghamdi,3 Saleh AlDuilej,3 Mohammed Alghamdi,3 Majed Alfudhaili,3 Ahmed Alsunni,1 Talay Yar,1 Rabia Latif,1 Nazish Rafique,1 Lubna Al Asoom,1 Hussein Sabit4 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of respiratory care, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Genetics, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ayad Mohammed SalemDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box 2114, Dammam, 31451, Saudi ArabiaEmail ayadsalem@iau.edu.saBackground: The sequelae of COVID-19 pneumonia on pulmonary function and airways inflammation are still an area of active research.Objective: This research aimed to explore the long-term impact of COVID-19 pneumonia on the lung function after three months from recovery.Methods: Fifty subjects (age 18– 60 years) were recruited and classified into two groups: the control group (30 subjects) and the post-COVID-19 pneumonia group (20 patients). Pulmonary function tests, spirometry, body plethysmography [lung volumes and airway resistance (Raw)], diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), were measured after at least 3 months post-recovery.Results: Significant reduction in total lung capacity (TLC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1), FEV1/FEV, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was observed in post-COVID-19 subjects compared to controls. Restrictive lung impairment was observed in 50% of post-COVID-19 cases (n = 10) compared to 20% in the control group (n = 6, P = 0.026). In addition, mild diffusion defect was detected in 35% (n = 7) of the post-COVID-19 group compared to 23.3% (n = 7) in the controls (P = 0.012).Conclusion: COVID-19 pneumonia has an impact on the lung functions in terms of restrictive lung impairment and mild diffusion defect after three months from recovery. Therefore, a long-term follow-up of the lung function in post-COVID-19 survivors is recommended.Keywords: COVID-19, pneumonia, PFT, DLCO, FeNO

Ayad Mohammed Salem Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ayad Mohammed SalemDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box 2114-31451, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 559801273Email ayadsalem@iau.edu.saAbstract: Recently, adipose tissue has been identified as endocrine organ in addition to its action as energy store; it produces a large number of biologically active mediators known as adipocytokines. Significantly, adipocytokines were found to be involved in the physiology of many body functions, including reproduction. The role of body weight, body fat compositions, and nutrition has been largely investigated using animal models and human studies. Malnutrition and/or abnormal body weight may induce disturbances in fertility, puberty, pregnancy, and menstrual cycles. Leptin was the first discovered adipocytokine, and a large body of data over the last 25 years has shown that leptin is not only a molecule that reflects energy stores in the body, but is also an important cytokine involved in many physiological functions, such as inflammatory response, insulin sensitivity, bone metabolism, immunity, and most importantly, reproductive function. Leptin controls the normal physiology of the female reproductive system; it interacts with the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis by a complex mechanism that connects energy homeostasis with reproduction. However, observational studies have demonstrated inconsistent results about leptin variation during normal menstrual cycle, and the mechanisms involved in the interplay between leptin and the hormones of the HPG axis are largely unknown. This review focuses on leptin variation during normal menstrual cycles and its relation to the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, and the effect of overweight/obesity on leptin during menstrual cycle is further reviewed.Keywords: leptin, adipocytokines, menstrual cycle, sex hormones, obesity

Rabia Latif,1 Nazish Rafique,1 Lubna Al Asoom,1 Ahmed A Alsunni,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Dinah Abdulhadi AlNoaimi,2 Wasan Mohammed AlHarbi,2 Ahad Yasir Shaikh,2 Shoug Abdullah AlRaddadi,2 Leena Abdulrahman AlMuhaish,2 Dana Almohazey,3 Sayed Abdulazeez,4 J Francis Borgio4 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Stem Cell Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Rabia LatifDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 596212648Fax +966 38578048Email rlhussain@iau.edu.saBackground: A reliable, migraine-specific biomarker has not been identified so far. Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) might serve as migraine biomarkers due to their roles in migraine pathophysiology. However, their diagnostic usefulness has not been explored yet. Present study explored the diagnostic accuracy of CGRP and ApoE in migraine.Methods: A cross-sectional, case–control study was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020 at Physiology department of our university. Fourteen female migraine patients, 18– 25 years old, with confirmed “Migraine” diagnosis by a neurologist, were recruited. Control group consisted of 14 age-matched healthy females with no personal/family history of migraine. Blood was drawn once from control subjects and twice from migraine patients (ictal and interictal phase). Serum CGRP and ApoE levels were assessed by ELISA. Statistical analysis involved paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and cross-tabs.Results: ApoE (mg/dl) was higher significantly in interictal (1.90± 0.50) and ictal (1.97± 0.65) phases of migraine compared to control (1.07± 0.26) (p ≤ 0.001). ROC curves for ApoE were significant in migraine ictal vs control (AUC= 0.91, AUC 95% CI: 0.78– 1.0) and migraine interictal vs control (AUC=0.92, AUC 95% CI: 0.8– 1.0) subjects. ROC curve for CGRP (pg/mL) was significant in migraine ictal vs control subjects only (AUC=0.79, AUC 95% CI: 0.6– 0.97).Conclusion: Serum ApoE has “excellent” accuracy to diagnose migraine patients whether in ictal or interictal phase, from healthy subjects. ApoE levels of patients in these two phases of migraine are raised significantly than healthy subjects. CGRP has “fair” diagnostic accuracy to discriminate between migraine ictal phase and healthy subjects. Its levels do not differ significantly among migraine ictal, interictal phase and healthy controls.Keywords: apolipoprotein E, calcitonin gene-related peptide, migraine, receiver operating curve, biomarkers

Noor Al Khathlan,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem2 1Respiratory Care Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Noor Al Khathlan Email naalkathlan@iau.edu.saBackground: The effect of increasing body weight on pulmonary function and the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) remains controversial and the role of different body compositions in the relationship between obesity with pulmonary function and FeNO is still unrevealed. Thus, we aim to determine the effect of overweight/obesity on lung function and FeNO, focusing on the relationship with different body compositions.Methods: Eighty-two non-smoker students (20 ± 1.9 years) were divided into two groups: 38 subjects with normal weight (BMI = 18.5– 24.99) and 44 overweight/obese subjects (BMI ≥ 25). Spirometric parameters and FeNO were measured and compared between groups and were correlated with different adiposity markers.Results: FeNO measurements were elevated in the overweight/obese group [median (IQR) 19.5 (13)] in comparison to the normal weight group [11 (10), p value = 0.017]. A positive correlation was found between FeNO measurements and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio, and visceral fat percentage (all p values < 0.01). The absolute values of forced vital capacity (FVC) forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory flow during mid-expiration (FEF25– 75%), and FEV1/FVC ratio showed no significant differences between groups. However, the percentage of the predicted values of FEV1 and FVC was significantly higher and the value of percentage predicted FEF25– 75% was reduced significantly in the overweight/obese subjects.Conclusion: Increase in BMI could significantly increase airway inflammation as measured by FeNO, as well as on distal airway function as determined by the percentage predicted values of FEF25– 75%. A significant correlation was also identified between visceral fat and FeNO measurement.Keywords: BMI, obesity, FeNO, pulmonary function, body compositions

Nazish Rafique,1 Lubna Ibrahim Al-Asoom,1 Rabia Latif,1 Ahmed A Alsunni,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Zainab Hameed Alkhalifa,2 Rana Mohammed Almaharfi,2 Rawan Sami Alramadan,2 Zainab Falah Aldajani,2 Fatimah Abdulmuttalib Taher Alghadeer,2 Laila Abbas Albaghli2 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University Dammam, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ahmed A AlsunniDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University Dammam, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 13 3331188Fax +966 38578048Email aalsunni@iau.edu.saPurpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of migraine in young female adults and to identify if a relationship exists between psychological stress or poor sleep quality and migraine.Materials and Methods: This case control study was carried out at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam, KSA from March 2019 to March 2020 on 1,990 female students (17- to 26-years-old). The study tools were Migraine Screening Questionnaire (MS-Q), International Headache Society (IHS) Criteria for Migraine, K10 Psychological Distress Instrument (K10) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).Results: A total of 103 out of 1,990 (5.17%) participants were identified to have migraine. Migraineurs compared to controls had significantly higher average stress scores; felt more tired, nervous, restless, could not sit still, felt that everything was an effort, and nothing cheered them up (p values; 0.008, 0.001, 0.02, 0.01, 0.004, 0.009, 0.02 respectively). Moreover, presence of migraine was significantly correlated with various stress parameters including “High K10 scores,” “being tired,” “being nervous,” “restlessness,” “inability to sit still,” and “feeling that everything is an effort” (p values: 0.01, 0.002, 0.018, 0.01,0.005, 0.01,0.02). Regarding sleep quality and sleep parameters, no statistically significant difference was found between migraineurs and controls. No correlation was found between presence of migraine and poor sleep quality.Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that 5.17% of young females (17- to 26-years-old) suffer from migraine. It also concludes that poor sleep quality is not correlated with migraine, whereas high stress scores are significantly correlated with migraine in young female adults.Keywords: migraineurs, stress scores, sleep parameters, poor sleep quality

Ahmed Badar,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Abdullah Omar Bamosa,1 Hatem Othman Qutub,2 Rakesh Kumar Gupta,2 Intisar Ahmad Siddiqui3 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine & King Fahd Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Dental Education, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Abdullah Omar BamosaDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaEmail ayadsalem@iau.edu.saBackground: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a convenient to use biomarker of airway inflammation. However, the mutual relationship between FeNO, peripheral blood eosinophil, total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and inflammatory cytokines showed some controversy.Objective: This study was carried out to determine the accuracy of peripheral blood eosinophil and total IgE to detect eosinophilic airway inflammation as determined by two FeNO cutoff points. The correlation between FeNO, peripheral blood eosinophil, total IgE and certain inflammatory cytokines was also examined.Methods: Seventy-six patients with partly controlled asthma performed the following tests on the same day: FeNO, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), peripheral blood eosinophils, total IgE, and inflammatory cytokine assay. The correlation between these markers was investigated and the diagnostic accuracy of peripheral blood eosinophils and total IgE to identify eosinophilic asthma phenotype was calculated using receiver operating characteristics area under the curve (ROC AUC).Results: FeNO was positively correlated with percentage of blood eosinophils (r=0.276, p=0.017) and total blood IgE (r=0.3647; p=0.0013). No relationship between FeNO and serum inflammatory cytokines was detected. AUC of blood eosinophils and total IgE were 57% and 64% at FeNO ≥ 25 ppb and were 67% and 64% at FeNO > 50, respectively. The higher predictive ability was detected at FeNO > 50 ppb where the best cutoff point for blood eosinophil % was ≥ 4.0% (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 60.0%) and the best cutoff point for total IgE was ≥ 350 (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 63.6%).Conclusion: In patients with partly controlled asthma, peripheral blood eosinophil and total IgE showed equal useful accuracy in predicting eosinophilic airways. However, higher predictive values were reported at FeNO level > 50 ppb. FeNO was positively correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil, total IgE but not with any of the studied cytokines.Keywords: partly controlled asthma, FeNO, eosinophils, IgE, cytokines

Abdullah A AlQatari,1 Jawad A Alturki,1 Komail A Abdulali,1 Dawood A Alhumud,1 Mohammed A Alibrahim,1 Yaser A Alarab,1 Ayad M Salem,2 Talay Yar,2 Yousef D Alqurashi,3 Ahmed A Alsunni,2 Shoug Al Humoud3 1College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Respiratory Care, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ahmed A AlsunniDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaTel +966535255577Email aalsunni@iau.edu.saBackground and Objectives: Changes in autonomic cardiac activity during night sleep are well documented. However, there is limited information regarding changes in the autonomic cardiac profile during daytime naps. Heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) are reliable measures of autonomic cardiac activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in HRV and BRS during daytime naps in healthy men.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 25 healthy men. Polysomnographic recording with electrocardiogram monitoring was conducted for all volunteers during a 50– 80 min nap between 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm. Five-minute segments during pre-nap wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stages (N1, N2, and N3), rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage, and post-nap wakefulness were used to measure changes in the variation in HRV parameters, including inter-beat interval (RR-interval), total spectral power (TP), high-frequency power (HF), low-frequency power (LF), and low frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF). BRS was also measured for 10 min during pre- and post-nap wakefulness using finger arterial pressure measurement (Finometer Pro ®).Results: HRV increased significantly during NREM sleep compared with that during pre-nap wakefulness (p < 0.05), as reflected by RR-interval prolongation, higher HF, and increased HFnu (normalized units). Furthermore, there was a parallel reduction in TP, LF, and LF/HF ratio during NREM sleep, indicating parasympathetic predominance over cardiac autonomic activity. HF and HFnu were significantly reduced during REM sleep compared with that during NREM sleep (p < 0.05). BRS did not show significant differences between pre- and post-nap wakefulness.Conclusion: We observed a progressive increase in parasympathetic activity during daytime sleep as NREM sleep deepened compared with that during wakefulness and REM sleep. Daytime nap may have a favorable cardiovascular impact.Keywords: daytime naps, HRV, baroreflex sensitivity, polysomnography, autonomic activity

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder in middle-aged and elderly people. This study aimed to elucidate the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in management of PD in ovariectomized rat model. MSCs were excised from adipose tissue of both the omentum and the inguinal fat pad of male rats, grown, and propagated in culture; then characterized morphologically; and by the detection of surface markers gene expression. In this study, 40 ovariectomized animals were classified into 5 groups; group 1 was ovariectomized control, groups 2 to 5 were subcutaneously administered with rotenone for 14 days after 1 month of ovariectomy for induction of PD. Group 2 was left untreated; groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with Sinemet®, Cerebrolysin®, and a single dose of adipose tissue-derived MSCs (ADMSCs), respectively. Y-chromosome gene (sry) was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in brain tissue of the female rats. Serum transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Brain dopamine level was assayed fluorometrically, while brain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression was detected by semiquantitative real-time PCR. The PD group showed significant increase in serum TGF-β and MCP-1 levels associated with significant decrease in serum BDNF, brain dopamine, and brain TH gene expression levels. In contrast, all treatments produce significant decrease in serum TGF-β and MCP-1 levels in concomitant with significant increase in serum BDNF, brain dopamine, and brain TH gene expression levels. In conclusion, the observed improvements in the studied biomarkers due to ADMSCs infusion might be attributed to their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and neurotrophic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to understand the effect of nepheline syenite particle size on physico-chemical properties of ceramic Raschig rings, the fluxing agent was grinded at different milling times. The compositions were prepared by blending the illitic-kaolinitic clay and pre-grinded particles. The rings were shaped by a laboratory extruder and then were sintered at 1200 ºC. The mechanical reliability of sintered specimens was mathematically described by Weibull theory and the effect of pre-grinding of fluxing agent on Weibull modulus was evaluated by measuring the diametrical compression strength. Weibull modulus and strength were the criteria for selecting the suitable particle size range of nepheline syenite. It was found that the pre-grinding of nepheline syenite acts as fairly strong parameter on microstructure of rings. The investigation concludes that reliable rings can be fabricated if the particle size of nepheline syenite is arranged between 53 and 75 μm. This enhancement in reliability is valuable in packed towers.Para conocer el efecto del tamaño de partícula de nefelina sienita sobre las propiedades fisicoquímicas de los anillos Raschig cerámicos, este fundente fue molido a diferentes tiempos. Las composiciones se prepararon mediante la mezcla de la arcilla caolinítica illitica y las partículas pre-molidas. Los anillos se obtuvieron en una extrusora de laboratorio y luego fueron sinterizados a 1200 ºC. La fiabilidad mecánica de las muestras sinterizadas se describe matemáticamente por la teoría de Weibull y el efecto de pre-molienda del fundente en el módulo de Weibull se evaluó midiendo la resistencia a la compresión diametral. El módulo de Weibull y la resistencia fueron los criterios para seleccionar el rango de tamaño de partícula adecuado de nefelina sienita para la fabricación de los anillos que se determinó estaba entre 53 y 75 μm comprobándose que influye considerablemente en la microestructura de los mismos. La fiabilidad alcanzada fue muy valiosa para la utilización de estos anillos como relleno en ldistintos tipos de torres.

Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Rabia Latif,1 Nazish Rafique,1 Mubarak I Aldawlan,2 Layan B Almulla,2 Duaa Y Alghirash,2 Ola A Fallatah,2 Faleh M Alotaibi,2 Fahad H Aljabbari,2 Talay Yar1 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ayad Mohammed Salem, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box 2114-31451, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Email ayadsalem@iau.edu.saIntroduction: The cyclical changes of hormones during the menstrual cycle are responsible not only for reproductive function but also have other effects on dietary intake and appetite. The current study aimed to investigate the variations of appetite-related hormones (ghrelin and obestatin) during the menstrual cycle and their association with adipokines, estrogen, and BMI.Methods: Fifty-six regularly menstruating female students were grouped into normal weight (BMI ≤ 24.9; n = 26), and overweight/obese subjects (BMI ≥ 25; n = 30). Serum ghrelin, obestatin, leptin, adiponectin, and estrogen levels were measured during the early follicular, preovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle using the ELISA technique.Results: There were insignificant differences in the levels of serum ghrelin, obestatin, and ghrelin/obestatin ratio across menstrual cycle phases in the whole cohort as well as in each group separately (p > 0.05). Serum ghrelin was significantly less in OW-OB as compared to the NW group (p = 0.005), whereas the average serum obestatin did not show any significant differences between the two groups. No significant correlation was seen between ghrelin and obestatin with the adipokines and estradiol.Conclusion: Significant low level of ghrelin was observed in obese group during the follicular phase. This finding may provide new insights into the altered ghrelin patterns in OW-OB individuals, as a cause or a consequence of obesity and related menstrual disorders.Keywords: ghrelin, obestatin, adipokines, menstrual cycle, obesity

Rabia Latif,1 Nazish Rafique,1 Lubna Al Asoom,1 Ahmed A Alsunni,1 Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Kholoud Al Ghamdi,1 Rasha AlNujaidi,2 Maha Alblaies,2 Sara Alali,2 Leyan Alotaibi,2 Nada Alghamdi2 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Rabia Latif, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box: 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 3 8577000 3335134, Email rlhussain@iau.edu.saObjective: COVID-19 is a public health emergency of international concern. There is still no definitive cure for this highly transmittable illness. Immunization and breaking the chain of infection is the only successful approach to mitigate its spread. Our study explored the adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures and its associating factors among Health Care Professionals (HCPs) working in Saudi Arabia.Methods: For this cross-sectional study, an online survey was conducted from December 01, 2020, to March 31, 2021, among 978 HCPs in Saudi Arabia. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, COVID-19 preventive behaviors, knowledge, attitude, fear, and risk. Mann–Whitney U-test, Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis, Spearman correlation, and binary logistic regression tests were used in data analysis.Results: Most of the HCPs were Saudi nationals (86.9%), females (63.1%), age group 20– 29 years (42.3%), Middle Eastern ethnicity (82.5%), and working in the government sector (80.8%). A 52.2% of the participants were compliant with COVID-19 preventive behavior. The most and the least compliant preventive behaviors were “wearing masks” (88.8% compliance) and “keeping social distancing” (60.7% compliance). Preventive behavior was significantly higher in HCPs having a) more knowledge of COVID-19 (U=104849; p 0.001); b) positive attitude (U=84402; p 0.001); c) higher fear (U=103138; p less than 0.001) and d) nursing profession (p 0.01). COVID-19 knowledge (p< 0.001), attitude (p< 0.001), and fear (p< 0.001) contributed significantly to the prediction of preventive behavior compliance. A unit increase in COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and fear scores raised the odds of being compliant with preventive behavior by factors of 2.34, 1.87, and 1.53 respectively.Conclusion: About half of the study participants were compliant with COVID-19 preventive behavior. Preventive behavior is significantly higher among HCPs having more knowledge of COVID-19, more fear, a positive attitude, and the “nursing” profession. Having more knowledge, a positive attitude, and more fear of COVID-19 may increase the likelihood of being compliant with preventive behavior.Keywords: health care professionals, health personnel, COVID-19, prevention, behavior

Ayad Mohammed Salem,1 Talay Yar,1 Mohammed Al Eid,2 Husain Almahfoudh,2 Mohammed Alsaffar,2 Abdullah Al Ibrahim,2 Ali Almadan,2 Sana Alaidarous,2 Razan Almulhim,2 Nazish Rafique,1 Rabia Latif,1 Intisar Ahmad Siddiqui,3 Ahmed Alsunni1 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Dental Education, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ayad Mohammed Salem, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box 2114-31451, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Email ayadsalem@iau.edu.saBackground: Recent studies reported a long-lasting effect of COVID-19 infection that extends beyond the active disease and disrupts various body systems besides the respiratory system. The current study aims to investigate the post-acute effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cardiovascular autonomic activity, reactivity and sensitivity in patients who had the infection at least 3 months before.Methods: This was a comparative cross-sectional observational study. Fifty-nine subjects were allocated into two groups, controls (n=31), who had no history of positive COVID-19 infection, and the post-COVID patients (n=28) who were recruited 3 to 8 months after testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Baseline cardiovascular autonomic activity was evaluated through recording of baseline heart rate variability (HRV), autonomic reactivity was determined through standard cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CART), and cardiac autonomic sensitivity was assessed through cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity (cBRS).Results: Higher incidence of orthostatic hypotension was observed in post-COVID patients compared to controls (39.3% and 3.2%, respectively, p < 0.001). Additionally, significantly reduced handgrip test, and heart rate response to head-up tilt was illustrated in the post-COVID group (p < 0.001). About 85.7% of post-COVID participants had at least one abnormal cardiovascular reflex test (CART) compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Although HRV parameters (TP, LF, HF, SDRR, RMSSD, pRR50), and the cBRS were numerically lower in the post-COVID-19 group, this did not reach the level of significance.Conclusion: The results of the present study are suggestive of altered cardiovascular reactivity in post-acute COVID patients and demand further investigation and longer term follow up.Keywords: COVID-19, autonomic nervous system, HRV, CART, baroreceptor sensitivity

Nazish Rafique,1 Fatimah Al Tufaif,2 Wala Alhammali,2 Reem Alalwan,2 Alzahraa Aljaroudi,2 Fatimah AlFaraj,2 Rabia Latif,1 Lubna Ibrahim Al-Asoom,1 Ahmed A Alsunni,1 Kholoud S Al Ghamdi,1 Ayad M Salem,1 Talay Yar1 1Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Nazish Rafique, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 5035042329, Fax +966 38578048, Email nryahmed@uod.edu.saPurpose: This study aimed to determine the stress levels and identify various factors responsible for causing high-stress scores during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Saudi population.Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, from June 2020 until December 2020 on 4052 respondents from the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. An online survey was used to collect information about various stress factors. The psychological impact of COVID-19 was measured by using the COVID-19 impact event scale (COVID-19 IES), whereas general stress levels were assessed by K10 Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).Results: The psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak revealed that 35.4% of participants suffered from moderate or severe psychological impact (score> 33); 19.7% had a mild psychological impact (scores24– 32), whereas 44.9% reported minimal psychological impact (score < 23). The factors significantly associated with higher stress scores and COVID-19 IES included male gender, low monthly income, having a private business, living in apartments/residential complexes, poor general health status, visit hospital/doctor in the past three months, presence of chronic disease, direct/indirect contact with someone diagnosed with/suspected to have COVID-19, contact with surfaces/tools infected with COVID-19, getting screened or quarantined for COVID-19, follow-up of the latest news about COVID-19 and knowledge of a greater number of people infected and died with COVID-19 (p < 0.05). In contrast, being an elementary school student, having 4– 10 children, observing various protective measures, and staying home for 4– 12 hours were associated with lower COVID-19 IES (p < 0.05).Conclusion: During the initial six months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia, 35.4% participants suffered from moderate to the severe psychological impact. This study identified various factors responsible for high COVID-19 IES and K10 stress scores. These findings can help formulate psychological interventions for improving the stress scales in vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.Keywords: COVID-19, stress, psychological impact, Saudi Arabia

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to pose significant challenges in healthcare settings due to its multi-drug resistance (MDR) and virulence. This retrospective study examines the molecular and resistance profiles of MRSA isolates from a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia, providing valuable insights into regional epidemiology. A total of 190 MRSA strains were analysed to assess antimicrobial susceptibility, genetic diversity, and virulence factors. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted according to CLSI guidelines, while molecular characterization involved spa typing, SCCmec typing, and DNA microarray analysis to determine clonal complexes (CCs), resistance genes, and virulence determinants. The isolates showed extensive resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, with 78% classified as MDR. Notably, resistance to fusidic acid and ciprofloxacin was detected in 70% and 55% of isolates, respectively. The most prevalent clonal complexes-CC5, CC6, and CC22-comprised over 60% of the isolates and exhibited diverse spa types. The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene, linked to heightened virulence, was identified in approximately 20% of isolates, particularly within CC5, CC30, and CC80. Enterotoxin genes (sea and seb) and immune evasion genes (sak, chp, and scn) were also commonly detected, reflecting the isolates' capacity to adapt and persist within the hospital environment. These findings underscore the high burden of MDR MRSA with considerable genetic diversity and virulence potential. The study highlights the urgent need for strengthened molecular surveillance and targeted infection control measures to limit MRSA transmission and effectively manage infection risks in healthcare facilities., Competing Interests: Declarations. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Institutional Review Board Statement: The study protocol received approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Hail Health Cluster (Approval No: H-08-L074) and the University of Hail (H-2023-390), Saudi Arabia. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation. This study presents an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of caloric restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF) on plasma inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, and interleukin [IL]-6) in individuals with obesity/overweight compared with unrestricted or ad libitum feeding., Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting inflammatory biomarkers after at least 8 weeks of intervention. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using a fixed effect model. Heterogeneity was determined using I 2 statistics. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the "leave-one-out" approach., Results: Relatively few RCTs have investigated the effect of IF on inflammatory biomarkers than with CR (6 vs. 15). Analysis of pooled data showed that CR was associated with a significant reduction in CRP with low heterogeneity (SMD -0.15 mg/L [95% CI -0.30 to -0.00], p = 0.04; I 2  = 0%, p = 0.69) and IL-6 with high heterogeneity (SMD -0.31 pg/mL [95% CI -0.51 to -0.10], p = 0.004; I 2  = 73%, p = 0.001). IF was associated with a significant decrease in TNF-alpha with moderate heterogeneity (SMD -0.32 pg/mL [95% CI -0.63 to -0.02], p = 0.04; I 2  = 44%, p = 0.13). No associations were detected between IF and CRP or IL-6 and CR and TNF-alpha., Conclusion: CR may be more effective in reducing chronic low-grade inflammation than IF. However, there were some concerns regarding the included studies' randomization and allocation sequence concealment process., (© 2024 World Obesity Federation.)

This study aims to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of bacterial isolates from DFU patients, identify the prevalence of MDROs, and identify specific risk factors contributing to these infections to inform effective antibiotic treatment strategies. This prospective cohort study included 187 DFU patients from March 2023 to February 2024 at King Khalid Hospital, Saudi Arabia. The exclusion criteria were nondiabetic ulcers, specific infections, tumours, or recent antibiotic use. Data on demographics, diabetes duration, DFU characteristics, and antibiotic history were collected. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. During the 1-year study, 187 DFU patients were included, with 72.7% males and 27.3% females. The mean age of the study participants was 54.9 ± 11.8 years. The average duration of diabetes was 6.3 ± 3.7 years, and the mean HbA1c was 8.0 ± 1.0%. Over half (54.5%) of the patients had Wagner ulcer grade III, and neuropathy (67%) and retinopathy (73%) were the most common complications. Polymicrobial infections were identified in 54% of the cases, with 61.5% of the isolates producing biofilms. The key risk factors for MDR infections included amputation (OR: 5.92), polymicrobial infections (OR: 7.49), biofilm production (OR: 5.00), recent antibiotic use (OR: 3.97), and an ulcer duration > 30 days (OR: 2.23). Sex, age, and weight were not significantly associated with MDR infections. Among the 27 MRSA isolates, 81.5% carried the mecA gene, and 98.8% of the ESBL-producing organisms harboured at least one ESBL gene, with blaCTX-M being the most common (27.2%). Carbapenem resistance was confirmed in 25.6% of the isolates, with blaNDM being the predominant carbapenemase gene (69.3%). Coresistance with ESBL genes was detected in 66.7% of the blaNDM-producing isolates. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of MDROs in DFUs, primarily driven by biofilm-producing polymicrobial infections and resistance genes like blaNDM and blaCTX-M. The findings accentuate the clinical importance of integrating molecular diagnostics for early detection of resistance determinants, enabling precise, targeted therapy. Tailored antibiotic stewardship and enhanced infection control measures are critical to optimizing treatment outcomes, reducing complications, and mitigating the burden of chronic DFUs in healthcare settings., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors report there are no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Coleoptera is the second-most significant insect group associated with decomposing carcasses, yet its role in the decomposition process and postmortem colonization following envenomation is poorly understood., Purpose of the Study: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the venoms from Cerastes cerastes and Naja haje on the decomposition of rabbit carcasses while evaluating the main beetle taxa attracted to these decaying remains., Methods: Three groups of rabbits, each with five individuals, were utilized. The first group was injected with the venom of Cerastes cerastes , the second with Naja haje venom, and the control group received 0.85% physiological saline before euthanasia with CO 2 ., Results: Four decomposition stages (fresh, bloating, decay, and dry) with durations varying based on venom type and carcass condition were observed. A total of 647 individual beetles of six species ( Necrobia rufipes , Attagenus sp., Dermestes frischii , D. maculatus , Bledius sp., and Apentanodes sp.) belonging to four families (Cleridae, Dermestidae, Staphylinidae, and Tenebrionidae) were collected and identified. D. maculatus was the most abundant species. Fewer beetles were attracted to carcasses envenomed with N. haje compared to the other groups., Conclusions: Envenomation by snake venom influences the attraction and succession rate of necrophilous coleopterans to carcasses, which is important for forensic investigations.

Wastewater irrigation is often practiced in arid regions, which can increase the chance of heavy metals contaminating the agricultural system. This contamination poses risks to both the environment and human health. This research looked into how cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) move through a food chain involving soil, plants, and arthropods. The study was conducted in El-Gabal El-Asfar, Egypt, comparing treated and untreated wastewater irrigation areas. Six soil-irrigated sites and one reference site were sampled for soil, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), two grasshopper species (Aiolopus thalassinus and Calephorus compressicornis), and a wolf spider (Hogna ferox). The samples were analyzed for their heavy metal content. Metal concentrations in all components of the wastewater irrigated system were significantly higher compared to the reference site. The wolf spider and the soil contained the highest levels of Cd, Pb, and Cu, while the greatest concentrations of Zn were found in the spider and grasshoppers. Despite limited transfer from soil to plant, trace elements biomagnified within the terrestrial food chain, specifically from grasshoppers to wolf spiders. The correlation analysis of metal levels between soils, plants, and arthropods in the present study reflects its transfer across the trophic levels. It suggests that dietary intake is the main source of metal accumulation in arthropods. The present study, therefore, quite clearly indicated the possibility of heavy metal biomagnification in terrestrial food chains of wastewater-irrigated agroecosystems. Continuous monitoring and management of such systems are advocated to avoid environmental and public health risks., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The authors disclose that this is a fictional case created by the authors. Julian, a 16-year-old adolescent who entered the juvenile justice system facing armed robbery charges, was 8 years old when he entered the child welfare system. He and his younger sister, Jessica, were placed in protective custody after school staff discovered that they were physically abused and witnessed domestic violence. Jessica further disclosed sexual abuse by the mother's boyfriend who was subsequently incarcerated. The siblings were placed together in several foster homes until a biological aunt assumed custody for 2 years. Both children struggled with behavioral problems in school and at home and responded to mental health treatment. The mother participated in substance use treatment, and the children reunified with her by the time Julian was 11 years old., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lower limb varicose veins (LLVVs) are a common problem that mostly occurs among healthcare professionals, especially nurses. While the direct cause of LLVVs is not known at present, its predictors have been identified in the literature. The objective of this study is to identify the predictors of LLVVs among nurses in Jordan., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Jordan in the period between August 2022 and December 2022. This study was carried out on 407 nurses. The participants were recruited in the study using convenience sampling. LLVVs and predictors were analyzed using binominal logistic regression. The percentage of having LLVVs was 30.7%., Result: Results showed that having a family history of LLVVs and older age were significant predictors of developing LLVVs among both male and female nurses. For male nurses, longer shift hours were a significant independent predictor of developing LLVVs, where increased number of deliveries, less sitting time, and increased weight were significant independent predictors of developing LLVVs among female nurses., Conclusion: This study highlighted the predictors of LLVVs among nurses, which can be considered in improving the lifestyle and quality of life of nurses in the long term., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess the maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2max ) of young, healthy, non-athletic Saudi men using maximum graded exercise with instant breath-by-breath analysis and to compare this value to the predicted VO 2max by international formulae. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 88 young non-athletic normal-weight Saudi subjects were recruited from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia with mean age (21.3 ± 1.5 years), weight: (64.7 ± 7.5 kg), height: (172.3 ± 6.1 cm) and body mass index: (21.8 ± 2.1). All subjects were interviewed and examined for eligibility, after which they performed maximum graded exercise testing on a treadmill to obtain VO 2max . The predicted VO 2max was also generated using the following formulae (Edvardsen, Fairbarns, FRIENDS, Hansen, and Jones). Results: The mean measured VO 2max was 41.9 ± 7.2 ml/kg/min. While the predicted VO 2max using the formulae were: Edvardsen = 66.8 ± 7.9, Fairbarns = 64.1 ± 4.7, FRIENDS = 53.5 ± 2.2, Hansen = 42.8 ± 0.54, and Jones = 50.9 ± 5.1 ml/kg/min. There was a significant difference between all the predicted VO 2max and the measured one using the paired t-test (P < 0.001), except for the Hansen's predicted value (P = 0.212). The effect size index (Cohen's d) for the comparison of Hansen's VO 2max and measured VO 2max was trivial and equal to 0.13. The Bland-Altman test showed good agreement between the measured and Hansen's predicted VO 2max . Conclusion: This study demonstrated the mean VO 2max value of young, healthy, and non-athletic Saudi men. This value was lower than Western values, which might be due to low physical activity or racial differences. Most international formulae overestimate the VO 2max in this population, except for the Hansen equation. Therefore, Hansen's predicted VO 2max might be the best available reference value for the diagnosis and prognosis of young Saudi individuals undergoing maximum exercise testing., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Background: Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31 (COMPASS-31) is an easy-to-use screening tool for the evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in various diseases affecting neural function but has rarely been used in the assessment of long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the COMPASS-31 score in detecting dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system in patients 3 months after COVID-19 infection., Materials and Methods: Fifty-nine subjects were recruited and grouped into 2: (a) controls ( n = 31) who had never had positive polymerase chain reaction results for COVID-19 before and (b) the post-COVID-19 patients ( n = 28) who had confirmed COVID-19 infection 3-6 months before recruitment. COMPASS-31 questionnaire was utilized to evaluate subjective symptoms or evidence of autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was assessed objectively by cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests (CARTs) and heart rate variability (HRV). For comparison of quantitative variables between two groups, t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, as appropriate, were used. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), negative likelihood ratio (LR), and positive LR were used as measures of diagnostic accuracy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined the overall accuracy of COMPASS-31., Results: The median COMPASS score was found to be significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants than controls (15.5 vs. 10, P = 0.021). The median total CART score was also significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants (0 vs. 1, P < 0.001). Out of 6 domains of the COMPASS score, the median value for orthostatic dysfunction was found to be significantly higher in post-COVID-19 participants than controls (12 vs. 0, P = 0.008). There was significantly fair accuracy of the COMPASS score with an area under the receiver operating curve 0.68 (0.54-0.82) following the total CART score ≥2 as the gold standard in the diagnosis of autonomic dysfunction ( P = 0.021). The best cutoff point of the total COMPASS score was 12.5, where the optimal values of sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were achieved. Nonsignificant and weak correlations between CARTs, HRV parameters, and COMPASS score were found., Conclusion: COMPASS-31 could be used as a user-friendly screening tool to detect autonomic dysfunction in post-COVID-19 cases with acceptable sensitivity and specificity., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Family and Community Medicine.)

Momordica charantia , commonly known as bitter melon, is a fruiting plant that has been used for several diseases including infectious diseases. In this study, we report the antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity of different bitter melon fruit parts originating from India and Saudi Arabia. The in vitro experiments are supported by the molecular docking of karavilosides to verify their role in the bioactivity. The antimicrobial assays revealed activity against Candida albicans , Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus . The extracts exhibited the potent inhibition of HIV-I reverse transcriptase, with an IC50 of 0.125 mg/mL observed for the pith extract originating from Saudi Arabia and the standard drug doxorubicin. The molecular docking of karavilosides exhibited a significant affinity to reverse transcriptase comparable to Rilpivirine and higher than that of doxorubicin. These outcomes encourage the precious bioactive components of the seed and pith of the Saudi bitter melon fruits to be further studied for isolation and structure elucidation.

Objectives: Reduced cardiac outflow due to left ventricular hypertrophy has been suggested as a potential risk factor for development of cerebral white matter disease. Our study aimed to examine the correlation between left ventricular geometry and white matter disease volume to establish a clearer understanding of their relationship, as it is currently not well-established., Methods: Consecutive patients from 2016 to 2021 who were ≥18 years and underwent echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and brain MRI within one year were included. Four categories of left ventricular geometry were defined based on left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness on echocardiography. White matter disease volume was quantified using an automated algorithm applied to axial T2 FLAIR images and compared across left ventricular geometry categories., Results: We identified 112 patients of which 34.8 % had normal left ventricular geometry, 20.5 % had eccentric hypertrophy, 21.4 % had concentric remodeling, and 23.2 % had concentric hypertrophy. White matter disease volume was highest in patients with concentric hypertrophy and concentric remodeling, compared to eccentric hypertrophy and normal morphology with a trend-P value of 0.028. Patients with higher relative wall thickness had higher white matter disease volume (10.73 ± 10.29 cc vs 5.89 ± 6.46 cc, P = 0.003), compared to those with normal relative wall thickness., Conclusion: Our results showed that abnormal left ventricular geometry is associated with higher white matter disease burden, particularly among those with abnormal relative wall thickness. Future studies are needed to explore causative relationships and potential therapeutic options that may mediate the adverse left ventricular remodeling and its effect in slowing white matter disease progression., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest NONE, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peels are rich in various bioactive compounds. Characterization of these compounds is crucial for the utilization of peel waste in industrial processing., Objective: The study aimed (1) to establish and compare the metabolic profiles of the peel of seven pomegranate cultivars and (2) to identify bioactive compounds contributing to the larvicidal activity against the third instar larvae of Culex pipiens., Materials and Methods: UPLC-ESI-MS/MS was utilized to analyze peel methanol extracts of different pomegranate cultivars. The larvicidal activity was determined by calculating the larval mortality among the third instar larvae of C. pipiens. Multivariate data analysis was conducted to identify the metabolites that exhibited a larvicidal effect., Results: A total of 24 metabolites, including hydrolyzable tannins, flavonoids, and alkaloids, were tentatively identified in both negative and positive ionization modes. The extract of cultivar 'Black' exhibited the most potent larvicidal effect with LC 50 values of 185.15, 156.84, and 138.12 ppm/mL after 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment, respectively. By applying chemometric techniques, the larvicidal activity could be directly correlated to the bioactive compounds punicalagin, quercetin-O-rhamnoside, quercetin-O-pentoside, and galloyl-HHDP-glucose., Conclusion: The present study implemented UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and chemometric techniques as potential tools for metabolomics analysis and differentiation between peels of different pomegranate cultivars. In addition, cultivar 'Black' extract could be a promising natural insecticide against mosquitoes since it is rich in bioactive compounds with larvicidal activity., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

We provide promising computational (in silico) data on phytochemicals (compounds 1 - 10 ) from Arabian Peninsula medicinal plants as strong binders, targeting 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL Pro ) and papain-like proteases (PL Pro ) of SARS-CoV-2. Compounds 1 - 10 followed the Lipinski rules of five (RO5) and ADMET analysis, exhibiting drug-like characters. Non-covalent (reversible) docking of compounds 1 - 10 demonstrated their binding with the catalytic dyad (CYS145 and HIS41) of 3CL Pro and catalytic triad (CYS111, HIS272, and ASP286) of PL Pro . Moreover, the implementation of the covalent (irreversible) docking protocol revealed that only compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 possess covalent warheads, which allowed the formation of the covalent bond with the catalytic dyad (CYS145) in 3CL Pro and the catalytic triad (CYS111) in PL Pro . Root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF), and radius of gyration (Rg) analysis from molecular dynamic (MD) simulations revealed that complexation between ligands (compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 ) and 3CL Pro and PL Pro was stable, and there was less deviation of ligands. Overall, the in silico data on the inherent properties of the above phytochemicals unravel the fact that they can act as reversible inhibitors for 3CL Pro and PL Pro . Moreover, compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 also showed their novel properties to inhibit dual targets by irreversible inhibition, indicating their effectiveness for possibly developing future drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Nonetheless, to confirm the theoretical findings here, the effectiveness of the above compounds as inhibitors of 3CL Pro and PL Pro warrants future investigations using suitable in vitro and in vivo tests.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) success is dependent mainly on vascular access (VA). The aim of this study is to share the experience of Pediatric Nephrology Unit (PNU), Cairo University Children's Hospital (CUCH), with VA-related obstacles in end stage kidney disease (ESKD) HD children., Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of VA related data of 187 ESKD children received regular HD over 3 year duration (2019-2021). Kaplan-Meier curves were used to present arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and cuffed catheters survivals., Results: Uncuffed central venous catheter (CVC) was the primary VA for HD in up to 97.3% with 2.7% of patients had AVF performed and attained maturation before initiation of regular HD. Fifty-six (29.9%) patients have inserted 120 tunneled CVCs. AVFs & AV grafts (AVF) were performed in 79 (42.2%) and 6 (3.2%) patients respectively. There were 112 uncuffed CVCs implanted beneath the screen in Rt internal jugular vein (IJV) (44%) Lt IJV (17%), right internal mammary vein (2.7%) while Trans hepatic (TH) technique was used to place 39 uncuffed CVCs (34%) in the inferior vena cava (IVC). Catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) was the most frequent complication in uncuffed and cuffed CVCs (2.58 / 100 catheters day and 10.1 /1000 catheter days respectively). AVFs achieved a high success rate (83%) after 757.71 ± 512.3 functioning days., Conclusion: Native AVF is the preferred VA for pediatric HD but its creation is limited by the small sized vessels where non-cuffed CVC could be a reasonable relatively long-term alternative. Challenging situations (occluded central veins) could benefit from TH technique of CVC insertion in IVC., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This work offers a high-performing, environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 1 M sulfamic acid (H 2 NSO 3 H). Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to evaluate the anticorrosion properties of Pipper cubeba official extract (P.cubebaOE) for carbon steel in 1 M H 2 NSO 3 H at 25 to 45 °C. At a temperature of 45 °C, the P.cubebaOE reached a maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency of 96%. P.cubebaOE was also subjected to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in order to ascertain its primary chemical composition. Additionally, the behavior of P.cubebaOE in terms of corrosion inhibition on carbon steel was examined at the microscopic level using scanning electron microscopy. The findings demonstrate that P.cubebaOE's adsorption type on carbon steel conforms to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Based on the adsorption isotherm model, the free energy was estimated to be approximately -20.0 kJ/mol, suggesting that P.cubebaOE is physically adsorbing on the surface of carbon steel. The results of the density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations show that P.cubebaOE exhibits excellent inhibition performance on carbon steel in H 2 NSO 3 H solution and are consistent with the electrochemical experimental results. This work offers significant information on the development of environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Reports indicate that there are menstrual cycle disturbances following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. The present study explored the prevalence of menstrual irregularities after COVID-19 vaccination and the association of menstrual irregularities with vaccine type, doses, immediate adverse effects, history of COVID-19 infection, and its severity., Materials and Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 406 women of reproductive age completed an online survey about the postvaccine changes in their menstruation (cycle duration, bleeding days, and bleeding amount), COVID-19 vaccine history (doses, type of vaccine, and immediate adverse effects), history of COVID-19 infection, and its severity. Data was analyzed using SPSS; descriptive statistics were computed and Chi-square test, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed., Results: Of the total 406 women, 45% reported postvaccine changes in their menstrual cycle. The most common menstrual change was increased dysmenorrhea (68%), followed by an increase in the length of the cycle (52%). There was a significant association between postvaccine menstrual changes and the age, marital status, and family history of menstrual irregularities. No association was observed between postvaccine menstrual changes and COVID-19 vaccine-and COVID-19 infection-related variables. As per the best-fit model of our predictors, the odds of having postvaccine menstrual changes were 0.41 times less in "single" women (confidence interval [CI] = 0.26-0.27; P < 0.001) and 1.714 times greater in women who had a "family history of menstrual irregularities" (CI = 1.092-2.690; P = 0.02), respectively., Conclusion: A substantial number of women complained of postvaccine menstrual changes regardless of their age, type of COVID-19 vaccine, doses, immediate adverse effects, and COVID-19 infection history/severity. Being "single" decreased the probability, whereas having a family history of menstrual irregularities increased the probability significantly of having postvaccine menstrual changes., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Family and Community Medicine.)

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is a commonly used anticoagulant for pediatric patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), but evidence is lacking on the ideal dosing. We aimed to (1) develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model for UFH, measured through anti-factor Xa assay; (2) optimize UFH starting infusions and dose titrations through simulations; and (3) explore UFH exposure-clinical outcomes relationship. Data from 218 patients admitted to Utah's Primary Children's Hospital were retrospectively collected. A 1-compartment PK model with time-varying clearance (CL) adequately described UFH PK. Weight on CL and volume of distribution and ECMO circuit change on CL were significant covariates. The typical estimates for initial CL and first-order rate constant to reach steady-state CL were 0.57 L/(h·10 kg) and 0.02/h. Comparable to non-ECMO patients, the typical steady-state CL was 0.81 L/(h·10 kg). Simulations showed that a 75 IU/kg UFH bolus dose followed by starting infusions of 25 and 20 IU/h/kg for patients aged younger than 6 years and 6 years or older, respectively, achieved the therapeutic target in 56.6% of all patients, whereas only 3.1% exceeded the target. The proposed UFH titration schemes achieved the target in more than 90% of patients while less than 0.63% were above the target after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. The median intensive care unit survival time in patients within and below the target at 24 hours was 136 and 66 hours, respectively. In conclusion, PK model of UFH was developed for pediatric patients on ECMO. The proposed UFH dosing scheme attained the anti-factor Xa target rapidly and safely., (© 2023, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.)

A cluster of eleven research and innovation projects, funded under the same call of the EU's H2020 programme, are developing breakthrough and game-changing renewable energy technologies that will form the backbone of the energy system by 2030 and 2050 are, at present, at an early stage of development. These projects have joined forces at a collaborative workshop, entitled ' Low-TRL Renewable Energy Technologies ', at the 10th Sustainable Places Conference (SP2022), to share their insights, present their projects' progress and achievements to date, and expose their approach for exploitation and market uptake of their solutions., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2023 Pérez Caballero LM et al.)

Copper corrosion was suppressed when a lupine extract was immersed in a 2 M sulfamic acid (H 2 NSO 3 H) solution. Numerous methods, including mass loss (ML), dynamic potential polarization (PL), and electrochemical impedance (EIS), were employed in these experiments, in addition to theoretical computations such as density functional theory (DFT), Fukui function, and Monte Carlo simulations. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the Cu surface's composition and determine its form. Mass loss (ML) was used to examine the inhibition rate of copper corrosion in sulfamic acid at 25 °C in the presence of lupine extract. After examining how it behaved throughout the adsorption process on copper, it was discovered that it follows the Langmuir isotherm and chemical adsorption. An analysis of the PL curves indicates that the lupine extract is a mixed-type inhibitor. It was shown that the inhibitory efficiency increased to 84.2% with increasing lupine concentration. Additionally, as the data show, the efficiency of inhibitors is diminished by increasing temperatures. Theoretical calculations and experimental data were compared using Monte Carlo simulation (MC) and density functional theory (DFT)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objectives: Left atrial enlargement (LAE) is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation, a common cause of large vessel occlusion (LVO) leading to ischemic stroke. While robust cerebral collaterals protect penumbral tissue from infarction, the effect of structural heart disease on cerebral collaterals remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the association between LAE and cerebral collaterals in patients with acute LVO stroke., Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with middle cerebral and/or internal carotid LVO who underwent endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) between 2012 to 2020. Consecutive patients with echocardiography and computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the head were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between LAE and poor cerebral collaterals, adjusting for demographics (age, sex, race) and vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes and smoking)., Results: The study included 235 patients with mean age of 69±15 years and an initial mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 18. Of these, 89 (37.9 %) had LAE, and 105 (44.7 %) had poor collaterals. Patients with LAE were more likely to have poor collaterals compared to those without LAE (58.4 % vs 36.3 %, P = 0.001). LAE was independently associated with higher odds of poor collaterals (odds ratio, 2.47; P = 0.001), even after adjusting for covariables (odds ratio 1.84, P = 0.048)., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a significant association between LAE and poor cerebral collaterals in patients with LVO stroke undergoing EVT. Further research is warranted to explore potential shared mechanisms, such as endothelial dysfunction, underlying this heart-brain association., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The Authors declares that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has caused a huge loss of human life, and the number of deaths is still continuing. Despite the lack of repurposed drugs and vaccines, the search for potential small molecules to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 is in demand. Hence, we relied on the drug-like characters of ten phytochemicals (compounds 1 - 10 ) that were previously isolated and purified by our research team from Saudi medicinal plants. We computationally evaluated the inhibition of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) by compounds 1 - 10 . Non-covalent (reversible) docking of compounds 1 - 10 with RdRp led to the formation of a hydrogen bond with template primer nucleotides (A and U) and key amino acid residues (ASP623, LYS545, ARG555, ASN691, SER682, and ARG553) in its active pocket. Covalent (irreversible) docking revealed that compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 exhibited their irreversible nature of binding with CYS813, a crucial amino acid in the palm domain of RdRP. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation analysis by RMSD, RMSF, and Rg parameters affirmed that RdRP complexes with compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 were stable and showed less deviation. Our data provide novel information on compounds 7 , 8 , and 9 that demonstrated their non-nucleoside and irreversible interaction capabilities to inhibit RdRp and shed new scaffolds as antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.

A new species, Leiurushadb Al-Qahtni, Al-Salem, Alqahtani & Badry, sp. nov. , is described and illustrated from the Majami al-Hadb Protected Area in the Riyadh Province of Saudi Arabia. The new species is compared with species of Leiurus distributed in Saudi Arabia, especially L.arabicus Lowe, Yağmur & Kovařík, 2014. The integrated results indicate that the population found in Majami al-Hadb represents a distinct species, which is described herein. Moreover, the molecular analysis is conducted on the mitochondrial gene 16S rRNA to compare L.hadb sp. nov. with samples of L.arabicus and L.haenggii from Saudi Arabia. The analysis revealed a genetic divergence ranging from 6.0 to 12%. The combination of molecular evidence and morphological characteristics provides adequate support for recognizing the Majami al-Hadb population as a distinct species. Additionally, an identification key for the genus Leiurus found in Saudi Arabia is also provided., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Abdulmani H. Al-Qahtni, Abdullah M. Al-Salem, Fahad Mesfer, Manal S. Al Balawi, Wasayf S. Allahyani, Abdulaziz R. Alqahtani, Ahmed Badry.)

The rapid increase in energy consumption around the world is the main challenge that compromises and affects the environment. Electricity generation, which mainly depends on fossil fuels, produces around 80% of CO 2 emissions released into the atmosphere. Renewables are a remarkable alternative for energy production. However, they are intermittent sources of energy. Liquid air energy storage (LAES) is a medium-to large-scale energy system used to store and produce energy, and recently, it could compete with other storage systems ( e.g. , compressed air and pumped hydro), which have geographical constraints, affect the environment, and have a lower energy density than that of LAES. However, the low efficiency, high payback periods, and profit values of LAES hamper its commercialization. LAES is premature to be fully studied because lack of actual operating conditions and results from large plants, which affect the techno-economic predictions, in turn, affecting technology commercialization. Furthermore, the off-design conditions are not fully covered although it is a crucial step in system performance evaluation. To this end, the current mini-review sheds light on the LAES design, history, types, limitations, and the associated techno-economic analysis. In addition, state-of-the-art modelling tools are widely explained with benefits and shortage. Furthermore, LAES integration with other systems is explained widely, as it was found to boost the system performance and increase the profit with lower payback periods., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell subsets and immunophenotypic composition of the pre-infusion product, as well as their longitudinal changes following infusion, are expected to affect CAR T-cell expansion, persistence, and clinical outcomes. Herein, we sequentially evolved our previously described cellular kinetic-pharmacodynamic (CK-PD) model to incorporate CAR T-cell product-associated attributes by utilizing published preclinical and clinical datasets from two affinity variants (FMC63 and CAT19 scFv) anti-CD19 CAR T-cells. In step 1, a unified cell-level PD model was used to simultaneously characterize the in vitro killing datasets of two CAR T-cells against CD19+ cell lines at varying effector:target ratios. In step 2, an augmented CK-PD model for anti-CD19 CAR T-cells was developed, by integrating CK dataset(s) from two bioanalytical measurements (quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry) in patients with cancer. The model described the differential in vivo expansion properties of CAR T-cell subsets. The estimated expansion rate constant was ~1.12-fold higher for CAR+CD8+ cells in comparison to CAR+CD4+ T-cells. In step 3, the model was extended to characterize the disposition of four immunophenotypic populations of CAR T-cells, including stem-cell memory, central memory, effector memory, and effector cells. The model adequately characterized the longitudinal changes in immunophenotypes post anti-CD19 CAR T-cell infusion in pediatric patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Polyclonality in the pre-infusion product was identified as a categorical covariate influencing differentiation of immunophenotypes. In the future, this model could be leveraged a priori toward optimizing the composition of CAR T-cell infusion product, and further understand the CK-PD relationship in patients., (© 2023 The Authors. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.)

Because a wide range of disorders incorporate dissociative symptoms, evaluators should be familiar with evidence-based approaches to evaluating dissociation claims in the clinical and forensic context. This article provides specific guidelines for practitioners when conducting a forensic assessment of individuals who report dissociative symptoms. We review the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition disorders that include dissociation as a symptom, highlight how to distinguish genuine versus atypical symptoms of dissociative identity disorder, and summarize strengths and weaknesses of structured assessments in the evaluation of dissociative claims., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) can identify high-risk coronary plaque types. However, the inter-observer variability for high-risk plaque features, including low attenuation plaque (LAP), positive remodelling (PR), and the Napkin-Ring sign (NRS), may reduce their utility, especially amongst less experienced readers., Methodology: In a prospective study, we compared the prevalence, location and inter-observer variability of both conventional CT-defined high-risk plaques with a novel index based on quantifying the ratio of necrotic core to fibrous plaque using individualised X-ray attenuation cut-offs (the CT-defined thin-cap fibroatheroma - CT-TCFA) in 100 patients followed-up for 7 years., Results: In total, 346 plaques were identified in all patients. Seventy-two (21%) of all plaques were classified by conventional CT parameters as high-risk (either NRS or PR and LAP combined), and 43 (12%) of plaques were considered high-risk using the novel CT-TCFA definition of (Necrotic Core/fibrous plaque ratio of >0.9). The majority (80%) of the high-risk plaques (LAP&PR, NRS and CT-TCFA) were located in the proximal and mid-LAD and RCA. The kappa co-efficient of inter-observer variability (k) for NRS was 0.4 and for PR and LAP combined 0.4. While the kappa co-efficient of inter-observer variability (k) for the new CT-TCFA definition was 0.7. During follow-up, patients with either conventional high-risk plaques or CT-TCFAs were significantly more likely to have MACE (Major adverse cardiovascular events) compared to patients without coronary plaques (p value 0.03 & 0.03, respectively)., Conclusion: The novel CT-TCFA is associated with MACE and has improved inter-observer variability compared with current CT-defined high-risk plaques., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Depression is a common psychiatric comorbidity among chronic dermatology patients. There is extreme lacking in the research studying biomarkers responsible for it. Both brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vitamin D have a significant role in the development of depression., Aim: To assess BDNF and vitamin D serum levels in different clinical verities of alopecia areata (AA) and vitiligo patients, correlating them with depression prevalence and quality of life., Methods: In all, 30 AA patients, 30 vitiligo patients, and 30 healthy volunteers were included. Both alopecia and vitiligo severity and activity were evaluated using the suitable clinical scores. Depression was assessed using Beck depression inventory (BDI) scale and quality of life was recorded using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Both serum BDNF and vitamin D levels were investigated using ELISA., Results: In both alopecia and vitiligo patients, serum BDNF and serum vitamin D were significantly lower compared to controls (p = 0.001 for both). Both were associated and negatively correlated with BDI and DLQI. Regarding alopecia, they showed a significant decline in more sever disease and with longer disease duration. However, in vitiligo, BDNF (p = 0.001) and vitamin D (p = 0.03) correlated negatively with disease activity, but not with disease severity. Serum BDNF and vitamin D correlated positively with each other (p = 0.001) in both AA and vitiligo cases., Conclusion: The inverse association of both serum BDNF and vitamin D with depression, and the positive correlation noted between their serum levels, may indicate a potential combined effect of these two players on development of depression and its negative health-related outcomes., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

A uniform and highly porous reduced graphene oxide/poly-2-aminobenzene-1-thiol multi-layer (R-GO/P2ABT-ML) nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized. The uniform layer structure and porosity of the nanocomposite, combined with its conductivity, make it an ideal candidate for use as a pseudo supercapacitor. To enhance the capacitance behavior, a porous ball structure polypyrrole (PB-Ppy) was incorporated into the nanocomposite. When tested at 0.2 A/g, the capacitance values of the R-GO/P2ABT-ML and R-GO/P2ABT-ML/PB-Ppy were found to be 19.6 F/g and 92 F/g, respectively, indicating a significant increase in capacitance due to the addition of PB-Ppy. The energy density was also found to increase from 1.18 Wh.kg -1 for R-GO/P2ABT-ML to 5.43 Wh.kg -1 for R-GO/P2ABT-ML/PB-Ppy. The stability of the supercapacitor was found to be significantly enhanced by the addition of PB-Ppy. The retention coefficients at 100 and 500 charge cycles for R-GO/P2ABT-ML/PB-Ppy were 95.6% and 85.0%, respectively, compared to 89% and 71% for R-GO/P2ABT-ML without PB-Ppy. Given the low cost, mass production capability, and easy fabrication process of this pseudo capacitor, it holds great potential for commercial applications. Therefore, a prototype of this supercapacitor can be expected to be synthesized soon.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major health problem. Cholinergic transmission is greatly affected in AD. Phytochemical investigation of the alkaloid rich fraction (AF) of Erythrina corallodendron L leaves resulted in isolation of five known alkaloids: erysodine, erythrinine, 8-oxoerythrinine, erysovine N-oxide and erythrinine N-oxide. In this study, eysovine N-oxide was reported for the second time in nature. AF was assayed for cholinesterase inhibition at the concentration of 100 μg mL -1 . AF showed a higher percent inhibition for butyrylcholinesterase enzyme (BuChE) (83.28 %) compared to acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) (64.64 %). The isolated alkaloids were also assayed for their anti-BuChE effect. In-silico docking study was done for the isolated compounds at the binding sites of AChE and BuChE to determine their binding pattern and interactions, also molecular dynamics were estimated for the compound displaying the best fit for AChE and BuChE. In addition, ADME parameters and toxicity were predicted for the isolated alkaloids compared to donepezil., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Prochloraz and tebuconazole are well-known fungicides for broad applications, including medical, industrial, and agricultural. They are frequently used simultaneously which increases the probability of their co-existing in various water sources. In this study, the analysis of PCZ or TBZ in water was performed by a direct analysis using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique (LC-MS/MS). The optimized method was fully validated according to the European guidelines, SANTE/11312/2021. The complete degradation of these fungicides (each of 2 mg/L) in their single presence in the water was accomplished just after 15 min using 4.2 mM persulfate at 50 °C, while a lower concentration of persulfate (1.4 mM) leads to a degradation of prochloraz and tebuconazole, in their single existence in water, at percentages of 97 % and 98 %, respectively, after 30 min at 50 °C. On the other hand, it takes a complete hour to degrade a mixture of prochloraz and tebuconazole at percentages of 99 % and 94 %, respectively, using 1.4 mM persulfate at 50 °C. Degradation products (DPds) of prochloraz and tebuconazole, either in their single or simultaneous existing in water, were also identified and monitored during the whole degradation process by LC-MS/MS using at least two mass transitions for each DPd at both positive and negative ionization modes. It was elucidated that the persulfate degradation of prochloraz was conducted by the cleavage of the imidazole ring and the subsequent formation of a trichlorophenol, while persulfate degradation of tebuconazole was mainly accomplished by the formation of a hydroxyl structure, cleavage of the tert-butyl chain, and the subsequent formation of a ketone structure. Furthermore, a new DPd of tebuconazole (m/z = 263 Da) with a diketone structure was identified and confirmed., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)