Efficacy and Safety of Prophylactic Agents in Prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled rials.

Objective: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness in preterm infants with low birth weight. The efficacy and safety of prophylactic agents, including vitamin A, propranolol and lipids, in reducing ROP incidence remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness and safety of these agents in preventing ROP.

Barriers and Facilitators Toward Disaster Knowledge, Skills, and Preparedness among Emergency Medical Services in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Disasters pose significant challenges globally, affecting millions of people annually. In Saudi Arabia, floods constitute a prevalent natural disaster, underscoring the necessity for effective disaster preparedness among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) workers. Despite their critical role in disaster response, research on disaster preparedness among EMS workers in Saudi Arabia is limited.

Point shear wave elastography application in assessment pancreas tissue stiffness: A pilot study.

Introduction: Recent advancements in medical imaging, such as point shear wave elastography (pSWE), offer non-invasive methods to assess tissue stiffness and structural changes. This study explores the use of pSWE to evaluate pancreatic stiffness and dimensions in three different pancreas parts.

Methods: This study was conducted at diagnostic radiology department, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, between June 2022 and November,2022.

Phytochemical profiling and fractionation of extract versus silver nanoparticle-modified extract: assessment of photoprotective, anti-hemolytic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Introduction: This study investigates the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using Helianthemum lippii extract and evaluates their photoprotective, anti-hemolytic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties compared to various extract fractions, including total aqueous extract (AE), flavonoid monoglycosides (FMG), flavonoid diglycosides/triglycosides (FDG/FTG), tannins (TN), and anthocyanins (AC). Helianthemum lippii is rich in bioactive compounds such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid, known for their therapeutic potential. This study aims to determine whether embedding these phytochemicals into Ag NPs enhances their biomedical applications compared to the natural extract fractions.

Angstrom-Scale Defect-Free Crystalline Membrane for Sieving Small Organic Molecules.

Crystalline membranes, represented by the metal-organic framework (MOF) with well-defined angstrom-sized apertures, have shown great potential for molecular separation. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to separate small molecules with very similar molecular size differences due to angstrom-scale defects during membrane formation. Herein, a stepwise assembling strategy is reported for constructing MOF membranes with intrinsic angstrom-sized lattice aperture lattice to separate organic azeotropic mixtures separation.

Safety and effectiveness of ataluren in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: single-center experience from Saudi Arabia.

Objective: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare X-linked neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the gene. This study examined the efficacy and safety of ataluren, the first oral treatment for DMD with nonsense mutations (nmDMD), in patients in the Middle East.

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study assessed the outcomes of seven boys with nmDMD who received treatment with ataluren and follow-up at a single center since 2016.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who were admitted to the intensive care unit: a retrospective observational study.

Objective: To evaluate characteristics and outcomes in critically ill patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

Methods: Consecutive adults with GBS who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission at a tertiary-care hospital between 1999 and 2020 were enrolled into this retrospective cohort study. Demographics, clinical data and patient outcomes were compared between patients who did or did not receive mechanical ventilation (MV).

Building global collaborative research networks in paediatric critical care: a roadmap.

Paediatric critical care units are designed for children at a vulnerable stage of development, yet the evidence base for practice and policy in paediatric critical care remains scarce. In this Health Policy, we present a roadmap providing strategic guidance for international paediatric critical care trials. We convened a multidisciplinary group of 32 paediatric critical care experts from six continents representing paediatric critical care research networks and groups.

Assessing the Impact of Irritable Bowel Syndrome on Quality of Life in Patients at Family Medicine and Primary Health Care Clinics of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh.

Introduction Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most prevalent GI conditions, characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain relieved by defecation, changes in bowel habits (e.g., diarrhea, constipation, or both), and bloating.

Gender-specific association of rs2371597 polymorphism in keratoconus patients of Saudi origin.

Objective: To investigate the association of specific genetic polymorphisms (rs2371597 in , rs11720822 in , rs387907358 in , and rs77542162 in ) in a Saudi cohort of keratoconus (KC) patients compared to controls.

Methods: A retrospective case-control genetic association study was conducted. The study included 99 KC patients and 193 healthy controls.

Age-related differences in gene expression and pathway activation following heat stroke.

This study investigates the molecular responses to heat stroke in young and old patients by comparing whole-genome transcriptomes between age groups. We analyzed transcriptomic profiles from patients categorized into two age-defined cohorts: young (mean age = 44.9 ± 6 years) and old (mean age = 66.

A novel role for nonactin: interfering with G-quadruplex in RET-driven medullary thyroid cancer.

Background: Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) is closely associated with mutations in the RET proto-oncogene, placing the activated RET protein at the center of MTC pathogenesis. Existing therapeutic solutions, primarily tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as selpercatinib, vandetanib, and cabozantinib, have shown moderate efficacy but are accompanied by increased risks of side effects and resistance. This study unveils a promising avenue using nonactin, a compound historically recognized for its antibacterial properties, targeting the G-quadruplex interactions within the RET proto-oncogene.

An integrated multi-source dataset of elasmobranchs in the Red Sea following the Red Sea Decade Expedition.

Red Sea elasmobranch populations are facing alarming declines. Effective conservation efforts require management strategies informed by extensive datasets and by developing an understanding of distribution patterns within the basin, which is currently lacking. This study introduces CERSE (Central and Eastern Red Sea Elasmobranchs), a comprehensive compilation of elasmobranch observations in the central and eastern Red Sea basin following the route of the Red Sea Decade Expedition.

Management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings: global expert consensus statements using a Delphi method.

Purpose: To generate consensus and provide expert clinical practice statements for the management of adult sepsis in resource-limited settings.

Methods: An international multidisciplinary Steering Committee with expertise in sepsis management and including a Delphi methodologist was convened by the Asia Pacific Sepsis Alliance (APSA). The committee selected an international panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in sepsis management.

A step towards non-invasive diagnosis of diabetes mellitus using synthesized MOF-MXene hybrid material with extended gate field-effect transistor integration.

The increasing demand for non-invasive and non-enzymatic glucose sensors is driven by the objective of eliminating the need for blood pricks from the body and enabling enzyme-free detection of glucose for diagnosing diabetes mellitus. To address this need, we synthesized Ni MOF-MXene (Ni) hybrid material through a one-pot synthesis method, which acts as a catalyst to detect salivary glucose using an extended gate field effect transistor (EGFET) method. The resulting sensor exhibits good selectivity towards glucose over common interfering molecules such as sucrose, fructose, maltose, uric acid, and ascorbic acid under physiological conditions in saliva.

Evaluating the Anticancer Properties of Novel Piscidinol A Derivatives: Insights from DFT, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Studies.

Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and spreading throughout the body. This study employed computational approaches to investigate 18 naturally derived anticancer piscidinol A derivatives (-) as potential therapeutics. By examining their interactions with 15 essential target proteins (HIF-1α, RanGAP, FOXM1, PARP2, HER2, ERα, NGF, FAS, GRP78, PRDX2, SCF complex, EGFR, Bcl-xL, ERG, and HSP70) and comparing them with established drugs such as camptothecin, docetaxel, etoposide, irinotecan, paclitaxel, and teniposide, compound emerged as noteworthy.

Vitiligo: Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics in 573 Saudi Patients.

Background: Vitiligo is a common disease. Limited studies in Saudi Arabia have explored the detailed clinical characteristics of vitiligo, as outlined in recent consensus reports by vitiligo experts.

Objective: To determine vitiligo prevalence and detailed clinical characteristics in a Saudi cohort.

Exercise as a Therapeutic Intervention for Chronic Disease Management: A Comprehensive Review.

This comprehensive review examines exercise as a therapeutic intervention for managing chronic diseases. It explores the physiological mechanisms behind physical activity's beneficial effects and its impact on various conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and mental health disorders. Drawing from current literature and research findings, this review highlights how regular exercise significantly reduces mortality rates, improves disease outcomes, and enhances the overall quality of life for those with chronic illnesses.

The Association Between the rs2200733 SNP and Atrial Fibrillation Among Arabs: A Study from Jordan.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common disorder featured by an irregular and fast heartbeat. The etiology of AFib is complex and involves genetic and environmental factors. The rs2200733 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is located in close proximity to the promoter of paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2) which plays a role in heart development.

Risk of infection and conversion time from external to definitive fixation in open tibial fracture.

Background: An open fracture of the tibia is one of the most common and dangerous type of open fractures. In the management of these injuries, the primary focus is on reducing the infection rate, as this is crucial for achieving the best clinical outcomes. This study aims to explore how provisional external fixation duration influences the rates of infection and union in open tibial shaft fractures.

Metagenomic insights into the resistome, mobilome, and virulome of dogs with diverse lifestyles.

Background: Dogs-whether pets, rural, or stray-exhibit distinct living styles that influence their fecal microbiota and resistomes, yet these dynamics remain underexplored. This study aimed to analyze and compare the fecal microbiota and resistomes of three groups of dogs (37 pets, 20 rural, and 25 stray dogs) in Shanghai, China.

Results: Metagenomic analysis revealed substantial differences in fecal microbial composition and metabolic activities among the dog groups.

Phage biocontrol in water treatment and reuse systems: a nascent field with significant innovation opportunities.

While the use of phages in the food and biomedical sectors occurs commercially, their application in the water sector is less common and is typically demonstrated at a lower technological readiness level. This is so despite the potential that phages have to enhance the control of problematic bacteria (including pathogens) and protect infrastructure within the water sector. Fulfilling the great potential of this nascent field requires more research and development.

Genome sequence of the Mediterranean red coral Corallium rubrum.

Objectives: Corallium rubrum, the precious red coral, is an octocoral endemic to the western Mediterranean Sea. Like most octocorals, it produces tiny, calcified structures called sclerites. Uniquely, it also produces a completely calcified axial skeleton that is a bright red color.

Investigating medical students' perceptions of point-of-care ultrasound integration into preclinical education.

Introduction: Recent international consensus statements advocate for the integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) into the global undergraduate medical curriculum. Some medical schools outside Saudi Arabia have already incorporated PoCUS into their undergraduate curricula to enhance anatomy, physiology and pathology instruction. However, there are no data on the potential role of PoCUS in the preclinical training of medical students in Saudi Arabia.