Association between uncarboxylated osteocalcin, blood glucose, and BMI among Saudi diabetic patients: an evaluation study.

OBJECTIVE: Uncarboxylated osteocalcin is an important osteocalcin enzyme found in the bloodstream and is a crucial protein for maintaining calcium binding in bones, controlling blood sugar levels, and balancing body minerals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Due to the lack of data, the current study intends to investigate the relationship between uncarboxylated osteocalcin levels and DM-II in Saudi patients. For 138 patients, case-control research was conducted in 2021-2023, with 69 type II diabetes mellitus patients and 69 matching healthy control participants. An enzyme immunoassay kit was used to quantify the levels of uncarboxylated osteocalcin in fasting blood samples, and an automated analyzer evaluated Hb1Ac, fasting blood glucose, enzymes, electrolytes, lipid, and kidney profiles. Data processing and analysis were carried out using GraphPad Prism statistical software. RESULTS: According to our study, patients with type II diabetes mellitus had considerably lower levels of uncarboxylated osteocalcin than healthy controls. According to the correlation analysis, uncarboxylated osteocalcin and fasting blood sugar had a negative relationship. In the overweight BMI group, uncarboxylated osteocalcin was considerably higher in control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that, in Saudi type II diabetes mellitus patients, the compromised glucose level is associated with diminished serum uncarboxylated osteocalcin. This study has limitations, such as a small sample size and only measuring the uncarboxylated form of plasma osteocalcin. Future research is needed to understand how anti-diabetic drugs affect undercarboxylated osteocalcin's effect on metabolic control and provide more efficient techniques and resources in diabetes and osteoporosis prevention and care.

Topical silver nanoparticles reduced with ethylcellulose enhance skin wound healing.

OBJECTIVE: Silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs) improve wound healing by promoting skin cell proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, G-AgNPs could act as drug carriers and wound healers in biomedicine. The current study aimed to improve skin wound healing using natural, safe G-AgNPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The G-AgNPs were reduced with ethylcellulose (EC) and incorporated into an oil-in-water cream base. The size, charges, and wavelength were used to characterize the prepared G-AgNPs. Further, the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to provide the shape of G-AgNPs. Moreover, the skin wound healing was evaluated with the appropriate histopathological techniques in a mouse model with skin injury to prove the curative effects of G-AgNPs which was conducted for 15 days on 45 adult male albino rats. The effectiveness of G-AgNPs-EC cream for treating surgical skin wounds was assessed by histopathological (HP) examination of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections. RESULTS: The produced G-AgNPs-EC showed a size of 183.9 ± 0.854 nm and a charge of -14.0 ± 0.351 mV. UV-VIS spectra showed a strong absorption of electromagnetic waves in the visible region at 381 nm. Furthermore, the TEM and SEM showed rounded NPs in nano size of the prepared G-AgNPs-EC. The G-AgNPs cream was pivotal in enhancing wounds' healing properties, improving the formation of wound granulation tissue, and enhancing the proliferation of epithelial tissue in rats. CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that G-AgNPs-EC is a new skin wound healer that speeds up healing.

Motivational factors influencing undergraduate medical students' willingness to volunteer during an infectious disease pandemic in Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Healthcare outbreaks, especially infectious disease pandemics, often stretch the healthcare systems to its limits. Healthcare systems have no option other than being supported by the participation of young and motivated healthcare providers (HCPs) in their undergraduate medical studies during their prevention and control internship program during the outbreak. Understanding key motivation factors influencing HCPs are vital to ensure their effective participation in such situations. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 410 undergraduate medical students at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia with the aim to describe the motivation factors that affect their willingness to volunteer during a pandemic. An online survey questionnaire was conducted. RESULTS: 410 participants of which 239 (58.29%) were female, 108 (26.34%) were in their third academic year and 129 (31.46%) were between 21-22 years of age. More than 70% of participants showed willingness to volunteer during a pandemic. Their willingness to volunteer was motivated by distance of workplace to home, availability of transportation, being vaccinated, access to health care for self and family if affected, and provision of specialized training. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare administrators and policy makers need to address these factors effectively to ensure the availability of skilled and motivated healthcare providers during a pandemic.

GC-MS and in vitro antibacterial potential of Cinnamomum camphora essential oil against some clinical antibiotic-resistant bacterial isolates.

OBJECTIVE: Antibiotic resistance is increasing alarmingly in all parts of the world. Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.) Presl (C. camphora) is one of the earliest herbal remedies still in use today in traditional medicine. This study aimed to analyze the component of C. camphora grown widely in Saudi Arabia (Qassim region) using GC-MS. Also, this study evaluates the in vitro antibacterial properties of C. camphora against certain clinical bacteria obtained from hospitals, including multi-drug resistant pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Leaves of C. camphora tree were collected and essential oil was extracted for this study. The extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis. Eight clinical antibiotic-resistant pathogens were used in this study for the following assays: antibiotics susceptibility assay, determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), determination of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and MIC index (MBC/MIC). RESULTS: The results show that the main components of the essential oil (EO) from the leaves of C. camphora were Eucalyptol. The EO had good antibacterial activity against eight clinical antibiotic-resistant pathogens, namely, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii (two strains), Klebsiella pneumonia (two strains), Escherichia coli (one strain), Staphylococcus aureus (two strains). CONCLUSIONS: These findings may lead to a more complete knowledge of this aromatic plant's antibacterial action against antibiotic-resistant pathogens (in vitro).

Personal and family-related factors on willingness to volunteer among undergraduate medical students during COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe personal and family-related factors affecting undergraduate students' willingness to volunteer during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate medical students at Qassim University in Saudi Arabia through an online survey. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A pre-validated online questionnaire on willingness to volunteer during the pandemic was distributed through various messenger groups and social media. The questionnaire comprised two sections to collect demographics and how likely the volunteers work during the pandemic in different circumstances. The distribution of these parameters was reported by frequency and proportion for categorical variables. In addition to descriptive analytics, a chi-square test was used to compare key explanatory parameters between the low and high likelihood of volunteering. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS statistical software (version 25, Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: There was a high likelihood of willingness (60.7%) to volunteer among undergraduate medical students. However, there was no statistically significant difference in baseline parameters like gender, academic year, age (in years), marital status, children, and elderly dependents between the high and low likelihood of volunteer (p >0.05). However, a statistically significant difference indicated the best description of one's living arrangement between volunteers' high and low probability (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that undergraduate medical students can be motivated to volunteer effectively in this pandemic by ensuring personal and family protection. This is vital to optimally redistribute the work burden and effectively channelize the workforce during a pandemic situation.