Smoking Habits among College Students at a Public University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading risk factors for ill health and death worldwide. Adolescence is the starting age of smoking for most current smokers worldwide. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of tobacco, the habits of different types of former smokers, and their relationship to other specialties and sociodemographic data. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was sent to students' emails to assess their smoking prevalence and tobacco and nicotine product habits. Results: Of the 895 students in IMSIU who participated in our survey, most reported having never used/tried tobacco, representing (76.4%). Most of the students who smoke began to smoke within the last five years (46.4%), which strongly indicates that they started to smoke when they entered the university. When students were asked about the time they like to smoke, most reported that they smoke when they feel stressed/under pressure (57.1%). There was a strong relationship between having a family member who smokes and being a smoker (53.1%). Conclusions: The prevalence of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and Shisha was 18.3%, 5%, and 11%, respectively. Anti-smoking regulations at the university level should be periodically reviewed to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of tobacco control strategies.

New Antifungal Microbial Pigment Applied to Improve Safety and Quality of Processed Meat-Products.

Minced meat is involved within numerous products, where their color attributes are affected by consumer preferences. This study was aimed to ameliorate processed meat color, using a microbial red pigment. Antibacterial, antifungal, citrinin-free, and toxicity of pigment were determined. Meatballs and burgers were manufactured using pigment at 3 mg/g of meat. Texture, color, shelf life extension, and organoleptic properties were estimated for treated meats. Results were expressed by a real antimicrobial for pigment, even via several extracting systems. The MIC and MFC of pigment were 320 µg/g and 2.75 mg/g media, respectively. Bioactive components of pigment were detected using the GC-MS and the FTIR apparatus. The bioactive carbohydrates include oligo and polysaccharides were manifested with real curves. Secretion of ochratoxin A and aflatoxins in fungal media receives pigment was decreased by up to 54% and 45%, respectively. The presence of bioactive carbohydrates may trap mycotoxin out of the recovered amounts. The manufactured products were enhanced for their color and taste with fine texture changes. The shelf life of colored-frying meat was recorded by an extension compared to the control. In conclusion, the results were recommended microbial red-pigment implementation in meats manufacturing for ameliorating recorded of color, as antimycotoxigenic, and shelf life extension.

Studying Oxidative Stress Caused by the Mitis Group Streptococci in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a free-living nematode, has emerged as an attractive model to study host-pathogen interactions. The presented protocol uses this model to determine the pathogenicity caused by the mitis group streptococci via the production of H2O2. The mitis group streptococci are an emerging threat that cause many human diseases such as bacteremia, endocarditis, and orbital cellulitis. Described here is a protocol to determine the survival of these worms in response to H2O2 produced by this group of pathogens. Using the gene skn-1 encoding for an oxidative stress response transcription factor, it is shown that this model is important for identifying host genes that are essential against streptococcal infection. Furthermore, it is shown that activation of the oxidative stress response can be monitored in the presence of these pathogens using a transgenic reporter worm strain, in which SKN-1 is fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). These assays provide the opportunity to study the oxidative stress response to H2O2 derived by a biological source as opposed to exogenously added reactive oxygen species (ROS) sources.

The activation of the oxidative stress response transcription factor SKN-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans by mitis group streptococci.

The mitis group, a member of the genetically diverse viridans group streptococci, predominately colonizes the human oropharynx. This group has been shown to cause a wide range of infectious complications in humans, including bacteremia in patients with neutropenia, orbital cellulitis and infective endocarditis. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been identified as a virulence factor produced by this group of streptococci. More importantly, it has been shown that Streptococcus oralis and S. mitis induce epithelial cell and macrophage death via the production of H2O2. Previously, H2O2 mediated killing was observed in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans in response to S. oralis and S. mitis. The genetically tractable model organism C. elegans is an excellent system to study mechanisms of pathogenicity and stress responses. Using this model, we observed rapid H2O2 mediated killing of the worms by S. gordonii in addition to S. mitis and S. oralis. Furthermore, we observed colonization of the intestine of the worms when exposed to S. gordonii suggesting the involvement of an infection-like process. In response to the H2O2 produced by the mitis group, we demonstrate the oxidative stress response is activated in the worms. The oxidative stress response transcription factor SKN-1 is required for the survival of the worms and provides protection against H2O2 produced by S. gordonii. We show during infection, H2O2 is required for the activation of SKN-1 and is mediated via the p38-MAPK pathway. The activation of the p38 signaling pathway in the presence of S. gordonii is not mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane protein kinase IRE-1. However, IRE-1 is required for the survival of worms in response to S. gordonii. These finding suggests a parallel pathway senses H2O2 produced by the mitis group and activates the phosphorylation of p38. Additionally, the unfolded protein response plays an important role during infection.

Budd-Chiari syndrome: long-term effect on outcome with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.

BACKGROUND: The long-term outcome of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) is not well studied. To address this, the records of 47 consecutive patients with BCS evaluated in one center from January 1989 to April 2004, were analyzed. RESULTS: Seven patients with liver tumors were excluded from analyses. Eleven patients had Bechet's disease, 14 had thrombophiliac disorders, four had myeloproliferative diseases and 11 patients had other or unknown causes. The site of block was hepatic vein in 16 patients, in the suprhepatic inferior vena cava in 19 and not known in five. The majority of patients (21/40; 52.5%) presented with subacute disease with massive ascites and abdominal pain as the dominant manifestations. Eight patients with membranes or segemental block were treated with transluminal angiopalsty, and six were treated with clinical and biochemical recovery. The TIPS was placed through a transcaval puncture in eight patients with progressive liver disease who were on medical therapy and had thrombosis limited to hepatic veins. One patient bled from portal vein puncture, which was managed by placing stent across the punctured site. The TIPS was very effective in decreasing portal pressure gradient, improving synthetic functions, reducing transaminase levels and controlling ascites. Five patients had TIPS dysfunction needing revision. In two patients it was difficult to maintain TIPS patency due to repeated TIPS dysfunction. However, both these patients were asymptomatic with normal liver function tests. Long-term follow up revealed that patients with TIPS had significantly better survival than those treated with medical therapy alone (log-rank test, P = 0.04). In a multivariate Cox-model analysis four variables, namely, more florid presentation, male sex, no treatment with TIPS and increasing Child-Pugh-Turcotte score, adversely affected the survival. CONCLUSIONS: Budd-Chiari syndrome needs an individualized multidisciplinary approach and TIPS is indicated in a subgroup of patients with progressive liver disease. It is safe, feasible and improves survival.