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Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) thrives in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world; nevertheless, it suffers large grain yield losses due to drought stress. A panel of 426 lines of barley was evaluated in Egypt under deficit (DI) and full irrigation (FI) during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons. Observations were recorded on the number of days to flowering (NDF), total chlorophyll content (CH), canopy temperature (CAN), grain filling duration (GFD), plant height (PH), and grain yield (Yield) under DI and FI. The lines were genotyped using the 9K Infinium iSelect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotyping platform, which resulted in 6913 high-quality SNPs. In conjunction with the SNP markers, the phenotypic data were subjected to a genome-wide association scan (GWAS) using Bayesian-information and Linkage-disequilibrium Iteratively Nested Keyway (BLINK). The GWAS results indicated that 36 SNPs were significantly associated with the studied traits under DI and FI. Furthermore, eight markers were significant and common across DI and FI water regimes, while 14 markers were uniquely associated with the studied traits under DI. Under DI and FI, three (11_10326, 11_20042, and 11_20170) and five (11_20099, 11_10326, 11_20840, 12_30298, and 11_20605) markers, respectively, had pleiotropic effect on at least two traits. Among the significant markers, 24 were annotated to known barley genes. Most of these genes were involved in plant responses to environmental stimuli such as drought. Overall, nine of the significant markers were previously reported, and 27 markers might be considered novel. Several markers identified in this study could enable the prediction of barley accessions with optimal agronomic performance under DI and FI.

Abstract Aim To evaluate the effect of different anti-diabetic treatment strategy on oxidative stress markers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Subject and methods A total of 93 patients with T2DM treated with metformin (G1 = 25), OHA (G2 = 22), OA and insulin (G3 = 26) and insulin alone (G4 = 20). In all patients, lipid profile and glycemic indices were assessed using routine laboratory tests. MDA and Oxidized LDL were assessed using commercially available ELISA kits. Laboratory tests were performed at baseline and at a control visit after 24 weeks of treatment. Results A significant decrease in the levels of MDA with improvement of glycemic control was observed in the group receiving OHA in combination with insulin therapy. A similar decrease of oxLDL was observed in all diabetic subgroups with borderline significance in those receiving metformin alone. The remaining clinical and biochemical parameters were not changed during follow-up in any of the involved groups. Conclusion A combination therapy with insulin was more effective in glycemic control and MDA reduction in T2DM. Whereas, a significant oxLDLc reduction was observed in T2DM irrespective of categories of antidiabetic treatment or glycemic control.

Increasing ambient ozone (O3) concentrations and resurgent rust diseases are two concomitant limiting factors to wheat production worldwide. Breeding resilient wheat cultivars bearing rust resistance and O3 tolerance while maintaining high yield is critical for global food security. This study aims at identifying ozone tolerance among key rust-susceptible wheat genotypes [Rust near-universal susceptible genotypes (RnUS)], as a first step towards achieving this goal. Tested RnUS included seven bread wheat genotypes (Chinese Spring, Line E, Little Club, LMPG 6, McNair 701, Morocco and Thatcher), and one durum wheat line (Rusty). Plants were treated with five O3 concentrations (CF, 50, 70, 90, and 110 ppb), in two O3 exposure systems [continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) and outdoor-plant environment chambers (OPEC)], at 21–23 Zadoks decimal growth stage. Visible injury and biomass accumulation rate were used to assess O3 responses. Visible injury data showed consistent order of genotype sensitivity (Thatcher, LMPG 6 > McNair 701, Rusty > Line E, Morocco, Little Club > Chinese Spring). Additionally, leaves at different orders showed differential O3 responses. Biomass accumulation under O3 stress showed similar results for the bread wheat genotypes. However, the durum wheat line “Rusty” had the most O3-sensitive biomass production, providing a contrasting O3 response to the tolerance reported in durum wheat. Chinese Spring was the most tolerant genotype based on both parameters and could be used as a source for O3 tolerance, while sensitive genotypes could be used as sensitive parents in mapping O3 tolerance in bread wheat. The suitability of visible symptoms and biomass responses in high-throughput screening of wheat for O3 tolerance was discussed. The results presented in this research could assist in developing future approaches to accelerate breeding wheat for O3 tolerance using existing breeding materials.

Majid Alfadhel,1,2 Fuad Al Mutairi,1,2 Nawal Makhseed,3 Fatma Al Jasmi,4 Khalid Al-Thihli,5 Emtithal Al-Jishi,6 Moeenaldeen AlSayed,7 Zuhair N Al-Hassnan,7,8 Fathiya Al-Murshedi,5 Johannes Häberle,9 Tawfeg Ben-Omran10 Middle East Hyperammonemia and Urea Cycle Disorders Scientific Group (MHUSG) 1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, 2King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Pediatrics, Jahra Hospital, Ministry of Health, Jahra City, Kuwait; 4Department of Pediatric, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates; 5Genetic and Developmental Medicine Clinic, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman; 6Salmaniya Medical Complex, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain; 7Department of Medical Genetics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, 8The National Newborn Screening Program, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Department of Pediatrics, Division of Metabolism and Children’s Research Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; 10Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar Background: Hyperammonemia is a life-threatening event that can occur at any age. If treated, the early symptoms in all age groups could be reversible. If untreated, hyperammonemia could be toxic and cause irreversible brain damage to the developing brain.Objective: There are major challenges that worsen the outcome of hyperammonemic individuals in the Middle East. These include: lack of awareness among emergency department physicians about proper management of hyperammonemia, strained communication between physicians at primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals, and shortage of the medications used in the acute management of hyperammonemia. Therefore, the urge to develop regional guidelines is extremely obvious.Method: We searched PubMed and Embase databases to include published materials from 2011 to 2014 that were not covered by the European guidelines, which was published in 2012. We followed the process of a Delphi conference and involved one preliminary meeting and two follow-up meetings with email exchanges between the Middle East Hyperammonemia and Urea Cycle Disorders Scientific Group regarding each draft of the manuscript.Results and discussion: We have developed consensus guidelines based on the highest available level of evidence. The aim of these guidelines is to homogenize and harmonize the treatment protocols used for patients with acute hyperammonemia, and to provide a resource to not only metabolic physicians, but also physicians who may come in contact with individuals with acute hyperammonemia.Conclusion: These suggested guidelines aim to ease the challenges faced by physicians dealing with acute hyperammonemia in the region. In addition, guidelines have demonstrated useful collaboration between experts in the region, and provides information that will hopefully improve the outcomes of patients with acute hyperammonemia. Keywords: hyperammonemia, inborn errors of metabolism, urea cycle, acute management, ammonia, Middle East

Breeding wheat for higher grain yield can contribute to global food security and sustainable production on less land. Tropospheric ozone can injure wheat plants and subsequently reduce grain yield. Identification of ozone tolerance in the wheat genome can assist plant breeders in developing new sources of tolerant germplasm. Our objective was to use the ‘Chinese Spring’ monosomic lines to screen for ozone response and identify the chromosomic locations contributing to ozone tolerance based on foliar injury. Two methodologies, Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors and Outdoor Plant Environment Chambers, were used to expose wheat monosomic lines to varying concentrations and durations of ozone. Each wheat monosomic line in ‘Chinese Spring’ has a missing chromosome in each of the wheat subgenomes (A, B, and D). In both methodologies, we found significant and repeatable data to identify chromosome 7A as a major contributor to tolerance to ozone injury in ‘Chinese Spring’. In every experiment, the absence of chromosome 7A resulted in significant injury to wheat due to ozone. This was not the case when any other chromosome was missing.

Waste lubricating oil is non‐biodegradable materials. It is released into the environment and its disposal has become a global environmental issue due to its impact on all life aspects. The production of waste lubricating oil has recently increased rapidly. The aim of this work is to recover, optimize oil production process from waste lubricating oil. This was investigated using the acid‐clay process. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach was used to optimize the desludging reaction. The studied parameters were acid to oil ratio, contact time, temperature. The mixing ratio of acid to waste oil were selected in the range of 1:10 to 2:10 (v/v). Reaction time was in the range of 60–120 min. The predicted maximum viscosity index of 117.54 was obtained at the temperature of 40°C, 20% acid to oil ratio, and reaction time of 60 min. The results were assessed experimentally using five runs and the average value of viscosity index was 111.76 with standard deviation of 0.739 and error 4.91%. The samples obtained at optimum conditions were characterized by measuring flash point at 180°C, carbon residue of 0.487, kinematic viscosity at 100°C of 17cSt, the water content of 0.01%, ash content of 0.02%. Viscosity index of was found in complies with the Egyptian standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mostafa Abdelsalam,1,2 Eman Nagy,2 Mohamed Abdalbary,2 Mona Abdellatif Alsayed,1,3 Amr Abouzed Salama Ali,4 Reham Metwally Ahmed,1 Abdulbadie Saleh M Alsuliamany,1 Ali H Alyami,5– 7 Raad MM Althaqafi,8 Raghad M Alsaqqa,9 Safaa Ibrahim Ali,10 Bakar Aljohani,11 Ahmed Abdullah Alghamdi,12 Faisal A Alghamdi,9 Adnan A Alsulaimani1 1Internal Medicine Department, Alameen General Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia; 2Mansoura Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; 3Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; 4Mansoura Medical District, Family Medicine Hospitals, Ministry of Health, Mansoura, Egypt; 5Department of Surgery, Ministry of the National Guard – Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Surgery, Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Orthopedics, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 8Orthopedic Surgery Department, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia; 9College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia; 10General Medicine Faculty, Sechenov University, Moscow City, Russian Federation; 11Neuroradiology, AlHada Military Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia; 12College of Medicine, Al-Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Eman Nagy, Mansoura Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt, Email emannagy@mans.edu.egBackground: Vitamin D has many functions in the human body, and its deficiency is associated with skeletal and non-skeletal diseases. Vitamin D deficiency (blood level of 25 (OH) vitamin D < 20 ng/mL) has been reported worldwide, including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Its prevalence and associated factors vary according to KSA. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency in the Taif region of KSA.Methods: This retrospective study included patients who attended outpatient clinics at the Alameen General Hospital from 2019 to 2021. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected using a hospital software system.Results: The study included 2153 patients and vitamin D deficiency was diagnosed in 900 (41.8%) of whom were diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. It was more common in males (P=0.021), younger age (< 0.001), and in patients without comorbidities. There was a positive correlation between 25 (OH) vitamin D levels and blood cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, calcium, and vitamin B12 levels. In the binary logistic regression analysis, age was the most significant predictor (P< 0.001), followed by the absence of thyroid disease (P=0.012) and asthma (P=0.030).Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is common in the Saudi population despite sunny weather in KSA. It is more prevalent among males, younger individuals, and those without comorbidities such as thyroid diseases and asthma.Keywords: vitamin D, prevalence, risk factors, KSA, calcium

Objectives . To evaluate carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) and lipid profile in children with epilepsy on long-term antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy. Methods . We included 60 children with epilepsy receiving valproate, carbamazepine, or levetiracetam monotherapy and 60 controls. A high-resolution B-mode ultrasound was used to measure (CIMT). Measurement of serum lipids was done. Results . Patients on valproate (0.44 ± 0.03, P ≤ .001), carbamazepine (0.43 ± 0.03with P ≤ .001), and levetiracetam (0.44 ± 0.02 with P ≤ .001) monotherapy showed significantly higher CIMT compared to controls. CIMT was correlated with age ( P = .041, r = .112) AEDs{valproate ( P = .005, r = .731), carbamazepine ( P = .038, r = .365), and levetiracetam ( P = .036, r = .155)}, duration of treatment ( P = .001, r = .313), TC( P = .001, r = .192), TG ( P = .014, r = .018), and LDL ( P = .001, r = .219). HDL ( P = .003, r = −.126). Seizure severity and Apo A1 were insignificantly involved. Conclusion . Long-term monotherapy with valproate, carbamazepine, and levetiracetam in epileptic children was associated with significant abnormalities in CIMT.

The recent accelerating global warming and its consequent disasters call for the immediate greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. In this regard, the time has arrived to consider applying global warming potential (GWP) value of 20 years’ time-scale rather than 100 years’ one, and the importance of reducing methane emissions has rapidly increased due to its short life span. Sewer pipeline is the source of emitting methane through biological anaerobic conversion. However, it is not recognized as the official source from IPCC due to lack of data and investigation. In Korea, to our knowledge, there has been no study on GHG emissions from sewer pipeline. In the present work, at first, the amount of methane potential from domestic sewer pipeline was calculated considering various parameters. Depending on the organic concentration of sewage and its degradation rate, the potential amount ranged 3.2-13.4 m ton CO2 eq./yr, when GWP100 value was considered. By using GWP20, this amount could reach up to 40.2 m ton CO2 eq./yr, which exceeds the current total domestic methane emissions (27.8 m ton CO2 eq./yr in 2019). The calculation results clearly tells the importance of developing technologies for reducing GHG from sewer pipeline. Later on, the former technologies were largely divided into chemical and physical methods, and reviewed by each. In addition, the limitation of current technologies were mentioned with addressing future works. In Korea, this is the first study regarding on GHG from sewer pipeline, which will be used for estimating the exact amount and establishing carbon neutrality.