The Effect of Zooxanthellae Availability on the Rates of Skeletal Growth in the Red Sea Coral Acropora Hemprichii

Zooxanthellae density affects growth rate of Acropora hemprichii at reef flat and 10 m depth, where the correlations were significantly moderate at reef flat (r = 0.461 & P < 0.01) and significantly high at 10 m depth (r = 0.636 & P = 0.424). Non interactive effects were obtained at 20 and 25 m depths, where the correlations were insignificant (r = 0.346 & P < 0.19 and r = 0.103 & P < 0.706, respectively). Either zooxanthellae density, hosted by Acropora hemprichii, or growth rate was decreased with depth increase. Zooxanthellae density at reef flat (1.55± 0.303 x 106 cells/cm2) was twice higher than at 25 m depth (0.706± 0.253 x 106 cells/cm2). However, growth rate at reef flat was approximately three times higher than at 25 m depth (0.013± 0.0024 mm\day). The maximum growth rate (0.0335 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (1.32 106 cells/cm2) were recorded during summer season, whereas the minimum growth rate (0.01769 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (0.931106 cells/cm2) were recorded during autumn

The Effect of Zooxanthellae Availability on the Rates of Skeletal Growth in the Red Sea Coral Acropora Hemprichii

Zooxanthellae density affects growth rate of Acropora hemprichii at reef flat and 10 m depth, where the correlations were significantly moderate at reef flat (r = 0.461 &amp; P &lt; 0.01) and significantly high at 10 m depth (r = 0.636 &amp; P = 0.424). Non interactive effects were obtained at 20 and 25 m depths, where the correlations were insignificant (r = 0.346 &amp; P &lt; 0.19 and r = 0.103 &amp; P &lt; 0.706, respectively). Either zooxanthellae density, hosted by Acropora hemprichii, or growth rate was decreased with depth increase. Zooxanthellae density at reef flat (1.55± 0.303 x 106 cells/cm2) was twicehigher than at 25 m depth (0.706± 0.253 x 106 cells/cm2). However, growth rate at reef flat was approximately three times higher than at 25 m depth (0.013± 0.0024 mm\day). The maximum growth rate (0.0335 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (1.32 106 cells/cm2) were recorded during summer season, whereas the minimum growth rate (0.01769 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (0.931106 cells/cm2) were recorded during autumn.Keywords: zooxanthellae, growth rates, depths, Acropora hemprichii and Red Sea

The development of a Self-Rated ICF-based questionnaire (HEAR-COMMAND Tool) to evaluate Hearing, Communication, and Conversation disability: Multinational experts’ and patients’ perspectives

ObjectiveAn instrument that facilitates the advancement of hearing healthcare delivery from a biomedical model to a biopsychosocial one that underpins the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework (ICF) brief and comprehensive Core Sets for Hearing Loss (CSHL) is currently unavailable. The objective is to describe the process of developing and validating a new questionnaire named the HEAR-COMMAND Tool created by transferring the ICF CSHL into a theory-supported, practically manageable concept.DesignA team from Germany, the USA, the Netherlands, and Egypt collaborated on development. The following ICF domains were considered; “Body Functions” (BF), “Activities and Participation” (AP), and “Environmental Factors” (EF). The development yielded English, German, and Arabic versions. A pilot validation study with a total of 109 respondents across three countries, Germany, Egypt, and the USA was conducted to revise the item terminology according to the feedback provided by the respondents.ResultsThe questionnaire included a total of 120 items. Ninety items were designed to collect information on the functioning and 30 items inquiring about demographic information, hearing status, and Personal Factors. Except for the “Body Structures” (BS) domain, all the categories of the brief ICF CSHL were covered (a total of 85% of the categories). Moreover, the items covered 44% of the comprehensive ICF CSHL categories including 73% of BF, 55% of AP, and 27% of EF domains. Overall, the terminology of 24 ICF-based items was revised based on the qualitative analysis of the respondents' feedback to further clarify the items that were found tod be unclear or misleading. The tool highlighted the broad connection of HL with bodily health and contextual factors.ConclusionsThe HEAR-COMMAND Tool was developed based on the ICF CSHL and from multinational experts' and patients' perspectives with the aim to improve the execution of audiological services, treatment, and rehabilitation for adult patients with HL. Additional validation of the tool is ongoing. The next step would be to pair the tool with BS categories since it was excluded from the tool and determine its effectiveness in guiding hearing health care practitioners to holistically classify categories influencing hearing, communication, and conversation disability

Diversity of Meq gene from clinical Marek’s disease virus infection in Saudi Arabia

Aim: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the genomic features of Meq gene of Marek’s disease virus (MDV) recently circulating in Saudi Arabia (SA). Materials and Methods: Two poultry flocks suffering from mortalities and visceral tumors were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, King Faisal University, SA. Subjected to different diagnostic procedures: Case history, clinical signs, and necropsy as well as polymerase chain reaction followed by Meq gene sequence analysis. Results: Case history, clinical signs, and necropsy were suggestive of MDV infection. The Meq gene was successfully detected in liver and spleen of infected chickens. A 1062 bp band including the native Meq ORF in addition to a 939 bp of S-Meq (short isoform of Meq) were amplified from Saudi 01-13 and Saudi 02-13, respectively. The nucleotide and deduced amino acids sequences of the amplified Meq genes of both Saudi isolates showed distinct polymorphism when compared with the standard USA virulent isolates Md5 and GA. The sequence analysis of the S-Meq gene showed a 123 bp deletion representing 41 amino acids between two proline-rich areas without any frameshift. The Meq gene encoded four repeats of proline-rich repeats (PRRs sequences), whereas the S-Meq contains only two PRRs. Interestingly, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that both of SA MDV isolates are closely related to the MDV strains from Poland. Conclusion: The two MDV isolates contain several nucleotide polymorphisms resulting in distinct amino acid substitutions. It is suggested that migratory and wild birds, as well as world trading of poultry and its by-products, have a great contribution in the transmission of MDVs overseas

Influence of prolactin and estrogen on disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective The objective of this paper is to evaluate the role of prolactin and estrogen levels on disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients and methods This study included 60 female patients with SLE, with a mean age of 33.5±13.12 years. It was conducted between November 2014 and October 2015. Disease activity was defined according to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Index; score of at least 6 was considered as an active disease. Prolactin (PRL) and estrogen levels and other serological markers of lupus disease activity, namely, complement 3,4 (C3 and C4), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) titer were calculated. Results Hyperprolactinemia was present in 25.0% of patients, and low estrogen level was present in 33.3% of patients. There was no significant correlation between either of estrogen or prolactin levels and all clinical and laboratory features, except for a significant positive correlation between anti-dsDNA and hyperprolactinemia. Conclusion There was no significant correlation between either of PRL or estrogen levels and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Index score. Overall, 80.0% of patients with hyperprolactinemia and 80.0% with low estrogen level had SLE activity. There was a significant difference in the frequency of further indicators of disease activity in SLE such as raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, raised C-reactive protein, or decrease in complement factors with high serum PRL and low estrogen level