Digital Repository for Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Objective Healthcare workers, particularly those working in departments that provide care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are at a higher risk of this contagious disease than those who work in other departments. The aim of this study was to assess the psychological status of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has compounded Libya's existing civil war-related problems. Methods A multi-center cross-sectional survey on depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and abuse was conducted. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among healthcare workers. Results The data of 745 eligible healthcare workers from 15 hospitals were analyzed. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were compared to the basic characteristics of the participants to determine the association. A total of 420 (56.3 … arabic 17 English 93
Muhammed Elhadi, Ahmed Zaid(1-2020)

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption in medical education and healthcare systems worldwide. The disease can cause life-threatening conditions and it presents challenges for medical education, as instructors must deliver lectures safely, while ensuring the integrity and continuity of the medical education process. It is therefore important to assess the usability of online learning methods, and to determine their feasibility and adequacy for medical students. We aimed to provide an overview of the situation experienced by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding electronic medical education. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with medical students from more than 13 medical schools in Libya. A paper-based and online survey was conducted using email and social media. The survey requested demographic and socioeconomic information, as well as information related to medical online learning and electronic devices; medical education status during the COVID-19 pandemic; mental health assessments; and e-learning knowledge, attitudes, and practices. A total of 3,348 valid questionnaires were retrieved. Most respondents (64.7%) disagreed that e-learning could be implemented easily in Libya. While 54.1% of the respondents agreed that interactive discussion is achievable by means of e-learning. However, only 21.1% agreed that e-learning could be used for clinical aspects, as compared with 54.8% who disagreed with this statement and 24% who were neutral. Only 27.7% of the … arabic 23 English 116
Ahmed Alsoufi, Ahmed Zaid(1-2020)

Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a well-understood Mendelian disorder that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of mortality in Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries. Objective Review the reporting status of FH mutations across MENA and propose a systemic and strategic method for building a MENA FH registry. Methods Systematic literature search for statistics pertaining to CVD and comparison of number of FH mutations reported in MENA countries and countries with established FH registries. Results Only 57 mutations were reported in 17 MENA countries, whereas more than 500 mutations reported in 3 Western countries. Mortality rates due to CVD were significantly higher in MENA countries compared with Western countries. Conclusions The relatively low reporting of FH mutations in the consanguineous MENA communities with higher prevalence of arabic 17 English 101
Mary Aderayo Bamimore, Ahmed Zaid(1-2015)

Background— The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) promotes independently of its enzymatic activity the degradation of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor. PCSK9 gain of function in humans leads to autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia, whereas the absence of functional PCSK9 results in ≈7-fold lower levels of LDL cholesterol. This suggests that lowering PCSK9 may protect against atherosclerosis. Methods and Results— We investigated the role of PCSK9 in atherosclerosis in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT), apolipoprotein E–deficient, and LDL receptor–deficient mouse models. Circulating cholesterol levels, fast protein liquid chromatography profiles, aortic cholesteryl esters (CE), and plaque sizes were determined. Intima-media thicknesses were measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy. First, mice expressing null (knockout [KO]), normal (WT), or high (transgenic [Tg]) levels of PCSK9 … arabic 12 English 86
Maxime Denis, Ahmed Zaid(1-2012)

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is spreading rapidly worldwide, with devastating consequences for patients, healthcare workers, health systems, and economies. As it reaches low- and middle-income countries, the pandemic puts healthcare workers at high risk and challenges the abilities of healthcare systems to respond to the crisis. This study measured levels of knowledge and preparedness regarding COVID-19 among physicians and nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare workers in Libya between February 26 and March 10, 2020. We obtained 1,572 valid responses of a possible 2,000 (78.6%) participants from 21 hospitals, of which 65.1% were from physicians and 34.9% from nurses. The majority of participants (70%) used social media as a source of information. A total of 47.3% of doctors and 54.7% of nurses received adequate training on how to effectively use personal protective equipment. Low confidence in managing suspected COVID-19 patients was reported by 83.8% of participants. Furthermore, 43.2% of healthcare workers were aware of proper hand hygiene techniques. Less than 7% of participants received training on how to manage COVID-19 cases, whereas 20.6% of doctors and 26.3% of nurses felt that they were personally prepared for the outbreak. Awareness and preparedness for the pandemic were low among frontline workers during the study. Therefore, an effective educational training program should be implemented to ensure maintenance of appropriate practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. arabic 19 English 107
Muhammed Elhadi, Ahmed Zaid(1-2020)

GLUT4 translocation in response to insulin involves the PI3K/Akt pathway and IR mediated phosphorylation of CAP (SORBS1), and formation of the CAP:Cbl. These pathways act in a coordinated manner to regulate glucose, lipid and protein metabolism. In previous studies, T228A polymorphism of SORBS1 gene has been shown to be a protective factor for obesity, type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), polycystic ovary (PCOs), and lacunars infarction. Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between this polymorphism and T2DM, gestational diabetes (GDM), and obesity. Methods: Genotyping was achieved by PCR-RELP in 227 individuals chosen randomly from the out patient’s clinics of Al-Jala maternity hospital of Tripoli and Gharian hospital, including: 63 T2DM patients, 59 GDM patients, 57 obese, 47 healthy control individuals from Libyan pregnant women population (North-West Region). Results: The results revealed that this polymorphism has no association with T2DM, GDM, and obesity in comparison with the control sample. Conclusion: T228A polymorphism of SORBS1 gene is not associated with the pathological conditions studied. arabic 15 English 98
Abdulla Bashein(1-2013)

Objectives: Tobacco use in all its forms represents a very well-known preventable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Alteration of plasma lipids levels is one of the mechanisms by which it causes CVD. In addition, there are controversial reports linking tobacco use with diabetes. This case-control study is aiming to investigate the interrelationship between tobacco use and BMI, lipid profile, and plasma glucose in Libyans residing in Tripoli region. Methods: The study was conducted on 200 healthy male subjects, including, 50 non-smokers aged 40.98±8.07, 50 cigarette smokers aged 41.32±7.39, 50 water-pipe users aged 42.04±7.39, and 50 snuff inhalers aged 39.36±7.00. BMI was estimated as (kg/m 2), lipid profile and fasting plasma glucose were estimated in triplicate by enzymatic colorimetric method and expressed as (mg/dL). Results: Our results showed that BMI is significantly higher in tobacco users than non-smokers (P 0.0001). Total cholesterol and triacylglycerols are significantly higher in tobacco users (P 0.0001). HDL is significantly higher in non-smokers (P 0.0001). LDL not affected by tobacco use (P 0.32). Fasting plasma glucose significantly higher in tobacco users (P 0.0001). Conclusions: In conclusion, tobacco use affects the BMI, lipid profile, and glucose which are components of the metabolic syndrome in the Libyan males population. arabic 31 English 133
H Alemam, Abdulla Bashein, (1-2015)

Background: Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyses the S-methylation of 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine. Low activity phenotypes are correlated with polymorphism in the TPMT gene. Patients with low or undetectable TMPT activity could develop severe myelosuppression when they are treated with standard doses of thiopurine drugs. Since ethnic differences in the TPMT gene polymorphism have been demonstrated worldwide, assessing it in the Libyan population is worthwhile. Methods: We investigated TPMT gene polymorphism in a total of 246 Libyan healthy adult blood donors from three different Libyan regions (Tripoli, Yefren, and Tawargha) and 50 children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We used polymerase chain reaction restriction length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele-specific PCR-based assays to analyse the TPMT gene for the variants* 2 c. 238 G> C,* 3A (c. 460 G> A and c. 719 A> G),* 3B (c. 460 G> A), and* 3C (c. 719 A> G). Results: Our results show that the TPMT variants associated with low enzymatic activity were detected in 3.25%(8 in 246) of adult Libyan individuals and the frequency of total mutant alleles was 1.63%. Heterozygous genotypes were TPMT* 3A in three subjects (0.61%) and TPMT* 3C in five subjects (1.02%). No TPMT* 2 and TPMT* 3B allelic variants and no homozygous or compound heterozygous mutant alleles were detected. The normal allele (wild-type) was found in 98.4% of the adult individuals studied. No mutant alleles were detected among the 50 children who had ALL. arabic 10 English 74
Hamza Ben Zeglam, Abdulla Bashein, (1-2015)