Rapid optical determination of salivary cortisol responses in individuals undergoing physiological and psychological stress.

Traditional methods for management of mental illnesses in the post-pandemic setting can be inaccessible for many individuals due to a multitude of reasons, including financial stresses and anxieties surrounding face-to-face interventions. The use of a point-of-care tool for self-management of stress levels and mental health status is the natural trajectory towards creating solutions for one of the primary contributors to the global burden of disease. Notably, cortisol is the main stress hormone and a key logical indicator of hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis activity that governs the activation of the human stress system.

Cognitive Enhancers Consumption: Prevalence, Knowledge, and Determinants of Use Among Medical Students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan.

Background: Cognitive Enhancers (CE) are central nervous system stimulant substances known to improve cognitive functions. Due to high-perceived stress and academic pressure, CEs are becoming increasingly popular among medical students. As a result, they are more likely to misuse these substances.

Monte Carlo simulation of the effect of melanin concentration on light-tissue interactions for transmittance pulse oximetry measurement.

Significance: Questions about the accuracy of pulse oximeters in measuring arterial oxygen saturation ( ) in individuals with darker skin pigmentation have resurfaced since the COVID-19 pandemic. This requires investigation to improve patient safety, clinical decision making, and research.

Aim: We aim to use computational modeling to identify the potential causes of inaccuracy in measurement in individuals with dark skin and suggest practical solutions to minimize bias.

Monte Carlo simulation of the effect of melanin concentration on light-tissue interactions in transmittance and reflectance finger photoplethysmography.

Photoplethysmography (PPG) uses light to detect volumetric changes in blood, and is integrated into many healthcare devices to monitor various physiological measurements. However, an unresolved limitation of PPG is the effect of skin pigmentation on the signal and its impact on PPG based applications such as pulse oximetry. Hence, an in-silico model of the human finger was developed using the Monte Carlo (MC) technique to simulate light interactions with different melanin concentrations in a human finger, as it is the primary determinant of skin pigmentation.

Multi-Modal Spectroscopic Assessment of Skin Hydration.

Human skin acts as a protective barrier, preserving bodily functions and regulating water loss. Disruption to the skin barrier can lead to skin conditions and diseases, emphasizing the need for skin hydration monitoring. The gold-standard sensing method for assessing skin hydration is the Corneometer, monitoring the skin's electrical properties.

Bi-Directionality in English-Arabic-English translation of relativization.

Bi directionality, a common practice in translation industry, refers to the transfer from L2 to L1 (direct translation) or L1 to L2 (inverse translation). Several studies have investigated relativization in direct or inverse translations, but few studies have considered relativization in the two translation directions. Following a hypothesis-based observational design, this study investigated the Arab undergraduates' performance on the direct and inverse translation of relativization.

Investigation of factors that influence the relationship between mental rotation ability and anatomy learning.

Background: Mental rotation is a cognitive process that involves the rotation of a mental representation of an object. This ability is important for medical students in studying anatomy as this subject requires the understanding of positional relations between organs.

Objectives: To find the effect of video learning of anatomy, training, gender, and type of practical exam on mental rotation ability.

Bi-directionality in translating culture: Understanding translator trainees' actual and perceived behaviors.

Cultural translations of L1 and L2, in both directions, can indicate different behaviors of translators, influenced by the unique characteristics of each culture and the proficiency of the translator trainees' bicultural competence. This study compares translator trainees' behaviors when engaged in direct translation (L2 to L1) and inverse translation (L1 to L2) of cultural references to reveal the extent to which directionality influences trainees' actual and perceived behaviors. Following a hypothesis-based observational design, the authors examine a single group's behaviors under two conditions (direct translation and inverse translation), using Translog-II and a questionnaire.

A review of the effect of skin pigmentation on pulse oximeter accuracy.

. Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive optical technique used to measure arterial oxygen saturation (SpO) in a variety of clinical settings and scenarios. Despite being one the most significant technological advances in health monitoring over the last few decades, there have been reports on its various limitations.

Cognitive Processes and Translation Quality: Evidence from Keystroke-Logging Software.

This study investigates the relationship between cognitive processes and translation quality in the context of English-Arabic translations of journalistic articles. Specifically, it explores the translation processes at the orientation, production, and revision stages and the relationship between such processing and translation quality, using keylogging software (i.e.

The Impact of Acetic Acid on Measuring Ethanol Concentrations in Water and Human Serum Using Short-Wave Infrared Spectroscopy.

Ethanol intoxication, although an elemental part of life in many places around the world, still presents several issues associated with excessive consumption. These issues range from drunk driving, violence, and antisocial behavior to self-harm, all exerting an increased cost on the society. Monitoring of intoxication levels can help to limit the impact of these issues by preventing the use of automobiles or heavy machinery and personal monitoring.

A paper-based colorimetric method for monitoring of lithium therapeutic levels.

Lithium remains the "gold standard" for both acute and maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder (BD), a serious life-long condition characterised by recurrent episodes of depressed and manic mood states. However, lithium has a very narrow therapeutic range (0.4-1.

Measuring stress: a review of the current cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) measurement techniques and considerations for the future of mental health monitoring.

Psychological stress and its inevitable trajectory toward mental health deteriorations such as clinical and major depression has become an unprecedented global burden. The diagnostic procedures involved in the characterization of mental illnesses commonly follow qualitative and subjective measures of stress, often leading to greater socioeconomic burdens due to misdiagnosis and poor understanding of the severity of such illnesses, further fueled by the stigmatization surrounding mental health. In recent years, the application of cortisol and stress hormone measurements has given rise to an alternative, quantifiable approach for the psychological evaluation of stress and depression.

Review of Advances in the Measurement of Skin Hydration Based on Sensing of Optical and Electrical Tissue Properties.

The presence of water in the skin is crucial for maintaining the properties and functions of the skin, in particular its outermost layer, known as the stratum corneum, which consists of a lipid barrier. External exposures can affect the skin's hydration levels and in turn, alter its mechanical and physical properties. Monitoring these alterations in the skin's water content can be applicable in clinical, cosmetic, athletic and personal settings.

Review of Ethanol Intoxication Sensing Technologies and Techniques.

The field of alcohol intoxication sensing is over 100 years old, spanning the fields of medicine, chemistry, and computer science, aiming to produce the most effective and accurate methods of quantifying intoxication levels. This review presents the development and the current state of alcohol intoxication quantifying devices and techniques, separated into six major categories: estimates, breath alcohol devices, bodily fluid testing, transdermal sensors, mathematical algorithms, and optical techniques. Each of these categories was researched by analyzing their respective performances and drawbacks.

Sleep patterns and predictors of poor sleep quality among Saudi commission residents in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia before and during covid-19 pandemic.

Background: Sleep is an essential part of human physiology. Being a basic need for human well-being, adequate sleep is associated with good health and life quality for all individuals. Disorders of sleep may result in significant derangement in human functionality.

Advances in Therapeutic Monitoring of Lithium in the Management of Bipolar Disorder.

Since the mid-20th century, lithium continues to be prescribed as a first-line mood stabilizer for the management of bipolar disorder (BD). However, lithium has a very narrow therapeutic index, and it is crucial to carefully monitor lithium plasma levels as concentrations greater than 1.2 mmol/L are potentially toxic and can be fatal.

In-vivo quantification of lactate using Near Infrared reflectance spectroscopy.

Elevated lactate levels in blood (hyperlactatemia) are indications of hypoperfusion or sepsis in critical care conditions. Quantification and monitoring of this important marker is performed using intermittent blood sampling, which fails to provide a complete scenario to aid clinicians in diagnosis. The feasibility of Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy as an alternative to state-of-the-art techniques in critical care environments for non-invasive and continuous monitoring of lactate has previously been established.

Optical Determination of Lithium Levels in Artificial Interstitial Fluid for Treatment Management of Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar Disorder (BD), characterized by mood fluctuating between episodes of mood elevation and depression, is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Lithium continues to be prescribed as a first-line mood stabilizer for the management of BD. However, lithium has a very narrow therapeutic index and it is crucial to carefully monitor lithium plasma levels as concentrations greater than 1.

Monte Carlo Characterization of Short-Wave Infrared Optical Wavelengths for Biosensing Applications.

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopy has shown great promise in probing the composition of biological tissues. Currently there exists an enormous drive amongst researchers to design and develop SWIR-based optical sensors that can predict the concentration of various biomarkers non-invasively. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the interaction of SWIR light with vascular tissue, especially in terms of parameters like the optimal source-detector separation, light penetration depth, optical pathlength, etc.

Wearable, Environmental, and Smartphone-Based Passive Sensing for Mental Health Monitoring.

Collecting and analyzing data from sensors embedded in the context of daily life has been widely employed for the monitoring of mental health. Variations in parameters such as movement, sleep duration, heart rate, electrocardiogram, skin temperature, etc., are often associated with psychiatric disorders.

Religious Fasting of Muslim Patients After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: a Modified Delphi Consensus.

Background: Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. Despite the positive effects of fasting on health, there are no guidelines or clear recommendations regarding fasting after metabolic/bariatric surgery (MBS). The current study reports the result of a modified Delphi consensus among expert metabolic/bariatric surgeons with experience in managing patients who fast after MBS.