First time isolation of Pseudomonas argentinensis from human skin infection

This reported the first isolation of Pseudomonas argentinensis from a human infection, since the discovery of P. argentinensis in 2005. A Palestinian 63-year male practicing gardening on sunny days with exposed arms and legs had experienced recurrent skin infections of forearms and legs. The skin infection progressed from small itchy red rash into fluid-filled vesicles within three days. One type of bacteria was recovered from culture samples of these vesicles. The infection was treated successfully with 2% fucidine. Using the Universal Method, the isolate (labeled as QUBC88) was identified as Pseudomonas argentinensis. The patient’s son had suffered a similar skin infection while gardening in a different continent. The inability of the isolate QUBC88 to grow at 37°C may explain its inability to cause systemic infection. Future skin infections of the patients will be followed up to determine if the infectious agent is the same, related, or not related to P. argentinensis. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2014;4(2): 78-83.The authors would like to thank Mr. Marwan K. Younis for participating in this case report and Al-Quds University for their continuous unwavering support of research

Sensitivity of a Red Sea numerical wave model to spatial and temporal resolution of forcing wind field

566-575Simulating waves using numerical wave models provide essential wave information for navigational safety and coastal protection applications. Accuracy of such simulations depends mainly on the accuracy of the forcing wind fields, which are influenced by the wind fields’ spatial and temporal resolutions. In this study, the sensitivity of a SWAN-based Red Sea wave model to spatial and temporal resolutions of forcing wind fields was investigated. The sensitivity analysis showed that forcing the wave model with wind fields of low spatial and/or temporal resolutions will affect the quality of wave model outputs, not only in terms of integrated wave parameters, but also in terms of the overall wave energy distribution in both frequency and directional domains. This study suggests that the spatial resolution of the forcing wind filed plays more significant role than the temporal resolution on the quality of the wave model predictions

Distribution of BMI, Blood Groups, and Secretory Status Among Iraqi Patients with Beta Thalassemia Major

Background: Beta-thalassemia is an inherited disorder of hemoglobin synthesis characterized by deficient synthesis of the ß-globin chain that causes severe anemia. One of the complication is internal organ damage due to iron over load resulted from long life blood transfusion leading to growth retardation, delay of sexual maturation, and later involvement of the heart, liver, and endocrine system.Aim of study: This study was designed to determine the status of Iraqi TM patients in respect to their body mass index (BMI), blood groups, as well as secretory status in comparison to healthy subjects as control. Methodology: Sixty nine TM patients were recruited from the thalassemia center / Ibn-Albalady hospital/ Baghdad/ Iraq, and twenty normal subjects with matched age and sex. The height and weight of all subjects was measured to determine the BMI categories, blood and saliva samples were obtained to determine blood groups and secretory status respectively.Results: Non-significant difference in the distribution of blood groups was recorded between patients and normal subjects, while frequency of non-secretors was significantly elevated (P= 0.019) from 20% among normal subjects up to 49.3% among TM patients. However, BMI was significantly decreased (P ˂ 0.00001) from (23.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2) with only 5% underweight cases in control group down to (17.9 ± 2.8 kg/m2) with 14.5% underweight cases among TM patients.Conclusion: This study suggested that   status in TM patients may play an important role as risk factor that associated with severity of iron overload complications and need further investigation. Keywords: Beta-thalassemia, Blood groups, Secretory status, Body mass inde

A socio-onomastic study of the 2022 FIFA World Cup football teams’ nicknames

Despite growing research interest into the language of sports, little research investigates football teams’ nicknames significance and fan attitudes. The objective of this study is two-fold: to explore Jordanian youth attitudes and views towards these nicknames using a close-ended questionnaire, and to classify and analyse the nicknames into different categories from a socio-onomastic perspective. The study aims to answer two research questions. 1. What are the socio-onomastic categories of the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames? 2. What are the views and attitudes of Jordanian youth towards the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames? The current study uses a mixed methods approach. A list of the 22nd World Cup football teams’ nicknames was collected from several football sources. These nicknames were classified and analysed from a socio-onomastic perspective based on Skipper (1990), Leslie and Skipper (1990), and Wilson and Skipper (1990). In addition, a close-ended questionnaire was developed and distributed to 1000 undergraduate students from different Jordanian public universities. The data analysis reveals that the Jordanian fans, while aware of the origin and meanings of their teams’ nicknames, do not use them exclusively in their discourse. The findings demonstrate that around three quarters of the Jordanian fans follow the 22nd World Cup teams due to reasons other than geographical or ethnic affiliation. The results also show that football team nicknames can be complex in their construction from a socio-onomastic perspective and capitalise on different national, animal, metaphorical, and cultural symbols. From a socio-onomastic perspective, football teams’ nicknames are complex and capitalise on different national, animal, metaphorical, and cultural symbols. Further research is recommended on the importance of national football nicknames in light of increased globalisation and commercialisation of sports, and utilisation of nicknames by different users and on different platforms

Saudi mothers' preferences about breaking bad news concerning newborns: a structured verbal questionnaire

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breaking bad news (BBN) to parents whose newborn has a major disease is an ethical dilemma. In Saudi Arabia, BBN about newborns is performed according to the parental preferences that have been reported from non-Arabic/non-Islamic countries. Saudi mothers' preferences about BBN have not yet been studied. Therefore, we aimed to elicit the preferences of Saudi mothers about BBN concerning newborns.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We selected a convenience sample of 402 Saudi mothers, aged 18-50 years, who had no previous experience with BBN. We selected them via a simple number-randomization scheme from the premises of a level III Saudi hospital between October of 2009 and January of 2011. We used a hypothetical situation (BBN about trisomy 21) to elicit their preferences about BBN concerning newborns via a structured verbal questionnaire composed of 12 multiple-choice questions. We expressed their preferences as percentages (95% confidence interval), and we used the Kendall's W test (W) to assess the degree of agreement in preferences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The Saudi mothers preferred that BBN be conducted with both parents together (64% [60-69]), albeit with weak levels of agreement (W = 0.29). They showed moderate agreement in their preferences that BBN should be conducted early (79% [75-83], W = 0.48), in detail (81% [77-85], W = 0.52), in person (88% [85-91], W = 0.58), and in a quiet setting (86% [83-90], W = 0.53). With extremely weak agreement, they preferred to have a known person present for support during BBN (56% [51-61], W = 0.01), to have close bodily contact with their babies (66% [61-70], W = 0.10), and to have no another patients present (64% [59-68], W = 0.08). They showed moderate levels of agreement in their desires to detail, in advance, their preferences about process of BBN by giving a reversible, written informed consent that could be utilized for guidance, if needed (80% [76-84], W = 0.36).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In our experience, Saudi mothers' preferences about BBN concerning newborns are varied, suggesting that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is inappropriate. A reversible, written informed consent detailing their preferences about BBN that would be kept in their medical records and utilized for guidance, if needed, may be the best solution, given this level of diversity. These findings merit further study.</p

Prevalence and correlates of diastolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study from in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Introduction:&nbsp;diastolic dysfunction refers to impaired ventricular relaxation or filling regardless of ejection fraction and symptoms. It accounts for 8% and 25% in the hospitalized and general population, respectively. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and correlates of diastolic dysfunction in hypertensive patients living in Saudi Arabia. Methods:&nbsp;a multicentric, cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2019 to February 2020 at King Khalid Hospital and Prince Sultan Center for Health Services, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University hospital in Al Kharj, and Al Kharj Military Industries Corporation hospital, KSA. All patients with hypertension who underwent an echocardiography were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). Results:&nbsp;the study included a total of 104 participants, where 51.9% were females andthe mean age of the patients was 48.01±12.81 years.Most patients had an abnormal echocardiography finding (64.4%, n = 67). The most common abnormalities were left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (44.2%, n = 46), and diastolic dysfunction, (35.6%, n = 37). The study revealed that age (aOR: 6.1, 95% CI 1.17-31.3; p = 0.032) and dyslipidemia (aOR: 3.45, 95% CI 1.16-10.24; p = 0.026) have significant association with LVDD in the patients with hypertension. Conclusion:&nbsp;in conclusion, diastolic dysfunction is prevalent among older hypertensive patients and those with dyslipidaemia. Age and dyslipidaemia were non-modifiable and modifiable factors associated with LVDD in hypertensive patients, respectively

Types of glaucoma in a university health centre in Al‑Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: a pilot study

Objective: The objective was to assess the profile of different types of glaucoma in a University Health Centre in Al‑Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective study in which the files of the patients at King Faisal University Health Centre were reviewed. The data collected included: Age, sex, race, visual acuity, the slit lamp examination findings, the intraocular pressure (IOP) as the average of 3 readings, the cup‑to‑disc ratio (CDR), the visual field changes, and the details of treatment received.Results: Eighty glaucomatous eyes from 50 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 54.8 ± 12.7 years, and the mean IOP was 19 ± 3.9 mmHg that ranged from 11 to 28 mmHg. The mean CDR mean was 0.48 ± 0.16 that ranged between 0.3 and 0.9. Ninety‑one percent of the visual field defects were arcuate scotomata. Primary open‑angle glaucoma (POAG) (60%) was the most predominant type of glaucoma, followed by primary angle closure glaucoma (ACG) (21.3%), secondary OAG (7.5%), and secondary ACG (6.3%). As for the anti‑glaucoma medications, 88% of the studied patients were on more than one medicine.Conclusion: This pilot study has demonstrated that POAG may be the predominant type of glaucoma in Al‑Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Apopulation‑based study with a larger sample size is warranted to confirm the outcome and to provide a baseline data on the prevalence of types of glaucoma in this region of KSA.Keywords: Glaucoma, glaucoma types, prevalence, Saudi Arabi

Trauma and Emergency Anesthesia Checklists

This study aimed at investigating the anesthesiologist critical role in stabilizing the patient and maintaining safe conditions during this dynamic period and frequently will find it necessary to shift management strategies as the case evolves. Ant to analyze the followed checklist upon the arrival of trauma patients and the using of the emergency anesthesia procedures. Besides the attempt to justify the use of medical checklists, and following up the checklists’ protocols, especially in the field of emergency anesthesia procedures for trauma patients by analyzing the most used checklists worldwide, and demonstrates the importance of adherence to regulations in the checklists for trauma patients. The study concluded that trauma and emergency anesthesia checklist can improve communication in the care of critically ill patients requiring an anesthetic

General Anesthesia: Observing and Monitoring the Post-operative Complications

The aim of this research was to analyze the post-operative complications of general anesthesia and by utilizing that information, to plan and produce a comprehensive detailed layout of the literature related to the subject investigated. More than 200 studies were surveyed, and the data collected was organized with a systematic layout of the observing and monitoring processes of the post-operative general anesthesia complications. The study concluded that post anaesthetic observations and monitoring are an essential requirement for patient assessment and the recognition of clinical deterioration in post-operative patients. There is disparity in the literature as to what constitutes ‘standard’ routine post anaesthesia orders, so in line with the observation and continuous monitoring guidelines