Teachers' Content, Pedagogical, and Technological Knowledge, and the Use of Technology in Teaching Pronunciation.

This study examined the correlations between three vital areas of teaching pronunciation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes (i.e., content, pedagogical, and technological knowledge). This study also explored the relationships between teachers' majors, experience, and technology competence with using technology in teaching English pronunciation. Data was collected by using a questionnaire. The study tool was a model adapted from different studies. The participants of the study were sixty English language instructors at different Saudi universities. The result indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in the three constructs of the model based on the participants' technology competence. The results revealed that content knowledge had a small correlation with pedagogical knowledge, and with technological knowledge. Pedagogical knowledge had a strong positive correlation with technological knowledge.

Exploration of Psychiatry Residents' Attitudes toward Patients with Substance Use Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia in Saudi Arabia.

Stigmatizing attitudes of psychiatry professionals toward patients with various mental disorders may negatively impact treatment-seeking behaviors. However, in Saudi Arabia, little is known about psychiatry residents' attitudes toward individuals with a specific disease/disorder. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess psychiatry residents' attitudes toward patients with substance use disorder (SUD), bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in Saudi Arabia. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from psychiatry residents (N = 79) in Saudi Arabia with a structured questionnaire containing sociodemographic and attitude-related variables. The 11-item Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) for individuals with three conditions was used to assess participants' attitudes. A linear regression model was fitted to investigate the association. Based on the MCRS (on a scale of 11 to 66), participants' mean attitude scores were 41.59 (SD: 8.09), 54.53 (SD: 5.90) and 54.20 (SD: 6.60) for SUD, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, respectively. Adjusted regression analysis demonstrated that senior residents, an age ≥ 27 years and a high confidence level were significantly associated with psychiatry residents' positive attitudes toward patients with the three conditions. Psychiatry residents' attitude scores were relatively lower (i.e., negative attitudes) for patients with SUD than for those with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Future longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the factors behind psychiatry residents' negative attitudes toward patients with addictive behaviors and mental illnesses.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of COVID-19 Safety Measures Among Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by an enveloped RNA beta coronavirus, has become a pandemic, with a mortality rate ranging from 0.7% to 10.8%. Although older adults with comorbidity are more likely to suffer severe disease and eventual mortality, diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most frequently reported noncommunicable diseases shown to predict poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients. AIM:  To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of COVID-19 safety measures and factors associated with poor knowledge and practice among type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah. METHODOLOGY:  This cross-sectional study included 267 patients with T1DM aged 18-65, admitted to the hospital from January to June 2020. Data were collected via phone interviews during September 2020. The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions for knowledge, five for attitude, and eight concerning practices, and some questions were based on diabetes and COVID-19 specifically. RESULTS:  Overall, 64 participants with a median age of 53 years were studied. The median COVID-19 knowledge score showed poor (11.50%), average (43.75%), and good knowledge (6.25%). Most of the participants practiced precautionary measures outside their homes. CONCLUSION:  In conclusion, half of the population had poor COVID-19 knowledge, 60.9% of the participants felt anxious, and most of them performed precautionary measures, including wearing a facemask, maintaining a 1-m distance, and washing their hands regularly.

Tricho-hepato-enteric syndrome: Retrospective multicenter experience in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES) is a very rare disorder that is characterized by intractable congenital diarrhea, woolly hair, intrauterine growth restriction, facial dysmorphism, and short stature. Our knowledge of THES is limited due to the small number of reported cases. Methods: Thirty patients diagnosed with THES, all molecularly confirmed by whole exome sequencing (WES) to have biallelic variants in TTC37 or SKIV2L, were included in the study. Clinical, biochemical, and nutritional phenotypes and outcome data were collected from all participants. Results: The median age of THES patients was 3.7 years (0.9-23 years). Diarrhea and malnutrition were the most common clinical features (100%). Other common features included hair abnormalities (96%), skin hyperpigmentation (87%), facial dysmorphic abnormalities (73%), psychomotor retardation (57%), and hepatic abnormalities (30%). Twenty-five patients required parenteral nutrition (83%) with a mean duration of 13.34 months, and nearly half were eventually weaned off. Parenteral nutrition was associated with a poor prognosis. The vast majority of cases (89.6%) had biallelic variants in SKIV2L, with biallelic variants in TTC37 accounting for the remaining cases. A total of seven variants were identified in TTC37 (n = 3) and SKIV2L (n = 4). The underlying genotype influenced some phenotypic aspects, especially liver involvement, which was more common in TTC37-related THES. Conclusion: Our data helps define the natural history of THES and provide clinical management guidelines.

Child With Extranodal Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma of Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue.

Many patients present to our clinic with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Most have nonspecific symptoms that cannot be immediately attributed to H. pylori. The joint European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN)/North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) guidelines recommend upper gastroscopy to detect the cause of such symptoms. Herein, we present the case of a 9-year-old girl diagnosed with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma associated with H. pylori infection using upper gastroscopy. We believe that a patient of such a young age with this serious condition secondary to H. pylori will highlight the importance of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in such cases.

Impact of Ramadan on Physical Activity and Sleeping Patterns in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: The First Study Using Fitbit Device.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of Ramadan fasting, a type of intermittent fasting, on the management of diabetes has not been well investigated. Physical activity, sleep duration, and time of sleep are susceptible to alterations during Ramadan due to the changes in the times and numbers of meals. This study compared physical activity and sleep patterns of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) during and after Ramadan using the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ) and a Fitbit Flex 2 accelerometer. METHODS: Saudi individuals (n = 36) with T2DM completed a self-reported questionnaire and wore a Fitbit device for seven consecutive days during and after Ramadan. Fitbit generated weekly step counts, activity intensities, sedentary time, and sleep durations and times. IPAQ was used to estimate the physical activity and sitting time of participants in each period. Sleep patterns were assessed in each period by a self-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: Both Fitbit and IPAQ indicated a high prevalence of low physical activity among the participants with non-significant variances between the during and after Ramadan periods. Also, a significant short daily total sleeping hours and daily night-time sleeping hours was seen during the Ramadan period. The duration of night-time sleep was observed to be low in each period. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to use a Fitbit device to monitor individuals with T2DM who chose to fast during Ramadan. The study shows a high prevalence of low physical activity among Saudi individuals with T2DM in each period, and short sleep durations in the during Ramadan period compared to after Ramadan period. A high prevalence of short night-time sleep duration and excessive daytime sleeping was observed in both periods and significantly in the during Ramadan period. A larger study is needed in the future covering before, during, and after Ramadan to evaluate the impact of lifestyle changes related to Ramadan fasting on type 2 diabetes.

The pattern of iron deficiency with and without anemia among medical college girl students in high altitude southern Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of iron deficiency, latent and symptomatic, is heterogeneous worldwide. In this study, we aim to explore the prevalence of iron deficiency, with and without anemia, among medical college females at the high Altitude Aseer region of Southwestern Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: 200 female medical students were randomly sampled, between the ages of 19 and 27 years. Blood samples were collected for complete blood count (CBC) values and serum ferritin determination. Questionnaires were completed in order to collect demographics, medical history, and socioeconomic information of the participants. RESULTS: Prevalence of overall iron deficiency was high (63%, serum ferritin <20 µg/L, 52.5%, ferritin <15 µg/L). Anemia, adjusted for high altitude (defined as less than 13 g/dL was present in 41 participants (20.5%) and 12 (6.5%) have Hb <12 g/dL. Iron-deficiency anemia (Hb <13 g/dL and serum ferritin <15 µg/L) was present in 35 (17.5%). Personal and family history of anemia and poor animal product containing meals were positively correlated with the presence of iron deficiency state. Neither symptoms of anemia, nor the presence of menorrhagia correlate with the presence of iron deficiency anemia. CONCLUSION: Iron deficiency with and without anemia is a very common and condition in young females' population at high altitude. Implementing a lab method to screen for anemia on vulnerable populations is needed. Frequently asymptomatic, the primary care providers should maintain a high degree of suspicion in order to initiate screening for iron status.

Risk Factors of Gangrenous Cholecystitis in General Surgery Patient Admitted for Cholecystectomy in King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital (KAUH), Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Gangrenous cholecystitis (GC) is known as perforation and necrosis of the gallbladder wall caused by ischemia ensuing to vascular insufficiency. Gangrenous cholecystitis is associated with a high risk of morbidity. AIM: With a percentage of patients needing emergent help, our objective is to determine the risk factor of GC in KAUH. METHODS: Retrospective review of 334 patients who underwent cholecystectomy during 2016 to 2018 In king Abdul-Aziz University Hospital (KAUH). The data was gained from the medical record of KAUH. The variables are defined as follows: age, gender, AST, ALT, WBC, DM, bilirubin and stone. In order to determine the risk factors that influence (GC). the data entry done by using Google forms while the analysis was done by using SPSS version 21. RESULTS: Of 334 patients who underwent cholecystectomy, 57 patient (17.1%) had histologically confirmed gangrenous cholecystitis. Most of them female, 13 variables were identified that were associated with GC by univariate analysis: age 46.8 years, stone (82.5%), bilirubin is normal 9.9, mean white blood cell count 7.8, diabetes, fever, nausea, vomiting, CT finding, asparate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. CONCLUSION: Patient age was a clear factor for developing GC, male gender was a factor but no correlation was found, normal range of WBC, total bilirubin was in a normal level, vomiting and fever and nausea was less compared to other researchers, at last computed Tomography was not supportive and do not give any importance in detecting GC.