@article{Bertollini2021d,

title = {Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA BNT162b2 Covid-19 vaccine protection against variants of concern after one versus two doses},

author = {Laith J Abu-Raddad; Hiam Chemaitelly; Hadi M Yassine; Fatiha M Benslimane; Hebah A Al Khatib; Patrick Tang; Joel A Malek; Peter Coyle; Houssein H Ayoub; Zaina Al Kanaani; Einas Al Kuwari; Andrew Jeremijenko; Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal; Ali Nizar Latif; Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik; Hanan F Abdul Rahim; Gheyath K Nasrallah; Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari; Hamad Eid Al Romaihi; Mohamed H Al-Thani; Abdullatif Al Khal; Adeel A Butt; Roberto Bertollini},

url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8194836/},

doi = {10.1093/jtm/taab083},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-28},

journal = {Journal of Travel Medicine},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Abu-Raddad2021f,

title = {SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in the urban population of Qatar: An analysis of antibody testing on a sample of 112,941 individuals},

author = {Peter V. Coyle; Hiam Chemaitelly; Mohamed Ali Ben Hadj Kacem; Naema Hassan Abdulla Al Molawi; Reham Awni El Kahlout; Imtiaz Gilliani; Nourah Younes; Ghada Ali A.A. Al Anssari; Zaina Al Kanaani; Abdullatif Al Khal; Einas Al Kuwari; Adeel A. Butt; Andrew Jeremijenko; Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal; Ali Nizar Latif; Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik; Hanan F. Abdul Rahim; Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Hadi M. Yassine; Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari; Hamad Eid Al Romaihi; Mohamed H. Al-Thani; Roberto Bertollini; Laith J. Abu-Raddad

},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34056566/},

doi = {10.1016/j.isci.2021.102646},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-25},

journal = {iScience},

volume = {24},

number = {6},

pages = {102646},

abstract = {The study objective was to the assess level of detectable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in the urban population of Qatar. Antibody testing was performed on residual blood specimens for 112,941 individuals (∼10% of Qatar's urban population) attending for routine/other clinical care between May 12 and September 9, 2020. Seropositivity was 13.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 13.1-13.6%) and was independently associated with sex, age, nationality, clinical care encounter type, and testing date. Median optical density (antibody titer) among antibody-positive persons was 27.0 (range = 1.0-150.0), with higher values associated with age, nationality, clinical care encounter type, and testing date. Seropositivity by nationality was positively correlated with the likelihood of having higher antibody titers (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.47-0.96). Less than two in every 10 individuals in Qatar's urban population had detectable antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, suggesting this population is still far from herd immunity and at risk of subsequent infection waves. Higher antibody titer appears to be a biomarker of repeated exposures to the infection.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2021b,

title = {Epidemiology Profile of Viral Meningitis Infections Among Patients in Qatar},

author = {Shilu Mathew; Hebah A. Al Khatib; Khalid Al Ansari; Joanne Nader; Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Nadin N. Younes; Peter V. Coyle; Asmaa A. Al Thani; Muna A. Al Maslamani; Hadi M. Yassine},

url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.663694/full},

doi = {10.3389/fmed.2021.663694},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-16},

journal = {Frontiers of Medicine},

volume = {8},

pages = {663694},

abstract = {Background: Little is known about the etiology of meningitis in the MENA region, including Qatar. Viral agents are considered the major cause for meningitis worldwide. Here, we present primary data about the etiology and clinical and demographic characteristics of viral meningitis (VM) in Qatar between 2015 and 2018.



Methods: We retrospectively collected data from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), which provides about 80% of healthcare services in Qatar. Data were collected for the period between 2015 and 2018. During this time period, 6,705 specimens were collected from patients with suspected meningitis attending HMC and primary healthcare centers. These specimens were tested for a panel of viruses using the “FTD Viral meningitis” multiplex real-time PCR kit that detects Adenovirus (ADV), Human herpesvirus 1&2 (HSV1 and HSV2), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Enteroviruses (EV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella zoster virus (VZV), and Parechovirus (PV).



Results: Only 10.9% (732/6,705) of all suspected meningitis cases were caused by viral agents. 60.9% of the reported cases were males, compared to 39.1% in females. Most of the infections (73.9%) were reported in children younger than 10 years of age. EV were identified as the main causative agent (68.7%), followed by EBV (7.5%) and ADV (6.8%). Other viral agents including VZV, PV, HSV-1, and HSV-2 were also detected with a lower frequency. Confirmed VM were more prevalent among Qatari subjects compared to other nationalities. We observed no specific seasonality of viral agents, but a slight rise was recorded during the spring seasons (March to June). Fever (59.4%, 435/732) and acute central nervous system (CNS) infection (15.6%, 114/732) were initial symptoms of most cases.



Conclusion: This is the first report about the molecular epidemiology of VM in Qatar. In line with the international records, our data showed that EV is responsible for 68.7% of Qatar's VM cases. Further studies are needed to genotype and serotype the identified viruses.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Kandari2021,

title = {Synthesis and Optimization of a Highly Stable and Efficient BN/TiO2 Nanocomposite for Phenol Degradation: A Photocatalytic, Mechanistic and Environmental Impact Study},

author = {Shekhah A. Al-Kandari; Ahmed M. Mohamed; Aboubakr M. Abdullah; Douaa S. AlMarzouq; Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Mohammed A. Sharaf; Nadine Younes; Munia M. Hamdan; Talal Altahtamouni; Halema A. Al-Kandari},

url = {https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/slct.202004820},

doi = {doi.org/10.1002/slct.202004820},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-16},

journal = {Chemistry Select},

volume = {6},

number = {23},

pages = {5752-5762},

abstract = {Different BN/TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared hydrothermally, and their ratio was optimized to get the best photocatalytic performance towards phenol degradation. They were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopies coupled with energy dispersive x-ray units, BET surface area, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance. The bandgap energy was reduced from 3.35 to 2.95 eV due to the formation of the B−O−Ti bond. This allowed the exploitation of the visible light and inhibited the TiO2 e−/h+ recombination, and consequently, the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 was dramatically improved. Almost 90 % mineralization of 20 ppm phenol solution was achieved within 30 min under simulated sunlight. The as-prepared composite showed excellent stability and reusability. Mechanistic analysis indicated that urn:x-wiley:23656549:media:slct202004820:slct202004820-math-0001 and h+ played a crucial role in phenol degradation. The nanocomposite′s biocompatibility and environmental impact were evaluated by analyzing its potential toxicity in vivo using the zebrafish embryos. 96-hpf acute toxicity assays, including the mortality rate assay (to obtain the LC50 values) and teratogenic assays (to obtain the No Observed Effect Concentration, NOEC) was conducted. The LC50 value for BN/TiO2 was 482.5 mg L−1, and the NOEC was 100 mg L−1. Based on LC50 value and according to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) acute toxicity rating scale, the photocatalyst is “practically not toxic.”},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nasrallah2021i,

title = {The prevalence of HEV among non-A-C hepatitis in Qatar and efficiency of serological markers for the diagnosis of hepatitis E},

author = {Enas S. Al Absi; Duaa W. Al-Sadeq; Makiyeh Khalil; Nadin Younes; Nader Al-Dewik; Sara K. Abdelghany; Somaia S. Abouzid; Asma A. Al Thani; Hadi M. Yassine; Peter V. Coyle; Gheyath K. Nasrallah },

url = {https://bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-021-01841-2},

doi = {10.1186/s12876-021-01841-2},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-15},

journal = {BMC Gastroenterology},

volume = {21},

number = {1},

abstract = {Background

The rapid growth of Qatar in the last two decades has attracted a large influx of immigrant workers who mostly come from HEV-hyperendemic countries. Thus, we aim to investigate the prevalence of HEV among acute non-A-C hepatitis patients in Qatar; and to evaluate the performance of four dominant commercial serological assays for HEV diagnosis.



Methods

259 patients with non-A-C hepatitis were tested using the Wantai HEV-IgM, HEV-IgG, HEV-Ag ELISA kits, and the MP Biomedical HEV-Total Ab ELISA kit. ALT levels were tested and HEV RNA (viral loads) was performed using Taqman AmpliCube HEV RT-PCR kit (Mikrogen, Neuried, Germany). The performance of each kit was assessed according to the RT-PCR results.



Results

HEV-RNA was detected in 23.1% of the samples. Most of these HEV-RNA-positive cases belonged to non-Qatari residents from the Indian subcontinent; India, Pakistan, etc. HEV-Ag, HEV-IgM, HEV-IgG, HEV-Total Ab were detected in 5.56%, 8.65%, 32.1%, and 34.2% of all tested samples, respectively. Elevated ALT levels were highly correlated with the HEV-Ag, HEV-IgM, HEV-RNA but not with the HEV-IgG and HEV-Total Ab. Although HEV-Ag was very specific (100%), yet its sensitivity was poor (36.7%). HEV-IgM demonstrated the best second marker for diagnosis of acute HEV after RT-PCR as jugged by the overall performance parameters: specificity (96.2%), sensitivity (71.4%), PPV (83.3%), NPP (92.7%), agreement with RT-PCR (91.0%), and Kappa-value (0.71).



Conclusion

Our study demonstrated a high prevalence of HEV virus in Qatar, mostly among immigrants from the Indian subcontinent. The HEV-IgM represents the best marker for detecting the acute HEV infection, where RT-PCR cannot be performed.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2021,

title = {Level of Maternal Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) F Antibodies in Hospitalized Children and Correlates of Protection},

author = {Sara A. Taleb; Khalid Al-Ansari; Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Mohamed A. Elrayess; Asmaa A. Al-Thani; Alexandrine Derrien-Colemyn; Tracy J. Ruckwardt; Barney S. Graham; Hadi M. Yassine},

url = {https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(21)00504-X/pdf},

doi = {10.1016/j.ijid.2021.06.015},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-09},

journal = {International Journal of Infectious Diseases},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Syed2021,

title = {SARS-CoV-2 infection among primary healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study},

author = {Hamda Abdulla Qotba Ehab Hamed Ahmed Sameer Alnuaimi Azza Awad Saad Gheyath K. Nasrallah Abdulla Abdulrahman Alnaama Mohamed Ahmed Syed},

url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8373419/},

doi = {10.18683/germs.2021.1269},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-08},

urldate = {2021-06-08},

journal = {Germs},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nasrallah2021,

title = {Analytic comparison between three high-throughput commercial SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays reveals minor discrepancies in a high-incidence population},

author = {Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Soha R. Dargham; Farah Shurrab; Duaa W. Al-Sadeq; Hadeel Al-Jighefee; Hiam Chemaitelly; Zaina Al Kanaani; Abdullatif Al Khal; Einas Al Kuwari; Peter Coyle; Andrew Jeremijenko; Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal; Ali Nizar Latif; Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik; Hanan F. Abdul Rahim; Hadi M. Yassine; Mohamed G. Al Kuwari; Hamda Qotba; Hamad Eid Al Romaihi; Patrick Tang; Roberto Bertollini; Mohamed H. Al-Thani; Asmaa A. Althani; Laith J. Abu-Raddad },

url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-91235-x},

doi = {10.1038/s41598-021-91235-x},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-06-04},

journal = {Scientific Reports },

volume = {11},

number = {1},

pages = {11837},

abstract = {Performance of three automated commercial serological IgG-based assays was investigated for assessing SARS-CoV-2 “ever” (past or current) infection in a population-based sample in a high exposure setting. PCR and serological testing was performed on 394 individuals. SARS-CoV-2-IgG seroprevalence was 42.9% (95% CI 38.1–47.8%), 40.6% (95% CI 35.9–45.5%), and 42.4% (95% CI 37.6–47.3%) using the CL-900i, VidasIII, and Elecsys assays, respectively. Between the three assays, overall, positive, and negative percent agreements ranged between 93.2–95.7%, 89.3–92.8%, and 93.8–97.8%, respectively; Cohen’s kappa statistic ranged from 0.86 to 0.91; and 35 specimens (8.9%) showed discordant results. Among all individuals, 12.5% (95% CI 9.6–16.1%) had current infection, as assessed by PCR. Of these, only 34.7% (95% CI 22.9–48.7%) were seropositive by at least one assay. A total of 216 individuals (54.8%; 95% CI 49.9–59.7%) had evidence of ever infection using antibody testing and/or PCR during or prior to this study. Of these, only 78.2%, 74.1%, and 77.3% were seropositive in the CL-900i, VidasIII, and Elecsys assays, respectively. All three assays had comparable performance and excellent agreement, but missed at least 20% of individuals with past or current infection. Commercial antibody assays can substantially underestimate ever infection, more so when infection rates are high.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Giordo2021,

title = {EndMT Regulation by Small RNAs in Diabetes-Associated Fibrotic Conditions: Potential Link With Oxidative Stress},

author = {Roberta Giordo; Yusra M. A. Ahmed; Hilda Allam; Salah Abusnana; Lucia Pappalardo; Gheyath K. Nasrallah; Arduino Aleksander Mangoni; Gianfranco Pintus

},

url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2021.683594/full},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.683594},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-19},

journal = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology},

abstract = {Diabetes-associated complications, such as retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and atherosclerosis, the main consequences of long-term hyperglycemia, often lead to organ dysfunction, disability, and increased mortality. A common denominator of these complications is the myofibroblast-driven excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Although fibroblast appears to be the primary source of myofibroblasts, other cells, including endothelial cells, can generate myofibroblasts through a process known as endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT). During EndMT, endothelial cells lose their typical phenotype to acquire mesenchymal features, characterized by the development of invasive and migratory abilities as well as the expression of typical mesenchymal products such as α-smooth muscle actin and type I collagen. EndMT is involved in many chronic and fibrotic diseases and appears to be regulated by complex molecular mechanisms and different signaling pathways. Recent evidence suggests that small RNAs, in particular microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), are crucial mediators of EndMT. Furthermore, EndMT and miRNAs are both affected by oxidative stress, another key player in the pathophysiology of diabetic fibrotic complications. In this review, we provide an overview of the primary redox signals underpinning the diabetic-associated fibrotic process. Then, we discuss the current knowledge on the role of small RNAs in the regulation of EndMT in diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and atherosclerosis and highlight potential links between oxidative stress and the dyad small RNAs-EndMT in driving these pathological states.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Dewik2021,

title = {Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of preterm and early term births: a population-based register study},

author = {Salma Younes; Muthanna Samara; Rana Al-Jurf; Gheyath Nasrallah; Sawsan Al-Obaidly; Husam Salama; Tawa Olukade; Sara Hammuda; Mohamed A. Ismail; Ghassan Abdoh; Palli Valapila Abdulrouf; Thomas Farrell; Mai AlQubaisi; Hilal Al Rifai; Nader Al-Dewik},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-12},

journal = {International journal of Environmental  Research and Public Health },

volume = {18},

number = {11},

abstract = {Preterm birth (PTB) and early term birth (ETB) are associated with high risks of perinatal mortality and morbidity. While extreme to very PTBs have been extensively studied, studies on infants born at later stages of pregnancy, particularly late PTBs and ETBs, are lacking. In this study, we aimed to assess the incidence, risk factors, and feto-maternal outcomes of PTB and ETB births in Qatar. We examined 15,865 singleton live births using 12-month retrospective registry data from the PEARL-Peristat Study. PTB and ETB incidence rates were 8.8% and 33.7%, respectively. PTB and ETB in-hospital mortality rates were 16.9% and 0.2%, respectively. Advanced maternal age, pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM), assisted pregnancies, and preterm history independently predicted both PTB and ETB, whereas chromosomal and congenital abnormalities were found to be independent predictors of PTB but not ETB. All groups of PTB and ETB were significantly associated with low birth weight (LBW), large for gestational age (LGA) births, caesarean delivery, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)/or death of neonate in labor room (LR)/operation theatre (OT). On the other hand, all or some groups of PTB were significantly associated with small for gestational age (SGA) births, Apgar < 7 at 1 and 5 min and in-hospital mortality. The findings of this study may serve as a basis for taking better clinical decisions with accurate assessment of risk factors, complications, and predictions of PTB and ETB.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nasrallah2021b,

title = {Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 Covid-19 Vaccine against the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 Variants},

author = {Laith Abu-Raddad; Hiam Chemaitelly; Houssein Ayoub; Gheyath Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2104974},

doi = {10.1056/NEJMc2104974},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-05},

journal = {New England Journal of Medicine},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Thani2021,

title = {SARS-CoV-2 infection is at herd immunity in the majority segment of the population of Qatar},

author = {Mohamed H Al-Thani, Elmoubasher Farag, Roberto Bertollini, Hamad Eid Al Romaihi, Sami Abdeen, Ashraf Abdelkarim, Faisal Daraan, Ahmed Ibrahim Hashim Elhaj Ismail, Nahid Mostafa, Mohamed Sahl, Jinan Suliman, Elias Tayar, Hasan Ali Kasem, Meynard J A Agsalog, Bassam K Akkarathodiyil, Ayat A Alkhalaf, Mohamed Morhaf M H Alakshar, Abdulsalam Ali A H Al-Qahtani, Monther H A Al-Shedifat, Anas Ansari, Ahmad Ali Ataalla, Sandeep Chougule, Abhilash K K V Gopinathan, Feroz J Poolakundan, Sanjay U Ranbhise, Saed M A Saefan, Mohamed M Thaivalappil, Abubacker S Thoyalil, Inayath M Umar, Zaina Al Kanaani, Abdullatif Al Khal, Einas Al Kuwari, Adeel A Butt, Peter Coyle, Andrew Jeremijenko, Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal, Ali Nizar Latif, Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik, Hanan F Abdul Rahim, Hadi M Yassine, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari, Odette Chaghoury, Hiam Chemaitelly and Laith J Abu-Raddad},

url = {https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=95404bcf-81ef-4d24-baea-b1acef022459},

doi = {10.1093/ofid/ofab221/6261968},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-02},

journal = {Open Forum Infectious Diseases},

volume = {8},

number = {5},

abstract = {Background



Qatar experienced a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic that disproportionately affected the craft and manual worker (CMW) population who comprise 60% of the total population. This study aimed to assess ever and/or current infection prevalence in this population.



Methods



A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted during July 26-September 09, 2020 to assess both anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity through serological testing and current infection positivity through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Associations with antibody and PCR positivity were identified through regression analyses.



Results



Study included 2,641 participants, 69.3% of whom were <40 years of age. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 55.3% (95% CI: 53.3-57.3%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, educational attainment, occupation, and previous infection diagnosis. PCR positivity was 11.3% (95% CI: 9.9-12.8%) and was significantly associated with nationality, geographic location, occupation, contact with an infected person, and reporting two or more symptoms. Infection positivity (antibody and/or PCR positive) was 60.6% (95% CI: 58.6-62.5%). The proportion of antibody-positive CMWs that had a prior SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was 9.3% (95% CI: 7.9-11.0%). Only seven infections were ever severe and one was ever critical—an infection severity rate of 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.0%).



Conclusions



Six in every 10 CMWs have been infected, suggestive of reaching the herd immunity threshold. Infection severity was low with only one in every 200 infections progressing to be severe or critical. Only one in every 10 infections had been previously diagnosed suggestive of mostly asymptomatic or mild infections.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Abu-Raddad2021c,

title = {SARS-CoV-2 antibody-positivity protects against reinfection for at least seven months with 95% efficacy},

author = {Laith J. Abu-Raddad, Hiam Chemaitelly, Peter Coyle, Joel A. Malek, Ayeda A. Ahmed, Yasmin A. Mohamoud, Shameem Younuskunju, Houssein H. Ayoub, Zaina Al Kanaani, Einas Al Kuwari, Adeel A. Butt, Andrew Jeremijenko, Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal, Ali Nizar Latif, Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik, Hanan F. Abdul Rahim, Gheyath K. Nasrallah, Hadi M. Yassine, Mohamed Ghaith Al Kuwari, Hamad Eid Al Romaihi, Mohamed H. Al-Thani, Abdullatif Al Khal and Roberto Bertollini

},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-05-01},

journal = {Clinical Medicine},

volume = {35},

number = {100861},

abstract = {Background



Reinfection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been documented, raising public health concerns. SARS-CoV-2 reinfections were assessed in a cohort of antibody-positive persons in Qatar.

Methods



All SARS-CoV-2 antibody-positive persons from April 16 to December 31, 2020 with a PCR-positive swab ≥14 days after the first-positive antibody test were investigated for evidence of reinfection. Viral genome sequencing was conducted for paired viral specimens to confirm reinfection. Incidence of reinfection was compared to incidence of infection in the complement cohort of those who were antibody-negative.

Findings



Among 43,044 antibody-positive persons who were followed for a median of 16.3 weeks (range: 0–34.6), 314 individuals (0.7%) had at least one PCR positive swab ≥14 days after the first-positive antibody test. Of these individuals, 129 (41.1%) had supporting epidemiological evidence for reinfection. Reinfection was next investigated using viral genome sequencing. Applying the viral-genome-sequencing confirmation rate, the incidence rate of reinfection was estimated at 0.66 per 10,000 person-weeks (95% CI: 0.56–0.78). Incidence rate of reinfection versus month of follow-up did not show any evidence of waning of immunity for over seven months of follow-up. Meanwhile, in the complement cohort of 149,923 antibody-negative persons followed for a median of 17.0 weeks (range: 0–45.6), incidence rate of infection was estimated at 13.69 per 10,000 person-weeks (95% CI: 13.22–14.14). Efficacy of natural infection against reinfection was estimated at 95.2% (95% CI: 94.1–96.0%). Reinfections were less severe than primary infections. Only one reinfection was severe, two were moderate, and none were critical or fatal. Most reinfections (66.7%) were diagnosed incidentally through random or routine testing, or through contact tracing.

Interpretation



Reinfection is rare in the young and international population of Qatar. Natural infection appears to elicit strong protection against reinfection with an efficacy ~95% for at least seven months.

Funding

},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ayoub2021,

title = {Epidemiological impact of prioritising SARS-CoV-2 vaccination by antibody status: mathematical modelling analyses},

author = {Houssein H Ayoub, Hiam Chemaitelly, Monia Makhoul, Zaina Al Kanaani5, Einas Al Kuwari, Adeel A Butt, Peter Coyle, Andrew Jeremijenko, Anvar Hassan Kaleeckal, Ali Nizar Latif, Riyazuddin Mohammad Shaik, Hanan F Abdul Rahim, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Hadi M Yassine, Mohamed G Al Kuwari, Hamad Eid Al Romaihi, Mohamed H Al-Thani, Roberto Bertollini, Abdullatif Al Khal5, Laith J Abu-Raddad},

url = {https://innovations.bmj.com/content/7/2/327},

doi = {10.1136/bmjinnov-2021-000677},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-15},

journal = {BMJ Innovations},

volume = {7},

number = {23},

abstract = {Background Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been developed, but their availability falls far short of global needs. This study aimed to investigate the impact of prioritising available doses on the basis of recipient antibody status, that is by exposure status, using Qatar as an example. Methods Vaccination impact (defined as the reduction in infection incidence and the number of vaccinations needed to avert one infection or one adverse disease outcome) was assessed under different scale-up scenarios using a deterministic meta-population mathematical model describing SARS-CoV-2 transmission and disease progression in the presence of vaccination. Results For a vaccine that protects against infection with an efficacy of 95%, half as many vaccinations were needed to avert one infection, disease outcome or death by prioritising antibody-negative individuals for vaccination. Prioritisation by antibody status reduced incidence at a faster rate and led to faster elimination of infection and return to normalcy. Further prioritisation by age group amplified the gains of prioritisation by antibody status. Gains from prioritisation by antibody status were largest in settings where the proportion of the population already infected at the commencement of vaccination was 30%–60%. For a vaccine that only protects against disease and not infection, vaccine impact was reduced by half, whether this impact was measured in terms of averted infections or disease outcomes, but the relative gains from using antibody status to prioritise vaccination recipients were similar. Conclusions Major health and economic gains can be achieved more quickly by prioritizing those who are antibody-negative while doses of the vaccine remain in short supply.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ismail2021b,

title = {Description of PTPRG genetic variants identified in a cohort of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia patients and their ability to influence response to Tyrosine kinase Inhibitors},

author = {Mohamed A Ismail, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Maria Monne, Ali AlSayab, Mohamed A Yassin, Govindarajulu Varadharaj, Salma Younes, Claudio Sorio, Richard Cook, Helmout Modjtahedi and Nader I Al-Dewik 

},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-10},

journal = {Gene},

volume = {813},

abstract = {Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have remarkably transformed Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) management; however, TKI resistance remains a major clinical challenge. Mutations in BCR-ABL1 are well studied but fail to explain 20–40% of resistant cases, suggesting the activation of alternative, BCR-ABL1-independent pathways. Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Gamma (PTPRG), a tumor suppressor, was found to be well expressed in CML patients responsive to TKIs and remained at low level in resistant patients. In this study, we aimed to identify genetic variants in PTPRG that could potentially modulate TKIs response in CML patients. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples collected from two CML cohorts (Qatar and Italy) and targeted exome sequencing was performed. Among 31 CML patients, six were TKI-responders and 25 were TKI-non-responsive. Sequencing identified ten variants, seven were annotated and three were novel SNPs (c.1602_1603insC, c.85+14412delC, and c.2289-129delA). Among them, five variants were identified in 15 resistant cases. Of these, one novel exon variant (c.1602_1603insC), c.841-29C>T (rs199917960) and c.1378-224A>G (rs2063204) were found to be significantly different between the resistant cases compared to responders. Our findings suggest that PTPRG variants may act as an indirect resistance mechanism of BCR-ABL1 to affect TKI treatment.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Abdelrahman2021,

title = {Prevalence and Phylogenetic Analysis of Parvovirus (B19V) among Blood Donors with Different Nationalities Residing in Qatar},

author = {Doua Abdelrahman, Duaa W. Al-Sadeq, Maria K. Smatti, Sara A. Taleb, Raed O AbuOdeh, Enas S. Al-Absi, Asmaa A. Al-Thani, Peter. V. Coyle, Nader Al-Dewik, Ahmed A. Al Qahtani, Hadi M. Yassine and Gheyath K. Nasrallah },

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/4/540},

doi = {10.3390/v13040540},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-02-20},

journal = {Viruses},

volume = {13},

number = {4},

pages = {540},

abstract = {Human parvovirus (B19V) is the causative agent of erythema infectiosum in children and is linked to a wide range of clinical manifestations. Studies related to B19V prevalence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and other parts of Asia are very scarce. The objectives of this study were to estimate the seroprevalence (anti-B19V IgM and IgG), the viremia rate (B19V DNA), and the circulating genotypes of B19V among blood donors in Qatar. Methods: Donors’ blood samples (n = 5026) from different nationalities, mainly from the MENA region and South East Asia, were collected from 2014–2016. Samples were tested for the B19V DNA using RT-PCR. Furthermore, 1000 selected samples were tested to determine the seroprevalence of B19V antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotyping was performed on 65 DNA positive samples by sequencing of nested PCR fragments (NS1-VP1u region, 927 nt). Results: Only 1.4% (70/5026) of the samples had detectible B19V DNA in their blood. B19V DNA prevalence statistically decreased with age (p = 0.03). Anti-B19V IgG was detected in 60.3% (561/930) of the tested samples, while only 2.1% (20/930) were IgM-positive and 1.2% (11/930) were both IgM- and IgG-positive. B19V genotyping showed a predominance of Genotype 1 (100%). Sequence analysis of the NS1-VP1u region revealed 139 mutation sites, some of which were amino acid substitutions. Conclusion: Our results indicated a relatively high seroprevalence of B19V in Qatar. Most importantly, B19 DNA was detected among Qatari and non-Qatari blood donors. Therefore, blood banks in Qatar might need to consider screening for B19V, especially when transfusion is intended for high-risk populations, including immunocompromised patients.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Majdalawieh2021,

title = {Immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of sesamin: mechanisms of action and future directions},

author = {Amin F. Majdalawieh, Sarah M. Yousef, Imad A. Abu-Yousef and Gheyath K. Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2021.1881438},

doi = {10.1080/10408398.2021.1881438},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-02-05},

journal = {Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition },

pages = {1-32},

abstract = {Inflammation is associated with the development and progression of various disorders including atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and cancer. Sesamin, a fat-soluble lignan derived from Sesamum indicum seeds and oil, has received increased attention due to its wide array of pharmacological properties including its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory potential. To date, no review has been conducted to summarize or analyze the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory roles of sesamin. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of experimental findings that were reported with regards to the ability of sesamin to modulate inflammation, cellular and humoral adaptive immune responses and Th1/Th2 paradigm. The potential influence of sesamin on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells against cancer cells is also highlighted. The molecular mechanisms and the signal transduction pathways underlying such effects are underscored. The metabolism, pharmacokinetics, absorption, tissue distribution and bioavailability of sesamin in different species, including humans, are reviewed. Moreover, we propose future preclinical and clinical investigations to further validate the potential preventive and/or therapeutic efficacy of sesamin against various immune-related and inflammatory conditions. We anticipate that sesamin may be employed in future therapeutic regimens to enhance the efficacy of treatment and dampen the adverse effects of synthetic chemical drugs currently used to alleviate immune-related and inflammatory conditions.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Jighefee2021,

title = {Evaluation of Antibody Response in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients and Diagnostic Assessment of New IgM/IgG ELISA Kits},

author = {Hadeel T. Al-Jighefee, Hadi M. Yassine, Maryam A. Al-Nesf, Ali A. Hssain, Sara Taleb, Ahmed S. Mohamed, Hassen Maatoug, Mohamed Mohamedali and Gheyath K. Nasrallah },

url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7913500/},

doi = {10.3390/pathogens10020161},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-02-03},

journal = {Pathogens},

volume = {10},

number = {2 },

pages = {161},

abstract = {This study aims to study the immune response and evaluate the performances of four new IgM and five IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for detecting anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies against different antigens in symptomatic and asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. A total of 291 samples collected from symptomatic and asymptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed patients were used to evaluate the ELISA kits' performance (EDI, AnshLabs, DiaPro, NovaLisa, and Lionex). The sensitivity was measured at three different time-intervals post symptoms onset or positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test (≤14, 14-30, >30 days). The specificity was investigated using 119 pre-pandemic serum samples. The sensitivity of all IgM kits gradually decreased with time, ranging from 48.7% (EDI)-66.4% (Lionex) at ≤14 days, 29.1% (NovaLisa)-61.8% (Lionex) at 14-30 days, and 6.0% (AnshLabs)-47.9% (Lionex) at >30 days. The sensitivity of IgG kits increased with time, peaking in the latest interval (>30 days) at 96.6% (Lionex). Specificity of IgM ranged from 88.2% (Lionex)-99.2% (EDI), while IgG ranged from 75.6% (DiaPro)-98.3% (Lionex). Among all RT-PCR-positive patients, 23 samples (7.9%) were seronegative by all IgG kits, of which only seven samples (30.4%) had detectable IgM antibodies. IgM assays have variable and low sensitivity, thus considered a poor marker for COVID-19 diagnosis. IgG assays can miss at least 8% of RT-PCR-positive cases.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Giordo2021b,

title = {Resveratrol-Elicited PKC Inhibition Counteracts NOX-Mediated Endothelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Human Retinal Endothelial Cells Exposed to High Glucose},

author = {Roberta Giordo, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Anna Maria Posadino, Francesco Galimi, Giampiero Capobianco , Ali Hussein Eid, Gianfranco Pintus },

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/2/224},

doi = {doi: 10.3390/antiox10020224},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-02-02},

journal = {Antioxidants},

volume = {2 },

number = {10},

pages = {224},

abstract = {Diabetes-associated long-term hyperglycaemia leads to oxidative stress-mediated fibrosis in different tissues and organs. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EndMT) appears to play a role in diabetes-associated fibrotic conditions. Here, we investigate whether EndMT is implicated in the diabetic retinopathy fibrotic process and evaluate the possibility that resveratrol could counteract EndMT by inhibiting high glucose (HG)-induced increases in ROS. Primary Human Retinal Endothelial Cells (HRECs) were either pre-treated for 24 h with 1 µM resveratrol or left untreated, then glucose (30 mM) was applied at 3-day intervals for 10 days. qRT-PCR and ELISA were used to detect mRNA or protein expression of endothelial markers (CD31, CDH5, vWF) or mesenchymal markers (VIM, αSMA and collagen I), respectively. Intracellular ROS levels were measured with carboxy-DCFDA, while NOX-associated ROS levels were evaluated using the NADPH-specific redox biosensor p47-roGFP. Treatment of HRECs with HG increased intracellular ROS levels and promoted phenotype shifting towards EndMT, evidenced by decreased expression of endothelial markers concomitant with increased expression of mesenchymal ones. HG-induced EndMT appears to be mediated by NADPH-associated ROS generation as pre-treatment of HRECs with resveratrol or the NADPH inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI), attenuated ROS production and EndMT transition, suggesting that the effect of resveratrol on HG-induced ROS occurs via down-regulation of NADPH oxidase. It is worth noting that resveratrol or Chelerythrine, a Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, reduce ROS and EndMT in HG-exposed cells, suggesting that NADPH activation occurs via a PKC-dependent mechanism. Taken together, our results provide the basis for a resveratrol-based potential protective therapy to prevent diabetic-associated complications.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{forEpidemiology2021,

title = {Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections as Compared with Primary Infections},

author = {Laith J Abu-Raddad Hiam Chemaitelly Roberto Bertollini National Study Group for COVID-19 Epidemiology},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34818474/},

doi = {10.1056/NEJMc2108120},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-27},

urldate = {2021-01-27},

journal = {New England Journal of Medicine},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{T2021,

title = {Distinct antibody repertoires against endemic human coronaviruses in children and adults},

author = {Taushif Khan, Mahbuba Rahman, Fatima Al Ali, Susie S Y Huang, Manar Ata, Qian Zhang, Paul Bastard, Zhiyong , Emmanuelle Jouanguy, Vivien Béziat, Aurélie Cobat, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Hadi M Yassine, Maria K Smatti, Amira Saeed, Isabelle Vandernoot, Jean-Christophe Goffard, Guillaume Smits, Isabelle Migeotte, Filomeen Haerynck, Isabelle Meyts, Laurent Abel , Jean-Laurent Casanova, Mohammad R Hasan and Nico Marr},

url = {https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/144499},

doi = {10.1172/jci.insight.144499},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-26},

journal = {JCI insight},

abstract = {Four endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are commonly associated with acute respiratory infection in humans. B cell responses to these "common cold" viruses remain incompletely understood. Here we report a comprehensive analysis of CoV-specific antibody repertoires in 231 children and 1168 adults using phage-immunoprecipitation sequencing. Seroprevalence of antibodies to endemic HCoVs ranged between ~4 and 27% depending on the species and cohort. We identified at least 136 novel linear B cell epitopes. Antibody repertoires against endemic HCoVs were qualitatively different between children and adults in that anti-HCoV IgG specificities more frequently found among children targeted functionally important and structurally conserved regions of the spike, nucleocapsid and matrix proteins. Moreover, antibody specificities targeting the highly conserved fusion peptide region and S2' cleavage site of the spike protein were broadly cross-reactive with peptides of epidemic human and non-human coronaviruses. In contrast, an acidic tandem repeat in the N-terminal region of the Nsp3 subdomain of the HCoV-HKU1 polyprotein was the predominant target of antibody responses in adult donors. Our findings shed light on the dominant species-specific and pan-CoV target sites of human antibody responses to coronavirus infection, thereby providing important insights for the development of prophylactic or therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and vaccine design.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Younes2020c,

title = {Diagnostic Efficiency of Three Fully Automated Serology Assays and Their Correlation with a Novel Surrogate Virus Neutralization Test in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-COV-2 Individuals},

author = {Salma Younes, Hadeel Al-Jighefee, Farah Shurrab, Duaa W. Al-Sadeq, Nadin Younes,

Soha R. Dargham, Nader Al-Dewik, Hamda Qotba, Mohamed Syed, Ahmed Alnuaimi,

Hadi M. Yassine, Patrik Tang, Laith Abu Raddad and Gheyath K. Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/2/245},

doi = {10.3390/microorganisms9020245},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-12-30},

journal = {Microorganisms},

abstract = {To support the deployment of serology assays for population screening during the COVID-19 pandemic, we compared the performance of three fully automated SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays: Mindray CL-900i® (target: spike [S] and nucleocapsid [N]), BioMérieux VIDAS®3 (target: receptor-binding domain [RBD]) and Diasorin LIAISON®XL (target: S1 and S2 subunits). A total of 111 SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR- positive samples collected at ≥ 21 days post symptom onset, and 127 pre-pandemic control samples were included. Diagnostic performance was assessed in correlation to RT-PCR and a surrogate virus-neutralizing test (sVNT). Moreover, cross-reactivity with other viral antibodies was investigated. Compared to RT-PCR, LIAISON®XL showed the highest overall specificity (100%), followed by VIDAS®3 (98.4%) and CL-900i® (95.3%). The highest sensitivity was demonstrated by CL-900i® (90.1%), followed by VIDAS®3 (88.3%) and LIAISON®XL (85.6%). The sensitivity of all assays was higher in symptomatic patients (91.1–98.2%) compared to asymptomatic patients (78.4–80.4%). In correlation to sVNT, all assays showed excellent sensitivities (92.2–96.1%). In addition, VIDAS®3 demonstrated the best correlation (r = 0.75) with the sVNT. The present study provides insights on the performance of three fully automated assays, which could help diagnostic laboratories in the choice of a particular assay according to the intended use.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Marei2020,

title = {Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Early Travel-Associated COVID-19 Cases},

author = {Reham M Marei, Mohamed M Emara, Omar M Elsaied, Gheyath K Nasrallah, Tawanda Chivese, Hamad E Al-Romaihi, Mohamed H Althani, Asmaa A Al Thani, Elmoubasher A Farag and Hadi M Yassine},

url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7786434/},

doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2020.573925},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-12-23},

journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},

abstract = {Background: SARS-CoV-2 continues to claim hundreds of thousands of people's lives. It mostly affects the elderly and those with chronic illness but can also be fatal in younger age groups. This article is the first comprehensive analysis of the epidemiological and clinical outcomes of the travel-associated SARS-CoV-2 cases until April 19, 2020. Methods: Demographic and clinical data of travel-associated SARS-CoV-2 cases were collected for the period between January 16, 2020 and April 19, 2020. More than one hundred and eighty databases were searched, including the World Health Organization (WHO) database, countries' ministries websites, and official media sites. Demographic and clinical data were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 1,186 cases from 144 countries meeting the inclusion criteria were reported and included in the analysis. The mean age of the cases was 44 years, with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. Travel-associated cases originated from more than 40 countries, with China, Italy, and Iran reporting the highest numbers at 208, 225, and 155, respectively. Clinical symptoms varied between patients, with some reporting symptoms during the flights (117 cases; 9.87%). A total of 312 (26.31%) cases were hospitalized, of which 50 cases (4.22%) were fatal. Conclusion: Major gaps exist in the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of the COVID-19 travel-associated cases due to a lack of reporting and sharing data of many counties. The identification and implementation of methodologies for measuring traveler's risk to coronavirus would help in minimizing the spread of the virus, especially in the next waves.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{R2020,

title = {Seroprevalence of West Nile Virus among Healthy Blood Donors from Different National Populations Residing in Qatar},

author = {Soha R Dargham, Duaa W Al-Sadeq, Hadi M Yassine, Muna Ahmed, Hasna Kunhipurayil, John M Humphrey, Laith J Abu-Raddad, Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220324875?via%3Dihub},

doi = {10.1016/j.ijid.2020.11.175},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-25},

journal = {International Journal of Infectious Diseases},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {ObjectiveTo estimate the age- and nationality-specific West Nile virus (WNV) seroprevalence in select Middle East and North Africa (MENA) populations residing in Qatar. MethodsSera were collected from male blood donors attending Hamad Medical Corporation. A total of 1,948 sera were tested for anti-WNV antibodies using Serion ELISA classic IgG and IgM kits. ResultsOverall, seroprevalence estimates of WNV-specific IgG and IgM antibodies were 10.4% and 3.3%, respectively. Country-specific WNV-specific IgG seroprevalence was estimated to be 37.0% (34/92) in Sudanese, 33.0% in Egyptians (66/200), 13.0% (26/200) in Indians, 10.6% (11/104) in Iranians, 10.2% (14/137) in Yemenis, 9.2% (18/195) in Pakistanis, 7.0% ( 14/199) in Jordanians, 5.4% (6/111) in Filipinos, 2.5% (5/200) in Palestinians, 2.5% (5/200) in Syrians, 1.5% (3/200) in Qataris, and 0.9% (1/110) in Lebanese. Seroprevalence of WNV-specific IgM was lowest in Iranians (0/77), Lebanese (0/108), and Filipinos (0/107) at 0.0%, and was highest in Sudanese at 10.0% (8/80). While there seemed to be apparent trends in the prevalence of WNV-IgM and WNV-IgG antibodies, none of these trends were found statistically significant. ConclusionThe findings support the circulation of WNV in human populations in the different countries of the MENA region. Seroprevalence was highest in Sudanese and Egyptians and lowest in Qataris and nationals of the Levant. The findings call for further animal, vector, and human studies, such as studying the actual prevalence of the viral RNA in blood donors to assess risk of viral transmission through blood donation and for a better characterization of the epidemiology of this infection in this part of the world.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Phan2020,

title = {Emerging cellular and molecular determinants of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis},

author = {Thị Hằng Giang Phan, Panagiotis Paliogiannis, Gheyath K. Nasrallah, Roberta Giordo, Ali Hussein Eid, Alessandro Giuseppe Fois, Angelo Zinellu, Arduino Aleksander Mangoni & Gianfranco Pintus },

url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00018-020-03693-7},

doi = {10.1007/s00018-020-03693-7},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-20},

journal = {Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences },

abstract = {Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the most common form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, is a progressive, irreversible, and typically lethal disease characterized by an abnormal fibrotic response involving vast areas of the lungs. Given the poor knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning IPF onset and progression, a better understanding of the cellular processes and molecular pathways involved is essential for the development of effective therapies, currently lacking. Besides a number of established IPF-associated risk factors, such as cigarette smoking, environmental factors, comorbidities, and viral infections, several other processes have been linked with this devastating disease. Apoptosis, senescence, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, endothelial-mesenchymal transition, and epithelial cell migration have been shown to play a key role in IPF-associated tissue remodeling. Moreover, molecules, such as chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, adenosine, glycosaminoglycans, non-coding RNAs, and cellular processes including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, hypoxia, and alternative polyadenylation have been linked with IPF development. Importantly, strategies targeting these processes have been investigated to modulate abnormal cellular phenotypes and maintain tissue homeostasis in the lung. This review provides an update regarding the emerging cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of IPF.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Younes2020b,

title = {Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 natural animal reservoirs and experimental models: systematic review},

author = {Salma Younes and Nadin Younes and Farah Shurrab and Gheyath K Nasrallah

},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rmv.2196},

doi = {10.1002/rmv.2196},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-18},

journal = {Reviews in Medical Virology },

publisher = {Wiley online library},

abstract = {The current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) outbreak has been rapidly spreading worldwide, causing serious global concern. The role that animal hosts play in disease transmission is still understudied and researchers wish to find suitable animal models for fundamental research and drug discovery. In this systematic review, we aimed to compile and discuss all articles that describe experimental or natural infections with SARS‐CoV‐2, from the initial discovery of the virus in December 2019 through to October 2020. We systematically searched four databases (Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct and Web of Science). The following data were extracted from the included studies: type of infection (natural or experimental), age, sample numbers, dose, route of inoculation, viral replication, detection method, clinical symptoms and transmission. Fifty‐four studies were included, of which 34 were conducted on animal reservoirs (naturally or experimentally infected), and 20 involved models for testing vaccines and therapeutics. Our search revealed that Rousettus aegyptiacus (fruit bats), pangolins, felines, mink, ferrets and rabbits were all susceptible to SARS‐CoV‐2, while dogs were weakly susceptible and pigs, poultry, and tree shrews were not. In addition, virus replication in mice, mink, hamsters and ferrets resembled subclinical human infection, so these animals might serve as useful models for future studies to evaluate vaccines or antiviral agents and to study host‐pathogen interactions. Our review comprehensively summarized current evidence on SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in animals and their usefulness as models for studying vaccines and antiviral drugs. Our findings may direct future studies for vaccine development, antiviral drugs and therapeutic agents to manage SARS‐CoV‐2‐caused diseases.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Asmakh2020,

title = {AEO-7 surfactant is “super toxic” and induces severe cardiac, liver and locomotion damage in zebrafish embryos},

author = {Maha Al-Asmakh and Amin F Majdalawieh and Aboubakr M Abdullah and Nadin Younes and Sahar I Da’as and A Bahgat Radwan and Mostafa H Sliem and Houria Ech-Cherif and Gianfranco Pintus and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-020-00429-z},

doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-79302/v1},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-11},

journal = {Environmental Sciences Europe},

publisher = {SpringerOpen},

abstract = {Fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether-7 (AEO-7), a non-ionic surfactant, has recently been receiving extensive attention from the ocean pipeline industry for its ability to inhibit corrosion. However, the present lack of information concerning the potential environmental toxicity of AEO-7, especially towards aquatic organisms, is a major impediment to its wider application. Here, we assess potential adverse effects of AEO-7 on zebrafish embryos employing a variety of assays, including (i) a mortality/survival assay which allowed the median lethal concentration (LC50) to be calculated; (ii) a teratogenicity assay on the basis of which the no observed effect concentration (NOEC) was determined; and (iii) specific assays of cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity (based on locomotion), hematopoietic toxicity (the level of hemoglobin as revealed by o-dianisidine staining) and hepatotoxicity (liver steatosis and yolk retention examined by staining with Oil Red O).},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Fakhro2020,

title = {Functional characterization of human myosin-binding protein C3 variants associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy reveals exon-specific cardiac phenotypes in zebrafish model},

author = {Sahar I Da'as Huseyin C Yalcin Gheyath K Nasrallah Iman A Mohamed Michail Nomikos Magdi H Yacoub Khalid A Fakhro},

doi = {10.1002/jcp.29441},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-03},

journal = {Journal of Cellular Physiology},

abstract = {Myosin-binding protein C 3 (MYBPC3) variants are the most common cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM is a complex cardiac disorder due to its significant genetic and clinical heterogeneity. MYBPC3 variants genotype-phenotype associations remain poorly understood. We investigated the impact of two novel human MYBPC3 splice-site variants: V1: c.654+2_654+4dupTGG targeting exon 5 using morpholino MOe5i5; and V2: c.772+1G>A targeting exon 6 using MOe6i6; located within C1 domain of cMyBP-C protein, known to be critical in regulating sarcomere structure and contractility. Zebrafish MOe5i5 and MOe6i6 morphants recapitulated typical characteristics of human HCM with cardiac phenotypes of varying severity, including reduced cardiomyocyte count, thickened ventricular myocardial wall, a drastic reduction in heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output. Analysis of all cardiac morphological and functional parameters demonstrated that V2 cardiac phenotype was more severe than V1. Coinjection with synthetic human MYBPC3 messenger RNA (mRNA) partially rescued disparate cardiac phenotypes in each zebrafish morphant. While human MYBPC3 mRNA partially restored the decreased heart rate in V1 morphants and displayed increased percentages of ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and area change, it failed to revert the V1 ventricular myocardial thickness. These results suggest a possible V1 impact on cardiac contractility. In contrast, attempts to rescue V2 morphants only restored the ventricular myocardial wall hypertrophy phenotype but had no significant effect on impaired heart rate, suggesting a potential V2 impact on the cardiac structure. Our study provides evidence of an association between MYBPC3 exon-specific cardiac phenotypes in the zebrafish model providing important insights into how these genetic variants contribute to HCM disease.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Jamal2020,

title = {Organ-specific toxicity evaluation of stearamidopropyl dimethylamine (SAPDMA) surfactant using zebrafish embryos},

author = {Ola Al-Jamal and Hadeel Al-Jighefee and Nadin Younes and Roba Abdin and Maha A Al-Asmakh and A Bahgat Radwan and Mostafa H Sliem and Amin F Majdalawieh and Gianfranco Pintus and Hadi M Yassine and Aboubakr M Abdullah and Sahar I Da'as and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720339723},

doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140450},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-11-01},

journal = {Science of The Total Environment},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {Surfactants are widely used in the industry of detergents, household products, and cosmetics. SAPDMA is a cationic surfactant that is used mostly in cosmetics, conditioning agents and has recently gained attention as a corrosion inhibitor in the sea pipelines industry. In this regard, literature concerning the ecotoxicological classification of SAPDMA on aquatic animals is lacking. This study aims to evaluate the potential ecotoxicity of SAPDMA using the aquatic zebrafish embryo model. The potential toxic effects of SAPDMA were assessed by different assays. This includes (i) mortality/survival assay to assess the median lethal concentration (LC50); (ii) teratogenicity assay to assess the no observed effect concentration (NOEC); (iii) organ-specific toxicity assays including cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity (using locomotion assay), hematopoietic toxicity (hemoglobin synthesis using o-dianisidine staining), hepatotoxicity (liver steatosis and yolk retention using Oil Red O (ORO) stain); (iv) cellular cytotoxicity (mitochondrial membrane potential) by measuring the accumulation of JC-1 dye into mitochondria. Exposure of embryos to SAPDMA caused mortality in a dose-dependent manner with a calculated LC50 of 2.3 mg/L. Thus, based on the LC50 value and according to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Acute Toxicity Rating Scale, SAPDMA is classified as “moderately toxic”. The No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) concerning a set of parameters including scoliosis, changes in body length, yolk, and eye sizes was 0.1 mg/L. At the same NOEC concentration (0.1 mg/L), no organ-specific toxicity was detected in fish treated with SAPDMA, except hepatomegaly with no associated liver dysfunctions. However, higher SAPDMA concentrations (0.8 mg/L) have dramatic effects on zebrafish organ development (eye, heart, and liver development). Our data recommend a re-evaluation of the SAPDMA employment in the industry setting and its strictly monitoring by environmental and public health agencies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2020,

title = {Performance evaluation of five ELISA kits for detecting anti-SARS-COV-2 IgG antibodies},

author = {Hadi M Yassine and Hadeel Al-Jighefee and Duaa W Al-Sadeq and Soha R Dargham and Salma N Younes and Farah Shurrab and Reham M Marei and Ali Ait Hssain and Sara Taleb and Hashim Alhussain and Maryam A Al-Nesf and Abdullatif Al-Khal and Hamda Qotba and Asmaa A Althani and Patrick Tang and Laith J Abu-Raddad and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220322463?via%3Dihub},

doi = {10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.042},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-10-27},

journal = {International Journal of Infectious Diseases},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {To evaluate and compare the performances of five commercial ELISA assays (EDI, AnshLabs, Dia.Pro, NovaTec, and Lionex) for detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ouhtit2020,

title = {Novel role of BRCA1 interacting C-terminal helicase 1 (BRIP1) in breast tumour cell invasion},

author = {Balsam Rizeq Saïd Sif Gheyath K Nasrallah Allal Ouhtit},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32888398/#:~:text=Functional%20assays%20validated%20further%20the%20physiological%20relevance%20of,significantly%20attenuated%20cell%20proliferation%20via%20cell%20cycle%20arrest.},

doi = {10.1111/jcmm.15761},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-10-05},

urldate = {2020-10-05},

journal = {Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine },

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2020d,

title = {Immune Modulatory Effects of Vitamins on Viral Infections},

author = {Maheen Siddiqui Judhell S Manansala Hana A Abdulrahman Gheyath K Nasrallah Maria K Smatti Nadin Younes Asmaa A Althani Hadi M Yassine},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32967126/},

doi = {10.3390/nu12092879},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-09-20},

urldate = {2020-09-20},

journal = {Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine },

abstract = {Viral infections have been a cause of mortality for several centuries and continue to endanger the lives of many, specifically of the younger population. Vitamin D has long been recognized as a crucial element to the skeletal system in the human body. Recent evidence has indicated that vitamin D also plays an essential role in the immune response against viral infections and suggested that vitamin D deficiency increases susceptibility to viral infections as well as the risk of recurrent infections. For instance, low serum vitamin D levels were linked to increased occurrence of high burdens viral diseases such as hepatitis, influenza, Covid-19, and AIDS. As immune cells in infected patients are responsive to the ameliorative effects of vitamin D, the beneficial effects of supplementing vitamin D-deficient individuals with an infectious disease may extend beyond the impact on bone and calcium homeostasis. Even though numerous studies have highlighted the effect of vitamin D on the immune cells, vitamin D's antiviral mechanism has not been fully established. This paper reviews the recent mechanisms by which vitamin D regulates the immune system, both innate and adaptive systems, and reflects on the link between serum vitamin D levels and viral infections.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Sadeq2020,

title = {The incidence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 among asymptomatic patients: a systematic review},

author = {Duaa W Al-Sadeq and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220305336?via%3Dihub},

doi = {10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.098},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-09-01},

journal = {International Journal of Infectious Diseases},

publisher = {Elsevier},

abstract = {The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread globally since its discovery in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. A comprehensive strategy – including surveillance, diagnostics, research, and clinical treatment – is urgently needed to win the battle against COVID-19. Recently, numerous studies have reported the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic patients. Yet, the incidence and viral transmission from the asymptomatic cases are not yet apparent.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2020c,

title = {Immunomodulation Induced by Host Pathogen Interaction},

author = {Hadi M Yassine and Syed M Moin and Farhan S Cyprian and Adam K Wheatley and Gheyath K Nasrallah

},

url = {https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2019/9710910/},

doi = {10.1155/2019/9710910},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-07-22},

journal = {Journal of Immunology Research},

publisher = {Hindawi},

abstract = {Controlling and preventing infections require deep understanding of the complex interplay that occurs between the host and pathogen following infection. In essence, immunomodulation is any process leading to an immune response that can be altered to a desired level. In mammals, the immune system has developed an extensive array of cells and immunomodulators to recognize, identify, and eliminate foreign invaders. On the other hand, pathogens have evolved multiple mechanisms to combat the host immune system as they establish infections. In this context and under certain circumstances, an infection may result in a subverted immune system, which may lead to an exacerbated illness. Recent advances in biotechnology have enhanced our knowledge of the complex interplay that occurs between the host and invading pathogens following infection, through understanding of the microbial virulence strategies as well as the host’s approaches to combat the infection.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Pintus2020c,

title = {Resveratrol Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Prevents Mitochondrial Damage Induced by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)},

author = {Roberta Giordo Gheyath K Nasrallah Ola Al-Jamal Panagiotis Paliogiannis Gianfranco Pintus},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32481628/},

doi = {10.3390/ijms21113838.},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-05-28},

urldate = {2020-05-28},

journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences },

abstract = {Despite their wide industrial use, Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a high toxic potential while concerns of their health-related risks are still present, urging additional in vivo clarification studies. Oxidative stress is recognized as the primary trigger of NP-associated toxicity, suggesting antioxidants as a promising counteractive approach. Here, we investigated the protective effect of the natural antioxidant resveratrol against ZnO NP-induced toxicity in vivo using the zebrafish model. Our findings demonstrate that resveratrol counteracts ZnO NP-induced zebrafish lethality preventing cardiac morphological and functional damage. NP-induced vascular structural abnormalities during embryonic fish development were significantly counteracted by resveratrol treatment. Mechanistically, we further showed that resveratrol inhibits ROS increase, prevents mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction, and counteracts cell apoptosis/necrosis elicited by ZnO NP. Overall, our data provide further evidence demonstrating the primary role of oxidative stress in NP-induced damage, and highlight new insights concerning the protective mechanism of antioxidants against nanomaterial toxicity.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Younes2020,

title = {Challenges in Laboratory Diagnosis of the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2},

author = {Nadin Younes and Duaa W Al-Sadeq and Hadeel Al-Jighefee and Salma Younes and Ola Al-Jamal and Hanin I Daas and Hadi Yassine and Gheyath K Nasrallah.},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/6/582},

doi = {10.3390/v12060582},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-05-26},

journal = {Viruses},

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},

abstract = {The recent outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread worldwide since its discovery in Wuhan city, China in December 2019. A comprehensive strategy, including surveillance, diagnostics, research, clinical treatment, and development of vaccines, is urgently needed to win the battle against COVID-19. The past three unprecedented outbreaks of emerging human coronavirus infections at the beginning of the 21st century have highlighted the importance of readily available, accurate, and rapid diagnostic technologies to contain emerging and re-emerging pandemics. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) based assays performed on respiratory specimens remain the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnostics. However, point-of-care technologies and serologic immunoassays are rapidly emerging with high sensitivity and specificity as well. Even though excellent techniques are available for the diagnosis of symptomatic patients with COVID-19 in well-equipped laboratories; critical gaps still remain in screening asymptomatic people who are in the incubation phase of the virus, as well as in the accurate determination of live viral shedding during convalescence to inform decisions for ending isolation. This review article aims to discuss the currently available laboratory methods and surveillance technologies available for the detection of COVID-19, their performance characteristics and highlight the gaps in current diagnostic capacity, and finally, propose potential solutions. We also summarize the specifications of the majority of the available commercial kits (PCR, EIA, and POC) for laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2020b,

title = {Systematic Review of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prevalence, Genotype Distribution, and Seasonality in Children from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region},

author = {Hadi M Yassine and Muhammad U Sohail and Nadin Younes and Gheyath K Nasrallah

},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/5/713},

doi = {10.3390/microorganisms8050713},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-05-11},

journal = {Microorganisms},

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},

abstract = {Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common viruses to infect children worldwide and is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract illness (LRI) in infants. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review by collecting and reviewing all the published knowledge about the epidemiology of RSV in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Therefore, we systematically searched four databases; Embase, Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane databases from 2001 to 2019 to collect all the information related to the RSV prevalence, genotype distribution, and seasonality in children in MENA region. Our search strategy identified 598 studies, of which 83 met our inclusion criteria, which cover the past 19 years (2000–2019). Odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated to measure the association between RSV prevalence, gender, and age distribution. An overall prevalence of 24.4% (n = 17,106/69,981) of respiratory infections was recorded for RSV. The highest RSV prevalence was reported in Jordan (64%, during 2006–2007) and Israel (56%, 2005–2006). RSV A subgroup was more prevalent (62.9%; OR = 2.9, 95%CI = 2.64–3.13) than RSV B. RSV was most prevalent in children who were less than 12 months old (68.6%; OR = 4.7, 95%CI = 2.6–8.6) and was higher in males (59.6%; OR = 2.17, 95%CI = 1.2–3.8) than in female infants. Finally, the highest prevalence was recorded during winter seasons in all countries, except for Pakistan. RSV prevalence in the MENA region is comparable with the global one (24.4% vs. 22%). This first comprehensive report about RSV prevalence in the MENA region and our data should be important to guide vaccine introduction decisions and future evaluation.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2020e,

title = {Antimicrobial Resistance of Commensal Escherichia coli Isolated from Food Animals in Qatar},

author = {Dalal A Alhababi Nahla O Eltai Gheyath K Nasrallah Elmoubasher A Farg Asmaa A Al Thani Hadi M Yassine},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32233963/},

doi = {10.1089/mdr.2019.0402},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-04-26},

urldate = {2020-04-26},

journal = {Microbial drug resistance},

abstract = {Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of 18 clinically relevant antibiotics in food animals in Qatar. Materials and Methods: Fecal samples from camels, cattle, and pigeons (300) were collected from different slaughterhouses and farms. Escherichia coli isolates were recovered on selective media, confirmed biochemically, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility using a disk diffusion assay. Any isolate that showed resistance to colistin was confirmed using the E-test and polymerase chain reaction for mcr genes. Results: Overall, a total of 88.7% (n = 266/300) recovery rate was achieved from all samples. Resistance to at least one antibiotic was recorded in 70.7% of pigeons, 37.2% of cattle, and only 20.8% of camel samples. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was highest in isolates from pigeons, 50% (n = 44). Moreover, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections) resistance was present in 22.2% (n = 59) of all E. coli isolates. Only one E. coli isolate from a pigeon showed resistance to colistin (mcr-1 gene encoded), a drug of last resort in human medicine against gram-negative bacterial infection. Conclusions: We previously reported high multidrug resistance of E. coli in chickens, with significant resistance to colistin. We observed a lower AMR profile in ruminants. The high resistance profile observed in pigeons (70.7%), including high multidrug resistance (50%), is alarming as these animals could rapidly disseminate resistant bacteria to various locations. Continuous monitoring of AMR in livestock in Qatar is necessary toward introducing an antimicrobial stewardship program and control of antibiotic usage in the veterinary sector.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Pintus2020,

title = {Herbal Medicine for Cardiovascular Diseases: Efficacy, Mechanisms, and Safety},

author = {Abdullah Shaito Duong Thi Bich Thuan Hoa Thi Phu Thi Hieu Dung Nguyen Hiba Hasan Sarah Halabi Samar Abdelhady Gheyath K Nasrallah Ali H Eid Gianfranco Pintus},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32317975/},

doi = {10.3389/fphar.2020.004},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-04-07},

urldate = {2020-04-07},

journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology },

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Al-Sadeq2020b,

title = {The Spectrum of Mutations of Homocystinuria in the MENA Region},

author = {Duaa W Al-Sadeq and Gheyath K Nasrallah

},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/11/3/330},

doi = {10.3390/genes11030330},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-03-20},

journal = {Genes},

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},

abstract = {Homocystinuria is an inborn error of metabolism due to the deficiency in cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) enzyme activity. It leads to the elevation of both homocysteine and methionine levels in the blood and urine. Consequently, this build-up could lead to several complications such as nearsightedness, dislocated eye lenses, a variety of psychiatric and behavioral disorders, as well as vascular system complications. The prevalence of homocystinuria is around 1/200,000 births worldwide. However, its prevalence in the Gulf region, notably Qatar, is exceptionally high and reached 1:1800. To date, more than 191 pathogenic CBS mutations have been documented. The majority of these mutations were identified in Caucasians of European ancestry, whereas only a few mutations from African-Americans or Asians were reported. Approximately 87% of all CBS mutations are missense and do not target the CBS catalytic site, but rather result in unstable misfolded proteins lacking the normal biological function, designating them for degradation. The early detection of homocystinuria along with low protein and methionine-restricted diet is the best treatment approach for all types of homocystinuria patients. Yet, less than 50% of affected individuals show a significant reduction in plasma homocysteine levels after treatment. Patients who fail to lower the elevated homocysteine levels, through high protein-restricted diet or by B6 and folic acid supplements, are at higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, neural tube defects, and other severe clinical complications. This review aims to examine the mutations spectrum of the CBS gene, the disease management, as well as the current and potential treatment approaches with a greater emphasis on studies reported in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Rizeq2019,

title = {Synthesis, bioapplications, and toxicity evaluation of chitosan-based nanoparticles},

author = {Balsam R Rizeq and Nadin N Younes and Kashif Rasool and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/22/5776},

doi = {10.3390/ijms20225776},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-11-16},

journal = {International Journal o Molecular Sciences },

publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},

abstract = {The development of advanced nanomaterials and technologies is essential in biomedical engineering to improve the quality of life. Chitosan-based nanomaterials are on the forefront and attract wide interest due to their versatile physicochemical characteristics such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity, which play a promising role in biological applications. Chitosan and its derivatives are employed in several applications including pharmaceuticals and biomedical engineering. This article presents a comprehensive overview of recent advances in chitosan derivatives and nanoparticle synthesis, as well as emerging applications in medicine, tissue engineering, drug delivery, gene therapy, and cancer therapy. In addition to the applications, we critically review the main concerns and mitigation strategies related to chitosan bactericidal properties, toxicity/safety using tissue cultures and animal models, and also their potential environmental impact. At the end of this review, we also provide some of future directions and conclusions that are important for expanding the field of biomedical applications of the chitosan nanoparticles.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{ElBakri2019,

title = {Molecular Subtyping of Blastocystis from Diverse Animals in the United Arab Emirates},

author = {Raed AbuOdeh Sinda Ezzedine Mohamed Madkour Christen Rune Stensvold Amidou Samie Gheyath Nasrallah Enas AlAbsi Ali ElBakri},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31580985/},

doi = {10.1016/j.protis.2019.125679},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-11-07},

journal = {Protist},

abstract = {The contribution of Blastocystis from non-human hosts to zoonotic transmission is only partly known. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of Blastocystis genetic subtypes in different animal species in United Arab Emirates. A total of 114 stool samples were tested using PCR of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene and sequence analysis. Twenty-three Blastocystis-positive samples were identified. The following detection rates were observed: cattle, 22.7%; sheep, 63.6%; rabbits, 33.3%; rodents, 37.5%; reptiles, 21.2%. Four subtypes were identified in this study; ST4, ST10, ST14, and ST17; ST10 was isolated from sheep and cattle, corroborating previous data indicating that these are natural hosts for this subtype. Cases of mixed subtype colonization were also detected. Conspicuously, we found ST14 in rabbits. The discovery of ST17 in a squirrel indicates a novel host for this subtype. Furthermore, the discovery of ST4 in rodents suggests that these may serve as reservoir for human Blastocystis ST4 colonization. Six tortoises and one iguana were positive for Blastocystis. In conclusion, this is the first report of Blastocystis infection in various animals in the UAE. Apart from ST4, no potentially zoonotic subtypes were detected.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Nasrallah2019d,

title = {Negative epidemiological association between HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections},

author = {Gheyath K Nasrallah and Soha R Dargham and Laith J Abu-Raddad

},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019362097?via%3Dihub},

doi = {10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02549},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-10-23},

journal = {Heliyon},

publisher = {Europe PMC},

abstract = {Existing evidence on an epidemiological association between herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and type 2 infections remains conflicting and inconclusive. Using a multi-national database of HSV-1/2 serological testing, we aimed to assess the existence of an association between both infections. Design Setting and Participants:An HSV-1/2 cross-sectional serological testing database was assembled by merging databases of seroprevalence studies on men blood donors residing currently in Qatar, but from different countries. Specimens were tested for anti-HSV-1 IgG antibodies using HerpeSelect® 1 ELISA, and for anti-HSV-2 IgG antibodies following a two-test algorithm: HerpeSelect® 2 ELISA to test the sera, and Euroline-WB to confirm positive and equivocal specimens. Logistic regressions were conducted to estimate unadjusted and adjusted infection odds ratios. Results:Serological testing for HSV-1/2 was performed on 2522 specimens. Sero-positivity for HSV-1 and HSV-2 was identified in 2053 (81.5%) and 87 (3.5%) specimens, respectively. Univariable analyses estimated higher odds of HSV-2 infection with increasing age and increasing country income level, and an unadjusted odds ratio with HSV-1 sero-positivity of 0.71 (95% CI 0.43-1.17; p-value 0.172). Adjusting for age and country income level, the adjusted odds ratio of HSV-2 infection with HSV-1 sero-positivity was 0.51 (95% CI 0.30-0.87; p-value 0.013). Sensitivity analyses confirmed this association. Conclusions:There is a negative association between HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections, suggestive of a protective effect for HSV-1 sero-positivity against HSV-2 acquisition. This finding supports earlier pooled but inconclusive evidence from prospective studies, yet contrasts with pooled findings of earlier cross-sectional studies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Yassine2019,

title = {Measuring Influenza HA Stem-Specific ADCC in Human Sera Using Novel Stabilized Stem Nanoparticle Probes},

author = {Maria K Smatti Gheyath Nasrallah Asmaa Althani Hadi Yassine},

url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6808922/},

doi = {10.1093/ofid/ofz359.095},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-10-16},

urldate = {2019-10-16},

journal = {Vaccine},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Hijji2019,

title = {Curcumin a colorimetric and fluorimetric cyanide probe in aqueous system and living cells},

author = {Yousef M Hijji and Anas G Elsafy and Hala Sultan Al-Easa and Bassam Attili and Mahmoud Abdelrasoul and Nura Mohamed and Gheyath K Nasrallah},

url = {https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/ay/c9ay01557d#!divAbstract},

doi = {10.1039/C9AY01557D},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-09-12},

journal = {Analytical Methods },

publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry},

abstract = {Curcumin, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-hepta-diene-3,5-dione, is a natural product obtained from the rhizome of Curcuma longa. Curcumin has been demonstrated to be a strong antioxidant with anticancer properties and other diverse biological activities. In addition, curcumin and its derivatives have been applied in chemo sensing for the detection of cations, anions, molecular recognition and bio imaging. Herein, we have investigated the development and application of curcumin as a molecular probe for the detection of cyanide in aqueous medium. Cyanide causes a dramatic color change of the curcumin solution (acetonitrile : water 90 : 10) from bright yellow to dark orange. It causes dramatic spectral changes in the UV-vis spectrum of curcumin by the decrease in the absorption band intensity at 421 nm and a concomitant appearance of a strong band at 520 nm. A bathochromic shift of 99 nm is also observed. Other monovalent anions tested such as F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, AcO−, H2AsO4− and N3− caused no significant color or spectral changes. Hydroxide did show a similar change but gave a more intense color. The lower limit of detection was determined to be 2.3 × 10−6 M. The fluorescence emission of curcumin at 520 nm was quenched upon the addition of cyanide, while other anions tested caused no change. Curcumin was introduced into living cells and it was observed to have strong fluorescence. Upon the addition of cyanide, the fluorescence in the cells quenched slowly with time. We were able to use cyanide as a tool for the detection and quantification of curcumin in aqueous media using both UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ben-Omran2019,

title = {Natural history, with clinical, biochemical, and molecular characterization of classical homocystinuria in the Qatari population},

author = {Nader Al-Dewik Alaa Ali Yassmin Mahmoud Noora Shahbeck Rehab Ali Laila Mahmoud Mariam Al-Mureikhi Fatma Al-Mesaifri Sara Musa Karen El-Akouri Mariam Almulla Reem Al Saadi Gheyath K Nasrallah Muthanna Samara Ghassan Abdoh Hilal Al Rifai Johannes Häberle Beat Thöny Warren Kruger Henk J Blom Tawfeg Ben-Omran},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30968424/},

doi = {10.1002/jimd.12099},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-09-11},

urldate = {2019-09-11},

journal = {Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease },

abstract = {Classical homocystinuria (HCU) is the most common inborn error of metabolism in Qatar, with an incidence of 1:1800, and is caused by the Qatari founder p.R336C mutation in the CBS gene. This study describes the natural history and clinical manifestations of HCU in the Qatari population. A single center study was performed between 2016 and 2017 in 126 Qatari patients, from 82 families. Detailed clinical and biochemical data were collected, and Stanford-Binet intelligence, quality of life and adherence to treatment assessments were conducted prospectively. Patients were assigned to one of three groups, according to the mode of diagnosis: (a) late diagnosis group (LDG), (b) family screening group (FSG), and (c) newborn screening group (NSG). Of the 126 patients, 69 (55%) were in the LDG, 44 (35%) in the NSG, and 13 (10%) in the FSG. The leading factors for diagnosis in the LDG were ocular manifestations (49%), neurological manifestations (45%), thromboembolic events (4%), and hyperactivity and behavioral changes (1%). Both FSG and NSG groups were asymptomatic at time of diagnosis. NSG had significantly higher intelligence quotient, quality of life, and adherence values compared with the LDG. The LDG and FSG had significantly higher methionine levels than the NSG. The LDG also had significantly higher total homocysteine levels than the NSG and FSG. Regression analysis confirmed these results even when adjusting for age at diagnosis, current age, or adherence. These findings increase the understanding of the natural history of HCU and highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. SYNOPSIS: A study in 126 Qatari patients with HCU, including biochemical, clinical, and other key assessments, reveals that patients with a late clinical diagnosis have a poorer outcome, hereby highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{nokey,

title = {Analysis of the Qatari R336C cystathionine β‐synthase protein in mice},

author = {Sapna Gupta Lorena Gallego-Villar Liqun Wang Hyung-Ok Lee Gheyath Nasrallah Nader Al-Dewik Johannes Häberle Beat Thöny Henk J Blom Tawfeg Ben-Omran Warren D Kruger},

url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31240737/},

doi = {10.1002/jimd.12140},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-09-04},

urldate = {2019-09-04},

journal = {Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease},

abstract = {Classical homocystinuria is a recessive inborn error of metabolism caused by mutations in the cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) gene. The highest incidence of CBS deficiency in the world is found in the country of Qatar due to the combination of high rates of consanguinity and the presence of a founder mutation, c.1006C>T (p.R336C). This mutation does not respond to pyridoxine and is considered severe. Here we describe the creation of a mouse that is null for the mouse Cbs gene and expresses human p.R336C CBS from a zinc-inducible transgene (Tg-R336C Cbs -/- ). Zinc-treated Tg-R336C Cbs -/- mice have extreme elevation in both serum total homocysteine (tHcy) and liver tHcy compared with control transgenic mice. Both the steady-state protein levels and CBS enzyme activity levels in liver lysates from Tg-R336C Cbs -/- mice are significantly reduced compared to that found in Tg-hCBS Cbs -/- mice expressing wild-type human CBS. Treatment of Tg-R336C Cbs -/- mice with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib results in stabilization of liver CBS protein and an increase in activity to levels found in corresponding Tg-hCBS Cbs -/- wild type mice. Surprisingly, serum tHcy did not fully correct even though liver enzyme activity was as high as control animals. This discrepancy is explained by in vitro enzymatic studies of mouse liver extracts showing that p.R336C causes reduced binding affinity for the substrate serine by almost 7-fold and significantly increased dependence on pyridoxal phosphate in the reaction buffer. These studies demonstrate that the p.R336C alteration effects both protein stability and substrate/cofactor binding.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}