Fruit and vegetable intake among Emirati adolescents: a mixed methods study

Background: Interventions to promote healthy eating in adolescents are needed in the United Arab Emirates. To design effective interventions, adolescent eating behaviours need to be understood.

Aims: This study aimed to describe eating behaviours of adolescents in Dubai and the factors associated with fruit and vegetable intake.

Methods: This was a sequential explanatory study using a mixed methods approach. Ten of the 34 Arabic high schools in Dubai were randomly selected and students in grades 10–12 were included. Data were collected on self-reported fruit and vegetables intake, eating behaviours, food availability and sociodemographic variables. In the qualitative phase, 14 students were interviewed about their eating behaviour.

Results: A total of 620 students were included: 57% were boys and most reported medium/high family affluence. Only 28% of the participants met the recommended daily fruit and vegetable intake, with significantly more males than females meeting it [P < 0.01]. Lunch was the most frequently eaten meal, breakfast was frequently skipped, and there were high levels of fast food and soft drink consumption. Adequate fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with increased lunch frequency, being male, parental support for healthy eating, and positive perception of family meals.

Conclusions: There are significant differences in eating habits between Emirati male and female adolescents. Lunch, as the main family meal, faces threats because of modern working hours. The gender-specific social context may require targeted interventions to achieve optimal outcomes in each group

relationship between body mass index and periodontitis in arab patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Our study sought to evaluate the association between periodontitis and body mass index [BMI] among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this cross-sectional case control study analysis of 186 diabetic patients, 112 patients had a body mass index >30 kg/m[2] and 74 control patients had BMI <30 kg/m[2]. All participants underwent oral examinations including a full mouth recording of clinical attachment level [CAL]. Information regarding HbA1c levels and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP] were also gathered. Over half [61%] of patients had a BMI > 30. Of these 52% had CAL less than 2 mm. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that there was no association between BMI and CAL. In addition, hs-CRP levels were significantly and positively associated with CAL [OR:1.06, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.12; p=0.007]. Among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, there was no association between periodontitis and BMI. More studies are needed to further explore this relationship taking into consideration additional lifestyle factors

Comparative genetic characterization between isolated pox virus from dove and some avian pox strains

Avipoxviruses from different geographic regions of the world have been characterized to study their genetic and biological properties, but so far, no such work has been performed on Egyptian isolates. Lesions suggestive of avian pox; found on Egyptian wild dove; were used for isolation of pox virus in a previous study. The resulting virus was propagated in chorio-allantoic membrane [CAM] of specific pathogen free [SPF] Embryonated chicken eggs [ECE]. PCR was carried out on the DNA of the dove poxvirus [DPV], pigeon poxvirus [PPV] and a vaccinal strain of fowl pox virus [FPV], then restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP] assay was carried out on the resulting amplicons of 578 bp length; using EcoRV and NlaIII restriction enzymes. The restriction profile revealed that the dove pox virus is identical to the PPV and both are different from FPV. The results of immunoblotting analysis of the 3 pox viruses against chicken anti FPV revealed that in spite of the minor antigenic differences observed between them the DPV is closely related to the PPV. In conclusion the Egyptian wild doves are found to play a serious role in the epidemiology of PPV among pigeon flocks

Soluble adhesion molecules in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: relation to activity and clinical subtype

The present research aimed to evaluate serum Adhesion Molecules [AMs] in patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis [JIA] to correlate their values with disease activity in different clinical subtypes. Serum levels of some soluble AMs [E-selectin, sICAM 1 and sVCAM 1] wereassayed by ELISA in 37 patients with JIA both during activity and after remission. Other activity parameters like sedimentation rate and leukocytic counts were tested as well. Twentyhealthy children of matched age and sex were taken as control. Serum E-selectin was found significantly higher in JIA compared to control [in all subtypes across all disease stages], with significant drop after remission, yet not reached the normal values. These changes were more evident in systemic JIA compared to other subtypes. Serum ICAM 1 and VCAM 1 showed the same changes in relation to control and to the disease activity. We can conclude that systemic JIA is associated with higher levels of soluble AMs thus explaining the perpetual inflammatory process and hence the remissions and exacerbations which are usually associated with higher morbidity in systemic JIA than in the other subtypes. We recommend following JIA patients until laboratory remission [normalization of serum AMs] to correlate AMs levels to clinical course aiming to put forward a therapeutic plan

Development of calcium phosphate ceramics of controlled Ca/P ratio as a bone substitute

In this paper, an attempt was carried out to produce calcium phosphate ceramics whose composition comes close to that of natural dry bone. Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate [CaHPO4.2H20] and calcium carbonate [CaCO3] were mixed at different proportions so that three batches of ceramics whose Ca/P ratio are 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9 are obtained. These ratios lie in close vicinity to the reported data for dry cortical bone [Ca/P =1.67]. Sintering was carried out at temperatures ranging from 1100 to 1350°C. The variation in batch composition as well as in sintering temperature has proved to play a decisive role in determining the end product characteristics. Parameters such as bulk density, porosity, firing shrinkage, modulus of mechanical rupture, mineralogical and textural features and thermal expansion behavior, were studied to assess their matching with those of dry cortical bone

Noninvasive technique to assess strain distribution in a maxillary denture using wireless telemter

For most biomedical measuring devices noninvasive techniques are not only favorable but also necessary to monitor the actual function of the investigated organ under realistic conditions. One of the major problems concerning in vivo measurements of mechanical forces distribution over the month cavity: is that monitoring these forces as they develop usually interferes with the chewing process itself. In this work we present an implantable electronic device which call be molded in the denture so that it measures the stress distribution on the denture under different conditions. The device is provided with strain gauges that modulate the frequency output, hence the strain can be evaluated remotely while the actual mastication undergoes without interruption. The device is activated externally so that no battery is needed to provide the required power. The data is received and connected to a computer to analyze the stress distribution for more than one location. The results showed the validity of such technique and the implications are discussed

Cancer excess from consanguinity in Arab Emirates-Analysis of effect of consanguinity rate and relative risk

Consanguinity increases the chances of homozygosity, and homozygosity of cancer-susceptibility genes was shown to increase the risk of malignancy. Consanguinity is associated with increased cancer risk in younger individuals in studies from Asia, Europe, and North America. Among the citizens of United Arab Emirates [UAE], studies have found that consanguinity rate is around 50% and the relative risk [RR] of cancer in younger individuals with consanguineous parents is between 1.1 ans 2.1. The objective of the study was to estimate: i]the absolute number of cancer cases in UAE that could be attributed to parental consanguinity and ii] the changes that would occur in absolute number of cancer cases as a result of changes in consanguinity rates. These calculations were performed using a population less than 55-year-old, consanguinity rates, relative risk and incidence of cancer. The cancer incidence and population data were obtained from the Cancer Registry of UAE. To examine the changes that would occur in the excess number of cancer cases using different consanguinity rates within the range of RR we used consanguinity rates that varied from 0 to 60% and RR, from 1.1 to 2.1. The calculation shows that among 100.000 individuals younger than 55, between 1.5 and 10 individuals developed cancer attributable to parental consanguinity. The absolute number of cases in the country lies between 10 and 65. The cancer risk attributable to consanguinity is approximately between 9% and 52%. In conclusion, the absolute number of cancer cases in UAE attributable to parental consanguinity is relatively small

Trials for preparation of inactivated sheep pox vaccine using binary ethyleneimine

Binary ethyleneimine [BEI] was used to inactivate the local Egyptian strain of sheep pox virus. The inactivation process was applied using final concentrations of BEI at 0.5, 1, 2 and 3% for different incubation periods at 37 dgree C. The virus was completely inactivated after 7 hours incubation with by 2% BEI final concentration; the inactivated virus was adsorbed on aluminium hydroxide gel when incubated for 6 hours in a concentration 1:1. The antibody levels were estimated by virus neutralization test and ELISA. Specific antibodies appeared from the 1[st] week post vaccination and remained until the 4[th] week post challenge. The prepared vaccine was evaluated for safety, sterility and potency. The vaccine proved to be safe, sterile and inducing protection for the vaccinated lambs when challenged by the virulent sheep pox virus up to 6 months post vaccination