Learning styles, academic performance and mental health among medical students in King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of various learning styles and their correlation with academic performance and mental health of medical students. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the King Faisal University, Houfof, Saudi Arabia, from January to June 2019, and comprised medical students regardless of gender or the academic year. Data was collected using the Visual Aural Read/write Kinesthetic questionnaire. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 was used to assess mental health. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS: Of the 315 students, 179(57%) were males and 136(43%) were females. Overall, 152(48.3%) subjects preferred multimodal, while 163(51.7%) preferred unimodal style; 93(29%) aural, 53(16.8%) visual, 11(3.5%) read/write and 6(1.9%) kinesthetic. Males preferred visual and quardimodal styles of learning, while females preferred aural learning (p<0.05). Academic achievement was associated with learning style (p<0.05), but no relationship was observed between depression scores and learning styles (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The most preferred learning styles among medical students were found to be aural and bimodal.

What predicts word reading in Arabic?

Efficient and accurate word reading ability is critical for later reading success. As such, it is important to understand the component skills that underlie strong word reading ability. Although a growing research base points to the importance of phonological processing, morphological processing and orthographic processing for accurate and fluent word reading in Arabic, there are few studies that examine all three areas at one time to better understand their role in word reading. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the contribution of the various processes might differ across the early years when children are learning to read. 1,098 pupils in grades 1-3 participated in this study and took tests for phonological processing, morphological processing, orthographic processing, and word reading accuracy and fluency. According to the findings of regression analyses, the relative contribution of these underlying processes differed according to the method used to test word reading and the student's grade level. Regarding accuracy, several subscales of phonological processing and two measures of orthographic processing accounted for significant differences in word reading accuracy for first graders. For second grade students, nonword repetition, elision, and all three measures of orthographic processing accounted for variance. In third grade, elision and memory for digits, word creation and morpheme identification, and letter/sound identification and orthographic fluency were significant predictors of word reading accuracy. In terms of fluency, two subscales of phonological processing, two measures of orthographic processing, and two measures of morphological processing explained significant differences in word reading fluency for first graders. For second grade students, nonword repetition, elision, RAN-digits, isolation, segmenting and all the measures of orthographic processing and word creation explained unique variance in word reading fluency. In third grade, elision, RAN-letters, RAN-digits and phoneme isolation, all measures of orthographic processing and morphological processing, explained variance in word reading fluency. Implications and future directions in research are discussed.

The impact of teacher preparation on preservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education in Qatar.

Teachers' beliefs and attitudes are a significant component in the development and success of inclusive education. Research indicates that the foundation of positive attitudes toward inclusive education can be established in preservice-teacher-preparation programs. This study examines the change in preservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education following an inclusion-centered course, combined with an 18-hr practicum. Using the Multidimensional Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Scale (MATIES), 98 preservice teachers from primary and secondary teacher education programs in the College of Education at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar, were surveyed pre and post-course. It was found that all the participants' attitudes toward inclusive education changed significantly. No significant differences between primary and secondary preservice teachers were found at the end of the course. The results illustrated that combining information-based instruction with structured fieldwork experiences can potentially change preservice teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education. Implications for practice and future directions in research are considered.

Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Colorectal Cancer among School Teachers in Al-Ahsa Saudi Arabia

Background: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of deaths among cancers affecting both men and women in the United States. Annually, about 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 people die from it. In Saudi Arabia, this cancer ranks first among men and third among women. Nevertheless, this type of cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the level of colorectal cancer awareness among teaching staff (educators) in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: The current cross-sectional study was conducted in teaching staff in Al-Ahsa, Eastern province, Saudi Arabia, from February 2017 to May 2017. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and SPSS (version 24) was run for data analysis. Result: A total of 367 teachers (165 males and 202 females) were recruited for the present investigation. The participants aged from 25 to 55 years and most of them were married (87%). The majority had inadequate knowledge about risk factors of colon cancer. No significant difference was observed between people living in urban and rural areas regarding knowledge of risk factors for colorectal cancer (p≥0.05). Concerning colorectal cancer screening tests, 39% of men and 42% of women were unaware ; although, 12.8% of the participants reported a positive family history of colon cancer. In General, participants with higher education level had higher level of awareness on colon cancer. Conclusions: The findings of this study demonstrated that most of educators, including men and women are unaware of colon cancer risk factor. Furthermore, their knowledge of colon cancer signs, symptoms, and screening methods were inadequate. With respect to our findings, enhancement of colon cancer knowledge among educators is recommended using health education campaign in Al-Ahsa.

Scanning Electron Microscopy Study of Hair Shaft Damage Secondary to Cosmetic Treatments of the Hair.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: Cosmetic procedures for hair, such as bleaching, dyeing, and straightening, are commonly used around the world. It has been suggested that excessive use of such procedures can cause damage to the hair shaft. We aimed to assess hair shaft changes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in female volunteers who frequently use hair treatment procedures such as bleaching, dyeing, or straightening. METHODS: A cross-sectional, controlled study in a sample of 25 female volunteers (19 study group and 6 controls) in the age group of 18-45 years. The study group was composed of volunteers who regularly used different cosmetic hair treatment procedures such as bleaching, dyeing, and straightening (any one of these or a combination). The control group had never used any specific hair treatment procedure. The hair shaft damage as seen on SEM was assessed using a standardized scoring system and compared among the two groups statistically. The hair shafts were also examined clinically and with light microscopy. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen between the test and control groups with regard to normal clinical examination and light microscopy findings. A higher degree of hair shaft damage was evident under SEM in the study group as compared to the control group. This difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Regular use of procedures such as bleaching, dyeing, or straightening can lead to subtle changes in the hair shaft which can be detected early by SEM.

Antibody screening in repeatedly transfused patients.

The purpose of pretransfusion compatibility testing is to prevent immune mediated hemolytic transfusion reactions. Our study aimed to evaluate the gel test for detection of clinically significant antibodies in repeatedly transfused patients. We investigated 200 thalassemic patients in whom, blood group, Rh-D, Rh phenotype determination, antibody screening and identification were done using an ID Microtyping System. Red cell alloantibodies were detected in 21 patients (10.5%). Among these patients, Anti-E was detected in 5 (23.8%), anti-D in 4 (19%), anti-K in 4 (19%), anti-e in 3 (14.3%) and each of anti-Fy(a), anti-Js(a), anti-Lu(a), anti-N and anti-s in one patient (4.8%). Anti-E showed the highest frequency in the 21 positive cases that developed clinically significant antibodies. The study revealed statistically significant correlation between development of transfusion reactions, frequency of blood transfusion and the duration of blood transfusion with the incidence of development of clinically significant alloantibodies. It is concluded that the gel test is an easy, quick and reliable method for detecting clinically significant antibodies. Antibody screening and identification is recommended prior to transfusion to detect if there is blood group incompatibility other than the ABO and Rh.

Study of soluble CD44 and its expression by mononuclear cells in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: its relation to prognostic factors.

To measure sCD44 and its expression in ALL children before and after induction of remission (day 28) and their relation to prognostic factors. Newly diagnosed 30 ALL pediatric patients were examined for sCD44 by ELISA and CD44 expression by flowcytometry and their levels after induction of remission. We correlated them to age, sex, TLC, Hb, platelet count, blast % in PB and BM, Immunophenotyping, and LDH. CD44 expression in ALL patients at the time of diagnosis ranged from 0 - 98% with a mean +/- SD of (41.23 +/- 23.99) and in the control group (range 0 - 11 with a mean +/- SD of 5.5 +/- 6.58), the % of expression was significantly higher in ALL patients than control group (P = 0.001). CD44 expression was significantly decreased by induction of remission (P = 0.001). sCD44 concentration in ALL patients at the time of diagnosis ranged from 105- 449 ng/dl with a mean +/- SD of (246.5 +/- 99.51) and in the control group (range 103 -243 ng/dl with a mean +/- SD of 160.65 +/- 37.12), sCD44 was significantly higher in ALL patients than control group (P = 0.001). sCD44 was significantly decreased after induction of remission (P = 0.001). LDH was elevated in the patients group than the control, (P = 0.001). In conclusion, LDH level at time of ALL diagnosis is an important risk determinant and correlate with degree of anemia, high TLC and high PB absolute blast count. High sCD44 level at the time of diagnosis and rapid decline in its level after treatment suggesting that sCD44 may be a good marker for prognosis and a marker for monitoring response to therapy, a second elevation of sCD44 level after its decline by therapy may suggest ALL relapse. Elevated CD44 expression in ALL patients may mediate lymphoblast metastatic migration.