Dysregulation of micro-RNA contributes to the risk of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss

Although there are plenty of evidence that dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) level is involved in many human diseases, it is still unknown whether abnormal levels of specific miRNAs are associated with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). We believe that such an association do exist as this study confirmed significant differences in the level of specific miRNAs between RPL cases and healthy controls. The study was conducted on 100 Palestinian women: 60 patients with at least two unexplained consecutive pregnancy losses half of them were pregnant at the first trimester and the rest were non-pregnant and 40 healthy controls with at least two live births and no history of pregnancy loss; half of them were at their first trimester of pregnancy and the rest were non-pregnant. We investigated the relative expression of miR-21, miR-126, miR-155, miR-182, miR-222 and miR-517* using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Ct method experiments. Differential expression was evaluated using Student t-test and fold change analyses. The expression difference of miR-21, miR-126 and miR-182 between patients and controls in the pregnant subjects showed statistically significant difference (p-value ≤ 0.05) with fold decrease of 1.5, 1.6 and 5.6, respectively. In the non-pregnant group miR-21, miR-126, miR-222 and miR-517* expressions were significantly different with fold decrease of 2.4, 2.9, 2.7 and 11.8, respectively. In conclusion, at least miR-21 and miR-126 could serve as potential markers for idiopathic RPL as their levels were significantly lower in patients before being pregnant and during pregnancy. Moreover, restoration of the normal level of those miRNAs might be a novel intervention strategy in unexplained RPL

مؤشرات الاداء الاساسية لصيانة مباني المستشفيات في قطاع غزة

The health sector in Gaza Strip means a big issue in Palestinian`s life for its specialty and instability of political status which makes it imperative for leaders and managers of health sector to improve and develop this important sector. Maintenance management of hospital buildings is one of the more complex subjects in the field of facilities management (FM). It involves, planning, directing, controlling and organizing maintenance activities. Performance management aims at offering managers and members of staff of all ranks the ability to develop the direction, traction and speed of their organization. The aim of this research is to study the maintenance performance indicators in order to control the operation of hospital building maintenance in the Gaza Strip. Several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were developed for hospital buildings, ten KPI’s for hospital facilities presented, but four KPIs were used in this study to be suitable to the Gaza Strip hospitals. Another objective of this research is to study the operational conditions and factors that carried out and affect the maintenance management and deriving a suitable framework for the minimum requirements. All the 13 governmental hospitals which are administrated by Ministry of Health was the targeted population of this research. This research has been conducted through literature reviews on the topic related to the maintenance management performance indicators, followed by a field survey and interviewed questionnaire for the thirteen hospital departments in all the Gaza Strip hospitals. The results showed that 83.3 % of the maintenance department that maintenance activities in hospitals buildings is getting better during the last 2 years. There is no significant association between the maintenance staff users and the poor maintenance management of public hospital buildings in Gaza Strip. The BPI was for total average performance 76.18 for the 13 hospitals which is marginal status and needs preventive maintenance. The annual maintenance expenditure (AME) for the maintenance for health facilities expenditure in Gaza Strip is lag far behind. It was $13.8 per sq m, which is under the standard level of expenditure. In average, the maintenance expendtiure indicator (MEI) for Gaza hospitals was 0.3 which indicated low budgetary investment. Urgent repair index (URI) percents considered in the average percents in the hospitals. The annual maintenance expenditure is lower 2.5 times than standard due to the poor financial status in the Palestinian hospitals. Case studies showed that all the large scale maintenance projects classified as corrective maintenance. Applying preventive maintenance PM can be considered as success factor for implementing the framework to meet the minimum requirements for the maintenance management. The study recommended developing a team vision for hospital maintenance department, changing the work style and culture towards maintenance, making certified periodic maintenance checklists, developing and implementing adequate KPIs for the Gaza strip hospital status

Assessment of Operational Maintenance in Public Hospitals Buildings in the Gaza Strip

The issue of public hospitals buildings’ maintenance in Palestine is regarded as a challenging issue. The lack of attention to maintenance management in hospitals has led to deterioration of buildings and reduced the health care services. The aim of this paper is to assess the current practice of maintenance process and management in public hospitals buildings in the Gaza Strip. A questionnaire survey that distributed to 13 public hospitals, which are administered by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in the Gaza Strip, was used to collect the primary data for this study. The results of this study present an overview of the current situation of the maintenance process in public hospitals buildings in the Gaza Strip. The findings indicated that while the corrective maintenance is implemented in all the 13 public hospitals, preventive maintenance is employed along with corrective maintenance, only in three hospitals. In addition, the findings indicated variances in responding to maintenance requests, while 50% of the maintenance departments took few hours to respond to maintenance requests, the rest took a few days to respond, this can be explained due to lack of spare parts and qualified staff. The study showed also that there is a shortage in training the hospital facility’s users on how to report maintenance problems. The results of this study indicated that most hospitals in the Gaza Strip have no maintenance plan for medical equipment; they do not have quality control system for repair and preventive maintenance. It is recommended to employ experience maintenance staff in order to prepare adequate maintenance plan and detailed check list, which is required for preventive maintenance. The MoH should organize specialized training courses in maintenance management for their staff in order to improve their effectiveness and efficiency. Hospitals in Gaza should make sure that all spare parts available in their storages for immediate action when required

Role of IL-36 Cytokines in the Regulation of Angiogenesis Potential of Trophoblast Cells

IL-36 cytokines (the agonists IL-36α, IL-36β, IL-36γ, and the antagonist IL-36Ra) are expressed in the mouse uterus and associated with maternal immune response during pregnancy. Here, we characterize the expression of IL-36 members in human primary trophoblast cells (PTC) and trophoblastic cell lines (HTR-8/SVneo and JEG-3) and upon treatment with bacterial and viral components. Effects of recombinant IL-36 on the migration capacity of trophoblastic cells, their ability to interact with endothelial cells and the induction of angiogenic factors and miRNAs (angiomiRNAs) were examined. Constitutive protein expression of IL-36 (α, β, and γ) and their receptor (IL-36R) was found in all cell types. In PTC, transcripts for all IL-36 subtypes were found, whereas in trophoblastic cell lines only for IL36G and IL36RN. A synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA (poly I:C) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced the expression of IL-36 members in a cell-specific and time-dependent manner. In HTR-8/SVneo cells, IL-36 cytokines increased cell migration and their capacity to interact with endothelial cells. VEGFA and PGF mRNA and protein, as well as the angiomiRNAs miR-146a-3p and miR-141-5p were upregulated as IL-36 response in PTC and HTR-8/SVneo cells. In conclusion, IL-36 cytokines are modulated by microbial components and regulate trophoblast migration and interaction with endothelial cells. Therefore, a fundamental role of these cytokines in the placentation process and in response to infections may be expected

The Level of Leadership Characteristics among Palestinian Police Employees In Light Of the Corona Pandemic

Abstract: The study aimed to identify the level of leadership characteristics among Palestinian police employees in Gaza Strip in light of the Corona pandemic, and to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers used the descriptive approach in its analytical method, using a questionnaire applied to the police officers at the Central Governorate Police Station, whose number is (113) individuals, they were Selected using stratified randomly method, and the study resulted in a set of results, the most important of which is that the level of leadership traits among employees in the Palestinian police in Gaza Strip, which came with a relative weight (76.20%), which is to a large extent, there are no statistically significant differences between the averages of the estimates of the study sample On the level of leadership characteristics in the Palestinian police in Gaza Strip attributable to the variable of age group, academic qualification, scientific specialization, practical experience, and in light of these results the researchers suggested a set of recommendations, the most important of which are: The need to tighten penalties for individuals who violate the instructions issued by the Ministry of Interior in light of the outbreak of the Corona epidemic Increasing interest in preparing and organizing specialized training courses and programs in the field of managing dealing with all different segments in order to preserve the lives of people from the Corona epidemic

Leadership Features and Their Relationship to Increasing Achievement Motivation among Palestinian Police Employees in Gaza Strip In Light Of the Corona Pandemic

The study aimed to identify the leadership features and their relationship to increasing achievement motivation among Palestinian police employees in Gaza Strip in light of the Corona pandemic. To achieve the study’s objectives, the researchers used the descriptive method in its analytical method, using a questionnaire applied to the police officers at the Central Governorate Police Station, whose number is (113) individuals. They were chosen in a stratified, random manner, and the study resulted in a set of results, the most important of which is that the effect of leadership characteristics of Palestinian police employees in Gaza Strip, which came with a relative weight (76.20%), which is, to a large extent, the level of increase in achievement motivation among employees in the Palestinian Police in Gaza Strip. Gaza under the outbreak of the Corona epidemic? Which came with a relative weight (82.40%), which is to a large extent. While it resulted in a positive correlation between the impact of leadership characteristics and the increase in achievement motivation, there are no statistically significant differences between the averages of the study sample's estimates about the impact The leadership characteristics of the Palestinian Police in Gaza Strip are attributed to the variable of the age group, academic qualification, scientific specialization, scientific experience. There are no statistically significant differences between the averages of the estimates of the individuals of the study sample about The achievement motivation in the Palestinian Police in Gaza Strip is attributable to a variable, age group, academic qualification, scientific specialization, scientific experience, and in light of these results the researchers suggested a set of recommendations, the most important of which are: The need to tighten penalties for individuals by the Central Governorate Police Station for violating the instructions issued by the Ministry Interior In light of the outbreak of the Corona epidemic, increased interest in preparing and organizing specialized training courses and programs in the field of dealing with all different segments in order to preserve the lives of people from the Corona epidemic

The Level of Increased Achievement Motivation among Palestinian Police In Light of the Corona Pandemic

Abstract: The study aimed to identify the level of increased achievement motivation among Palestinian police workers in Gaza Strip in light of the Corona pandemic, and to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers used the descriptive approach in its analytical method, using a questionnaire applied to the police personnel at the Central Governorate Police Station, whose number is (113) individuals, who were chosen In a stratified, random manner, the study resulted in a set of results, the most important of which is that the level of increase in achievement motivation among workers in the Palestinian police in Gaza Strip under the outbreak of the Corona epidemic came with a relative weight (82.40%), which is to a large extent, there are no statistically significant differences between the averages of the estimates. Individuals of the study sample on the increase in achievement motivation in the Palestinian police in Gaza Strip due to a variable, age group, academic qualification, scientific specialization, scientific experience, and in light of these results the researchers suggested a set of recommendations, the most important of which are: Increasing interest in preparing and organizing specialized training courses and programs in the field of dealing management with all the different segments, in order to protect the lives of people from the Corona epidemic

MicroRNA in a case of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss

The present report describes the relative quantitation of a group of selected miRNAs in a twenty one years old Palestinian woman who experienced 8 unexplained first trimester pregnancy losses. The relative expression of miR-21, miR-126, miR-155, miR-182, miR-222 and miR-517* in her plasma was measured before pregnancy and in the seventh week of her ninth pregnancy. The relative expression of the same miRNAs was also measured before pregnancy and in the eighth week of fifth pregnancy in a healthy control woman who has four live children and without any history of pregnancy loss. The results of the case woman showed an extremely decreased level of all the investigated microRNAs during her pregnancy as compared to their level before being pregnant, except for miR-517* which was elevated. The relative quantitation of miR-21, miR-126, miR-155, miR-182, miR-222 and miR-517* was 0.026, 0.12, 0.23, 0.26, 0.28 and 1.4, respectively. However, the relative quantitation of the respective miRNAs in the control was 0.92, 0.75, 0.6, 1.1, 1.11 and 10.9. Unfortunately, at the end of eighth week of her pregnancy the case woman lost her fetus. We believe that the dysregulation of miRNA is involved in the recurrent pregnancy losses in the case presented in this report

Association between Selected Maternal Plasma Micro-RNAs and Idiopathic Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that function to control gene expression. Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is two or more consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestation. The aim of this study is to explore the expression level of a group of pregnancy-associated miRNAs in maternal plasma in normal pregnancy and RPL cases. We conducted a case control study on 100 Palestinian women: 60 patients with at least two unexplained consecutive pregnancy losses half of them were pregnant at the first trimester and the rest were non-pregnant and 40 healthy controls with at least two live births and no history of pregnancy loss; half of them were at their first trimester of pregnancy and the rest were non-pregnant. We investigated the relative expression of miR-21, miR-126, miR-155, miR-182, miR-222 and miR-517* using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Ct method experiments. Differential expression was evaluated using Student t test and fold change analyses. Only the expression difference of miR-21, miR-126 and miR-182 between patients and controls in the pregnant group showed statistically significant difference (p-value ≤ 0.05 ) with fold decrease of 1.5, .1.6 and 5.6, respectively. In non-pregnant group miR-21, miR-126, miR-222 and miR-517* expression were significantly different with fold decrease of 2.4, 2.9, 2.7 and 11.8, respectively. So miR-21 and miR-126 proved to be the most important microRNAs in idiopathic RPL as their level was significantly decreased in patients before being pregnant and during pregnancy

Key performance indicators for the maintenance of public hospitals buildings in the Gaza Strip

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the maintenance of public hospital buildings in the Gaza Strip. Design/methodology/approach – Four KPIs were identified and evaluated in this paper: building performance indicators (BPI), maintenance efficiency indicators (MEI), annual maintenance expenditure (AME) and urgent repair request indicator. Twenty-one buildings in 13 public hospitals in Gaza Strip Governorate were taken as the sample of this study. Findings – The results indicated that the European Gaza hospital has the highest BPI score (81.66) and the Dorra hospital has the lowest BPI score (68.26). The findings revealed that the average AME for all hospitals was $13.8/m2 which is considered to be below the standard level of expenditure. The MEI for Gaza public