Gender Differences in The Factors associated with Hypertension in Non-Diabetic Saudi Adults-A Cross-Sectional Study

The association between lifestyle practices, obesity and increased BP are under-investigated. We aimed to investigate this association to identify the factors associated with hypertension and prehypertension in Saudis. Non-diabetic adults were recruited from public healthcare centers using a cross-sectional design. Recruits were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), neck circumference (NC) and BP were measured. The variables were analyzed by comparing the prehypertensive and hypertensive groups with the normotensive group. A total of 1334 adults were included. The study found that 47.2% of men and 24.7% of women were prehypertensive, and 15.1% of men and 14.4% of women were hypertensive. High BMI, WC, NC, and WC: HC ratios were associated with an increased risk of prehypertension and hypertension in men and women. Low physical activity was associated with an increased risk of elevated BP in men, while sleep duration of & LE;6 h and sitting for & GE;4 h were associated with increased risk in women. Women from central Asia, southeast Asia, and those of mixed origin had a higher prevalence of hypertension compared to those from Arabian tribes. In conclusion, prehypertension and hypertension increase with age and obesity. Gender differences were apparent in the association between several lifestyle practices and prehypertension or hypertension among various ethnic/racial groups.Peer reviewe

Gender Differences in The Factors associated with Hypertension in Non-Diabetic Saudi Adults—A Cross-Sectional Study

The association between lifestyle practices, obesity and increased BP are under-investigated. We aimed to investigate this association to identify the factors associated with hypertension and prehypertension in Saudis. Non-diabetic adults were recruited from public healthcare centers using a cross-sectional design. Recruits were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), neck circumference (NC) and BP were measured. The variables were analyzed by comparing the prehypertensive and hypertensive groups with the normotensive group. A total of 1334 adults were included. The study found that 47.2% of men and 24.7% of women were prehypertensive, and 15.1% of men and 14.4% of women were hypertensive. High BMI, WC, NC, and WC: HC ratios were associated with an increased risk of prehypertension and hypertension in men and women. Low physical activity was associated with an increased risk of elevated BP in men, while sleep duration of ≤6 h and sitting for ≥4 h were associated with increased risk in women. Women from central Asia, southeast Asia, and those of mixed origin had a higher prevalence of hypertension compared to those from Arabian tribes. In conclusion, prehypertension and hypertension increase with age and obesity. Gender differences were apparent in the association between several lifestyle practices and prehypertension or hypertension among various ethnic/racial groups

Updates on molecular and biochemical development and progression of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) represents the most commonly non-cutaneous diagnosed cancer in men worldwide and occupies a very wide area of preclinical and clinical research. Targeted therapy for any cancer depends on the understanding of the molecular bases and natural behaviour of the diseases. Despite the well-known effect of androgen deprivation on PCa, many patients develop resistance either for antiandrogen therapy or other new treatment modalities such as checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy. Comprehensive understanding of the development of PCa as well as of the mechanisms underlying its progression is mandatory to maximise the benefit of the current approved medications or to guide the future research for targeted therapy of PCa. The aim of this review was to provide updates on the most recent mechanisms regarding the development and the progression of PCa. According to the current understanding, future treatment strategies should include more predictive genetic and biomarker analysis to assign different patients to the expected most appropriate and effective treatment

Exploring the Validity of Available Markers and Indices in the Diagnosis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in People with Type 2 Diabetes in Saudi Arabia

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common among Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, recommended clinical procedures to detect it are unavailable in many locations. Therefore, better and more available diagnostic biomarkers for NAFLD are needed. Various serum parameters were suggested, and algorithms that employ routine measurements in clinical practice have been developed for the prediction of fat stores in the liver in different populations. However, no such studies have been conducted on Saudis. We aimed to compare selected biochemical markers and calculated indices in T2DM patients diagnosed with NAFLD and patients without NAFLD to find the best markers associated with NAFLD. A cross-sectional study was employed to recruit 67 people with T2DM from endocrine outpatient clinics at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital. NAFLD was detected by ultrasonography in 28 patients. Demographic information, anthropometric, and blood pressure (BP) measurements were taken. Fasting blood samples were obtained to measure glucose, glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile, liver function tests, and highly sensitive C-reactive protein. Fatty liver index, hepatic steatosis index, NAFLD-liver fat score, and triglyceride and glucose index were calculated. Following stepwise forward likelihood ratio regression with independent variables included in one model using binary logistic regression with age and waist circumference (WC) entered as covariates, elevated diastolic BP and low high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol remained significantly associated with NAFLD (p = 0.002 and 0.03, respectively). However, none of the investigated indices could be used to diagnose the disease adequately due to low specificity, even after calculating new cut-off values. Investigating novel markers and adjusting existing equations used to calculate indices to improve sensitivity and specificity in our population is needed

Development and Optimization of Luliconazole Spanlastics to Augment the Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans

Luliconazole is a new topical imidazole antifungal drug for the treatment of skin infections. It has low solubility and poor skin penetration which limits its therapeutic applications. In order to improve its therapeutic efficacy, spanlastics nanoformulation was developed and optimized using a combined mixture-process variable design (CMPV). The optimized formulation was converted into a hydrogel formula to enhance skin penetration and increase the efficacy in experimental cutaneous Candida albicans infections in Swiss mice wounds. The optimized formulation was generated at percentages of Span and Tween of 48% and 52%, respectively, and a sonication time of 6.6 min. The software predicted that the proposed formulation would achieve a particle size of 50 nm with a desirability of 0.997. The entrapment of luliconazole within the spanlastics carrier showed significant (p < 0.0001) antifungal efficacy in the immunocompromised Candida-infected Swiss mice without causing any irritation, when compared to the luliconazole treated groups. The microscopic observation showed almost complete removal of the fungal colonies on the skin of the infected animals (0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU), whereas the control animals had 0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU. Therefore, luliconazole spanlastics could be an effective formulation with improved topical delivery for antifungal activity against C. albicans

RETRACTED: Alhakamy et al. Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity. <i>Pharmaceutics</i> 2020, <i>12</i>, 652

The journal retracts the article “Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity” [...

Chitosan-Based Microparticles Enhance Ellagic Acid’s Colon Targeting and Proapoptotic Activity

This study aimed at improving the targeting and cytotoxic effect of ellagic acid (EA) on colon cancer cells. EA was encapsulated in chitosan (CHIT) polymers then coated by eudragit S100 (ES100) microparticles. The release of EA double-coated microparticles (MPs) was tested at simulative pH values. Maximum release was observed at 24 h and pH 7.4. The cytotoxicity of EA MPs on HCT 116 colon cancer cells was synergistically improved as compared with raw EA. Cell-cycle analysis by flow cytometry suggested enhanced G2-M phase colon cancer cell accumulation. In addition, a significantly higher cell fraction was observed in the pre-G phase, which highlighted the enhancement of the proapoptotic activity of EA formulated in the double-coat mixture. Annexin-V staining was used for substantiation of the observed cell-death-inducing activity. Cell fractions were significantly increased in early, late, and total cell death. This was backed by high elevation in cellular content of caspase 3. Effectiveness of the double-coated EA to target colonic tissues was confirmed using real-time iohexol dye X-ray radiography. In conclusion, CHIT loaded with EA and coated with ES100 formula exhibits improved colon targeting as well as enhanced cytotoxic and proapoptotic activity against HCT 116 colon cancer when compared with the administration of raw EA