Goodbye 2020!

2020 has been very interesting and very challenging year. It has put many things in perspective. It challenged nations globally. It was a routine start with a new virus far away. It did not take long before it arrived at the center stage of all nations and caused a tsunami in all aspects of life.[[1]] The whole world is paying farewell to the year 2020 with no regrets at all. It destroyed many economies and took many lives. However, within a few months, scientists have accomplished steps that took decades in the past. Certainly, a major breakthrough and unprecedented scientific achievement. All are hoping for a vaccine to protect us from COVID-19 and a drug or combination of drugs to treat us in case it catches us before the arrival of an effective vaccine. It seems the vaccine may arrive in a few weeks. Millions are wondering what 2021 will bring to us in the face of the numerous changes COVID-19 had made to the world?

In the last issue of 2020, we have the usual selection of original articles, reviews, and case reports that we hope will benefit our readers. There are two comprehensive review articles. Wanis Ibrahim's team from Qatar focused on the mental health aspects of HCWs dealing with COVID-19.[[2]] The Ramadan Research Group presented the annual ritual for the year in review on Ramadan fasting in health and disease.[[3]] Apparently, they chose to submit the review on the impact of Ramadan on diabetes to a diabetes-specialized journal.[[4]]

We have a collection of seven original research articles in the issue. Haleem et al. from the Dammam group continue their stories on comparative analysis of the interplay of gut dysbiosis with obesity, diabetes, and chronic gut conditions, it was a controversial article among the reviewers.[[5]] Eldukali et al. present a large volume on the trends and tumor characteristics of lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma from Benghazi, Libya.[[6]] In the accompanying commentary, the work was praised by Ibrahim and Raza as a stepping stone toward better lung cancer care in this country.[[7]] The predictors of the need for dental general anesthesia in children attending a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia were reported by Abolfotouh et al.[[8]] Al Saffar et al. evaluated the impact COVID-19 on the educational and academic activities of a large number of healthcare professionals, including doctors, dentists, and nurses.[[9]] Another online survey from the Middle East and Africa captured the doctors' attitude and engagement in research.[[10]] Mumtaz K, et al. discussed a USA-based national analysis of the predisposing factors and healthcare utilization in liver transplant recipients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.[[11]] Finally, Lamouri et al. gave an insight into the motives and family relations of living related kidney donors in Tripoli.[[12]]

A couple of interesting case reports on nephrocalcinosis in genetically proved dopa-responsive dystonia due to sepiapterin reductase deficiency in a Libyan girl and a direct gunshot wound to the testicular artery are presented.[[13]],[[14]] The contents of the “introduction to clinical research training” by Harvard Medical School held usually in Dubai but this year it was conducted virtually and are highlighted by Mustafa et al.[[15]]

As we pay farewell to 2020, we hope that 2021 will be better all the year round.

Authors' contributions

Equal.

Compliance with ethical principles

Not applicable (Editorial).

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).

• References

• 1 Beshyah SA, Hajjaji IM, Elkhammas EA. COVID-19 pandemic: A tsunami in medical practice and research. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:77-9.
• 2 Mogassabi W, Mogassabi W, Saliba M, Emam RM, Ibrahim WH. Mental health of health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:258-63.
• 3 Ali KF, Abdulla SA, Badi A, Hafidh K, Beshyah SA. Ramadan fasting in health and disease (2019): A narrative review. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:240-57.
• 4 Beshyah SA, Ali KF, Hafidh K, Hajjaji IM. Ramadan fasting and diabetes 2019: The year in review. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2020:108593. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2020.108593. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33316310.
• 5 Haleem A, Mogassabi W, Saliba M, Emam RM, Ibrahim WH. An analysis of gut dysbiosis in obesity, diabetes, and chronic gut conditions. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:258-63.
• 6 Eldukali WA, Omran KE, Azzuz R. Trends, and tumor characteristics of lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma in the East of Libya. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:272-9.
• 7 Ibrahim WH, Raza T. Characterizing lung cancer in Libya: A stepping stone toward a better lung cancer care in the country. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:237-9.
• 8 Abolfotouh M, Alhumaidan GA, Alhumaidan BY, Alhasson AH, Bushnak I, Adlan A. Predictors of dental general anesthesia receipt among children attending a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:288-96.
• 9 Al Saffar H, Saffar HA, Ali K,Aljaser F, Mahdi A, Muhammad M, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on educational and academic activities of health care professionals (Doctors, Dentists and Nurses). Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:280-7.
• 10 Beshyah SA, Ali KF, Mustafa HE, Hajjaji IM, Hafidh K, Abdelmannan DK. Doctors' attitude and engagement in research: A survey from two emerging regions. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:307-14.
• 11 Patel K, Bhatti SK, Black SM, Porter K, Hanje J, Mumtaz K. Predisposing factors and healthcare utilization in liver transplant recipients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: A national analysis. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:300-6.
• 12 Lamouri JS, Fawaris NB. Family relations of living related kidney donors in Tripoli, Libya. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:295-9.
• 13 Etarhuni SA, Zeglam AM, Elbouaishi AS, Sharfddin AM. Nephrocalcinosis in genetically proved dopa-responsive dystonia due to sepiapterin reductase deficiency in a Libyan Girl. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:315-9.
• 14 Chiancone F, Fabiano M, Langella NA, Sannino S, Fedelini P. Direct gunshot wound to the testicular artery: A rare case report. Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:320-2.
• 15 Mustafa HE, Kamel WA. Introduction to Clinical Research Training - Dubai. (March - September 2020). Ibnosina J Med Biomed Sci 2020;12:323-6.

Publication History

Received: 22 November 2020

Accepted: 26 November 2020

Article published online:
14 July 2022