Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference Proceedings Volume 2014 Issue 1

Background: Optimal glycemic control in postoperative cardiac patients is still under debate. In an attempt to reduce wound infection, and improving overall mortality variable targets had been prescribed. Aim of the work: To study the outcome of glucose control, with a target of 6 to 8.1mmol/L, and the associated factors related to poor control. Methodology: We evaluated 227 consecutive patients diabetics and non-d Read More

Abstract Introduction: The notion of the favorable outcome related to continuation of statins in the perioperative cardiac surgery settings had gained wide approbation,1 but the complications related to statins therapy in this period remains a major concern. Aim of the work: To study whether perioperative treatment with statins could be associated with increased post-operative complications in terms of increased liver Read More

Background. Cancer metastasis is the major cause of cancer death. We previously reported novel isosteviols derivatives which induced cytotoxicity in lung cancer cells. The understanding of mechanisms which regulate lung cancer sensitivity to our novel isosteviol derivatives is necessary for development of novel set of anticancer derivatives. Aims. Investigate the molecular mechanisms of the optimized ring novel isosteviol d Read More

Qatar Research Grand Challenges Areas: 1. Integrated health management; cultivate healthy behaviors through public health, safety... campaigns. 2. Road Safety: Mitigate Accidents. Introduction Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) in Qatar are at epidemic rates and expected to continue to rise to 220,000 per year by 2015 (ElGhanem, 2012). The fatalities and economic costs associated with traffic accidents are high in Qatar, with o Read More

Intracellular calcium ion is a universal messenger that plays a critical role in wide range of physiological functions and failure to maintain calcium homeostasis is linked to cellular dysfunctions in several diseases. Store operated calcium entry (SOCE) is a fundamental Ca2+ influx pathway at the cell membrane that is activated in response to intracellular store depletion. The SOCE machinery consists of the ER Ca2+ sensor STIM1, Read More

Background: Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) reduces the risk of HIV acquisition in men. Though VMMC programs are being scaled up across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), no VMMC program has been initiated in the world's youngest nation, South Sudan. The possibly growing HIV epidemic in this nation, currently at a prevalence of 3%, and the stark geographic variability in prevalence, suggests an opportunity for c Read More

Trafficking of biological materials across nuclear membrane is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that maintains normal eukaryotic cell homeostasis. Eukaryotes shuttle proteins and RNAs in and out of the cell nucleus using highly complex gated machinery. Smaller entities can enter and exit the nuclear pore through diffusion. The movement of most of the proteins and RNAs, however, requires active transport that is Read More

Upon fertilization, the mammalian oocyte undergoes a series of Ca2+ oscillations, which results in its activation and initiation of embryo development. It is believed that these periodic and extended Ca2+ responses are a consequence of intracellular Ca2+ release coupled to Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane due to the activation of a process known as Store Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE). The underlying Read More

We have shown previously that insulin-resistance is associated with impairment of preadipocyte differentiation and increased proinflammatory cytokines release in stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cultures. In order to investigate whether depletion of potential sources of these cytokines is sufficient to rescue preadipocyte differentiation, we examined the ability of SVF cells to differentiate into mature adipocytes following de Read More