Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) during the malaria elimination phase: A household-based cross-sectional survey.

Malaria is a major health problem in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to measure the level of community understanding of malaria transmission, protection, and treatment. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study enrolled 1070 participants from 2 districts with different malaria prevalence rates in Jazan Province.

Variation of antibody responses to antigen with parasitaemia and polymorphism in Khartoum state, Sudan.

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Khartoum state to investigate the variation of antibody responses to 19-kDa C-terminal region of merozoite surface protein 1 antigen and the variation of human polymorphism with parasitaemia. Measurements of natural acquisition of anti- IgG, IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies were performed using ELISA. Molecular characterization of polymorphism was achieved.

Perioperative surgical home models and enhanced recovery after surgery.

In recent years, numerous initiatives have been introduced to address changes in health-care costs, delivery methods, reimbursements, and the health-care needs of our aging population. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) defines the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) as a patient-centric, team-based model of care to help meet the demands of a rapidly approaching health-care paradigm emphasizing value, patient satisfaction, and a reduction in costs. Enhanced recovery pathways were initially established by a group of surgeons from Europe who formed a research group with the aim to explore the ultimate care pathway for patients undergoing colonic resections.

Essential Elements for Enhanced Recovery After Intra-Abdominal Surgery.

Purpose Of Review: Enhanced recovery pathways provide a framework outlining the best perioperative care for intra-abdominal surgical procedures. To date, no evidence-based umbrella guidelines exist for all intra-abdominal surgeries.

Recent Findings: PubMed and worldwide web searches were performed with the keywords: "ERAS," "Enhanced Recovery After Surgery," +/- "protocol.

Essential Elements for Enhanced Recovery After Intra-abdominal Surgery.

Purpose Of Review: Enhanced recovery pathways provide a framework outlining the best perioperative care for intra-abdominal surgical procedures. To date, no evidence-based umbrella guidelines exist for all intra-abdominal surgeries.

Recent Findings: A PubMed and worldwide web search was performed with the keywords: "ERAS," "enhanced recovery after surgery", ± "protocol.

Adaptation of Plasmodium falciparum to its transmission environment.

Success in eliminating malaria will depend on whether parasite evolution outpaces control efforts. Here, we show that Plasmodium falciparum parasites (the deadliest of the species causing human malaria) found in low-transmission-intensity areas have evolved to invest more in transmission to new hosts (reproduction) and less in within-host replication (growth) than parasites found in high-transmission areas. At the cellular level, this adaptation manifests as increased production of reproductive forms (gametocytes) early in the infection at the expense of processes associated with multiplication inside red blood cells, especially membrane transport and protein trafficking.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii amongst Pregnant Women in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia.

Background. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite of worldwide distribution.

Immunological characteristics of hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly syndrome in sudanese patients.

Hyperreactive Malarial Splenomegaly (HMS) is defined as a massive enlargement of the spleen resulting from abnormal immune responses after repeated exposure to the malaria parasites. This study was carried out in Khartoum, Sudan. Sudan is considered to be one of the countries where HMS is quite prevalent.

Genotyping of human papillomavirus in paraffin embedded cervical tissue samples from women in Ethiopia and the Sudan.

Cervical cancer is the most frequent female malignancy in most developing countries. Previous studies have demonstrated a strong association of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection with dysplasia and carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The objective of this study was to identify the prevailing HPV genotypes responsible for the development of cervical cancer among women in Ethiopia and the Sudan.

Estimation of malaria transmission intensity in Sennar state, central Sudan.

Understanding the behaviour of malaria vectors is crucial for planning mosquito control programmes. The aim of this study was to estimate the malaria transmission intensity in 2 different ecological zones in a highly endemic malaria area of Sennar state in central Sudan over the main transmission period. Species confirmation by PCR indicated that Anopheles arabiensis was the only malaria vector in the study area, with high anthropophilic behaviour (84.

Role of bone marrow and mesenchymal stem cells in healing after traumatic injury.

Background: The role of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in healing of traumatic-induced injury remains poorly understood. Mesenteric lymph duct ligation (LDL) results in decreased BMDC mobilization and impaired healing. We hypothesized that LDL-mediated impaired healing would be abrogated by reinjection of BMDC or MSC.

Impact of enhanced mobilization of bone marrow derived cells to site of injury.

Background: Bone marrow derived cells (BMDC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are necessary for healing of injured tissues. Intravenous granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is known to induce mobilization of BMDC to peripheral blood and the tissue levels of the stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) to be key in their homing to sites of injury. We hypothesized that injection of SDF-1 to the site of injury and/or systemic administration of G-CSF increases homing of BMDC and improves healing of traumatic injury.

Beta-blockade prevents hematopoietic progenitor cell suppression after hemorrhagic shock.

Background: Severe injury is accompanied by sympathetic stimulation that induces bone marrow (BM) dysfunction by both suppression of hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) growth and loss of cells via HPC mobilization to the peripheral circulation and sites of injury. Previous work demonstrated that beta-blockade (BB) given prior to tissue injury both reduces HPC mobilization and restores HPC colony growth within the BM. This study examined the effect and timing of BB on BM function in a hemorrhagic shock (HS) model.

Pattern of malaria transmission along the Rahad River basin, Eastern Sudan.

Background: Understanding malaria vector mosquitoes and their infectivity dynamics is of importance in setting up intervention and control programmes. Patterns of malaria transmission have been shown to differ between non-irrigated and irrigated semi-arid areas of eastern Sudan. However, very little information is available regarding malaria transmission dynamics along the seasonal river's basin.

Does beta blockade postinjury prevent bone marrow suppression?

Background: Trauma-induced hypercatecholaminemia negatively impacts bone marrow (BM) function by suppressing BM hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) growth and increasing HPC egress to injured tissue. Beta blockade (BB) given before tissue injury alone has been shown to reduce both HPC mobilization and restore HPC colony growth within the BM. In a clinically relevant model, this study examines the effect of BB given after both tissue injury and hemorrhagic shock (HS).

β-blockade protection of bone marrow following trauma: the role of G-CSF.

Background: Following severe trauma, there is a profound elevation of catecholamine that is associated with a persistent anemic state. We have previously shown that β-blockade (βB) prevents erythroid growth suppression and decreases hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) mobilization following injury. Under normal conditions, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) triggers the activation of matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9), leading to the egress of progenitor cells from the bone marrow (BM).

Hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization is mediated through beta-2 and beta-3 receptors after injury.

Background: Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are mobilized into the peripheral blood (PB) and then sequestered in injured tissue after trauma. Nonselective beta-adrenergic blockade (BB) has been shown to cause a decrease in mobilization of HPCs to the periphery and to injured tissue. Given the vast physiologic effects of nonselective BB, the aim of this study is to delineate the role of selective BB in HPC growth and mobilization.

The spatial-temporal clustering of Plasmodium falciparum infection over eleven years in Gezira State, The Sudan.

Background: Malaria infection and disease exhibit microgeographic heterogeneity which if predictable could have implications for designing small-area intervention. Here, the space-time clustering of Plasmodium falciparum infections using data from repeat cross-sectional surveys in Gezira State, a low transmission area in northern Sudan, is investigated.

Methods: Data from cross-sectional surveys undertaken in January each year from 1999-2009 in 88 villages in the Gezira state were assembled.

Loss of balancing selection in the betaS globin locus.

Background: Probably the best example of the rise and maintenance of balancing selection as an evolutionary trend is the role of S-haemoglobin (HbS - rs334) in protecting from malaria. Yet, the dynamics of such a process remains poorly understood, particularly in relation to different malaria transmission rates and the genetic background of the affected populations.

Methods: We investigated the association of haemoglobin HbS in protection from clinical episodes of malaria in two populations/villages where malaria is endemic, but mostly presenting in mild clinical forms.

Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax malaria in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia.

Background: Plasmodium vivax accounts for about 40% of all malaria infection in Ethiopia. Chloroquine (CQ) is the first line treatment for confirmed P. vivax malaria in the country.

Improved outcome for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after risk-adjusted intensive therapy: a single-institution experience.

Background And Objective: Because of the need for more comprehensive information on the least toxic and most effective forms of therapy for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), we reviewed our experience in the treatment of children with ALL at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) and King Fahad National Center for Children's Cancer and Research (KFNCCC&R) over a period of 18 years with a focus on patient characteristics and outcome.

Methods: During the period of 1981 to 1998, records of children with ALL were retrospectively reviewed with respect to clinical presentation, laboratory findings, risk factors, stratification, therapy and outcome. The protocols used in treatment included 4 local protocols (KFSH 81, 84, 87 and 90), and subsequently, Children's Cancer Group (CCG) protocols, and these were grouped as Era 1 (1981-1992) and Era 2 (1993-1998).

Immunity against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis during co-infections with neglected infectious diseases: recommendations for the European Union research priorities.

Infectious diseases remain a major health and socioeconomic problem in many low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. For many years, the three most devastating diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB) have received most of the world's attention. However, in rural and impoverished urban areas, a number of infectious diseases remain neglected and cause massive suffering.

Hyper-reactive Malarial Splenomegaly (HMS) in malaria endemic area in Eastern Sudan.

Hyper-reactive Malarial Splenomegaly (HMS) is massive enlargement of the spleen resulting from abnormal immune response to repeated attacks of malaria. The present study was carried out in Kassala city, Eastern Sudan where HMS is considered as highly prevalent. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of HMS in Eastern Sudan, and to identify basic laboratory and clinical characteristics of this condition in Sudanese patients.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation in Fanconi anemia patients presenting with myelodysplasia and/or clonal abnormality: update on the Saudi experience.

In the literature, there is an abundance of promising data on the outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with Fanconi anemia (FA); however, the data on the outcome of FA patients who present with myelodysplasia and/or abnormal clone are sketchy as the entity itself is a rare one, although, it is believed that the presence of any of these factors confers a worse prognosis on the outcome of the transplant. This is an update of our experience in 11 such patients who underwent SCT at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center; 10 from the matched and related donors and 1 from a partially matched unrelated cord blood unit; the conditioning was with the same regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide (total of 20 mg/kg), anti-thymocyte globulin (total dose 160 mg/kg of the equine product or 52 mg/kg of the rabbit product) and total-body irradiation at 450 cGy. Ten patients remain currently alive, well and with no evidence of disease, with a median follow-up of almost 4 years.