13 research outputs found
Understanding Human Coronavirus HCoV-NL63
Even though coronavirus infection of humans is not normally associated with severe diseases, the identification of the coronavirus responsible for the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome showed that highly pathogenic coronaviruses can enter the human population. Shortly thereafter, in Holland in 2004, another novel human coronavirus (HCoV-NL63) was isolated from a seven-month old infant suffering from respiratory symptoms. This virus has subsequently been identified in various countries, indicating a worldwide distribution. HCoV-NL63 has been shown to infect mainly children and the immunocommpromised, who presented with either mild upper respiratory symptoms (cough, fever and rhinorrhoea) or more serious lower respiratory tract involvement such as bronchiolitis and croup, which was observed mainly in younger children. In fact, HCoV-NL63 is the aetiological agent for up to 10% of all respiratory diseases. This review summarizes recent findings of human coronavirus HCoV-NL63 infections, including isolation and identification, phylogeny and taxonomy, genome structure and transcriptional regulation, transmission and pathogenesis, and detection and diagnosis
Development of coated beads for oral controlled delivery of cefaclor: In vitro evaluation
The aim of the present study was to develop and characterize coated chitosan-alginate beads containing cefaclor as controlled release delivery system. Coated cefaclor beads were prepared by solvent evaporation techniques. Beads were found to be intact and spherical in shape. Their particle size range was 1.05 to 2.06. The loading efficiency showed maximum value when the concentration of cefaclor, chitosan and PEG 400 was 10 % (m/V), 0.5 % (m/V) and 2 % (V/V), respectively. Best retardation of cefaclor release from chitosan-alginate beads was achieved by coating with 15 % of shellac in formula F19. A significant antimicrobial activity (p < 0.05) against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae was observed for formula F19 compared to the standard antibiotic disc. Furthermore, the simulated plasma profile showed the superiority of F19 in sustaining drug release for more than 12 h. Therefore, shellac coated chitosan-alginate beads could be considered as a successful controlled release oral cefaclor dosage form
The synergistic and neuroprotective effects of alcohol–antioxidant treatment on blood–brain barrier endothelial cells
Background: Alcohol (EtOH) is reported to adversely affect one of the most crucial roles of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), the regulation of its permeability, thereby compromising the stability of the homeostatic environment of the brain. The central component of the BBB, endothelial cells (ECs), regulates BBB transcellular transport, while their paracellular pathways are made virtually impermeable by molecular structures called tight junctions (TJs). These TJs are composed of proteins, such as claudin-5, a protein involved in the regulation of paracellular permeability and of key interest in this study. Methods and Results: The working hypothesis of this study postulated that the high levels of antioxidants (AOs) in the fermented Aspalathus linearis (Rooibos; Rf) tincture may protect the ECs of the BBB against oxidative stress induced by EtOH exposure. Cells were exposed for 24 hours to selected concentrations of EtOH (25 and 100 mM), Rf (containing an antioxidant equivalence of 1.9 nM Aspalathin), and cotreatments of EtOH and Rf. Cell viability, live cell number, and toxicity were analyzed using the trypan blue exclusion assay. RT-qPCR was implemented to quantify claudin-5 transcription. In addition, permeability (Transepithelial Electrical Resistance) of bEnd5 monolayers was measured. The experimental timeline for the above-mentioned parameters was 24 and 48 hours. Conclusions: Our study showed that simultaneous exposure of Rf and EtOH was able to negate the effects of EtOH on cell viability and cell proliferation, but was not able to reverse or reduce the effects of EtOH on claudin-5 transcription and paracellular permeability. Furthermore, a novel finding in this study suggests that very low concentrations of AOs in tinctures such as Rooibos tea could profoundly alter the redox status of brain ECs
Influenza Vaccination: Healthcare Workers Attitude in Three Middle East Countries
Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) pose a potential risk of transmitting communicable diseases in the hospital settings where they usually work. This study aims to determine the current influenza vaccination rates among HCWs in three Middle East countries namely United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Oman, and also to identify the different variables associated with the noncompliance of HCWs to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) set in those countries. Methods: 1500 questionnaires were distributed to health care workers in the three countries during the period of July-October 2009. Results: Among 993 respondents, the vaccination rate was 24.7%, 67.2% and 46.4% in UAE, Kuwait and Oman, respectively. The different motivating factors that influenced the health care workers to take the vaccine was assessed and found that the most common factor that influenced their decision to take the vaccine was for their self protection (59%). On the other hand, the most common reason that discouraged HCWs to take the vaccine was “lack of time” as reported by 31.8% of the respondents. Other reasons for not taking the vaccine were unawareness of vaccine availability (29.4%), unavailability of vaccine (25.4%), doubts about vaccine efficacy (24.9%), lack of information about importance (20.1%) and concerns about its side effects (17.3%). Conclusions: influenza immunization by healthcare workers in the studied countries was suboptimal which could be improved by setting different interventions and educational programs to increase vaccination acceptance among HCWs.</p
Attitudes and Perceptions of Healthcare Providers and Medical Students Towards Clinical Pharmacy Services in United Arab Emirates
Purpose: To explore healthcare providers' (HCPs) and medical
students’ attitudes to, and perceptions of the pharmaceutical
services that clinical pharmacists can provide in United Arab Emirates.
Methods: A total of 535 participants (265 HCPs and 270 medical
students) were asked to complete a questionnaire over a period of three
months (January through March 2009). Results: Almost three quarters of
the students perceived that the clinical pharmacist is an important
part of the healthcare team while 82% believed that clinical
pharmacists can help improve the quality of medical care in hospitals.
Eighty one percent of medical students expressed confidence in the
ability of clinical pharmacists to minimize medication errors. Although
slightly more than half of the respondents (53%) reported that they did
not have clinical pharmacy services in their institutions, there was
substantial willingness among physicians and nurses to cooperate with
clinical pharmacists. The majority of physicians (92%) and nurses (87%)
expressed the view that the clinical pharmacist is an important
integral part of the healthcare team. Conclusion: The HCPs and medical
students in the study setting valued the role of clinical pharmacists
in healthcare delivery. However, new developments in pharmacy services
in the UAE hospital setting is recommended for adoption in hospitals
Professional practices and perception towards rational use of medicines according to WHO methodology in United Arab Emirates
Inappropriate prescribing reduces the quality of
medical care and leads to a waste of resources. No
study has been reported concerning rational drug
use in United Arab Emirates, UAE, recently.
Objectives: 1. assessing patterns of use and
defining problems regarding the rational drug use.
2. Setting baseline situational analysis study for
practices in the health care system relevant to drug
use.
Method: A descriptive pilot study, consisting of
pharmacists, physicians and patients (100 of each
of category) from four private hospitals, (12) medical
clinics, (80) community pharmacies in addition to
150 prescriptions. A questionnaire of three sections
was designed to include WHO indicators regarding
patients, facility and prescribing patterns that are
relevant to rational drug use was carried out in four
emirates of the UAE in the period December 2008-
Febreuary 2009.
Results: Consultation and dispensing times were 10
(SD=2.75) min and 68 (SD=9.7) seconds,
respectively. Average no. of drugs per prescription
was (2.9 + 0.97), % of prescriptions using generic
name (7.35%), % of antibiotic containing
prescriptions (31.1%), % of injection containing
prescriptions (2.9%), adherence to Standard
Treatment Protocols (46%), adherence to the
essential drug list (64%), patient´s knowledge of
correct dosage (55%), adequately labeled drugs
(45%), patient´s information (65%).
Conclusions: Several areas of deficiency in rational
drug use had been defined in the private sector
through UAE that can be remedied through
adopting several strategies such as adherence to
national standard treatment guidelines and essential
drug list based on treatments of choice, interaction
between health care system and providing drugs
information to consumers.La prescripción inapropiada reduce la calidad de la
atención médica y lleva a un desperdicio de
recursos. No se ha escrito ningún estudio sobre el
uso racional de medicamentos en los Emiratos
Árabes Unidos (EAU) recientemente.
Objetivos: 1, evaluar los patrones de uso y definir
problemas en el uso racional de medicamentos. 2,
establecer la situación de base para el estudio de
prácticas en el sistema sanitario relevantes al uso de
medicamentos.
Métodos: Estudio piloto descriptivo, incluyendo
farmacéuticos, médicos y pacientes (100 de cada
categoría) de 4 hospitales privados, (12) consultas
médicas, (80) farmacias comunitarias además de
150 prescriptores. Se diseñó un cuestionario de tres
secciones incluyendo los indicadores de la OMS
relativos a pacientes, local y patrones de
prescripción relevantes al uso racional de
medicamentos para los cuatro emiratos de EAU en
el periodo de diciembre 2008 a febrero 2009.
Resultados: los tiempos de consulta y dispensación
fueron e 10 (SD=2,75) minutos y 68 (SD=9,7)
segundos respectivamente. La media de
medicamentos por receta fue de 2,9 (SD=0,97), el
7,35% de las recetas usaban nombres genéricos, el
31,1% contenía antibióticos, el 2,9% contenía
inyectables, el 46% cumplía los protocolos estándar
de tratamiento, el 64% contenía medicamentos de
la lista de medicamentos esenciales, en el 55%
había conocimiento de los pacientes de la dosis
correcta, en el 45 hubo etiquetado adecuado de los
medicamentos, y en el 65% hubo información a los
pacientes.
Conclusiones: Se identificaron varias deficiencias
en cuento al uso racional de medicamentos en el
sector privado en los EAU que pueden remediarse
adoptando algunas estrategias como el
cumplimiento de las guías de estándares nacionales
tratamientos y la lista de medicamentos esenciales
para la elección de tratamientos, la interacción entre
el sistema sanitario y los proveedores de
información sobre de medicamentos a los
consumidores
Development and evaluation of Ibuprofen transdermal gel formulations
Purpose: To develop an ibuprofen transdermal gel with a capability for
both topical and systemic drug delivery. Methods: Ibuprofen gel
formulations, incorporating various permeation enhancers, were prepared
using chitosan as a gelling agent. The formulations were examined for
their in vitro characteristics including viscosity, pH and drug release
as well as in vivo pharmacological activities. Carrageenan-induced rat
paw oedema model was used for the evaluation of their analgesic and
anti-inflammatory activities. A commercial ibuprofen gel product
(Ibutop® ) was used as a reference. Results: The formulations
containing 5 % of either menthol or glycerol as permeation enhancers
gave drug release patterns comparable to that of the reference product.
Propanol increased the apparent viscosity of the test gels to the same
extent as that of the reference. Drug release from the formulations
fitted best to the Higuchi model. A significant in vivo analgesic
effect was produced by the test formulations containing 5 % menthol and
20 % propylene glycol and the effect was superior to that obtained with
the reference product. However, no significant anti-inflammatory
activity was exerted by any of the test gel formulations (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Ibuprofen gel preparations containing 5 % menthol and 20 %
propylene glycol, respectively, exhibited pronounced analgesic activity
and could be further developed for topical and systemic delivery of
ibuprofen
Association between textual and pictorial warnings on tumbac (waterpipe tobacco) boxes and motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among Lebanese and Iraqi adolescents
Abstract Background Waterpipe tobacco smoking has increased tremendously at a global level among all age groups, particularly young people. Previous studies have examined the impact of waterpipe tobacco pictorial health warnings on adults but scarce studies were done on adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the association of textual versus pictorial warnings on tumbac boxes and the motivation to quit waterpipe smoking among adolescents located in two Eastern Mediterranean countries Lebanon and Iraq. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and November 2022, involving 294 adolescents waterpipe smokers from Lebanon and Iraq. The questionnaire included the Lebanese Waterpipe Dependence Smoking-11, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, the Waterpipe Harm Perception Scale, Waterpipe Knowledge Scale, Waterpipe Attitude Scale, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and the Motivation to Stop Scale. Results When adjusting the results over confounding variables, the results showed that compared to finding the warnings to stop smoking not efficacious at all, adolescents who find the warnings moderately (aOR = 2.83) and very (aOR = 6.64) efficacious had higher motivation to quit. Compared to finding the warnings not increasing their curiosity for information about how to stop waterpipe smoking at all, participants who confessed that warnings increased their curiosity a little (aOR = 2.59), moderately (aOR = 3.34) and very (aOR = 3.58) had higher motivation to quit. Compared to not considering changing the tumbac brand if the company uses pictorial warnings, adolescents who would consider changing the tumbac brand (aOR = 2.15) had higher motivation to quit. Conclusion Pictorial and textual warnings on waterpipe packs were associated with higher motivation to stop waterpipe smoking. Public health education programs for this purpose seem warranted
Injury burden in individuals aged 50 years or older in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Background: Injury poses a major threat to health and longevity in adults aged 50 years or older. The increased life expectancy in the Eastern Mediterranean region warrants a further understanding of the ageing population's inevitable changing health demands and challenges. We aimed to examine injury-related morbidity and mortality among adults aged 50 years or older in 22 Eastern Mediterranean countries. Methods: Drawing on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we categorised the population into adults aged 50–69 years and adults aged 70 years and older. We examined estimates for transport injuries, self-harm injuries, and unintentional injuries for both age groups, with sex differences reported, and analysed the percentage changes from 1990 to 2019. We reported injury-related mortality rates and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index were used to better understand the association of socioeconomic factors and health-care system performance, respectively, with injuries and health status in older people. Healthy life expectancy (HALE) was compared with injury-related deaths and DALYs and to the SDI and HAQ Index to understand the effect of injuries on healthy ageing. Finally, risk factors for injury deaths between 1990 and 2019 were assessed. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) are given for all estimates. Findings: Estimated injury mortality rates in the Eastern Mediterranean region exceeded the global rates in 2019, with higher injury mortality rates in males than in females for both age groups. Transport injuries were the leading cause of deaths in adults aged 50–69 years (43·0 [95% UI 31·0–51·8] per 100 000 population) and in adults aged 70 years or older (66·2 [52·5–75·5] per 100 000 population), closely followed by conflict and terrorism for both age groups (10·2 [9·3–11·3] deaths per 100 000 population for 50–69 years and 45·7 [41·5–50·3] deaths per 100 000 population for ≥70 years). The highest annual percentage change in mortality rates due to injury was observed in Afghanistan among people aged 70 years or older (400·4% increase; mortality rate 1109·7 [1017·7–1214·7] per 100 000 population). The leading cause of DALYs was transport injuries for people aged 50–69 years (1798·8 [1394·1–2116·0] per 100 000 population) and unintentional injuries for those aged 70 years or older (2013·2 [1682·2–2408·7] per 100 000 population). The estimates for HALE at 50 years and at 70 years in the Eastern Mediterranean region were lower than global estimates. Eastern Mediterranean countries with the lowest SDIs and HAQ Index values had high prevalence of injury DALYs and ranked the lowest for HALE at 50 years of age and HALE at 70 years. The leading injury mortality risk factors were occupational exposure in people aged 50–69 years and low bone mineral density in those aged 70 years or older. Interpretation: Injuries still pose a real threat to people aged 50 years or older living in the Eastern Mediterranean region, mainly due to transport and violence-related injuries. Dedicated efforts should be implemented to devise injury prevention strategies that are appropriate for older adults and cost-effective injury programmes tailored to the needs and resources of local health-care systems, and to curtail injury-associated risk and promote healthy ageing. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation