A re-examination of the Salicornias (Amaranthaceae) of Saudi Arabia and their polymorphs

During the period from 1964 to 1999 Saudi Arabian species of Salicornia were wrongly treated under the European species, S. europaea L. Recent explorations proved that there are two separate allopatric species of Salicornia in Saudi Arabia, one inhabiting the inland salt-marshes of the Najd (highlands) and the other inhabiting the Arabian Gulf Coast (lowlands). Morphological, ecological and exploratory studies confirm that they are two distinct species. The two species differ in features of bark, axillary spikes, basal vegetative segment(s) of spike, fertile segments, colour of senescent plants, and flowering, fruiting and germination phenology. As both the species have been described earlier from Iran, they are now new records for Saudi Arabia. The species are, S. persica ssp. iranica (Akhani) Kadereit & Piirainen and S. sinus-persica Akhani. S. sinus-persica, of which the status was thought doubtful has been confirmed. Both the species have been described and illustrated. Each species comprises a number of polymorphs. As leaves and flowers are rudimentary, confusing species circumscriptions, a proliferation of binomials has resulted in the taxonomy of Salicornia. To mitigate such confusion, the full range of variability of the Saudi Arabian species has been documented

Determination of Seed Viability of Eight Wild Saudi Arabian Species by Germination and X-Ray Tests

Our purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of the germination vs. the X-ray test in determining the initial viability of seeds of eight wild species (Salvia spinosa, Salvia aegyptiaca, Ochradenus baccatus, Ochradenus arabicus, Suaeda aegyptiaca, Suaeda vermiculata, Prosopisfarcta and Panicumturgidum) from Saudi Arabia. Several days were required to determine viability of all eight species via germination tests, while immediate results on filled/viable seeds were obtained with the X-ray test. Seeds of all the species, except Sa.aegyptiaca, showed high viability in both the germination (98–70% at 25/15 °C, 93–66% at 35/25 °C) and X-ray (100–75%) test. Furthermore, there was general agreement between the germination (10% at 25/15 °C and 8% at 35/25 °C) and X-ray (5%) tests that seed viability of Sa.aegyptiaca was very low, and X-ray analysis revealed that this was due to poor embryo development. Seeds of P.farcta have physical dormancy, which was broken by scarification in concentrated sulfuric acid (10 min), and they exhibited high viability in both the germination (98% at 25/15 °C and 93% at 35/25 °C) and X-ray (98%) test. Most of the nongerminated seeds of the eight species except those of Sa.aegyptiaca were alive as judged by the tetrazolium test (TZ). Thus, for the eight species examined, the X-ray test was a good and rapid predictor of seed viability

Bilateral acute angle closure glaucoma after hyperopic LASIK correction

AbstractAcute angle closure glaucoma is unexpected complication following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). We are reporting a 49-years-old lady that was presented to the emergency department with acute glaucoma in both eyes soon after LASIK correction. Diagnosis was made on detailed clinical history and examination, slit lamp examination, intraocular pressure measurement and gonioscopy. Laser iridotomy in both eyes succeeded in controlling the attack and normalizing the intraocular pressure (IOP) more than 6months of follow-up. Prophylactic laser iridotomy is essential for narrow angle patients before LASIK surgery if refractive laser surgery is indicated

Evaluation of engineering properties of soil in Al Butayn, Mudarraj Al Qassim and Turubah - Hail Saudi Arabia

Fractures, sinkhole, building cracks, and ground subsidence have spread in many regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, some of which are related to seismic activity, others due to the presence of unstable soils (collapsing soils and Expansive soils) and others because of faults, while others result from drawing groundwater at great rates. The current study has several facts related to the formation of cracks and landslides, including:1) A general study of geomorphology and geology of the study areas.2) The causes affecting the formation of cracks and subsidence.3) Detailed geomorphological and geological studies of the locations of fissures and subsidence.4) Geotechnical studies to the work of some trenches and boreholes in the locations of Fractures, sinkhole, building cracks, and ground subsidence, collecting samples and conducting some laboratory experiments to determine the properties of the soil and subsurface rocks in these sites.5) Determining the causes of ground cracks through analyzes of samples and proposing them required to reduce them in the future, and clarifying the main causes for the appearance of these cracks and landslides.6) Recommendations to reduce the occurrence of cracks and ground subsidence in the future, the most important of which are: Measure of water pumping, drainage operations from the surface and underground reservoir in the affected areas.7) Through an evaluation of the properties of soils, it was found that most of the factors prove that this soil has a potential for swelling ranging from weak to high --Abstract, page iii

Forme atypique d’une maladie de Lyme

La maladie de Lyme est une zoonose qui se manifeste essentiellement par des signes cutanés, articulaires, neurologiques et cardiaques. Elle peut exceptionnellement mimer une dermatomyosite. Nous rapportons l'observation d'une patiente âgée de 37 ans qui a présenté des myalgies et un érythroedème de la face et en péri-orbitaire. Une dermatomyosite a été fortement suspectée devant une élévation des enzymes musculaires. Elle a été traitée par une corticothérapie à forte dose. L'évolution a été marquée par l'aggravation des myalgies et l'apparition d'un déficit musculaire. Elle a été alors hospitalisée dans notre service. Les enzymes musculaires étaient élevées. L'électromyogramme était sans anomalies. Le bilan immunologique était négatif. Une enquête infectieuse a été réalisée retrouvant une sérologie de Lyme positive. Après administration d'une antibiothérapie adaptée, l'évolution était bonne avec disparition du tableau clinico-biologique de dermatomyosite. La précocité du diagnostic et l'instauration d'un traitement efficace permet d'éviter des complications graves

Risk-Return Profiles of New Ventures: An Empirical Study

This study examines how risk evolves in private, venture capital backed companies. It finds that the stochastic Ito processes assumed for public companies probably apply to young, private companies as well. However, the parameters, drift rate and standard deviation, are generally higher. Venture capitalists have viewed companies as evolving through stages, and this study assesses the probabilities of success and failure at each stage. The underlying process of price evolution appears much smoother than the stage model may suggest. The valuation mediods developed for public securities, including option pricing, should apply to private companies as well. This study is a step toward measuring the needed parameters

PUBLIC VALUE CREATION USING SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTEXT

In recent years, the use of various social media applications has received growing attention from local government agencies. This is because social media applications have the potential to offer public value to those agencies as well as citizens through enhancing public engagement and public services innovation. Despite the growth in the literature on social media, there is still a limited understanding of how the key stakeholders of local government agencies, around the world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular, can receive public value created through us-ing various social media applications. To address this concern, this proposed study is initiated to develop a model for investigating public value creation using social media applications. The model is influenced by multiple theoretical lenses (e.g. trust in social media, social media capability, public engagement, public services innovation, public value theory, and stakeholder theory). This proposed research is based on a qualitative methodology with several phases of research (e.g. pilot study, multiple-case study and domain expert panel) for the Saudi Arabian local government context. The expected contribution of this research is a model with constructive associations between several variables identified from multiple streams of literature (e.g. social media, information systems literature and public administration literature). Furthermore, a classification of public services innovation associated with four types of public value are proposed. The findings of the study are expected to benefit public managers as well as citizens to better utilise social media for public value creation. Keywords: Trust in social media, social media capability, public engagement, public service innovation, public value, stakeholder theory

Inkjet Fabrication of Frame Dipole FSS

Digital fabrication techniques gives the possibility of producing elements with very thin and precise features which could allow the modification of UHF structures to reduce ink usage while still achieving similar performance. This paper investigates the case where dipole elements are modified into Frame Dipoles by removing areas where the surface current tends to be very low

Genetic Influence of Candidate Osteoporosis Genes in Saudi Arabian Population: A Pilot Study

Background and Objectives. The purpose of the present study is to find the genes and SNP that influence BMD and postmenopausal Saudi women. Material and Methods. Two-hundred ethnic Saudi Arabian women with a diagnosis of postmenopausal osteoporosis were the subjects of this study. Baseline blood hematology, biochemistry, and bone panel were done. Blood was collected, and three TaqMan-MGB probes were used to analyze SNP variants in ALOX15 (rs7220870), LRP5 (C 25752205 10), and TNFRSF11B (C 11869235 10). Results. The variant of ALOX15 17p13 showed that the BMD of the spine was lower in the AA allele (P value <0.002) and fractures were highest at 50% compared to CC allele. In the TNFRSF11B gene, BMD of the hip and spine was significantly higher in the GG allele and the history of fractures was significantly higher in GG group. With regard to the LRP5 (C 25752205 10) gene, there was no significant difference between allele groups. Conclusion(s). This study shows that the genetic influence of osteoporosis in the Caucasian and Saudi Arabians population is similar. We believe that the same genetic markers that influence osteoporosis in the Caucasian race could be used for further studies in the Saudi Arabian population