Measuring subjective cognitive complaints with covid-19 brain fog using the subjective scale to investigate cognition (SSTICS).

The term "brain fog" has emerged from the observations of neuropsychiatric conditions present in post-COVID-19 infections. This is characterized by concentration and memory problems, selective attention disorders and difficulties in executive functions, yet it is unclear how long these deficits may persist and which cognitive functions are most vulnerable. Therefore, there is a need to properly evaluate these cognitive complaints using an assessment tool that specifies their intensity and nature.

Portfolio practices in the principal evaluation process: A qualitative case study.

Background: The portfolio is a vital component of the evaluation of principals and serves as a repository of evidence of achievements, skills, and capabilities. It facilitates the meticulous recording and documentation of experiences undertaken. Furthermore, the portfolio is instrumental in the refinement of conceptual ideas over time, while simultaneously offering a panoramic vista of a school's operational ethos and its alignment with professional benchmarks.

Hereditary Multiple Intestinal Atresia With a Novel TTC7A Pathogenic Variant: Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Two Cases.

Hereditary multiple intestinal atresia (HMIA) with mutation is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous gene mutation. It is characterized by multiple small and large intestinal atresias and/or stenoses. mutation is described in some patients with inflammatory bowel disease and mild-severe forms of severe combined immunodeficiency without intestinal atresia or stenosis.

The impact of work pressure on decision-making effectiveness among department heads in faculties of educational sciences.

This study explores the dynamics of work pressure and decision-making effectiveness among university department heads within the context of Middle Eastern higher education. It aims to address a significant gap in the literature by answering five key questions: (1) What level of work pressure do department heads face as perceived by faculty members? (2) Does work pressure vary based on gender or years of experience? (3) How effective are department heads in decision-making? (4) Are there differences in decision-making effectiveness related to gender, university affiliation, or experience? (5) Is there a correlation between work pressure and decision-making effectiveness? A quantitative correlational research design was employed, gathering data from a questionnaire distributed to 205 faculty members. Correlational descriptive analysis revealed that department heads are subjected to high levels of work pressure but maintain a high level of decision-making effectiveness.

Vision-Related Quality of Life Among Diabetic Retinopathy Patients in a Hospital-Based Population in the Sultanate of Oman.

Background: The global prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among individuals with diabetes is 22.27%. This highlights the likelihood of developing burden of retinopathy within the at risk population and can have a detrimental impact on an individual's quality of life (QoL).

Plastic vs. glass: the effect of the synthetic material in contact with DMEK tissue during staining on endothelial cell loss.

Purpose: Endothelial cell loss (ECL) during Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) graft preparation has been shown to affect graft survival and the need for re-grafting. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess the impact of the plastic and glass mediums in contact with DMEK donor tissue during intra-operative graft staining on ECL.

Methods: Retrospective study that included patients who underwent DMEK surgery between January 2019 and June 2021 at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada.

Liquid vs dried blood matrices: Application to longitudinal monitoring of androstenedione, testosterone, and IGF-1 by LC-MS-based techniques.

Background: Dried blood spots have recently been approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency as an alternative biological matrix for testing of doping substances. However, their use is limited to the detection of non-threshold compounds without a Minimum Reporting Level due to the numerous issues related to quantitative analyses and the limitation on testing capabilities of a haemolysed matrix.

Aim: In this study androstenedione, testosterone and IGF-1 were longitudinally monitored in four different blood matrices to evaluate the potential of liquid capillary blood as an alternative matrix for quantitative determination in doping control analysis.

Effect of Low-Level Lasers on Total Bilirubin Concentration in Human Blood Plasma Using 375 and 650 nm Lasers.

The current research extends previous laboratory investigations by investigating the effects of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) on human blood plasma. Total bilirubin is of special importance because of its potential biostimulatory and modulatory actions. This study aims to analyze changes in total bilirubin content as a consequence of LLLI on human blood plasma.

Experiences of university teachers with rotational blended learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative case study.

This qualitative case study examines the self-efficacy of university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic as they struggle to incorporate new technology, teaching strategies, and curriculum delivery in the shift from total remote learning to biweekly rotation learning--two weeks of face-to-face learning and two weeks online. This study was conducted over one full semester among university teachers teaching undergraduate students with the rotation model at one federal university located in the United Arab Emirates. A case study design was used as a methodology to guide this research with a primary data collection method of semi-structured interviews of 11 teachers corroborated by both in-person and online classroom observations.

Enzyme stabilization and thermotolerance function of the intrinsically disordered LEA2 proteins from date palm.

In date palm, the LEA2 genes are of abundance with sixty-two members that are nearly all ubiquitous. However, their functions and interactions with potential target molecules are largely unexplored. In this study, five date palm LEA2 genes, PdLEA2.

A critical assessment of nanoparticles enhanced phase change materials (NePCMs) for latent heat energy storage applications.

Phase change material (PCM) laden with nanoparticles has been testified as a notable contender to increase the effectiveness of latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) units during charging and discharging modes. In this study, a numerical model is developed and implemented based on the coupling between an advanced two-phase model for the nanoparticles-enhanced PCM (NePCM) and the enthalpy-porosity formulation for the transient behavior of the phase change. Therefore, a porosity source term is added to the nanoparticles transport equation to account for the particles' frozen state in regions occupied by solid PCM.

The prevalence and correlates of depression among patients with chronic diseases in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: Chronic diseases constitute a major public health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Chronic diseases have been found to be associated with an increased prevalence of depression and depressive symptoms. Depression can have detrimental effect on the prognosis of the disease and quality of life in patients.

Relationship between lipid profile, inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers, and type 1 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study.

Objective: Inflammation is a major factor in endothelial dysfunction (ED) which is the earliest predictor of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. This study aimed to describe the possible relationship between plasma lipids and inflammatory and ED biomarkers in young Emirati patients with and without T1DM.

Methods: This case-control study included 158 patients with T1DM and 157 healthy controls from the local population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ultrasonication as a novel processing alternative to pasteurization for camel milk: Effects on microbial load, protein profile, and bioactive properties.

Ultrasonic technology presents a promising novel tool in the food industry for the processing of milk and dairy products. In this study, we investigated the effects of ultrasonication (US) as an alternative to thermal pasteurization for stabilization of the bioactive properties of camel milk. Camel and bovine milk samples were subjected to US at 6 different power levels (US1-US6), and 1 set of each type of milk was concurrently subjected to flash heat pasteurization (FHP) for comparative analysis (100 mL; n = 4).

Medication Adherence Among Patients with Multimorbidity in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: Multimorbidity, defined as having two or more chronic diseases, has a major impact on public health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study aims to assess the prevalence of medication adherence and associated factors among patients with multimorbidity.

Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted by a trained interviewer across patients with multimorbidity attending outpatient clinics in two tertiary referral hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Shrinkage versus fragmentation response in neoadjuvantly treated oesophageal adenocarcinoma: significant prognostic relevance.

Aims: No consensus exists on the clinical value of tumour regression grading (TRG) systems for therapy effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Existing TRG systems lack standardization and reproducibility, and do not consider the morphological heterogeneity of tumour response. Therefore, we aim to identify morphological tumour regression patterns of oesophageal adenocarcinoma after nCRT and their association with survival.

Age-specific incidence, treatment, and survival trends in esophageal cancer: a Dutch population-based cohort study.

Background: Data on the age-specific incidence of esophageal cancer are lacking. Our aim was to investigate the age-stratified incidence, treatment, and survival trends of esophageal cancer in the Netherlands, with a focus on adults <50 years.

Material And Methods: Patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer were included from the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry (1989-2018).

Systems biology analysis of human genomes points to key pathways conferring spina bifida risk.

Spina bifida (SB) is a debilitating birth defect caused by multiple gene and environment interactions. Though SB shows non-Mendelian inheritance, genetic factors contribute to an estimated 70% of cases. Nevertheless, identifying human mutations conferring SB risk is challenging due to its relative rarity, genetic heterogeneity, incomplete penetrance, and environmental influences that hamper genome-wide association studies approaches to untargeted discovery.

Parkinson's Disease-Related Biomarkers That May Appear in Amphetamine Abusers.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. Amphetamine addiction may cause serious of psychotic and physical damage to humans. There is some evidence that shows that amphetamine may increase the risk of PD.

Mental Health, resilience, and religiosity in the elderly under COVID-19 quarantine in Qatar.

Introduction: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine has been associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. We hypothesize these symptoms might even be more pronounced in the elderly, who may be particularly sensitive to social isolation. However, certain individuals might be more resilient than others due to their coping mechanisms, including religious coping.