Microplastic inputs to the Mediterranean Sea during wet and dry seasons: The case of two Lebanese coastal outlets.

Few studies have highlighted the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on the quantity of microplastics (MPs) discharged into the sea through rivers. To evaluate this issue in the Mediterranean Basin, surface water samples were collected from two more or less urbanized Lebanese Rivers: the Nahr Ibrahim (S1) and the Nahr Antelias (S2), during dry and wet periods. A significant higher abundance of 14.

Therapeutic hypothermia for infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: A five years' single center experience in Kuwait.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effect of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) on brain MRI findings, neurological outcome, and mortality in patients with perinatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and compare between two modalities of TH: whole body cooling (WBC) and selective head cooling (SHC).

Patients And Methods: Sixty-two inborn babies with HIE admitted to the NICU of a Kuwaiti teaching hospital between 2006 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (2006-2008, n = 30) never received hypothermia, and group 2 (2009-2013, n = 32) treated with hypothermia.

Detection and characterization of an ST97-SCCmec-V community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone in a neonatal intensive care unit and special care baby unit.

A total of 29 meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were obtained from 15 neonates and three healthcare workers (HCWs) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and special care baby unit (SCBU) and four patients in a medical ward of a Kuwait hospital between 10 and 30 April 2007. The isolates were characterized using antibiogram results, coagulase gene RFLP (coa-RFLP), PFGE, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). All isolates were assessed for the carriage of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) genes.

Exposure to lead exacerbates dental fluorosis.

Aim: Our aim was to test the hypothesis that co-exposure to lead and fluoride alter the severity of enamel fluorosis.

Materials And Methods: Wistar rats were allocated in four groups: control, and 3 groups that received water containing 100 ppm of fluoride (F), 30 ppm of lead (Pb), or 100 ppm of F and 30 ppm of Pb (F+Pb) from the beginning of gestation. Enamel analysis and F and Pb determinations in enamel, dentine, and bone were performed in 81-day-old animals.

Fluoride increases lead concentrations in whole blood and in calcified tissues from lead-exposed rats.

Higher blood lead (BPb) levels have been reported in children living in communities that receive fluoride-treated water. Here, we examined whether fluoride co-administered with lead increases BPb and lead concentrations in calcified tissues in Wistar rats exposed to this metal from the beginning of gestation. We exposed female rats and their offspring to control water (Control Group), 100mg/L of fluoride (F Group), 30mg/L of lead (Pb Group), or 100mg/L of fluoride and 30mg/L of lead (F+Pb Group) from 1 week prior to mating until offspring was 81 days old.

Bartsocas-Papas syndrome in a Pakistani family from Kuwait.

We report a rare case of Bartsocas Papas Syndrome, a lethal autosomal recessive type of Popliteal Pterigium syndrome, from a consaguineous Pakistani family who had typical anomalies of face, limbs and genitalia with additional peripheral pulmonary stenosis. Antenatal diagnosis and option for termination of pregnancy is advised.

Speciation of presumptive viridans streptococci from early onset neonatal sepsis.

Twenty isolates resembling viridans streptococci, 16 from blood and four from gastric aspirates, from 17 cases of early onset neonatal sepsis were identified by the API20 Strep, Rapid ID 32 Strep and conventional tests plus hydrolysis of methylumbelliferyl glycoside substrates. Nineteen of the isolates were identified as species of viridans streptococci and one as a Leuconostoc sp. Ten of the isolates were Streptococcus oralis, three S.

Femoral hypoplasia-unusual facies syndrome with bifid hallux, absent tibia, and macrophallus: a report of a Bedouin baby.

A male Bedouin baby with the clinical profile of femoral hypoplasia-unusual facies syndrome is described. The phenotype includes bilateral asymmetrical lower limb hypoplasia/aplasia with short remnants of both femora, absent right tibia, bifid right big toe, dysmorphic facies, thoracic/pelvic abnormalities, macrophallus, and bilateral cryptorchidism. This report re-emphasises the previously described rare association of femoral hypoplasia-unusual facies syndrome with preaxial polydactyly and suggests that the clinical spectrum of the syndrome could be stretched further to accommodate other unusual traits, for example, macrophallus and absent tibia.

Right upper limb bud triplication and polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy and congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis: disorganisation-like spectrum or patterning gene defect?

A Somali female baby with right upper limb triplication, polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy, congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis is described. It seems that the above described pattern of anomalies has not been reported before. The possible developmental genetic mechanism responsible for this phenotype is briefly discussed.