Reduced placental size and increased apoptosis are associated with prenatal nicotine exposure in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a variety of negative embryonic and neonatal consequences. Nicotine is the major constituent of tobacco smoke, which was associated with adverse impacts on histological and functional features of the placenta. This study aims to investigate the potential influence of nicotine exposure on the rat placenta and fetus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nicotine was administrated through the drinking water of female pregnant rats. The placental size, as well as the fetal body weight and size, were measured at E20. The mRNA expression of the Bax gene (pro-apoptotic), the Bcl-2 gene (anti-apoptotic) and the angiogenic genes VEGF, Flt-1, and HIF1 were measured in placental tissue. Furthermore, Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using Bax, caspase 9 and VEGF antibodies were performed on placental sections. RESULTS: The results of the current study showed a significant reduction in the size of the placenta along with fetal body weight in nicotine treated group compared to the control group. Apoptosis was observed to be boosted in the placentas of the nicotine-treated group. This was associated with upregulation of Bax expression combined with no change in the expression of Bcl-2 in the treated group. On the other hand, there was no difference in the expression of angiogenic factors VEGF, Flt-1, or HIF1 between tested groups. CONCLUSIONS: In utero nicotine exposure in pregnant rats showed deleterious impacts on fetus growth and weight, as well as placental size. These were accompanied by increased apoptosis within the placenta, as revealed by Bax gene upregulation.

Brief Report: Social Support and Coping Strategies of Mothers of Children Suffering from ASD in Kuwait.

This cross-sectional study provides a general profile of mothers of children with ASDs in Kuwait and examines their use of social support resources and coping strategies (using the Brief COPE questionnaire). The majority of mothers reported decreased ability to perform social duties (62.4%) and take care of themselves (50.5%). Overall, 57.7% of mothers reported a decreased ability to enjoy life; this difference was more pronounced among non-Kuwaiti mothers compared to Kuwaiti mothers (p value = 0.03), and in mothers with a bachelor's degree or higher (p value = 0.011). There was a significant association between the mothers' ability to enjoy life and receiving support from the family (p value = 0.021) and support groups (p value = 0.003). "Religion", "Acceptance", and "Positive Reframing" were the 3 most common coping strategies.

Lumpy Skin Disease in Jordan: Disease Emergence, Clinical Signs, Complications and Preliminary-associated Economic Losses.

The objectives of this study are to report the emergence of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Jordan and associated clinical signs, complications and preliminary economic losses. In mid-April, 2013, two adult dairy cattle developed clinical signs suggestive of LSD and were confirmed as positive by PCR. The two cases were in Bani Kenanah district, Irbid governorate, on the Jordanian border of Israel and Syria. The disease spread rapidly to all the districts of Irbid governorate. During the month following the emergence of the disease, data were collected related to the epidemiology of the disease and the numbers of affected cattle on the premises. Forty-one dairy cattle holdings were surveyed. The morbidity rate ranged from 3% to 100%, (Mean = 35.1%, SD ±28.5%). The mortality rate ranged from 0% to 20%, (Mean = 1.3%, SD ±4.4%). The case fatality rate ranged from 0% to 100%, (Mean = 6.2%, SD ±22%). The overall morbidity rate was 26%, mortality rate 1.9% and case fatality rate 7.5%. Skin nodules, anorexia, decreased milk production and decreased body weight were common clinical signs, while mastitis and myiasis were seen as complications in a few affected animals. Decreased body weight ranged from 0% to 80%, (Mean = 23.1%, SD ±15.7%). Decreased milk production ranged from 0% to 100%, (Mean = 51.5%, SD ±22.2%). Affected cattle were treated mainly with broad-spectrum antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. The cost of treatment ranged from 0 to 84.3 British Pound/animal, (Mean = 27.9 GBP, SD ±22.5 GBP). LSD continues to spread through the Middle East region and poses a serious threat to the rest of Asia and Europe. International collaboration and communication is warranted to prevent the further spread of the disease to the rest of Asia and Europe.

Segmentation of lumbar vertebrae from clinical CT using active shape models and GVF-snake.

Lumbar area of the vertebral column bears the most load of the human body and thus it is responsible for the major portion of lower back pain from which 80% to 90% of people suffer from during their lifetime. Vertebra related diseases are mainly fracture and are usually diagnosed from X-ray radiographs or CT scans depending on the severity of the problem. In this paper, we propose a fully automated lumbar vertebra segmentation that accurately and robustly produces a smooth contour around each of the vertebrae. This segmentation is very useful in any subsequent CAD system for diagnosis and quantification of vertebrae fractures. It also serves the radiologist during the clinical routine. Our method shows an excellent level of vertebra boundary smootheness that was visually approved by our collaborating radiologist for each vertebra and each case from our fifty cases dataset that includes both normal and abnormal cases.

Blood lead level in the Jordanian population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the blood lead level in the non-occupationally exposed Jordanian population as a baseline for comparative studies. METHODS: Seven hundred and forty six blood samples were collected and analyzed using Graphic Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. A representative sample for the Jordanian community was selected. RESULTS: The arithmetic mean for blood lead level in the whole sample was 1.96 microg/d1 which was lower than the other means determined by international studies. CONCLUSION: The blood lead level among the Jordanian population was found to be less than the levels in other countries, this may be partly explained by the low levels of lead in air and water.

Dextromethorphan metabolism in Jordanians: dissociation of dextromethorphan O-demethylation from debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation.

The concentrations of dextromethorphan (DM) and its metabolites dextrorphan (DRP), 3-methoxymorphinan (MM) and 3-hydroxymorphinan (HM) were measured in 8 h urine samples from 266 unrelated healthy Jordanian subjects following oral administration of 30 mg dextromethorphan hydrobromide and using a rapid, sensitive and precise HPLC method with fluorometric detection. The frequency of the 'poor' metabolizer status of DM-O-demethylation as judged by log DM/DRP was found to be 6.8% with a 95% confidence interval of 3.8-9.8%. There was a strong correlation between log DM/DRP and log total non-O-demethylated compounds (NODM)/total O-demethylated metabolites (ODM) metabolic ratios (r = 0.96, P < 0.01). However, one subject with log DM/DRP of 0.05 that classifies him as a poor metabolizer was found to have a log NODM/ODM of -0.73 which is in the range of extensive metabolizer status suggesting the presence of another cytochrome P450 isoenzyme involved in dextromethorphan O-demethylation. Dextromethorphan N-demethylation to 3-methoxymorphinan was detected in 55.3% of individuals. Furthermore, a dissociation between dextromethorphan O-demethylation and debrisoquine (D) 4-hydroxylation has been observed. Among the 116 subjects phenotyped with both dextromethorphan and debrisoquine, 7 were poor metabolizers of both, three were poor metabolizers of debrisoquine and extensive metabolizers of dextromethorphan whilst 4 were poor metabolizers of dextromethorphan and extensive metabolizers of debrisoquine, one of whom was reclassified as an extensive metabolizer of dextromethorphan using log NODM/ODM to characterize dextromethorphan metabolizer status.