Distribution of influenza A and B antibodies and correlation with ABO/Rh blood grouping

Background: Influenza is a clinically-significant infection with significant number of globally reported annual deaths. The aim of this study was to study the distribution of influenza A and B antibodies in Najran, the Southwest region of Saudi Arabia, and to investigate the correlation between demographic characteristics and influenza virus antibody levels.Methods: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect antibody level of influenza A and B. The correlation with ABO/Rh blood groupings was also examined. The total number of participants was 252. Only twenty-four subjects received the flu vaccine.Results: It was found that 33.7% and 24.1% of unvaccinated subjects were IgG-positive for influenza A and B, respectively. Interestingly, the antibody levels of the unvaccinated participants were higher than the vaccinated group. A significant difference was found between unvaccinated participants with O+ and influenza A and B antibody levels (**p=0.0045). The antibody level was inversely correlated with age in influenza B IgG subjects but not influenza A IgG (r=-0.1379; R squared=0.01900; p=0.0375). Forty-three subjects (17%) were positive for antibodies of both influenza A and B.Conclusions: IgG antibody positivity is greater in cases of influenza type A compared to influenza B. A significant correlation was found in the unvaccinated group between influenza B IgG antibody levels and age, but not influenza A (*p=0.0375). More research is needed to investigate the role of O+ blood group in influenza infections

The impact of online presentations on reducing the introverted EFL learners' stress and anxiety

Purpose – This study aims to focus on how online presentations have a positive effect on the anxiety of the students, especially students who are introverted by nature and always suffer from anxiety and stress while performing face-to-face presentations in the classrooms, which negatively affect students’ performance and, thereby grade. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted a quantitative research design to obtain a broader perspective. An online questionnaire, developed using Google Forms, was accessed by 239 female undergraduate students from Level 1 to 8 of the English Department at the College of Languages and Translation in King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of 15 closed Likert-type questions. The Arabic translation of the questions was included in the questionnaire to make the participants more comfortable answering the questions as all the participants' L1 is Arabic. Findings – With the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, COVID-19 became a global health issue and significantly impacted education worldwide. With this, a digital transformation took place, resulting in a total e-learning distance education system. This type of technology enhanced distance learning approach had to be adopted as social and physical contacts were limited globally to mitigate the transmissions of the virus. Accordingly, all lectures, learning activities, tests and other forms of evaluation were conducted via distance e-learning. When oral presentations were conducted online, a new reality emerged in this changed situation. This study sought to prove that online oral presentations positively reduce introvert EFL learners' anxiety and stress. Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted using a small number of samples; thus, to gain substantial insight, future research could be conducted with a greater number of samples from diverse demographic backgrounds. Teachers' perceptions of online oral presentations could also be considered in future studies since education consolidates between learners and teachers. In addition, as this research explored English language major students only, further comparative studies can be conducted including students from other disciplines, which may lead to new insights and issues related to online presentations. This study used a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. It is recommended to use qualitative tools such as interviews, focus group meetings, journals and student diaries in future studies so that more information about in-person presentation anxiety can be discovered. Originality/value – Participants' opinions, procured through the questionnaire of this study, can bring new insights for educators and policymakers to incorporate online presentations as one of the mainstream assessment methods for tertiary-level courses

Towards a Sustainable Water Supply: Humic Acid Removal Employing Coagulation and Tangential Cross Flow Microfiltration

Synthetic solutions assimilating irrigated groundwater containing varying concentrations of humic acid (10 -40 mg/L) and saline (10-35 g/L) and metal agents (5 mg/L) , were processed through a ceramic microfiltration membrane (Sterilox Ltd.,0.5 μm). This was done with enrichment schemes using polymeric coagulants (PDADMAC) applied to enhance the removal of the above-mentioned pollutants. The study was conducted with the scope of investigating the feasibility of sequential and hybrid coagulation and microfiltration as a method of choice for drinking water treatment. Membrane microfiltration is easily scalable into various arrangements, allowing versatility in operation and enrichment treatments, with a relatively lower cost which other treatment practices do not allow. The highest humic acid removal, 91.11 % was achieved with hybrid coagulation

CAUSES AND MANAGEMENT OF VIRAL EYE INFECTION

Introduction: The eye is a fascinating organ for several reasons. It is not only have a composite structure, however it is considered an immune-privileged organ. The anatomy of the eye is composed of the anterior and posterior parts, the line of division is posterior to the lens. The anterior chamber lies within the anterior segment and is an immuneprivileged anatomical location, this is due to the fact that the T-cell response in this area is suppressed This protects the eye from potentially destructive immune attacks however it also makes defence against infectious agents challenging, particularly where T-cell responses are critical for immunological defence. Viruses could get into the eye by direct inoculation, or through haematogenous or neuronal spread. The diagnoses of viral eye infections are usually clinical one, helped by taking a thorough history and performing ophthalmic examination. But in challenging cases the lab tests are essential. In this review, we will discuss the most recent evidence regarding Causes and management of viral eye infection Aim of work: In this review, we will discuss the most recent evidence regarding Causes and management of viral eye infection Methodology: We did a systematic search for Causes and management of viral eye infection using PubMed search engine (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) and Google Scholar search engine (https://scholar.google.com). All relevant studies were retrieved and discussed. We only included full articles. Conclusions: A wide range of of viruses can affect the eye and cause viral eye infections, either as a primary infection or reactivation. Some affect the eye directly while the others indirectly but may still manifest with eye disease. One virus may affect several parts of the eye, while different viruses may cause the same eye disease. This could complicate the clinical diagnosis of viral eye disease, but the lab tests like PCR and antibody tests could assist in challenging cases where there may be diagnostic dilemma. The HIV epidemic has had an huge impact on ophthalmology clinics, this is because the virus can cause different eye diseases, and the associated decrease in cell-mediated immunity makes the person highly susceptible to opportunistic viral eye infections, sometimes with severe morbidity. There could be other viruses that may affect the eye that we did not discuss. Key words: Causes, management, viral eye infection

Association of Awake Bruxism with Khat, Coffee, Tobacco, and Stress among Jazan University Students

Objective. The objective is to assess the prevalence of bruxism among the university students and to check its association with their khat chewing habit. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study is designed using cluster random sampling. Pretested questionnaire was administered by a trained interviewer to assess awake bruxism and the use of variables like khat, coffee, tobacco, and stress. Chi-square test at 5% significance was used for assessing the association. Logistic regression was also performed after adjusting for covariates. Results. A high response rate (95%) was obtained as the distribution and collection of questionnaire was within an hour interval. 85% (63%, males; 22%, females) experienced an episode of bruxism at least one time in the past six months. Regression analysis revealed an association of stress (P=0.00; OR = 5.902, 95% CI 2.614–13.325) and khat use (P=0.05; OR = 1.629, 95% CI 0.360–7.368) with bruxism. Interestingly, it is observed that the one who chew khat experienced 3.56 times (95% CI; 2.62–11.22) less pain when compared to the nonusers. Conclusion. This study is the first of its kind to assess the association of bruxism with khat chewing. High amount of stress and khat use can be considered as important risk indicators for awake bruxism

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Prevalence and related risks of cyberbullying and its effects on adolescent

Abstract Background Cyberbullying is becoming common in inflicting harm on others, especially among adolescents. This study aims to assess the prevalence of cyberbullying, determine the risk factors, and assess the association between cyberbullying and the psychological status of adolescents facing this problem in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 355 students, aged between 12–18 years, through a validated online questionnaire to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of cyberbullying and assess psychological effects based on cyberbullying questionnaire and Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) questions. Results The participants in this study numbered 355; 68% of participants were females compared to 32% were males. Approximately 20% of the participants spend more than 12 h daily on the Internet, and the estimated overall prevalence of cyberbullying was 42.8%, with the male prevalence slightly higher than females. In addition, 26.3% of the participants were significantly affected in their academic Performance due to cyberbullying. Approximately 20% of all participants considered leaving their schools, 19.7% considered ceasing their Internet use, and 21.1% considered harming themselves due to the consequences of cyberbullying. There are essential links between the frequency of harassment, the effect on academic Performance, and being a cyber victim. Conclusions Cyberbullying showed a high prevalence among adolescents in the Jazan region with significant associated psychological effects. There is an urgency for collaboration between the authorities and the community to protect adolescents from this harmful occurrence

Development of Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Method for Simultaneous Determination of Three Cationic Dyes in Environmental Samples

Lower dye concentrations and the presence of several dyes along with other matrices in environmental samples restrict their determination. Herein, a highly sensitive and rapid ultra-performance tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for simultaneous determination of cationic dyes, namely methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RB) and crystal violet (CV), in environmental samples. To preconcentrate environmental samples, solid-phase extraction cartridges were developed by using hydrogen peroxide modified pistachio shell biomass (MPSB). The surface morphological and chemical functionalities of MPSB were well characterized. The developed method was validated considering different validation parameters. In terms of accuracy and precision, the %RSD for all three dyes at all four concentration points was found to be between 1.26 and 2.76, while the accuracy reported in terms of the recovery was found to be 98.02%-101.70%. The recovery was found to be in the range of 98.11% to 99.55%. The real sample analysis shows that MB, RB, and CV were found in the ranges of 0.39–5.56, 0.32–1.92 and 0.27–4.36 μg/mL, respectively

Light Transmission of Various Aesthetic Posts at Different Depths and Its Effect on Push-Out Bond Strength, Microhardness of Luting Cement

Background and Objectives: One requirement for the cemented post is the light transmittance on its entire length up to the deepest portion of a root canal to ensure the complete polymerization of resin cement. This study aimed to determine the light transmission ability in different aesthetic posts at different depths and its effect on the push-out bond strength and microhardness of luting cement at the corresponding interface. Materials and Methods: Twenty endodontic posts from glass fiber posts (GFP), zirconia ceramic posts (ZCP), and highly translucent zirconium oxide posts (HTZP) were sequentially sectioned into 12.8 and 4 mm lengths after recording the light intensity using a dental radiometer. Sixty single rooted premolar teeth root canals were treated and implanted vertically in a resin block. The post space was prepared and cemented with GFP, ZCP, and HTZP posts with twenty samples each. The root portion of teeth samples were sectioned into cervical, middle, and apical portion. A universal testing machine was utilized for the push-out bond strength test for the first ten samples from each group. The remaining ten samples from each group were used for the microhardness test using a micro-indenter instrument. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way Analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests at p < 0.05. Results: The GFP endodontic postpresented with significant highest light translucency compared to HTZP, which was significantly higher than ZCP. GFP posts showed significantly higher bond strength per unit area compared to ZCP at analogous cross sections. The hardness of luting cement was also significantly higher amongst all tested endodontic posts. Conclusions: GFP high light translucency enhanced the curing of the luting resin cement that resulted in harder cement and a stronger bond supported by hardness and push-out tests. These findings suggest that GFP is preferred to be used with light-cured luting cements for restoration of endodontically treated teeth

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of High-Risk Patients towards Prevention and Early Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Saudi Arabia

Context: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by the presence of kidney damage or decreased kidney function. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of CKD is at 5.7%, which represents a high burden on health care systems. Aims: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of high-risk patients towards prevention and early detection of chronic kidney disease in Saudi Arabia. Setting and Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. Methods and Material: This study was designed using a newly developed instrument, the CKD Screening Index. It was conducted from December 2021 to May 2022 by a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire has three parts: socio-demographic data, clinical factors, and the CKD screening index tool. Statistical analyses used: Independent t-test, One-Way ANOVA, LSD, Games–Howell tests. Results: Knowledge of kidney function had a significant difference across patient groups with varying employment status. Monthly income is a significant factor for the patient attitude on healthcare towards preventing kidney disease. On the other hand, educational level significantly affects the overall attitude of patients towards preventing kidney disease. Conclusion: Understanding knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with CKD is vital to informing optimal policy and public health responses in the country