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The management of healthcare waste requires a sustained and holistic approach involving a range of parties. This is challenging for governments, especially in developing countries, where waste management systems have limited capacities for addressing the issue. Using Saudi Arabia as a case study, this paper followed a multi-method approach, including policy analysis, observation, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group, to explore the country’s healthcare waste management system. The study estimated that Saudi government hospitals across the country, every year, throw away in landfills paper (27,000 tons), plastic (15,000 tons), food (10,000 tons), glass (8000 tons), and metal (7000 tons). Regrettably, all these tons of materials end up in landfills without any form of recycling. A number of challenges were identified, reflecting mainly the lack of a legal framework, waste training, coordination among stakeholders, and social responsibility. This study generated new knowledge about waste management systems by exploring how their performance is shaped by the processes occurring at the policy, organization, and individual levels.
Nouf Alharbi; Jawaher Alhaji; Malak Qattan. Toward Sustainable Environmental Management of Healthcare Waste: A Holistic Perspective. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5280 .
AMA StyleNouf Alharbi, Jawaher Alhaji, Malak Qattan. Toward Sustainable Environmental Management of Healthcare Waste: A Holistic Perspective. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):5280.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNouf Alharbi; Jawaher Alhaji; Malak Qattan. 2021. "Toward Sustainable Environmental Management of Healthcare Waste: A Holistic Perspective." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 5280.
Early debates on the sustainability of food-plating systems in hospitals have concentrated mostly on plate waste food served, but not eaten. This study aims to address the need for more comprehensive studies on sustainable food services systems by expanding the concept of plate waste, to that of tray waste (organic and inorganic materials), through a case study of a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Tray waste arising at the ward level was audited for three weeks, covering 939 meals. It was found that, on average, each patient threw away 0.41, 0.30, 0.12, and 0.02 kg of food, plastic, paper, and metal, respectively, each day. All this equated to 4831 tons of food, 3535 tons of plastic, 1414 tons of paper, and 235 tons of metal each year at hospitals across Saudi Arabia. As all of this waste ends up in landfills, without any form of recycling, this study proposes the need for a more comprehensive, political approach that unites all food system stakeholders around a shared vision of responsible consumption and sustainable development.
Nouf Sahal Alharbi; Malak Yahia Qattan; Jawaher Haji Alhaji. Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6872 .
AMA StyleNouf Sahal Alharbi, Malak Yahia Qattan, Jawaher Haji Alhaji. Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):6872.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNouf Sahal Alharbi; Malak Yahia Qattan; Jawaher Haji Alhaji. 2020. "Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 6872.
Malak Yahia M Qattan; King Saud University. (RIP1)/RIP3-Regulated Necroptosis, Interplay With Apoptosis And Autophagy, And Its Therapeutic Effect On Leukemia. Journal of Stem Cells Research, Development & Therapy 2019, 5, 1 -8.
AMA StyleMalak Yahia M Qattan, King Saud University. (RIP1)/RIP3-Regulated Necroptosis, Interplay With Apoptosis And Autophagy, And Its Therapeutic Effect On Leukemia. Journal of Stem Cells Research, Development & Therapy. 2019; 5 (2):1-8.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMalak Yahia M Qattan; King Saud University. 2019. "(RIP1)/RIP3-Regulated Necroptosis, Interplay With Apoptosis And Autophagy, And Its Therapeutic Effect On Leukemia." Journal of Stem Cells Research, Development & Therapy 5, no. 2: 1-8.
Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, with over 54,000 new cases per year diagnosed worldwide and a 5-year survival rate below 60%. This highlights a need for research into the mechanisms behind its etiology and causes of therapy failure. The bone marrow microenvironment, in which adult stem cells are maintained in healthy individuals, has been implicated as a source of chemoresistance and disease relapse. Here the various ways that the microenvironment can contribute to the resistance and persistence of leukemia are discussed. The targeting of the microenvironment by leukemia cells to create an environment more suitable for cancer progression is described. The role of soluble factors, drug transporters, microvesicles, as well as the importance of direct cell-cell contact, in addition to the effects of inflammation and immune surveillance in microenvironment-mediated drug resistance are discussed. An overview of the clinical potential of translating research findings to patients is also provided. Understanding of and further research into the role of the bone marrow microenvironment in leukemia progression and relapse are crucial towards developing more effective treatments and reduction in patient morbidity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Tumor Microenvironment Regulation of Cancer Cell Survival, Metastasis, Inflammation, and Immune Surveillance edited by Peter Ruvolo and Gregg L. Semenza.
Emyr Bakker; Malak Qattan; Luciano Mutti; Constantinos Demonacos; Marija Krstic-Demonacos. The role of microenvironment and immunity in drug response in leukemia. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics 2016, 1863, 414 -426.
AMA StyleEmyr Bakker, Malak Qattan, Luciano Mutti, Constantinos Demonacos, Marija Krstic-Demonacos. The role of microenvironment and immunity in drug response in leukemia. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics. 2016; 1863 (3):414-426.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmyr Bakker; Malak Qattan; Luciano Mutti; Constantinos Demonacos; Marija Krstic-Demonacos. 2016. "The role of microenvironment and immunity in drug response in leukemia." Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics 1863, no. 3: 414-426.
Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin that has been utilized to induce chemo-denervation of muscles. Cutaneous wounds represent a special situation in which the tensile forces applied by these muscles on wound edges might have deleterious effects on the healing process. The aim of this review was to investigate such an effect and to review other mechanisms this toxin might have on the healing process. We also reviewed the role of botulinum toxin in the management of hypertrophic scars and cleft lip repair.
Mohammad M. Al-Qattan; Bisher Nawras Al-Shanawani; Feras Alshomer. Botulinum toxin type A: implications in wound healing, facial cutaneous scarring, and cleft lip repair. Annals of Saudi Medicine 2013, 33, 482 -488.
AMA StyleMohammad M. Al-Qattan, Bisher Nawras Al-Shanawani, Feras Alshomer. Botulinum toxin type A: implications in wound healing, facial cutaneous scarring, and cleft lip repair. Annals of Saudi Medicine. 2013; 33 (5):482-488.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMohammad M. Al-Qattan; Bisher Nawras Al-Shanawani; Feras Alshomer. 2013. "Botulinum toxin type A: implications in wound healing, facial cutaneous scarring, and cleft lip repair." Annals of Saudi Medicine 33, no. 5: 482-488.
Standard clinical protocols and the concept “one drug fits all” that are currently used to treat illness in many cases are not effective, and strikingly so in the treatment of cancer, where 75% of therapeutic schemes are ineffective. The concept of personalized medicine is that the treatment of the disease is designed on the basis of the individual needs of each patient and the factors that influence their response to different drugs. Individualization of patient care has the potential to generate novel effective therapies, limit the adverse drug effects, create optimal treatments for individual patients, and decrease the cost associated with chronic illness and complications of drug usage. However, to achieve the goals of personalized medicine many challenges must be addressed. Here we discuss possible ways to increase the consistency of data generated by basic research and their suitability for application in medicine. New technologies employing systems biology and computer based approaches will facilitate overcoming many of the scientific challenges in the field. Changes in the education of researchers, health professionals, and the public are also required to successfully implement personalized medicine as a routine in the clinic. Finally, shift of the focus away from the development of blockbuster drugs in the biopharmaceutical industry, and modifications in the legal system to accommodate novel advancements need to be considered. The joint effort of all interested parties is needed to generate an efficient roadmap that will take us rapidly and safely to effective individual treatment, which will eliminate diseases and create better health care for all.
Malak Qattan; Constantinos Demonacos; Marija Krstic-Demonacos. Roadmap to personalized medicine. Croatian Medical Journal 2012, 53, 294 -297.
AMA StyleMalak Qattan, Constantinos Demonacos, Marija Krstic-Demonacos. Roadmap to personalized medicine. Croatian Medical Journal. 2012; 53 (4):294-297.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMalak Qattan; Constantinos Demonacos; Marija Krstic-Demonacos. 2012. "Roadmap to personalized medicine." Croatian Medical Journal 53, no. 4: 294-297.