The effect of educational animation compared to leaflets on patients' knowledge regarding root canal treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Incorporating video as a tool for education offers a multitude of advantages. However, it is unknown what is the best educational tool to use for increasing public awareness, consequently reducing fear about root canal treatment. For this reason, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of educational animation and leaflets as delivery methods for providing information on root canal treatment to patients and to assess their ability to retain the information. METHODS: One hundred fifty adult volunteers were recruited via social media and Umm Al-Qura University Dental Hospital to participate in this randomized control trial study. The volunteers were divided into the study group (SG) and the control group (CG). The SG was provided with information through animations created by the research team, while the CG received the same information through a leaflet. Pre-intervention (T1), immediate post-intervention (T2), and one-month post-intervention (T3) validated questionnaires were completed by the participants to assess the changes in their knowledge. To evaluate the impact of the information delivery method, the knowledge scores of T2 and T3 were compared to T1 within each group using Paired T-tests. Additionally, the study compared the knowledge scores of the two groups using unpaired T-tests. The significance level was set at a P-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: A significant improvement in endodontic therapy knowledge among the participants in both groups (T1 compared to T2 in the same group) was noted (P < 0.050). However, when comparing T2 between groups, no significant difference was found in delivering the information and improving the knowledge (P = 0.080). Still, the mean differences between T1 and T2, as well as T1 and T3, were greater (P < 0.050) in the SG than in the CG. Furthermore, the total knowledge score in the SG at T3 was significantly higher than the CG. CONCLUSION: Both educational animation and leaflets are practical tools to increase patients' awareness about root canal treatment. However, educational videos are more effective than leaflets in delivering and retaining information about root canal treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered as a randomized control trial at the ISRCTN registry with the document number ISRCTN18413241, 15/05/2023.

An architecture for COVID-19 analysis and detection using big data, AI, and data architectures.

The COVID-19 epidemic is affecting individuals in many ways and continues to spread all over the world. Vaccines and traditional medical techniques are still being researched. In diagnosis and therapy, biological and digital technology is used to overcome the fear of this disease. Despite recovery in many patients, COVID-19 does not have a definite cure or a vaccine that provides permanent protection for a large number of people. Current methods focus on prevention, monitoring, and management of the spread of the disease. As a result, new technologies for combating COVID-19 are being developed. Though unreliable due to a lack of sufficient COVID-19 datasets, inconsistencies in the datasets availability, non-aggregation of the database because of conflicting data formats, incomplete information, and distortion, they are a step in the right direction. Furthermore, the privacy and confidentiality of people's medical data are only partially ensured. As a result, this research study proposes a novel, cooperative approach that combines big data analytics with relevant Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques and blockchain to create a system for analyzing and detecting COVID-19 instances. Based on these technologies, the reliability, affordability, and prominence of dealing with the above problems required time. The architecture of the proposed model will analyze different data sources for preliminary diagnosis, detect the affected area, and localize the abnormalities. Furthermore, the blockchain approach supports the decentralization of the central repository so that it is accessible to every stakeholder. The model proposed in this study describes the four-layered architecture. The purpose of the proposed architecture is to utilize the latest technologies to provide a reliable solution during the pandemic; the proposed architecture was sufficient to cover all the current issues, including data security. The layers are unique and individually responsible for handling steps required for data acquisition, storage, analysis, and reporting using blockchain principles in a decentralized P2P network. A systematic review of the technologies to use in the pandemic covers all possible solutions that can cover the issue best and provide a secure solution to the pandemic.

Genomic analysis of extensively drug resistant (XDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae high-risk clone ST14 co-harboring blaNDM and blaOXA-48 recovered from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: This study presents a comprehensive genomic analysis of NDM and OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Western region of Saudi Arabia, traversed by tens of millions of Muslims from various countries annually. This significant influx of visitors invariably leads to the spread and diversity of MDR bacteria. METHODS: Genome sequencing was performed using MiSeq system of 29 CPKP isolates that were NDM and OXA-48-positive isolated from nosocomial infections and demonstrated resistance to most antibiotics, including carbapenems. RESULTS: WGS analysis showed that 12 (41.3%) isolates co-harbored blaOXA-48,blaCTX-M-15 and blaNDM genes. Notably, 16 (55.1%) isolates were identified as high-risk clone ST14, with 50% of these isolates co-harbored blaOXA-48, blaNDM and blaCTX-M-15 genes. All ST14 isolates were identified as capsular genotype KL2 and O1/O2v1 antigen with yersiniabactin locus ypt 14 carried by ICEKp5. The two isolates were identified as ST2096/KL64 hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) clone harboring several virulence factors, including the regulator of the mucoid phenotype rmpA2 and aerobactin (iuc-1). Interestingly, two of the hvKp ST383/KL30 isolates were resistant to all tested antimicrobials except colistin and tigecycline, and simultaneously carried numerous ESBLs and carbapenemase genes. These isolates also harbor several virulence factors such as rmpA1, rmpA2, carried on KpVP-1, and aerobactin (iuc-1). CONCLUSION: this study provides insights into the spread and prevalence of high-risk clones of CPKP in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. The ST14 high-risk clone appears to be the predominant CPKP clone in this region, posing a significant threat to public health. This study also reports the presence of two globally disseminated hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) clones, namely ST2096 and ST383. Therefore, it is essential to improve surveillance and implement strict infection control measures in this region, which receives a substantial number of visitors to effectively monitor and reduce the spread of high-risk clones of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, including CPKP.

AMDDLmodel: Android smartphones malware detection using deep learning model.

Android is the most popular operating system of the latest mobile smart devices. With this operating system, many Android applications have been developed and become an essential part of our daily lives. Unfortunately, different kinds of Android malware have also been generated with these applications' endless stream and somehow installed during the API calls, permission granted and extra packages installation and badly affected the system security rules to harm the system. Therefore, it is compulsory to detect and classify the android malware to save the user's privacy to avoid maximum damages. Many research has already been developed on the different techniques related to android malware detection and classification. In this work, we present AMDDLmodel a deep learning technique that consists of a convolutional neural network. This model works based on different parameters, filter sizes, number of epochs, learning rates, and layers to detect and classify the android malware. The Drebin dataset consisting of 215 features was used for this model evaluation. The model shows an accuracy value of 99.92%. The other statistical values are precision, recall, and F1-score. AMDDLmodel introduces innovative deep learning for Android malware detection, enhancing accuracy and practical user security through inventive feature engineering and comprehensive performance evaluation. The AMDDLmodel shows the highest accuracy values as compared to the existing techniques.

The Prevalence of Shoulder Pain and Awareness of Frozen Shoulder Among the General Population in Taif City, Saudi Arabia.

Background The global prevalence of shoulder pain varies widely across countries. Additionally, shoulder pain and frozen shoulder can significantly affect patients' quality of life due to high levels of pain and disability. Objective This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of shoulder pain and its risk factors. It also aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding frozen shoulders and its related factors in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Taif City in December 2023 using a validated questionnaire comprised of socio-demographic characteristics, the prevalence of shoulder pain, and the awareness of frozen shoulders. Results A total of 378 participants enrolled in the study, with 54.8% being male and 62.7% being graduates and having jobs equally distributed among office (24.9%) and in the field (24.9%). Most participants were smokers (75.9%) and did not engage in body-building activities (79.6%). Around 26.5% of them had diabetes. The prevalence of shoulder pain was 32.8%. Aging from 35 to 44 years (p<0.001), having a higher salary from 6000 to 10000 SAR (p<0.001), retirement (p<0.001), engaging in body-building activities (p=0.035), having diabetes (p<0.001), and having other comorbidities (p<0.001) are significantly impacted having shoulder pain. Increased knowledge about the frozen shoulder is correlated with aging from 25-34 (p=0.026), smoking (p=0.002), engaging in bodybuilding (p<0.001), having diabetes (p=0.010), and having other medical conditions (p=0.010). Conclusion The study has shown that shoulder pain is prevalent among Taif City's population. Nevertheless, a low level of knowledge was observed. Therefore, enhancing the national educational programs is needed to increase public awareness of frozen shoulders.

Cytotoxic, antioxidant, antibacterial activity of phytochemicals from Phragmanthera austroarabica.

The cytotoxic, antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties of ethanolic extracts from Phragmanthera austroarabica is of interest. Plants of P. austroarabica were gathered from the southern Saudi Arabian region of Albaha. P. austroarabica extract was assessed using DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). The German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures (DSMZ) cancer cell lines used in this investigation. The cytotoxic activity of P. austroarabica extract was explored against MCF-7 breast and A549 lung cancer cell lines, along with doxorubicin as a positive control. In both treated cells, P. austroarabica showed a remarkable activity via suppressing the cell's survival. In terms of IC50 (concentration equivalent to a survival rate of 50%), MCF-7 breast cancer cells were more sensitive to P. austroarabica extract.) DPPH colorimetric assay was employed to assess the antioxidant properties of P. austroarabica extract, the antioxidant activity was increased along with increment of extract concentrations. The leaves aqueous extract of P. austroarabica inhibited the growth of S. aureus by 6.3±0.12 mm and 24±0.43 mm and 15±0.56 mm respectively for seed, leaf and stem at concentrations 50 µl. However, the same concentrations inhibited the growth of E. coli by 25±0.75, 0.00 mm and 24±0.18 mm, following the same order. Different superscript letters indicate means that are significantly different at level (p<0.05). Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of P. austroarabica ethanolic extracts against the tested microorganisms were 1.5, 1.6 and 1.5, respectively for seed, leaf and stem against Staph. Aureus and were 1.2, 0.00 and 1.2, respectively for seed, leaf and stem against E. coli.

Prevalence of Classical Extraintestinal Manifestations among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Single Tertiary Center Experience.

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may also experience extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), which can affect various organ systems, and their occurrence is based on disease activity. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of EIMs and their most common types among IBD patients from Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included all IBD patients aged 14-80 years who visited the Gastroenterology and Hepatology clinics at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, between February 2017 and December 2022. The collected data included demographic characteristics, disease characteristics, EIMs, and treatment. Results: The study included 578 IBD patients, of which 65 (11.2%) had at least one EIM, with primary sclerosing cholangitis (46.2%) and sacroiliitis (16.9%) being the most common. Patients with ulcerative colitis were more likely to have EIMs than those with Crohn's disease (15.1% vs. 9%; P = 0.026). Patients with ileocolonic (L3) Crohn's disease reported a higher prevalence of EIMs (7.5%) than those with other disease locations (P = 0.012), while in patients with ulcerative colitis, those with extensive colitis (E3) reported higher prevalence of EIMs (19.2%) (P = 0.001). Patients receiving 6 MP had a significantly high prevalence of EIMs (P = 0.014). Conclusion: The prevalence of extraintestinal manifestations among IBD patients in Saudi Arabia is 11.2%. These findings suggest the need for clinicians to screen for EIMs and manage them early. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying EIMs for the development of more effective treatments.

Quality of Life in Children With Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus that can adversely affect the quality of life (QOL) in children. We aim to investigate the burden of EoE on the QOL in children aged 2-18 years and identify factors that influence their QOL. METHOD: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in six Saudi pediatric hospitals. Pediatric Quality of Life 3.0 EoE Module was used to measure the QOL of children with EoE. RESULTS: Thirty-six families (36 parents and 33 children) were enrolled. The most reported symptoms were vomiting (50%), dysphagia (44.4%), and food impaction (36.1%). The mean total score of the parent-proxy report of the Pediatric Quality of Life EoE was 82.9 ± 10.3 versus the children's self-reported score of 77.28 ± 13.6 (p = .043). DISCUSSION: Recurrent emergency department visits were associated with a lower QOL, and a positive family history of EoE was associated with a better QOL.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Smartphone Addiction and Lower Back Pain and Neck Pain Among Medical Students at Al-Baha University.

Introduction In recent years, the increased use of smartphones has adversely affected students, leading to issues like musculoskeletal pain. Therefore, our objective was to assess the correlation between smartphone addiction and neck and lower back pain. Methodology An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia. The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) was used to measure the level of smartphone addiction while the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was utilized to evaluate musculoskeletal pain. Results Smartphone addiction was prevalent in 72% of the participants (n = 293). Significantly, lower back pain was associated with smartphone addiction (p-value = 0.004). However, none of the demographic characteristics were associated with neck or lower back pain (p-value > 0.05). Students in clinical years had a higher risk of neck pain than those in an internship (p-value = 0.048). Conclusion Almost two-thirds of the students were addicted to smartphones, with a significant association with lower back pain. Students addicted to their smartphones had a higher risk of developing lower back pain, while clinical-year students had a higher risk of developing neck pain. It's important to raise awareness about the health and safety dangers linked to smartphones and other devices.

Structural, elastic, electronic, optical and anisotropy properties of newly quaternary Tl2HgGeSe4 via DFPT predictions associated to XPES and RS experiments.

In the present work, we report on theoretical studies of thermodynamic properties, structural and dynamic stabilities, dependence of unit-cell parameters and elastic constants upon hydrostatic pressure, charge carrier effective masses, electronic and optical properties, contributions of interband transitions in the Brillouin zone of the novel Tl2HgGeSe4 crystal. The theoretical calculations within the framework of the density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT) are carried out employing different approaches to gain the best correspondence to the experimental data. The present theoretical data indicate the dynamical stability of the title crystal and they reveal that, under hydrostatic pressure, it is much more compressible along the a-axis than along the c-axis. Strikingly, the charge effective mass values ( m e ∗ and m h ∗ ) vary considerably when the high symmetry direction changes indicating a relative anisotropy of the charge-carrier's mobility. Furthermore, the Young modulus and compressibility are characterized by the maximum and minimum values ( E max and E min ) and ( ß max and ß min ) that are equal to (62.032 and 28.812) GPa and (13.672 and 6.7175) TPa-1, respectively. Additionally, we have performed calculations of the Raman spectra (RS) and reached a good correspondence with the experimental RS spectra of the Tl2HgGeSe4 crystal. The XPES associated to RS constitutes powerful techniques to explore the oxidized states of Se and Ge in Tl2HgGeSe4 system.

Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus Infection and Cervical Abnormalities among Women Attending a Tertiary Care Center in Saudi Arabia over 2 Years.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution varies according to the assessment method and the population targeted. This study aimed to assess HPV infection prevalence in women aged 23 to 82 with abnormal cytology attending King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using retrospective data collected from January 2021 to December 2022. Cytological distribution included 155 samples of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) (n = 83), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) (n = 46), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (n = 14), atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASC-H) (n = 10), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (n = 2). All samples were submitted to HPV detection and genotyping using Xpert HPV assay specimens. The most prevalent epithelial abnormalities were ASCUS (53.50%). Positive HPV infection results were observed in 52.9% of the samples. The highest prevalence of HPV genotypes, accounting for 31%, was attributed to the other high-risk genotypes, including 31, 33, 35, 39, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, and 68, followed by high-risk genotype 16, which counted in 11.60% of cases. Individuals who tested positive for HPV 16 were at a high risk of ASC-H, HSIL, and LSIL. Those testing positive for HPV 18-45 exhibited an elevated risk of LSIL, and those with positive results for other high-risk HPV genotypes were at an increased risk of ASCUS and LSIL, suggesting a low oncogenic potential. The results suggest that the percentage of association between samples with abnormal cervical presentation and negative high-risk HPV diagnosis is noticeably increasing. This underscores the need for effective screening programs and an understanding of the impact of specific HPV genotypes on cervical abnormalities.

Comparing Surgical Techniques for Meniscal Tears: A Systematic Review of Radiographic and Functional Outcomes.

Meniscal tears are a common orthopedic injury. The management approaches for meniscal tears include both surgical and non-surgical procedures; however, the majority of the surgeons opt for various surgical interventions. This systematic review aimed to compare the outcomes of different surgical techniques for meniscal tears. The systemic search was carried out in various databases including PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus. Studies that investigated surgical techniques for meniscal repair and published between 2010 to 2023 were included. Out of the 7,421 potential studies identified from databases and Google Scholar search, only 17 studies were included in our systemic review. The follow-up periods ranged from 6 weeks to 123 months. Adverse effects were reported in some studies, including joint line tenderness, swelling, and loss of flexion, while others reported no significant adverse events. Pull-out repair and refixation techniques demonstrated better clinical outcomes and slower arthritic progression than partial meniscectomy. Mason-Allen stitches and simple stitches yielded comparable results, and both inside-out and all-inside techniques had similar clinical and functional outcomes. This systematic review provides valuable insights into the outcomes of different surgical techniques for meniscal tears. Further studies with longer follow-up periods may help assess the long-term effectiveness of these surgical techniques.

Prevalence of Ocular Hypertension and Other Risk Factors of Open-Angle Glaucoma Among Middle-Aged Adults in Al-Baha City, Saudi Arabia.

Background Ocular hypertension (OHT), defined by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) beyond standard levels, is a predominant risk factor for initiating and exacerbating glaucoma, a collection of progressive optic neuropathies responsible for irreversible vision loss. Given the profound implications for vision care, it is imperative to elucidate the interplay between OHT and glaucoma for effective clinical management. Objective The present study aims to measure IOP levels and identify risk factors associated with glaucoma among middle-aged individuals in Al-Baha City, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted over a six-month span (January-June 2022) in Al-Baha City. The study cohort comprised adults aged 35 and above attending a glaucoma awareness campaign at King Fahad Hospital, Al-Baha. Parameters such as demographics, socioeconomic status, medical and ocular history, and familial history of eye diseases were collated. Initial ophthalmologic assessments and IOP measurements were performed. Statistical analyses utilized Pearson's Chi-square test for nominal variables. Results The study encompassed 111 participants, 84 (75.7%) of whom were male, and 75 (67.6%) were of Saudi nationality. Notably, 102 (91.9%) reported no family history of glaucoma, 91 (81.1%) indicated no past medical history and 81 (73.0%) were not on any chronic medications. The mean IOP for participants' right and left eyes fluctuated between 18.2-21.5 mmHg and 18.9-22.1 mmHg, respectively. Factors such as age, gender, family history of glaucoma, past medical history, use of chronic medications, and history of ophthalmic surgeries demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with IOP (p<0.05). Conclusion This study highlights a higher prevalence of OHT in females, with several risk factors for OHT and glaucoma identified, such as familial history, vascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and chronic medication use. Notably, our study did not observe a significant association with age or smoking. These findings emphasize the necessity of regular eye examinations and IOP monitoring, especially in high-risk groups.