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Introduction. The actual question of redistribution of moments in statically indeterminate reinforced concrete (RC) beams subjected to corrosion is considered. Statically indeterminate RC beams are widely used in various construction applications, and understanding how corrosion affects the redistribution of moments in such beams is important for assessing their load-bearing capacity and safety. Experimental and analytical methods are applied to study the effect of corrosion on the redistribution of moments in RC beams.Materials and methods. To carry out this investigation, a new technique was implemented to accelerate and control the corrosion process, applied according to the experimental programme. Four two-span reinforced concrete beams, both with and without induced corrosion, were subjected to bending moments in the experimental setup. The methods involved careful application of corrosion, and the experimental programme aimed to simulate real-world conditions.Results. The experimental results were compared for the beams with and without corrosion. The analysis revealed significant effects of corrosion on the redistribution of moments in statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams. Furthermore, the degree of corrosion was found to be directly proportional to the increased redistribution of moments. Moreover, the proposed model can significantly determine the redistribution coefficient of moments in statically indeterminate RC beams.Conclusions. This study highlights the significant influence of corrosion on the redistribution of moments in statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams. The results obtained show that as the corrosion percentage increases, there is a corresponding increase in the redistribution of moments. The results obtained can provide a basis for the development of future strategies to reduce the effects of corrosion on statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams, thereby improving structural design and construction practices.

The aim of this study was to examine Foreign Language (FL) reading anxiety level of Arabicspeaking Yemeni students learning English as a foreign language (n = 106). It utilized (a) a background information questionnaire, (b) the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS), and (c) students' English school marks. Results of the study showed that learners of English experienced an above moderate level of FL reading anxiety. There was no significant difference between students' FL reading anxiety and their gender. However, a statistically reliable difference between the means of public and private schools regarding their FL reading anxiety in favor of the private school. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between students' FL reading anxiety and their type of school. Difficulties of uncertainty, pronunciation of English words, unfamiliar topic, unknown vocabulary, reading aloud, using word by word translation, unfamiliar English culture and history, unfamiliar grammar, English letters and symbols were identified as the major sources of FL reading anxiety.

Governments and other agencies repeated many important surveys at regular time intervals, but the population mean is estimated mainly using the latest survey. Time series estimators for the population mean using repeated surveys are superior to those obtained from the last survey. This superiority may be affected by several factors such as the sampling variance, the number of surveys, and the Auto Regressive Moving Average ARMA model coefficients and orders among others. The main objective of the paper is to compare the time series estimator for repeated surveys developed by Scott et al. (A.J. Scott, T.M.F. Smith, R.G. Jones, Int. Stat. Rev. 45 (1977), 13–28.) and the last survey estimator using extensive simulation studies. Furthermore, the impact of the factors that may affect the efficiency of the time series estimator is also investigated.

To determine the efficacy and safety of cinacalcet, a calcimimetic drug that suppress parathyroid hormone (PTH) production, we studied its effect on 20 patients (13 males) on maintenance hemodialysis (HD), 80% of them have persistent high PTH levels (i.e. more than 80 pmol/L), the remaining patients had PTH levels more than 60 pmol/L. Five of 20 (25%) patients dropped out from the study (2 because of severe GIT upset, one showed severe myalgia and arthralgia, one patient due to non compliance and one died at home due to cardiac arrest). The remaining 15 patients (10 males) had a mean age of 40 ± 12.86 years and dialysis duration of 29.13 ± 18.27 months. The follow-up period on cinacalcet was 4 months with a single daily oral dose started with 30 mg/day and increased gradually according to the PTH levels. Nine (60%) pa-tients were on concomitant active vitamin D during the study period with a mean dose of 7.33 ± 3.39 μg/week. There was a significant decrease in the serum PTH levels at the end the study compared to that at the start (46.4 ± 4.7 pmol/L versus 93.3 ± 25.6 pmol/L, respectively, P< 0.000), and the target PTH level (< 31.6 pmol/L) was achieved in 54% of patients. No significant changes in serum Ca and phosphorous levels were observed. We conclude that cinacalcet is an effective therapy to suppress the serum PTH levels and allows favorable management of the serum calcium and phosphorus levels in HD patients. The drug was well tolerated; however, GIT discomfort is a significant side effect that may necessitate drug withdrawal in some patients.

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious public health problem affecting an estimated 2% of the world′s population. The natural history of HCV infection in hemodialysis patients remains incompletely understood and the management is difficult. HCV infection in hemodialysis patients is usually asymptomatic. Given the diminished life expectancy of hemodialysis patients, complications such as decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma may not have time to develop. The frequency of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis ranges from 0% to 28 %. We discuss in this presentation several aspects of HCV infection in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients such as relationship with glomerulopathy, renal allograft outcome, prevalence in hemodialysis patients in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, treatment of HCV in hemo-dialysis patients in the kingdom of Saudia Arabia, and finally our experience at Prince Salman Center for kidney disease (PSCKD) in the management of HCV infected hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: This study was designed to estimate respiratory morbidity associated with elective cesarean section (ECS) and to determine the effect of antenatal oxytocin exposure on this morbidity., Material and Methods: Nine hundred and sixty-five neonates ≥ 37 weeks' gestation delivered by cesarean section during 1 year were included in this retrospective study and classified into two groups according to oxytocin exposure before cesarean deliveries. Respiratory morbidity for each group was recorded and statistically analyzed., Results: Transient tachypnea of newborn (TTN) was significantly more frequent in group II (ECS group) than in group I (cesarean section after oxytocin exposure) (8.19% vs. 2.92%; respectively, p = 0.0006). Mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oxygen therapy were significantly more frequent in group II than in group I (1.78%, 2.14% and 4.28% versus 0.44%, 0.58% and 1.46%, respectively; p = 0.039, and p = 0.033 and p = 0.009, respectively). The number of newborns admitted to the neonatal unit and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was significantly higher in group II than in group I (6.41% and 2.14% vs. 2.05% and 0.58%, respectively; p = 0.001 and p = 0.033, respectively). Surfactant, fluid therapies and parenteral nutrition were significantly more frequent in group II than in group I (2.14%, 4.28% and 2.49% vs. 0.15%, 1.46% and 0.73%, respectively; p = 0.001, p = 0.009 and p = 0.02, respectively)., Conclusions: Neonatal respiratory morbidity associated with ECS significantly decreased after antenatal oxytocin exposure. A significant reduction of neonatal respiratory morbidity would be achieved if ECS were performed after 39 weeks' gestation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background and Objectives: Exposure to environmental hazards will destroy a number of ovarian primordial follicles, reduce ovarian reserve and subsequent reproductive ability. This study designed to evaluate ovarian parameters and ovarian blood flow of women living in the area of environmental crisis Shalkar city (Kazakhstan) compared to women living in Aktobe city (Kazakhstan)., Patients and Methods: 220 women in their reproductive age studied and classified into two groups; study (Shalkar) group and control (Aktobe) group. Blood sample taken from studied women during follicular phase (day 3) for hormonal level evaluation including; follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH). Studied women evaluated using trans-vaginal ultrasound (TVS) to detect antral follicle count (AFC) during follicular scan and ovarian volume (OV), ovarian blood flow (OBF) using pulsatility index (PI) during follicular scan and luteal scan., Results: Both ovaries AFC was significantly less in study (Shalkar) group compared to and control (Aktobe) group (p=0.0001). Mean ovarian volume was significantly less in Shalkar group in both follicular phase and luteal phase (5.86±0.23 and 6.19±0.22Cm(3); respectively) compared to Aktobe group (6.85±0.19 and 6.92±0.18Cm(3); respectively). In addition, mean ovarian pulsatility index was significantly high with subsequent decrease in ovarian blood flow in Shalkar group in both follicular phase and luteal phase (3.36±0.20 and 3.45±0.19Cm/s; respectively) compared to Aktobe group (2.96±0.16 and 2.92±0.15Cm/s; respectively)., Conclusion: This study suggests definite environmental effect on ovarian parameters as indicated by decreased AFC, decreased both follicular and luteal OV and OBF in women living in environmental crisis Shalkar group compared to Aktobe group., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of incisional infiltration of lidocaine and epinephrine vs. lidocaine only to reduce postcesarean section (C/S) pain., Material and Methods: It was a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded clinical trial that was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Egypt and included 153 women undergoing C/S under general anesthesia. They were randomly divided into the following two groups: Group I (control group, number=78), in which the wound was infiltrated before skin closure with 20 mL of 2% lidocaine, and Group II (study group, number=75), in which the wound was infiltrated before skin closure with 20 mL of 2% lidocaine and epinephrine. The primary outcomes were the time to first analgesic (TFA) request (minutes) and the postoperative pain scores that were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes included the duration of C/S, onset of mobilization, onset of breastfeeding, duration of hospital stay, local or systemic side effects of lidocaine and epinephrine, postoperative pyrexia, and postoperative wound infection., Results: The pain score determined using VAS after 1 and 2 h was significantly decreased in Group II than in Group I. However, at 4.8 and 16 h, these results were significantly reversed in Group II than in Group I. The cumulative postoperative opioid consumption was significantly less in Group II than in Group I (50 vs. 90 mg). The onset of mobilization, onset of breastfeeding, and duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in Group II than in Group I, whereas the TFA request was significantly longer in Group II., Conclusion: Administering epinephrine with 2% lidocaine prolongs the anesthetic effect and reduces the opioid analgesic dose postoperatively required, thereby enhancing patient recovery.

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of brush endometrial sampling with conventional dilatation and curettage in women with abnormal uterine bleeding., Patients and Methods: Two hundred and twenty (220) women with abnormal uterine bleeding were included in this comparative study; endometrial sampling was done before cervical dilatation using Tao Bruch followed by conventional dilatation and curettage (D&C). The histopathology report of the Tao Bruch samples was compared with that of the D&C samples and the D&C results were considered as the gold standard., Results: 100% of samples obtained by conventional D&C, while 98.2% of the samples obtained by Tao Brush were adequate for histopathology examination. In this study; Tao Brush had 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% predictive values and accuracy for diagnosing endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma, proliferative and secretory endometrium, also, it had 86.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value (PPV) and 99% negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for diagnosing endometritis (no significant difference compared to conventional D&C), while, it had 77.8% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 99% NPV and accuracy for diagnosing endometrial polyps (no significant difference compared to conventional D&C) CONCLUSION: Endometrial sampling using endometrial brush cytology (EBC) is safe, accurate, cost-effective outpatient procedure, avoids general anesthesia with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. EBC could be used as complementary diagnostic tool when hysteroscopic biopsies or other blinded procedures for endometrial sampling are unwanted or not available.

Objective: To detect the maternal and obstetrical factors associated with successful trial of vaginal birth among women with a previous cesarean delivery., Material and Methods: A total of 122 women who were eligible for a trial of labor after cesarean section (TOLAC) according to departmental protocol were included in this comparative prospective study. After informed consent, the women included in this study were subjected to a thorough history to detect maternal and obstetric characteristics and a standard examination to estimate fetal weight, engagement of the fetal head, intra-partum features of fetal membranes, and cervical dilatation. After delivery, data on duration of labor, labor augmentation, mode of delivery, birth outcome, and neonatal intensive care (NICU) admission were recorded and analyzed., Results: Trial of labor after cesarean section was successful in 72.13% and was unsuccessful in 27.87%. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in the successful TOLAC group compared to the unsuccessful group (23.8±0.03 versus 26.2±0.02 kg/m(2)), and the number of women with BMI >25 kg/m(2) was significantly high in the unsuccessful group; also, mean gestational age was significantly lower in the successful TOLAC group compared to the unsuccessful group (37.5±0.04 versus 38.5±0.03 weeks), and the number of women admitted in labor with gestation ≥40 weeks was significantly high in the unsuccessful group. The number of women admitted with >2/5 of fetal head palpable abdominally and fetal head station ≥-2 was significantly high in the unsuccessful TOLAC group., Conclusion: In carefully selected cases, TOLAC is safe and often successful. Presence of BMI >25 kg/m(2), gestation ≥40 weeks, and vertex station ≥-2 were risk factors for unsuccessful TOLAC.

Objectives: To compare accuracy of fetal fibronectin (fFN) versus placental alpha microglobulin-1 for detection of premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM)., Methods: Two hundred and twenty pregnant women >34 and <37 weeks were included in this comparative prospective study and divided into two groups according to presence or absence of PROM. The diagnosis of PROM was based on patient's history of sudden gush of water, pooling of amniotic fluid, positive ferning, positive nitrazine test, confirmed by visualization of fluid passing from the cervical canal and amniotic fluid index ≤5 cm measured by trans-abdominal ultrasound. Patients included in this study were examined by sterile speculum for visualization of membranes and for collection of samples (swabs) from posterior vaginal fornix., Results: Sensitivity and specificity of AmniSure test to diagnose PROM were 97.3 and 98.2 %, respectively, compared with 94.5 and 89.1 %, respectively, for fFN test. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of AmniSure test to diagnose PROM were 98.2, 97.3, and 97.7 %, respectively, compared with 89.7, 94.2, and 91.8 %, respectively, for fFN test. Predictive values and accuracy of fFN test to diagnose PROM were statistically insignificant compared with predictive values and accuracy of ferning, nitrazine and AmniSure tests., Conclusion: fFN bedside test is better than nitrazine and ferning tests in detection of PROM, but is not suited for identification of clinically difficult cases with suspected PROM, because, it is influenceable and can give false-positive results in preterm labor, women >34 gestational weeks and after any vaginal manipulation without PROM.

Summary: Osteoporosis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Decreased bone turnover markers and increased lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) in raloxifene-treated women add further support to the idea that raloxifene is an effective well-tolerated option for treating Kuwaiti postmenopausal osteoporosis, suitable for long-term use., Introduction/purpose: Osteoporosis is currently a major cause of mortality, morbidity, and medical expense worldwide, and it is important to investigate therapies for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. This study was designed to detect the effect of raloxifene hydrochloride on bone mineral density and bone turnover in Kuwaiti postmenopausal women with osteoporosis., Methods: Postmenopausal women who were free of severe or chronically disabling conditions, had their last menstrual period at least 2 years before the beginning of the study, had a T score for femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD measurements ≤2.5, and were without fractures were included in this study. One hundred and seventy-six (176) women were included in this study and were divided into two groups; the first group (study) received raloxifene with calcium and vitamin D daily for 12 months, and the second group (control) received only calcium and vitamin D. BMD and bone metabolism markers were measured before and after treatment., Results: One year after treatment, BMD of lumbar spine and total hip was significantly increased in study group (3.21 ± 5.4 and 1.62 ± 7.4, respectively) compared to controls (0.9 ± 3.8 and -0.8 ± 5.6, respectively); also, Ward's triangle and trochanter BMD was significantly increased in study group (4.84 ± 9.3 and 1.78 ± 8.5, respectively) compared to controls (1.53 ± 6.6 and -1. 4 ± 6.4, respectively). C-telopeptide was significantly decreased in study group (121 ± 7.8) compared to control group (1,480 ± 6.3); also, serum osteocalcin was significantly decreased in study group (14.5 ± 8.3) compared to control group (43.8 ± 1.3) 1 year after treatment. Occurrence of fractures during this study was significantly low in raloxifene group compared to controls (0 (0%) versus 3 (3.6%), respectively)., Conclusions: Raloxifene appears to be an effective, well-tolerated option for treating osteoporosis in Kuwaiti postmenopausal women, suitable for long-term use.

Objectives: In the present study, we tested whether a nitrate-free interval is able to prevent increases in vascular superoxide (O2*-) and the development of hypersensitivity to vasoconstrictors and whether this may result in restoration of vascular nitroglycerin (NTG) sensitivity., Background: Intermittent NTG-patch treatment (12 h patch on/patch-off) has been shown to increase ischemic periods in patients with stable coronary arteries, suggesting a rebound-like situation during the patch-off period. Recently, we demonstrated that long-term treatment with NTG induces tolerance, which was in part related to increases in vascular O2*- and increased vasoconstrictor sensitivity., Methods: New Zealand white rabbits received a continuous application of NTG patches (0.4 mg/h) or an intermittent application of NTG patches (12 h patch on, 12 h patch off) for three days. Isometric tension studies were performed with aortic rings, and vascular O2*- was estimated using lucigenin-derived chemiluminescence (5 micromol/liter). Expression of the copper/zinc (Cu/Zn) superoxide dismutase (SOD) was assessed by Western blotting, and SOD activity was measured by autooxidation of 6-hydroxydopamine., Results: Continuous treatment with NTG caused tolerance to NTG, cross-tolerance to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine, increased vascular O2*-, reduced Cu/Zn SOD expression and increased sensitivity to vasoconstrictors such as phenylephrine, serotonin and angiotensin II. On/off treatment with NTG improved tolerance, corrected endothelial dysfunction and decreased vascular O2*-. In addition the reduction in SOD expression was less pronounced, whereas increases in the sensitivity to vasoconstrictors such as phenylephrine and serotonin remained nearly unchanged., Conclusions: Enhanced vasoconstrictor sensitivity may explain, at least in part, the rebound phenomena observed in patients during a 12-h NTG patch-off period.