The antimicrobial activity of oil-in-water microemulsions is predicted by their position within the microemulsion stability zone

It has been shown previously that thermodynamically stable oil-in-water microemulsions have significant antimicrobial activity against planktonic cells and biofilm cells over short periods of exposure. It was the aim of this study to identify whether the position of the microemulsion within the microemulsion stability zone of the pseudo-ternary phase structure predicts the efficiency of the antimicrobial action of the microemulsion. Microemulsions were formulated at different points within the microemulsion stability zone. Experiments were performed to observe the kinetics of killing of these microemulsions against selected test microorganisms (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 and Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404). The results indicated that the antimicrobial activity of the microemulsion is dependant upon its position within the zone of stability and is greater nearer the centre of that zone. The results indicate that significant antimicrobial activity can be observed at all points within the zone of microemulsion stability, but that maximal activity is to be found at the centre of that area

Prevalence of Sleep Deprivation and Relation with Depressive Symptoms among Medical Residents in King Fahd University Hospital, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: Sleep deprivation is common among medical residents of all specialties. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep deprivation and depressive symptoms among medical residents in King Fahd University Hospital (KFUH) in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the association between sleep deprivation, sleepiness and depressive symptoms was examined. Methods: This cross-sectional study took place between February and April 2012 and involved 171 KFUH medical residents of different specialties. Data were collected using a specifically designed questionnaire eliciting demographic information, working hours and number of hours of sleep. In addition, validated Arabic versions of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory-2 (BDI-2) were used. Results: The prevalence of acute sleep deprivation and chronic sleep deprivation among residents in KFUH was 85.9% and 63.2%, respectively. The prevalence of overall sleepiness was 52%; 43.3% reported being excessively sleepy in certain situations while 8.8% reported being excessively sleepy regardless of the situation. Based on the BDI-2, the prevalence of mild, moderate and severe depressive symptoms was 43.3%, 15.2% and 4.7%, respectively. Significant associations were found between sleep deprivation and depressive symptoms; depressive symptoms and sleepiness, and depressive symptoms and being a female resident. Conclusion: The vast majority of medical residents had acute sleep deprivation, with more than half suffering from chronic sleep deprivation. The number of hours and quality of sleep among the residents were strongly associated with depressive symptoms. New regulations are recommended regarding the number of working hours and night duties for medical residents. Further studies should assess these new regulations on a regular basis

Herpes Zoster Infections in SLE in a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia: Risk Factors and Outcomes

Patients with SLE carry an increased risk of infection that account for 11–23% of all hospitalized patients and 50% of all SLE patients develop major infections during the course of their disease. Globally Herpes Zoster has been reported as the most frequent viral infection in SLE patients. We determined the clinical spectrum, disease sequelae and the risk factors associated with the development of Herpes Zoster in patients with SLE and their outcomes. Retrospective case control study of Herpes Zoster infections was done in SLE patients between 1982 and 2006. Cases were matched 1:2 to controls for age, race, sex and duration of follow up. Clinical features of the cases from the time of lupus diagnosis to the time of Zoster were compared to their respective controls over similar time periods. Thirty two SLE cases were compared to sixty four controls. Cases were more likely to have received cyclophosphamide (P = .0223) and intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy (P = .0026), MMF (P < .02), had leucopenia (P = .0407) and hemolytic anemia (P = .0344). More cases than controls had lupus nephritis, cerebritis, thrombocytopenia but the differences did not reach statistical significance. The mean oral prednisolone dose and proportion of patients receiving immunosuppressives including pulse methylprednisolone therapy, IV Cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate was significantly higher in patients with active SLE compared to patients with SLE in remission at the time of Herpes Zoster (P < .05). Disseminated Zoster developed in patients with active SLE (7/9) compared to patients with SLE in remission (0/23). None of the patients had postherpetic neuralgia or bacterial super infection. Immunosuppressive medications were discontinued at the time of diagnosis of Zoster in 19 of 32 patients and all patients received antiviral medications.There were no permanent neurologic deficits or deaths. We conclude that Herpes Zoster infections occur at increased frequency among patients with SLE and carry significant morbidity. Immunosuppressive therapy and severe manifestations of lupus may be risk factors for the development of Herpes Zoster although not necessarily at the time of disease flare or immunosuppressive therapy. Our study suggests that although Herpes Zoster occurs frequently in patients with SLE, it has a relatively benign course

Resonant Optical Solitons in (3 + 1)-Dimensions Dominated by Kerr Law and Parabolic Law Nonlinearities

This study investigates the optical solitons of of (3+1)-dimensional resonant nonlinear Schrödinger (3D-RNLS) equation with the two laws of nonlinearity. The two forms of nonlinearity are represented by Kerr law and parabolic law. Based on complex transformation, the traveling wave reduction of the governing model is derived. The projective Riccati equations technique is applied to obtain the exact solutions of 3D-RNLS equation. Various types of waves that represent different structures of optical solitons are extracted. These structures include bright, dark, singular, dark-singular and combined singular solitons. Additionally, the obliquity effect on resonant solitons is illustrated graphically and is found to cause dramatic variations in soliton behaviors

Faculty Members Practice of 21st Century Skills in Teaching: A Perspective from Bisha University

This study aims to identify the teaching practices of faculty staff members at the University of Bisha in light of twenty-first century skills. The descriptive method is used as it suits the research aims. The faculty staff members demonstrate a high level of teaching practices in light of twenty-first century skills, with life and occupation skills ranking first, learning and creativity skills ranking second, and digital culture skills ranking third. The results show statistically significant dissimilarities in learning and creativity skills and life and occupation skills between the teaching practices of faculty staff members in favor of the Faculty of Engineering, while the difference in digital culture skills favors the Faculty of Education. Additionally, there is a statistically significant difference in the teaching practices of faculty staff members in the light of twenty-first century skills attributable to the variable of teaching experience, favoring the category of (5-10 years)

Synthesis, magnetic, Hirshfeld, and molecular docking investigations of a mononuclear Ni(II) complex with N-methyldiethanolamine

Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a mononuclear Ni complex, [Ni(mdeaH$_2)_2$](PhCO$_2)_2$ (1; mdeaH2 ¼ N-methyldiethanolamine, PhCO$_2$ = benzoate). The mononuclear Ni complex was characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and its phase purity was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Magnetic data revealed antiferromagnetic interactions. Intermolecular interactions in the solid state were investigated by Hirshfeld surface analysis. Moreover, an assessment of potential inhibitory effects of this complex against rabies, rotavirus, and SARS CoV-2 was performed by a molecular docking study that suggests 1 has a strong affinity for three proteins, 6TOU, 7ZFM, and 7WC0, from the Protein Data Bank

Co-administration of Vitamins E and C protects against stress-induced hepatorenal oxidative damage and effectively improves lipid profile at both low and high altitude

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of co- administration of vitamins E and C on exhaustive exercise induced-stress in regards to hepatorenal function in rats native to low altitude (LA) and high altitude (HA). In both LA and HA areas, native wistar rats of each area were divided into three groups of 6 rats each, which include stress-free control, forced swimming-induced experimental stress and experimental stress plus vitamins E and C treatment. Lipid profile and Liver and kidney functions were assessed in both groups. HA and LA rats exhibit similar baseline levels of liver and kidney function as well as lipid metabolism profiles. However, HA rats showed decreased levels of antioxidant markers with an increased level of lipid peroxidation. Exhaustive swimming exercise induced a significant increase in the liver and kidney function of rats at both altitudes accompanied with a decrease in antioxidants levels. However, the magnitude of change observed in HA rats was more profound. Also at LA, forced swimming exercise resulted in a significant increase in serum total cholesterol (TChol), triacylglycerides (TAG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). However, in HA rats, forced swimming exercise caused a significant decrease in serum TChol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), except for HDL levels which were significantly elevated. Pre- and co-administration of vitamins E and C counteracted the induction of liver and/or kidney function by exhaustive exercise, and lowered TChol and LDL levels in rats at either altitude. In conclusion, at native high altitude: kidney and liver function essentially remained stable; response to stress included more profound oxidative damage to liver and kidney tissues as well as augmented deterioration in lipid metabolism compared to low altitude; and combined administration of vitamins E and C protected against observed oxidative stress damage to liver and kidney tissues and preserved lipid metabolism. At low altitude, combined administration of vitamin E and C protected against stress-induced oxidative damage to the liver and kidney and did preserve normal lipid metabolism, except for HDL. These novel findings reveal the pathophysiological changes in the liver function, kidney function and lipid metabolism occurring at high altitude specifically under stress, and demonstrate the efficacy of combined supplementation of vitamins E and C to normalize these changes.Key words: Exercise, oxidative stress, vitamin E, vitamin C, altitude, rats

Data Hiding In Contourlet Coefficients Based On Their Energy

The data hiding is one of the most important subject in field of computer science, so a lot of technique was developed and modified to satisfy the optimum lend of hiding. In this research the contourlet transformation coefficients were studied to decide which of them are suitable to embed data on it a lot of parameters of the contourlet coefficients can be discussed one of them is the coefficient energy.The research covered most of the suggested events which could be met during the embedding state, one of them the size of the cover in addition to the size of the information were studied. Applying the suggested idea on different type of image with different size (cover image and the message image) shows that the coefficients with low level of energy are suitable to embedded the information, and the retrieved cover and message are so closed to the original one