Publications by authors named "Al-Ali F"

Article Synopsis
  • T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, which are important for antibody production, rely heavily on the immunoreceptor PD-1, and its deficiency leads to weakened Tfh functions and impaired immune responses in mice.
  • Individuals lacking PD-1 or PD-L1 demonstrate fewer memory B cells and diminished antibody responses, highlighting the critical role of these molecules in immune system functionality.
  • PD-1 influences both the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of B cell memory and antibody production, suggesting that disruptions in PD-1 signaling can lead to complications in immune responses, especially during anti-PD-1-PD-L1 therapies.
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Objective: This study investigates the efficacy and feasibility of electrical stimulation (E-Stim) on sensory fibers of the plantar region during hemodialysis sessions, aiming to improve mobility in patients with diabetes by providing a connection between E-Stim and enhanced mobility with minimal patient effort required.

Research Design And Methods: Participants aged ≥18 years with diabetes undergoing hemodialysis and able to walk at least 10 m with or without aid were recruited and divided into an intervention group receiving 1-h intradialytic E-Stim three times a week and a control group using an identical nonfunctional device for 12 weeks. Gait, physical activity, patient-reported outcomes, and the technology acceptance model were assessed to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness and acceptance.

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Background: Myxomas are the most common primary benign heart tumors, typically found in the left atrium, with only 2-4% occurring in the right ventricle. Clinical presentations vary widely, including congestive heart failure and systemic embolic phenomena. This case report describes a rare right ventricular myxoma causing both inflow and outflow obstruction, presenting as progressive exertional dyspnea.

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Background: Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis (PDRP) is the most common complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD), which can lead to poor outcomes if not diagnosed and treated early. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of MMP-8 and IL-6-based point-of-care tests (POCTs) in diagnosing PDRP in PD patients.

Methods: This retrospective chart review study was conducted at a comprehensive kidney center in Qatar.

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Objectives: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analyses was to evaluate the outcomes of alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) following extraction of non-molar teeth in comparison to early implant placement (EIP) in terms of clinical and radiographic changes, need for additional augmentation at the time of implant placement, patient-reported outcomes, and implant failure rate.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized and non-randomized studies that compared ARP to EIP. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool.

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Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis (HD) have an increased risk of death due to the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Vascular calcification (VC) is predictive of cardiovascular disease and mortality. We conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for VC in dialysis patients in Qatar.

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We describe humans with rare biallelic loss-of-function variants impairing pre-α T cell receptor (pre-TCRα) expression. Low circulating naive αβ T cell counts at birth persisted over time, with normal memory αβ and high γδ T cell counts. Their TCRα repertoire was biased, which suggests that noncanonical thymic differentiation pathways can rescue αβ T cell development.

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De novo aortic regurgitation (AR) presents a great challenge following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and requires valve replacement in some cases. Patients with LVAD are frequently those who underwent multiple previous sternotomies or suffer from multiple comorbidities. Thus, they are at high surgical risk for further sternotomy.

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Background: Allergic disorders are the consequence of IgE sensitization to allergens. Population studies have shown that certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are associated with increased or decreased risk of developing allergy.

Objective: We aimed to characterize the relationship between HLA class II allelic diversity and IgE sensitization in an understudied Arab population.

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Older adults with diabetes receiving hemodialysis have impaired gait speed and balance compared to the general population, which have been associated with increased risks of falls and mortality. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a game-based intradialytic exercise training program (iExergame) on improving gait speed and balance. This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

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Article Synopsis
  • Early-career researchers need to develop skills for effectively searching and extracting information from biomedical literature, which is crucial for evaluating research results and finding publishing opportunities.
  • A hands-on training curriculum was designed to help researchers retrieve, profile, and visualize literature related to specific topics, illustrated by the ISG15 gene case.
  • Participants gain practical skills like crafting PubMed queries, identifying key concepts, measuring their prevalence, extracting information from articles, and presenting findings through an interactive web application.
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Background: Impaired mobility is a debilitating consequence of hemodialysis. We examined the efficacy of intradialytic-plantar-electrical-nerve-stimulation (iPENS) to promote mobility among diabetes patients undergoing hemodialysis..

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Background: This cross-sectional study aimed to compare physical activity levels, plantar sensation, and fear of falling between individuals with diabetes undergoing hemodialysis, with or without walking aids.

Methods: Sixty-four participants were recruited, with 37 not using walking aids (age = 65.8 ± 0.

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Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with multimorbidity and high treatment burden. Pill-burden is one component of the overall treatment burden. However, little is known about its magnitude and contribution to the overall treatment burden among patients with advanced stages of CKD.

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Introduction Epileptogenesis has been considered one of the most prevalent diseases affecting significant numbers of individuals worldwide. Since vitamin B12 has been reported to possess antiepileptic effects, this supports that vitamin B12 deficiency is correlated to seizure occurrence. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of vitamin B12 injection on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced rats.

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Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications are among the most discussed modern technologies today. Despite the rapidly expanding use of AI in medicine, and specifically in dermatology, only a few studies have studied the attitude of physicians toward AI.

Objective: To recognize the attitudes towards AI among dermatologists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Article Synopsis
  • Patients with autosomal recessive (AR) IL-12p40 or IL-12Rβ1 deficiencies are prone to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD) due to low IFN-γ production, and may also experience chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) from reduced IL-17A/F production.
  • The study identifies six patients with AR IL-23R deficiency, all showing MSMD symptoms, but CMC only in two, linked to specific genetic variants affecting IL-23's function.
  • IL-23 is essential for stimulating IFN-γ immunity in certain immune cells and plays a more limited role in IL-17A production, shedding light on why some patients have a higher incidence of
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Article Synopsis
  • Inborn errors affecting the immune response to IFN-γ lead to mycobacterial diseases, while errors in IFN-α/β impact defense against viral infections.
  • A study of children with complete IRF1 deficiency showed they suffered from severe mycobacterial infections but displayed normal responses to various viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
  • IRF1 plays a crucial role in the immune response to mycobacteria, enhancing IFN-γ responses, while its absence does not significantly hinder antiviral defenses associated with IFN-α/β.
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Introduction: In this study, we aimed at exploring the morphologic and quantitative abnormalities in the peripheral blood counts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Methods: A cohort of 131 COVID-19 patients was recruited at University Hospital Sharjah (UHS), UAE. Their peripheral blood smears were examined for morphological evaluation.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A study was conducted to explore potential changes in menstrual cycles post-COVID-19 vaccination among women in six Arab countries, focusing on cycle length, bleeding duration, and pain levels.
  • - Results from nearly 5,000 menstruating females indicated that vaccinated individuals experienced increased back pain, nausea, menstrual pain, and heavier bleeding compared to those unvaccinated.
  • - The study concluded that the COVID-19 vaccine might influence menstrual patterns, highlighting the need for further longitudinal research to fully understand these effects.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates autoimmune antibodies in COVID-19 patients across different severity levels, noting the link between severe cases and the presence of these antibodies, particularly antinuclear antibodies (ANA).
  • In ICU patients, a small percentage exhibited strong and moderate levels of ANA, while no non-ICU patients tested positive, indicating a potential connection between severity and autoimmune responses.
  • The findings suggest that screening for autoimmune responses in COVID-19 patients could enhance patient management and that ANA-positive individuals may not be suitable for convalescent plasma therapy.
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The atmospheric reaction of a series of furan compounds (furan (F), 2-methylfuran (2-MF), 3-methylfuran (3-MF), 2,5-dimethylfuran (2,5-DMF), and 2,3,5-trimethylfuran (2,3,5-TMF)) with nitrate radical (NO) has been investigated using the relative rate kinetic method in the CHamber for the Atmospheric Reactivity and the Metrology of the Environment (CHARME) simulation chamber at the laboratoire de Physico-Chimie de l'Atmosphere (LPCA) laboratory (Dunkerque, France). The experiments were performed at (294 ± 2) K atmospheric pressure and under dry conditions (relative humidity, RH < 2%) with proton transfer mass reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) for the chemical analysis. The following rate coefficients (in units cm molecule s) were determined: furan, = (1.

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Inborn errors of IFN-γ immunity can underlie tuberculosis (TB). We report three patients from two kindreds without EBV viremia or disease but with severe TB and inherited complete ITK deficiency, a condition associated with severe EBV disease that renders immunological studies challenging. They have CD4+ αβ T lymphocytopenia with a concomitant expansion of CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) αβ and Vδ2- γδ T lymphocytes, both displaying a unique CD38+CD45RA+T-bet+EOMES- phenotype.

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