Gut microbiota analyses of Saudi populations for type 2 diabetes-related phenotypes reveals significant association.

Background: Large-scale gut microbiome sequencing has revealed key links between microbiome dysfunction and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). To date, these efforts have largely focused on Western populations, with few studies assessing T2D microbiota associations in Middle Eastern communities where T2D prevalence is now over 20%. We analyzed the composition of stool 16S rRNA from 461 T2D and 119 non-T2D participants from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Effect of Leadership Support, Work Conditions and Job Security on Job Satisfaction in a Medical College.

Background: Faculty members are crucial elements of an educational institution, and their job satisfaction is likely essential for success of the educational process. Leadership support, work conditions and perceived job security could be factors affecting academic job satisfaction.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of leadership support, work conditions and perceived job security on the overall academic job satisfaction of faculty.

Profile of non-communicable disease risk factors among employees at a Saudi university.

Background: There is paucity of studies defining the prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in Saudi Arabia despite the surging epidemic of obesity, change in dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle.

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of NCDs risk factors among employees at King Faisal University in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia and to determine the possible correlates for clustering of NCDs risk factors among them.

Materials And Methods: All employees were invited to participate; the World Health Organization STEPwise approach was used for data collection which consisted of a personal interview to collect socio-demographic characteristics, NCD history, tobacco use, vegetables and fruit consumption, and physical activity (PA), followed by anthropometric measurements namely weight, height and waist circumference and blood pressure measurements, subjects were finally subjected to biochemical tests with determination of fasting plasma glucose, serum triglycerides, cholesterol and high density lipoproteins.

Favorable impact of Nigella sativa seeds on lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background And Aim: The atherogenic pattern of dyslipidemia associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has been increasingly discussed. We have recently reported a hypoglycemic effect of Nigella sativa (NS) seeds in patients with type 2 DM. In this study we sought to assess the impact of NS seeds on lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.

Coenzyme Q10 counteracts testicular injury induced by sodium arsenite in rats.

The protective effect of coenzyme Q10 against testicular toxicity induced by sodium arsenite (10mg/kg/day, orally for two consecutive days) was investigated in rats. Coenzyme Q10 treatment (10mg/kg/day, i.p.

Coenzyme Q10 treatment ameliorates acute cisplatin nephrotoxicity in mice.

The nephroprotective effect of coenzyme Q10 was investigated in mice with acute renal injury induced by a single i.p. injection of cisplatin (5 mg/kg).

Ameliorative effects of telmisartan in diabetic rats with indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration.

The protective effects of telmisartan, the angiotensin II-receptor antagonist, were investigated in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus exposed to acute gastric ulceration. Following successful induction of diabetes, telmisartan treatment (1 mg/kg/day, orally) was started and continued for 8 weeks, after which acute gastric ulceration was induced by indomethacin. Telmisartan significantly attenuated the hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia in diabetic rats.

Nephroprotective effect of telmisartan in rats with ischemia/reperfusion renal injury.

We investigated the protective effect of telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, against ischemia/reperfusion renal injury in rats. Bilateral ischemia was induced by clamping both renal vascular pedicles for 45 min followed by reperfusion for 3 h. Untreated rats exposed to ischemia/reperfusion showed significant elevations in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels, renal tissue levels of malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and nitric oxide, and caspase-3 activity.

Protective effect of hemin against cadmium-induced testicular damage in rats.

The protective effect of hemin, the heme oxygenase-1 inducer, was investigated in rats with cadmium induced-testicular injury, in which oxidative stress and inflammation play a major role. Testicular damage was induced by a single i.p.

Modified Alvarado score for acute appendicitis in overweight patients.

Objective: To find out the efficacy of Modified Alvarado (MA) scoring system in diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the overweight patients.

Methods: All the patients with suspected acute appendicitis admitted in the surgical department at King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Al-Hassa, during the period from September 2004 to December 2006 were included in the study. Patients with score of 7 or more of modified Alvarado score were included, patients with score of 6 or less were excluded.

Overweight and obesity and their relation to dietary habits and socio-demographic characteristics among male primary school children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background: Several studies were carried out to study the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Saudi children, but those assessed the association between eating habits, socio-demographic differentials and obesity in these children are scarce.

Objectives: To assess the magnitude of obesity and overweight among male primary schoolchildren and to find the possible association between obesity/overweight with dietary habits and socio-demographic differentials among them.

Study Design And Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study including 1,139 Saudi male enrolled in the fifth and sixth grades in public primary schools in Al Hassa, KSA, through a multistage random sampling technique, submitted to interview using Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire, gathering data regarding dietary intake, some dietary habits, followed by anthropometric measurements with calculation of body mass index, the interpretation of which was based on using Cole's tables for standard definition of overweight and obesity.

Assessment of the relationship of hepatic enzymes with obesity and insulin resistance in adults in saudi arabia.

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the relationship of hepatic enzymes and serum albumin to obesity and insulin resistance in adults in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A comparative study of 136 Saudi adults, comprising of 68 obese and 68 non-obese was conducted. Anthropometric measurements, hepatic enzymes, serum albumin, blood glucose, serum insulin, lipid profile, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA IR) were measured.

Overweight and Obesity and their Association with Dietary Habits, and Sociodemographic Characteristics Among Male Primary School Children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To assess the magnitude of obesity and overweight among male primary school children, and to find the possible association between obesity/overweight and dietary habits and sociodemographic differentials among them.

Study Design And Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study, including 1139 Saudi male children enrolled in the 5(th) and 6(th) grades in public primary schools in Al Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), was conducted. The test included a multistage random sampling technique, based on interview using Youth and Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire, gathering data regarding dietary intake, dietary habits, followed by anthropometric measurements with the calculation of body mass index (BMI), the interpretation of which was based on Cole's tables for the standard definition of overweight and obesity.

Morbidity patterns among king faisal university students, Al hassa, kingdom of saudi arabia.

Objectives: To explore the prevalent morbidity problems among students at King Faisal University. To identify the nature of referred cases and assess the efficiency of the referral system.

Subjects And Methods: This was a retrospective, records-based descriptive study, involving the examination of the health records of students at King Faisal University, who attended the Medical Center for Primary Health Care services in a five-year period.

Leptin levels in normal weight and obese saudi adults.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to measure serum leptin in normal weight and obese individuals, and assess its relation to anthropometric measures and metabolic indices.

Methods: The study was conducted at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Saudi Arabia, from January 2003 to June 2004. Subjects included in the study were all non-diabetic normotensive adults.

Frequency of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism in patients with cardiovascular disease in Eastern Saudi Arabia.

Objective: Homozygosity for the C677T mutation in the gene of the thermolabile enzyme 5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) associates with reduced enzyme activity, leading to mild hyperhomocysteinemia. We now know that an elevated level of homocysteine is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of the C677T mutation in Saudi patients diagnosed with CVD.

Electives during medical internship.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to find out the reasons for selecting elective rotations during a rotating medical internship.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-eight medical interns in the College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period March 2001 to August 2002 completed a questionnaire for their selection reasons with responses on a scale of 1-5.

Results: The study comprised 60% males and 98.