Publications by authors named "Zain Al-Yafei"

Introduction: Modifiable health behaviors have the power to increase (or decrease) the risk of chronic diseases, impacting a population's health. Health and wellness programs can potentially play a major role in initiating and supporting positive changes in health behaviors, which may lead to reducing the risk of premature mortality. A better understanding of the health and well-being status of the population is crucial to the design of proper and effective interventions.

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Unlabelled: In this study, we investigated HLA class I and class II allele and haplotype frequencies in Emiratis and compared them to those of Asian, Mediterranean, and Sub-Saharan African populations.

Methods: Two-hundred unrelated Emirati parents of patients selected for bone marrow transplantation were genotyped for HLA class I (, , ) and class II (, ) genes using reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide bead-based multiplexing. HLA haplotypes were assigned with certainty by segregation (pedigree) analysis, and haplotype frequencies were obtained by direct counting.

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Calculated panel reactive antibody (CPRA) is used to help increase sensitized patient's access to transplantation. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a diverse resident population hence we developed a UAE-CPRA calculator based on HLA antigen frequencies of the different ethnic groups that represent the UAE population. HLA antigen frequencies at serological split antigen level for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 and -DQB1 of 1002 healthy unrelated donors were performed.

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Aims: To characterizes Emiratis patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and compares outcomes between continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) versus multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) users. The WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) score was used to screen for depression.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study; sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and insulin replacement regimens were collected on patients with T1D between 2015-2018.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the link between HLA class II alleles (DR and DQ) and the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Emirati individuals, analyzing 149 T1D patients and 147 control subjects.
  • Significant associations were found with specific alleles and haplotypes, indicating that certain genetic variants increase or decrease the risk of developing T1D, even after correcting for multiple comparisons.
  • The results suggest genetic similarities with other populations but also highlight unique alleles in Emiratis, demonstrating how ethnic diversity impacts the genetic relationships with T1D.
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Article Synopsis
  • - HLA-A*01:380:01:02 is a specific variant of the HLA-A gene, which is part of the immune system.
  • - It differs from the more common variant A*01:01:01:01 by five changes in its nucleotide sequence.
  • - These nucleotide substitutions can potentially affect how the immune system recognizes and responds to foreign substances.
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Appropriate diagnostic testing to identify persons infected with SARS-COV-2 is a vital part of a health system's ability to control the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease. The primary purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the mass testing strategy implemented throughout the UAE and the overall impact it has made on containing and controlling the spread of the disease. This study describes the mass testing strategy and capacity of the UAE during the pandemic of the new coronavirus SARS-COV-2.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Results showed that allele and haplotype frequencies varied by geographical regions, with lower genetic diversity found in European-descent populations at 2-field resolution compared to 4-field resolution.
  • * The study's detailed HLA profiles can assist in various fields, including anthropology, donor matching for transplants, and research on disease associations.
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  • HLA-DRB1*01:01:36 is a specific genetic variant of the HLA-DRB1 gene.
  • It differs from another variant, DRB1*01:01:01, due to three changes at the nucleotide level.
  • These single nucleotide substitutions can potentially affect how the immune system functions.
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Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a complex interrelation of genetic and environmental factors. Genetic studies have reported HLA and non-HLA loci as significant contributors to T1D. However, the genetic basis of T1D among Emiratis is unexplored.

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Objectives: The aetiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, sometimes genetic, and may be associated with abnormal immunological responses to peptides from proteins such as gluten. These peptides may cross the blood-brain barrier and affect neurotransmission, resulting in behavioural symptoms consistent with ASD. The aim of this study was to screen for markers of gluten-related immune reactivity in the absence of overt gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with ASD in the United Arab Emirates, a country associated with a high prevalence of ASD but lacking this type of research.

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Immunodeficiency often coincides with hyperactive immune disorders such as autoimmunity, lymphoproliferation, or atopy, but this coincidence is rarely understood on a molecular level. We describe five patients from four families with immunodeficiency coupled with atopy, lymphoproliferation, and cytokine overproduction harboring mutations in , which encodes the hematopoietic-specific HEM1 protein. These mutations cause the loss of the HEM1 protein and the WAVE regulatory complex (WRC) or disrupt binding to the WRC regulator, Arf1, thereby impairing actin polymerization, synapse formation, and immune cell migration.

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Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for ESRD in children. It is associated with better quality of life, growth of children, and improved long-term survival. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of pediatric renal transplantation at a tertiary care center in UAE.

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Emiratis belong to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) country. UAE is placed at the East part of the Arabian Peninsula, protruding into the Arabia Gulf and was populated since 130,000 years ago. First humans migrating out of Africa went probably across this territory.

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