Levels, spatial distributions, and provision of petroleum hydrocarbons and phthalates in sediments from Obhur lagoon, Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia.

The levels, spatial distribution, and sources of petroleum hydrocarbons and phthalates were assessed in surface sediment samples from the urban lagoon of Obhur near Jeddah, the largest city on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The lagoon was divided into the inner zone, middle zone, and outer zone based on its geomorphological features and developmental activities. n-Alkanes, hopane and sterane biomarkers, and unresolved complex mixture were the major petroleum hydrocarbon compounds of the total extractable organic matter. Phthalates were also measured in the sediment samples. In the three zones, n-alkanes ranged from 89.3 ± 88.5 to 103.2 ± 114.9 ng/g, whereas the hopane and sterane biomarkers varied from 69.4 ± 75.3 to 77.7 ± 69.9 ng/g and 72.5 ± 77.9-89.5 ± 82.2 ng/g, respectively. The UCM concentrations ranged from 821 ± 1119 to 1297 ± 1684 ng/g and phthalates from 37.4 ± 34.5 65 ± 68 ng/g. The primary origins of these anthropogenic hydrocarbons in the lagoon sediments were petroleum products (boat engine discharges, boat washing, lubricants, and wastewater flows) and plasticizers (plastic waste and litter). The proportions of anthropogenic hydrocarbons derived from petroleum products in the sediment's TEOM ranged from 43 ± 33 to 62 ± 15%, while the percentages for plasticizers varied from 2.9 ± 1.2 to 4.0 ± 1.6%. The presence and inputs of these contaminants from petroleum and plastic wastes in the lagoon's sediments will eventually have an impact on its habitats, including the benthic nursery and spawning areas.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Clinical Outcomes during Hospitalization and Five-Year Follow-Up after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is often associated with multiple comorbidities including diabetes mellitus, and each has its own complications and impact after cardiac surgery including coronary revascularization. The objective of this work was to study the impact of CKD on clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and to compare outcomes in patients with different grades of renal functions. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent CABG from January 2016 to August 2020 at our tertiary care hospital using electronic medical records. Results: The study included 410 patients with a median age of 60 years, and 28.6% of them had CKD and hospital mortality of 2.7%. About 71.4% of the patients had GFR > 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, 18.1% had early CKD (GFR 30-60), 2.7% had late CKD (GFR < 30), and 7.8% of them had end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis. The CKD group had significantly more frequent hospital mortality (p = 0.04), acute cerebrovascular stroke (p = 0.03), acute kidney injury (AKI) (p < 0.001), longer ICU stay (p = 0.002), post-ICU stay (p = 0.001), and sternotomy wound debridement (p = 0.03) compared to the non-CKD group. The frequencies of new need for dialysis were 2.4% vs. 14.9% vs. 45.5% (p < 0.001) in the patients with GFR > 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2, early CKD, and late CKD, respectively. Acute cerebral stroke (OR: 10.29, 95% CI: 1.82-58.08, and p = 0.008), new need for dialysis (OR: 25.617, 95% CI: 13.78-85.47, and p < 0.001), and emergency surgery (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.82-12.37, and p = 0.036) were the independent predictors of hospital mortality after CABG. The patients with CKD had an increased risk of strokes (HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.20-3.81, and p = 0.01) but insignificant mortality increase (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 0.42-4.92, and p = 0.56) during follow-up. Conclusion: The patients with CKD, especially the late grade, had worse postoperative early and late outcomes compared to non-CKD patients after CABG. Patients with dialysis-independent CKD had increased risks of needing dialysis, hospital mortality, and permanent dialysis after CABG.

Predictors and clinical outcomes of post-coronary artery bypass grafting cerebrovascular strokes.

BACKGROUND: Despite the improved medical and surgical managements, still there is a significant risk of developing acute cerebrovascular strokes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Our objectives were to study the immediate and long-term outcomes after CABG and to identify the possible predictors of post-CABG strokes. RESULTS: Between January 2016 and August 2020, 410 adult patients, mostly males (82.2%), were retrospectively enrolled after CABG. Acute postoperative strokes occurred in 31 (7.5%) patients; of them, 30 (96.8%) patients had ischemic stroke, while 1 (3.2%) had hemorrhagic stroke. Mechanical thrombectomy was done in two cases. The patients who developed acute cerebral stroke had significantly higher admission (p = 0.02) and follow-up (p < 0.001) SOFA scores, higher arterial blood lactate level (p < 0.001), longer hospitalization (p < 0.001) and more hospital mortality (p < 0.001) compared with the patients who did not develop stroke. Kaplan-Meier curves for 5-year mortality showed increased risk in those patients with postoperative stroke (HR: 23.03; 95% CI: 6.10-86.92, p < 0.001). After multivariate regression, the predictors of early postoperative stroke were carotid artery stenosis (CAS), postoperative atrial fibrillation, cardiopulmonary bypass time, prior cerebral stroke, admission SOFA score and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The predictors of late cerebrovascular stroke were CAS, combined CABG and valve surgery, CKD, atrial fibrillation, prior stroke and HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS: The development of post-CABG acute cerebrovascular stroke is associated with longer hospitalization, multiple morbidities and increased mortality. Careful assessment and management of risk factors especially atrial fibrillation and carotid artery stenosis should be implemented to decrease this substantial complication after CABG.

The Outcomes and Revision Rate of Total Hip Arthroplasty in a Single Tertiary Center: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a commonly performed and successful orthopedic practice procedure. However, failure of arthroplasty may require revision THA and pose substantial clinical challenges for orthopedic surgeons. Therefore, this retrospective study aimed to estimate the revision rate of THA and its risk factors at a tertiary care hospital. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2021 of patients who had undergone THA during 2016-2020 in a tertiary care hospital. All patients above 18 years old who had a THA were included in the study. The data was collected from patients' medical charts/electronic databases. Results A total of 148 THAs were included in this study. In total, 77 (52%) were females, and 71 (48%) were males. The average age of our patients was 49±17 years old, and the mean recorded BMI was 29.6. A total of 62% (n=92/148) of our participants were shown to have at least one comorbid disease, with hypertension being the most common comorbidity. Our findings show that half of the patients, 74 (50%), had a THA due to both primary and secondary osteoarthritis, 37 (25%) patients had avascular necrosis of the hip, and 25 (17%) were due to trauma. The most performed surgical approach was Kocher-Langenbeck (posterior) approach on 128 (86%), followed by the Hardinge (lateral) approach on 20 (13.51%). The most observed complication in the patients was postoperative pain in 35 (23.65%), followed by UTIs in 5 (3.38%). Of the 148 patients, nine (6.08%) had revision surgery. Regarding the revision rate, male patients were associated with a significantly higher rate of revision (P=<0.001), and older patients had a significantly increased risk of revision (P=0.026). Patients who developed complications, such as UTI, were associated with a higher revision rate (P=0.035). Also, a posterior approach (Kocher-Langenbeck) of the procedure was significantly linked to an increased risk of revision (P=0.014). Conclusion All in all, there are multiple associated factors with an increased incidence of revision THA. For example, male patients, older patients, complication development during the hospital stay, and posterior surgical approach were all associated with a significantly higher rate of revision.

Neurological Impairment Recovery in Surgically Treated Patients With Nontraumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of nontraumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI) is reported to be higher than that of traumatic spinal cord injury in many countries, making it an area of growing significance. OBJECTIVES: With the aging of the global population in coming decades, it is anticipated that the incidence of NTSCIs will increase dramatically. Our aim was to identify and report the causes, patterns, and outcomes of NTSCI in a tertiary care center. METHODS: We have reviewed all adult patients who had a NTSCI and were surgically treated with a minimum follow-up of 12 months postoperatively. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Preoperative and postoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scales and past follow-up outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Of 164 patients, 95 (58%) had full recovery and reached ASIA E score at their last follow-up while 69 (42%) were not able to achieve full recovery till ASIA E score. Urinary incontinence and/or bowel incontinence on admission, degenerative pathologies, and thoracic injury level were all notable indicators of limited ASIA score improvement at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Surgically treated NTSCI could result in good neurological recovery with a low complication rate.

Renal Transplant Experience in a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Data on outcomes of renal transplantation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is limited. We describe renal transplant experience in one of the largest referral centers for renal transplants in KSA. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent kidney transplantation at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) from January 2016 to July 31, 2019, with at least one year of follow-up post-transplantation. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-four individuals were identified and included in the analysis. The mean age of the renal transplant cohort was 45 years with an average pre-transplant body mass index of 26.1 kg/m2. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (77.3%) and diabetes mellitus (34.5%). The most common etiology of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) was unknown (49.0%) followed by Lupus nephropathy (16.0%). Central venous catheters were the predominant dialysis access (56.2%). Living-related kidney donation was the commonest source of kidney transplantation (61.3%), followed by deceased donor renal transplantation (22.7%). Anti-thymocytes globulin (ATG) was the predominant induction agent (57.7%) and nearly all patients received tacrolimus-based maintenance immunosuppression. Mean serum creatinine at the time of discharge was 109 umol/l. Delayed graft function was observed in 6.7% of our patients. The most common medical complications were urinary tract infection (26.3%). Post-transplant surgical complications occurred at a low rate. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a successful renal transplant experience among a relatively healthy cohort and identifies potential gaps, particularly the high rate of central venous catheters, the frequent lack of clear etiology of ESKD, the low rate of pre-emptive transplant, and deceased donors. Further studies are needed to evaluate and close these gaps.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: comparing case and control hospitals.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) stand at the frontline for fighting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This puts them at higher risk of acquiring the infection than other individuals in the community. Defining immunity status among health care workers is therefore of interest since it helps to mitigate the exposure risk. This study was conducted between May 20th and 30th, 2020. Eighty-five hospitals across Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were divided into 2 groups: COVID-19 referral hospitals are those to which RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted or referred for management (Case-hospitals). COVID-19 nonaffected hospitals where no COVID-19 patients had been admitted or managed and no HCW outbreak (Control hospitals). Next, seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 among HCWs was evaluated; there were 12,621 HCWs from the 85 hospitals. There were 61 case-hospitals with 9379 (74.3%) observations, and 24 control-hospitals with 3242 (25.7%) observations. The overall positivity rate by the immunoassay was 299 (2.36%) with a significant difference between the case-hospital (2.9%) and the control-group (0.8%) (P value <0.001). There was a wide variation in the positivity rate between regions and/or cities in Saudi Arabia, ranging from 0% to 6.31%. Of the serology positive samples, 100 samples were further tested using the SAS2pp neutralization assay; 92 (92%) samples showed neutralization activity. The seropositivity rate in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is low and varies across different regions with higher positivity in case-hospitals than control-hospitals. The lack of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) in 8% of the tested samples could mean that assay is a more sensitive assay or that neutralization assay has a lower detection limits; or possibly that some samples had cross-reaction to spike protein of other coronaviruses in the assay, but these were not specific to neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Antioxidant, Anticancer Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Green Algae, Chaetomorpha Collected from the Arabian Gulf.

Seaweeds are a group of marine multicellular algae; the presence of antioxidant phytochemical constituents in Seaweed Chaetomorpha sp. extracts has received attention for their role in the prevention of human diseases. This study explores the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of the Cladophoraceae, Chaetomorpha sp. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were performed to study the chemical structure and chemical formula. Different concentrations of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Chaetomorpha were used to estimate antioxidant activity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total flavonoid, phenolic, and tannins content assays. Anti-tumor activity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) was assessed by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-cyl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. The EDX analysis indicated the presence of oxygen, silicon, and calcium as dominant elements. Antioxidant assays indicated that the ethanol extracts of Chaetomorpha consisted of a total of 189.14 ± 0.99 mg QE/g flavonoid content, 21.92 ± 0.43 mg GAE/g phenolic content and 21.81 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g tannins content. The DPPH radical scavenging assay exhibited higher antioxidant activity IC50 (9.41 ± 0.54 mg/mL) in the ethanol extract. Moreover, it showed high anticancer activity by growth inhibition in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line and low IC50 (225.18 ± 0.61 µg/mL). GC/MS analysis revealed the presence of Dichloracetic acid (DCA) as the active antitumor constituent of Chaetomorpha sp.; other anticancer compounds identified were Oximes and L-α-Terpinol. The results revealed that the type of Chaetomorpha sp. studied here possesses very unique and novel constituents and active potent antitumor chemical constituents and it can act as a promising antioxidant and anticancer agent for future applications in pharmaceutical industries.

The systemic effect of PEG-nGO-induced oxidative stress in vivo in a rodent model.

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the pathology of certain human diseases. Scientists have developed great interest regarding the determination of oxidative stress caused after the administration of nano-graphene composites (PEG-nGO). Graphene oxide sheets (GOS) were synthesized via a modified Hummer's method and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The method of Zhang was adopted for cracking of GOS. Then nano-graphene oxide was PEGylated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEGylation of nGO was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV spectroscopy and TEM. The average size distribution of nGO and PEG-nGO was determined by using dynamic light scattering (DLS). Subsequently, an in vivo study measuring a marker for oxidative stress, namely lipid peroxides, as well as antioxidant agents, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and glutathione S-transferase was conducted. A comparison at different intervals of time after the administration of a dose (5 mg/kg) of PEG-nGO was carried out. An increase in free radicals and a decrease in free radical scavenging enzymes in organs were observed. Our results indicated that the treatment with PEG-nGO caused an increased OS to the organs in the first few hours of treatment. However, the liver completely recovered from the OS after 4 h. Brain, heart and kidneys showed an increased OS even after 4 h. In conclusion increased OS induced by PEG-nGO could be detrimental to brain, heart and kidneys.

Professionals' Attitude Toward Reporting Child Sexual Abuse in Saudi Arabia.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) requires specialized knowledge and training that includes forensic interview skills. The aim of this study was to determine variations in professionals' attitudes toward CSA by measuring three aspects of forensic attitudes (sensitivity, specificity, and skepticism) and evaluating disagreements concerning the assessment of CSA cases in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional, web-based study, in which the Child Forensic Attitude Scale was used to measure professionals' attitudes, was conducted. Professionals who dealt with suspected cases of CSA as part of their jobs or were in professions that necessitated involvement with such cases, were selected as participants. Of 327 participants, 53% were aged ≤40 years, and 54% were men. In addition, 24% were doctors/nurses, 20% were therapists/psychiatrists, 24% were social workers, 17% were educators, 9% were law enforcement professionals, and 5% were medical examiners. Attitude subscale scores differed significantly according to participants' sex, specialty, and training. Women, healthcare professionals, and those who had participated in more than five training courses were more concerned about the underreporting of abuse (high sensitivity) relative to other professionals. In comparison, men, medical examiners, law enforcement officers, and undertrained professionals tended to underreport suspected sexual abuse cases (high specificity). High specificity in attitudes toward suspected cases of CSA could affect professionals' judgment and contribute to low reporting rates. Certain strategies, including increasing self-awareness of personal bias, specific CSA recognition courses, and team approaches to case assessment and management, should be implemented to control the influence of subjective factors.

Chemical compositions and characteristics of organic compounds in propolis from Yemen.

Propolis is a gummy material made by honeybees for protecting their hives from bacteria and fungi. The main objective of this study is to determine the chemical compositions and concentrations of organic compounds in the extractable organic matter (EOM) of propolis samples collected from four different regions in Yemen. The propolis samples were extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the total extract yields ranged from 34% to 67% (mean = 55.5 ± 12.4%). The major compounds were triterpenoids (254 ± 188 mg g-1, mainly α-, ß-amyryl and dammaradienyl acetates), n-alkenes (145 ± 89 mg g-1), n-alkanes (65 ± 29 mg g-1), n-alkanoic acids (40 ± 26 mg g-1), long chain wax esters (38 ± 25 mg g-1), n-alkanols (8 ± 3 mg g-1) and methyl n-alkanoates (6 ± 4 mg g-1). The variation in the propolis chemical compositions is apparently related to the different plant sources. The compounds of these propolis samples indicate that they are potential sources of natural bio-active compounds for biological and pharmacological applications.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace metals in mosque's carpet dust of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and their health risk implications.

The main objectives of this work were to identify and determine the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace metals in carpet dust samples from various mosques of the city of Riyadh and to assess the health risks associated with the exposure to these pollutants. Therefore, 31 samples of mosque's carpet dust from Riyadh were collected. The results showed that 14 PAHs were present in the dust samples with concentrations ranged from 90 to 22,146 ng g-1 (mean = 4096 ± 4277 ng g-1) where low molecular weight compounds were dominant. The presence of PAHs were in the order of naphthalene > chrysene and benzo(b)fluoranthene > benzo(a)pyrene > acenaphthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene > pyrene and the absence of indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and dibenz(a,h)anthracene. The diagnostic ratio coupled with principle component analysis (PCA) revealed mix sources of petrogenic from traffic, stack emission, and pyrogenic inputs from essence and perfumed wood burning. Trace metals were significant in the dust samples, and their concentrations decrease in the order of Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, and V where Zn being the highest (94.4 ± 91.5 µg g-1) and indium was the lowest (1.9 ± 9.3 µg g-1). The trace metals were major in southern and central parts of Riyadh and followed the order of central Riyadh > southern Riyadh > western Riyadh > eastern Riyadh > northern Riyadh. Estimated risk based on the total PAHs was found to be 4.30 × 10-11 for adult and 1.56 × 10-11 for children. Elemental non-cancer risk for adults ranged from 7.9 × 10-4 for Co to 7.58 × 10-1 for Li and for children ranged from 3.70 × 10-3 for Co to 3.54 for Li. Policy implication and mitigations of PAHs in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia were highlighted.

Occurrence and sources of natural and anthropogenic lipid tracers in surface soils from arid urban areas of Saudi Arabia.

Soil particles contain a variety of natural and anthropogenic organic components, and in urban areas can be considered as local collectors of pollutants. Surface soil samples were taken from ten urban areas in Riyadh during early winter of 2007. They were extracted with dichloromethane-methanol mixture and the extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major compounds were unresolved complex mixture (UCM), plasticizers, n-alkanes, carbohydrates, n-alkanoic acids, hopanes, n-alkanols, and sterols. Vegetation detritus was the major natural source of organic compounds (24.0 ± 15.7%) in samples from areas with less human activities and included n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, sterols and carbohydrates. Vehicular emission products and discarded plastics were the major anthropogenic sources in the soil particles (53.3 ± 21.3% and 22.7 ± 10.7%, respectively). The anthropogenic tracers were UCM, plasticizers, n-alkanes, hopanes and traces of steranes. Vegetation and human activities control the occurrence and distribution of natural and anthropogenic extractable organic matter in this arid urban area.

Patterns of childhood cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia (1999- 2008).

BACKGROUND: Although childhood cancer is a rare disease, 100,000 children younger than 15 years of age die from cancer each year, the majority of them in developing countries. More data need to be gathered and published particularly in developing countries to better understand the scale of the problem. AIMS: This study aimed to describe the patterns of childhood cancers in Saudi Arabia over a period of ten years (1999-2008). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive retrospective study was based on secondary data from the Saudi Cancer Registry from 1999 to 2008. All Saudi cases (both genders), under the age of 15 years, who were diagnosed with cancer during the study period, were included in this study. RESULTS: Childhood cancer in Saudi Arabia, in the period between 1999 and 2008, accounted for about 8% of total cancer cases. The most common encountered cancers were leukemia (34.1%), followed by lymphoma (15.2%), brain (12.4%), and kidney cancers (5.3%). The overall incidence of childhood cancers increased from 8.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 9.8 per 100,000 in 2008. The incidence rates of cancers per 100,000 in the years 1999 and 2008 were generally higher among males, (9.4 and 11.5 in males vs. 8.3 and 8.1 in females). The highest incidence rate in the surveyed years was apparent in the birth to age 4 years group. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer is an important public health problem in Saudi Arabia and a major ascending contributor to mortality and morbidity in children. More studies are required to describe the patterns of childhood cancers and related risk factors in Saudi Arabia.

Patterns of tobacco consumption in food facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

AIM: This study aimed at assessing prevailing patterns and risk factors of tobacco consumption among clients, food handlers and employers of food facilities, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional approach to a representative sample of food facilities in Riyadh was used. A sample of 3000 participants included clients (75%); food handlers/hospitality workers (20 %) and employers (5 %). Participants were reached at restaurants, food courts or cafes. A modified version of the WHO-CDC-Global Youth Tobacco Survey questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS: The prevalence of tobacco use at food facilities was found to be 40.3 %, of which 74% were customers, 18.8% were food handlers and 7.2% were managers. The consumption of tobacco was higher at restaurants (39.9%), but lowest at food courts of shopping malls. Water pipe (55.3%) was the main consumption type, followed by cigarettes (42.6%) and chewing tobacco (2.1%). Multivariate analysis showed that gender (male), marital status (single), and type of food facility (Estaraha and café/coffee shop) were independent risk factors associated with tobacco use at food facilities. CONCLUSION: Tobacco use is very common in food facilities in Riyadh as reflected by results of our study, especially among single males Saudis. We should build on success encountered in banning smoking in airports, airplanes, shopping malls, market places, educational institutions and healthcare facilities, extending the ban to include food facilities as well. This is important for the health of non-smokers as well as smokers themselves.

Characteristics and chemical compositions of propolis from Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: Propolis is a sticky material mixed by honeybees to utilize it in protecting their hives from infection by bacteria and fungi. The therapeutic properties of propolis are due to its chemical composition with bio-active compounds; therefore, researchers are interested in studying its chemical constituents and biological properties. The main objective of this study is to determine the chemical compositions, characteristics and relative concentrations of organic compounds in the extractable organic matter of propolis samples collected from four different areas in Ethiopia. RESULTS: The propolis samples were extracted with a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).The results showed that the total extract yields ranged from 27.2% to 64.2% (46.7 ± 19.1%). The major compounds were triterpenoids (85.5 ± 15.0% of the total extracts, mainly α-, ß-amyrins and amyryl acetates), n-alkanes (5.8 ± 7.5%), n-alkenes (6.2 ± 7.0%,), methyl n-alkanoates (0.4 ± 0.2%), and long chain wax esters (0.3 to 2.1%). CONCLUSION: The chemical compositions of these propolis samples indicate that they are potential sources of natural bio-active compounds for biological and pharmacological applications.

Diabetic nephropathy and its risk factors in a society with a type 2 diabetes epidemic: a Saudi National Diabetes Registry-based study.

AIMS: The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and its risk factors have not been studied in a society known to have diabetes epidemic like Saudi Arabia. Using a large data base registry will provide a better understanding and accurate assessment of this chronic complication and its related risk factors. METHODOLOGY: A total of 54,670 patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥ 25 years were selected from the Saudi National Diabetes Registry (SNDR) and analyzed for the presence of diabetic nephropathy. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) criterion was used to identify cases with microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria and end stage renal disease (ESRD) for prevalence estimation and risk factor assessment. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diabetic nephropathy was 10.8%, divided into 1.2% microalbuminuria, 8.1%macroalbuninuria and 1.5% ESRD. Age and diabetes duration as important risk factors have a strong impact on the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy, ranging from 3.7% in patients aged 25-44 years and a duration of >5 years, to 21.8% in patients ≥ 65 years with a diabetes duration of ≥ 15 years. Diabetes duration, retinopathy, neuropathy, hypertension, age >45 years, hyperlipidemia, male gender, smoking, and chronologically, poor glycemic control has a significantly high risk for diabetic nephropathy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy is underestimated as a result of a shortage of screening programs. Risk factors related to diabetic nephropathy in this society are similar to other societies. There is thus an urgent need for screening and prevention programs for diabetic nephropathy among the Saudi population.

Epithelial lacrimal gland tumors: A comprehensive clinicopathologic review of 26 lesions with radiologic correlation.

AIM: To study the prevalence, clinicopathological and radiological correlations of epithelial lacrimal gland tumors and compare these with similar published literature. The study was also designed to look at the natural history of benign mixed tumors (BMT) in regard to recurrence and malignant degeneration. METHODS: THIS WAS A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF ALL SUSPECTED EPITHELIAL TUMORS OF THE LACRIMAL GLAND SURGICALLY EXCISED AT KING KHALED EYE SPECIALIST HOSPITAL (KKESH) FOR THE PERIOD: 1983-2008. Exclusion criteria included structural lesions (dacryops) and inflammatory lesions. We included 26 cases of epithelial lacrimal gland tumors (from 24 patients). The histopathologic slides and the radiologic findings were reviewed. The corresponding demographic and clinical data were obtained by chart review using a data sheet. RESULTS: BMT accounted for 12/26 of the lesions while malignant lesions including adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) were more common (14/26). The mean age was 44.27 years (range 12-75). Commonest clinical presentation was proptosis. Median duration of symptoms in the BMT cases was 30 months and 7 months in the ACC group. The 12 BMT cases were primary in 9 and recurrent in 3 patients. The 11 ACC cases showed mostly cribriform pattern and low histopathologic grade. We had 2 cases of malignant mixed tumor (MMT) one of which arising in a recurrent tumor. One case of primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma with histopathologic grade 2 was noted. Radiologically, a well-defined appearance with bone remodeling was observed in BMT in contrast to invasive appearance with destruction in malignant lesions. CONCLUSION: Our series information indicated a different distribution of benign and malignant epithelial lesions with a slightly higher rate of malignancy. BMT was the commonest benign tumor where recurrence was a squeal of incomplete surgical excision. ACC was the commonest malignant tumor with shorter duration of symptoms and radiologic evidence of invasiveness that correlated with the histopathologic features.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi newborns at a tertiary care center.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate vitamin D levels in Saudi newborns utilizing umbilical cord samples, and to benchmark the results with international figures. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between November 2013 and March 2013. Vitamin D levels were assessed in the umbilical cord of healthy term neonates born above 2.5 kg from healthy pregnant mothers. Gestational age (GA), birth weight, gender, levels of sun exposure, and consumption of vitamin D rich food data were collected. Our primary outcome was the percentage of newborns with vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D level below 25 nmol/l). Association of vitamin D deficiency with sun exposure and consumption of vitamin D rich food was tested using a Chi-squared test. RESULTS: Umbilical samples of 200 newborns were obtained. The average birth weight was 3.2 kg. Deficient vitamin D levels were detected in 59% of the sample. Almost 90% of included newborns had vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/l. We found no association of vitamin D deficiency status to level of sun exposure or to consumption of vitamin D rich food. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is very common in Saudi newborns at hospital, and is consistent with regional data. Efforts to assess and treat vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and provide adequate supplementation to newborns are necessary to rectify such a public health concern.