EVALUATING KNOWLEDGE OF OVER THE COUNTER ANALGESICS AMONG BAHRAINI PEOPLE

 Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate awareness of Bahrainis regarding analgesics proper use, doses, side effects (SE), and sources ofinformation.Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 100 Bahraini consumers aged 20 or more randomly selected. Using a self-administered questionnaire,volunteers answered questions regarding purposes, doses, SE, and sources of information of over the counter (OTC) analgesics.Results: Majority of respondents reported using OTC analgesics. Paracetamol reported mostly. Most common purpose of use was a headache, followedby fever and flu pain. Analgesics improper use was reported by up to 27% of respondents. Although 60.6% were aware of gastrointestinal tract (GIT)SE, 46.1% were not taking them after food. Patients' sources of information included physicians (38.2%), pharmacy personnel (27%), and friends/relatives (28.1%). Although 70% reported reading analgesics package inserts, overdosing were notably reported (37%). A total of 32.6% referredto anti-histamines for analgesia. Interestingly, 36% reported that they have not ever encountered SE and 32% tended to discontinue using theiranalgesics if any is encountered.Conclusion: Although analgesics are consumed enormously, paracetamol high consumption is attributed to its minimal SE. The reported correct useof analgesics might be due to their wide prescribing for such conditions. Using antihistamines for analgesia can be anticipated to their sedative effects,though this and some analgesics misuses can be attributed to the poor pharmacists' counseling.Keywords: Acetylsalicylic acid, Analgesics, Aspirin, Awareness, Ibuprofen, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Over the counter, ParacetamolÂ

Multi-Order Statistical Descriptors for Real-Time Face Recognition and Object Classification

We propose novel multi-order statistical descriptors which can be used for high speed object classification or face recognition from videos or image sets. We represent each gallery set with a global second-order statistic which captures correlated global variations in all feature directions as well as the common set structure. A lightweight descriptor is then constructed by efficiently compacting the second-order statistic using Cholesky decomposition. We then enrich the descriptor with the first-order statistic of the gallery set to further enhance the representation power. By projecting the descriptor into a low-dimensional discriminant subspace, we obtain further dimensionality reduction, while the discrimination power of the proposed representation is still preserved. Therefore, our method represents a complex image set by a single descriptor having significantly reduced dimensionality. We apply the proposed algorithm on image set and video-based face and periocular biometric identification, object category recognition, and hand gesture recognition. Experiments on six benchmark data sets validate that the proposed method achieves significantly better classification accuracy with lower computational complexity than the existing techniques. The proposed compact representations can be used for real-time object classification and face recognition in videos. 2013 IEEE.This work was supported by NPRP through the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation) under Grant 7-1711-1-312.Scopu

Biochemical and Histological Study of Aminoacylase-1 Purified from Amniotic Fluid in Rats with Oxidative Stress Induced by Lead Acetate

تضمن البحث فصل ودراسة إنزيم أمينواسيليز-1 (ACY1) من السائل الأمنيوني للحوامل  الاصحاء، إذ تم فصل حزمة رئيسية واحدة فقط ذات فعالية عالية بتقنية التبادل الايوني السالب نوع DEAE-cellulose للراسب البروتيني الناتج عن ترسيب البروتينات باستخدام كبريتات الامونيوم (65%) بعد عملية الفرز الغشائي، اذ وصلت عدد مرات التنقية الى (19) مرة, وعند استخدام عمود الترشيح الهلامي باستخدام سيفادكس من نوع G-100 تم الحصول على نقاوة عالية للإنزيم وصلت عدد مرات التنقية له الى (38), وقد وجد ان الوزن الجزيئي لإنزيم المعزولة كان بحدود 46698 دالتون عند استخدام تقنية كروماتوغرافي الترشيح الهلامي. درس تأثير إنزيم  ACY1المعزول على الجرذان المصابين بالإجهاد التأكسدي المستحدث بخلات الرصاص (LA) بجرعة 40 ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذي وتمت مقارنتها مع الطبيعيين وذلك من خلال قياس المتغيرات الكيموحيوية المختارة والتي تضمنت: الكلوتاثايون (GSH) والمالوندايالديهايد(MDA) وإنزيم اسبارتيت أمينوترانسفريز (AST) وإنزيم ألانين أمينوترانسفريز(ALT) وكذلك من خلال الفحص النسيجي للكبد والكلية. اذ أظهرت النتائج ارتفاعاً معنوياً في مستويات (MDA وAST وِALT) وانخفاضها في مستوى (GSH) مقارنة مع مجموعة السيطرة السالبة، كما لوحظ ان هناك انخفاضاً معنوياً في مستويات (MDA وAST وِALT) وارتفاع في GSH عند حقن إنزيم ACY1 4  ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذي مع LA بجرعة 40 ملغم /كغم. وأظهرت نتائج الفحص النسيجي وجود تغيرات مرضية عالية لأنسجة الكبد للجرذان المعاملة بمادة LA 40 ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذان عند مقارنتها مع الطبيعيين، لقد حصل تحسن لأنسجة الكبد والكلية عند استخدام إنزيم ACY1 4  ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذان مع LA، وهذه النتائج تثبت دور انزيم ACY1 في الحماية من الاجهاد التأكسدي والتقليل من حدة الأمراض المختلفة. درس تأثير إنزيم  ACY1المعزول على الجرذان المصابين بحالة الكرب التأكسدي المستحدث بواسطة خلات الرصاص بجرعة 40 ملغم /كغم من وزن الجسم ومقارنتها مع الجرذان الطبيعيين وذلك من خلال قياس المتغيرات الكيموحيوية المختارة والتي تضمنت: الكلوتاثايون (GSH) والمالوندايالديهايد(MDA) وإنزيم اسبارتيت أمينوترانسفريز (AST) وإنزيم ألانين أمينوترانسفريز(ALT) وكذلك من خلال الفحص النسيجي للكبد والكلية. اذ أظهرت النتائج ارتفاعاً معنوياً في مستويات (MDA وAST وِALT) وانخفاضها في مستوى (GSH) مقارنة مع مجموعة السيطرة، كما لوحظ ان هناك انخفاضاً معنوياً في مستويات (MDA وAST وِALT) وارتفاع مستوى GSH عند استخدام الإنزيم المعزول بجرع4  ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذان مع خلات الرصاص بجرعة 40 ملغم /كغم. وأظهرت نتائج الفحص النسيجي وجود تغيرات مرضية عالية لأنسجة الكبد للجرذان المعاملة بخلات الرصاص بجرعة 40 ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذان عند مقارنتها مع الجرذان الطبيعيين، وحصول حالة تحسن لأنسجة الكبد والكلية عند استخدام الإنزيم المعزول بجرع 4  ملغم /كغم من وزن الجرذان مع خلات الرصاص، وهذه النتائج تثبت دور الإنزيم المعزول في حماية الجسم من الكرب التأكسدي والتقليل من حدة الأمراض الناتجة عنه.This work involves separating and studying the aminoacylase-1 (ACY1) of amniotic fluid from healthy pregnant, mainly one peak with higher activity has been isolated by DEAE-Cellulose ion exchange from the proteinous supernatant produced by deposition of proteins using ammonium sulfate  (65%) after dialysis. The purification folds reaching to 19 folds also gave one protein peak when injected into the gel filtration column, a high ACY1 purity was obtained, with 38 folds of purification. It was found that the molecular weight of the isolated ACY1 was up to 46698 Dalton when using gel chromatography technique.The effect of ACY1 isolate was studied on rats with oxidative stress caused by lead acetate(LA) at 40 mg / kg body weight and compared with normal rats by measuring the selected biochemical parameters which included: Glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) through liver and kidney tissue examination. The results showed a significant increase in the levels of (MDA, AST, ALT) and a decrease in the level of GSH compared with the control group, Also it has been observed there that was a significant decrease in the levels of (MDA, AST, ALT) and high level of GSH when injecting the ACY1 isolate in a dose of 4 mg / kg of rat weight with LA at 40 mg/kg. The results of the tissue examination demonstrated high pathological changes in the liver tissue of rats treated with LA at 40 mg/kg of rat weight when compared with normal rats. The liver and kidney tissue improved when treated with isolate at 4 mg / kg rat weight and LA. These results demonstrate the role of ACY1 in protecting from oxidative stress then can reduce the severity of various diseases. Studying the effect of ACY1 isolated on rats with oxidative stress caused by lead acetate at a dose of 40 mg / kg body weight and compared with normal rats by measuring the selected biochemical parameters which included: Glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) as well as through liver and kidney tissue examination. The results showed a significant increase in the levels of (MDA, AST, ALT) and a decrease in the level of GSH compared with the control group, It was also observed that there was a significant decrease in the levels (MDA, AST, ALT) and high level of GSH when using the enzyme isolated in a dose of 4 mg / kg of rat weight with lead acetate at a dose of 40 mg/kg. The results of the tissue examination showed high pathological changes in the liver tissue of rats treated with lead acetate at a dose of 40 mg/kg of rat weight when compared with normal rats, and liver and kidney tissue improvement when isolated enzyme is administered at 4 mg / kg rat weight with lead acetate. These results demonstrate the role of isolated enzyme in protecting the body from oxidative stress then can reducing the severity of various diseases

Dietary Intake of Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Bahrain: A Case-Control Study

Background & Objectives: Bahrain is reported to rank amongst the top 10 countries for diabetes prevalence worldwide. In particular, growing numbers of children are being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The objective of this study was to describe the dietary intake of Bahraini children with T1DM as compared to a sample of healthy counterparts and to determine whether the nutrient intakes of Bahraini children with T1DM meet the current recommendations.Design & Setting: This was a case-control study. Dietary intake, estimated using a24-hour dietary recall, for the cases was gathered from the Pediatric Endocrine and Diabetes Unit at the Salmaniya Medical Complex and compared to the 24-hour recalls of children without diabetes recruited from Local Health Centers.Patients & Methods: 50 children aged 6-12 years receiving a confirmed diagnosis of T1DM in the years 2009 and 2010 compared with 55 healthy comparators.Results: Children with T1DM consumed significantly more calories than controls (p<0.001) and significantly more protein relative to their RDA (p<0.029). Both groups failed to meet the RDA values for dietary fiber and for Vitamin D. Sodium intakes were in excess of RDA values although no significant difference was observed between groups (p=0.403).Conclusion: The diets of both children with and without T1DM were found to contain excess protein and sodium and inadequate fiber, vitamin D and calcium. Children with T1DM also appeared to consume excess energy and fat. There is a need to endorse existing dietary guidelines for children with T1DM

Process Simulation Modelling of the Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of 4-Propylguaiacol in Microreactors

A process simulation model was created using Aspen Plus to investigate the hydrodeoxygenation of 4-propylguaiacol, a model component in lignin-derived pyrolysis oil, over a presulphided NiMo/Al2O3 solid catalyst. Process simulation modelling methods were used to develop the pseudo-homogeneous packed bed microreactor. The reaction was conducted at 400 °C and an operating pressure of 300 psig with a 4-propylguaiacol liquid flow rate of 0.03 mL·min−1 and a hydrogen gas flow rate of 0.09 mL·min−1. Various operational parameters were investigated and compared to the experimental results in order to establish their effect on the conversion of 4-propylguaiacol. The parameters studied included reaction temperature, pressure, and residence time. Further changes to the simulation were made to study additional effects. In doing so, the operation of the same reactor was studied adiabatically, rather than isothermally. Moreover, different equations of state were used. It was observed that the conversion was enhanced with increasing temperature, pressure, and residence time. The results obtained demonstrated a good model validation when compared to the experimental results, thereby confirming that the model is suitable to predict the hydrodeoxygenation of pyrolysis oil

A study on the feeding of shrimp larvae of Macrobrachium nipponense on algae in vitro

Experiments were carried out for the propagation and rearing of Macrobrachium nipponense and its feeding on algae, with the aim of determining the density, survival, and growth of larvae in vitro. Hatched larvae of zoae were reared at a density of 50 zoea/L with algae mixture: Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus sp., Pediastrium sp., Microctinium sp., Navicula sp., Ulothrix sp., Cyclotella sp., Daitoma sp. at three concentrations of 0.5=A, 1.0=B, 1.5=C x 10⁵ cell/ml, and the survival % rates of zoea larvae were 45.00±5.00, 53.33±7.64, 50.00±5.00 respectively. Then, three densities: 25=A, 50=B, 75=C zoea/L were tested by feeding them with the best concentration of 1.0×10⁵ cell/ml for 10 days, with the result being survival % rates were  50.00±5.00, 51.67±7.64, 31.67±7.64, respectively. After that, stage post-larvae were reared at a density of (50=A,100=B, 150=C) Pl/pond and fed with a concentration of 1.0 x 10⁵ cell/ml of the algae mixture for 28 days, which resulted in survival % rates of 48.33±7.64, 40.00±5.00, 33.33±7.64, and this stage, weight was 50.67±2.08, 50.00±2.00, 40.33±2.52mg respectively. The results of the analysis of survival rates for different densities of zoea larvae found significant differences (P < 0.05) between density C and density of both A and B, of which there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) between them. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the survival rates of zoea in different concentrations of the selected algae. Also, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the survival rates and weight rate of post-larvae when fed on algae (B)

Two sensor based H-infinity control of a piezoelectric tube scanner

The performance of a feedback-controlled piezoelectric tube scanner is limited by its inherent nonlinear properties such as hysteresis and creep, its mechanical resonance modes and its displacement sensor bandwidth and associated noise properties. Capacitive sensors have emerged as the displacement sensor of choice in piezoelectric tube scanners. Resolution of a capacitive sensor is largely determined by its bandwidth and noise density which is typically in the order of 20 pm/root Hz for a +/-100 micrometer range. Consequently, to achieve sub-nanometer resolution, the sensors bandwidth needs to be made small. Achieving satisfactory tracking performance using a low-bandwidth displacement sensor is a challenging task. To improve the bandwidth, the piezoelectric strain voltage induced in the electrode opposite to the actuating electrode is used as a secondary measurement. A two-sensor-based H-infinity controller is designed and implemented on a prototype piezoelectric tube nanopositioning system. The tube is driven by a charge amplifier to reduce the hysteresis. Experimental results demonstrate a significant increase in the tracking bandwidth due to the use of the additional sensor

Precise tip positioning of a flexible manipulator using resonant control

A single-link flexible manipulator is fabricated to represent a typical flexible robotic arm. This flexible manipulator is modeled as an SIMO system with the motor torque as the input and the hub angle and the tip position as the outputs. The two transfer functions are identified using a frequency-domain system identification method, and the resonant modes are determined. A feedback loop around the hub angle response with a resonant controller is designed to damp the resonant modes. A high-gain integral controller is also implemented to achieve zero steady-state error in the tip position response. Experiments are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme

A Study on the Perceptual Relationship between Overtime and Output

The overtime is an extra effort to ensure that the job or duty is completed. In private universities, overtime is needed to cover all hours of the courses and this may affect in a good or bad way on the lecture "depending on the number of extra hours".  This research highlights the importance of overtime and how it affects the performance of private universities. The (SPSS) program has been used to analyze the data. 34 questionnaire papers were obtained out of 40 have been distributed on employees at Knowledge University. The study found that there is a strong relationship between employees' Productivity and factors (Wages, Environment and Health, Job content and IT skill). Moreover, there is a weak relationship between Employees' Productivity and factors (Work Arrangement, Stress–Satisfaction)