Antibiotic-Induced Hiccups: A Case Report and Brief Literature Review.

Hiccups, also called hiccoughs, are sudden, involuntary and rapid expulsion of air from the lungs with synchronous closure of the glottis causing blockade of the air flow. Hiccups may be induced by a multitude of etiologies such as central nervous disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, psychogenic factors, and metabolic disorders. Hiccups induced by medications are rare. The diagnosis of drug-induced hiccup is difficult. The exact mechanism responsible for this adverse drug reaction is still unknown. Herein, we report the first case of cefotaxime-induced hiccups and briefly review the literature on antibiotic-induced hiccups.

4-Azido-7-nitrobenzoxadiazole as innovative clickable fluorescence probe for trace and selective quantification of ethinylestradiol in human plasma.

Quantification of ethinylestradiol (EE) in biological matrices is challenging as it is a very potent drug with a very low Cmax (75 pg.ml-1 ). Despite the high sensitivity of fluorometric methods, the detection of EE was confined because its structure exhibited very limited fluorescence. Therefore, it must be derivatized first using a fluorogenic agent to produce a more potent fluorescence derivative to achieve the desired ultrasensitive bioanalysis. Here, for the first time, we proposed a promising click fluorescent probe, 4-azido-7-nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD-AZ) to react with the alkyne group of EE, with the help of copper sulphate and l-ascorbic acid to give a highly fluorescent and stable 1,2,3-triazole derivative. Density functional theory calculation revealed how the triazole formation affects the quantum yield and fluorescence of click reaction product when compared with NBD-AZ. The resulting triazole exhibited a strong signal at a wavelength of 540 nm after excitation at 470 nm. Reaction parameters impacting the intensity of fluorescence were cautiously studied and optimized. The suggested approach has shown outstanding performance, high linearity (25-300 pg.ml-1 ) and a low detection limit of 7.5 pg.ml-1 . The enhanced sensitivity and selectivity were exploited for analyzing EE in plasma using liquid-liquid extraction for samples cleaning up without interference from any biological components and with a mean % recovery of 100.13 ± 0.39. Accuracy, sensitivity, selectivity, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness make this approach a convincing, promising, and appealing alternative to the reported analytical methods for EE bioanalysis in different matrices.

Effect of Germinated Sorghum Extract on the Physical and Thermal Properties of Pre-Gelatinized Cereals, Sweet Potato and Beans Starches.

Starches from different botanical sources are affected in the presence of enzymes. This study investigated the impact of α-amylase on several properties of pre-gelatinized starches derived from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), and sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.). Specifically, the water holding capacity, freezable water content, sugar content, and water sorption isotherm (adsorption and desorption) properties were examined. The source of α-amylase utilized in this study was a germinated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) extract (GSE). The starch samples were subjected to annealing at temperatures of 40, 50, and 60 °C for durations of either 30 or 60 min prior to the process of gelatinization. A significant increase in the annealing temperature and GSE resulted in a notable enhancement in both the water-holding capacity and the sugar content of the starch. The ordering of starches in terms of their freezable water content is as follows: Chickpea starch (C.P.S) > white beans starch (W.B.S) > wheat starch (W.S) > chickpea starch (C.S) > sweet potato starch (S.P.S). The Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model was only employed for fitting the data, as the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) model had a low root mean square error (RMSE). The application of annealing and GSE treatment resulted in a shift of the adsorption and desorption isotherms towards greater levels of moisture content. A strong hysteresis was found in the adsorption and desorption curves, notably within the water activity range of 0.6 to 0.8. The GSE treatment and longer annealing time had an impact on the monolayer water content (mo), as well as the C and K parameters of the GAB model, irrespective of the annealing temperature. These results can be used to evaluate the applicability of starch in the pharmaceutical and food sectors.

The tiny big world of solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers: an updated review.

Nanotechnology is currently a field of endeavour that has reached a maturation phase beyond the initial hypotheses with an undercurrent challenge to optimise the safety, and scalability for production and clinical trials. Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNP), namely solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid (NLC), carriers are presently among the most attractive and fast-growing areas of research. SLN and NLC are safe, biocompatible nanotechnology-enabled platforms with ubiquitous applications. This review presents a modern vision that starts with a brief description of characteristics, preparation strategies, and composition ingredients, benefits, and limitations. Next, a discussion of applications and functionalization approaches for the delivery of therapeutics via different routes of delivery. Additionally, the review presents a concise perspective into limitations and future advances. A brief recap on the prospects of molecular dynamics simulations in better understanding NP bio-interface interactions is provided. Finally, the alliance between 3D printing and nanomaterials is presented here as well.

Nutritional and Therapeutic Properties of Fermented Camel Milk Fortified with Red Chenopodium quinoa Flour on Hypercholesterolemia Rats.

Quinoa is a nutrient-dense food that lowers chronic disease risk. This study evaluated the physicochemical and sensory qualities of fermented camel milk with 1, 2, 3, and 4% quinoa. The results showed that improvement in camel's milk increased the total solids, protein, ash, fiber, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity more effectively. Fermented camel milk with 3% of quinoa flour exhibited the highest sensory characteristics compared to other treatments. Fermented camel milk enriched with 3% red quinoa flour was studied in obese rats. Forty male Wistar rats were separated into five groups: the first group served as a normal control, while groups 2-4 were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HF)-diet and given 2 mL/day of fermented milk and quinoa aqueous extract. Blood glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, and urea levels decreased dramatically in comparison to the positive control group, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL), albumin, and total protein concentrations increased significantly. Fortified fermented camel milk decreased the number of giant adipocytes while increasing the number of tiny adipocytes in the body. The results showed that the liver and renal functions of hypercholesterolemic rats were enhanced by consuming fermented milk and quinoa. These results demonstrated the ability of quinoa and camel milk to protect rats from oxidative stress and hyperlipidemia. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms behind the metabolic effects of fermented camel milk and quinoa.

Effect of Ziziphus and Cordia Gums on Dough Properties and Baking Performance of Cookies.

The influence of 2% and 5% Cordia (CG) and Ziziphus (ZG) gums on dough characteristics and cookie quality was investigated. Micro-DoughLab, a texture analyzer (TA), a rapid viscoanalyzer (RVA), and solvent retention capacity were used to examine the effect of CG and ZG gums on dough physicochemical parameters (SRC) and cookie quality. The diameter, thickness, spread, and sensory evaluation of cookies were evaluated. With the addition of CG and ZG, dough softness, mixing time, and mixing tolerance index (MTI) increased, whereas stability and water absorption decreased. TA data showed that adding gums resulted in softer and less sticky doughs than the control, whereas RVA data showed that adding CG resulted in a significant increase in peak viscosity, but no change in flour gel setback. In comparison to the control and CG samples, the ZG samples exhibited the most dough extensibility. The thickness and diameter of the cookies increased but the spread decreased, due to the added gums. The gum-containing cookies had a lower overall acceptability by panelists than the control, although only by a small margin. Gum-containing cookies, on the other hand, can deliver up to 5% soluble fiber.

Relationship between Dough Properties and Baking Performance of Panned Bread: The Function of Maltodextrins and Natural Gums.

The effectiveness of hydrocolloids (2% maximum in various combinations) from various sources, including maltodextrins (MD) with polymerization degree (DP) 18 and ziziphus gum (ZG), on the dough properties and quality of panned bread, as well as the possibility of using them to delay the bread staling process, have been investigated after 24, 72, and 96 h of storage. By evaluating the pasting capabilities of wheat flour slurry, dough properties, and the final product, the effects of the ziziphus gum (ZG) and maltodextrins (MD) were ascertained. A TA-TXT texture analyzer, a texture profile analysis test, and Micro-doughLab were used to evaluate the dough mixing properties. Additionally, a hedonic sensory evaluation of the overall acceptance of the bread, as well as its texture, aroma, taste, and color, was done. It is clear that MD had a more distinct impact than ZG on the way dough was mixed, the texture of the gel, and the finished product. The combination of MD and ZG significantly altered the bread's physical characteristics and its aging over time. The decreased peak viscosity and noticeably smaller setback of wheat flour gels, which corresponded to lower gel hardness, serve as evidence of reduced amylose retrogradation. At 2%, MD outperformed ZG in terms of increasing water absorption, dough stability, and bread loaf volume. With the exception of the blend that included three times as much MD as ZG, all mixes, including the control, exhibited an increase in bread firmness as a function of time after storage. Overall, the panelists liked (score of 5 and above) the bread made with mixes that had either MD or ZG, or a combination of both.

Dough Performance and Quality Evaluation of Cookies Prepared from Flour Blends Containing Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) and Acacia (Acacia seyal) Gums.

Acacia (AG) and cactus gums (CG) were mixed into wheat flour at the 3% and 6% levels. The flour blends were tested for their pasting, dough development, and extensibility behaviors. The blends were used to make cookies, which were then evaluated for their physical, textural, and sensory qualities. Both types of gum reduced the setback viscosities, water absorption, and farinograph quality numbers while increasing the water retention capacity, dough development time, and extensibility. The thickness and diameter of the cookies decreased in the presence of the cactus gum, while the acacia gum resulted in greater thickness and diameter. The addition of more gums increased the hardness of the cookies while decreasing their fracturability. All the cookie types were acceptable for all the sensory attributes studied. When compared to the control, the panelists preferred the color of the cookies with a higher level of gum. Overall, the presence of gums in the formulation resulted in the development of cookies with improved technological and sensory attributes. Likewise, the cookies with higher levels of gum can deliver 6% more soluble fiber without compromising their overall acceptability.

Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Antifungal Activities of the Ethanolic Extract Obtained from Berberis vulgaris Roots and Leaves.

This work assessed the phenolic and flavonoid components and their antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial effects in the ethanolic extract of barberry leaf and roots. The antibactericidal activity of root and leaf extracts against pathogenic bacteria was tested using agar diffusion and microdilution broth production for the lowest inhibitory concentration (MIC). Berberis vulgaris root and leaf extracts inhibited Staphylococcus aureus ATCC9973, Escherichia coli HB101, Staphylococcus enteritis, and Escherichia coli Cip812. The disc assay technique was used to assess the bactericidal activity of the extracts versus both pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Hydro alcoholic extract was more effective against bacterial than fungal strains. The results showed that Berberis vulgaris leaf and roots extract had similar antifungal activities. Berberis vulgaris root extract inhibited the mycelial growth of Penicillium verrucosum, Fusarium proliferatum, Aspergillus ochraceous, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus. Berberis vulgaris root extract has excellent antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. Berberis vulgaris exhibited antimicrobial activity in vitro, and MIC showed that Berberis vulgaris parts efficiently affected pathogens in vitro. In conclusion, both Berberis vulgaris roots and leaves have considerable antibacterial activity and can be used as a source of antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive compounds to benefit human health.

Nanoparticles in nanomedicine: a comprehensive updated review on current status, challenges and emerging opportunities.

The fast progress in nanomedicine and nanoparticles (NP) materials presents unconventional solutions which are expected to revolutionise health care with great potentials including, enhanced efficacy, bioavailability, drug targeting, and safety. This review provides a comprehensive update on widely used organic and inorganic NP with emphasis on the recent development, challenges and future prospective for bio applications where, further investigations into innovative synthesis methodologies, properties and applications of NP would possibly reveal new improved biomedical relevance. NP exhibits exceptional physical and chemical properties due to their high surface area to volume ratio and nanoscale size, which led to breakthroughs in therapeutic, diagnostic and screening techniques repeated line. Finally, an update of FDA-approved NP is explored where innovative design engineering allowed a paradigmatic shift in their market share. This review would serve as a discerning comprehensive source of information for learners who are seeking a cutting-edge review but have been astounded by the size of publications.

Revealing oral microbiota composition and functionality associated with heavy cigarette smoking.

BACKGROUND: Heavy tobacco smoking, a hallmark feature of lung cancer, is drastically predominant in Middle Eastern populations. The precise links between nicotine dependence and the functional contribution of the oral microbiota remain unknown in these populations. METHODS: We evaluated the composition and functional capabilities of oral microbiota with relation to cigarette smoking in 105 adults through shotgun metagenomics using buccal swabs. RESULTS: The oral microbiota composition in our study subjects was dominated by the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, in addition to the genera Prevotella and Veillonella, similar to previously described westernized cohorts. Furthermore, the smoker's oral microbiota represented a significant abundance of Veillonella dispar, Leptotrichia spp. and Prevotella pleuritidis when compared to non-smokers. Within the smoking groups, differential relative abundance testing unveiled relative abundance of Streptobacillus hongkongensis, Fusobacterium massiliense, Prevotella bivia in high nicotine dependent compared to low nicotine dependent profiles based on Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Functional profiling showed marked differences between smokers and non-smokers. Smokers exhibited an enrichment of Tricarballylate utilization and Lactate racemization when compared to the non-smokers. According to their nicotine dependence, enrichment of Xanthosine utilization, p-Aminobenzoyl-Glutamate utilization, and multidrug efflux pump in Campylobacter jejuni biosynthesis modules were detected in the high nicotine dependent group. CONCLUSIONS: These compositional and functional differences may provide critical insight on how variations in the oral microbiota could predispose to respiratory illnesses and smoke cessation relapse in cigarette smokers. In particular, the observed enrichment of Fusobacterium and Prevotella in the oral microbiota possibly suggests an intriguing linkage to gut and lung cancers.

Toxicity Profile, Pharmacokinetic, and Drug-Drug Interaction Study of Citalopram and Sertraline Following Oral Delivery in Rat: An LC-MS/MS Method for the Simultaneous Determination in Plasma.

The burden of depression and other mental disorders is on the rise globally, and successful treatment sometimes requires modifications of drugs and/or dose regimens. The development of novel analytical methods for the determination of antidepressant drugs in biological fluids is thus urgently required. Herein, a sensitive, robust, and rapid liquid chromatographic coupled tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the determination of citalopram (CIT) and sertraline (SER) in rat plasma after oral administration. The analytes of interest and internal standard (duloxetine (DUL)) were extracted from 100 µL of plasma with solid-phase extraction on an Oasis HLB cartridge followed by the separation with gradient elution with water containing 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile on an Agilent Eclipse Plus ODS (4.6 × 100 mm, 3.5 µm) column at flow rate 0.2 mL min-1. The triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was applied via electrospray ionization source for detection. The fragmentation pattern of the protonated CIT, SER, and DUL was elucidated using multiple reaction monitoring of the transitions of m/z 325.2 to 109, 306.1 to 158.9, and 298.1 to 154.1 as [M + H]+ for CIT, SER, and DUL, respectively. The proposed method has been validated as per US-FDA bioanalytical guidelines in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, matrix effects, stability, selectivity, and recovery. The method was linear over the concentration range of 1-2000 and 1-1000 ng mL-1 with the lower limit of detection of 0.12 and 0.19 ng mL-1 for CIT and SER, respectively. The interday and intraday precisions and accuracy expressed by the relative standard deviation and the relative standard error were both lower than 11.1% and 2.1%, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the pharmacokinetics and drug monitoring studies of CIT and SER in rat plasma after a single oral dose of 120 mg kg-1 of CIT and SER. Coadministration of SER with CIT has affected the peak plasma concentrations, maximum plasma concentration time, area under the concentration-time curve, and oral clearance of CIT. Molecular modeling study showed that SER could competitively inhibit CYP2D6, the main enzyme involved in CIT metabolism. A possible drug-drug interaction in psychiatric patients undergoing chronic SER and CIT treatment is therefore worthy of more attention in an effort to avoid side effects and serotonin syndrome.

Toxicity Profile and Pharmacokinetic Study of Antibiotic Mixtures, Gentamicin and Vancomycin, in Rat Plasma by Ecofriendly Liquid Chromatography Coupled Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

The global burden of bacterial infection and antimicrobial resistance increases the demand to associate more than one antibiotic to fight life-threatening bacteria. Therefore, there is a great necessity to develop simple and sensitive methods for routine analysis of clinical samples. Therapeutic drug monitoring, bioequivalence, and pharmacokinetic studies are essential to ensure drug efficiency and safety. Herein, therefore, the first ecofriendly liquid chromatography -tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and fully validated for simultaneous determination of a commonly combined antibiotic for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin (VCM) and gentamicin (GTM), in rat plasma after parenteral administration. VCM and GTM were extracted from plasma sample using acetonitrile (ACN)/0.1% TFA-induced protein precipitation followed by the separation on an Agilent Eclipse Plus ODS (3 mm × 100 mm, 3.5 µm) column using water-enriched mobile phase consisting of water containing 0.1% THF/ACN (85:15, v/v%) at flow rates of 0.30 mL min-1. The mass spectrometry parameters were optimized, and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in positive ion mode of two transitions was utilized for quantification of precursor to product ion at m/z 725.5 → 144 and 100.1 for VCM as [M + 2H]2+, 478.3 → 322.2 and 156.9 for GTM, and 586.3 → 162.9 and 425.3 for amikacin (AMK) internal standard, as [M + H]+. The current method has been validated as per U.S. FDA bioanalytical guidelines in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, selectivity, recovery, matrix effects, and stability. The method was linear in the range of 1-2000 ng mL-1 and 1-1000 ng mL-1 with detection limits (S/N of 3) of 0.18 and 0.09 ng mL-1 for VCM and GTM, respectively. The selectivity and high sensitivity allow the current method to succeed in the study of pharmacokinetic parameters and drug-drug interaction between VCM and GTM after single-dose administration. VCM increased plasma clearance and elimination rate constant of GTM when coadministered and GTM also too. The change of serum chemistry analysis and significant elevation of creatinine and BUN indicate an alteration in kidney function in group III in those given the combined antibiotics. Our finding illustrated the nephrotoxicity of the two drugs when associated. The ecofriendly, simplicity, and rapidity of the current study made it a promising method for high-throughput biomonitoring in clinical samples.

Retrospective analysis of long-term outcome 10 years after liver transplantation for Wilson disease: experience over three decades.

We evaluated long-term outcomes for patients with Wilson disease (WD) after liver transplantation (LT) and searched for risk factors for poor survival. Retrospective analysis of UNOS/OPTN data identified 156 pediatric and 515 adult cases of LT for WD between 1987 and 2016. Comparison cases were 10 442 pediatric and 104 874 adult non-WD transplant recipients. Survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Recipient, donor, and surgical variables were compared by Cox regression. Survival rates 3, 5, and 10 years after LT for adult WD patients (87.5%, 85.4%, and 80.5%, respectively) were significantly higher than those for non-WD patients (P < 0.001); survival rates for pediatric WD patients (90.5%, 89.7%, and 86.5%, respectively) did not differ significantly from non-WD patients. Graft survival in adult and pediatric patients followed similar trends. Regression analysis identified older age, female gender, and use of life support at the time of transplant as risk factors for decreased survival for adults with WD, and younger age, male gender, obesity, and high serum creatinine at the time of transplant as risk factors for poor survival in pediatric recipients with WD. Presentation with fulminant liver failure was not associated with survival in WD patients. No donor characteristic predicted poor survival. Long-term patient and graft survival after LT is excellent for both adult and pediatric WD patients.

Novel spectrofluorimetric quantification of linagliptin in biological fluids exploiting its interaction with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan.

Direct determination of linagliptin (LIN) using fluorimetry has been limited because LIN releases a very weak fluorescence signal. Accordingly, it should be derivatized first with a fluorogenic reagent to enhance its fluorescence and consequentially the sensitivity required for its bioanalysis. This is the first description of a spectrofluorimetric method for LIN quantification in human plasma. The suggested method exploits the nucleophilic nature of its amino group to react with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-Cl) in borate buffer at pH 8.5 to yield a strong fluorescent product with excitation and emission wavelengths of 459 and 529 nm, respectively. Experimental variables concerning the conditions of reaction and fluorescence intensity were carefully investigated and optimized. The linearity range was from 1.0-100 ng ml-1 with a lower detection limit and a lower quantification limit of 0.60 ng ml-1 and 1.82 ng ml-1 , respectively. Validation of the suggested method has been accomplished and the application to LIN analysis in commercial tablets as well as in human plasma resulted in a mean per cent recovery of 100.12 ± 1.57 and 99.65 ± 1.22, respectively. The developed method was proven to be a promising, simple and fast alternative bioanalytical method for LIN quantification in clinical and bioequivalence research.

Error monitoring and daily life executive functioning.

Error monitoring during task execution is reflected in post-error slowing (PES), which refers to the tendency to slow down performance after making an error in order to prevent future mistakes. The key question of the present study is whether poor error monitoring (reduced magnitude of PES) has negative consequences for daily life executive function skills, as well as functioning in different life settings such as work, family, social, and academic settings. Eighty-five university students performed a lexical decision task and completed The Executive Function Index Scale (EFI), and the Weiss Functional Impairments Rating Scale (WFIRS). Individual academic achievement was measured using the Grade Point Average. Statistical analysis revealed that a decreased magnitude of PES was weakly associated with less efficient planning (one of the executive functions). Results suggest that error monitoring, as measured by PES, was not associated with functioning in a naturalistic environment, but could be interpreted to some extent as an experimental marker of planning in daily life executive functioning.

Toward a treatment of diabesity: Rational design, synthesis and biological evaluation of benzene-sulfonamide derivatives as a new class of PTP-1B inhibitors.

Targeting of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP1B) has emerged as a promising strategy for therapeutic intervention of diabetes and obesity. Investigation of new inhibitors with good bioavailability and high selectivity is the major challenge of drug discovery program targeting PTP1B. Therefore, herein, new neutral benzene-sulfonamide containing compounds were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated as potent PTP1B inhibitors. New series of thiazolidine, oxazolidine, thiazinan, oxazinan, oxazole, thiazole, tetrazole, cyanopyridine, chromenone, and iminochromene of benzene-sulfonamide derivatives (MSE-1 to MSE-15) were synthesized in a good yield under mild condition using sulfadiazine as a starting material. Among the synthesized compounds, MSE-13 and MSE-14 showed the most in vitro potent PTP-1B inhibitory activity (IC50 of 0.88 µM and 3.33 µM, respectively). Animal treatment by the target compounds significantly improved the insulin resistance, diminished plasma glucose level, decreased initial body weight, and normalized the serum lipid profile compared to pioglitazone, a standard PTP1B inhibitor. The molecular modeling study showed a high affinity and selectivity of our synthesized compounds to the active site and B-site of PTP1B holding hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, Electrostatic Surface Potential (ESP) and HOMO/LUMO analysis indicated the importance of sulfamoyl moiety for PTP1B binding. In silico ADME predictions of such compounds also showed the promising pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties. The proposed compounds could be considered a lead inhibitory scaffold to PTP1B.

Impact of metabolic syndrome on nutrients intakes among Saudi females.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the adequacy of nutrients intake among females with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: The quantitative case-control study was conducted in November 2015 at King Fahd University Hospital, Al Khobar, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, and comprised patients who had three or more risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Group I had patients who met three of the six criteria components, Group II had those who met four components, and Group III had those who met more than four components. Healthy subjects were enrolled as controls. Socioeconomic data, as well as weight, height, body mass index and waist circumference, were collected. The 24-hour recall method was used for collecting data about food intake, and the nutrient intake was calculated by Saudi food composition tables. Data related to nutrient intake was compared with standard dietary requirements. RESULTS: Of the 216 subjects, 134(%) were patients and 82(%) were controlled. Among the patients, 20(15%) were in Group I, 34(25%) in Group II and 89(60%) were in Group III. None of the cases in the three groups had normal weight compared to 20(24.4%) controls (p<0.001). Intake of calories, protein and carbohydrates in groups II and III were lower than the controls and those in group I (p<0.05). Percentage of energy yielded from protein, fat, and carbohydrates by the patients differed significantly from normal values (p<0.05).. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the patients failed to fulfill their requirements from essential nutrients. The higher the number of metabolic syndrome risk factors, the higher was the insufficiency of nutrient intake..

The Epidemiology of Cholera in Zanzibar: Implications for the Zanzibar Comprehensive Cholera Elimination Plan.

Background: Cholera poses a public health and economic threat to Zanzibar. Detailed epidemiologic analyses are needed to inform a multisectoral cholera elimination plan currently under development. Methods: We collated passive surveillance data from 1997 to 2017 and calculated the outbreak-specific and cumulative incidence of suspected cholera per shehia (neighborhood). We explored the variability in shehia-specific relative cholera risk and explored the predictive power of targeting intervention at shehias based on historical incidence. Using flexible regression models, we estimated cholera's seasonality and the relationship between rainfall and cholera transmission. Results: From 1997 and 2017, 11921 suspected cholera cases were reported across 87% of Zanzibar's shehias, representing an average incidence rate of 4.4 per 10000/year. The geographic distribution of cases across outbreaks was variable, although a number of high-burden areas were identified. Outbreaks were highly seasonal with 2 high-risk periods corresponding to the annual rainy seasons. Conclusions: Shehia-targeted interventions should be complemented with island-wide cholera prevention activities given the spatial variability in cholera risk from outbreak to outbreak. In-depth risk factor analyses should be conducted in the high-burden shehias. The seasonal nature of cholera provides annual windows of opportunity for cholera preparedness activities.

Visible light photocatalytic disintegration of waste activated sludge for enhancing biogas production.

Biogas production using waste activated sludge (WAS) is one of the most demanding technologies for sludge treatment and generating energy in sustainable manner. The present study deals with the photocatalytic pretreatment of WAS using ZnO-ZnS@polyaniline (ZnO-ZnS@PANI) nanocomposite as means for increasing its degradability for improved biogas production by anaerobic digestion (AD). Photocatalysis accelerated the hydrolysis of WAS and increased the sCOD by 6.7 folds after 6 h and transform tCOD into bioavailable sCOD. After the AD of WAS, a removal of organic matter (60.6%) and tCOD (69.3%) was achieved in photocatalytic pretreated sludge. The biogas production was 1.6 folds higher in photocatalytic sludge with accumulative biogas up to 1645.1 ml L-1vs after 45 days compared with the raw sludge (1022.4 ml L-1VS). Moreover, the photocatalysis decrease the onset of methanogenesis from 25 to 12 days while achieve the maximum conversion rate of reducing sugars into organic acids at that time. These results suggested that photocatalysis is an efficient pretreatment method and ZnO-ZnS@PANI can degrade sludge efficiently for enhance biogas production in anaerobic digestion process.