Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Volume 2012 Issue 1

Objectives: To investigate the synthesis and in vitro characterization of a novel family of photo-cross-linked biodegradable poly(alkylene-co-tartrate) (PAT) for the purpose of their use in implantable drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Methods: PAT prepolymers were first synthesized via polycondensation reaction of L-tartaric acid with alkylene diols of varying chain lengths (C6-C12) at 130°C for two hours under nitrog Read More

Background and Objectives: Antimicrobial stewardship is rapidly becoming very popular throughout the Middle East and abroad. Immunization programs, as a form of disease prevention, may reduce utilization of antimicrobials by decreasing incidence of disease requiring treatment. This may be especially important in children, as exposure to antimicrobials has been associated with chronic diseases such as asthma. The o Read More

Background and Objectives: The State of Qatar has achieved maternal, neonatal and perinatal survival rates which are comparable to many high income countries, both from the West and East. Our study aims to analyze obstetric determinants of Qatar's neonatal mortality rate (NMR) during 2011. Methodology: A PEARL study (Perinatal Neonatal Outcomes Research Study in the Arabian Gulf), a joint collaborative research proj Read More

Background: Large numbers of chemicals (natural and synthetic, including human dietary food components) are tested each year worldwide for potential genotoxic properties to protect humans and the environment against the consequences of exposure to such chemicals (cancer, infertility, accelerated ageing, and instability of ecosystems). For primary screening, fast in vitro and in vivo tests are used, but their predictive val Read More

Background: Egypt has the highest hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in the world. Numerous HCV prevalence studies have published various estimates from different Egyptian communities, suggesting that Egypt, relative to the other nations of the world, might be experiencing an intense ongoing HCV transmission. Objective: To investigate the trend in HCV prevalence among the general population in Egypt with respect to Read More

Background and Objectives: Gene regulatory networks model the interactions among the genes and provide a decision rule describing activation and repression of each gene via various proteins. In order to be able to capture the complex gene interactions efficiently, it is imperative to develop algorithms that model the nonlinear interactions among the genes. This work considers the problem of inferring gene regulatory networ Read More

Background: Community-based interactive approach-diabetes mellitus (CBIA-DM) is an active self learning method. CBIA is a method used for public education which emphasizes the active role of participants in looking for information. The intention of CBIA is to empower participants to seek and critically assess information about their treatment. Objectives: This study is aimed at improving type 2 diabetic patients knowle Read More

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) remains the second leading cause of male death in Western countries and has been on the rise in Qatar during the last decade. Recent studies established that unlike differentiated PC cells, PC stem cells (PCSC) display high tumorigenic and metastatic potential and become resistant to current therapy. Therefore therapeutic success depends on the ability to effectively kill PCSC. The dise Read More

Background and Objectives: In cells exposed to environmental stress, inhibition of translation initiation conserves energy for the repair of cellular damage. Untranslated mRNAs that accumulate in these cells move to discrete cytoplasmic foci known as stress granules (SGs). The assembly of SGs helps cells to survive under adverse environmental conditions. SGs are formed as a consequence of eIF2α phosphorylation that inhi Read More