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Purpose: This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi infection in naturally diseased Dromedary camels in Dammam, Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The detection of Trypanosoma evansi was performed using the parasitological, serological, and molecular diagnosis and a comparison between such methods were analyzed. In addition, evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of selected antitrypanosomal drugs, cymelarsan and quinapyrmine (aquin-1.5), was trialed for treatment of diagnosed infected cases. Methods: A total 350 randomly selected camels were evaluated using thin blood smear (TBS), RoTat1.2 PCR and CATT/T. evansi techniques. Results: The total prevalence was 6.9%, 7.7%, and 32.8% by TBS, RoTat1.2 PCR and CATT/T. evansi techniques, respectively. Although PCR detect T. evansi in more samples than TBS, the agreement was good (K = 0.9). Among the CATT/T. evansi results, PCR detect T. evansi in 12 and 15 CATT positive and negative camels, respectively, with low agreement (Kappa = 0.1). The use of cymelarsan and quinapyramine sulfate in the treatment of naturally infected cases demonstrated a very efficient therapeutic response. Conclusion: It was found that Comparing the CATT/T. evansi and PCR results, the positivity of CATT was higher than PCR detection, while the agreement was poor (K = 0.1). Cymelarsan and aquin-1.5 proved to be effective in the treatment of naturally infected camels, but cymelarsan presented with higher effectiveness (100%) than aquin-treated camels (83.3%). a The use of cymelarsan and CATT is recommended for disease treatment and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation water quality is important to sustain agricultural productivity. The primary irrigation water sources in Al-Ahsa Oasis, KSA, are groundwater wells, mixed with treated wastewater and agricultural drainage. This study sought to evaluate irrigation water quality in Al-Ahsa Oasis with the aid of using irrigation water quality indices (IWQIs). One hundred and forty-eight different water samples were collected from various irrigation water resources throughout Al-Ahsa Oasis. The investigated physiochemical characteristics include pH, temperature, TDS, EC, turbidity, free chlorine, total hardness, cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg), anions (Cl, CO3, HCO3, SO4), organic matter indices (DO, BOD, COD), and nutrients (NH4, NO3, PO4). The IWQIs used in this study include salinity hazard, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelly's ratio (KR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), Permeability index (PI), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and magnesium hazard (MH). The results indicated that treated wastewater mixed with groundwater is acceptable for irrigation. Spatial variations in irrigation water quality throughout Al-Ahsa are associated with water resources. For instance, groundwater mixed with agricultural drainage has the highest values of TDS, cations, and anions, whereas the lowest values were reported for treated wastewater, reflecting the good efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. The IWQI results revealed that 4.1% and 62.1% of the investigated irrigation water samples were considered good (class III) and satisfactory (class IV) for irrigation, respectively, whereas 33.8% of the collected water samples fall within the severe irrigation restrictions. Moreover, 79.7% of the investigated water samples were classified to have high to very high salinity hazards (C3, C4) and medium to high sodium hazards (S2, S3). Regular monitoring and assessment of treated water quality and wastewater treatment plant efficiency are important factors in achieving the sustainability of treated wastewater reuse in irrigation and consequently food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Vaccination hesitance for the COVID-19 booster dosage among hemodialysis patients is an important barrier in reducing morbidity and mortality linked to COVID-19 infection. Hence, this study aimed to explore the predictors of the third (booster) dose of COVID-19 vaccine intention among CKD patients on hemodialysis from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This study was a multi-center cross-sectional study conducted at four dialysis centers in KSA from 13 February 2022 to 21 June 2022. The data was collected by the nephrologist in charge of the unit using a structured study questionnaire, which consisted of four parts; socio-demographic and clinical variables, questions about COVID-19 infection and subjective assessment of health state, COVID-19 booster dose vaccination intention and confidence in vaccines and preferences, and a health belief model. The study population consisted of 179 hemodialysis patients. Results: Participants in the study had conflicting health beliefs about their vulnerability to COVID-19 infection and the severity of the COVID-19 infection. Study participants expressed positive health beliefs about the advantages of the COVID-19 booster dose, and reported less perceived obstacles in receiving the vaccine. The influence of cues on action among the study population was high. A total of 140 (78.2%) hemodialysis patients expressed their intention to receive the COVID-19 booster dose. Patients who reported poor health in the self-rating of their health status had a substantially higher definite intention to take the COVID-19 booster dose, according to the chi-square test (11.16, df = 3, p = 0.01). There was a significant association between the constructs in the HBM model and COVID-19 vaccine (booster) intention. Marital status (OR = 1.67, CI 1.07–2.58) was found to be the strongest predictors of a definite intention to receive a COVID-19 booster dose. Confidence in the locally manufactured vaccine (OR = 0.33, CI 0.17–0.60), education (OR = 0.62, CI 0.41–0.93), and rating of health status (OR = 0.43 CI 0.25–0.74) were the strongest significant correlates of having no definite intention to take the COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions: HBM constructs were found to be significantly associated with vaccination intention, which can be considered while planning policies to promote COVID-19 booster vaccination among hemodialysis patients. The study results could be utilized in drafting policies to improve COVID-19 booster dose vaccination uptake among hemodialysis population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Rynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier, the red palm weevil (RPW), is a damaging insect that often severely infests palm trees. Since insecticides have a detrimental environmental impact and may lead to pesticide resistance, new biological control methods are needed. Bacteria from many different species affect the RPW larval growth, health, and immunity. The work evaluates the crosstalk between the RPW and rhizosphere bacteria. Four bacterial isolates, three belonging to Bacillus cereus and one belonging to B. thuringiensis, had a significantly higher impact on the mortality of the larvae and adults of the RPW than other bacteria that were tested did. The results emphasize the significant potential of developing new microbial resource-based management techniques for this pest. The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliv.) (Coleoptera, Dryophthoridae) is a well-known palm tree pest that has caused enormous economic damage all over the globe. Insecticides are still the primary method of controlling this pest at this period. However, field populations of RPW have been shown to be resistant to pesticides. Using Bacillus spp. might be one of the options for controlling R. ferruginous. In this study, 23 species of Bacillus spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of date palm trees in Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia. The isolates were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. R. ferrugineus larvae and adults were tested on sugarcane pieces that were treated with the B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 and B. cereus strains (PDC-AHSAA2, PDC-AHSA3 and PDC-AHSA4). The LC50 values for larvae and adults were quite low when they were compared with those of the other isolated strains. The B. thuringiensis strain PDC-AHSAA1 was more effective against both the larvae and adults. The determined LC50 values for B. thuringiensis ranged from 4.19 × 107–3.78 × 109. After 21 days, the data on larval mortality and body weight were evaluated. The surviving larvae that were treated with the bacterial isolates did not acquire a substantial weight. For the RPW larvae and adults, the mortality and corrected mortality death rates were increased by increasing the concentration of B. thuringiensis. In conclusion, Bacillus-treated diets negatively influenced the growth and development of the RPW. This research reported on the interaction between the RPW and the rhizosphere Bacillus spp. and highlighted the tremendous potential for the development of microbial resource-based control strategies for this pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article reports on the analysis of waste heat and condensate recovery from residential air conditioning (AC) units in different climatic regions in Saudi Arabia. Simulation results obtained using a transient dynamic model show that significant amounts of waste heat and water condensate are rejected to the environment in hot and humid climate regions. A multi-generation system for simultaneous cooling and pure water production using condensate and waste heat recovery is designed and implemented in TRNSYS environment. A refrigerant to water de-superheater is introduced after the compressor to extract energy from the high temperature superheated refrigerant gas for heating saline water that is used as a feed to drive an air gap membrane desalination unit. The production of pure water is analyzed for both batch and continuous cooling modes of the membrane desalination unit. The amount of pure water production shows the potential of proposed system to supply pure water requirements in hot and humid climates in Saudi Arabia. The monthly average coefficient of performance of multi-generation residential AC units with continuous cooling of desalination unit is shown to be improved by ~6.61%. The monthly average gained output ratio of membrane desalination unit is higher than 1.14. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We detected genetic variations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of tyrosinase gene (Tyr) among seven camel populations in Saudi Arabia. Exon 1 of TYR was amplified from 166 DNA samples representing six indigenous camel populations and one exotic population (Alsumalia) that yielded a 474-bp fragment. Two SNPs (T/C) were detected at coding positions 200 and 523 bp. Significant differences in genotypic frequencies were observed at coding position 200. Three different genotypes (CC, TT, CT) were detected at position 200 in each studied population, except Alsumalia, which only had CT. At position 523, the CC genotype was detected in Majaheem and TT was detected in the other populations. The C allele dominated over T allele suggesting that coat color might be associated with it. The populations Majaheem, Maghateer, Hamra, Sofr and Sawahli had higher C allele frequency than Shaul and the exotic Alsumalia. The cluster analysis of genotypic frequencies at positions 200 and 523 indicated that Majaheem was not closely related to other Saudi populations. The detection of polymorphism at position 523 in Majaheem and in wild Bactrian camel led us to conclude that wild Bactrian camel could be the immediate ancestor of Majaheem populations and other Saudi Arabian populations, as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to know the genetic diversity of three Saudi sheep populations; Naeimi (NM), Herri (H) and Najdi (NJ). Genomic DNA was extracted from 156 animals of sheep comprising 47 Naeimi, 47 Herri and 62 Najdi breeds using 18 microsatellite markers. A total of 212 alleles were generated with a mean value of 11.80 alleles per locus, with a range of observed and expected heterozygosity of 0.505 to 0.875 and 0.595 to 0.854, respectively. Eleven of the microsatellites loci studied in NM, three loci in H and fifteen loci in NJ were observed to be deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The fixation genetic indices (Fst) among the three sheep populations were very low, ranging from 0.017 (between NJ and H) to 0.033 (between NJ and NM), indicating low population differentiation among the three sheep populations studied. The present study showed that the microsatellite markers are powerful tool in determining genetic diversity among sheep populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the factors influencing the attitudes of Bachelor of Science in Nursing students toward climate change and environmental sustainability and the inclusion of these concepts in the nursing curricula of four Arab countries. Method: A convenience sample of 1,059 students from four Arab countries was surveyed using the Environmental Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey‐2 (SANS‐2) questionnaire in this descriptive‐comparative study. Results: The majority of the respondents exhibited positive attitudes toward the five items of SANS‐2, with "Environmental sustainability is an important issue for nursing" receiving the lowest mean score and "Issues about climate change should be included in the nursing curriculum" receiving the highest mean score. Saudi students had more positive attitudes toward environmental sustainability in health care compared with students from Iraq, Egypt, and the Palestinian Territories. Country of residence, type of community, and knowledge about environmental issues and their impact on health in any nursing course were significant factors that influenced attitudes toward environmental sustainability. Conclusion: The inclusion of climate change and environmental sustainability in nursing curricula in the Arab region was emphasized by the findings. Including environmental sustainability practices in nursing education will help student nurses develop critical thinking and skills in the adaptive delivery of health care, especially when resources are scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dry powders of three plants, namely ginger (Zingiber afficinale), hail (Elettaria cardamomum) and shammar (Foeniculum vulgare) were tested, for their toxicity, against the adult beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis, as date pest threatens the date product in Saudi Arabia. All the tested plants showed insecticidal activity against O. surinamensis. Ginger is the most potent plant, recording the lowest LC50 value (0.14mg/g) followed by hail and shammar (LC50 =0.4 and 0.7mg/g) respectively. Tested plants alter the protein configuration of O. surinamensis after using PAGE for protein analysis. Ginger and shammar increased the insect protein subfractions than normal; while hail reduced separated bands, especially proteins of moderate molecular weight. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Sudden death is defined as an unexpected death occurring with no observed antecedent clinical signs., Aim: The current study was performed to notice the tangible causes of sudden death among 51 out of 340 she-camels on a private farm in the eastern region of El Khafgi, Saudi Arabia., Methods: A retrospective cohort study design was conducted to investigate the sudden death of camels through microscopic examination of fecal matter to identify the gastrointestinal parasites, analysis of whole blood thin films to diagnose blood parasites, blood culturing to recognize bacterial infection as Pasteurella multicida , and macroscopic postmortem examination to identify the gastrointestinal adult worm. The quantity and composition of feed were also analyzed. Afterward, a commercial multiscreen Ag-ELISA kit technique determined the toxins of Clostridium perfringens ( C. perfringens )., Results: The results revealed that the incidence rate of sudden death was 15%. The sudden death occurred due to C. perfringens enterotoxins detected in the rumen, intestinal content, and intestinal wall. The enterotoxins and Alpha toxins were noticed, but the other toxin types, including Beta and Epsilon, could not be detected. All C. perfringens toxins were discovered to be negative in fecal matter. A significant association was reported between sudden death, she-camels age, and feeding habits as risk factors ( p = 0.020 and 0.028, respectively). Risk factor assessment by relative risk (RR) revealed that the odds of RR of sudden death occurring among she-camels aged over two years were higher than those less than two years (2.24 CI 95%, 1.093-4.591). Furthermore, the odds RR of sudden death occurring due to exposure of she-camels to a concentrated ration of 18% were higher twice than those not exposed (2.346 CI 95%, 1.039-5.296)., Conclusion: Clostridium perfringens enterotoxaemia should be listed as a cause of sudden death in camels and the alteration in diet with 18% concentration feed changes the intestinal environment, which leads to C. perfringens proliferating and yielding potent toxins. More observations and interferences like regular immunization are recommended to reduce the disease and increase the awareness of the farmers of the importance of risk factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this manuscript.

The prevalence of diet-related non-communicable diseases is on the rise in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, including Lebanon. This study aimed to provide data on fatty acid profiles and ratios of Lebanese composite dishes, Arabic sweets, and market foods. Methods: Thirty types of traditional dishes, collected from five different Lebanese governorates, thirty-seven types of Arabic sweets and forty-six market food products were considered for analysis. Food samples were chemically analyzed for total, unsaturated and saturated fatty acids. The range of total fatty acids in composite dishes, Arabic sweets, and market food products was between 1.2-11.7 g/100 g, 5.3-25.8 g/100 g, and 0.5-100 g/100 g, respectively. Additionally, the range of saturated fatty acids in composite dishes, Arabic sweets, and market food products was between 0.5-4.9 g/100 g, 2.5-23.6 g/100 g and 0.1-56.4 g/100 g, respectively. Furthermore, about 75% of these foods were poor in unsaturated fatty acids. Regarding saturated fatty acid, the polyunsaturated to monounsaturated (P.M.S) ratio was lower than the recommended ratio of 1:1:1 in 96% of samples. To conclude, there is a need to prioritize fat content in foods and consider processing modifications in the food production system with the aim of achieving a higher P:M:S ratio intake among the population.

The type and amount of resources available significantly influences the structure and dynamics of food webs. In this study, we analyzed differences in species richness of scavengers based on carcass type in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We collected insects from experimental carcasses of three different types, domestic dogs (Canidae, Canis lupus familiaris), Hijazi goats (Bovidae, Capra aegagrus hircus), and camels (Camelidae, Camelus dromedarius). Data collection was conducted during the decay stage in June, 2016. We used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) barcodes as a marker for the molecular identification of the scavenger insects. The results showed that there were more insects on the camels and goats than the dogs. In total, seven species were found on all carrions. Six species were found on the camels and goats, but only five were found on the dog. Musca domestica was the most collected species of flies whereas, Necrobia rufipes was the most collected species of beetles. Overall, this study showed that carrion type had an effect on the type and number of insects attracted to the carrions. Thus, one of the significant factors that influence the associated scavenger assemblage is a carcass type.