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Abstract Sleep disturbances are commonly reported by patients with asthma. However, the prevalence of sleep disturbance and its association with the level of asthma control is unknown. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance among Saudi adult asthmatic patients attending pulmonary clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC). The study also aimed to compare sleep quality between controlled and uncontrolled asthma patients. The study was carried out in the outpatient pulmonary clinics at KAMC and utilized a cross-sectional survey. The survey included five different questionnaires: asthma control test and questionnaires related to the quality of sleep (Pittsburgh sleep quality index [PSQI], Epworth sleepiness scale [ESS], Berlin questionnaire [a measure of obstructive sleep apnea risk], and insomnia severity index [ISI]). Among the 200 asthma patients, 66% suffered from poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5), 43% were at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, 25% had excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS > 10), and 46.5% had significant clinical insomnia (ISI ≥ 10). Poor sleep quality was less common in patients with well-controlled asthma (37%) compared to those with partially controlled asthma (78%) and uncontrolled asthma (82%) (p

Introduction: Acne vulgaris is one of the most common inflammatory disorders worldwide and mainly affects young people. The frequency of acne and how it is treated in Saudi Arabia is not well characterized. Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of acne vulgaris among the Saudi population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study that was carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the period from March to July 2019. The questionnaire was filled by a convenience sample of 346 Saudi participants aged 15–30 years. The survey questions were related to acne prevalence, associated factors, treatment practices, and depression. Results: Seventy-eight percent of the participants reported having acne. Females were more commonly affected (86.1%) than males (69.9%, P < 0.001). Only 31.5% of the individuals who had acne consulted a dermatologist in the past 12 months. The most frequently prescribed medication was isotretinoin (19.2%), and 71.4% were happy with the results of using it compared to only 38.2% who used topical antibiotics (P= 0.012). Males reported a less depression (21.5%) compared to females (46.3%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Acne vulgaris has a high prevalence in Saudi Arabia, but only one-third are getting treated by health-care providers. Efforts should be made to increase awareness about acne vulgaris and its treatment.

Marwa M Raafat,1 Marwa Ali-Tammam,1 Amal E Ali11Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Pharmaceutical Industries, Future University in Egypt (FUE), New Cairo, EgyptBackground: Quorum quenching, the interference of a Quorum sensing (QS) system that contributes to the pathogenesis through triggering the production of various virulence determinants, is among the newly suggested antivirulence strategies.Purpose: This study aimed at screening of N-Acyl homoserine lactonase activity from local bacterial isolate, and investigating its effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) virulence and biofilm formation.Materials and methods: Soil bacteria were screened for aiiA gene coding for lactonase enzyme by Polymerase Chain reaction and sequencing of aiiA gene homologs. Lactonase activity and spectrum were assessed in the cell-free lysate by well diffusion assay using Agrobacterium tumafaciens KYC55. A bacterial isolate showing the highest N-acyl-homoserine lactones degradation percentage was identified by gene amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and its aiiA gene homolog. High performance liquid chromatography was used to confirm N-acyl-homoserine lactone degradation. The effect of cell-free lysate on the biofilm formation ability and cytotoxicity of P. aeruginosa PAO1 and P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from different clinical sources were assessed by static microtiter plate and viability assay, respectivelyResults: Lactonase gene and activity were identified in three Bacillus spp. isolates. They showed broad catalytic activities against tested N-acyl-homoserine lactones. However, The lactonase activity in the cell-free lysate of isolate 30b showed the highest significant degradation percentage on all tested signals; N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (71%), N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (100%), N-decanoyl-homoserine lactone (100%), N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (37.5%), N-(oxodecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (100%), and N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (100%). Alignment of the amino acid sequences of AiiA protein of isolate 30b showed 96% identity with Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) homologous lactonases in the GenBank database, and the isolate was designated as B. cereus isolate 30b. Cell-free lysate of B. cereus isolate 30b reduced biofilm formation significantly in 93% of P. aeruginosa isolates. The highest mean percentage of reduction in the biofilm was 86%. Moreover, the viability percentage of human lung carcinoma A549 cells infected by P. aeruginosa and treated with cell-free lysate of B. cereus isolate 30b increased up to 15%.Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the potential of lactonases as a promising strategy to combat Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence.Keywords: lactonase, antivirulence, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biofilm, cytotoxicity, quorum quenching, AHL

The detection of heavy metals in water, especially Pb2+ ions, is important due to their severe hazardous effects. To address this issue, a highly controlled hexagonal TiON/TiO2 heterostructure has been synthesized in this study. The fabrication process involved the utilization of atomic layer deposition and direct current sputtering techniques to deposit TiO2 and TiON layers onto a porous Al2O3 membrane used as a template. The resulting heterostructure exhibits a well-ordered hollow tube structure with a diameter of 345 nm and a length of 1.2 µm. The electrochemical sensing of Pb2+ ions in water is carried out using a cyclic voltammetry technique under both light and dark conditions. The concentration range for the Pb2+ ions ranges from 10–5 to 10–1 M. The sensitivity values obtained for the sensor are 1.0 × 10–6 in dark conditions and 1.0 × 10–4 in light conditions. The remarkable enhancement in sensitivity under light illumination can be attributed to the increased activity and electron transfer facilitated by the presence of light. The sensor demonstrates excellent reproducibility, highlighting its reliability and consistency. These findings suggest that the proposed sensor holds great promise for the detection of Pb2+ ions in water, thereby facilitating environmental monitoring, water quality assessment, and safety regulation across various industries. Furthermore, the eco-friendly and straightforward preparation techniques employed in its fabrication provide a significant advantage for practical and scalable implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human serum albumin (HSA) plays a fundamental role in the human body, including the transport of exogenous and endogenous substances. HSA is also a biopolymer with a great medical and pharmaceutical potential. Due to nontoxicity and biocompatibility, this protein can be used as a nanocarrier. 10-(2′-Pyrimidyl)-3,6-diazaphenothiazine (10-Pyr-3,6-DAPT) is a phenothiazine showing high anticancer potential in vitro against glioma, melanoma and breast cancer cells. Additionally, this compound is characterized by selectivity of action towards MCF-7 breast cancer and has low cytotoxicity towards normal cells. Considering the promising pharmacological potential of this compound and using spectroscopic techniques, HSA and human serum albumin nanoparticles (HSA-NP) were tested as carriers of this molecule. Based on the obtained data and the appropriate mathematical models (Stern-Volmer and Klotz models), it can be concluded that 10-Pyr-3,6-DAPT probably forms a weak (Ka = (5.24 ± 0.57) × 104 and Ka = (4.67 ± 0.59) × 104) for excitation wavelengths λex 275 nm and λex 295 nm, respectively) static complex (kq > 1010) with HSA (at Sudlow site II (subdomain IIIA), and the phenomenon of it having both strong therapeutic and toxic effects is possible. High encapsulation efficiency of 10-Pyr-3,6-DAPT into the HSA-NPs was obtained, and the changes in albumin secondary structure due to the presence of 10-Pyr-3,6-DAPT were registered. Based on the data presented, it can be concluded that due to the high toxic effects of 10-Pyr-3,6-DAPT, a better carrier may be HSA-NPs.

Background: Carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) represents a significant burden and potential cause of death. However, there are only a few studies about COP in Saudi Arabia despite its noticeable impact on the community. Objective: This systematic review aimed to estimate the prevalence of COP at the level of Middle Eastern and North African region based on WHO distribution, with a particular interest to extrapolate the case fatality rate (CFR) and complications rates among COP victims. Methods: By reviewing the databases (Cochrane Library, Pubmed, EMBASE, and CINAHL) in a strategic approach, the relevant studies were retrieved and reviewed independently. Studies were included based on a predefined set of criteria. The quality of each study was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Outcome measures included the incidence (the primary outcome), gender, age, mortality and complications rate, seasonal variations, geographical area, source, and mechanism of exposure. Results: From 2489 citations, only thirteen studies met the eligibility criteria from five different countries. The date of publication of included studies ranged from 2000 to 2017. The mean sample size was 1483 victims. Most of the victims were females (64.24%). The mean age of the victims was 29.6 years old. The overall incidence of COP was estimated to be equal to 13.37 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Most of the COP events happened in the winter. Gas heaters were the most frequent source. Conclusion: COP is still a significant burden though it is potentially preventable. Policies and obligations need reevaluation, and public awareness should be raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinine (Qi) is a well-known drug used in malaria therapy; it is also a potential anti-arrhythmic drug used in the treatment of calf cramps, rheumatoid arthritis, colds, and photodermatitis. Moreover, it is used in the food industry for the production of tonics. This study aimed to analyze the interaction between quinine and a transporting protein—human serum albumin (HSA)—as well as the influence of Qi on both protein reduction and antioxidant potential. It was found that Qi (via spectrofluorometric measurements and circular dichroism spectroscopy) binds to HSA with a low affinity and slightly affects the secondary structure of albumin. As demonstrated by the use of ABTS and FRAP assays, HSA has a higher antioxidant and reduction potential than Qi, while their mutual interaction results in a synergistic effect in antioxidant activity and reduction potential.

Proton elastic scattering at various incident energies is one method to study nuclear density distributions and nuclear radii. Single folding potential describing the p-scattering on 40Ca over a broad energy range 9-48.4 MeV is constructed. The resulting potential does not need any renormalization to fit the measured elastic scattering angular distributions and total reaction cross-sections. Furthermore, correlation between volume integral and proton incident energy is discussed. Theoretical calculations are in a good agreement with existing experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]