Antimicrobial activities of some Saudi Arabian herbal plants

Background: Several edible plants are used in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since early time to control microbial infections. In the present study, twenty-four Saudi Arabian medicinal plants d according to traditionally used were select and investigated for the antimicrobial activitiesMaterials and Methods: This study was designed at evaluating the antimicrobial activities of the methanol extracts of twenty-four species of sixteen plant families used in the traditional medicine by Saudi Arabian people for the treatment of numerous ailments of the microbial and non-microbial origin against four Gram-positive, four Gram-negative bacteria and four fungi and yeast using the agar well diffusion method.Results: Of most of the plants tested were found to be active against two to eight organisms. Five plants were active against eight organisms. The data appeared that extracts of Echium arabicum (SY-176), Rhantarium epapposum (SY-180), Rumex vesicarus (SY-181), Ziziphus nummularia (SY-188), Caylusea hexagyna (SY-197) and Artemisia monosperma (SY-198) have anti-microbial activity against the most of tested bacteria, fungi and yeast. Whereas (SY-181), the extracts of Teucrium oliverianum (SY-175), Zilla spinosa (SY-187), and Rhazya stricta (SY-195) have poor action against the tested bacteria, fungi and yeast.Conclusion: The antimicrobial activity of plant extracts against bacteria was more effective than against fungiKeywords: Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, yeast, medicinal plants, Saudi Arabi

Assessment of Thermal Comfort in Operating Rooms Using PMV-PPD Model

Operating rooms (ORs) are the most critical and expensive sector of healthcare facilities. The air conditioning system is designed to provide a well-controlled indoor air quality (IAQ). This design guarantees a perfect infection control and a good thermal comfort of patient and operating staff.This paper aims to analyze and evaluate indoor thermal comfort at different cases to assign the proper inlet air temperature to the OR. The predicted mean vote (PMV) and the predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) models in accordance with ISO 7730 were used for this study.Field measurements were first carried out in an OR at Kafr El-Sheikh educational hospital to get the thermal environment parameters. These parameters are required to determine the thermal comfort indices namely (PMV & PPD). Four different cases of supplied air temperature 17.5, 18.5, 19.5 and 20.5oC were studied and compared through 105 measuring points distributed in the operating room. The PMV and PPD indices were computed at each case for three groups of medical staff: surgeons (metabolic rate equal to 120 W/m2), nurses and surgeon\u27s assistants (100 W/m2), anesthetists (70 W/m2).The results revealed that inlet air temperature has a minor effect on the air velocities and airflow patterns inside the OR at the same air change rate. For the current ventilation system, it is difficult to create a very comfortable work conditions for all operating staff at the same time due to their different thermal requirements. It was concluded that a supplied air temperature of 18.5oC provides almost comfortable conditions for all surgical staff

Comparison between physical properties of ring-spun yarn and compact yarns spun from different pneumatic compacting systems

A comparative study pertaining to physical and mechanical properties of ring-spun yarn vis-à-vis compact yarns spun using three different compacting systems has been reported. Rieter (K-44), Toyota (RX-240) and Suessen (Fiomax) spinning machines have been used and the condensing process of the fibres in the yarn cross-section as per these compact spinning systems is accomplished pneumatically. Thus, a yarn of linear density 5.9 tex (100 Ne) is spun on the spinning systems using Egyptian cotton of the type Giza 86. One way Anova together with least significant difference are employed to feature the means of the properties of spun yarns and a significant difference among them is observed. According to the performed statistical analysis, there is a significant difference between ring - spun yarn properties and each of the pnuematic compact spun yarns. These compact-spun yarns are also found to differ significantly in terms of their physical and mechanical properties; however, they are all found superior to the ring-spun yarn

Thermal Analysis of a Hybrid Air Conditioning System with Geothermal Energy

Hybrid air conditioning systems can allow significant energy saving and emissions reductions with respect to conventional air-conditioning systems. Thermal analysis of a desiccant wheel, a heat exchanger, a ground source circulation system, and a solar collector for a hybrid air conditioning system is performed in this study. The effects of these parameters have been studied: Inlet air temperature, Inlet air humidity ratio, wheel speed, regeneration temperature, regeneration mass flowrate, heat exchanger effectiveness, ground source circulation effectiveness, and solar radiation on the behavior of the outlet air temperature and the outlet air humidity ratio from the desiccant wheel, the area of solar air collector, the solar collector efficiency, the cooling coil load, and the coefficient of performance. The hybrid system is more efficient than the vapor compression system. The hybrid system significantly decreases the cooling coil load, the cooling coil load of the hybrid system is approximately 48 % lower than the vapor compression system

Phytochemical investigation of Rhus tripartita and its activity against cyclooxygenases and acetylcholinesterase

Purpose: To investigate the inhibitory activity of crude methanol extract, fractions and two pure compounds from Rhus tripartita stem cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE); also, to evaluate their antioxidant properties in in-vitro assays.Methods: R. tripartita extract and fractions were examined as inhibitors of COX-1 and COX-2 and AChE. Their antioxidant properties were also evaluated using various antioxidant tests, including free radical scavenging, nitric oxide, and total antioxidant capacity.Results: Ethyl acetate fraction (RT2), aqueous fraction (RT4), subfraction RT2-II, and subfraction RT2-III had a potent inhibitory effect on AChE with low IC50 values. At the same time, a subfraction (RT2-III) was an effective COX-2 inhibitor (94.5 % at 10 μg/mL) followed by ethyl acetate fraction (RT2; 79.39 %), aqueous fraction (RT4; 70 %), total extract (RT; 66.18 %), subfraction RT2-III (64.08 %), compound 5 (epicatechin; 61.25 %), compound 2 (taxifolin; 55.63 %), subfraction RT2-II (46.85 %), and butanol fraction (RT3; 40.80%). RT2, RT4, RT2-II, RT2-III, and compound 2 each showed 100 % inhibition at 20 μg/mL.Conclusion: The ethyl acetate fraction (RT2), aqueous fraction (RT4) and subfractions RT2-II and RT2- III are effective natural inhibitors of AChE. Subfraction RT2-III is the best COX-2 inhibitor, followed by ethyl acetate fraction RT2 and aqueous fraction (RT4). These bioactive materials can be considered natural COX-2 and AChE inhibitorsKeywords: Cyclooxygenase, Anti-nflammatory, Acetylcholinesterase, Anacardiaceous, Taxifolin, Epicatechi

Chromosomal abnormalities in infertile men with azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia in Qatar and their association with sperm retrieval intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes

Objective: To study the types and incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in infertile men with azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia in Qatar, and to compare the hormonal changes, testicular sperm retrieval rate, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome between patients with chromosomal abnormalities and patients with idiopathic infertility. Patients and methods: This study involved the retrospective chart review of 625 infertile male patients attending an academic tertiary medical centre in Qatar. Retrieved information included data on medical history, family history, clinical examination, semen analysis, initial hormonal profiles, and genetic studies, ICSI, and sperm retrieval results. Results: The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities was 9.59% (10.6% amongst Qatari patients, 9.04% amongst non-Qataris). About 63.6% of the sample had azoospermia, of whom 10.8% had chromosomal abnormalities. Roughly 36.4% of the sample had oligozoospermia, of whom 7.5% had chromosomal abnormalities. There were no differences between patients with chromosomal abnormalities and those with idiopathic infertility for demographic and infertility features; but for the hormonal profiles, patients with idiopathic infertility had significantly lower luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone values. For ICSI outcomes, patients with chromosomal abnormalities had a significantly lower total sperm retrieval rate (47.4% vs 65.8%), surgical sperm retrieval rate (41.2% vs 58.1%), and lower clinical pregnancy rate (16.7% vs 26.6%) when compared to the idiopathic infertility group. Conclusion: The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in Qatar as a cause of severe male infertility is within a similar range as their prevalence internationally. - 2017 Arab Association of UrologyScopu

Oral health in Libya: addressing the future challenges

Libya is a vast country situated in North Africa, having a relatively better functioning economy with a scanty population. This article is the first known attempt to review the current state of oral health care in Libya and to explore the present trends and future challenges. Libyan health system, oral health care, and human resources with the present status of dental education are reviewed comprehensively. A bibliographic study of oral health research and publications has been carried out. The results point toward a common indicator that oral healthrelated research is low. Strategies have to be developed to educate the medical and dental professionals, to update the current curriculum and enable the system to be competent in all aspects of oral health care management.Keywords: oral health; oral health research; oral health care; dental research; dental education; Liby