Central Dopaminergic System and Its Implications in Stress-Mediated Neurological Disorders and Gastric Ulcers: Short Review

For decades, it has been suggested that dysfunction of dopaminergic pathways and their associated modulations in dopamine levels play a major role in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Dopaminergic system is involved in the stress response, and the neural mechanisms involved in stress are important for current research, but the recent and past data on the stress response by dopaminergic system have received little attention. Therefore, we have discussed these data on the stress response and propose a role for dopamine in coping with stress. In addition, we have also discussed gastric stress ulcers and their correlation with dopaminergic system. Furthermore, we have also highlighted some of the glucocorticoids and dopamine-mediated neurological disorders. Our literature survey suggests that dopaminergic system has received little attention in both clinical and preclinical research on stress, but the current research on this issue will surely identify a better understanding of stressful events and will give better ideas for further efficient antistress treatments

Paediatric cutaneous larva migrans: A case report from an uncommon region

Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is a skin infection caused by the of hook-worm larvae, most commonly Ancylostoma braziliense or Ancylostoma caninum, within the outer layer of the skin. While CLM is primarily found in tropical and subtropical areas, occasional cases have been documented in other regions globally. This case report describes an 8-year-old boy from Saudi Arabia who presented with an unusual case of CLM which is not usually seen in our region of the world, characterised by a serpiginous, erythematous lesion on the medial aspect of his left little finger. The patient had no recent travel history, which made this case particularly noteworthy given the rarity of CLM in this region. The diagnosis was supported by clinical examination and imaging studies, which revealed inflammatory changes consistent with CLM. This case underscores the importance of recognising CLM, even in non-endemic regions and highlights the need for awareness among clinicians regarding the presentation and management of this parasitic infection

Dental expenditure and catastrophic dental expenditure in Eastern Saudi Arabia : pattern and associated factors

Dental services have one of the highest expenses among health services. The aims of the study were to assess (1) dental expenditure (DE), (2) catastrophic dental expenditure (CDE), (3) dental services payment and (4) factors associated with DE and CDE. A cross sectional study was conducted in 2018 in Saudi Arabia. Using convenience sample, participants were recruited from governmental and private dental clinics/hospitals. A questionnaire assessed (a) personal information, (b) dental background: payment methods, type of clinics visited, perceived oral health status, frequency of pain and (c) payment for dental services received. The number of remaining teeth was clinically assessed. Two outcome variables were assessed (1) total DE in linear regression and (b) CDE (DE exceeds 10% of income) in logistic regression. Personal and dental background variables were explanatory variables. The response rate was 83.8% (419/500) with 43% reporting expenditure, 16.5% facing CDE and 36.3% using multiple payment methods. The greatest DE was for crowns and bridges, root canal therapy, fillings and implants. Income, payment method and pain were associated with DE and CDE. Participants used multiple payment methods including out of pocket and faced CDE. The bulk of expenditure was for rehabilitative services. The availability and quality of health-insured primary care services may reduce the financial burden facing dental patients

10 years of experience in adopting, implementing and evaluating progress testing for Saudi medical students

Objectives: The progress test (PT) is a comprehensive examination that is designed to match the knowledge acquisition necessary at graduation and monitors progress during the entire period of an undergraduate program. Qassim College of Medicine (QCM) began using the multi-institutional PT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study aimed to determine if the PT can be utilized to assess the progress of medical students at different Saudi medical colleges with different educational approaches, as well as whether this testing modality could be accepted by other colleges. Methods: Beside the establishment of a PT committee, comprehensive blueprinting was crafted to sample 200 A-type multiple choice questions (MCQs) from different disciplines. The PT is a paper-and-pencil model and is answered in a 4-h period. All PT items followed a uniform design. Results: In total, 13 rounds of the progress test have been conducted. The number of participating colleges increased from three (with 285 students) in the first test (May 2012) to more than 20 (with &gt;6000 students) in the ninth round (February 2017). The average % scores for first-year students ranged from 3.0% to 7.9% while the average scores for fifth-year students ranged from 34.0% to 43.0%. Conclusion: The conduction of this meticulously crafted test to evaluate knowledge achievement at medical graduation is a fruitful tool and helps to provide constructive feedback for test-takers and other stakeholders relating to their relative positions among other fellows at the national level.</p

Platelet count and platelet indices in women with preeclampsia

BACKGROUND: Although the exact pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not completely understood, the utility of different platelets indices can be utilized to predict preeclampsia. OBJECTIVE: To compare platelet indices, namely platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and PC to MPV ratio in women with preeclampsia compared with healthy controls. SETTING: Qassim Hospital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: A case–control study. Sixty preeclamptic women were the cases and an equal number of healthy pregnant women were the controls. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, parity, and body mass index between the study groups. Sixteen and 44 of the cases were severe and mild preeclampsia, respectively. There was no significant difference in PDW and MPV between the preeclamptic and control women. Both PC and PC to MPV ratios were significantly lower in the women with preeclampsia compared with the controls. There was no significant difference in the PC, PDW, MPV, and PC to MPV ratio when women with mild and severe preeclampsia were compared. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, the PC cutoff was 248.0×10(3)/µL for diagnosis of pre-eclampsia (P=0.019; the area under the ROC curve was 62.4%). Binary regression suggests that women with PC <248.010×10(3)/µL were at higher risk of preeclampsia (odds ratio =2.2, 95% confidence interval =1.08–4.6, P=0.03). The PC/MPV cutoff was 31.2 for diagnosis of preeclampsia (P=0.035, the area under the ROC curve was 62.2%). CONCLUSION: PC <248.010×10(3)/µL and PC to MPV ratio 31.2 are valid predictors of preeclampsia

Adipokines and inflammation: is it a question of weight?

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the Western society and is increasing in the developing world. It is considered as one of the major contributors to the global burden of disability and chronic diseases, including autoimmune, inflammatory and degenerative diseases. Research conducted on obesity and its complications over the last two decades has transformed the outdated concept of white adipose tissue (WAT) merely serving as an energy depot. WAT is now recognized as an active and inflammatory organ capable of producing a wide variety of factors known as adipokines. These molecules participate through endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, or juxtacrine cross-talk mechanisms in a great variety of physiological or pathophysiological processes, regulating food intake, insulin sensitivity, immunity, and inflammation. Although initially restricted to metabolic activities (regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism), adipokines currently represent a new family of proteins that can be considered key players in the complex network of soluble mediators involved in the pathophysiology of immune/inflammatory diseases. However, the complexity of the adipokine network in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory diseases has posed, since the beginning, the important question of whether it may be possible to target the mechanism(s) by which adipokines contribute to disease selectively without suppressing their physiological functions. Here we explore in depth the most recent findings concerning the involvement of adipokines in inflammation and immune responses, in particular in rheumatic, inflammatory and degenerative diseases. We also highlight several possible strategies for therapeutic development and propose that adipokines and their signalling pathways may represent innovative therapeutic strategies for inflammatory disorders.ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: OG and FL are Staff Personnel of Xunta de Galicia (Servizo Galego de Saude, SERGAS) through a research-staff stabilization contract (ISCIII/SERGAS). VF is a “Sara Borrell” Researcher funded by ISCIII and FEDER. RG is a “Miguel Servet” Researcher funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and FEDER. OG, MAGG and RG are members of RETICS Programme, RD16/0012/0014 (RIER: Red de Investigación en Inflamación y Enfermedades Reumáticas) via Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and FEDER. FL is a member of CIBERCV (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares). The work of OG (PIE13/00024 and PI14/00016, PI17/00409), FL (PI15/00681 and CB16/11/00226) and RG (PI16/01870 and CP15/00007) was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and FEDER. OG is a beneficiary of a project funded by Research Executive Agency of the European Union in the framework of MSCA-RISE Action of the H2020 Programme (Project number 734899). AM has received funding from the European Commission Framework 7 programme (EU FP7; HEALTH.2012.2.4.5-2, project number 305815; Novel Diagnostics and Biomarkers for Early Identification of Chronic Inflammatory Joint Diseases) plus generous support from the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No. 115770, resources of which are composed of financial contribution from the European Union’s Seventh Framework programme (FP7/2007-2013) and EFPIA companies’ in kind contribution. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Phase_Recovery Thermal Imaging

In my research work, I explored several extensions of the Fourier ptychography microscopy (FPM) technique, which is a promising but well-known phase-recovery imaging technique. First, I extended from microscopy to photography the scanning-diffracted-light (SDL) microscopy technique recently demonstrated in our research group, which permits to implement the Fourier ptychography (FPM) technique using a single illumination direction and can have applications where microscopes or telescopes are used for imaging the phase of the optical disturbance (OD). I conducted proof-of-concept experiments and simulations demonstrating the SDL photography technique, which permits to image the intensity and phase of the optical disturbance when the sample is illuminated by a collimated beam from either white-light or thermal radiation source. A rotating slit placed in the FP of the optical system scanned the direction of the light that was diffracted by the sample. Images of the sample obtained for different slit orientations are different. This provides the required image diversity for the successful convergence of the presented SDL imaging algorithm. Second, I explored the coherent illumination-direction multiplexing (IDM) FPM technique, also recently demonstrated in our research group, using thermal radiation. We explained the observed Moiré patterns in terms of the mutual coherence of the diffraction beams produced by the interaction of a thermal beam with a diffractive element with periodic structure. It was demonstrated the capability of the coherent IDM-FPM technique for obtaining, from a set of Moiré patterns, intensity images with the correct structure of a sample. We found the numerical algorithm to be stable when the phase of the optical disturbance at the sample’s plane is known, but it fails to determine the correct phase when it is unknown. This indicates that further convergence-improvement of the numerical algorithm is necessary. Finally, I demonstrated by scanning the Fourier plane of the optimal system in different forms, the SDL imaging technique can be implemented in a variety of ways