The Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients.

Background This study aimed to assess the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in glaucoma patients using the STOP-BANG questionnaire at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. Methodology This study used a cross-sectional telephone survey. Patients older than 18 years diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma, without a diagnosis of respiratory disease or steroid use, completed the STOP-BANG questionnaire, a validated tool to determine the risk for developing OSA.

Comparison of Two Drainage Systems on Chronic Subdural Hematoma Recurrence.

Background:  Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common type of intracranial hemorrhage, especially among the elderly, with a recurrence rate as high as 33%. Little is known about the best type of drainage system and its relationship with recurrence. In this study, we compare the use of two drainage systems on the recurrence rate of CSDH.

Electrical properties of yttria-stabilised hafnia ceramics.

Cubic, yttria-stabilised hafnia, YSH, ceramics of general formula, YHfO: = 0.15, 0.30 and 0.

The Potential Impact of Smog Spell on Humans' Health Amid COVID-19 Rages.

Rapid and unchecked industrialization and the combustion of fossil fuels have engendered a state of fear in urban settlements. Smog is a visible form of air pollution that arises due to the over-emissions of some primary pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrocarbons, SO, NO, and NO which further react in the atmosphere and give rise to toxic and carcinogenic secondary smog components. Smog reduces the visibility on roads and results in road accidents and cancellation of flights.

CEBPβ binding directly to the promoter region drives CEBPɑ transcription and improves FABP4 transcriptional activity in adipose tissue of yak (Bos grunniens).

Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) was crucial to fatty acid uptake and intracellular transport. However, the mechanisms regulating yak (Bos grunniens) FABP4 transcription were not determined. In the current study, predominant expression levels of yak FABP4 were identified in subcutaneous fat and longissimus dorsi muscles by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR).

Off-Label Drug Use in Pediatric Out-Patient Care: A Multi-Center Observational Study.

Objective: Prescribing a drug for a child is not an easy task and requires using the best available evidence as a guide, especially when a drug is used off-label. The practice of prescribing a drug for off-label use is fairly widespread worldwide. The FDA does not regulate prescribing patterns or practices of individual practitioners and, therefore, allows off-label use.

BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 SARS-CoV-2 Post-vaccination Side-Effects Among Saudi Vaccinees.

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is important for reducing hospitalization and mortalities. Both Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) and the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) vaccines are used in Saudi Arabia and in many parts of the world. Post-vaccinal side effects were recorded, so we aimed to screen different complaints after vaccination among vaccinees in Saudi Arabia.

Comparison of attitudes and beliefs of physical therapists and primary care physicians regarding low back pain management: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The first-line contact for patients seeking care for low back pain (LBP) can potentially change the disease course. The beliefs and attitudes of healthcare providers (HCPs) can influence LBP management. Although referring patients with LBP to physical therapy is common, the first-line contact for patients with LBP in Saudi Arabia is the primary care physician (PCP).

Factors associated with poor outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19: Experience from a MERS-CoV referral hospital.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in millions of deaths, including more than 6000 deaths in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Identifying key predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality among infected cases would help in identifying individuals at risk to optimize their care. We aimed to determine factors of poor outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in a large academic hospital in Riyadh, KSA that serves as a Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) referral center.

Assessment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Tissues for Interpreting Genetic Data in Forensic Science by Applying 16 STR Loci among Saudi Patients.

Background: In forensic science, there are cases when the only available provider of biological data is samples of malignant tissues. It can be useful in identification and/or paternity tests. Still, such samples have ambiguities because of microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) effects, being often related to neoplasia.

Silver Nanoparticles Formation by and LC/MS-QTOF-Based Metabolite Profiling.

The broad application of metal nanoparticles in different fields encourages scientists to find alternatives to conventional synthesis methods to reduce negative environmental impacts. Herein, we described a safe method for preparing silver nanoparticles (J-AgNPs) using leaves extract as a reducing agent and further characterize its physiochemical and pharmacological properties to identify its therapeutic potential as a cytotoxic and antimicrobial agent. The biogenic synthesized J-AgNPs were physiochemically characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Extraction of Microcrystalline Cellulose from Washingtonia Fibre and Its Characterization.

Washingtonia is a desert plant with great sustainability and renewability in nature and is abundantly cultivated across global urban regions. Its fibre biomass comprises cellulose as the major structural part, and this is why it can be potentially utilized as an alternative biomaterial for manufacturing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) products that can be widely applied in industrial fields. In the present study, NaOH-treated Washingtonia fibre (WAKL), NaClO-treated Washingtonia fibre (WBLH), and Washingtonia microcrystalline cellulose (WMCC) were extracted through combined treatments of alkalization, bleaching, and acidic hydrolysis, respectively.

Molecular Determination of mirRNA-126 rs4636297, Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 1-Gene Variability rs7713645, rs706713 (Tyr73Tyr), rs3730089 (Met326Ile) and Their Association with Susceptibility to T2D.

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar. It has serious complications and socioeconomic impact. The MicroRNAs are short single-stranded and non-coding RNA molecules.

Current Understanding of Pain Neurophysiology among Physiotherapists Practicing in Saudi Arabia.

Unlabelled: To ensure the effective management of patients' pain, it is important that physiotherapists have a good understanding of the neuroscience behind pain. A major barrier to adequate pain management is that, for patients, there is limited access to clinicians who are knowledgeable about pain. This study examined the level of knowledge regarding pain neurophysiology among physiotherapists currently practicing in Saudi Arabia.

Diet enriched in omega-3 fatty acids alleviates olfactory system deficits in APOE4 transgenic mice.

Olfactory dysfunction is observed in several neurological disorders including Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD). These deficits occur early and correlate with global cognitive performance, depression and degeneration of olfactory regions in the brain. Despite extensive human studies, there has been little characterization of the olfactory system in models of AD.

Effectiveness and Safety of Favipiravir Compared to Hydroxychloroquine for Management of Covid-19: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease due to SARS-COV-2. Patients with risk factors are vulnerable to severe morbidity and mortality. Favipiravir (FPV) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are considered possible COVID-19 treatments.

Cortisol in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Double-Edged Sword.

Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced by the zona fasciculata of the cortex in the adrenal gland. One of its main functions is to decrease inflammation, particularly in areas where an inflammatory response is not necessary. In the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, cortisol is used to improve the outcomes of surgical procedures and to make the postoperative period more comfortable for the patient.

Mouse model of experimental pulmonary hypertension: Lung angiogram and right heart catheterization.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive and fatal disease and rodents with experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) are often used to study pathogenic mechanisms, identify therapeutic targets, and develop novel drugs for treatment. Here we describe a hands-on set of experimental approaches including ex vivo lung angiography and histology and in vivo right heart catheterization (RHC) to phenotypically characterize pulmonary hemodynamics and lung vascular structure in normal mice and mice with experimental PH. We utilized Microfil polymer as contrast in our ex vivo lung angiogram to quantitatively examine pulmonary vascular remodeling in mice with experimental PH, and lung histology to estimate pulmonary artery wall thickness.

May-Thurner Anatomy in Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: An Important Clinical Association.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of May-Thurner anatomy (MTA) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and identify its predictors.

Background: MTA is an anatomical variant characterized by compression of left common iliac vein by the overlying right iliac artery. Over time, this leads to venous intimal scarring, blood flow stasis, and the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Interrelationship between body mass index and asthma in children suffering from asthma-analytical cross-sectional study.

Objective: Bronchial asthma and obesity are correlated diseases that are highly prevalent among children. The effect of increased body mass index (BMI), aggravating asthma, is currently controversial in this group. The aim of this study is to determine the association between Body Mass Index and severity of asthma among obese children with asthma and normal-weight children with asthma in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Used with Low Back Pain and the Attitude of Primary Healthcare Practitioners in Saudi Arabia toward Them.

The use of appropriate outcome measures can help guide multidimensional low back pain (LBP) management, elucidate the efficacy/effectiveness of interventions, and inform clinicians when selected targets have been achieved and this can be used for educational or research purposes. Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the use, attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs regarding patient-reported outcome measures used by healthcare practitioners practising in Saudi Arabia who are frequently involved in the healthcare of individuals with LBP. A cross-sectional design was undertaken using a web-based survey.

Sprouts Grown under Elevated CO Hyperaccumulate Glucosinolates and Antioxidants and Exhibit Enhanced Biological and Reduced Antinutritional Properties.

The nutritional and health-promoting properties of plants are largely determined by their tissue chemistry. Tuning growth conditions could affect the accumulation of phytochemicals and, therefore, enhance the biological activities. Herein, the impact of elevated CO (eCO; 620 µmol CO mol air) on growth and chemical composition of sprouts of three cultivars (Haraz, Khider and Rajab) was investigated.