Is emotional intelligence linked with academic achievement? The first TEIQue-SF study in a sample of Saudi medical rehabilitation students.

Objective: The present study examined the relationship of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and academic achievement (GPA). Analyses were performed using a sample of Saudi-origin medical rehabilitation undergraduate students ( = 130). The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF).

Effectiveness and Preparedness of Institutions' E-Learning Methods During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Residents' Medical Training in Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study.

Under the urgent circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions of an international scale have resorted to online education methods, exclusive or not. Among those, medical institutions are under double pressure, fighting the pandemic's effects and, at the same time providing efficient clinical training to their residents. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the preparedness of the educational institutions for the e-learning platform transition for the delivery of medical training and also to evaluate the overall satisfaction level of the participants with their e-learning experience.

Presence of Anticardiolipin Antibodies in Patients with Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Growing evidences are supporting towards the involvement of antiphospholipid antibodies [aPLs e.g., lupus anticoagulant (LA), anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2-glycoprotein I (anti-β2-GPI) antibodies] in various neurological manifestations including migraine, epilepsy and dementia in the presence or absence of autoimmune diseases such as antiphospholipid syndrome or systemic lupus erythematosus.

Crop Production under Drought and Heat Stress: Plant Responses and Management Options.

Abiotic stresses are one of the major constraints to crop production and food security worldwide. The situation has aggravated due to the drastic and rapid changes in global climate. Heat and drought are undoubtedly the two most important stresses having huge impact on growth and productivity of the crops.

Exacerbation of -nitrosodiethylamine Induced Hepatotoxicity and DNA Damage in Mice Exposed to Chronic Unpredictable Stress.

Psychological stress contributes to increased susceptibility to a number of diseases including cancer. The present study was designed to assess the effect of chronic unpredictable stress on -nitrosodiethylamine induced liver toxicity in terms of antioxidant status and DNA damage in Swiss albino mice. The animals used in this study were randomized into different groups based on the treatment with -nitrosodiethylamine or chronic unpredictable stress alone and post-stress administration of -nitrosodiethylamine.

Effects of Nitrogen Supply on Water Stress and Recovery Mechanisms in Kentucky Bluegrass Plants.

Non-irrigated crops in temperate and irrigated crops in arid regions are exposed to an incessant series of drought stress and re-watering. Hence, quick and efficient recuperation from drought stress may be amongst the key determinants of plant drought adjustment. Efficient nitrogen (N) nutrition has the capability to assuage water stress in crops by sustaining metabolic activities even at reduced tissue water potential.

Effect of Genetic Variability in the , , and Genes on Liver mRNA Levels and Warfarin Response.

Genetic polymorphisms in the gene encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4F2, a vitamin K oxidase, affect stable warfarin dose requirements and time to therapeutic INR. is part of the gene cluster, which is highly polymorphic and exhibits a high degree of linkage disequilibrium, making it difficult to define causal variants. Our objective was to examine the effect of genetic variability in the gene cluster on expression of the individual genes and warfarin response.

Dental Pulp Cells Isolated from Teeth with Superficial Caries Retain an Inflammatory Phenotype and Display an Enhanced Matrix Mineralization Potential.

We have isolated dental pulp cells (DPCs) from three healthy (hDPCs) and three carious (cDPCs) donors and shown that compared to hDPCs cells isolated from superficial carious lesions show higher clonogenic potential; show an equivalent proportion of cells with putative stem cell surface markers; show enhanced matrix mineralization capability; have enhanced angiogenic marker expression and retain the inflammatory phenotype characteristic of superficial caries lesions . Our findings suggest that cDPCs may be used for further investigation of the cross talk between inflammatory, angiogenic and mineralization pathways in repair of carious pulp. In addition cells derived from carious pulps (almost always discarded) may have potential for future applications in mineralized tissue repair and regeneration.

A Metagenomics Investigation of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes along the Gastrointestinal Tract of Saudi Sheep.

The digestive microbiota of humans and of a wide range of animals has recently become amenable to in-depth studies due to the emergence of DNA-based metagenomic techniques that do not require cultivation of gut microbes. These techniques are now commonly used to explore the feces of humans and animals under the assumption that such samples are faithful proxies for the intestinal microbiota. Sheep () are ruminant animals particularly adapted to life in arid regions and in particular Najdi, Noaimi (Awassi), and Harrei (Harri) breeds that are raised in Saudi Arabia for milk and/or meat production.

A Bayesian Model for the Prediction and Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease treatment is still an open problem. The diversity of symptoms, the alterations in common pathophysiology, the existence of asymptomatic cases, the different types of sporadic and familial Alzheimer's and their relevance with other types of dementia and comorbidities, have already created a myth-fear against the leading disease of the twenty first century. Many failed latest clinical trials and novel medications have revealed the early diagnosis as the most critical treatment solution, even though scientists tested the amyloid hypothesis and few related drugs.

Role of NADPH Oxidase-4 in Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) display a unique ability to promote angiogenesis and restore endothelial function in injured blood vessels. NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4)-derived hydrogen peroxide (HO) serves as a signaling molecule and promotes endothelial cell proliferation and migration as well as protecting against cell death. However, the role of NOX4 in EPC function is not completely understood.

Development of Chitosan/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Electrospun Nanofibers for Infection Related Wound Healing.

Chitosan is a cheap resource, which is widely used in biomedical applications due to its biocompatible and antibacterial properties. In this study, composite nanofibrous membranes of chitosan (CS) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) loaded with antibiotics at different ratios were successfully fabricated by electrospinning. The composite nanofibers were subjected to further analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Adipose, Bone Marrow and Synovial Joint-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair.

Current cell-based repair strategies have proven unsuccessful for treating cartilage defects and osteoarthritic lesions, consequently advances in innovative therapeutics are required and mesenchymal stem cell-based (MSC) therapies are an expanding area of investigation. MSCs are capable of differentiating into multiple cell lineages and exerting paracrine effects. Due to their easy isolation, expansion, and low immunogenicity, MSCs are an attractive option for regenerative medicine for joint repair.

Saudi Moumouvirus, the First Group B Mimivirus Isolated from Asia.

The number of novel giant viruses identified and characterized from the recently proposed order has increased in recent years and new questions have been raised regarding viral diversity and evolution. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of Saudi moumouvirus (SDMV), a new giant virus belonging to lineage B, isolated from a sewage sample taken from the King Abdulaziz University hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. SDMV presented 500 nm icosahedral particles with a 1,046,087 bp genome, which is larger than moumouvirus-like genomes which have been described in the past.

Genome-Based Taxonomic Classification of .

The bacterial phylum , characterized by a distinct gliding motility, occurs in a broad variety of ecosystems, habitats, life styles, and physiologies. Accordingly, taxonomic classification of the phylum, based on a limited number of features, proved difficult and controversial in the past, for example, when decisions were based on unresolved phylogenetic trees of the 16S rRNA gene sequence. Here we use a large collection of type-strain genomes from and closely related phyla for assessing their taxonomy based on the principles of phylogenetic classification and trees inferred from genome-scale data.

The Use of Virtual Reality to Facilitate Mindfulness Skills Training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case Study.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder characterized by a dysfunctional pattern of affective instability, impulsivity, and disturbed interpersonal relationships. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT®) is the most effective treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, but demand for DBT® far exceeds existing clinical resources. Most patients with BPD never receive DBT®.

Different Resting State EEG Features in Children from Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

: Cultural neuroscience is an emerging research field concerned with studying the influences of different cultures on brain anatomy and function. In this study, we examined whether different cultural or genetic influences might influence the resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) in young children (mean age 10 years) from Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. : Resting state EEG recordings were obtained from relatively large groups of healthy children (95 healthy Swiss children and 102 Saudi Arabian children).

Microarray expression profiling identifies genes, including cytokines, and biofunctions, as diapedesis, associated with a brain metastasis from a papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Brain metastatic papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) are afflicted with unfavorable prognosis; however, the underlying molecular genetics of these rare metastases are virtually unknown. In this study, we compared whole transcript microarray expression profiles of a mutant, brain metastasis from a PTC, including its technical replicate (TR), with eight non-brain metastatic PTCs and eight primary brain tumors. The top 95 probe sets (false discovery rate (FDR) -value < 0.

Gut Microbiota: A Contributing Factor to Obesity.

Obesity, a global epidemic of the modern era, is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes. The pervasiveness of obesity and overweight in both developed as well as developing populations is on the rise and placing a huge burden on health and economic resources. Consequently, research to control this emerging epidemic is of utmost importance.

Visual Comparative Omics of Fungi for Plant Biomass Deconstruction.

Wood-decay fungi contain the cellular mechanisms to decompose such plant cell wall components as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. A multi-omics approach to the comparative analysis of wood-decay fungi gives not only new insights into their strategies for decomposing recalcitrant plant biomass, but also an understanding of how to exploit these mechanisms for biotechnological applications. We have developed an analytical workflow, Applied Biomass Conversion Design for Efficient Fungal Green Technology (ABCDEFGT), to simplify the analysis and interpretation of transcriptomic and secretomic data.

Addition of Selenium Nanoparticles to Electrospun Silk Scaffold Improves the Mammalian Cell Activity While Reducing Bacterial Growth.

Silk possesses many beneficial wound healing properties, and electrospun scaffolds are especially applicable for skin applications, due to their smaller interstices and higher surface areas. However, purified silk promotes microbial growth. Selenium nanoparticles have shown excellent antibacterial properties and are a novel antimicrobial chemistry.

Pharmacometabolomic Assessment of Metformin in Non-diabetic, African Americans.

Millions of individuals are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), which increases the risk for a plethora of adverse outcomes including cardiovascular events and kidney disease. Metformin is the most widely prescribed medication for the treatment of T2D; however, its mechanism is not fully understood and individuals vary in their response to this therapy. Here, we use a non-targeted, pharmacometabolomics approach to measure 384 metabolites in 33 non-diabetic, African American subjects dosed with metformin.

Pelleted Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Are Better Protected from the Deleterious Effects of Arthroscopic Heat Shock.

Introduction: The impact of arthroscopic temperature on joint tissues is poorly understood and it is not known how mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) respond to the effects of heat generated by the device during the process of arthroscopy assisted experimental cell-based therapy. In the present study, we isolated and phenotypically characterized human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) from osteoarthritis (OA) patients, and evaluated the effect of arthroscopic heat on cells in suspension and pellet cultures.

Methods: Primary cultures of hBMMSCs were isolated from bone marrow aspirates of OA patients and cultured using DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS and characterized for their stemness.