Karem H. Alzoubi’s research while affiliated with University of Sharjah and other places
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Background
Nedaplatin has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in combating various malignancies. However, the administration of nedaplatin has been associated with the induction of DNA damage within normal cells. Cilostazol is a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor with an antioxidant mechanism that could protect cells from genotoxicity. We aimed to evaluate the genotoxic effect of nedaplatin on cultured human lymphocytes and the potential protective effect of cilostazol on chromosomal damage induced by nedaplatin.
Methods
The proposed nedaplatin’s genotoxic effect was studied in vitro by evaluating the frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in human cultured lymphocytes. Both the mitotic and proliferative indices (MI and PI, respectively) were used to assess the cytotoxic effects of nedaplatin.
Results
Nedaplatin significantly increased the frequency of SCEs compared to control and cilostazol-treated cells. The chromosomal injury induced by nedaplatin was significantly reduced by pretreatment of cells with cilostazol (P < 0.0001). Treating with cilostazol alone also reduced the frequency of SCEs, MI, and PI compared to the control group. Nedaplatin induced significant decreases in the MI and PI compared to the control group. Pretreatment with cilostazol partially debilitated the nedaplatin-induced changes in MI but not PI.
Conclusion
Cilostazol ameliorated the genotoxicity of nedaplatin in cultured human lymphocytes.
Objectives
Patient‐reported outcomes (PROs), including physical function, have predictive potential for survival but remain underexplored in multiple myeloma (MM). This study evaluates the predictive and prognostic value of PROs for treatment outcomes in MM patients on daratumumab‐based therapy and evaluates physical function versus ECOG Performance Status as a potential treatment‐effect modifier.
Methods
Data was pooled from randomized trials (MAIA, POLLUX, CASTOR) that collected pretreatment PROs using EORTC QLQ‐C30. Cox models and logistic regression examined associations between PROs and overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS) and grade ≥ 3 adverse events. Physical function versus ECOG‐PS was examined as a treatment effect modifier for daratumumab versus non‐daratumumab therapies.
Results
Among 1804 patients, 1535 (85%) had pretreatment PROs. Physical function, global health, and fatigue were most prognostic for survival and adverse events. Physical function provided independent prognostic value beyond ECOG‐PS and was predictive of treatment effect. Low physical function patients experienced greater OS treatment benefit (adjusted HR (aHR) [95% CI] 0.53 [0.40–0.70], p interaction = 0.02) and PFS (aHR [95% CI] 0.30 [0.30–0.48], p interaction = 0.03) from daratumumab versus high‐physical function (OS aHR 0.86 [0.62–1.19], PFS aHR 0.53 [0.42–0.67]).
Conclusion
Physical function is a predictive and prognostic marker that complements ECOG‐PS, supporting its use in informing therapy decisions for daratumumab‐based treatments.
Summary
Background
Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders and affects individuals of all ages across the globe. The aim of this study is to provide estimates of the epilepsy burden on the global, regional, and national levels for 1990–2021.
Methods
Using well established Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) methodology, we quantified the prevalence of active idiopathic (epilepsy of genetic or unknown origin) and secondary epilepsy (epilepsy due to an underlying abnormality of the brain structure or chemistry), as well as incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age, sex, and location (globally, 21 GBD regions and seven super-regions, World Bank country income levels, Socio-demographic Index [SDI], and 204 countries) and their trends from 1990 to 2021. Vital registrations and verbal autopsies provided information about deaths, and data on the prevalence and severity of epilepsy, largely came from population representative surveys. All estimates were calculated with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).
Findings
In 2021, there were 51·7 million (95% UI 44·9–58·9) people with epilepsy (idiopathic and secondary combined) globally, with an age-standardised prevalence of 658 per 100 000 (569–748). Idiopathic epilepsy had an age-standardised prevalence of 307 per 100 000 (235–389) globally, with 24·2 million (18·5–30·7) prevalent cases, and secondary epilepsy had a global age-standardised prevalence of 350 per 100 000 (322–380). In 2021, 0·7% of the population had active epilepsy (0·3% attributed to idiopathic epilepsy and 0·4% to secondary epilepsy), and the age-standardised global prevalence of epilepsy from idiopathic and secondary epilepsy combined increased from 1990 to 2021 by 10·8% (1·1–21·3), mainly due to corresponding changes in secondary epilepsy. However, age-standardised death and DALY rates of idiopathic epilepsy reduced from 1990 to 2021 (decline of 15·8% [8·8–22·8] and 14·5% [4·2–24·2], respectively). There were three-fold to four-fold geographical differences in the burden of active idiopathic epilepsy, with the bulk of the burden residing in low-income to middle-income countries: 82·1% (81·1–83·4) of incident, 80·4% prevalent (79·7–82·7), 84·7% (83·7–85·1) fatal epilepsy, and 87·9% (86·2–89·2) epilepsy DALYs.
Interpretation
Although the global trends in idiopathic epilepsy deaths and DALY rates have improved in the preceding decades, in 2021 there were almost 52 million people with active epilepsy (24 million from idiopathic epilepsy and 28 million from secondary epilepsy), with the bulk of the burden (>80%) residing in low-income to middle-income countries. Better treatment and prevention of epilepsy are required, along with further research on risk factors of idiopathic epilepsy, good-quality long-term epilepsy surveillance studies, and exploration of the possible effect of stigma and cultural differences in seeking medical attention for epilepsy.
Supplement to: GBD Epilepsy Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden
of epilepsy, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study
2021. Lancet Public Health 2025; published online Feb 24. https://doi.org/10.1016/
S2468-2667(24)00302-5
Supplement to: GBD Epilepsy Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden
of epilepsy, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study
2021. Lancet Public Health 2025; published online Feb 24. https://doi.org/10.1016/
S2468-2667(24)00302-5
... Even after over twenty years of existence since Jeffrey Beall first alerted the scholarly community about so-called predatory journals (Beall 2010), calls for the need to fight and address the 'predatory problem' keep (re)surfacing today in various forms and in various outlets (e.g. Buitrago Ciro and Hernández Pérez 2024; Chandra and Dasgupta 2024;Kakamad et al. 2024;Khabour, Alzoubi, and Aldarabseh 2024;O´Rorke, White, and Bhujel 2024;Ungerfeld 2024;Wilson 2024). This is not surprising given that one of the issues underlying predatory publishing revolves around how and where to draw the line when it comes to determining what constitutes authentic and/or legitimate scientific publishing (Kratochvíl et al. 2020;Akça and Akbulut 2021;Teixeira da Silva et al. 2021). ...
... Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 291 (2025) 117885 exposure to nicotine-containing vapour. Multiple studies showed impaired memory functions in human users and rodent models, where short-term (14 days), sub-chronic (4 weeks) and chronic (12-16 weeks) settings were adopted by different animal studies (Alzoubi, 2021;Prasedya et al., 2020;Novak and Wang, 2024;Yaseen, 2024). However, when the effects of nicotine-containing and nicotine-free vapour exposure were compared, the impairment was comparable between these groups, suggesting a nicotine-independent effect (Chen, 2021). ...
... Potential risk factors for stress and mental health disorders among students include a variety of themes including, among others, social (e.g., social support), economic (e.g., family income) and academic factors (e.g., fear of exams). [24][25][26][27] . ...
... Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and their uncertainty interval (UI) were presented using the GBD world population age standard as a reference (19). Direct standardization yields age-adjusted rates, which are weighted averages of age-specific rates, representing the relative age distribution. ...
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... Strokes are generally classified into ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, with ischemic stroke comprising over 80% of all stroke cases. Ischemic stroke, characterized by temporary or permanent occlusion of cerebral blood vessels, accounts for approximately 5.2% of global disease mortality [2,3]. Moreover, stroke survivors face a heightened risk of recurrent stroke [4]. ...
... The global burden of ABR is a critical public health issue that threatens to undermine decades of medical progress. Resistant infections are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, with projections suggesting this number could rise to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken [7,8]. The economic impact is equally alarming, with costs expected to reach $100 trillion globally due to increased healthcare expenditures and lost productivity [9]. ...
... Musmar stressed that AMR must be included in all emergency and pandemic preparedness discussions, as it directly impacts global health with all One Health domains intricately interconnected [2]. She addressed how AMR is worsened in conflict zones, citing how war leading to significant environmental destruction, soil and water contamination, human displacement, and limited access to healthcare facilitate the exponential increase and rapid spread of resistant pathogens. ...
... To reduce your chances of exposure to these bacteria, don't drink lake or pond water, wash your hands often, avoid unsecured foods, and beware of cross-contaminants between foods. [9]. Several studies have been conducted on contamination of well water with intestinal bacteria and sewage, especially the spread IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1183/1/012068 ...
... 21 A key innovation of our study is the inclusion of SDI-based stratifications, which were not addressed in previous research, offering a deeper understanding of how PAH burden varies by socio-economic development. 22 23 Additionally, we have expanded our analysis to include previously unassessed or data-scarce regions using predictive covariates adjusted for SDI levels and individual country data. 24 This allows for a more nuanced understanding of the disease burden, particularly in regions with limited healthcare infrastructure. ...
