للجمعية السعودية لعلوم المختبرات الإكلينيكية

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الرياض الحساب الرسمي للجمعية السعودية لعلوم المختبرات الإكلينيكية http://www.sscls.org.sa/ http://www.sscls.org.sa/



Antar M.A. Al-Omani(FIBMLS,MSc,CB,Leeds,UK)

Sugar: The Bitter Truth

Antar M.A. Al-Omani

Alcohol

Fact sheet
February 2011

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Key facts

• The harmful use of alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths each year.
• 320 000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.
• Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden; it is the leading risk factor in the Western Pacific and the Americas and the second largest in Europe.
• Alcohol is associated with many serious social and developmental issues, including violence, child neglect and abuse, and absenteeism in the workplace.

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The harmful use of alcohol is a global problem which compromises both individual and social development. It results in 2.5 million deaths each year. It also causes harm far beyond the physical and psychological health of the drinker. It harms the well-being and health of people around the drinker. An intoxicated person can harm others or put them at risk of traffic accidents or violent behaviour, or negatively affect co-workers, relatives, friends or strangers. Thus, the impact of the harmful use of alcohol reaches deep into society.
Harmful drinking is a major determinant for neuropsychiatric disorders, such as alcohol use disorders and epilepsy and other noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis of the liver and various cancers. The harmful use of alcohol is also associated with several infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This is because alcohol consumption weakens the immune system and has a negative effect on patients’ adherence to antiretroviral treatment.
A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to harmful drinking arises from unintentional and intentional injuries, including those due to road traffic accidents, violence, and suicides. Fatal injuries attributable to alcohol consumption tend to occur in relatively younger age groups.

Who is at risk for harmful use of alcohol?

The degree of risk for harmful use of alcohol varies with age, sex and other biological characteristics of the consumer. In addition the level of exposure to alcoholic beverages and the setting and context in which the drinking takes place also play a role. For example, alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden; it is the leading risk factor in the Western Pacific and the Americas and the second largest in Europe. Furthermore, 320 000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group. Alcohol consumption by an expectant mother may cause fetal alcohol syndrome and pre-term birth complications, which are detrimental to the health and development of neonates.

 

Figure: Global percentages of DALYs¹ attributed to 19 leading risk factors by income group.
Source: Global Health Risks (2009)
The impact of alcohol consumption on disease and injury is largely determined by two separate but related dimensions of drinking:

• the total volume of alcohol consumed, and
• the pattern of drinking.

A broad range of alcohol consumption patterns, from occasional hazardous drinking to daily heavy drinking, creates significant public health and safety problems in nearly all countries. One of the key characteristics of the hazardous pattern of drinking is the presence of heavy drinking occasions, defined as consumptions of 60 or more grams of pure alcohol.

Ways to reduce the burden from harmful use of alcohol

The health, safety and socioeconomic problems attributable to alcohol can be effectively reduced and requires actions on the levels, patterns and contexts of alcohol consumption and the wider social determinants of health.
Countries have a primary responsibility for formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. A substantial scientific knowledge base exists for policy-makers on the effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of the following strategies:

• regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages, (in particular to younger people);
• regulating and restricting availability of alcohol;
• enacting appropriate drink-driving policies;
• reducing demand through taxation and pricing mechanisms;
• raising awareness and support for policies;
• providing accessible and affordable treatment for people with alcohol-use disorders; and
• implementing screening programmes and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful use of alcohol.

WHO response

WHO aims is to reduce the health burden caused by the harmful use of alcohol and, thereby, to save lives, prevent injuries and diseases and improve the well-being of individuals, communities and society at large.
WHO emphasizes the development, testing and evaluation of cost-effective interventions for harmful use of alcohol as well as creating, compiling and disseminating scientific information on alcohol use and dependence, and related health and social consequences.
In 2010, the World Health Assembly approved a resolution to endorse a global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The resolution urged countries to strengthen national responses to public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol.
The global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol represents a collective commitment by WHO Member States to sustained action to reduce the global burden of disease caused by harmful use of alcohol. The strategy includes evidence-based policies and interventions that can protect health and save lives if adopted, implemented and enforced. The strategy also contains a set of principles that should guide the development and implementation of policies; it sets priority areas for global action, recommends target areas for national action and gives a strong mandate to WHO to strengthen action at all levels.
The policy options and interventions available for national action can be grouped into 10 recommended target areas, which are mutually supportive and complementary. These 10 areas are:

• leadership, awareness and commitment;
• health services’ response;
• community action;
• drink–driving policies and countermeasures;
• availability of alcohol;
• marketing of alcoholic beverages;
• pricing policies;
• reducing the negative consequences of drinking and alcohol intoxication;
• reducing the public health impact of illicit alcohol and informally produced alcohol;
• monitoring and surveillance.

The Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) has been developed by WHO to dynamically present data on levels and patterns of alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable health and social consequences and policy responses at all levels.
Successful implementation of the strategy will require concerted action by countries, effective global governance and appropriate engagement of all relevant stakeholders. By effectively working together, the negative health and social consequences of alcohol can be reduced.

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¹ The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) extends the concept of potential years of life lost due to premature death to include equivalent years of "healthy" life lost by virtue of being in states of poor health or disability.
Antar M.A. Al-Omani(FIBMLS,MSc,CB,Leeds,UK)

Fw: University of Leeds reception for alumni from the Gulf region - 11 December

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from STC

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From: Emma McKeown <E.M.McKeown@leeds.ac.uk>

Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:13:38 +0300

To: Antar Alomani<aomani@KSU.EDU.SA>

Subject: University of Leeds reception for alumni from the Gulf region - 11 December

Dear Mr Al-Omani,

 

Building for the Future - Reception for University of Leeds alumni in the Gulf region

Sunday 11^th December 2011 6.30 – 10.00pm

15^th Floor Qtel Tower, Doha Corniche, Doha, Qatar

 

I am very pleased to invite you to a special evening lecture, reception and buffet dinner for University of Leeds alumni.

 

The theme of the evening is Building for the Future and Professor Steve Garrity, Hoffman Wood Professor of Architectural Engineering will give the key note speech in which he will consider the importance of architectural engineering in buildings of the future and review the strengths, expertise and capabilities of the University of Leeds's research programmes.  

There will also be contributions from a Leeds alumnus, post graduate and undergraduate:

Arshad Hussain, (Civil Engineering MEng 1996) Senior Consultant, Arup will talk about his work on the Msheireb, Heart of Doha  and Arup's work in developing the Showcase Stadium  for Qatar's successful World Cub bid.

Mariam Al-Mulla, PhD student in Museum Studies, will talk about the future building of Museums in Qatar

Noof Al-Haidos, 2^nd year Architectural Engineering undergraduate will give a current student's perspective on what the future holds for up and coming architectural engineers.

After the talks there will be a buffet reception and plenty time to network with fellow Leeds graduates from countries within the Gulf region as well as the University of Leeds staff that will be attending the event.

 

The reception and refreshments are generously being sponsored by Qatar Telecoms (Qtel) and the University of Leeds is most appreciative and very grateful for this support.

 

We anticipate this will be a very popular event and as places are limited I would be grateful if you could book online at www.alumni.leeds.ac.uk/Gulfreception so soon as possible.  If you have any questions please contact Mr Abdulhakeem Alobaidly on  (00974) 55508288 or email hobaidly@qtel.com.qa

 

Please extend this invitation to any other Leeds alumni that you know in Saudi Arabia.

 

With best wishes from Leeds

Dr Robert Mortimer

Chair of University of Leeds Middle East International Regional Working Group

 

FW: October 2011--RBC storage duration: Is older riskier

 

 

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having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser October 2011 digital edition October 20, 2011 In this issue In IHC, best to aim for 'middle' Sanger sequencing here for the long haul Dropping downtime for immediate FNA evaluations From the President's Desk: A warm and welcoming team Biovigilance network advancing slowly— but it's progress Product guide: Blood bank information systems Tracking troponin TAT, completeness of cancer reports Shorts on Standards Antibiotic program supersizes impact of molecular testing From basics to big picture: chemistry analyzers for low-volume labs People Product guide: Chemistry analyzers (for low-volume laboratories) CAP '11: For years of service, 24 win awards Clinical Pathology Abstracts Anatomic Pathology Abstracts Q & A Newsbytes Marketplace Put it on the Board Classified Advertising New product guides online Compare and contrast lab instruments and software feature by feature using the online, interactive version of CAP TODAY's renowned product guides. Chemistry analyzers for low-volume laboratories Blood bank information systems Laboratory automation systems and workcells In vitro blood gas analyzers Automated molecular platforms Chemistry analyzers for mid- and high-volume laboratories Positive patient identification products Automated immunoassay analyzers Coagulation analyzers—point of care, self-monitoring Billing/accounts receivable systems Laboratory-provider links software Bedside glucose testing systems Middleware systems Anatomic pathology computer systems Coagulation analyzers Hematology analyzers Laboratory information systems NOT A SUBSCRIBER? Access our online form to request your complimentary CAP TODAY magazine subscription. Stay informed on emerging issues through feature articles, concise news items, regular columns, and scientific abstracts. Subscribe or renew now. More information For more information about our digital edition, please contact us. Unsubscribe To be removed from this advance notification list, e-mail us. RBC storage duration: Is older riskier? Anne Paxton From across a hospital room, the average person should have no problem determining the blood type of a unit of red blood cells, as it's likely to be displayed prominently in large block letters. But another piece of information is in much smaller print: the unit's expiration date. Backtrack 42 days from that, and in most cases you'll arrive at the date when the blood was drawn from a donor, hence how long it has been on the shelf. That bit of small print is garnering a lot of attention these days. The question is, if the expiration date hasn't been reached, does it matter how old the unit is? It may—or it may not. Dr. Philip Spinella (left), shown here with Dr. Allan Doctor, says a survey found 66 percent of blood bank directors at children's hospitals are concerned about giving old blood, but 60 percent also say there's too little evidence to change practice. Several studies are underway. It's been three years since a study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, then splashed across the mainstream press, startling many people with the finding that cardiac surgery patients who get fresher blood seemed to have better outcomes. The study put the phenomenon of a potentially harmful red blood cell "storage lesion" squarely on the map, igniting public worries that older blood was not as good. But as critics of the Cleveland Clinic study weighed in, charging that it was flawed research, a string of questions has been left unanswered. Should clinicians and patients be concerned about how long a unit of red cells has been stored? Should the FDA-imposed storage limit of 42 days be shortened? Should certain categories of patients routinely receive fresher red cells? Or could commercial red cell treatments or storage techniques limit the storage lesion's potentially negative effects? [more] The CAP member mailing list is closed and confidential. Its purpose is to distribute important news and information to CAP members. To be removed from this list, e-mail us or call the Customer Contact Center at 800-323-4040, option 1. College of American Pathologists, 325 Waukegan Road, Northfield, Illinois 60093

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Fw: CLI presents Glycopeptide testing is changin g – find out more

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from STC

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From: Clinical Laboratory International <subscription@mailer.subscription.co.uk>

Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:30:08 +0300

To: Antar Alomani<aomani@KSU.EDU.SA>

ReplyTo: Clinical Laboratory International <subscription@mailer.subscription.co.uk>

Subject: CLI presents Glycopeptide testing is changin g – find out more

If this e-mail does not display correctly, please click here The recommendations for glycopeptide susceptibility testing of staphylococci have changed - only MIC testing for vancomycin and teicoplanin is now advised. Our M.I.C.Evaluator™ (M.I.C.E.™) Strips allow you to easily and swiftly comply with the new standard. The preformed antibiotic gradient diffuses on contact with the agar plate. Simply read the MIC where organism growth touches the strip. It couldn't be simpler. For AST testing solutions visit www.oxoid.com, oxoid.info@thermofisher.com Copyright © 2004-2011 - Rue Royale 326, B-1030 Brussels - Belgium Tel.: +32(0)2/240.26.11. CLI and Pan Global Media are not responsible for any error or omission that could take place in the electronic display of product or company data. If you wish to unsubscribe from further emails please click here