Abstract Objective Effective diabetic management requires reasonable weight control. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown the beneficial effects of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) ...in patients with type 2 diabetes after its long term administration. Furthermore, it favorably alters the cardiac risk factors even in hyperlipidemic obese subjects. These studies have indicated that, in addition to decreasing body weight and improving glycemia, LCKD can be effective in decreasing antidiabetic medication dosage. Similar to the LCKD, the conventional low-calorie, high nutritional value diet is also used for weight loss. The purpose of this study was to understand the beneficial effects of LCKD compared with the low-calorie diet (LCD) in improving glycemia. Methods Three hundred and sixty-three overweight and obese participants were recruited from the Al-Shaab Clinic for a 24-wk diet intervention trial; 102 of them had type 2 diabetes. The participants were advised to choose LCD or LDKD, depending on their preference. Body weight, body mass index, changes in waist circumference, blood glucose level, changes in hemoglobin and glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, urea and creatinine were determined before and at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 wk after the administration of the LCD or LCKD. The initial dose of some antidiabetic medications was decreased to half and some were discontinued at the beginning of the dietary program in the LCKD group. Dietary counseling and further medication adjustment were done on a biweekly basis. Results The LCD and LCKD had beneficial effects on all the parameters examined. Interestingly, these changes were more significant in subjects who were on the LCKD as compared with those on the LCD. Changes in the level of creatinine were not statistically significant. Conclusion This study shows the beneficial effects of a ketogenic diet over the conventional LCD in obese diabetic subjects. The ketogenic diet appears to improve glycemic control. Therefore, diabetic patients on a ketogenic diet should be under strict medical supervision because the LCKD can significantly lower blood glucose levels.
This is a retrospective single-center study of 417 consecutive patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital in Kuwait between February 24, 2020 and May 24, ...2020. In total, 39.3% of patients were asymptomatic, 41% were symptomatic with mild/moderate symptoms, 19.7% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Most common symptoms in cohort patients were fever (34.3%) and dry cough (32.6%) while shortness in breath was reported in (75.6%) of ICU admissions. Reported complications requiring ICU admission included Sepsis (68.3%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (95.1%) and heart failure (63.4%). ICU patients were more likely to have comorbidities, in comparison to non-ICU patients, including diabetes (35.4% vs 20.3%) and hypertension (40.2% vs 26.9%). Mortality rate of cohort was 14.4% and mean age of death was 54.20 years (± 11.09) and 90% of death cases were males. Chest high-resolution computed tomography for ICU cases reveled multifocal large patchy areas of ground glass opacification mixed with dense consolidation. Cases admitted to ICU showed abnormal levels of markers associated with infection, inflammation, abnormal blood clotting, heart problems and kidney problems. Mean hospital stay for asymptomatic cases was 20.69 days ±8.57 and for mild/moderate cases was 21.4 days ±8.28. Mean stay in ICU to outcome for survivors was 11.95 days ±8.96 and for death cases 13.15 days ±10.02. In this single-center case series of 417 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Kuwait 39.3% were asymptomatic cases, 41% showed mild/moderate symptoms and 18.7% were admitted to ICU with a mortality rate of 14.4%.
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally, presenting an immense public and economic burden. Studies on cardioprotective foods and their bioactive components are needed to address ...both personal and public health needs. Date fruit is rich in polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, certain micronutrients, and dietary fiber, which can impact vascular health, and have the potential to attenuate vascular disease in humans. Data from in vitro and animal studies report that consumption of date fruit or extracts can modulate select markers of vascular health, particularly plasma lipid levels including triglycerides and cholesterol, indices of oxidative stress and inflammation, but human data is scant. More investigation is needed to better characterize date polyphenols and unique bioactive compounds or fractions, establish safe and effective levels of intake, and delineate underlying mechanisms of action. Implementing scientific rigor in clinical trials and assessment of functional markers of vascular disease, such as flow-mediated dilation and peripheral arterial tonometry, along with gut microbiome profiles would provide useful information with respect to human health. Emerging data supports the notion that intake of date fruit and extracts can be a useful component of a healthy lifestyle for those seeking beneficial effects on vascular health.
The study of an Arabic newspaper published by the British during World War II shows how photographs played an important role in the propaganda campaign to gain Arab support in the Middle East. While ...the newspaper purported to cover the war, in actuality, the content contained mostly cultural photographs that contributed to the Allies’ implementation of psychological warfare, particularly emphasizing Arab identity, lifestyle in England, development in the Arab World, and the solid Arab–Allies relationship. The results of this study demonstrate how photographs played an important role in the propaganda machine, which, in this case, was intended to positively impress Arabs and Muslims in the Arabian Peninsula and turn them against the Axis.
Recently, the State of Kuwait has witnessed a steady rise in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The present study aims to provide an update on the rate of overweight or obesity ...among Kuwaiti adolescents and examines the associations between adolescents' overweight/obesity levels and their perception of body weight as seen by parents or friends.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kuwaiti secondary schools and included adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years, using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Body weight and height were measured. A specifically designed self-report questionnaire was used to assess parents' and friends' perceptions of an adolescent's body weight.
A total of 706 adolescents were included the study. The prevalence of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents reached nearly 50%, with males (54.3%) having a significantly higher overweight or obesity percentage than females (44.6%). No significant difference in the prevalence of obesity relative to age, from 15 to 18 years, was found. In addition, logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and gender, revealed that adolescents perceived their parents (p = 0.011 and p < 0.001) or friends (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001) as more likely to classify their weight as overweight or obese, respectively.
Overweight or obesity levels appear to be high among Kuwaiti adolescents, and appears to have reached a plateau recently. Efforts to combat obesity and promote physical activity and healthy nutrition are needed. Future studies should seek to identify important moderators of parental and social underestimation/overestimation of children's overweight or obesity.
•Electronic calculations of MgO monolayer show that this structure is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap about 3.8 eV at gamma point.•Magnetic calculations of MgO monolayer exhibit that this ...structure has a non-magnetic behavior in spin polarization system and if O atom is substituted by nonmagnetic dopant atoms such as (B, C, N and F), different behaviors are achieved as follows: magnetic half-metal features for B and C-doped, antiferromagnetic semiconductor for the N-doped and nonmagnetic metal for the F-doped MgO monolayer. The total magnetic moments of MgO monolayers doped by B, C and N are 3, 2, and 1 µB, respectively.•Optical calculations of MgO and F-doped MgO monolayer show that both structures are transparent at energies as high as more than 30eV and there is no more reflectance.
MgO as one of the alkaline earth oxides has various applications in industry. In this work, we aim to investigate the electronic, optical and magnetic properties of MgO monolayers. Furthermore, monolayer structures with substituted B, N, C and F atoms instead of O atom are studied. These results indicate that MgO layer has possessed potential application in optoelectronic and spintronic nano-devices.
The objective of this investigation was to identify the lineages of MRSA and MSSA with reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine in Kuwaiti hospitals. 121 clinical MRSA and 56 MSSA isolates were ...included in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for a selection of agents including chlorhexidine and resistance genes were amplified and sequenced. PFGE, spa typing, and MLST were completed for a selection of isolates. The results showed SCC
II, III, IV, and V were present in 0.8, 21.5, 69.4, and 8.3% of the MRSA isolates.
was the most prevalent type in both MSSA (48%) and MRSA (54%). Forty-five percentage of MRSA contained
and 39% contained
, however, as many as 86% of MSSA contained
and 96.4% contained
A-C genes were identified in 12.3% of MRSA,
A was present in 82.6% and
Z in 94.2%. Among MSSA only 5.4% harbored
A, 83% contained
A, and 91%
Z. Multi-drug resistant ST239/t945 lineage containing a
gene was the most identified
. However, other lineages, including ST772-MRSA-V/t4867/
(+)
and non-
harboring lineages of ST217-MRSAIV/t3244/
(-), ST34-MSSA/t161/
(+), ST5-MSSA/t688/
(+), ST5-MSSA/t4867/
A(+), and ST672-MSSA/t003/
(-), also showed reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine. The observed reduced susceptibility of non-
dependent MSSA isolates to chlorhexidine suggests the involvement of other elements in promoting higher MBC (≥30 mg/L). Our results confirm that monitoring MSSA is essential as they may have the potential to survive low level biocide exposure.
The emergence of new COVID-19 variants of concern coupled with a global inequity in vaccine access and distribution has prompted many public health authorities to circumvent the vaccine shortages by ...altering vaccination protocols and prioritizing persons at high risk. Individuals with previous COVID-19 infection may not have been prioritized due to existing humoral immunity.
We aimed to study the association between previous COVID-19 infection and antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccination.
A serological analysis to measure SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies was performed on individuals who received one or two doses of either BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 vaccines in Kuwait. A Student
-test was performed and followed by generalized linear regression models adjusted for individual characteristics and comorbidities were fitted to compare the average levels of IgG and neutralizing antibodies between vaccinated individuals with and without previous COVID-19 infection.
A total of 1,025 individuals were recruited. The mean levels of IgG, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies were higher in vaccinated subjects with previous COVID-19 infections than in those without previous infection. Regression analysis showed a steeper slope of decline for IgG and neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated individuals without previous COVID-19 infection compared to those with previous COVID-19 infection.
Previous COVID-19 infection appeared to elicit robust and sustained levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in vaccinated individuals. Given the inconsistent supply of COVID-19 vaccines in many countries due to inequities in global distribution, our results suggest that even greater efforts should be made to vaccinate more people, especially individuals without previous COVID-19 infection.
The advent of the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) has made it possible to record diffraction snapshots of biological entities injected into the X-ray beam before the onset of radiation damage. ...Algorithmic means must then be used to determine the snapshot orientations and thence the three-dimensional structure of the object. Existing Bayesian approaches are limited in reconstruction resolution typically to 1/10 of the object diameter, with the computational expense increasing as the eighth power of the ratio of diameter to resolution. We present an approach capable of exploiting object symmetries to recover three-dimensional structure to high resolution, and thus reconstruct the structure of the satellite tobacco necrosis virus to atomic level. Our approach offers the highest reconstruction resolution for XFEL snapshots to date and provides a potentially powerful alternative route for analysis of data from crystalline and nano-crystalline objects.
The molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) were determined in hospitals in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), namely, ...Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
Isolates were screened for common carbapenem-resistance genes by PCR. Relatedness between isolates was assessed using previously described genotyping methods: an informative-single nucleotide polymorphism MassARRAY iPLEX assay (iPLEX20SNP) and the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR assay, with selected isolates being subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Ninety-five non-repetitive isolates that were found to be resistant to carbapenems were subjected to further investigation.Results/Key findings. The most prevalent carbapenemase-encoding gene, blaVIM-type, was found in 37/95 (39 %) isolates, while only 1 isolate (from UAE) was found to have blaIMP-type. None of the CRPA were found to have blaNDM-type or blaKPC-type. We found a total of 14 sequence type (ST) clusters, with 4 of these clusters being observed in more than 1 country. Several clusters belonged to the previously recognized internationally disseminated high-risk clones ST357, ST235, ST111, ST233 and ST654. We also found the less predominant ST316, ST308 and ST823 clones, and novel MLST types (ST2010, ST2011, ST2012 and ST2013), in our collection.
Overall our data show that 'high-risk' CRPA clones are now detected in the region and highlight the need for strategies to limit further spread of such organisms, including enhanced surveillance, infection control precautions and further promotion of antibiotic stewardship programmes.
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