The Immunomodulatory Role of Microbiota in Rheumatic Heart Disease: What Do We Know and What Can We Learn from Other Rheumatic Diseases?

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) represents a serious cardiac sequela of acute rheumatic fever, occurring in 30-45% of patients. RHD is multifactorial, with a strong familial predisposition and known environmental risk factors that drive loss of immunological tolerance. The gut and oral microbiome have recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of RHD.

Environmental tobacco smoke exposure and non-syndromic orofacial cleft: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is associated with several congenital anomalies, including non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOFCs). This systematic review aimed to update the literature on the association between ETS and NSOFCs.

Methods: Four databases were searched up to March 2022, and studies that evaluated the association between ETS and NSOFCs were selected.

Thermal investigation and physiochemical interaction of HO and CHO saturated by AlO and γAlO nanomaterials.

Applications: The interaction of nanoparticles and base solvents of different nature attained much interest of the researchers in the recent time. These use in medication, detection of cancer cells, applied thermal engineering, and electrical and mechanical engineering. Among the broad range of applications, investigation of nanofluid through converging/diverging channel is important which is of much interest in the field of medical sciences.

Cytokine Profiling among Children with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome versus Simple COVID-19 Infection: A Study from Northwest Saudi Arabia.

Background: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) is a novel syndrome associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with varying clinical features. This study aimed to analyze the expression profiles of cytokines in blood, report the important clinical characteristics, and correlate these with the short- and mid-term outcomes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on hospitalized children with MIS-C from March 2021 to May 2022.

The Polymorphism at the microRNA-155 Binding Site in the AGTR1 Gene is not Significantly Associated with Rheumatic Heart Disease in Saudi Arabia Population.

Background: Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) remains a major cause of cardiovascular diseases and the most devastating effects are shown on children and young adults. RHD is caused due to the interaction between microbial, environmental, immunologic, and genetic factors. The Renin- Angiotensin Aldosterone System (RAAS) has been strongly implicated as the susceptibility pathway in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease.

Risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation after surgical repair of congenital heart disease. Experience from a single cardiac center.

We studied these predictors at a single cardiac center. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out after obtaining approval from the institutional review board. All patients (age, 0-14 years) who underwent  congenital heart disease (CHD)  surgery from January 2014 to June 2016 were included.

Digenic Inheritance of LAMA4 and MYH7 Mutations in Patient with Infantile Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a rare cardiac disease characterised by left ventricular enlargement, reduced left ventricular contractility, and impaired systolic function. Childhood DCM is clinically and genetically heterogenous and associated with mutations in over 100 genes. The aim of this study was to identify novel variations associated with infantile DCM.

Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing of 406 Genes Identified Genetic Defects Underlying Congenital Heart Disease in Down Syndrome Patients.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common autosomal chromosome anomaly. DS is frequently associated with congenital heart disease (CHD). Patients with DS have 40-60% chance of having CHD.

Rachitic hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy in an infant.

Cardiomyopathy in infants is characterized by heart failure in apparently normal children without previous organic cardiac lesions. Cardiomyopathy has been found to comprise four types. Rickets is common in Saudi Arabia, that is why I reviewed this subject.

A novel splice-site mutation in the ASPM gene underlies autosomal recessive primary microcephaly.

Background: Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. Patients with MCPH exhibit reduced occipito-frontal head circumference and non-progressive intellectual disability. To date, 17 genes have been known as an underlying cause of MCPH in humans.

LGMD2D syndrome: the importance of clinical and molecular genetics in patient and family management. Case Report.

We report the case of a seven-year-old female from a consanguineous Saudi family with autosomal recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D) most likely caused by a rare SGCA mutation. Histopathological and molecular investigations resulted in the discovery of a homozygous mutation (c.226 C>T (p.

CIT, a gene involved in neurogenic cytokinesis, is mutated in human primary microcephaly.

Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a static neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by congenital small head circumference and non-progressive intellectual disability without additional severe brain malformations. MCPH is a genetically heterogeneous disorder. Sixteen genes (MCPH1-MCPH16) have been discovered so far, mutations thereof lead to autosomal recessive primary microcephaly.

Abstracts from the 3rd International Genomic Medicine Conference (3rd IGMC 2015) : Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 30 November - 3 December 2015.

O1 Regulation of genes by telomere length over long distances Jerry W. Shay O2 The microtubule destabilizer KIF2A regulates the postnatal establishment of neuronal circuits in addition to prenatal cell survival, cell migration, and axon elongation, and its loss leading to malformation of cortical development and severe epilepsy Noriko Homma, Ruyun Zhou, Muhammad Imran Naseer, Adeel G. Chaudhary, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Nobutaka Hirokawa O3 Integration of metagenomics and metabolomics in gut microbiome research Maryam Goudarzi, Albert J.

Impact of MIF Gene Promoter Variations on Risk of Rheumatic Heart Disease and Its Age of Onset in Saudi Arabian Patients.

Although macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has consistently been shown to be an important immune modulator, data on the association between MIF promoter variations and the risk of developing rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain inconclusive. RHD is an important complication of streptococcal infections in the Middle East, not least in Saudi Arabia, and identifying risk markers is an important priority. Therefore, we investigated the association between two functional MIF promoter variations and RHD susceptibility and severity in Saudi patients: the MIF-173G > C substitution (rs755622) and the MIF-794 CATT5-8 tetranucleotide repeat (rs5844572).

Behaviors and Management of the Dental Problems by the Residents of Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Dental problems are commonly encountered in our lives. Some of the common problems are toothache, bleeding gums and halitosis.

Objectives: How the dental problems were handled, and reasons of not seeking dental treatment by the patients.

IL10 Promoter Polymorphisms are Associated with Rheumatic Heart Disease in Saudi Arabian Patients.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is an inflammatory disease that develops following streptococcal infections. IL10 helps to balance immune responses to pathogens. IL10 polymorphisms have been associated with RHD, although results remain inconclusive.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism in Saudi patients with rheumatic heart disease.

Objectives: To investigate the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Saudi patients.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Saudi RHD patients. Genomic DNA was isolated from 99 RHD patients attending the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic at the Maternity and Children Hospital, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia from March 2013 to June 2014, and from 145 age- and gender-matched controls.

Hypocalcemic rachitic cardiomyopathy in infants.

Unlabelled: Hypocalcemic cardiomyopathy in infants is characterized by heart failure in a previously normal infant with hypocalcemia without organic cardiac lesion. Vitamin D deficiency rickets is increasing in Middle East. In a six month study 136 cases of rickets were diagnosed in the main Children's Hospital in Almadinah but none of them showed evidence of cardiomyopathy.

Kawasaki disease in Western Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To describe our experience on Kawasaki disease in the Madinah region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Methods: This is a retrospective hospital based study. The study was conducted in Maternity and Children Hospital, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during January 2007 to January 2010.