COX-2 and the vascular system: interactions with endothelial pathways and the eNOS system

Endothelial cells release protective hormones such as prostacyclin and nitric oxide involving the enzyme pathways of cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Both prostacyclin and nitric oxide act to oppose the effects of thromboxane A2 released following the actions also of cyclooxygenase by platelets. Cyclooxygenase (cyclooxygenase-2) is also present in inflammation and is the therapeutic target for the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory group of drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are among the most popular in the world. But NSAIDs also have side effects in the gut, this is why selective cyclooxygenase-2 types of NSAID were introduced. However, now after their introduction, there is an important concern regarding the cardiovascular side effects caused by all NSAIDs that work by blocking cyclooxygenase-2. My PhD thesis has used a number of techniques to show that the constitutive isoform (cyclooxygenase-1) drives prostacyclin in blood vessels and that in the kidney knocking out cyclooxygenase-2 results in changes in genes and proteins that regulate the methylarginines ADMA and LNMMA which are NOS inhibitors. I show that in cyclooxygenase-2 knock out mice ADMA and LNMMA are increased and that eNOS responses are reduced and that the effect is reversed by the substrate L-arginine. This work suggests that ADMA could explain why NSAIDs that work by blocking cyclooxygenase-2 affects endothelial responses in an indirect way. The data also suggests that ADMA could be a biomarker and that for some people L-arginine supplements might be protective. By using a mathematical model that I devised myself I also showed that cyclooxygenase-2 knock out causes morphological changes in the endothelium that suggest that in that region the enzyme might be pro-inflammatory and that for this observation a relationship with eNOS does not seem to be involved.Open Acces

Digenetic trematodes of marine fishes from the Kuwaiti coast of the Arabian Gulf

D~ring July and August 1978, 165 fishes belonging to 35 species in 19 families were collected from the Kuwaiti coast of the Arabian Gulf and examined for parasites. Nine digenetic trematodes including three new species and two new genera are described: (Hemiuridae) Opisthadena kuwaiti, n.sp. from Valamugil seheli, Lecithocladium bulbolabrum Reid, Coil and Kuntz, 1966 from Johnius aneus (new host record), 1· unibulbolabrum Fischthal and Thomas, 1971 from Rastralliger kanagurta (new host record), Clupenuroides sheemi n.g., n.sp, from Eleutheronema tetradactylum; (Angiodactylidae) Hexangium sigani Goto and Ozaki, 1929 from Sigartus oramin; (Pleorchiidae) Pleorchis arabicus n.sp. from Otolithes argenteus; (Opecoelidae) Helicometrina nimia Linton, 1910, from Nemipterus tolu (new host record) and Plagioporus sp. from Nemipterus tolu; (Acanthocolpidae) Stephanostomum sp. from Lutjanus coccineus. Keys to the species of Opisthadena and Pleorchis, and to certain closely related dinurid genera are given. E_. puriensis Gupta and Ahmad, 1976 is transferred to the new genus Parapleorchis

Justification of the Legitimate Texts and the Issues Related to it

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, benediction and peace be upon the noblest of Prophets and Messengers, our Master, Mohammad, his Kinsfolk and companions all. This is an abstract of a research paper titled: (Justification of Religious Texts and the Fundamental Issues Associated with Such Justification) This research paper consists of an introduction in which I have explained the significance of the study, the research plan, the reason for choosing the topic and the method I have followed in the study. The study itself is composed of four themes: the first one: studying the topic and citing the difference among the scholars and their schools of thoughts, which amounted to four. The second one: citing evidence for each school of thought. The third one: discussing those evidence together with an attempt to get to the results of the study, the most important of which is: the norm in the religious texts is justification, in spite of the fact that some of them are absolute-i..e. should not be justified – and those are rare. Analogy is also permissible, except in cases of irrational meaning. I have also come to know the significance of this topic, which I gave even considered one of the major issues in the analogy chapter, because of the importance of ghe issues based on it or associated with it, which came in a fourth theme. The most important of those issues is: considering justification- which is the most important principle in the analogy chapter- because those who think that the Sharia texts are absolute, do not accept analogy in rules, while those who establish reasons in rules do the opposite. Thus the themes of reasons are presented accordingly and adopting analogy and its argument is based on that. Furthermore, some of the topics related to this research paper are: the difference among scholars on the question of ascription of reason, whether it is by analogy or not? Also, the difference among them or dividing analogy to evident and concealed, their difference on inclusion of wisdom in Allah Almightys rules and permissibility of using it in justification, as well as, their difference on the question of the norm, if it is cited as differing from other norms, whether to consider it as an independent norm o not, and all the results and benefits based on such nor

Internet of Things Based Monitoring System of Leaks in Water Supply Networks Using Pressure-Based Model

Leaks in water distribution networks impose several impacts on economy, freshwater resources, water quality, health and safety. Fast leak detection and reparation is a key for lowering its negative impacts and associated costs with conventional detection techniques. This study has been used a pressure-based model to detect leaks events and its coordinates based on pressure and flow measurements. Pressure and flow data for systems that having leaks in their structure were analyzed and compared with data generated from non-leaking systems using EPANET software packages. An extension package of EPANET software (EpanetWaterGen) has been used as it has the advantage of its ability to better simulate leaks. The results show the ability of the model to detect leaks in a small and large water distribution networks with uncertainty level associated with low pressure change. The developed leak detection model utilizes pressure and flow sensors and enables the network managers and administrators to optimally place the sensors in a manner to increase efficiency and optimize cost. The system allows operators to detect leak location and volume of lost water, thus enabling a better and more efficient response to leaks, such that the network managers can address and respond to most urgent leaks and optimize the time end efforts of technical and maintenance personnel

Internet of Things Based Monitoring System of Leaks in Water Supply Networks Using Pressure-Based Model

Leaks in water distribution networks impose several impacts on economy, freshwater resources, water quality, health and safety. Fast leak detection and reparation is a key for lowering its negative impacts and associated costs with conventional detection techniques. This study has been used a pressure-based model to detect leaks events and its coordinates based on pressure and flow measurements. Pressure and flow data for systems that having leaks in their structure were analyzed and compared with data generated from non-leaking systems using EPANET software packages. An extension package of EPANET software (EpanetWaterGen) has been used as it has the advantage of its ability to better simulate leaks. The results show the ability of the model to detect leaks in a small and large water distribution networks with uncertainty level associated with low pressure change. The developed leak detection model utilizes pressure and flow sensors and enables the network managers and administrators to optimally place the sensors in a manner to increase efficiency and optimize cost. The system allows operators to detect leak location and volume of lost water, thus enabling a better and more efficient response to leaks, such that the network managers can address and respond to most urgent leaks and optimize the time end efforts of technical and maintenance personnel

DFT for controlled-impedance I/O buffers

This paper presents an architecture that enhances the testability of controlled-impedance buffers (CIBs). By testing CIBs digitally, the new architecture overcomes most of the problems with the traditional testing method. Most of these problems are test cost related. While reducing the test cost, the new architecture allows for higher test quality that even includes delay testing capabilities

Singular Short Range Potentials in the J-Matrix Approach

We use the tools of the J-matrix method to evaluate the S-matrix and then deduce the bound and resonance states energies for singular screened Coulomb potentials, both analytic and piecewise differentiable. The J-matrix approach allows us to absorb the 1/r singularity of the potential in the reference Hamiltonian, which is then handled analytically. The calculation is performed using an infinite square integrable basis that supports a tridiagonal matrix representation for the reference Hamiltonian. The remaining part of the potential, which is bound and regular everywhere, is treated by an efficient numerical scheme in a suitable basis using Gauss quadrature approximation. To exhibit the power of our approach we have considered the most delicate region close to the bound-unbound transition and compared our results favorably with available numerical data.Comment: 14 pages, 5 tables, 2 figure

Scattering theory with a natural regularization: Rediscovering the J-matrix method

In three dimensional scattering, the energy continuum wavefunction is obtained by utilizing two independent solutions of the reference wave equation. One of them is typically singular (usually, near the origin of configuration space). Both are asymptotically regular and sinusoidal with a phase difference (shift) that contains information about the scattering potential. Therefore, both solutions are essential for scattering calculations. Various regularization techniques were developed to handle the singular solution leading to different well-established scattering methods. To simplify the calculation the regularized solutions are usually constructed in a space that diagonalizes the reference Hamiltonian. In this work, we start by proposing solutions that are already regular. We write them as infinite series of square integrable basis functions that are compatible with the domain of the reference Hamiltonian. However, we relax the diagonal constraint on the representation by requiring that the basis supports an infinite tridiagonal matrix representation of the wave operator. The hope is that by relaxing this constraint on the solution space a larger freedom is achieved in regularization such that a natural choice emerges as a result. We find that one of the resulting two independent wavefunctions is, in fact, the regular solution of the reference problem. The other is uniquely regularized in the sense that it solves the reference wave equation only outside a dense region covering the singularity in configuration space. However, asymptotically it is identical to the irregular solution. We show that this natural and special regularization is equivalent to that already used in the J-matrix method of scattering.Comment: 10 page

The Influence of Employee Engagement, Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Organizational Commitment on Organizational Performance: A Study of Zain Telco, Saudi Arabia

This study conducted to find the relationship of the independent variables, which are employee engagement, organization citizenship behavior and organizational commitment with the dependent variable, which is the organizational performance in Saudi Arabia Telecommunication Company. This study is limited to identifying some factors that may affect organizational performance. These include employee engagement, organizational citizenship behavior and organizational commitment. The setting for the study is a Telecommunication company in Saudi Arabia called Zain. The total populations for this company were approximately 2.200 mployees including all levels. Out of this number, a total number of supervisors level are 110 employees. Otherwise, the researcher will limit the study for only supervisory level in this company; the primary objective of this study is to examine the relationships between employee engagement, organizational citizenship behavior and organizational commitment and organizational performance. This study is important for several reasons. Firstly, recognizing a positive relationship between, employee engagement, organizational citizenship behavior, organizational commitment and organizational performance; secondly, to clarify the problem and barriers encountered in the application of human resource programs in the a Telecommunication company in Saudi Arabia in the context to the case included in this study thirdly, to participate in and contribute to research, resulting in Knowledge increase, and lastly, to assist scholars and other researchers in the HRM field