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WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN PRE- AND POST-UNIFICATION YEMEN: FROM RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE IN HADRAMOUT
No full textThe political and social complexity of Yemen was inherited from two political systems. The tribal conservatism of North Yemen contrasted with the socialism of South Yemen. These two different systems were unified to create modern Yemen. Also, the civil war and frequent leadership changes complicated the social and political environment. Thus, the political participation of women was and continues to be impeded.
In Yemen's political and social narratives, women in Hadramout, southeast Yemen, remain marginalized. There are no accounts of women's experiences within the political system in the history of Hadramout. Women's political participation in Hadramout before its independence from British occupation in 1967 and the civil war between the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, South Yemen and Yemen Arab Republic, North Yemen following Yemen's unification in 1994 remain poorly understood.
Hence, to comprehend the factors that affected women's political participation, we must employ a feminist perspective to analyze the historical political paths of Hadrami women. It would be interesting to trace the steps of these women who were active in various fields and achieved parliamentary status during this period. Consequently, this study centered its data collection efforts on women as its primary resource. This study seeks to examine the lived experiences of formerly active women to comprehend what has changed and why from their point of view. This study investigates how the political changes that occurred in Yemen's history prior to, during, and after the country's unification affected the position of women.
We would be better able to comprehend the present if we centered our understanding of women's political activism on these experiences. The primary research findings fall into three categories: the state system, family and social environment, and self-motivation
Determinants of influenza and COVID-19 vaccine intent or uptake in Lebanon: a scoping review of the literature
Get PDFBackground: Vaccination is essential to protect from influenza and recently from COVID-19, yet uptake in Lebanon is suboptimal. Several factors determine uptake including knowledge, attitude and policies. We conducted a scoping review of the literature to explore the determinants of influenza and COVID-19 vaccine intent or uptake in Lebanon. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, thirty one peer reviewed studies indexed in six databases Pub Med, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, and the Cochrane Library were screened. Two students, a senior Librarian and an Associate Professor in nursing searched for eligible studies. The library search strategy followed a combination of three broad concepts (viral influenzas; vaccines; Lebanon). The search timeframe was up till December 31, 2022. Determinants of influenza and COVID-19 vaccine intent or uptake were categorized following the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Results: Nine studies investigated influenza vaccine intent or uptake among the public community, parents and healthcare workers. Twenty one studies investigated COVID-19 vaccine intent or uptake among the public community, older refugees, university students, patients with cancer, dentists, and social media users. One study investigated both types of vaccines. A conceptual model of the determinants of vaccine intent and uptake within the Lebanese context was developed. Various determinants included environmental factors, norms, knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, past experiences, behavioral control and hesitancy. Conclusions: Research on vaccine intent and uptake in Lebanon is still in its infancy, while that of COVID-19 is on the rise. Multifaceted reasons behind the low vaccination rates were observed yet few attempts were made to target vulnerable groups. Further research studies are needed to target vulnerable groups. © 2023, BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature
Magic Words Can Heal
Get PDFIt always came to my concern how children can know what bullying means so I wrote this modern fiction story, my story teaches the importance of acceptance, kindness, and forgiveness. It shows how hurtful bullying can be and the power of words in both negative and positive ways my story highlights the healing power of forgiveness and the importance of genuine apologies.The story "The Magical Necklace" is about the power of forgiveness and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. The story follows Lara, a new girl in town who is initially bullied by one of her new friends because of her weight. However, a magical tree gives her a necklace. Meanwhile, Lara's other friends help Reine realize the error of her ways, and she apologizes and learns to accept everyone regardless of their appearance or background. The lesson of the story is that forgiveness and kindness can heal wounds and bring people together
From cultivation to cancer: formation of N-nitrosamines and other carcinogens in smokeless tobacco and their mutagenic implications
Get PDFTobacco use is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality globally. Tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco (ST), generally contain tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs), such as N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-butanone (NNK), which are potent carcinogens that cause mutations in critical genes in human DNA. This review covers the series of biochemical and chemical transformations, related to TSNAs, leading from tobacco cultivation to cancer initiation. A key aim of this review is to provide a greater understanding of TSNAs: their precursors, the microbial and chemical mechanisms that contribute to their formation in ST, their mutagenicity leading to cancer due to ST use, and potential means of lowering TSNA levels in tobacco products. TSNAs are not present in harvested tobacco but can form due to nitrosating agents reacting with tobacco alkaloids present in tobacco during certain types of curing. TSNAs can also form during or following ST production when certain microorganisms perform nitrate metabolism, with dissimilatory nitrate reductases converting nitrate to nitrite that is then released into tobacco and reacts chemically with tobacco alkaloids. When ST usage occurs, TSNAs are absorbed and metabolized to reactive compounds that form DNA adducts leading to mutations in critical target genes, including the RAS oncogenes and the p53 tumor suppressor gene. DNA repair mechanisms remove most adducts induced by carcinogens, thus preventing many but not all mutations. Lastly, because TSNAs and other agents cause cancer, previously documented strategies for lowering their levels in ST products are discussed, including using tobacco with lower nornicotine levels, pasteurization and other means of eliminating microorganisms, omitting fermentation and fire-curing, refrigerating ST products, and including nitrite scavenging chemicals as ST ingredients. ©, This work was authored as part of the Contributor's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law
Factors associated with emergency department avoidance during the COVID-19 pandemic and alternatives sought: A cross-sectional, telephone-based survey of frequent emergency department users in Beirut, Lebanon
Get PDFObjectives To explore avoidant behaviour of frequent emergency department (ED) users, reasons behind ED avoidance and healthcare-seeking behaviours in avoiders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and setting Cross-sectional, telephone-based survey administered between March and August 2021 at a tertiary care centre in Beirut, Lebanon. Participants Frequent ED users (defined as patients who visited the ED at least four times during the year prior to the first COVID-19 case in Lebanon). Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was ED avoidance among frequent ED users. Secondary outcomes included reasons behind ED avoidance and healthcare-seeking behaviours in avoiders. Results The study response rate was 62.6% and 286 adult patients were included in the final analysis. Within this sample, 45% (128/286) of the patients reported avoidant behaviour. Male patients were less likely to avoid ED visits than female patients (adjusted OR (aOR), 0.53; 95% CI 0.312 to 0.887). Other independent variables associated with ED avoidance included university education (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI 1.004 to 3.084), concern about contracting COVID-19 during an ED visit (aOR, 1.31; 95% CI 1.199 to 1.435) and underlying lung disease (aOR, 3.39; 95% CI 1.134 to 10.122). The majority of the patients who experienced acute complaints and avoided the ED completely (n=56) cited fear of contracting COVID-19 as the main reason (89.3% (50/56)). Most of the ED avoiders (83.9% (47/56)) adopted alternatives for seeking acute medical care, including messaging/calling a doctor (46.4% (26/56)), visiting a clinic (25.0% (14/56)), or arranging for a home visit (17.9% (10/56)). Of the avoiders, 64.3% (36/56) believed that the alternatives did not impact the quality of care, while 30.4% (17/56) reported worse quality of care. Conclusions Among frequent ED users, ED avoidance during COVID-19 was common, especially among women, those with lung disease, those with university-level education and those who reported fear of contracting COVID-19 in the ED. While some patients resorted to alternative care routes, telemedicine was still underused in our setting. Developing strategies to reduce ED avoidance, especially in at-risk groups, may be warranted during pandemics. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ
Carvacrol decreases blood–brain barrier permeability post-diffuse traumatic brain injury in rats
Get PDFPreviously, we showed that Satureja Khuzestanica Jamzad essential oil (SKEO) and its major component, carvacrol (CAR), 5-isopropyl-2-methylphenol, has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and anti-edematous properties after experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. CAR, predominantly found in Lamiaceae family (Satureja and Oregano), is lipophilic, allowing diffusion across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). These experiments test the hypothesis that acute treatment with CAR after TBI can attenuate oxidative stress and BBB permeability associated with CAR’s anti-edematous traits. Rats were divided into six groups and injured using Marmarou weight drop: Sham, TBI, TBI + Vehicle, TBI + CAR (100 and 200 mg/kg) and CAR200-naive treated rats. Intraperitoneal injection of vehicle or CAR was administered thirty minutes after TBI induction. 24 h post-injury, brain edema, BBB permeability, BBB-related protein levels, and oxidative capacity were measured. Data showed CAR 200 mg/kg treatment decreased brain edema and prevented BBB permeability. CAR200 decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), indicating the mechanism of BBB protection is, in part, through antioxidant activity. Also, CAR 200 mg/kg treatment suppressed matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and increased ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5 levels. These data indicate that CAR can promote antioxidant activity and decrease post-injury BBB permeability, further supporting CAR as a potential early therapeutic intervention that is inexpensive and more readily available worldwide. However, more experiments are required to determine CAR’s long-term impact on TBI pathophysiology. © 2023, Springer Nature Limited
Corticosteroids in COVID-19: pros and cons
Get PDFThe wide and rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unanticipated burden on the global healthcare sector. This necessitated a swift response from the international community to reach a solution. Efforts were made in parallel to develop preventative and therapeutic modalities. Since then, drug repurposing has blossomed as a potentially rapid resolution and has included various agents with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Corticosteroids, being potent anti-inflammatory agents, have been placed under extensive investigation. Various trials have recorded the beneficial outcome of corticosteroids in decreasing the mortality and morbidity of COVID-19. With the high pace of escalating events, the quality and study design of clinical trials are varied. Therefore, this study aims to explore the role of corticosteroids in COVID-19 disease. It inspects the molecular, pharmacologic, and clinical proof behind this theory. Copyright © 2023 Bahsoun, Fakih, Zareef, Bitar and Arabi
Unveiling a Biomarker Signature of Meningioma: The Need for a Panel of Genomic, Epigenetic, Proteomic, and RNA Biomarkers to Advance Diagnosis and Prognosis
No full textMeningiomas are the most prevalent primary intracranial tumors. The majority are benign but can undergo dedifferentiation into advanced grades classified by World Health Organization (WHO) into Grades 1 to 3. Meningiomas’ tremendous variability in tumor behavior and slow growth rates complicate their diagnosis and treatment. A deeper comprehension of the molecular pathways and cellular microenvironment factors implicated in meningioma survival and pathology is needed. This review summarizes the known genetic and epigenetic aberrations involved in meningiomas, with a focus on neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and non-NF2 mutations. Novel potential biomarkers for meningioma diagnosis and prognosis are also discussed, including epigenetic-, RNA-, metabolomics-, and protein-based markers. Finally, the landscape of available meningioma-specific animal models is overviewed. Use of these animal models can enable planning of adjuvant treatment, potentially assisting in pre-operative and post-operative decision making. Discovery of novel biomarkers will allow, in combination with WHO grading, more precise meningioma grading, including meningioma identification, subtype determination, and prediction of metastasis, recurrence, and response to therapy. Moreover, these biomarkers may be exploited in the development of personalized targeted therapies that can distinguish between the 15 diverse meningioma subtypes. © 2023 by the authors
The validation of the Arabic version of the resilience scale 14 (RS-14)
No full textBackground/Objectives: Nurses in Lebanon are facing multiple crises and the severity of the situation calls for an empirical examination of their resilience status. Evidence indicates that resilience can buffer the negative effect of workplace stressors on nurses and is associated with favorable patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Arabic Resilience Scale-14 that was utilized to measure resilience among Lebanese nurses, Methods: Data was collected from nurses working in health care centers using a cross-sectional survey design. We estimated the confirmatory factor analysis using the Diagonally Weighted least Squares. Fit indices for the confirmatory factor analysis model included Model chi-square, root-mean squared error of approximation and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: 1,488 nurses were included in the analysis. The squared multiple correlations values ranged from 0.60 to 0.97 thus supporting the construct validity of the originally hypothesized five factor model (self-reliance, purpose, equanimity, perseverance, and authenticity). Conclusions: The Arabic version of the Resilience Scale 14 tool is considered a valid tool for measuring resilience in any situation involving Arabic speaking nurses. © 2023, The Author(s)
Oil market shocks and financial instability in Asian countries
No full textThis paper examines the relationship between oil market shocks and financial instability in Asian countries using a Structural Vector Autoregression (SVAR) following Kilian and Park's (2009) methodology. Instability in the Asian financial markets is measured by the Financial Stress Index (FSI). Based on impulse response functions, the findings confirm that the source of an oil price shock (supply side or demand side) is extremely important to financial markets. When the oil price increases as a result of oil-specific demand shocks, the financial markets experience less stress. However, when the oil price increases as a result of oil-specific supply shocks, the financial markets experience increased stress. The findings of the study should be useful for international and domestic investors for portfolio diversification and other investment-production purposes, as well as for financial stability regulators, such as central bankers and other monetary authorities. © 2022 The Author