A Mixed Model Study on Perception Towards Outcome Based Education from Graduating Scholars in a Private University

Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is now identified as essential to excellence in education. OBE can be described as the transparent application of a set of measurable criteria in setting a standard of proficiency. The students’ perception is the most crucial part as they are the medium of the system, as they are the ones who undergo the system thoroughly, and are the final product of the OBE system. Thus, their perception will directly show the effectiveness of the OBE system. This study focused on students’ perception on OBE system that had been applied in KPJ Healthcare University College (KPJUC) since 2014, in terms of students’ understanding and academic achievement. This is a mixed model study, which consisted of quantitative and qualitative study. A descriptive method of analysis was used, wherein the quantitative data were gathered using questionnaires and a survey interview was done as a qualitative supplementary data. The findings of this study discovered that the students have a positive perception toward the system

Comparative Phylogenetic and Residue Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus E1 Protein from the Middle East and North Africa Region

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major public health problem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with an estimate of over 15 million chronically infected patients. However, molecular characterization of circulating genotypes in the MENA region remains elusive. Here, we performed a comparative phylogenomic analysis of so-far available E1 gene sequences (937), originating from eight countries in the MENA region. All HCV E1 protein sequences present in NCBI from the MENA region were retrieved and cataloged per year and country of origin. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a maximum diversity of genotypes and subtypes in South Arabia [G-1 (1a, 1b, 1g), G-2 (2a, 2c), G-3 (3a) and G-4 (4a, 4d, 4n, 4o, 4r, 4s)] followed by Egypt [G-1 (1b, 1g) and G-4 (4a, 4l, 4n, 4m, 4u)], Iran [G-1 (1b) and G-3 (3a) G-6 (6a)], Tunisia [G-1 (1b) and G-2 (2a, 2b, 2c)], Algeria [G-1 (1i), 4(4f), Pakistan [G-1 (1a), G-3(3a, 3b)], Afghanistan [G-1 (1a), GT-3 (3a)], and 5(5a), and Yemen [G-4 (4r)]. The calculated evolution rate of retrieved sequences was 1.601 × 10−3 substitutions/site/year and the mean nucleotide diversity rate was 0.2684 (P < 0.001). The ratio of synonymous to non-synonymous (mean dN/dS) substitutions was higher in genotypes 2 and 4 compared to the genotypes 1 and 3. A higher degree of nucleotide identity in E1 gene was found between subtypes 1a and 1b, between 2c and 2g, and between 4a, 4d, and 4o. Comparative residue analysis of E1 protein epitope sequences of previously reported H111, A4, and A6 monoclonal antibodies showed relatively poor and genotype-specific conservancy. Perhaps, none of the reported epitope sequences had immunogenicity score higher than 0.4 (A minimum threshold for vaccine sequence prediction). Furthermore, these epitope sequences were heavily glycosylated at amino acid 196, 209, and 234 sites in all GTs. In conclusion, a high genetic variability in E1 protein coupled with increased glycosylation may deduce heterogeneity and subsequent escape from vaccine-generated immune response, thereby ascertaining necessary interventions for disease management and control.The work was performed at BRC internal resource

Identification of mcr-8 in Clinical Isolates From Qatar and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Profiles

This study was performed to investigate the genotypic causes of colistin resistance in 18 colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 13), Escherichia coli (n = 3) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 2) isolates from patients at the Hamad General Hospital, Qatar. MIC testing for colistin was performed using Phoenix (BD Biosciences, Heidelberg, Germany) and then verified with SensiTest Colistin (Liofilchem, Zona Ind. le, Italy). Strains determined to be resistant (MIC > 4-16 μg/mL) were then whole-genome sequenced (MiSeq, Illumina, Inc.). Sequences were processed and analysed using BacPipe v1.2.6, a bacterial whole genome sequencing analysis pipeline. Known chromosomal modifications were determined using CLC Genomics Workbench v.9.5.3 (CLCbio, Denmark). Two K. pneumoniae isolates (KPN-15 and KPN-19) harboured mcr-8.1 on the IncFII(K) plasmids, pqKPN-15 and pqKPN-19, and belonged to ST383 and ST716, respectively. One E. coli isolate harboured mcr-1.1 on the IncI2 plasmid pEC-12. The other 15 isolates harboured known chromosomal mutations linked to colistin resistance in the PhoPQ two-component system. Also, three K. pneumoniae strains (KPN-9, KPN-10 and KPN-15) showed disruptions due to IS elements in mgrB. To our knowledge, this marks the first description of mcr-8.1 in K. pneumoniae of human origin in Qatar. Currently, more research is necessary to trace the source of mcr-8.1 and its variants in humans in this region.Hamad Medical Corporatio

Comparative analysis of within-host diversity among vaccinated COVID-19 patients infected with different SARS-CoV-2 variants

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a rapidly evolving RNA virus that mutates within hosts and exists as viral quasispecies. Here, we evaluated the within-host diversity among vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals (n = 379) infected with different SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern. The majority of samples harbored less than 14 intra-host single-nucleotide variants (iSNVs). A deep analysis revealed a significantly higher intra-host diversity in Omicron samples than in other variants (p value < 0.05). Vaccination status and type had a limited impact on intra-host diversity except for Beta-B.1.315 and Delta-B.1.617.2 vaccinees, who exhibited higher diversity than unvaccinated individuals (p values: <0.0001 and <0.0021, respectively). Three immune-escape mutations were identified: S255F in Delta and R346K and T376A in Omicron-B.1.1.529. The latter 2 mutations were fixed in BA.1 and BA.2 genomes, respectively. Overall, the relatively higher intra-host diversity among vaccinated individuals and the detection of immune-escape mutations, despite being rare, suggest a potential vaccine-induced immune pressure in vaccinated individuals.The authors are grateful for the leadership and assistance provided by the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar, the virology laboratory staff at Hamad Medical Corporation, and Qatar Biobank (QBB) team. This project was funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF; Project number UREP28-164-3-048) and Qatar University (Project number QUCG-BRC-22/23-547). The article processing charges were paid from grant no. QUCG-BRC-2022/23-578

The impact of herbal infusion consumption on oxidative stress and cancer: The good, the bad, the misunderstood

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress is associated with the development of many ailments, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer. The causal link between oxidative stress and cancer is well established and antioxidants are suggested as a protective mechanism against cancer development. Recently, an increase in the consumption of antioxidant supplements was observed globally. The main sources of these antioxidants include fruits, vegetables, and beverage. Herbal infusions are highly popular beverages consumed daily for different reasons. Studies showed the potent antioxidant effects of plants used in the preparation of some herbal infusions. Such herbal infusions represent an important source of antioxidants and can be used as a dietary protection against cancer. However, uncontrolled consumption of herbal infusions may cause toxicity and reduced antioxidant activity. In this review, eleven widely consumed herbal infusions were evaluated for their antioxidant capacities, anticancer potential and possible toxicity. These herbal infusions are highly popular and consumed as daily drinks in different countries. Studies discussed in this review will provide a solid ground for researchers to have better understanding of the use of herbal infusions to reduce oxidative stress and as protective supplements against cancer development

Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean region : findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

Assessing the burden of maternal mortality is important for tracking progress and identifying public health gaps. This paper provides an overview of the burden of maternal mortality in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) by underlying cause and age from 1990 to 2015. We used the results of the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to explore maternal mortality in the EMR countries. The maternal mortality ratio in the EMR decreased 16.3% from 283 (241-328) maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 237 (188-293) in 2015. Maternal mortality ratio was strongly correlated with socio-demographic status, where the lowest-income countries contributed the most to the burden of maternal mortality in the region. Progress in reducing maternal mortality in the EMR has accelerated in the past 15 years, but the burden remains high. Coordinated and rigorous efforts are needed to make sure that adequate and timely services and interventions are available for women at each stage of reproductive life

Neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study

Objectives Although substantial reductions in under-5 mortality have been observed during the past 35 years, progress in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) has been uneven. This paper provides an overview of child mortality and morbidity in the EMR based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. Methods We used GBD 2015 study results to explore under-5 mortality and morbidity in EMR countries. Results In 2015, 755,844 (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 712,064–801,565) children under 5 died in the EMR. In the early neonatal category, deaths in the EMR decreased by 22.4%, compared to 42.4% globally. The rate of years of life lost per 100,000 population under 5 decreased 54.38% from 177,537 (173,812–181,463) in 1990 to 80,985 (76,308–85,876) in 2015; the rate of years lived with disability decreased by 0.57% in the EMR compared to 9.97% globally. Conclusions Our findings call for accelerated action to decrease child morbidity and mortality in the EMR. Governments and organizations should coordinate efforts to address this burden. Political commitment is needed to ensure that child health receives the resources needed to end preventable deaths

Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study

Fitzmaurice C, Alsharif U, El Bcheraoui C, et al. Burden of cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2005-2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. 2018;63(Suppl. 1):151-164.To estimate incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) caused by cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) between 2005 and 2015. Vital registration system and cancer registry data from the EMR region were analyzed for 29 cancer groups in 22 EMR countries using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 methodology. In 2015, cancer was responsible for 9.4% of all deaths and 5.1% of all DALYs. It accounted for 722,646 new cases, 379,093 deaths, and 11.7 million DALYs. Between 2005 and 2015, incident cases increased by 46%, deaths by 33%, and DALYs by 31%. The increase in cancer incidence was largely driven by population growth and population aging. Breast cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia were the most common cancers, while lung, breast, and stomach cancers caused most cancer deaths. Cancer is responsible for a substantial disease burden in the EMR, which is increasing. There is an urgent need to expand cancer prevention, screening, and awareness programs in EMR countries as well as to improve diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care services

Trends in HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality in Eastern 3 Mediterranean countries, 1990–2015: findings from the Global 4 Burden of Disease 2015 study

Objectives We used the results of the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to estimate trends of HIV/AIDS burden in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries between 1990 and 2015. Methods Tailored estimation methods were used to produce final estimates of mortality. Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated by multiplying the mortality rate by population by age-specific life expectancy. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were computed as the prevalence of a sequela multiplied by its disability weight. Results In 2015, the rate of HIV/AIDS deaths in the EMR was 1.8 (1.4–2.5) per 100,000 population, a 43% increase from 1990 (0.3; 0.2–0.8). Consequently, the rate of YLLs due to HIV/AIDS increased from 15.3 (7.6–36.2) per 100,000 in 1990 to 81.9 (65.3–114.4) in 2015. The rate of YLDs increased from 1.3 (0.6–3.1) in 1990 to 4.4 (2.7–6.6) in 2015. Conclusions HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality increased in the EMR since 1990. To reverse this trend and achieve epidemic control, EMR countries should strengthen HIV surveillance,and scale up HIV antiretroviral therapy and comprehensive prevention services

Characterization of greater middle eastern genetic variation for enhanced disease gene discovery

The Greater Middle East (GME) has been a central hub of human migration and population admixture. The tradition of consanguinity, variably practiced in the Persian Gulf region, North Africa, and Central Asia1-3, has resulted in an elevated burden of recessive disease4. Here we generated a whole-exome GME variome from 1,111 unrelated subjects. We detected substantial diversity and admixture in continental and subregional populations, corresponding to several ancient founder populations with little evidence of bottlenecks. Measured consanguinity rates were an order of magnitude above those in other sampled populations, and the GME population exhibited an increased burden of runs of homozygosity (ROHs) but showed no evidence for reduced burden of deleterious variation due to classically theorized ‘genetic purging’. Applying this database to unsolved recessive conditions in the GME population reduced the number of potential disease-causing variants by four- to sevenfold. These results show variegated genetic architecture in GME populations and support future human genetic discoveries in Mendelian and population genetics