Salem Beshyah - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Salem Beshyah

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and Management of Cushing's Disease: A Survey of Endocrinologists from the Middle East and North Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome... more Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome. This study aimed to scope the current clinical practice pattern in managing Cushing's disease by endocrinologists in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. Methods A questionnaire dealing with diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with Cushing's disease was adopted and sent electronically to a convenience sample of endocrinologists from the MENA region. Results Out of 125 responses received, 88 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Most respondents selected the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) and 24-hour urinary-free cortisol (UFC) as the best screening tests, 58 (66.7%) and 50 (57.5%) respectively, followed by midnight serum cortisol and midnight salivary cortisol. Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 86.2%) and classic high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (40.2%) were selected for localization of the primar...

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and Management of Cushing's Disease: A Survey of Endocrinologists from the Middle East and North Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome... more Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome. This study aimed to scope the current clinical practice pattern in managing Cushing's disease by endocrinologists in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. Methods A questionnaire dealing with diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with Cushing's disease was adopted and sent electronically to a convenience sample of endocrinologists from the MENA region. Results Out of 125 responses received, 88 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Most respondents selected the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) and 24-hour urinary-free cortisol (UFC) as the best screening tests, 58 (66.7%) and 50 (57.5%) respectively, followed by midnight serum cortisol and midnight salivary cortisol. Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 86.2%) and classic high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (40.2%) were selected for localization of the primar...

Research paper thumbnail of JDEP 2021: Some progress, more is needed!

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Comm... more This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Research paper thumbnail of Clinical practice patterns in the management of thyroid nodules: The first survey from the Middle East and Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Objective: We sought to scope the practices in managing thyroid nodules in the Middle East and Af... more Objective: We sought to scope the practices in managing thyroid nodules in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Materials and Methods: Survey of a convenience sample of physicians concerned with the management of thyroid disease. Results: Two hundred and twelve responses are included. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is performed chiefly using ultrasound guidance (74.9%), generally by radiologists (47.1%). Respondents have a lower threshold for FNA than recommended. Management depends on the FNA cytology, with the follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance resulting in repeat FNA for cytology (40.7%), immediate referral for thyroid surgery (32.9%), or molecular testing (13.2%). Follicular neoplasms are referred for lobectomy or total thyroidectomy by 81.6% of respondents. Nodules suspicious for malignancy are referred for thyroid surgery by 76.6% and for molecular testing by 20.1%. Respondents are less likely to perform FNA in an octogenarian than a ...

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions of Geriatric Medicine and Care of the Elderly: An Exploratory Survey of Physicians from the Middle East and Africa

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Background The number of older people is growing in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). We aimed to... more Background The number of older people is growing in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). We aimed to explore the attitudes of MEA's physicians toward the care of the elderly and nursing homes. Methods We surveyed 137 doctors practicing in the MEA region in 2017 using an online questionnaire that included attitude scales of geriatrics and nursing homes. Results Most respondents were senior (47.1%) or in middle grades (35.3%), in public facilities (77.4%), and practiced internal medicine and subspecialties. More respondents (86%) agreed with what was perceived as the most exciting and entertaining qualities of most older people in their accounts of their past experiences. Also, 69.0% of respondents disagreed that older people need/demand no more attention or love than younger people. At the same time, 43.6% of respondents were neutral on the question relating to older people's power in business and politics. Positive attitudes, that is, older people's willingness to continue ...

Research paper thumbnail of Diabetes Care in Conflict Zones: Time for Action Is Long Overdue

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Armed and civil conflicts cause a significant loss to human life and are a significant cause of d... more Armed and civil conflicts cause a significant loss to human life and are a significant cause of disability. Furthermore, many people are adversely impacted by the broader effects of war. 1 Being seen as a "national priority" by politicians and military leaders, war diverts human, financial, and material resources from those who need it to survive the war effort. It particularly damages the infrastructure supporting healthcare. Conflicts force people to flee their homes in search of safety. In addition to impacting physical health, conflicts adversely affect the mental health of both those actively involved in conflict and civilians. Displacement increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases as a result of reduced access to water, food, and sanitation. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory conditions can also increase, and their control can deteriorate or be lost entirely due to multiple factors beyond the present discussion. Special groups at increased risk include women, children, and those with mental disorders. 1 The developing regions had more than their fair share of civil and armed conflicts for several decades after the Second World War. 2 Other than the Yugoslav war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most conflicts have occurred in Africa and Asia and, more specifically, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) (►Table 1). Diabetes has been mainly underserved in humanitarian settings. The actual scope of the problem has not been established, and it is not known which interventions are effective, feasible, and cost-effective in these contexts. The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in developing regions presents an added challenge as diabetes care must compete for resources with infectious diseases. 3

Research paper thumbnail of Charity starts at home: Emerging Journals should receive “positive discrimination” by their regional academia

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Scientific journals are published by commercial, no-profit, or society publishers. Most of these ... more Scientific journals are published by commercial, no-profit, or society publishers. Most of these publishers and journals are based on the West, with the resulting gap between North and South in research work and literature productivity. This situation has resulted in a falsely perceived doubt about the value and validity of the submissions to international journals from developing regions. However, a recent increase in scientific productivity resulting from some countries' investments made into research was associated with developing many emerging national or regional journals. These journals aim to overcome barriers facing authors from producing regions to get their scholarly work published. They also aim to increase the research capacity and foster a culture of South-South collaboration. However, emerging journals face many challenges including a lack of recognition on their grounds. In this personal paper, the challenges facing emerging journals are highlighted, and the propo...

Research paper thumbnail of Authorship disputes: Do they result from inadvertent errors of judgment or intentional unethical misconduct?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

The frequency of conflicts about the authorship of publications has increased along with the incr... more The frequency of conflicts about the authorship of publications has increased along with the increase in the number of people involved in scientific work and its complexity. Some of the factors that strongly influence the generation of conflicts and disputes in authorship definition are the pressure of competition in academia, economic incentives from the pharmaceutical industry in the field of biomedicine, and authors own wishes and expectations of recognition. It is necessary to have clear policies and apply more transparency to these activities. There are clear recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors on authorships for medical articles. However, authorship disputes are still seen too often with a wide spectrum of reasons. These may reflect ignorance and errors of judgment on one end to intentional misconduct? In this article, we (1) revisit the international guidelines, (2) present and discuss illustrative examples of authorship disputes, and (...

Research paper thumbnail of Should lack of ethical committee's approval of human research lead to rejection of resulting manuscripts?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Compliance with ethical principles in clinical research is a vital aspect of scientific publicati... more Compliance with ethical principles in clinical research is a vital aspect of scientific publication. [1] It is particularly important because the published data may directly affect human health. [2] There have been some concerns about the extent of adherence to ethical principles that lead to increased scrutiny of publication ethics, policies, and practices in various regions and disciplines. [3,4] These infringements involve knowledge and behavior of authors, competence and complacency of editors, and adequacy of regulatory provisions.

Research paper thumbnail of Highlights of the Ninth Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance conference (mena-zone virtual), January 21–22, 2021

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2021

The 9th “Ramadan and Diabetes” international alliance annual conference was held over 2 days (Jan... more The 9th “Ramadan and Diabetes” international alliance annual conference was held over 2 days (January 21–22, 2021) virtually due to health restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program included several sessions covering various aspects of Ramadan fasting from physiology, nutrition, pharmacotherapies, mental well-being, and bioethical considerations. A good proportion of the conference was used to highlight the 2021 edition of the International Diabetes Federation-diabetes and Ramadan (DaR) recommendations on diabetes management during Ramadan. The proposed new risk stratification tool for objectively assessing patient's risk was discussed. Results of the DAR global survey of the impact of COVID-19 on fasting practices were reported during the event. Results of a couple of recent trials were presented during the conference. The conference closed by a thoughtful review of the grading of evidence and a futuristic vision of future research directions. The present report...

Research paper thumbnail of COVID-19, Ramadan, diabetes, thyroid, and more

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice, 2021

The present issue is the second in the 4 th year of the Journal's life. From this year onward, we... more The present issue is the second in the 4 th year of the Journal's life. From this year onward, we aim to implement the original plan of producing four issues per year. This should allow more articles to be published and also allow timely publication of accepted articles as soon as they are accepted with no significant delay in the editorial production. Nonetheless, we will strive to maintain the quality and adheres strictly to the good practices of scholarly publishing.

Research paper thumbnail of COVID-19 endocrinology, adrenals, diabetes and obesity

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice, 2021

Among the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of life have been put on the backburner, on the shelf o... more Among the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of life have been put on the backburner, on the shelf or scraped completely. Fortunately, with this journal, we seem to be recovering albeit very slowly. As promised earlier in the year 2021, we are on the track. The third issue of this year is published well on time in its expected size with a variety of articles within the specialty.

Research paper thumbnail of The rules and realities of authorship in biomedical journals: A cautionary tale for aspiring researchers

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Medical research and publications are not only important for scientific development but also vita... more Medical research and publications are not only important for scientific development but also vital for the professional advancement and individual academic progress. Ranking is extremely important for appointments and leadership roles. Authorship is central to the credit and responsibility in medical research and appropriate assignment of authorship carries ethical, legal as well as intellectual implications. Despite being globally established for many years, deviation from the “International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)” criteria for authorship is still seen in varying orders of magnitude and in different shapes and forms. In this communication, we revisit the latest ICMJE criteria for authorship, highlight the increasingly recognized forms of potential of authorship misconduct (intentional or unintentional) and reflect on some emerging concepts and practices in authorship attribution. The target readers are primarily young and aspiring researchers who may err due t...

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness of predatory journals among physicians from Africa and the middle East: An exploratory survey

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Objectives: There is a recent proliferation of predatory journals (PJ) targeting unwary authors a... more Objectives: There is a recent proliferation of predatory journals (PJ) targeting unwary authors and unsuspecting institutions. We evaluated the awareness, attitude, and practices related to predatory publishing among physicians from the Middle East and Africa. Subjects and Methods: An online survey of a convenience sample of physicians was conducted. One hundred and forty responses were received. Of these 76 were complete and they formed the basis of this study. Results: Respondents hold a specialty board or equivalent (46.1%), doctorate (26.3%) or Master (13.2%). Half of the respondents published between 1 and 10 articles and less than a fifth had no prior authorship experience. Respondents are reportedly fully aware (30.3%) or fairly familiar but were not confident with details (43.4%), whereas 26.3% have no clear idea about models of publishing (open access [OA] vs. subscription-only). Nearly one third have never heard about predatory publishing and one in six of the respondents ...

Research paper thumbnail of Fake academia and bogus conferences are on the rise in the middle east: Time to act

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2017

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-No... more This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Research paper thumbnail of Ramadan fasting and diabetes in adolescents and children: A narrative review

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2019

Although children in general and patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in particular, are exemp... more Although children in general and patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in particular, are exempted from fasting during Ramadan, many elect to observe the fast. There is a sizeable amount of opinion and research data that warrants revisiting. This is a narrative nonsystematic review to explore the views and supporting data on Ramadan fasting and to examine the safety of fasting and its impact on diabetes control and management in children and adolescents. The key areas covered include epidemiology, the physiology of fasting, risk stratification, counseling strategy, nutrition advice, insulin therapy adjustment with a particular focus on multiple injection regimen, and insulin pump therapy. Findings from various studies and expert opinions were appraised and presented to illustrate points of agreements and differences. This review should enhance knowledge and form the basis to clear some doubts and differences of opinions surrounding the issue of diabetes and Ramadan fasting in youn...

Research paper thumbnail of Kamal Abdulaziz Suliman Al-Shoumer (1961-2018)

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

senior consultant and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine in the Departm... more senior consultant and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine in the Department of Medicine at both the faculty of medicine and Mubarak Al-Kabeer hospital in Kuwait. He died in a London hospital after a short struggle with cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Expanding the research on gut microbiota in health and disease

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Commentary what is the human miCrobiome? The human microbiome consists of bacteria, archaea, viru... more Commentary what is the human miCrobiome? The human microbiome consists of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and eukaryotic microbes that exist on and in our bodies. These microbes have tremendous potential to impact us in health and disease. [1-3] They contribute to metabolic functions, protect against pathogens, educate the immune system, and through these essential functions, affect most of our physiologic functions directly or indirectly. [1-3]

Research paper thumbnail of Why medical journals in developing countries have no obituary pages?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Second clinical congress of the gulf chapter of the american association of clinical endocrinologists, october, 23rd-25th 2014, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2014

These are the advance abstracts of the second clinical congress of the Gulf Chapter of the Americ... more These are the advance abstracts of the second clinical congress of the Gulf Chapter of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists to be held on 23-25 of October 2014. The declared educational objectives of the congress is to give a “state of the art in endocrine practice”. To this end, the organizing committee invited international and regional key opinion leaders to meet the objectives of the congress. We present the abstracts of the congress as submitted by the authors after minimal restyling and editing to suit the publication requirements of the journal. Many major issues and topical themes with wide interests in the profession were addressed in 5 plenary lectures. A clinical practice debate was included to highlight the pros and cons of the recently published lipid lower guidelines from both sides of the Atlantic. More focused issues were included in 12 clinical practice symposia to suite the specific educational needs of the target audience subgroups. Practical issu...

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and Management of Cushing's Disease: A Survey of Endocrinologists from the Middle East and North Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome... more Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome. This study aimed to scope the current clinical practice pattern in managing Cushing's disease by endocrinologists in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. Methods A questionnaire dealing with diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with Cushing's disease was adopted and sent electronically to a convenience sample of endocrinologists from the MENA region. Results Out of 125 responses received, 88 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Most respondents selected the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) and 24-hour urinary-free cortisol (UFC) as the best screening tests, 58 (66.7%) and 50 (57.5%) respectively, followed by midnight serum cortisol and midnight salivary cortisol. Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 86.2%) and classic high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (40.2%) were selected for localization of the primar...

Research paper thumbnail of Diagnosis and Management of Cushing's Disease: A Survey of Endocrinologists from the Middle East and North Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome... more Background Cushing's disease is the most prevalent cause of endogenous Cushing's syndrome. This study aimed to scope the current clinical practice pattern in managing Cushing's disease by endocrinologists in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. Methods A questionnaire dealing with diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with Cushing's disease was adopted and sent electronically to a convenience sample of endocrinologists from the MENA region. Results Out of 125 responses received, 88 were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Most respondents selected the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) and 24-hour urinary-free cortisol (UFC) as the best screening tests, 58 (66.7%) and 50 (57.5%) respectively, followed by midnight serum cortisol and midnight salivary cortisol. Measurement of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 86.2%) and classic high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (40.2%) were selected for localization of the primar...

Research paper thumbnail of JDEP 2021: Some progress, more is needed!

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Comm... more This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Research paper thumbnail of Clinical practice patterns in the management of thyroid nodules: The first survey from the Middle East and Africa

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Objective: We sought to scope the practices in managing thyroid nodules in the Middle East and Af... more Objective: We sought to scope the practices in managing thyroid nodules in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Materials and Methods: Survey of a convenience sample of physicians concerned with the management of thyroid disease. Results: Two hundred and twelve responses are included. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is performed chiefly using ultrasound guidance (74.9%), generally by radiologists (47.1%). Respondents have a lower threshold for FNA than recommended. Management depends on the FNA cytology, with the follicular lesion of undetermined significance/atypia of undetermined significance resulting in repeat FNA for cytology (40.7%), immediate referral for thyroid surgery (32.9%), or molecular testing (13.2%). Follicular neoplasms are referred for lobectomy or total thyroidectomy by 81.6% of respondents. Nodules suspicious for malignancy are referred for thyroid surgery by 76.6% and for molecular testing by 20.1%. Respondents are less likely to perform FNA in an octogenarian than a ...

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions of Geriatric Medicine and Care of the Elderly: An Exploratory Survey of Physicians from the Middle East and Africa

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Background The number of older people is growing in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). We aimed to... more Background The number of older people is growing in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). We aimed to explore the attitudes of MEA's physicians toward the care of the elderly and nursing homes. Methods We surveyed 137 doctors practicing in the MEA region in 2017 using an online questionnaire that included attitude scales of geriatrics and nursing homes. Results Most respondents were senior (47.1%) or in middle grades (35.3%), in public facilities (77.4%), and practiced internal medicine and subspecialties. More respondents (86%) agreed with what was perceived as the most exciting and entertaining qualities of most older people in their accounts of their past experiences. Also, 69.0% of respondents disagreed that older people need/demand no more attention or love than younger people. At the same time, 43.6% of respondents were neutral on the question relating to older people's power in business and politics. Positive attitudes, that is, older people's willingness to continue ...

Research paper thumbnail of Diabetes Care in Conflict Zones: Time for Action Is Long Overdue

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice

Armed and civil conflicts cause a significant loss to human life and are a significant cause of d... more Armed and civil conflicts cause a significant loss to human life and are a significant cause of disability. Furthermore, many people are adversely impacted by the broader effects of war. 1 Being seen as a "national priority" by politicians and military leaders, war diverts human, financial, and material resources from those who need it to survive the war effort. It particularly damages the infrastructure supporting healthcare. Conflicts force people to flee their homes in search of safety. In addition to impacting physical health, conflicts adversely affect the mental health of both those actively involved in conflict and civilians. Displacement increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases as a result of reduced access to water, food, and sanitation. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory conditions can also increase, and their control can deteriorate or be lost entirely due to multiple factors beyond the present discussion. Special groups at increased risk include women, children, and those with mental disorders. 1 The developing regions had more than their fair share of civil and armed conflicts for several decades after the Second World War. 2 Other than the Yugoslav war and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, most conflicts have occurred in Africa and Asia and, more specifically, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) (►Table 1). Diabetes has been mainly underserved in humanitarian settings. The actual scope of the problem has not been established, and it is not known which interventions are effective, feasible, and cost-effective in these contexts. The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in developing regions presents an added challenge as diabetes care must compete for resources with infectious diseases. 3

Research paper thumbnail of Charity starts at home: Emerging Journals should receive “positive discrimination” by their regional academia

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Scientific journals are published by commercial, no-profit, or society publishers. Most of these ... more Scientific journals are published by commercial, no-profit, or society publishers. Most of these publishers and journals are based on the West, with the resulting gap between North and South in research work and literature productivity. This situation has resulted in a falsely perceived doubt about the value and validity of the submissions to international journals from developing regions. However, a recent increase in scientific productivity resulting from some countries' investments made into research was associated with developing many emerging national or regional journals. These journals aim to overcome barriers facing authors from producing regions to get their scholarly work published. They also aim to increase the research capacity and foster a culture of South-South collaboration. However, emerging journals face many challenges including a lack of recognition on their grounds. In this personal paper, the challenges facing emerging journals are highlighted, and the propo...

Research paper thumbnail of Authorship disputes: Do they result from inadvertent errors of judgment or intentional unethical misconduct?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

The frequency of conflicts about the authorship of publications has increased along with the incr... more The frequency of conflicts about the authorship of publications has increased along with the increase in the number of people involved in scientific work and its complexity. Some of the factors that strongly influence the generation of conflicts and disputes in authorship definition are the pressure of competition in academia, economic incentives from the pharmaceutical industry in the field of biomedicine, and authors own wishes and expectations of recognition. It is necessary to have clear policies and apply more transparency to these activities. There are clear recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors on authorships for medical articles. However, authorship disputes are still seen too often with a wide spectrum of reasons. These may reflect ignorance and errors of judgment on one end to intentional misconduct? In this article, we (1) revisit the international guidelines, (2) present and discuss illustrative examples of authorship disputes, and (...

Research paper thumbnail of Should lack of ethical committee's approval of human research lead to rejection of resulting manuscripts?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Compliance with ethical principles in clinical research is a vital aspect of scientific publicati... more Compliance with ethical principles in clinical research is a vital aspect of scientific publication. [1] It is particularly important because the published data may directly affect human health. [2] There have been some concerns about the extent of adherence to ethical principles that lead to increased scrutiny of publication ethics, policies, and practices in various regions and disciplines. [3,4] These infringements involve knowledge and behavior of authors, competence and complacency of editors, and adequacy of regulatory provisions.

Research paper thumbnail of Highlights of the Ninth Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance conference (mena-zone virtual), January 21–22, 2021

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2021

The 9th “Ramadan and Diabetes” international alliance annual conference was held over 2 days (Jan... more The 9th “Ramadan and Diabetes” international alliance annual conference was held over 2 days (January 21–22, 2021) virtually due to health restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program included several sessions covering various aspects of Ramadan fasting from physiology, nutrition, pharmacotherapies, mental well-being, and bioethical considerations. A good proportion of the conference was used to highlight the 2021 edition of the International Diabetes Federation-diabetes and Ramadan (DaR) recommendations on diabetes management during Ramadan. The proposed new risk stratification tool for objectively assessing patient's risk was discussed. Results of the DAR global survey of the impact of COVID-19 on fasting practices were reported during the event. Results of a couple of recent trials were presented during the conference. The conference closed by a thoughtful review of the grading of evidence and a futuristic vision of future research directions. The present report...

Research paper thumbnail of COVID-19, Ramadan, diabetes, thyroid, and more

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice, 2021

The present issue is the second in the 4 th year of the Journal's life. From this year onward, we... more The present issue is the second in the 4 th year of the Journal's life. From this year onward, we aim to implement the original plan of producing four issues per year. This should allow more articles to be published and also allow timely publication of accepted articles as soon as they are accepted with no significant delay in the editorial production. Nonetheless, we will strive to maintain the quality and adheres strictly to the good practices of scholarly publishing.

Research paper thumbnail of COVID-19 endocrinology, adrenals, diabetes and obesity

Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice, 2021

Among the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of life have been put on the backburner, on the shelf o... more Among the COVID-19 pandemic, many aspects of life have been put on the backburner, on the shelf or scraped completely. Fortunately, with this journal, we seem to be recovering albeit very slowly. As promised earlier in the year 2021, we are on the track. The third issue of this year is published well on time in its expected size with a variety of articles within the specialty.

Research paper thumbnail of The rules and realities of authorship in biomedical journals: A cautionary tale for aspiring researchers

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Medical research and publications are not only important for scientific development but also vita... more Medical research and publications are not only important for scientific development but also vital for the professional advancement and individual academic progress. Ranking is extremely important for appointments and leadership roles. Authorship is central to the credit and responsibility in medical research and appropriate assignment of authorship carries ethical, legal as well as intellectual implications. Despite being globally established for many years, deviation from the “International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)” criteria for authorship is still seen in varying orders of magnitude and in different shapes and forms. In this communication, we revisit the latest ICMJE criteria for authorship, highlight the increasingly recognized forms of potential of authorship misconduct (intentional or unintentional) and reflect on some emerging concepts and practices in authorship attribution. The target readers are primarily young and aspiring researchers who may err due t...

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness of predatory journals among physicians from Africa and the middle East: An exploratory survey

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Objectives: There is a recent proliferation of predatory journals (PJ) targeting unwary authors a... more Objectives: There is a recent proliferation of predatory journals (PJ) targeting unwary authors and unsuspecting institutions. We evaluated the awareness, attitude, and practices related to predatory publishing among physicians from the Middle East and Africa. Subjects and Methods: An online survey of a convenience sample of physicians was conducted. One hundred and forty responses were received. Of these 76 were complete and they formed the basis of this study. Results: Respondents hold a specialty board or equivalent (46.1%), doctorate (26.3%) or Master (13.2%). Half of the respondents published between 1 and 10 articles and less than a fifth had no prior authorship experience. Respondents are reportedly fully aware (30.3%) or fairly familiar but were not confident with details (43.4%), whereas 26.3% have no clear idea about models of publishing (open access [OA] vs. subscription-only). Nearly one third have never heard about predatory publishing and one in six of the respondents ...

Research paper thumbnail of Fake academia and bogus conferences are on the rise in the middle east: Time to act

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2017

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-No... more This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

Research paper thumbnail of Ramadan fasting and diabetes in adolescents and children: A narrative review

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2019

Although children in general and patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in particular, are exemp... more Although children in general and patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in particular, are exempted from fasting during Ramadan, many elect to observe the fast. There is a sizeable amount of opinion and research data that warrants revisiting. This is a narrative nonsystematic review to explore the views and supporting data on Ramadan fasting and to examine the safety of fasting and its impact on diabetes control and management in children and adolescents. The key areas covered include epidemiology, the physiology of fasting, risk stratification, counseling strategy, nutrition advice, insulin therapy adjustment with a particular focus on multiple injection regimen, and insulin pump therapy. Findings from various studies and expert opinions were appraised and presented to illustrate points of agreements and differences. This review should enhance knowledge and form the basis to clear some doubts and differences of opinions surrounding the issue of diabetes and Ramadan fasting in youn...

Research paper thumbnail of Kamal Abdulaziz Suliman Al-Shoumer (1961-2018)

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

senior consultant and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine in the Departm... more senior consultant and head of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine in the Department of Medicine at both the faculty of medicine and Mubarak Al-Kabeer hospital in Kuwait. He died in a London hospital after a short struggle with cancer.

Research paper thumbnail of Expanding the research on gut microbiota in health and disease

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Commentary what is the human miCrobiome? The human microbiome consists of bacteria, archaea, viru... more Commentary what is the human miCrobiome? The human microbiome consists of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and eukaryotic microbes that exist on and in our bodies. These microbes have tremendous potential to impact us in health and disease. [1-3] They contribute to metabolic functions, protect against pathogens, educate the immune system, and through these essential functions, affect most of our physiologic functions directly or indirectly. [1-3]

Research paper thumbnail of Why medical journals in developing countries have no obituary pages?

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Second clinical congress of the gulf chapter of the american association of clinical endocrinologists, october, 23rd-25th 2014, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2014

These are the advance abstracts of the second clinical congress of the Gulf Chapter of the Americ... more These are the advance abstracts of the second clinical congress of the Gulf Chapter of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists to be held on 23-25 of October 2014. The declared educational objectives of the congress is to give a “state of the art in endocrine practice”. To this end, the organizing committee invited international and regional key opinion leaders to meet the objectives of the congress. We present the abstracts of the congress as submitted by the authors after minimal restyling and editing to suit the publication requirements of the journal. Many major issues and topical themes with wide interests in the profession were addressed in 5 plenary lectures. A clinical practice debate was included to highlight the pros and cons of the recently published lipid lower guidelines from both sides of the Atlantic. More focused issues were included in 12 clinical practice symposia to suite the specific educational needs of the target audience subgroups. Practical issu...