This study aimed to identify areas of deficient knowledge among hospital nurses regarding diabetes management; the ultimate goal was to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes who are admitted to hospital for other medical reasons. Diabetes-related knowledge was assessed in 116 nurses using a 66-item questionnaire; the mean total score was 48.5±15.1. Knowledge was highest for nurses working in paediatrics (62.0±5.5; P
Hawa Juma El-Shareif(7-2013)

Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) is a large‑vessel vasculitis that involves the aorta and its major branches. Renal arteries are frequently involved, usually with renovascular hypertension. The prevalence of TA in Arabs is low. A study of the epidemiological and clinical features of TA in Arabs included 197 identified patients between 1995 and 2012 and none of them was Libyan. We report a 61‑year‑old Libyan woman in whom TA manifested with hypokalemia and arterial hypertension. Previous ultrasound showed renal size asymmetry raised the possibility of renal artery stenosis. The diagnosis of TA was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography, which showed a thickened abdominal aortic wall, occlusions of the left renal artery and left common iliac artery, stenosis of the right common iliac artery, and stenosis of both subclavian arteries. TA is rarely encountered in Arabs. However, the disease must be considered in patients who present with renovascular hypertension, in a context of other autoimmune disorders. arabic 6 English 33
Hawa Juma El-Shareif(1-2019)

Ischaemic injury during brain development correlates with long-term neurological problems resulting in part from oligodendrocytes (OL) damage and a loss of appropriate myelination. The molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible remain partially understood and there is no effective clinical treatment. Here we develop and characterise an ex-vivo slice culture ischaemia model to elucidate the cellular mechanisms to aid the search for therapeutic interventions. Cerebellar slices from 7 day-old rats were cultured for 10 days and their developmental profile in culture and their response to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) was assessed. During the culture period development of white matter progressed as in-vivo, the numbers of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPC) decreased and the numbers of mature OLs increased and there was extensive myelination of axons as judged by colocalisation of myelin basic protein and neurofilament. Cultured slices were exposed to a short period of OGD at 7 days in-vitro and reperfused to mimic in-vivo conditions. Twenty minutes of OGD was found to result in significant injury as judged by a 58.6% reduction in cell viability 3 days post-injury. Treatment of cultures with OGD resulted in a loss of OLs and a loss of myelination of axons. In summary we have developed a paradigm for studying the damage to OLs and loss of myelination associated with ischaemic periods during development which should facilitate the search for understanding the mechanisms responsible and identifying potential therapeutic interventions.
Mohamed A M Al Griw , Mohamed A. Al-Griw, Ian C. Wood, Michael G. Salter(11-2017)