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Moza Alishaq,1 Hanaa Nafady-Hego,2 Andrew Jeremijenko,3 Jameela Ali Al Ajmi,4 Mohamed Elgendy,5 Naser Ali Asad Al Ansari,4 Hamed Elgendy,4,6 Abdul-Badi Abou-Samra,1,3 Adeel A Butt4,7,8 1Department of Quality and Clinical Transformation, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 2Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 3Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 4Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 5Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sains of Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia; 6Anesthesia Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 7Departments of Medicine and Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; 8Departments of Medicine and Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Adeel A Butt, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha, Qatar, Email aabutt@hamad.qaObjective: To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection among female workers who were restricted to working from home compared with those who continued to attend in-person work.Methods: As part of national surveillance program, serum samples for SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing and nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 PCR were obtained on 1636 female school staff and salon/spa workers who were restricted to work remotely (restricted group) and 1190 female health-care workers who continued in-person work (unrestricted group).Results: Seropositivity rate was 5.1% among the restricted and 22.7% among the unrestricted group (P < 0.0001). Presence of symptoms at baseline (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.88; 95% CI 2.09– 3.97), contact with a confirmed case (aOR 2.34; 95% CI 1.37– 3.98), and unrestricted work type (aOR 4.71; 95% CI 3.24– 6.86) were associated with a higher risk of infection, while increasing age was associated with a lower risk of infection.Conclusion: Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection as determined by seropositivity was higher among women who were not subject to workplace restrictions.Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, work-place restrictions, women, infections, Qatar

Mohamed M Abdel-Daim,1 Mohamed Shaaban Ali,2 Fedekar F Madkour,3 Hamed Elgendy2,4 1Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt; 2Anesthesia Department, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt; 3Marine Science Department, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said 42526, Egypt; 4Anesthesia Department, HAMAD Medical Corporation & Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar & Qatar University, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Hamed ElgendyAnesthesia Department, HAMAD Medical Corporation, P.O. Box 3050, Doha, QatarTel +974- 4011 4271Fax +974- 4439 1511Email helgendy70@gmail.comIntroduction: Diabetic neuropathy is a common consequence of diabetes. Hyperalgesia is one of the main symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. In response to noxious stimuli, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats show exaggerated hyperalgesic behavior, while Spirulina platensis has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and insulin-like effects. To assess the antinociceptive effect of oral Spirulina platensis (SP) powder on formalin-induced nociceptive responses in STZ-induced diabetic rats.Methods: Sixty mature male albino rats were randomly allocated into six equal groups (10 in each group). Group 1 (control non-diabetic group) received 0.9% saline; group 2 was given oral pure SP powder-treated as a non-diabetic control group, group 3 was sodium salicylate-treated rats and used as a positive non-diabetic control group, group 4 managed as vehicle-treated diabetic rats, group 5 considered as SP-treated-diabetic group, and sodium salicylate-treated-diabetic rats used as a diabetic positive control group (group 6). STZ-diabetic rats were orally given SP in a dose of 500 mg kg/day for 1 month. The formalin test was implemented in two phases: the early phase in the first 10-min post-formalin injection, and the late phase was considered in the 15– 60 min post-formalin injection time interval.Results: Pain scores were increased in the diabetic groups during both phases of the experiment. Blood glucose was significantly reduced in diabetic rats that received oral SP, P < 0.01. Besides, SP-treated rats had lower pain scores during both phases of the experiment than untreated diabetic ones. However, in the sodium salicylate group, the pain score was reduced only during the second phase. An exaggerated nociceptive response occurred in diabetic rats after the formalin test. A significant antinociceptive effect appeared in SP-treated control and diabetic rats.Discussion: The findings suggest that oral Spirulina platensis could have a potential therapeutic role for managing induced painful diabetic neuropathy in rats.Keywords: antinociceptive, Spirulina platensis, diabetes, neuropathy, rat

Hamed M Elgendy,1,2 Sami M Ibrahim,1,3 Loulia Bader,4 Rudaina A Mohammad,5 Zainab O Ali,5 Mohamed Ben Allala Bejaoui,5 Mohamad Hilani,1 Hesham Ismail,1 Hazem F Elewa4 1Department of Anaesthesia, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; 2Department of Anaesthesia, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt; 3Department of Anaesthesia and ICU, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt; 4College of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar; 5Hamad Medical Corporation, Medical Research Center, Doha, QatarCorrespondence: Hazem F Elewa, College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar, Tel + 974 4403 5616, Fax +974 4403 5551, Email elewahazem@gmail.comIntroduction: Morphine has been a crucial analgesic agent used perioperatively in various surgical procedures. Genetic factors can lead to morphine dose requirement interpatient variability. Our objective was to determine the contribution of genetic polymorphisms in human μ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1), ATP binding cassette gene (ABCB1) and rs2952768 to the variation of the perioperative morphine consumption in women undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that included 102 adult Arab females undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The exposures were carrying the genetic variants of OPRM1, ABCB1 and rs2952768. Our primary outcome was total morphine or morphine equivalent dose required perioperatively. The secondary outcomes were pain score during the first 24 hours and adverse drug reactions. A standardized, general anaesthesia was used for all subjects. In addition to the genetic factors, we also investigated non-genetic factors influencing post-operative pain sensitivity and morphine consumption.Results: Both (rs1799971, A>G) in OPRM1 and (rs2952768, T>C) showed statistically significant association with intra-operative total morphine dose requirements. Patients carrying the “G” allele in OPRM1 had a significantly higher total morphine mean rank dose compared to the AA genotype [62.9 vs 47.1, p=0.008]. Furthermore, patients homozygous for the rs2952768 (T>C) minor allele “CC” had a higher mean rank compared to the other genotypes [72.7 vs 50.1, p=0.046].Conclusion: OPRM1 (rs1799971) and rs2952768 are associated with variation of intra-operative morphine consumption in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Clinical Trial Identifier: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04621864. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04621864.Keywords: opioid, OPRM1, ABCB1, genetic polymorphisms, post-operative pain, women, Arabs