A Biosynthetic Alternative to Human Amniotic Membrane for Use in Ocular Surface Surgery.

Purpose: The biosynthetic Symatix membrane (SM) was developed to replace fresh human amniotic membrane (hAM) in ocular surgical applications. The purpose of this study was to test the biocompatibility of the SM with human limbus-derived epithelial cells with regard to their physical and biological properties.

Methods: Different physical properties of SM were tested ex vivo by simulation on human corneas.

The Reproductive Capacities of the Calanoid Copepods and under Different pH and Temperature Conditions.

The increasing atmospheric CO concentrations and warming of marine waters have encouraged experiments on multi-stressor interactions in marine organisms. We conducted a multigenerational experiment to assess reproductive capacities regarding egg production in calanoid copepods and under different pH and temperature conditions. The experimental set-up allowed assessing the tandem effect of warming and acidification on the number of eggs produced by healthy copepod pairs under two pH conditions of 8.

Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Aerosols: Baseline from Kuwait.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to human health worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) has launched the "One-Health" approach, which encourages assessment of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) within environments shared by human-animals-plants-microbes to constrain and alleviate the development of AMR. Aerosols as a medium to disseminate ARGs, have received minimal attention.

Aligned Polyhydroxyalkanoate Blend Electrospun Fibers as Intraluminal Guidance Scaffolds for Peripheral Nerve Repair.

The use of nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) to treat peripheral nerve injuries is a favorable approach to the current "gold standard" of autografting. However, as simple hollow tubes, they lack specific topographical and mechanical guidance cues present in nerve grafts and therefore are not suitable for treating large gap injuries (30-50 mm). The incorporation of intraluminal guidance scaffolds, such as aligned fibers, has been shown to increase neuronal cell neurite outgrowth and Schwann cell migration distances.

Ocean Acidification-Mediated Food Chain Transfer of Polonium between Primary Producers and Consumers.

Phytoplankton and zooplankton are key marine components that play an important role in metal distribution through a food web transfer. An increased phytoplankton concentration as a result of ocean acidification and warming are well-established, along with the fact that phytoplankton biomagnify 210Po by 3−4 orders of magnitude compared to the seawater concentration. This experimental study is carried out to better understand the transfer of polonium between primary producers and consumers.

A Rare Presentation of Extraosseous Ewing Sarcoma Manifesting as a Dumbbell Tumor on the Nape of the Neck.

Ewing sarcoma is a rare poorly differentiated and highly malignant tumor primarily affecting the skeletal system. It most commonly presents during the first two decades of life and rarely might it be of extraskeletal origin. Majority of extraskeletal cases are reported in the paravertebral and lower limb, with very few cases reported in the cervical spine region.

Circumferential periosteal block versus hematoma block for the reduction of distal radius and ulna fractures: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To assess the analgesic efficacy of the circumferential periosteal block (CPB) and compare it with the conventional fracture hematoma block (HB).

Methods: This study was a prospective single-center randomized controlled trial performed in a national orthopedic hospital. Fifty patients with displaced distal radius (with or without concomitant ulna) fractures requiring reduction were randomized to receive either CPB or HB prior to the reduction.

Bacterial and fungal communities in indoor aerosols from two Kuwaiti hospitals.

The airborne transmission of COVID-19 has drawn immense attention to bioaerosols. The topic is highly relevant in the indoor hospital environment where vulnerable patients are treated and healthcare workers are exposed to various pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes. Knowledge of the microbial communities in such settings will enable precautionary measures to prevent any hospital-mediated outbreak and better assess occupational exposure of the healthcare workers.

A Preliminary Assessment of Size-Fractionated Microplastics in Indoor Aerosol-Kuwait's Baseline.

The omnipresence of microplastic (MP) in various environmental samples, including aerosols, has raised public health concerns; however, there is presently very limited information on MPs in indoor aerosol. This paper presents a unique dataset where smaller MPs have been sampled using a six-stage cascade impactor from indoor environments in Kuwait. The MP concentration in the indoor air varied between 3.

Micro-Nano Plastic in the Aquatic Environment: Methodological Problems and Challenges.

Microplastic research has become a buzz word. It is seen as one of the most pressing issues of Anthropocene contamination. There is certainly no doubt about the ubiquitous presence of microplastic (MP) in almost all environmental matrices.

SARS-CoV-2 in hospital air as revealed by comprehensive respiratory viral panel sequencing.

Background: Nosocomially acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become the most significant pandemic of our lifetime. Though its transmission was essentially attributed to droplets from an infected person, with recent advancements in knowledge, aerosol transmission seems to be a viable pathway, as well. Because of the lower biological load in ambient aerosol, detection of SARS-CoV-2 is challenging.

Temporal trend of polychlorinated biphenyls contamination in the northwestern Arabian Gulf - Evidence from sediment records.

This study provides an insight into the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) inventories in the sediments of the northwestern Arabian/Persian Gulf. PCBs can be used as chemical markers that correlate with historical events in the region, to estimate the sedimentation rates in the northern Gulf, and to determine the sources of pollutants in the study area. The concentrations of PCBs were generally patchy in sediments.

Enhanced Polonium Concentrations in Aerosols from the Gulf Oil Producing Region and the Role of Microorganisms.

This study provides the first data set of Po and Pb activity concentrations in the organic and inorganic components of several particle size classes of aerosols collected at two sampling stations in Kuwait. The Po concentrations in the aerosols (Bq/g) were similar in all of the particle size classes, but as most (91%) of the aerosol load was made of fine fraction particles of PM , most of the Po activity was carried by this aerosol fraction. At the two sampling stations, the Po/Pb activity concentration ratios in the aerosols were similar, stable around the year, and averaged 1.

Colon diverticulosis adherent to mesh plug migration after laparoscopic hernia repair: A case study and review of literature.

Introduction: Inguinal hernia repair has evolved from open suture methods to mesh repair which is preformed either open or laparoscopically. Mesh hernia repair has improved the outcome in regards to patient care and recurrence rate but it is also associated with a number of complications. The complications of mesh hernia repair such as deep seated infections, mesh erosion and mesh perforation into nearby viscera has been scarcely reported in literature.

The SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy Among the General Population: A Large Cross-Sectional Study From Kuwait.

Although the approved COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, multiple beliefs and misconceptions still exist influencing the vaccine uptake rates around the world. The multifaceted complex phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy could jeopardize the efforts to overcome this pandemic. The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence and examine the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in Kuwait.

Depositional time trends of phosphorous accumulation in a dated sediment core from the northwestern Arabian Gulf: Can phosphorous be used to support Pb chronologies in coastal aquatic sediments?

The use of Pb dating for the reconstruction of contaminant profiles in undisturbed sediments is the most widely acceptable technique historically. Due to the uncertainties associated with the technique, dating of sediments have often been supported by ancillary evidence such as an alternative historical marker in the catchment that is preserved in the sedimentary records. The most widely used verification marker is Cs, which is attributed to global fallout from past nuclear weapons testing, and the Chernobyl accident.

A review of microplastic distribution in sediment profiles.

The growing use of plastic and their indiscriminate disposal into the environment has resulted in the accumulation of huge quantities of microplastic (MP) in the marine environment. Several studies have investigated the pathways of MPs reaching marine environments and a few have begun looking at their inventories in sediment profiles. Recent estimates suggest between 70 and 90% of the MP particles are accumulated into sediment profiles.

The psychological burden of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures: Experience from 4000 participants.

Background: In February 2020 the first cases of COVID-19 were identified in Kuwait. Inevitably as many countries worldwide, the general public were negatively affected by the pandemic. Unemployment, uncertainty, distress, increasing deaths, lockdown measures all of which are potential burdens on mental health.

COVID-19 clinical outcomes and nationality: results from a Nationwide registry in Kuwait.

Background: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have flagged racial and ethnic differences in health outcomes in western countries as an urgent global public health priority. Kuwait has a unique demographic profile with two-thirds of the population consisting of non-nationals, most of which are migrant workers. We aimed to explore whether there is a significant difference in health outcomes between non-Kuwaiti and Kuwaiti patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

An assessment of microplastic inputs into the aquatic environment from wastewater streams.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a pivotal role in removal of microplastics (MPs) particles before the waste streams are discharged into aquatic environments. Indiscriminate disposal of the effluent and untreated wastewater not only contribute to accumulation of MP in the marine environment, but they can also act as a carrier for various hydrophobic compounds and contributors of pollutants that leach from them via natural degradation. In this assessment, we have summarized the MP concentrations in influent and effluent streams, and provide quantification of the discharges from these WWTPs.

A review of radioactivity in the Gulf region.

The region around the Gulf is moving toward a nuclear energy option with the first nuclear power plant now operational in Bushehr, Iran. Others are soon to be commissioned in Abu Dhabi and in Saudi Arabia. For this reason, radiological safety is becoming a prime concern in the region.

Po concentration in different size fractions of aerosol likely contribution from industrial sources.

Po, being a highly radiotoxic isotope, could contribute to significant inhalation dose to humans. This study establishes the first set of atmospheric Po data in aerosol samples collected across Kuwait. The primary focus of this study is to investigate spatio-temporal variability of atmospheric Po and assess its sources, including anthropogenic contributions.

Assessment of loss of Po from fish and shrimp by cooking and its effect on dose estimates to humans ingesting seafood.

An experimental study was conducted to assess loss of Po due to cooking fresh seafood, and provide a more realistic and reliable dose estimate that humans may receive from consuming cooked seafood. Fresh fish and shrimp samples from Northern Gulf waters were grilled and boiled to simulate the effect of different cooking methods. Sixteen different species of fish were compared and significant differences in Po concentration in uncooked samples were observed between species (ANOVA I, F = 362.