Distribution of Serotypes and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns Among Invasive Pneumococcal Diseases in Saudi Arabia

Yazeed A. Al-Sheikh,Lakshmana K. Gowda,M. Marie Mohammed Ali,James John,Dabwan Khaled Homoud Mohammed,Pradeep Chikkabidare Shashidhar 대한진단검사의학회 2014 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.34 No.5

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae causes life-threatening infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, and febrile bacteremia, particularly in young children. The increasing number of drug-resistant isolates has highlighted the necessity for intervening and controlling disease. To achieve this, information is needed on serotype distribution and patterns of antibiotic resistance in children. Methods All cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children aged less than 15 yr recorded at King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed for serotyping and antibiotic susceptibility. Isolates were collected from 78 consecutive patients with IPD between 2009 and 2012. All collected isolates were subjected to serotyping by co-agglutination, sequential multiplex PCR, and single PCR sequetyping as previously described. Results The most frequently isolated IPD serotypes were 23F, 6B, 19F, 18C, 4, 14, and 19A, which are listed in decreasing order and cover 77% of total isolates. The serotype coverage for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)7, PCV10, and PCV13 was 77%, 81%, and 90%, respectively. Results from sequential multiplex PCR agreed with co-agglutination results. All serotypes could not be correctly identified using single PCR sequetyping. Minimum inhibitory concentration showed that 50 (64%) isolates were susceptible to penicillin, whereas 70 (90%) isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime. Conclusions The most common pneumococcal serotypes occur with frequencies similar to those found in countries where the PCV has been introduced. The most common serotypes in this study are included in the PCVs. Addition of 23A and 15 to the vaccine would improve the PCV performance in IPD prevention.

Distribution of Serotypes and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns Among Invasive Pneumococcal Diseases in Saudi Arabia

Yazeed A. Al-Sherikh,Lakshmana K. Gowda,M. Marie Mohammed Ali,James John,Dabwan Khaled Homoud Mohammed,Pradeep Chikkabidare Shashidhar 대한진단검사의학회 2014 Annals of Laboratory Medicine Vol.34 No.3

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes life-threatening infections such as men- ingitis, pneumonia, and febrile bacteremia, particularly in young children. The increasing number of drug-resistant isolates has highlighted the necessity for intervening and control- ling disease. To achieve this, information is needed on serotype distribution and patterns of antibiotic resistance in children. Methods: All cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children aged less than 15 yr recorded at King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed for serotyping and antibiotic susceptibility. Isolates were collected from 78 consecutive patients with IPD between 2009 and 2012. All collected isolates were sub- jected to serotyping by co-agglutination, sequential multiplex PCR, and single PCR se- quetyping as previously described. Results: The most frequently isolated IPD serotypes were 23F, 6B, 19F, 18C, 4, 14, and 19A, which are listed in decreasing order and cover 77% of total isolates. The serotype coverage for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)7, PCV10, and PCV13 was 77%, 81%, and 90%, respectively. Results from sequential multiplex PCR agreed with co-agglu- tination results. All serotypes could not be correctly identified using single PCR sequetyp- ing. Minimum inhibitory concentration showed that 50 (64%) isolates were susceptible to penicillin, whereas 70 (90%) isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime. Conclusions: The most common pneumococcal serotypes occur with frequencies similar to those found in countries where the PCV has been introduced. The most common sero- types in this study are included in the PCVs. Addition of 23A and 15 to the vaccine would improve the PCV performance in IPD prevention.

Ultimate section capacity of steel thin-walled I-section beam-columns

Adel Helmy Salem,Ezzeldin Yazeed Sayed-Ahmed,Ahmed Abdelsalam El-Serwi,Mohamed Mostafa Korashy 국제구조공학회 2004 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.4 No.5

A numerical model based on the finite element technique is adopted to investigate the behavior and strength of thin-walled I-section beam-columns. The model considers both the material and geometric nonlinearities. The model results were first verified against some of the currently available experimental results. A parametric study was then performed using the numerical model and interaction diagrams for the investigated beam-columns have been presented. The effects of the web depth-to-thickness ratio, flange outstand-to-thickness ratio and bending moment-to-normal force ratio on the ultimate strength of thin-walled I-section beam-columns were scrutinized. The interaction equations adopted for beam columns design by the NAS (North American Specifications for the design of cold formed steel structural members) have been critically reviewed. An equation for the buckling coefficient which considers the interaction between local buckling of the flange and the web of a thin-walled I-section beam-column has been proposed.

Bidirectional Chain Replication for Higher Throughput Provision

( Almetwally M. Mostafa ),( Ahmed E. Youssef ),( Yazeed Ali Aljarbua ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2019 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.13 No.2

Provision of higher throughput without sacrificing consistency guarantees in replication systems is a critical problem. In this paper, we propose a novel approach called Bidirectional Chain Replication (BCR) to improve throughput in traditional Chain Replication (CR) through better utilization of computing and communication resources of the chain. Unlike CR where the whole replicated data store is treated as a single unit, in BCR the replicated shared data at each server in the chain is split into two disjoint Logical Partitions (LP1, LP2). This forms two chains running concurrently on the same hardware in two opposite directions; the first chain (CR1) exclusively manipulates data objects in LP1, while the second chain (CR2) exclusively manipulates data objects in LP2, therefore, conflict is avoided and concurrency is guaranteed. The simultaneous employment of these two chains results in better utilization of hardware in the sense that the two chains can evenly share the workload, hence, throughput can be improved without sacrificing consistency. Experimental results showed an improvement of approximately 85% in throughput of BCR over CR.

Evaluation of facial appearance in patients with repaired cleft lip and palate: comparing the assessment of laypeople and healthcare professionals

Alhayek, Samar,Alsalem, Mohammed,Alotaibi, Yazeed,Omair, Aamir Korean Association of Maxillofacial Plastic and Re 2019 Maxillofacial Plastic Reconstructive Surgery Vol.41 No.-

Background: The present study aimed to determine whether laypeople and professionals rate the facial appearance of individuals with repaired complete unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP, BCLP) similarly based on viewing full facial images. Methods: The study followed a cross-sectional analytical design where five young patients aged 10 to 14 years, who had completed all stages of their unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate treatment (bilateral: three, unilateral: two), were evaluated by two groups. The assessment was done by laypeople and 97 qualified professionals (33 orthodontists, 32 plastic surgeons, and 32 oral and maxillofacial surgeons). Professionals were not involved in any stage of the patients' treatment. Results: The facial appearance assessment of the professional groups on different facial aesthetics was significantly lower than that of laypeople, and they had higher perceived need for further treatment. On the other hand, laypeople had higher aesthetic ratings and lower perceived need for further treatment. Differences were also observed between the assessments of the professional groups. Participants who had lower aesthetic assessments of the repair tended to report a higher influence of cleft lip and palate on social activities and professional life. Conclusion: Differences in perception exist between healthcare professionals and laypeople. The discrepancies between the professional groups could be attributed to different treatment modalities and protocols.

Urinary phthalate metabolites among children in Saudi Arabia: Occurrences, risks, and their association with oxidative stress markers

Lee, Inae,Alakeel, Raid,Kim, Sungmin,Al-Sheikh, Yazeed A.,Al-Mandeel, Hazem,Alyousef, Abdullah A.,Kho, Younglim,Choi, Kyungho Elsevier BV 2019 Science of the Total Environment Vol.654 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Phthalates have been used as plasticizers in numerous consumer applications and therefore, their metabolites have been detected in human urine worldwide. Despite concerns regarding their potential adverse health effects, few exposure assessments have been conducted among young populations in Middle Eastern countries. In this study, children (n = 109, aged 3–9 years) were recruited from four elementary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2017, and major phthalate metabolites were measured in their urine. Their parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on their behalf to assess potential exposure sources of phthalates. In addition to 18 phthalate metabolites, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured in urine samples by LC/MS/MS. Among the children of Saudi Arabia, urinary levels of monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP) and monobutyl phthalate (MnBP) were higher than those reported previously in children worldwide. Monoethyl phthalate (MEP) was also detected at high levels. Several phthalate metabolites showed significant associations with the levels of MDA or 8-OHdG. Hazard quotients (HQs) derived for certain phthalates were greater than one. In particular, the HQs for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were greater than one in 34% of the participating children. Levels of monocyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), monoisodecyl phthalate (MiDP), mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), and mono[2-(carboxymethyl)hexyl] phthalate (MCMHP) in the urine samples were positively associated with the consumption frequency of certain foods. Very high levels of exposure to phthalates, along with positive associations with oxidative stress markers, outline the importance of follow-up investigations for identification of phthalate exposure sources and potential health implications among the young population of Saudi Arabia.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Eighteen phthalate metabolites were analyzed in urine samples from Saudi Arabian children. </LI> <LI> MiBP and MnBP were detected at higher levels than those reported in other countries. </LI> <LI> Approximately 34% of the children showed potential risks (HQ > 1) from DEHP exposure. </LI> <LI> Certain phthalate metabolites were associated with oxidative stress markers. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Comprehensive investigations of key mitochondrial metabolic changes in senescent human fibroblasts

Ghneim, Hazem K.,Alfhili, Mohammad A.,Alharbi, Sami O.,Alhusayni, Shady M.,Abudawood, Manal,Aljaser, Feda S.,Al-Sheikh, Yazeed A. The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2022 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.26 No.4

There is a paucity of detailed data related to the effect of senescence on the mitochondrial antioxidant capacity and redox state of senescent human cells. Activities of TCA cycle enzymes, respiratory chain complexes, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), superoxide anions (SA), lipid peroxides (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC), thioredoxin reductase 2 (TrxR2), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1), glutathione reductase (GR), reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), along with levels of nicotinamide cofactors and ATP content were measured in young and senescent human foreskin fibroblasts. Primary and senescent cultures were biochemically identified by monitoring the augmented cellular activities of key glycolytic enzymes including phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and glycogen phosphorylase, and accumulation of H₂O₂, SA, LPO, PCC, and GSSG. Citrate synthase, aconitase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and complex I-III, II-III, and IV activities were significantly diminished in P25 and P35 cells compared to P5 cells. This was accompanied by significant accumulation of mitochondrial H₂O₂, SA, LPO, and PCC, along with increased transcriptional and enzymatic activities of TrxR2, SOD2, GPx1, and GR. Notably, the GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly reduced whereas NAD⁺/NADH and NADP⁺/NADPH ratios were significantly elevated. Metabolic exhaustion was also evident in senescent cells underscored by the severely diminished ATP/ADP ratio. Profound oxidative stress may contribute, at least in part, to senescence pointing at a potential protective role of antioxidants in aging-associated disease.

Protecting Privacy of User Data in Intelligent Transportation Systems

Yazed Alsaawy,Ahmad Alkhodre,Adnan Abi Sen International Journal of Computer ScienceNetwork S 2023 International journal of computer science and netw Vol.23 No.5

The intelligent transportation system has made a huge leap in the level of human services, which has had a positive impact on the quality of life of users. On the other hand, these services are becoming a new source of risk due to the use of data collected from vehicles, on which intelligent systems rely to create automatic contextual adaptation. Most of the popular privacy protection methods, such as Dummy and obfuscation, cannot be used with many services because of their impact on the accuracy of the service provided itself, they depend on changing the number of vehicles or their physical locations. This research presents a new approach based on the shuffling Nicknames of vehicles. It fully maintains the quality of the service and prevents tracking users permanently, penetrating their privacy, revealing their whereabouts, or discovering additional details about the nature of their behavior and movements. Our approach is based on creating a central Nicknames Pool in the cloud as well as distributed subpools in fog nodes to avoid intelligent delays and overloading of the central architecture. Finally, we will prove by simulation and discussion by examples the superiority of the proposed approach and its ability to adapt to new services and provide an effective level of protection. In the comparison, we will rely on the wellknown privacy criteria: Entropy, Ubiquity, and Performance.

中国电力企业远程用电检查技术的应用现状及对策

李亚泽(Yaze Li) YIXIN 출판사 2023 Journal of China Studies Vol.1 No.4

随着电力行业的快速发展,远程用电检查技术已经在电力行业中得到了广泛的应用。远程用电检查技术的应用对于电力行业的发展具有重要意义,因此电力企业应该加强对这种技术的研发和应用,以提高电力系统的安全性和稳定性。本文首先对远程用电技术及用电现状进行了简要分析和阐述,总结了远程用电检查中存在的一系列问题,包含通信设备和技术差异导致的用电信息传输效率低、实践操作中操作人员能力素质水平导致的用电检查不精准、用电检查设备系统不完善导致的检查不准确等。最后,笔者通过上述问题的分析提出了相关的问题解决实践策略。电力企业应该加强信息化基础设施建设,提高用电信息传输效率,及时更新用电检查系统,鼓励用电系统的创新与实践操作,为我国电力行业的发展提供更完善的发展思路。 With the rapid development of the power industry, remote power inspection technology has been widely used in the power industry. The application of remote power inspection technology is of great significance to the development of the power industry, so the power enterprises should strengthen the research and development and application of this technology to improve the safety and stability of the power system. Firstly, this paper briefly analyzes and expounds the technology and current situation of remote power consumption, and summarizes a series of problems existing in remote power consumption inspection, including low transmission efficiency of power consumption information caused by differences in communication equipment and technology, inaccurate power consumption inspection caused by the ability and quality of operators in practical operation, and inaccurate inspection caused by imperfect power consumption inspection equipment system. Finally, through the analysis of the above problems, the author puts forward the relevant problem-solving practice strategy. Electric power enterprises should strengthen the construction of information infrastructure, improve the efficiency of electricity information transmission, timely update the electricity inspection system, encourage the innovation and practical operation of the electricity system, and provide a more perfect development idea for the development of China’s electric power industry.