Cultural Perspectives of Associating Music With the Giftedness in Saudi Arabia

In the literature, performing music is regarded as a manifestation of giftedness. However, the legitimacy of this activity has been the topic of much debate among Islamic scholars since performing music first began. This paper aims to explore whether Saudis’ conceptions of music are shaped by interpretation of religious law and dogma or by Western understandings of giftedness. A total of 14 teachers and Mosque Imams participated in this study. The findings showed that, although most in the teachers group personally admitted that music is part of the giftedness domain, for religious reasons, everyone in the teachers and Mosque Imams’ group did not appreciate performing music. However, the participants showed significant appreciation for songs (i.e., recitation/ lyrics) without musical instruments

Challenges Facing Gifted Students in Saudi Arabia

Gifted education and general education are inseparable in Saudi Arabia. Gifted students are integrated with other students in public schools. Like regular students, gifted students study the same curriculum, and in many schools they have been taught by non-specialist or untrained teachers of gifted education. In spite of some special programs for gifted children, such as summer enrichment programs and weekend programs, gifted students still face challenges and difficulties in Saudi public schools. This study attempts to explore some of these challenges: a) the nature of the Saudi educational system, (b) the structure of curricula, and (c) the readiness of Saudi teachers to deal with gifted students. The findings show that, though the Saudi educational system has witnessed significant development and has received considerable support from the government, education in Saudi Arabia is still behind global standards. The balance between Islamic and Arabic studies on one hand and scientific subjects (i.e., mathematics and science studies) on the other is still uneven. In addition, the preparation and training programs of Saudi teachers to deal with regular students in general and gifted students in particular need a lot of work from the Ministry of Education and the teachers themselves. The consequences for gifted students as part of the Saudi educational system, as well as further recommendations, are later discussed. Keywords: gifted students, Saudi educational system, difficulties facing gifted students, religious education

The Quality of Effective University Education From the Viewpoint of Students of Special Education Department

This study aims to identify the quality level of effective learning of special education students, and determining the differences at this level of quality according to the variables of gender, specialty and academic year, for 235 of special education students. After applying the quality scale of university effective education, the results showed that special education students have had above average level of effective university education quality. The Results have also shown that there were no differences between students according to the study variables

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Primary Care: Overview on Diagnosis and Management

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating condition marked by the presence of intrusive obsessions and repetitive compulsions. The primary care setting often serves as the first line of contact for individuals grappling with mental health issues, making it a crucial frontier in the early detection and management of OCD. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis of OCD in such settings is essential for effective management. Objective: This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic process for OCD, emphasizing the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and various diagnostic tools available. Additionally, it explores current strategies for managing OCD, including pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. Methodology: For this review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Keywords such as "Diagnosis," "obsessive compulsive disorder," and "management" were employed to narrow down relevant studies. Both qualitative and quantitative research papers were included, while non-English publications and those lacking peer-review were excluded. Results: Core symptoms of OCD include obsessions and compulsions, with the Y-BOCS being a standard measure for diagnosis. Differential diagnosis is essential to distinguish OCD from other conditions. SSRIs have been recognized as first-line pharmacological treatments. CBT, particularly Exposure and Response Prevention, remains a potent psychotherapeutic intervention. Emerging treatments like DBS and TMS offer hope for those unresponsive to conventional treatments. Combination therapies have shown enhanced efficacy in certain cases. Conclusion: The meticulous diagnosis of OCD requires recognizing its core symptoms, ruling out other conditions, and leveraging validated clinical tools. A multi-faceted management approach combining pharmacological and psychological treatments ensures optimal patient outcomes, with ongoing research introducing promising new interventions

Oropharyngeal swallowing physiology and safety in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: a consecutive descriptive case series

IntroductionDysphagia occurs in multiple respiratory pathophysiologies, increasing the risk of pulmonary complications secondary to aspiration. Reflux associated aspiration and a dysregulated lung microbiome is implicated in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), but swallowing dysfunction has not been described. We aimed to explore oropharyngeal swallowing in IPF patients, without known swallowing dysfunction.MethodsFourteen consecutive outpatients with a secure diagnosis of IPF were recruited and the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (Eat 10) used to assess patient perception of swallowing difficulty. Oropharyngeal swallowing was assessed in ten patients using Videofluoroscopy Swallow Studies (VFSS). The studies were rated using validated scales: Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS); standardised Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP).ResultsEAT-10 scores indicated frank swallowing difficulty in 4/14 patients. Videofluoroscopy Studies showed that 3/10 patients had airway penetration, and one aspirated liquid without a cough response. Median MBSImp for oral impairment was 5, range [3-7] and pharyngeal impairment 4, range [1-14] indicating, overall mild alteration to swallowing physiology.ConclusionWe conclude that people with IPF can show a range of swallowing dysfunction, including aspiration into an unprotected airway. To our knowledge, this is the first report on swallowing physiology and safety in IPF. We believe a proportion of this group may be at risk of aspiration. Further work is indicated to fully explore swallowing in this vulnerable group

Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Low back pain is highly prevalent and the main cause of years lived with disability (YLDs). We present the most up-to-date global, regional, and national data on prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021. Methods: Population-based studies from 1980 to 2019 identified in a systematic review, international surveys, US medical claims data, and dataset contributions by collaborators were used to estimate the prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from 1990 to 2020, for 204 countries and territories. Low back pain was defined as pain between the 12th ribs and the gluteal folds that lasted a day or more; input data using alternative definitions were adjusted in a network meta-regression analysis. Nested Bayesian meta-regression models were used to estimate prevalence and YLDs by age, sex, year, and location. Prevalence was projected to 2050 by running a regression on prevalence rates using Socio-demographic Index as a predictor, then multiplying them by projected population estimates. Findings: In 2020, low back pain affected 619 million (95% uncertainty interval 554–694) people globally, with a projection of 843 million (759–933) prevalent cases by 2050. In 2020, the global age-standardised rate of YLDs was 832 per 100 000 (578–1070). Between 1990 and 2020, age-standardised rates of prevalence and YLDs decreased by 10·4% (10·9–10·0) and 10·5% (11·1–10·0), respectively. A total of 38·8% (28·7–47·0) of YLDs were attributed to occupational factors, smoking, and high BMI. Interpretation: Low back pain remains the leading cause of YLDs globally, and in 2020, there were more than half a billion prevalent cases of low back pain worldwide. While age-standardised rates have decreased modestly over the past three decades, it is projected that globally in 2050, more than 800 million people will have low back pain. Challenges persist in obtaining primary country-level data on low back pain, and there is an urgent need for more high-quality, primary, country-level data on both prevalence and severity distributions to improve accuracy and monitor change. Funding: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

CO2 Conversion to value-added Chemicals: Thermodynamic and Indium-based catalysts studies

The high dependency on fossil fuels to meet the world’s increasing demand for energy has led to an increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere, which could lead to irreversible environmental ramifications. Conversion of CO2 to value added chemicals and/or fuels is a promising strategy not only to mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but also to provide a renewable source of energy. Nonetheless, CO2 is a thermodynamically stable molecule that requires vast energy and an active catalyst to activate it. To address the issue of CO2 stability, thermodynamic analysis and material science are utilized in this work. In the first part of this thesis, Gibbs free energy minimization is employed to offer an insight into the thermodynamic behavior for the production of dimethyl ether and acetic acid from CO2 in atomic space. A set of temperatures, pressures, and hydrogen and oxygen atom-mole fractions are identified that allow for maximum production of dimethyl ether and acetic acid and minimum production of by-products, particularly CO2. In the second part of this thesis, for the first time, galvanic replacement is employed to synthesize In-based alloy catalysts where the surface structures are highly tailored and the host sites are highly controlled. The synthesized alloys show high stability, activity, and selectivity toward methanol formation, in the conversion of CO2 to methanol, and CO formation, in the reverse water gas shift reaction. This work offers a new approach for utilizing Gibbs free energy minimization in atomic space for CO2 based reactions. Additionally, it demonstrates the capability of galvanic replacement in synthesizing In-based alloys with well-defined surface structures

The influence of tumour vasculature on fluid flow in solid tumours: a mathematical modelling study

Tumour vasculature is known to be aberrant, tortuous and erratic which can have significant implications for fluid flow. Fluid dynamics in tumour tissue plays an important part in tumour growth, metastasis and the delivery of therapeutics. Mathematical models are increasingly employed to elucidate the complex interplay between various aspects of the tumour vasculature and fluid flow. Previous models usually assume a uniformly distributed vasculature without explicitly describing its architecture or incorporate the distribution of vasculature without accounting for real geometric features of the network. In this study, an integrated computational model is developed by resolving fluid flow at the single capillary level across the whole tumour vascular network. It consists of an angiogenesis model and a fluid flow model which resolves flow as a function of the explicit vasculature by coupling intravascular flow and interstitial flow in tumour tissue. The integrated model has been used to examine the influence of microvascular distribution, necrosis and vessel pruning on fluid flow, as well as the effect of heterogeneous vessel permeability. Our results reveal the level of nonuniformity in tumour interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), with large variations in IFP profile between necrotic and non-necrotic tumours. Changes in microscopic features of the vascular network can significantly influence fluid flow in the tumour where removal of vessel blind ends has been found to reduce IFP and promote interstitial fluid flow. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating microscopic properties of the tumour vasculature and intravascular flow when predicting fluid flow in tumour tissue

Computational modelling of drug delivery to solid tumour: Understanding the interplay between chemotherapeutics and biological system for optimised delivery systems

Drug delivery to solid tumour involves multiple physiological, biochemical and biophysical processes taking place across a wide range of length and time scales. The therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs is influenced by the complex interplays among the intrinsic properties of tumours, biophysical aspects of drug transport and cellular uptake. Mathematical and computational modelling allows for a well-controlled study on the individual and combined effects of a wide range of parameters on drug transport and therapeutic efficacy, which would not be possible or economically viable through experimental means. A wide spectrum of mathematical models has been developed for the simulation of drug transport and delivery in solid tumours, including PK/PD-based compartmental models, microscopic and macroscopic transport models, and molecular dynamics drug loading and release models. These models have been used as a tool to identify the limiting factors and for optimal design of efficient drug delivery systems. This article gives an overview of the currently available computational models for drug transport in solid tumours, together with their applications to novel drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery and convection-enhanced delivery