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This study examines the perceptions of sport regulators and executives on national sport. Mann–Whitney test and exploratory factor analyses reveal the lacking of unified interpretations of sport performance and governance between sport state regulators and sport executives. While regulators impose reform policies, sport executives perceive these policies as being jurisdictionally external, bureaucratic, and trespassing. Sport executives resist change by establishing a parallel organisational culture based on their interpretation of good governance and excellence. National sport performance is vulnerable to continuous mismatch as regulators insist on implementing reforms and sport executives seek more state funding and more institutional autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukins (ILs) are a group of cytokines known to have immunomodulatory effects; they include ILs–33 and –37 whose emerging roles in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) remain under investigated. In this study, we compared circulating IL–33 and IL–37 in Arab adults with and without MetS to determine its associations with MetS components. A total of 417 Saudi participants (151 males, 266 females; mean age ± SD 41.3 ± 9.0 years; mean body mass index ± SD 30.7 ± 6.3 kg/m2) were enrolled and screened for MetS using the ATP III criteria. Anthropometrics and fasting blood samples were taken for the assessment of fasting glucose and lipids. Circulating levels of IL–33 and IL–37 were measured using commercially available assays. The results showed higher levels of serum IL–33 and IL–37 in participants with MetS than those without (IL-33, 3.34 3.42 (2.3–3.9) vs. (1–3.9), p = 0.057; IL-37, 5.1 (2.2–8.3) vs. 2.9 (2.1–6.1), p = 0.01). Additionally, having elevated levels of IL–33 was a risk factor for hypertension, low HDL-c, and hypertriglyceridemia. A stratification of the participants according to sex showed that males had higher IL-33 levels than females [3.7 (3.0–4.1) vs. 3.15 (1.4–3.8), p < 0.001], while females had higher levels of IL–37 than males [3.01 (2.2–7.0) vs. 2.9 (2.1–5.6), p = 0.06]. In conclusion, the presence of MetS substantially alters the expression of ILs–33 and -37. IL-33 in particular can be potentially used as a therapeutic target to prevent MetS progression. Longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to confirm present findings.

This is a proposal to add 39 Arabic Quranic characters to the international character encoding standard Unicode. The characters are used to represent text in minority orthographies, and many were contained in earlier documents submitted by others (cited on page 1 of this proposal).The characters are scheduled to be published in Unicode Standard version 14.0 in September 2021. A few modifications have been made to the names or location of characters in Unicode, so users should check the code charts when the Unicode Standard is published. The charts will be accessible at: https://www.unicode.org/charts/.

PurposeA systematic review was conducted to understand self-rated health (SRH) of Arab immigrants in the United States (U.S.).BackgroundArab immigrants are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. There is some evidence that Arab immigrants face health issues including low SRH. However, no study has been done to synthesize research on SRH of Arab immigrants.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide this review. A search was conducted on seven databases.ResultsSix studies met the systematic review criteria. The available evidence indicated that rates of fair/poor SRH among Arab immigrants ranged between 4.66% and 41%. Arabic-speaking immigrants, women, older immigrants, and socioeconomically disadvantaged immigrants had the highest rates of fair/poor SRH.ImplicationsHealth care providers need to assess patient's SRH and identify barriers to optimal health and health practices related to SRH of Arab immigrants.

PurposeA systematic review was conducted to understand self-rated health (SRH) of Arab immigrants in the United States (U.S.).BackgroundArab immigrants are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. There is some evidence that Arab immigrants face health issues including low SRH. However, no study has been done to synthesize research on SRH of Arab immigrants.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to guide this review. A search was conducted on seven databases.ResultsSix studies met the systematic review criteria. The available evidence indicated that rates of fair/poor SRH among Arab immigrants ranged between 4.66% and 41%. Arabic-speaking immigrants, women, older immigrants, and socioeconomically disadvantaged immigrants had the highest rates of fair/poor SRH.ImplicationsHealth care providers need to assess patient's SRH and identify barriers to optimal health and health practices related to SRH of Arab immigrants.

Purpose – The paper aims to clarify that the Corona pandemic has shown us the negative effects of housing isolation on the current dwelling that inhabited by many people, as the current dwelling failed to manage the crisis, achieve needs, and accommodate the user for long periods, as well as It is necessary to reject these types of inhuman stores that are lacking the basic concepts of housing and the principles of Arab housing, which represents the Arab identity. Thus also require studying modern technologies and methods to develop the current dwelling to be able to resist periods of isolation. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology study includes three main objectives:* The first focus is to monitor and diagnose the negative effects (environmental, health, social and economic) on the current dwelling during housing isolation under the Corona pandemic.* The second focus is on the deductive approach from both the old Arab housing principles and modern technologies to find new methods so that the current dwelling could face emergency changes.* The third focus is the practical methodology for treating the current dwelling to face the negative effects of the Corona pandemic, reaching to the research findings and recommendations.Findings – The paper provides practical and analytical insights* The old Arab dwelling is one of the most important alternatives for treating the current dwelling because of its successful architectural vocabulary, climatic treatments, and spiritual values that make it highly able to adapt to changes.*It is necessary to reject those types of current dwellings, which have been turned into human stores that lack many basic of housing, cannot achieve human needs, and cannot accommodate users as long as possible during periods of home isolation.Social implications – Re-strengthening social ties between neighbors by adding some elements such as the horizontal and vertical courtyards, exploiting the roofs of residential buildings, and pouring some untapped common skylights floors to be used in many social and recreational activities.Originality/value – This paper Addressing a large population segment at the Arabic and foreign level, which is the medium social housing, who inhabits these units, which are less than 90 meters to find practical economic solutions commensurate with the possibilities of governments and the level of income of individuals to transfer their homes from human stores to human housing can resist the negative effects of the Corona pandemic.

IntroductionBreast cancer diagnosis and treatment have been shown in studies to have a negative impact on patients’ physical, psychological, and social well-being, as well as overall quality of life. Psychologically, it’s linked to sadness, anxiety, and demoralisation. Stigma contributes to the hidden burden of breast cancer as a chronic illness. Research on the elements that breast cancer survivors encounter as influences on stigma associated to the disease is lacking. Based on the lived experiences of breast cancer survivors, this study sought to investigate the factors that lead to the manifestations of both self- and public breast cancer stigma.MethodsIndividual semi-structured interviews with 24 patients diagnosed with breast cancer were performed, followed by five focus groups with 25 patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Interviews were verbatim transcribed and analysed using thematic framework analysis.ResultsTwo major themes have emerged from the data: a) Breast cancer stigma among breast cancer survivors, highlighting the various manifestations of stigma and the variables that influence them; including disease-related factors, patients’ views of cancer, public perceptions of breast cancer, family and interpersonal dynamics, and b) Stigma resilience and empowerment, emphasising the necessity of sociocultural transformation and coping strategies to preserve resilience.ConclusionsTo improve the well-being of breast cancer survivors, practitioners and health policymakers should be aware of the breast cancer stigma that underpins patients’ emotional and behavioural outlooks and its potential consequences on patients’ quality of life. They need to develop interventions to address the different stages of cancer stigma taking into consideration sociocultural influences, norms, and beliefs.

Copyright of Journal of Social & Technology / Jurnal Sosial dan Teknologi (SOSTECH) is the property of Green Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has begun with a wave of misinformation and fear of infection. This may have led people to self-medicate inappropriately. The World Health Organization describes self-medication (SM) as utilizing medicines to relieve symptoms or health conditions without consulting a physician. Inappropriate drug use is a burden on both health resources and patient health in the Arab region. This study aimed to detect the prevalence and influencing factors of self-medication among the general Arab population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A multinational cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of ten Arab countries from early August to late October 2021. Participants aged 18 years or older could join the study via social media platforms. A convenience sampling technique was used. A developed and validated web-based questionnaire was used to collect data on self-medication practice, associated influencing factors, information sources, commonly used medications, and commonly treated conditions. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate regression analyses were applied using IBM SPSS v 26 and R v 4.0.0 software. Results: A total of 8163 participants completed the questionnaire, and 518 participants were excluded from the analysis due to inconsistencies in their data. Almost two-thirds (62.7%) of participants reported practicing self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the country level, Egypt had the highest prevalence of self-medication practice (72.1%), while Palestine had the lowest prevalence (40.4%). The most commonly used drugs were analgesics, antipyretics, and vitamins (86, 65.1, and 57.1%, respectively), while antitussives and antibiotics scored 47.6 and 43.3%, respectively. Experience with similar health conditions (74.6%) and urgency of the problem (47.2%) were the most frequent factors that led to self-medication. Additionally, 38.2% of the self-medicated participants (SMPs) used drugs as prophylaxis against COVID-19. Pharmacist consultation was the most common source of information about self-medication (66.7%). Multivariate analysis showed that predictors of self-medication were older age (p = 0.008), presence of chronic illness (p = 0.015), and having monthly income or medical insurance that does not cover the treatment cost (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Self-medication is considered a common practice across the Arab population. It is necessary to regulate policies and raise awareness among the public about self-medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points: Psycho‐oncology, a multidisciplinary field that addresses the patients' and their caregivers' physical, psychological, social, and behavioral well‐being, is extensively integrated in cancer care in high‐income countriesPsycho‐oncology services remain underdeveloped, fragmented, and poorly implemented in low‐ and middle‐income countries, particularly those in the Arab Middle East and North Africa regionTo upgrade these services, accommodation to both (i) the unique needs of Arab low‐ and middle‐income countries and (ii) the best practices of psycho‐oncology is crucialThere is scarcity of research on the barriers and challenges faced during building or expanding psycho‐oncology services in the Arab low‐ and middle‐income countriesWe summarize a priori challenges that may be encountered in psychosocial capacity building in similar Arab low‐ and middle‐income countries using Lebanon as a pilot program [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies documented a narrow scope of knowledge about the negative mental health status during the lockdown following the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Arab countries. Aim: We aimed to assess the association between negative mental health status and the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the different factors affecting mental health among the general population of seven Arab countries. Methods: This study is a multinational cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted online from June 11, 2020 to June 25, 2020. The depression, anxiety, and stress Scale 21 Items (DASS-21) and the Event scale--Revised Arabic version (IES-R-13) scales were used. Multiple linear regressions were performed to study the association between the scales' total scores with COVID-19 and demographic characteristics. Results: A total of 28,843 participants from seven Arab countries were included. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of mental health disorders has significantly increased. A total of 19006 participants (66%) were affected by variable degrees of depression, 13,688 (47%) had anxiety, and 14,374 (50%) had stress ranging from mild to severe. Higher levels were associated with other factors, such as lower age, female gender, chronic disease, unemployed, fear of getting infected, and a history of psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: Our study findings show an increased incidence of mental disorders during the pandemic. This is expected to play a crucial role in guiding a psychological support strategy provided by healthcare systems to the general public during pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Little is known about ethnic differences in bone geometry, nor their association with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), especially among ethnicities living in the same country. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate differences in bone geometry at the radius and tibia, as well as in 25(OH)D status, between Arab (A), South Asian (SA), and Caucasian (C) premenopausal women residing in the UK. The potential association between 25(OH)D concentration and indices of bone geometry was also assessed. Methods: Fifty-seven healthy premenopausal women (17 A, 18 SA, and 22 C), ranging in age from 18 to 51 years, underwent assessment of their volumetric bone mineral density and 25(OH)D concentration. Ethnic differences were assessed using ANOVA. Spearman’s rho was used to analyze associations between 25(OH)D and pQCT bone variables. Results: At the 4% radius, Arab women had a lower BMC, as well as a smaller total bone area and trabecular area than did Caucasian women. At the 4% tibia, Arab women had a lower total vBMD than did South Asian women. Serum 25(OH)D among Arab (36.5(22.4SD)) and South Asian (31.4 (16.8SD)) women was significantly lower than in Caucasian women (81.9(20.0SD)) (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant correlations between 25(OH)D and pQCT bone variables in any ethnic group. Conclusions: This study suggests a possible need for attention to bone health in premenopausal Arab women as well as improvement in Vitamin D status in Arab and South Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dental anomalies and whethera significant association exists between dental anomalies and consanguinity marriage among Arabic orthodontic patients in Israel. Pretreatment panoramic radiographs of 513 patients (38% males and 62% females) were examined to detect dental anomalies related to number, size, shape, and eruption. A chi-square test was carried out to determine the associations between dental anomalies, gender, and consanguinity marriage. The results indicated that 29% of the subjects manifested at least one dental anomaly. Impacted tooth was found to be the most frequent dental anomaly, with a prevalence of 13.5%, whereas fusion and transmigration were found to be the least common, with a prevalence of 0.2% each. The prevalence of dental anomalies was significantly greater in males (p < 0.001) than in females. In our sample a significant association was found between dental anomalies and consanguinity marriage, and it was found to be greater in subjects with a family history of consanguinity marriage. This association can be attributed to the negative effects of consanguinity marriage, which was also reported in many studies in other fields. This study suggests that consanguinity marriage can be one of the factors involved in the development of dental anomalies in certain at-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Middle Eastern Studies / Ortadoğu Etütleri is the property of Turkmen Cooperation & Cultural Foundation Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

During the 1948 Palestine war, more than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs fled or were expelled from their homes, accounting for roughly half of prewar Palestine's Arab population. The exodus was a central component of the Palestinian society's cracks, disempowerment and displacement, known as the Nakba, during which between 400 and 600 Palestinian villages were damaged and others were exposed to the Hebraization of Palestinian place names, and it also relates to the wider period of the conflict itself and the subsequent oppression up to the present day. The main aim of this research is to define the causes of the 1948 Palestinian exodus, which led to the creation of the Palestinian refugee problem. It also seeks to show the ways that the Nakba has influenced Palestinian history. This study explores the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, a UN (United Nations) agency that supports Palestinian refugees' relief and human development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arab stage plays took their time in the development and making their place in the world throughout ancient times. The article shines a light on the phases and struggles Arab theatre went through in making such majestic art and performances that are a source of entertainment for people from all over the world. Mainly the struggles were because of religious issues that initiated many other issues like censorship and not having enough popularity in the Arab states that put up a limit to the theatre establishments forcing the artists to make journeys to seek their audience as many things did not sit well in the mindsets of the religious Arabs. However, later on, the theatre started stretching its roots in the hearts of the audience. Performances like Shadow Puppetry and Passion plays took over many viewers and became an important part of the Arab culture. One of the most important eras in the history of Arabic drama development was that of the Egyptian era, which holds a reputation to this time and tells a lot of religious and historic stories through its innovative art play. The article also highlights the great contribution of Ibn Danyal Al-Khuzai to the plays through his three phenomenal theatre scripts that were enacted upon by many diverse cultures and ethnicities, furthermore, the influence Western drama culture made in Arab states and its impact that came with series of events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using multilevel modelling, this paper investigates ethno-religious penalties in unemployment and inactivity among men and women using the Understanding Society survey. The paper confirms previous findings of a Muslim penalty and a British labour market hierarchized by colour (ethnicity) and religion (culture). However, by including a greater range of ethnic groups the paper provides a corrective to accounts in the sociological literature that being White is not a protection against the Muslim penalty. Rather, while affiliation with the Muslim White British group does not appear to be associated with penalization, Muslim Arabs who traditionally identify as White are found to experience significant disadvantage. This suggests that the Muslim penalty might also be moderated by a person's country of origin. The paper also finds that considerable penalties remain for Muslims even after adjusting for so-called "sociocultural attitudes", challenging the assumption that value orientations offer a suitable explanation for the Muslim penalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical education teachers often experience stress and job disengagement. Objective: This study’s aims were as follows: (1) to adapt in the Arabic language and test the reliability and the validity of the work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC) scales, (2) to develop and assess the psychometric properties of work disengagement among physical education teachers, and (3) to evaluate an explanatory model by presenting the mediating role of perceived stress as a major influencing factor in work disengagement and job satisfaction. Methods: A total of 303 primary and secondary school physical education teachers, comprising 165 (54.5%) men and 138 (45.5%) women participated voluntarily in our study. The measuring instruments are the Work Disengagement Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the WFC scale, the FWC scale, and the 9-item Teacher of Physical Education Job Satisfaction Inventory. Results: The Arabic language versions of the WFC and FWC scales had reasonably adequate psychometric properties, which were justified by confirmatory factor analyses and by the measurement of reliability, convergent, and discriminant validity through the measurement model using SmartPLS software. Similarly, the structural model established with SmartPLS confirmed strong links of the concepts of FWC, WFC, the job satisfaction questionnaire, and perceived stress with work disengagement among teachers of physical education. Conclusions: There is a growing interest in helping teachers cope with the daily pressures of work and family. A positive organizational context is a context with clear values regarding work priorities, which constitutes the basis of a feeling of shared responsibility and professional support. Good conditions can act as protective factors reducing work stress and positively influencing personal well-being, work attitudes, work commitment, and professional efficiency. Additional research on teachers is needed to examine the relationship between perceived work stress and the role of families, along with the extent to which this association can have a significant impact on teachers’ commitment to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Recent Period Turkish Studies / Yakın Dönem Türkiye Araştırmaları is the property of Recent Period Turkish Studies / Yakin Donem Turkiye Arastirmalari and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Several observational studies have inconsistently demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) infection and severity. Discrepancies in results may partially be explained by the individuals' immune profiles, which are modulated, in varying degrees, by vitamin D status and sex hormones. Methods: In this study we evaluated the differences and associations of serum levels of 25(OH)D with 34 cytokines in 220 adults (82 controls (41 males; 41 females) and 138 SARS-CoV-2 patients (79 males and 59 females)) with and without COVID-19. Results: Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in the SARS-CoV-2 group than in the controls. Serum IP-10, MCP-1, CRP, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17α, IL-23, and IL-6 were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients compared to controls. Serum levels of VEGF, IFNγ, IL-13, and IL-5 were significantly higher in male patients than in females. 25(OH)D was significantly correlated with EFG (R = 0.39, p < 0.05) and IL-15 (R = 0.39, p < 0.05) in male patients, while it was inversely correlated with CRP (R = −0.51, p < 0.05) in female patients. Conclusions: Altered levels of cytokines, chemokines, and vitamin D were observed in SARS-CoV-2 adult patients. These expressions were sexually dimorphic and thus highlight the sex-specific nature of the active immune response following SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arab minority consists of 20% of the Israeli population. Most of the Arab minority live in rural villages, mostly in closed communities, with specific psycho-social and sociodemographic characteristics. Previous studies showed different attitudes to COVID-19 vaccination among Arab adults. Objectives: To examine the influence of factors on the willingness of parents to vaccinate their young and adolescent children and if there is a difference between parents’ attitudes to both groups. Methods and Materials: The survey examined correlations between variables and attitudes toward the vaccine and the pandemic and was disseminated anonymously to parents of children between the ages of 5 and 18 in the Arab population of Israel through social media networks, using the snowball method. Statistical analyses included the Pearson correlation, MANCOVA, and logistic regression tests. Results: In total, 361 Arab Israeli parents participated. As mentioned above, 130 parents had both children and adolescents. Overall, 48 parents (36.9%) chose not to vaccinate both their children and adolescents, 52 parents (40.0%) chose to vaccinate only their adolescents, only 1 parent (0.8%) chose to vaccinate only the child, and 29 parents (22.3%) vaccinated both their children and adolescents. Significant correlations were found among a higher age of parents and socioeconomic status, attitudes toward COVID vaccination, subjective norms, perceived severity of the disease, perceived benefits of vaccination, and trust in formal sources. Discussion: There is a difference between parents’ decision to be vaccinated and their willingness to vaccinate their children. There is a difference between their decision to vaccinate their adolescents and their young children. Different factors positively or negatively influenced parents’ decisions. Addressing these factors by authorities may increase compliance of Arab minorities with instructions in the future.

Abstract To date, there has been no genomewide association study (GWAS) from the Middle East and North African (MENA) region to identify genetic variants associated with warfarin dose variability using this approach. In this study, we aimed to conduct the first GWAS of warfarin dose requirements in patients from the MENA region. A total of 132 Qatari (discovery) and 50 Egyptians (replication) were genotyped using Illumina Multi‐Ethnic Global BeadChip Array. A GWAS was performed on log‐transformed weekly warfarin dose in the studied population, adjusting for clinical characteristics and ancestry. The genomewide signals from the discovery cohort were tested in the Egyptian cohort. A GWAS meta‐analysis, including the Qatari and Egyptian cohorts, was also performed and the output from this analysis was used in a gene‐based analysis. The discovery analysis in Qatari identified five genomewide single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in chromosome 16. These signals were replicated in the Egyptian cohort. Combining the two data through a GWAS meta‐analysis strengthened the association in chromosome 16 with VKORC1 rs9934438 being the lead genomewide signal (β = −0.17, 6 × 10−15). Other SNPs were identified in chromosome 10 at a p value less than 1 × 10−5. The genetic variants within VKORC1 rs9934438 and CYP2C9 rs4086116 explained 39% and 27% of the variability in the weekly warfarin dose requirement in the Qatari and Egyptians, respectively. This is the first GWAS of warfarin dose variability in the MENA region. It confirms the importance of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 variants in warfarin dose variability among patients from the MENA region.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the fastest growing economies with consequent increase in non-communicable diseases including cancer. The number of reported cases and mortality have been increasing in the UAE over the years, despite screening and early detection efforts which appear to be far from target coverage of the intended population. In this work, we highlight key elements of a proposed national cancer control plan for the UAE. The plan is still a work in progress and has not yet been officially adopted. A comprehensive and effective control plan requires accurate data, a reliable cancer registry, and periodic monitoring and evaluation. The UAE cancer control plan is being prepared in line with the WHO and EMRO framework, with defined objectives and goals. The objectives are to combat cancer, reduce incidence, control mortality, and improve outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients. There is also a focus on improving public health education, prevention, early detection, prompt diagnosis, treatment facilitation, continuity of care, performance evaluation, training of workforce, and research.

The most common liver disease in the world is fatty liver disease related to metabolic dysfunction, yet neither patients nor medical professionals are fully aware of this. The disease, formerly known for decades as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has been renamed metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), with many international consensus groups making recommendations on how the condition should be diagnosed and treated. This point of view explores the nomenclature change from the standpoint of Arab medical professionals and patients. The call for a name change brought up serious issues with the current nomenclature, which refers to the condition as NAFLD, and its diagnostic criteria, including the necessity for excluding alcohol consumption. The Arab world has its unique situation as regards both old and new nomenclatures. This is because of the low alcohol consumption rates in most Arab Muslim countries besides the reported high prevalence rates of obesity and its related comorbidities in the region. In our opinion, such unclarities acted as a significant roadblock to several crucial aspects of disease management in the Arab countries, including patient–doctor communication, patient awareness, partnership working, patient motivation to make lifestyle changes, and promotion of multiple health behavior changes. Many Arab world hepatologists thus wholeheartedly endorse this call to redefine the disease as they believe it will eventually positively impact the understanding and awareness of fatty liver disease, enhance patient treatment and quality of life, and reduce the load on the healthcare system.

Islam's teachings emphasize maintaining personal hygiene and isolating sick people, both of which are crucial in the present COVID-19 pandemic. Between the 7th and 15th centuries, Islamic and Arab civilizations produced significant advancements in science and medicine. These discoveries laid the groundwork for the development of the European Renaissance. In Islam, maintaining one's personal cleanliness and hygiene is a duty that Muslims have to do to worship Allah (God). In universal outbreaks such as plague pandemics, Islam recognized the risks and mandated precautions, prevention, and hygienic isolation. Islam took the lead in pioneering several health protection practices, such as the quarantine rule. If a contagious sickness manifests in a certain area or town, Prophet Muhammad instructed to forbid entry or exit to the affected town, now known as quarantine. The first documented application of quarantine, as we currently know, it was implemented by the Muslim scholar Avicenna (ibn Sina). According to Islam, protecting living creatures' lives equals protecting the faith. Therefore, all needed measures to reduce the risk of infection, including vaccines, should be rigorously applied in Islam. In this viewpoint, we discuss Islamic beliefs, the Prophet's practices and teachings, and Muslim scholars' contributions to lowering infections and putting specific regulations in place during pandemics that supplemented the development of infection control rules as we know them in modern medical practices through using the best available evidence.

It has been almost five decades since the initiative to transform the Middle East into a zone free of nuclear weapons was launched in the UN General Assembly in 1974. Despite sustained diplomatic efforts by the Arab states, the zone remained an unrealized concept that is stuck in the pre-negotiation phase. For every step forward there were two backward. The history of the zone is littered with unfulfilled promises by the international community. Nonetheless, the latest developments in the last few years indicate that the zone concept is still very much alive. This article will highlight some of the milestones in the history of the zone, look at some of the misconceptions surrounding the initiative, and examine the motivations and rationale behind it and why the advocates of the zone to continue to pursue it in all relevant international forums. The article will also attempt to draw some lessons learned along the way in the turbulent and long history of the zone, and, finally suggest some steps to move forward toward the endgame. In the analysis of these issues, the article will present an Arab perspective, which has not been sufficiently reflected in much of the literature or research available.

This research examines the status of special education in the Arab Gulf nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates in the early 2020s using three methods. First, through an integrative examination of laws, policies, and international commitments to disability rights in the area of education, we describe what these countries are trying to achieve in terms of the education of their children and youth with disabilities—their ideals. We then describe the extent to which those ideals are being achieved—the realities— by (a) classifying the countries’ educational provision for their exceptional learners according to an empirical typology that describes national differences in serving such students educationally and (b) investigating recent literature on special education teacher preparation and special education research in the Arab Gulf states to understand why there may be discrepancies between the ideals and the realities. The countries’ commitment to the right to education for individuals with disabilities is solidly and firmly in place. The reality of fully achieving that ideal is still developing, though progress is being made.

Rivâyetlerin Hz. Peygamber’e aidiyetinin tespiti hadis ilminin en önemli meselesidir. Resûlullah’ın vefatı ile başlayan bu mesele, muhaddislere hadislerin sıhhatlerini tetkik etmek için birçok kriter geliştirmelerine olanak sağlamıştır. Âlimler tarafından haberlerin tashihlerinin tespiti için öne sürülen kriterler, özgün bir usûl ilmi meydana getirmiştir. Hadis usûlünün sahih hadis kriterleri hadislerin tespitinde elverişli bir sistem olmakla beraber bünyesinde bazı problemler de barındırmaktadır. Bunlardan biri muhaddislerin sened ve râvi hakkındaki sıhhat kriterlerinin birbirinden farklı olması ve âlimlerin içtihatlarındaki ihtilaflardır. Bazı âlimlerin kriterlerinin sened ve rical üzerine yoğunlaşması ve metin değerlendirmesinin ihmal edilmesi de diğer bir problemdir. Birçok rivâyette olduğu gibi “Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz. Ben Arabım, Kur’an Arapçadır, Cennet ehlinin dili Arapça’dır.” haberi için de durum böyledir. Bazıları bu hadis için uydurma kanaatinde bulunmuş iken başkaları da en muteber derece olan sıhhat hükmünü vermiştir. Bu durum hadisin Hz. Peygamber’e aidiyeti hususunda ciddi problem arz etmektedir. Buna rağmen bazı tefsir ve hadis şerhleri gibi kaynaklarda bu haberin sahih bir rivâyet gibi aktarılması ayrı bir problemdir. ‘Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz’ rivâyeti hakkında hüküm vermiş olan muhaddisler ve bunu şerh eden âlimler metin tetkiki hususunda herhangi bir şey söylememiştir. Hâlbuki hadisin aslı metindir. Rivâyetlerin Hz. Peygamber’e aidiyetinin tespiti için sadece isnad tenkidi ile yetinmek hadis hakkında hüküm vermek için yeterli değildir. Özellikle isnadı hakkında muhtelif hükümlerin verilmiş olduğu haberin metin tenkidi daha da önem arz etmektedir. Dolayısıyla sıhhatleri hakkında kuşku duyulan bu ve buna benzer rivâyetlerin hem sened hem de metin yönünden tahlil edilmesi gerekmektedir. Zira problemli haberlerin iki yönden tahlili Hz. Peygamber’in hadislerinin yanlış haberlerden korunmasına katkı sağlayacaktır. Yapılan araştırma sonucunda “Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz” rivâyetinin geçtiği ilk eser, tespit edilebildiği kadarıyla el-Kirmânî’nin Mesâʾilu Harb’ıdır. Bu rivâyet Kütüb-i Sitte veya Kütüb-i Tis‘a eserlerinde yer almamaktadır. Ayrıca bu rivâyet hicri IV. asra kadar başka herhangi bir eserde de tahrîc edilmemiştir. Bu durum rivâyetin sıhhati hususunda olumsuz kanaat oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmamızda ‘Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz’ rivâyetinin de sened ve metin tetkiki birlikte yapılmıştır. Rivâyet hakkında muhaddislerin uydurma, zayıf, hasen, sahih ve aslı yok gibi muhtelif hükümleri, râvi ve sened tetkiki üzerine bina etmiş oldukları tespit edilmiştir. Bütün tariklerin birlikte değerlendirilmesi neticesinde rivâyetin muttasıl ve ferd olduğu görülmüştür. İsnad incelemesinin neticesine göre bu hadisin değişmeyen ilk üç ravisi hakkında cerh ve ta’dil açısından olumlu değerlendirmeler söz konusudur. Dördüncü râvi Yahyâ b. Büreyd’in ise zayıf olduğu söylenmiş, beşinci râvi A’lâ el-Hanefi ise kizb ile itham edilmiştir. Dolayısıyla bu rivâyetin dördüncü ve beşinci tabakasında olan raviler cerh-ta’dil yönünden ağır kusurlu görülmüştür. Rivâyetin en zayıf halkaları da bunlardır. Bunlardan sonraki râvilerin sika olarak değerlendirilmiş olması rivâyet hakkında uydurma hükmünü vermeyi de zorlaştırmıştır. Hâkim'in mutabaat için göstermiş olduğu rivâyetin râvilerinden Muhammed b. el-Fadl da kizb ile itham edilmiştir. Yapılan bu tetkikte haberin isnad yönünden çok zayıf olduğu kanaati hâsıl olmuştur. Dolayısıyla haber hakkında verilen hasen ve sahih hükümleri problemli görünmektedir. İsnad, metni bize ulaştıran araçtır. Böyle olunca da sadece aracın araştırılıp asıl hadis olan metnin tenkid dışı bırakılması büyük bir eksiklik olur. Dolayısıyla, mutlaka metnin de tetkik ve tenkidinin yapılması icap eder. Metin tahlilinde metnin muhtevasına göre Kur’ân’a, sünnete, tarihî bilgi ve vâkıaya arzı gibi krtiterlere başvurulmaktadır. Ayrıca metin tahlilinde Hz. Peygamber’in konumunun ve misyonunun göz önüne alınması da gerekmektedir. ‘Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz’ rivâyetinin metni Kur’ân’a, sünnete, sahih hadislere ve Hz. Peygamber’in konumu ve misyonuna arz edilmiştir. Yapılan metin tenkidi neticesinde rivâyet bu yönüyle de sahih görülmemiştir. Ebû Hüreyre’nin “Ben Arabım, Kur’an Arapçadır ve cennet ehlinin lisanı Arapçadır” şeklinde merfu olarak rivâyet etmiş olduğu haber de işaret edilmiş olan bu özelliklerden dolayı Arapların sevilmesinin istenmiş olması, Hz. Peygamber’in misyonu ve konumuna aykırı görülmektedir. Dolayısıyla ‘Arapları üç şeyden dolayı seviniz’ rivâyeti hem sened hem de metin yönünden zayıf görülmüştür. Araştırmamız aynı zamanda sened tetkikinin tek başına yeterli olmadığını, metin tetkiki ile desteklendiğinde hadis hakkında hüküm elde etmenin imkanının arttığını gösteren bir uygulama mesabesindedir.

Brain derived neutrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein and a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors, supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. The BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265/G196A) is responsible for BDNF synthesis that impact BDNF function that includes memory and cognition.This study investigated whether the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265/G196A) is associated with cognitive function changes in both Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and elderly participants. In addition the impact of SSRI use on cognition improvement will be assessed. Healthy young, middle ages (25–59 years old) and elderly (more than 60 years old) participants (140) as well as 40 AD patients of whom are both of Saudi Arabian origin were recruited. The genotyping for the association study was performed by real-time PCR using Taqman chemistry in the ABI Prism 7900HT Sequence Detection System. Both Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) were used to assess cognitive function of healthy and AD participants, respectively.The findings showed that the BDNF Val66Met genotype distributions and allele frequencies have significant association with cognitive performance in both elderly control group and AD patients. The main findings showed that carriers of GG homozygotes (Val/Val) have superior cognitive performance among AD patients and elderly control subjects. In addition the use of SSRIs in 13 AD patients and 17 elderly participants positively improved cognitive function in elderly (p > 0.001) but not in AD patients (p = 0.1).

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Background: There has been a noticeable increase in the number of studies concerned with mental health literacy (MHL), specifically among students. Still, very few studies have examined MHL among students of non-Western minority groups. Aims: This study examined MHL among Arab students in Israel based on Jorm's conceptual framework. Methods: Twenty-eight Arab students in Israel took part in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Most were single and Muslim, in their second year of studies, and most reported low socioeconomic status. The data were analyzed thematically, guided by the Jorm's six MHL dimensions. Results: Different levels of literacy were found in the various MHL dimensions. The participants identified severe mental disorders more easily than mood disorders; reported a variety of possible causes of mental disorders; were well aware of available professional help (apart for rehabilitative services); identified significant barriers to mental health help seeking, as Arabs; and reported the internet as a major source of information about mental health problems and their treatment Conclusions: The participants' MHL appeared to be associated with their unique sociocultural characteristics. This study stresses the need to raise MHL among Arab students in Israel, and in particular to promote positive attitudes to seeking professional help. It also highlights the need to develop culturally adapted mental health interventions for the Arab population in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this review is to synthesise and present the best available evidence on the prevalence, predictors and information needs about sexual health among female Arab cancer survivors. Methods: The databases searched included MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL from inception of the database until March 2020. The review was undertaken according to the JBI guidelines. Proportional meta‐analysis using a random effects model was used for statistical pooling through JBI SUMARI. Results: Seven studies involving female Arab cancer survivors were included in the review. The overall prevalence of sexual dysfunction ranged from 16.7 to 67% (pooled estimate 51%, 95% CIs 21.7% to 80.2%). Dyspareunia and erectile dysfunction were the two main types of sexual dysfunction reported after diagnosis, and the overall prevalence ranged from 42.5% to 65% and 38% to 61%, respectively. The prevalence of vaginal dryness was ranged from 19.8% to 54.2%, and dyspareunia ranged from 22.2% to 65%. The lack of sexuality information and communication with health care providers (HCPs) was also reported in the included studies. Conclusion: Cancer and its treatment may result in significant difficulties with sexual activity and sexual functioning among cancer survivor. Communication between the health care professionals and cancer survivors is essential to overcome this problem and improve the quality of life of female Arab cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]