Silver Nanoparticles Loaded on Chitosan-g-PVA Hydrogel for the Wound-Healing Applications.

Silver nanoparticle composites have abundant biomedical applications due to their unique antibacterial properties. In the current work, green tea leaf extract was used as a natural reducing agent to synthesize AgNPs (AgNPs) using microwave irradiation technology. Furthermore, microwave irradiation has been used for the preparation of AgNPs/chitosan (Ch) grafted polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel samples. To approve the accomplishment of AgNPs hydrogel polymer, UV-spectrum, TEM, and FT-IR spectrum analyses and the release of silver ions, actions were taken. The wound-healing ability of the prepared hydrogel samples was measured via both the in vitro (fibroblast cells) and the in vivo using rat models. It was found that chitosan-grafted polyvinyl alcohol, including AgNPs, exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus using the agar diffusion method. It can be said that microwave irradiation was successful in creating a hydrogel that contained silver nanoparticles. A wound that was still open was successfully treated with these composites.

Knowledge, attitude, and beliefs toward group behavior therapy programs among male adults attending smoking cessation clinics, cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND: Group therapy assists individuals in learning many behavioral techniques for smoking cessation and providing each other with mutual support. Group behavior therapy is not routinely provided as a modality of tobacco cessation assistance in tobacco cessation clinics in Saudi Arabia despite it is effectiveness. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and beliefs toward group behavior therapy programs among male adults who attend smoking cessation clinics and to identify the associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a targeted sample of 229 males aged 18 and above who were attending smoking cessation clinics. The participants were randomly selected. Data were collected using a paper-based questionnaire. One-way ANOVA and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Results showed a high percentage of the study participants were in the age group of 21-40 years. Most of them were consuming 10-20 cigarettes per day. Around 79% of the participants had previous attempted to quit smoking. This study demonstrated a deficit in knowledge about group behavior therapy. The mean score for attitude and beliefs was 5.3 out of 11. Multiple factors influenced their attitudes and beliefs, such as previous attempts to quit smoking (p-value < 0.05) and the number of cigarettes used per day (p-value = 0.03). The knowledge was found to be affected by the level of education (p-value = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates a deficit in knowledge about group behavior therapy and it shows that the level of education was associated with the knowledge. Additionally, previous attempts to quit smoking and the number of cigarettes used per day, influenced the participants' attitude and beliefs toward group behavioral therapy. Increase awareness about the role of group behavior therapy in smoking cessation is required before this method is implemented in the routine practice.

Sources of Health Information and Their Impacts on Medical Knowledge Perception Among the Saudi Arabian Population: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Having a reliable source for health information is vital to build a strong foundation of knowledge, especially with the current revolution of the internet and social media, which raises many concerns regarding harmful effects on the health of the public. However, there are no studies on how the Saudi Arabian population seeks health information. Details about the most used and trusted sources of health information among the public will help health authorities and public awareness accounts on social media to effectively disseminate health information. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the types of sources accessed by the Saudi Arabian population while seeking health information, as well as their level of trust in the sources and to assess the impact of these sources on their perception of medical knowledge and health decision-making. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to meet the objectives. The study population included both men and women who were aged 16 years or more and visited primary care clinics at King Khalid University Hospital. Four hundred and thirteen participants were sampled using the simple random method, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (IBM Corp, Armonk, New York, USA). RESULTS: A total of 413 participants were included in this study, and of these, 99 (24.0%) were males and 206 (49.9%) had a bachelor's degree. Doctors were chosen as the first source of information by 87.6% (283/323) of the participants, and they were completely trusted by most of the population (326/411, 79.3%). The second most commonly used source was pharmacists (112/194, 57.7%), and they were partially trusted by 41.4% (159/384) of the participants. Internet searches, social media, and traditional medicine were not prioritized by most of the participants as the first or second source of health information. The majority of the participants did not trust information obtained from social media, and WhatsApp was the most untrusted source. Almost half of the respondents (197/413, 47.7%) acknowledged that various sources of information can often help them understand their health problems. However, the majority disagreed on substituting a doctor's prescription with information obtained from the internet or a friend or relative. CONCLUSIONS: Although physicians were preferred and highly trusted, internet sources appeared to impact the medical knowledge of the population. The population still preferred to use internet search to obtain health information prior to a doctor's visit.

Is there a march from early food sensitization to later childhood allergic airway disease? Results from two prospective birth cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: The march from early aeroallergen sensitization to subsequent respiratory allergy is well established, but it is unclear whether early life food sensitization precedes and further increases risk of allergic airway disease. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between food sensitization in the first 2 years of life and subsequent asthma and allergic rhinitis by age 10-12 years. METHODS: We used data from two independent cohorts: the high-risk Melbourne Atopic Cohort Study (MACS) (n = 620) and the population-based LISAplus (n = 3094). Food sensitization was assessed at 6, 12, and 24 months in MACS and 24 months in LISAplus. Multiple logistic regressions were used to estimate associations between sensitization to food only, aeroallergen only, or both and allergic airway disease. RESULTS: When compared to non-sensitized children, sensitization to food only at 12 months in MACS and 24 months in LISAplus was associated with increased risk of current asthma (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI 1.1, 4.6 in MACS and aOR = 4.9; 2.4, 10.1 in LISAplus). Similar results were seen for allergic rhinitis. Additionally, cosensitization to food and aeroallergen in both cohorts at any tested point was a stronger predictor of asthma (at 24 months, aOR = 8.3; 3.7, 18.8 in MACS and aOR = 14.4; 5.0, 41.6 in LISAplus) and allergic rhinitis (at 24 months, aOR = 3.9; 1.9, 8.1 in MACS and aOR = 7.6; 3.0, 19.6 in LISAplus). CONCLUSIONS: In both cohorts, food sensitization (with or without aeroallergen sensitization) in the first two years of life increased the risk of subsequent asthma and allergic rhinitis. These findings support the role of early life food sensitization in the atopic march and suggest trials to prevent early onset have the potential to reduce the development of allergic airways disease.

Sensitization to milk, egg and peanut from birth to 18 years: A longitudinal study of a cohort at risk of allergic disease.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal data on the natural history of food sensitization beyond early childhood are scarce. We aimed to investigate the natural history of milk, egg and peanut sensitization from infancy to 18 years and assess whether early food sensitization predicted adolescent food allergy. METHODS: Sensitization to cow's milk, hen's egg and peanut was measured by skin prick testing at ages 6 months, 1, 2, 12 and 18 years in a high-risk allergy birth cohort (n = 620). Generalized additive models investigated interactions with sex, eczema and aeroallergen sensitization in infancy. Logistic regression assessed the relationships between early food sensitization and adolescent sensitization and probable food allergy up to 18 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of egg and peanut sensitization peaked at 12 months, while milk sensitization peaked at both 1 and 12 years. Boys with early eczema had the highest prevalences of milk and egg sensitization throughout follow-ups. However, neither sex nor eczema influenced the prevalence of peanut sensitization over time. New onset food sensitization beyond the age of 2 was observed in 7% of participants. Food sensitization at 12 months was associated with increased risk of adolescent food sensitization and adolescent probable food allergy, with sensitization to more than one food allergen had the strongest predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Food sensitization prevalence is highest in infancy and declines after 12 months of age. Boys with early-life eczema have the highest prevalence of milk and egg sensitization. Food sensitization at 12 months can predict children at greater risk of adolescent sensitization and probable food allergy at 12 and 18 years.

Immune cell ratio and coagulation markers in assessing prognosis of asthma: a cross-sectional study from Saudi Arabia.

Asthma affects a significant number of individuals in Saudi Arabia, with increasing prevalence worldwide, leading to a considerable impact on their quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. In this study, we aimed to explore the relationship between the immune cell ratio and coagulation markers, specifically to identify the occurrence of coagulation abnormalities associated with asthma. To achieve this, we assessed asthma history and severity using a questionnaire while analyzing coagulation biomarkers through venous blood samples. The biomarkers examined included d-dimer, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and the international normalized ratio (INR). In addition, we evaluated various hematological parameters such as blood cell counts and hemoglobin (HGB) levels. Our findings revealed compelling evidence, showing significantly elevated levels of d-dimer and the eosinophil-to-neutrophil (ENR) ratio in asthma cases compared to the controls. Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between d-dimer levels and the ENR, with each unit increase in d-dimer associated with a 0.0006 increase in the ENR among asthma cases. These results highlight the potential of assessing ENR and d-dimer levels as predictive indicators for disease prognosis and the development of coagulation abnormalities in individuals with asthma. By shedding light on the relationship between immune cell ratios and coagulation markers in the context of asthma, our study contributes to a better understanding of disease progression and the associated complications. These insights can potentially lead to improved management strategies and better outcomes for asthma patients.

Clinical Assessment of Cytokine Profiles and Haematological Parameters in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-related hematological disorders have different pathogenic mechanisms involving immune dysregulation as well as microangiopathy. The current study aimed to assess the relationship between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and SLE-related hematological abnormalities for Saudi Patients. METHODS: The current cross-sectional study including 140 participants was performed at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Hospital (PMAH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two blood samples were collected from each of the study participants for evaluation of the haematological indices including complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and cytokine profile (i.e., tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)). Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software, v25. RESULTS: Haematological abnormalities were documented in 63% of SLE patients, and anaemia was the highest at 52%. Haemoglobin levels were found to be significantly lower among SLE patients compared to the controls (p < 0.001). In the cytokine profiles, the levels of TNF-α (p < 0.001), IL-6 (p < 0.001), and IL-10 (p = 0.009) were significantly higher among SLE patients compared to the controls. A positive correlation was also identified between TNF-α, platelet count, red cell distribution width (RDW), and ESR. CONCLUSIONS: Haematological abnormalities were found to be the most common among SLE patients. Further, the correlation between cytokine profile and haematological indices indicates the influence of cytokines in the development of haematological abnormalities. Understanding hematological abnormalities and cytokines' role in the pathogenesis of these abnormalities may aid in the early diagnosis and development of more specific SLE disease therapies.

Knowledge and Attitude toward E-Cigarettes among First Year University Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes are immensely popular among youths across the globe. However, knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding their use vary by country. The present study investigated the knowledge and attitudes toward e-cigarette use among first-year university students in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was adopted, and an online, self-administered questionnaire assessing the knowledge of and attitudes toward e-cigarette use was utilized to conduct this study. The study population included students from all streams enrolled in their first year of university. Descriptive statistics were used to report percentages and frequencies, while advanced statistics, such as multiple logistic regression analyses, were used to determine associations. RESULTS: The lifetime and current prevalence of e-cigarette use was 27.4% and 13.5%, respectively, among first-year university students. The mean age of smoking initiation was 16.4 ± 1.2 years. Of e-cigarette users, 31.3% smoked every day and 86.7% used flavored e-cigarettes. Knowledge of the harmful effects of e-cigarettes was high (addiction, 61.2%; asthma, 61%; nicotine content, 75.2%). However, when comparing e-cigarettes to regular cigarettes, only 22.5% and 48.4% of the students reported that they carry the same risk and contain the same chemicals as regular cigarettes do. There was a lack of knowledge (17.1%) regarding government regulations related to e-cigarettes. An attitude of support was observed regarding banning e-cigarettes (2.6 ± 1.5 on a scale of 0 to 4), while at the same time, some associated e-cigarette use with helping to reduce tobacco dependency (2.1 ± 1.2). Marketing adverts were agreed upon to positively influence youth (1.9 ± 1.4). However, the participants' perceptions relating e-cigarette use to style were not well articulated. Significant gender differences were found: most of the women who participated in the study had better knowledge of e-cigarettes (p < 0.001). Being male, having higher income status (OR = 1.67; p = 0.013), being a current smoker (OR = 11.6; p < 0.001), and having intention for future use (OR = 3.45; p < 0.001) were strong predictors of e-cigarette use. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested the increasing popularity of e-cigarette use among male first-year university students. More educational campaigns and stricter regulations are needed to curb this trend.

The Reliability of the Arabic Version of the Dyspnea Index Questionnaire for Upper Airway-Related Dyspnea.

Objectives This study aimed to translate the Dyspnea Index (DI) questionnaire into the Arabic language and determine whether this version is valid and reliable for Arabic-speaking patients with upper airway-related dyspnea. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Saud University Medical City otolaryngology clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The DI questionnaire was translated into Arabic and then back-translated into the English language. Inclusion criteria were preoperative patients presenting to the otolaryngology clinic with upper airway-related dyspnea between November and December 2020. The results of internal consistency and factor analysis among the items were compared to the original DI development results to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Results Among a total of 57 recruited patients, 50 questionnaires were completed with an 88% response rate. The mean age of the included patients was 38 ±14 years. Women constituted 58% of the patients. The most common diagnosis was subglottic stenosis (72%). Principle component extraction in factor analysis revealed a single underlying factor for all the questions. Factor loading ranged from 0.69 to 0.85. Reliability statistics showed a high value of internal consistency among the items. The mean inter-item correlation was 0.58. Conclusion Based on our findings, the Arabic version of the DI questionnaire is a reliable instrument for evaluating upper airway dyspnea.

Knowledge about the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Visiting the Outpatient Clinics at Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: One of the primary goals of diabetes management is to prevent cardiovascular events. The rate of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is significantly high in the diabetic population. Inadequate knowledge of CVDs risk in diabetes may result in the failure of its early prevention, causing increased morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to assess the CVD risk knowledge and determine the predictors of the knowledge among adults with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the study objectives. Convenience sampling was used to recruit adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who visited the King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) outpatient clinics. Data were collected using the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire. SPSS software (version 24.0) was used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 383 patients were recruited. The level of CVD risk knowledge was high among all participants (19.04 ± 3.47). There were significant differences in knowledge scores between different groups, including age (p = 0.01), marital status (p = 0.01), and type of residence (p = 0.04). Participants who were older than 40 years, married, and lived in traditional houses had higher knowledge scores. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicated a high level of CVD risk knowledge in our study population. The presence of multidisciplinary intensive education programmes targeting type 2 DM patients, such as that conducted at KSUMC, might be responsible for the higher levels of knowledge among our study population. Thus, increasing the efforts towards the education of patients will improve the level of knowledge, including CVD risk knowledge.

MicroRNA-21 inhibits ovarian granulosa cell proliferation by targeting SNHG7 in premature ovarian failure with polycystic ovary syndrome.

microRNA (miRs or miRNAs) is a type of non-coding RNA which plays the role of a regulator in gene expression. A number of miRNAs has been found by the researchers for its critical role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). But there is a no clear information available about the biological role played by miR-21 in PCOS prognosis. So, the aim of the current study is to determine the role played by miR-21 in the progression of PCOS. In order to achieve this aim, the researcher examined miR-21 expression levels in ovarian tissue samples collected from PCOS patients as well as their KGN cells (human granulosa-like tumor cell line). The study results inferred downregulation in the expression levels of miR-21 in ovarian tissues of PCOS patients and KGN cells, when compared with unaffected ovarian tissues and IOSE80 (human ovarian surface epithelial cell line). With the overexpression of miR-21, the proliferation of KGN cells was prevented and apoptosis was induced among these cells. The authors used StarBase analysis for predicting the direct binding target of miR-21. As per the assay results attained from luciferase reporter assay and western blot analysis, it was found that SNHG7 acted as a target gene for miR-21 while the latter downregulated the former. To conclude, the current study revealed the contribution of miR-21/SNHG7 axis in the regulation of Granulosa Cell (GC) proliferation and apoptosis. It further suggested a new molecular mechanism for GC dysregulation while the finding presents a new promising target for PCOS treatment procedure.

Analysis of CCND1 protein and circulatory antioxidant enzyme activity association in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Antioxidants are involved in the process of cellular damage prevention, which is considered as an avenue for cancer development. Free radicals are produced in the body upon exposure to stress, cigarette smoke, alcohol, toxins found in personal care products, pesticides in foods, radiation from the sun, viruses, germs or fungi etc. CCND1/CyclinD1 protein was found to be overexpressed in Oral squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were recruited along with hundred controls for this study from MNJ institute of Oncology with the approval of Ethics Committee, 5 ml blood samples were collected from each patient and centrifuged to collect serum for various assays. The antioxidant enzymes like catalase, SOD, GPX and GST were estimated using enzymatic assays. Results were expressed as unit of activity for mg of protein. Insilco analysis is performed using STRING v 11 Protein interaction tool. The patients with oral cancer had significantly reduced activities of SOD, GST and GPX (1.49 ± 0.49, 3.97 ± 0.86 and 10.7 ± 0.73 respectively) compared to healthy controls (4.37 ± 1.43, 6.10 ± 1.12 and 13.8 ± 1.25 respectively) (p < 0.005). However no significant difference was observed with regard to catalase activity (2.71 ± 6.51 and 4.03 ± 1.48) (p = 0.28). The proteins interaction PPI enrichment p-value was found to be 3.22e-10 predicted significantly more interactions. Our research findings shown that there was a decline in activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione s transferase in addition, personal habits like smoking play a major role in the development and progression of oral carcinogenesis and based on Insilco analysis results CCND1/Cyclin D1 could be the potential therapeutic target in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Quantification of pathogenic bacteria in the subgingival oral biofilm samples collected from cigarette-smokers, individuals using electronic nicotine delivery systems and non-smokers with and without periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to quantify pathogenic bacteria isolated from the subgingival oral-biofilm samples collected from cigarette-smokers and ENDS-users with periodontitis, when compared to non-smokers with and without periodontitis. METHODS: Demographic data was collected using a questionnaire. Periodontal parameters (plaque [PI] and gingival [GI] indices, clinical attachment loss [CAL], probing depth [PD] and marginal bone loss [MBL]) were measured. Subgingival oral bio-film samples were collected and assessed for periodontopathogenic bacteria (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans [A. actinomycetemcomitans], Prevotella intermedia [P. intermedia], Porphyromonas gingivalis [P. gingivalis], Tannerella forsythia [T. forsythia] and Treponema denticola [T. denticola]). Group-comparisons were performed; and P < 0.01 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: All cigarette-smokers, ENDS-users and non-smokers with periodontitis had Grade-B periodontitis. The CFU/mL of A. actinomycetemcomitans (P < 0.001) and P. gingivalis (P < 0.001) were significantly higher among cigarette-smokers (P < 0.01) and ENDS-users (P < 0.01) than non-smokers with periodontitis. The CFU/mL of T. denticola were significantly higher among cigarette-smokers (P < 0.001), ENDS-users (P < 0.001) and non-smokers with periodontitis (P < 0.001) compared with non-smokers without periodontitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the CFU/mL of P. intermedia and T. denticola among cigarette-smokers, ENDS-users and non-smokers with periodontitis. CONCLUSION: Counts of periodontopathogenic bacteria in the subgingival oral-biofilm are comparable among cigarette-smokers and individuals using ENDS.

Barriers of colorectal cancer screening test among adults in the Saudi Population: A Cross-Sectional study.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide. CRC can be completely cured if detected at an early stage with screening. However, many barriers to screening have been reported. This study aimed to identify the potential barriers to CRC screening among the Saudi population aged ≥45 years. A cross-sectional study of randomly selected adults (aged ≥45 years) attending primary care clinics at KKUH in Saudi Arabia was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. A total of 448 participants were included. In general, the most commonly reported barrier to CRC screening was a lack of physician recommendation (77.1%). Moreover, fear of painful colonoscopy procedures and a lack of knowledge regarding the availability of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) were reported by 51.6% and 57.8% of patients, respectively. Significant gender differences were observed, with females reporting more barriers to CRC screening than males (general barriers [p < 0.001] and colonoscopy-specific barriers [p = 0.003]). Participants who had not undergone any previous CRC screening reported significantly more barriers compared to those who had undergone a previous CRC screening (general barriers [p = 0.015], colonoscopy-specific barriers [p = 0.006], and FOBT specific barriers [p = 0.024]). Because a lack of physician recommendation was the most commonly reported general barrier, we recommend that physicians emphasize the need for CRC screening, particularly to high-risk patients. Extensive campaigns and programs must be launched to raise awareness about the importance of screening for CRC. Additionally, gender-specific strategies need to be formulated to promote CRC screening in females.