Anti-tumor effects and cellular mechanisms of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract against Ehrlich solid tumor in mice

Objective: To assess the anti-tumor effects of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract (PAME) compared with cyclophosphamide against Ehrlich solid tumors in mice. Methods: Swiss albino mice (n=40) were divided into five groups: normal control mice, mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with normal saline, mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally once a day for 14 d, or 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg PAME orally once a day for 14 d. Tumor growth inhibition, body weight, tumor markers, liver and kidney enzymes, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, tumor necrosis factor-alpha level (TNF-α), and apoptosis-regulatory gene expression were evaluated. Results: Treatment of mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumors with PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg orally significantly decreased tumor volume, body weight, tumor markers, liver and kidney enzymes, oxidative stress markers and TNF-α level in comparison with mice with Ehrlich solid tumors receiving normal saline. whereas PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day significantly elevated the level of antioxidant enzymes (P<0.05). Conclusions: Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract has potent antitumor activity in mice. Therefore, the extract might be considered as an alternative anticancer agent against tumors, however, additional studies especially in the clinical setting are required to confirm this finding.

Therapeutic potential of royal jelly to control Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

@#At present, there are several synthetic medications for toxoplasmosis therapy; however, these agents cannot be permanently applied because of adverse side effects or therapeutic failures and drug resistance in parasites. The present experimental investigation was aimed to study the effects of royal jelly (RJ) obtained from Apis mellifera in comparison with atovaquone against Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice. After treatment of infected mice with RJ at the doses of 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days, we evaluated the therapeutic activity of RJ by measuring the mean number and the mean size of T. gondii tissue cysts, oxidant-antioxidant enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, the mRNA expression levels of bradyzoite surface antigen 1 (BAG1), as well as the toxic effect on liver and kidney function. Treatment of the infected mice with RJ significantly (p < 0.001) decreased the mean number and the mean diameter of T. gondii tissue cysts and downregulated BAG1 in a dose-dependent response. After treatment of infected mice with RJ, the level of oxidative stress markers was significantly diminished, but a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the level of antioxidant markers such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes was observed. Treatment of the infected mice with RJ significantly enhanced the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-1β, whereas it caused no substantial change in the serum levels of liver and kidney enzymes. The findings of this in vivo study revealed the favorable therapeutic effect of RJ on latent T. gondii infection in mice. It was found that RJ considerably inhibited the infection by decreasing the number and size of tissue cysts, reducing oxidative stress, and boosting the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, but had no significant toxic impact on the function of vital organs such as liver and kidney. However, additional surveys are required to confirm these findings and clarify the exact mechanisms and their efficiency in clinical subjects.

Anti-tumor effects and cellular mechanisms of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract against Ehrlich solid tumor in mice

Objective: To assess the anti-tumor effects of Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract (PAME) compared with cyclophosphamide against Ehrlich solid tumors in mice. Methods: Swiss albino mice (n=40) were divided into five groups: normal control mice, mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with normal saline, mice with Ehrlich solid tumors treated with cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally once a day for 14 d, or 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg PAME orally once a day for 14 d. Tumor growth inhibition, body weight, tumor markers, liver and kidney enzymes, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, tumor necrosis factor-alpha level (TNF-α), and apoptosis-regulatory gene expression were evaluated. Results: Treatment of mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumors with PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg orally significantly decreased tumor volume, body weight, tumor markers, liver and kidney enzymes, oxidative stress markers and TNF-α level in comparison with mice with Ehrlich solid tumors receiving normal saline. whereas PAME at 50 and 100 mg/kg/day significantly elevated the level of antioxidant enzymes (P<0.05). Conclusions: Pistacia atlantica methanolic extract has potent antitumor activity in mice. Therefore, the extract might be considered as an alternative anticancer agent against tumors, however, additional studies especially in the clinical setting are required to confirm this finding.

Is Nitrite Negativity in Urine Analysis an Indicator of Antibiotic Resistance?

Introduction: Studies have reported a correlation between anegative nitrite on urine analysis and resistance tocephalosporin in urine cultured isolate in cases of UTI. Nitritenegativity has therefore been suggested as an aid forphysicians in choosing initial empiric specific antimicrobialtherapy in patients with UTI. Other studies however haveshown contrary results.Study Question: Does whether urinary nitrite test negativityidentify pediatric patients with a higher likelihood of antibioticresistance in bacterial isolates from urines sample cultures.Method: Retrospective chart review of all pediatric patientsfrom birth to 14 years old who received a diagnosis of UTIbased on urine analysis and cultures. We analyzed urineanalysis result, nitrite test result, urine culture and antibioticsensitivity pattern and statistically looked for any correlation ofnitrite negativity on urine analysis with antibiotic resistancepattern of bacterial isolates from urine cultures.Results: No significant statistical difference found betweenantibiotic sensitivity rates of isolates grown from cultures ofnitrite-positive & from nitrite-negative urinary specimens.Conclusions: Physicians should choose initial antimicrobialagent based on knowledge of locally prevalent patterns ofantibiotic resistance, and not on urinary nitrite test results.

Patterns and Clinical Characteristics of Traumatic Spine Fractures in Taif, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

Background: Traumatic spine injury plays a major rule in morbidity and mortality worldwide and can result in severe and permanent disabilities which has a huge impact on patients and their families due to the change in quality of their lifestyle and the high cost of treatment is considered a burden on individuals and families as well as the health care system. Methodology: Data were acquired retrospectively from King Abdul-Aziz Specialist Hospital and King Faisal Medical Complex medical records within June 2014 and June 2018. Results: A total of 151 patients were identified with a mean age of 35.36 ± 16.20 and 78.1% were males. MVA caused 71.3% of the documented spine injuries with meals being significantly affected compared to females followed by fall down 23.3%. No significant relationship was found between the patients’ age and the mechanism of trauma. 21.2% had multiple fractured vertebrae along with multiple levels, while 28.5%, 27.2% and 23.2% had fractures in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions, respectively. 16.6% of patients sustained neurological deficits, 10% had a GCS less than 13 and 18.5% had multiple associated injuries followed by chest 10.5%, Pelvic 5.6%, Head 4.8% and facial 3.2% Injuries. 34.5% had a vertebral body fracture and 14.8% had a spinal cord injury. 72.5% were managed conservatively while 27.5% underwent surgery within a mean of 5.47 ± 7.24 days. 13.2% received steroid which significantly led to a longer hospital stay (14.55 ± 12.67 vs. 9.11 ± 12.51). Patients were hospitalized for 8.06 ± 10.05 days and 22.8% needed an ICU admission for 1.78 ± 6.05 days and those who had spinal cord contusion had a longer LOHS compared to other types of injuries. During the period of hospitalization, 5.29% experienced complications. Conclusion: MVA was the leading cause of traumatic spine injuries and their consequences on patients’ health irrespective of their age and nationalities which necessitate initiating prevention measures.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Saudi Pediatricians Regarding Newborn Hearing Screening in Saudi Arabia

Background: Late detection of permanent congenital and early and onset-hearing loss (PCEHL) severely affectslinguistic, cognitive, and educational development in children. Routine newborn hearing screening (NHS) hasprovided opportunities for children under the DHH category to be identified shortly after birth. Pediatricianshave the biggest role in undertaking the assessment and physical interventions on hearing among newborns.Methods: For this study, the participants who took part in the survey were Saudi pediatricians. The study designwas based on a cross-sectional approach where convenience sampling was adopted as a technique for datacollection. Questionnaires were used as the only tool for data collection. Results: From the study, the majority ofrespondents were male, registering up to 57.9%. From the survey, documenting the state of the NHS program inSaudi Arabia, it turns out that it is important to have a typical screening protocol, regarding the working nationalpolicy. Up to 47.7% of the respondents replied that hearing screening instigates parental concern and anxiety,contradicting other studies that assert the opposite. The respondents, however, articulated concerns aboutrequiring additional information on some of the particular details that are related to NHS. However, majority ofthem (44.4%) were confident in explaining the process to the parents of the newborns. Conclusion: The study canbe seen to shed light on the attitudes, existing knowledge, and practice levels amongst pediatricians in SaudiArabia. It shows that any NHS program is considered profitable if timely and appropriate referrals can be madeto ensure follow-ups.

Impact of replacing fish meal by a mixture of different plant protein sources on the growth performance in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L) diets / Impacto da substituição de farinha de peixe por uma mistura de diferentes fontes de proteínas vegetais sobre o desempenho de crescimento nas dietas de Tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus L)

Abstract The present study aimed to assess the appropriate level of replacement of fish meal (FM) with alternative plant sources in the feed fed to Oreochromis niloticus to evaluate the growth performance. Three isoproteinious (40% crude protein) diets were prepared from different ingredients viz., fish meal, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten meal, and bagasse kenna meal. O. niloticus showed a maximum increase in weight as 9.70, 11.09, 8.53 and 8.32 g during the 2nd, 2nd, 3rd and 2nd fortnight with feeding treatment A, B, C and D, respectively. The growth performance of the fish in terms of weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the fish fed with 20% replacement of fishmeal in diet B. The worst growth performance was observed in fish fed with commercial diet, designated as diet D. It was concluded that the fish meal can be replaced up to 20 percent with other plant protein sources without any negative impact on fish health. The replacement of fish meal with local plant sources (corn gluten meal, wheat gluten meal, soybean meal and bagasse kenna mix) will not only be beneficial to achieve better growth performance in O. niloticus, it will be a value addition as well.

Resumo O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o nível adequado de substituição de farinha de peixe (FM) com fontes alternativas de plantas na alimentação alimentada a Oreochromis niloticus para avaliar o desempenho do crescimento. Três dietas isoproteiniosas (proteína de 40% de proteína bruta) foram preparadas a partir de diferentes ingredientes, como farinha de peixe, farinha de glúten de milho, farinha de glúten de trigo e farinha de bagaço de bagaço. O. niloticus apresentou um aumento máximo de peso como 9,70, 11,09, 8,53 e 8,32 g durante a 2ª, 2ª, 3ª e 2ª quinzena com o tratamento de alimentação A, B, C e D, respectivamente. O desempenho de crescimento do peixe em termos de ganho de peso, taxa de crescimento específico, razão de conversão alimentar e relação de eficiência protéica foi significativamente maior (P <0,05) nos peixes alimentados com 20% de reposição de farinha de peixe na dieta B. O pior O desempenho do crescimento foi observado em peixes alimentados com dieta comercial, designados como dieta D. Concluiu-se que a farinha de peixe pode ser substituída até 20 por cento com outras fontes de proteína vegetal sem qualquer impacto negativo na saúde dos peixes. A substituição da farinha de peixe por fontes locais de plantas (farelo de milho, farinha de glúten de trigo, farelo de soja e mistura de bagaço de bagaço) não só será benéfica para obter melhor desempenho de crescimento em O. niloticus, também será uma adição de valor.

Knee replacement surgery and its effect on long term

The primary indication for total knee replacement is relief of significant, disabling pain caused by severe arthritis. Total knee replacement surgery begins with correct planning of both the incision and the exposure of the joint. Definitely, these are factors that are just as important to an optimal outcome as choosing the right implant, positioning the components, and balancing the ligaments. While it is true that the standard incision and arthrotomy will, in most primary implant cases, provide adequate joint exposure, it is also true that cases characterized by certain conditions, such as previous cutaneous incisions, present specific skin and exposure problems that need to be recognized, planned for and overcome

Knowledge, attitude and practices about pneumococcal infection among Algerian Hajj Pilgrims

Background: Hajj attendance increases the risk of respiratory infections including pneumonia. Pneumococcal infections are caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, a gram-positive, catalase-negative organism normally mentioned as pneumococcus. S pneumonia is the most mutual reason of community acquired pneumonia [CAP], bacteremia, otitis media, and bacterial meningitis, in addition to a significant cause of sinusitis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, endocarditis, and peritonitis. Complications of each of these diagnoses are common. Clinical symptoms, signs and physical examination findings alone cannot differentiate S pneumonia disease from infections caused by other pathogens

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among Algerian in al Hajj Pilgrimage. A sample size of 964 Algerian was collected. Data collection took place in September 2016. A structured questionnaire was developed to cover the research objectives. The questionnaire was originally developed in English and then translated into Arabic; its validity was reviewed by selected health care experts and professionals and tested on a sample of the target population. Selected candidates were interviewed by trained medical students; a brief description of the study. If they agreed to participate, the student administered the questionnaire verbally. Almost 10 minutes were needed to complete the questionnaire. The process continued till the required sample size was completed

Results: All data showed that education is correlated to prevent infection and help them to deal with patient infected with pneumococcus

Conclusion: Before Hajj doctors must teach and inform all the participants about how to deal with any infectious disease, particularly pneumonia

Hair loss among Saudi females, Taif university, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Background: the female pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss in female, which is androgenic pattern, medical treatment such as anti-androgenic therapy and topical preparation may simply arrest progression of female pattern hair loss or in some women stimulate partial growth of hair, but the response is slow. This study aimed to determine the most common causes of hair loss among female with regard to the age, the effect of some drugs, balanced diet, average amount of hair loss per day

Objectives: this study aimed to determine the most common causes of hair loss among Saudi females

Materials and method: this was a cross sectional study of the women aged 20-50 years designed in a questionnaire form involved series of questions with multiple choices answers. It was conducted in Saudi Arabia in October 2017. The data entry were done by using Microsoft Excel, while the analysis was done by using SPSS version 23 and we used it in test correlation coefficient Spearman with measuring the mean value for all questions

Results: data were analyzed via using SPSS program, version 23 and we used it in test correlation Coefficient Spearman between Q1 AND Q9=0.146 week positive and p-value=.087 >0.05 we didn't reject the null hypothesis. Correlation Coefficient Spearman Q23 and Q29=.008 no relation and p-value=0.927>0.05 we didn't reject the null hypothesis. In Q3 the mean was =6.83 and Q7; the mean was =2.50

Conclusion: in KSA we found the unbalanced diet to be the most effective factor that leads to hair loss among out sample size. In the present study we need to educate the population about the importance of balanced diet for maintaining of healthy hair and skin

Evaluation of inhaler use techniques among asthmatic patients in King Faisal medical complex, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Background: Bronchial asthma is a prevalent health problem globally. Inhaled route is commonly used over other routes to manage asthmatic patients. Despite the efficacy of inhalers, the poor inhaler technique used by asthmatic patients leads to decrease drug delivery to lungs and poor asthma control

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the proper use of inhaler devices by asthmatic patients according to the standard recommended steps and to identify the factors related to the inaccurate or poor inhaler use among asthmatic patients at King Faisal Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia

Methods and Materials: This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted among Saudi asthmatic patients using inhaler devices and visiting out-patient's respiratory clinic. Patients were asked to use their inhaler devices and their inhaler technique and using a validated checklist. MDI, TurboHaler and Handihaler were the most commonly used whether alone or in combinations

Results: Around 74% and 92% responded to receive any education for asthma and asthma devices respectively. Of those who received any education, mostly reported that they received education about asthma and/or devices from their physicians. Breathing out, breath holding pattern and position of head during inhaling condition were three critical steps that led to improper use

Conclusion recommendation: Inhalation technique in asthma patients was unsatisfactory and was accompanied with errors, especially in patients with low education levels. This study suggested prioritizing and establishing the proper practice of inhaling devices to better manage asthmatic patients and quality of life

Prevalence of rheumatic heart disease and its risk factors among cardiac patients in taif city, ksa

Background: exposure of the body's connective tissue to group A â-hemolytic streptococci, after an infection, causes an inflammatory response called Rheumatic fever [RF]. When the heart's connective tissue is affected, the condition is called Rheumatic heart disease [RDH]

Aim of the Work: we aimed at discovering the prevalence of RDH among cardiac patients and to determine factors that played a role in its development. Also, the study was conducted to find out the causal relationship between early treatment of RF and the occurrence of RHD

Patients and Methods: faisal Hospital's cardiac outpatient clinics, in Taif, KSA, who filled a designed questionnaire after training. To screen the population for the prevalence of RDH among cardiac patients and to determine factors that played a role in its development. Also, it was conducted to find the causal relationship between early treatment of RF and the occurrence of RHD. The ages were from 18 to 70 years old

Results: the overall prevalence of RHD among cardiac patients was 8%. The difference in prevalence of RHD was statistically significant [p=0.021] between patients whose family sizes exceeded 10 individuals [37.5%] compared to those whose family sizes was 10 individuals or less [62.5%]. Also, the difference in prevalence of RHD was statistically significant [p=0.044] between patients who had little [37.5%] or no knowledge [37.5%] about symptoms of RHD compared to those who had moderate [25%] or good knowledge [0%] about symptoms of RHD. The effect of RF management on RHD was studies and it was found that irregular and incomplete antibiotic therapy in case of tonsillitis [p=0.006] and irregular oral hygiene [p=0.027] were associated with higher prevalence rates of the disease

Conclusion: The that efficient management of rheumatic fever and acute tonsillitis in terms of adequate antibiotic therapy, good oral hygiene and awareness about the symptoms of RHD are very import aspects to protect against RHD

Assessment of community knowledge toward joint replacement therapy in Jeddah City

Background: the joint replacement surgery is a great advance in the orthopedic medicine with a longlife promise of knee or hip reconstructive surgery which may exceeds 20 years old

Objectives: this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of community Saudi adults regarding the joint replacement surgery in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia [KSA], 2017

Methods: this was across sectional community based survey and it was conducted from May to August 2017 in Jeddah city among 670 adult Saudi subjects who were interviewed at shopping malls and community pharmacies. All the respondents answered a self-administrated questionnaire that considered the knowledge of respondents toward joint replacement therapy

Results: all the subjects heard before the term joint replacement therapy and the major source of information was from friends and relatives. Only nine subjects [1.3%] have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery. The level of awareness about joint replacement surgery was adequate in only 30.9% of subjects and insufficient among 69.1% of subjects. The higher level of awareness was significantly associated with old age

Conclusion: the level of awareness was inadequate among most of Saudi participants about the causes and effects of the joint replacement surgery. There is urgent need for public education about the joint replacement surgery to address the concerns and advantages of the surgery through media, internet and health educational campaigns

Emergency management of stroke

A stroke takes place when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or there is bleeding in the brain. Within a short time, brain cells starts to die. It is critical to seek emergency care at the first sign of a stroke. Early treatment saves many lives and decreases the effects of stroke. If brain cells die or are damaged as a consequence of a stroke, symptoms take place in the parts of the body that these brain cells control. Examples of stroke symptoms comprised sudden weakness, paralysis or numbness of the face, arms, or legs [paralysis is an inability to move], trouble speaking or understanding speech and trouble seeing. A stroke is a serious medical condition that requires emergency care and may cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability or even death

Impact of replacing fish meal by a mixture of different plant protein sources on the growth performance in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) diets

Abstract The present study aimed to assess the appropriate level of replacement of fish meal (FM) with alternative plant sources in the feed fed to Oreochromis niloticus to evaluate the growth performance. Three isoproteinious (40% crude protein) diets were prepared from different ingredients viz., fish meal, corn gluten meal, wheat gluten meal, and bagasse kenna meal. O. niloticus showed a maximum increase in weight as 9.70, 11.09, 8.53 and 8.32 g during the 2nd, 2nd, 3rd and 2nd fortnight with feeding treatment A, B, C and D, respectively. The growth performance of the fish in terms of weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were found to be significantly (P 0.05) higher in the fish fed with 20% replacement of fishmeal in diet B. The worst growth performance was observed in fish fed with commercial diet, designated as diet D. It was concluded that the fish meal can be replaced up to 20 percent with other plant protein sources without any negative impact on fish health. The replacement of fish meal with local plant sources (corn gluten meal, wheat gluten meal, soybean meal and bagasse kenna mix) will not only be beneficial to achieve better growth performance in O. niloticus, it will be a value addition as well.

Resumo O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o nível adequado de substituição de farinha de peixe (FM) com fontes alternativas de plantas na alimentação alimentada a Oreochromis niloticus para avaliar o desempenho do crescimento. Três dietas isoproteiniosas (proteína de 40% de proteína bruta) foram preparadas a partir de diferentes ingredientes, como farinha de peixe, farinha de glúten de milho, farinha de glúten de trigo e farinha de bagaço de bagaço. O. niloticus apresentou um aumento máximo de peso como 9,70, 11,09, 8,53 e 8,32 g durante a 2ª, 2ª, 3ª e 2ª quinzena com o tratamento de alimentação A, B, C e D, respectivamente. O desempenho de crescimento do peixe em termos de ganho de peso, taxa de crescimento específico, razão de conversão alimentar e relação de eficiência protéica foi significativamente maior (P 0,05) nos peixes alimentados com 20% de reposição de farinha de peixe na dieta B. O pior O desempenho do crescimento foi observado em peixes alimentados com dieta comercial, designados como dieta D. Concluiu-se que a farinha de peixe pode ser substituída até 20 por cento com outras fontes de proteína vegetal sem qualquer impacto negativo na saúde dos peixes. A substituição da farinha de peixe por fontes locais de plantas (farelo de milho, farinha de glúten de trigo, farelo de soja e mistura de bagaço de bagaço) não só será benéfica para obter melhor desempenho de crescimento em O. niloticus, também será uma adição de valor.

Effects of Replacement of Fishmeal with other Alternative Plant Sources in the Feed on Proximate Composition of Muscle, Liver and Ovary in Tilapia (Oreochromis nioloticus)

ABSTRACT The major objective of this experiment was to assess the effect of alternate plant protein sources as a replacement for fish meal in feed on the proximate composition of muscle, liver and tissue in Oreochromis niloticus. O. niloticus of average size (average Weight 45.00±1.25 g, total length 13.28±1.42 cm) were stocked in 100 L glass aquarium. Fish were fed with three experimental feeds (A, B and C) and reference commercial feed (D) for 16 weeks. Feed A, B and C was prepared from four different plant sources and fish meal (40 % crude protein). Fish were fed at the rate 3 % of body weight daily. It has been observed that tilapia fed with feed B in which 20 % fish meal was replaced compared to feed C with other plant sources of protein, had shown significantly higher total protein in their muscle compared to diet other experimental and commercial feeds. In O. niloticus minimum lipid content was recorded in fish fed with diet B compared to A, C and commercial feed. It has been concluded that 20-40% level of fish meal can be replaced in the diet of fish without having any impact on growth and chemical composition of muscle.

prevalence and the clinical characteristics of metabolic syndrome patients admitted to the cardiac care unit

Objectives: metabolic syndrome [MetS] is a group of multiple cardiovascular risk factors, including dysglycemia, central obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common complications of MetS. Recent studies showed that prevalence of MetS among patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome was as high as 46%

Design: we conducted a cross-sectional study of 203 patients at the two main hospitals in Ta'if, Saudi Arabia. Patients older than 18 years who were admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit [CCU] between the months of August 2013 and June 2014 were asked to participate. MetS diagnosis was made based on the International Diabetes Federation Definition

Results: a total of 203 patients participated, with 59.1% male and 40.9% were female. The mean age was 60.9 years with a mean body mass index of 28.97 kg/m2 and a mean waist circumference of 95.45 cm. The prevalence of MetS was 47.8%, primarily among obese female patients who reported sedentary lifestyles. Additionally, MetS patients were more likely to be admitted with heart failure [p < 0.05] and more likely to have moderate-to-severe leftventricular hypertrophy [LVH; p < 0.05] relative to non-MetS patients

Conclusion: of the patients admitted to the CCU, 47.8% had MetS, with those patients likely to be female and obese. Furthermore, MetS patients were more likely to be admitted with heart failure and suffer from moderateto- severe LVH

Flavored Self Microemulsifying Lipid Formulations for Masking the Organoleptic Taste of Pharmaceutical Actives.

The field of SMEDDS is designed to enhance bioavailability of poorly-water soluble compounds. Yet, these systems have the capacity to solubilize aqueous-based materials within its lipid matrix as L2 phase (W/O microemulsion). This characteristic is utilized in this investigation to incorporate aqueous flavors within oil vehicle as an approach to mask bitter taste of drugs. Miscibility profiles and self-micro-emulsifying regions for various lipid composites were screened by constructing ternary phase diagrams using different types of oil, cosurfactant and surfactant. Solubility of bitter taste model drug was measured in various optimized vehicles. Dynamic equilibrium phase studies were performed and phase boundaries were determined for the lipid-aqueous flavors-water systems. Self-micro-emulsifying system comprising Crodamol GTCC/ Glycerox 767HC /Croduret 40 ss at ratios of {0/80/20}, {6/54/40} or {10/40/50} have shown capacity to solubilize, aqueous-based materials including; strawberry flavor, sucrose and citric acid as L2 phase. Phase behavior study has revealed that clear dispersions can be obtained at all dilutions with water. Potential flavored self-microemulsifying lipid formulations representing type III lipid class system were developed. Aqueous flavors loaded into these vehicles can be used to mask bitter tastes in oral pharmaceuticals.

Patterns of antibiotic prescriptions in the outpatient department and emergency room at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent and patterns of antibiotic prescription in the outpatient and the emergency departments of a tertiary care center in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by reviewing the pharmacy electronic database from March to May 2013. The World Health Organization core drug use indicators were used. A random sample of 200 OPD and ER antibiotic prescriptions was obtained for detailed patient file review

Results: A total of 3872 antimicrobial prescriptions were identified. This constituted 16.2% of all OPD and ER prescriptions; 10% of OPD prescriptions and 47% of ER prescriptions contained at least one antibiotic. More than 50% of antibiotic prescriptions were not associated with the type of infection on the database. Co-amoxiclav and fluoroquinolones were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics

Conclusions: The overall percentage of antibiotic prescriptions in the OPD and the ER at the tertiary care center in Makkah are acceptable, but the percentage in the ER far exceeded the overall rate. Guidelines are needed to rationalize the prescription of antibiotics in the OPD and the ER

Cancellation of operations in Saudi Arabian hospitals: Frequency, reasons and suggestions for improvements

To identify the frequency and reasons of operations cancellation in 25 Makkah region hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Retrospective evaluation of the rate of surgery .cancellation in 25 hospitals of Makkah region was performed in this study. The data of scheduled surgeries from 15 different surgical specialties was collected from January to December 2013. Frequency and reasons of cancellation of elective surgical cases in different specialty were studied with a view to recommend suggestions for improvement. Data was analyzed on SPSS -16. There are 120 operating rooms [OR] in 25 Makkah region hospitals and during the year 2013, a total of 16,211 surgery cases were listed, and 1,238 [7.6%] cases were canceled. Contribution to total cancellation was highest in orthopedic 33.8% followed by general surgery 27.5%, obstetrics 7.7% and ENT 5.2%. According to category, 42.81% rate of cancellation was patient related, 20.03% facility related, 9.45% due to improper work-up, 1.45% associated with anesthesia, 7.19% related to surgeons, and 18.90% other/ and not recorded reasons. Present study found 7.6% cancelation rate in Makkah region hospitals and three most common causes for cancellations were patients related, facility related and improper work-up