Students' Perceptions of Collaborative Summary Writing

Writing is one of the four main language skills that are given emphasis in Second Language Learning. Summary writing is often viewed as a difficult and a challenging skill in learning a second language, which may result in negative attitudes forming, both toward summary writing and to writing in general. The main purpose of this study is to investigate students’ perceptions and problems related to collaborative summary writing in a university in Saudi Arabia. The study involved five undergraduate EFL Saudi female students as a case study and who were exposed to writing course participated in this study. The students were given different collaborative writing tasks during the semester and completed one summary writing task collaboratively for the purpose of this study. Then their views about the task were recorded via semi-structured interview. The findings suggest that most of the participants express positive attitudes toward collaborative writing and consider it beneficial for improving different aspects of writing skills, second language proficiency, and confidence. Several problems occurred during the process of collaboration, and these are also identified and discussed

Periodontitis, Its Associations, and Prevention

The ultimate goal of studying associations with diseases is to plan, implement, and evaluate preventive strategies. Today, after reviewing the body of evidence, one needs to ask: What has not been learned yet regarding periodontitis associations and its prevention? Current recommendations to prevent periodontitis are mostly limited to individual patient care while population-based approaches are nearly absent. Current strategies are not only time-consuming and costly but can be also ineffective to combat disease burden in populations. To initiate and sustain successful outcomes, prevention needs to be applied at multiple levels. Interventions need to target unhealthy behaviors along with their associated social and physical environmental constraints. The chapter presents highlights from current research on associations with periodontitis, its limitations, and the need to understand pathways linking periodontitis with its exposures over the life course. Finally, a suggested multilevel strategy for periodontitis prevention was outlined

PRIMARY SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX: CLINICAL PROFILE, SEASONALITY AND RECURRENCE OF 132 ADULT PATIENTS IN A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Objectives: The current study aimed to study the presenting features of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax (PSP) patients including demographic (gender, age, smoking, height and weight, Body mass index (BMI)), symptoms and seasonality among adult patients in KKUH during the period from 2010 to 2016. To describe the recurrence of PSP and length of hospital stay in patients who were managed surgically in KKUH during the period from 2010 to 2016. Methods: Quantitative, Observational, Retrospective, Case-series study. 132 Patients was studied who were diagnosed with primary spontaneous pneumothorax disease from Jan 2010 to Dec 2016 in King Khalid University Hospital were studied. Data was collected by reviewing the transfer sheet case report form (CRF), and by reviewing variables in medical records of PSP patients. Results: The mean age was 24.62 (S.D ±8.8) years old. 88.6% of patients were males (11.4% females). 59.8% were smokers and 40.2% were non-smoker. The (BMI) average was 19.4 kg/m2. The season of the attack was more in spring and summer accounting a 29.6% for each. 90.9% of the Patients were treated surgically. The average length of hospital stay after surgical management was 6.45 days (S.D ±3.15), recurrent after surgical management was (4.1%). Conclusion: Based on this case series study, majority of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) patients were male, at young age group, with low body mass index (BMI). Most of the admissions occurred in warm climate (spring/summer). Furthermore, short hospital stays, and low state of recurrence were noted among the patients treated surgically. Key words: (Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax, variables, seasonality, recurrence

Progress Report for Annex II--Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources in Saudi Arabia 1993-1997

In 1987, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) signed a five-year Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy Research and Development (R and D), which has been extended to 2000. Tasks include: (1) upgrade solar radiation measurements in Saudi Arabia; (2) assemble a database of concurrent solar radiation, satellite (METEOSAT), and meteorological data; (3) adapt NREL models and other software for Saudi Arabia; (4) develop procedures, algorithms, and software to estimate solar irradiance; and (5) prepare a grid of solar radiation data for preparing maps and atlases and estimating solar radiation resources and solar energy system performances at locations in Saudi Arabia

Methods and tools to evaluate the availability of renewable energy sources

The recent statements of both the European Union and the US Presidency pushed in the direction of using renewable forms of energy, in order to act against climate changes induced by the growing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this paper, a survey regarding methods and tools presently available to determine potential and exploitable energy in the most important renewable sectors (i.e., solar, wind, wave, biomass and geothermal energy) is presented. Moreover, challenges for each renewable resource are highlighted as well as the available tools that can help in evaluating the use of a mix of different sources

Optimization of CBCT image quality in implant dentistry

Objectives: This study was conducted to optimize the CBCT image quality in implant dentistry using both clinical and quantitative image quality evaluation with measurement of the radiation dose. Materials and methods: A natural bone human skull phantom and an image quality phantom were used to evaluate the images produced after changing the exposure parameters (kVp and mA). A 10x5 cm² FOV was selected for average adult. Five scans were taken with varying kVp (70 kVp, 75 kVp, 80 kVp, 85 kVp, 90 kVp) first at fixed 4 mA. After assessment of the scans and selecting the best kVp, nine scans were taken with varying mA (2 mA, 2.5 mA, 3.2 mA, 4 mA, 5 mA, 6.3 mA, 10 mA, 12 mA) and the optimal kVp was fixed. A dosimetry index phantom was used to measure the absorbed dose for each scan setting. Quantitative image quality was assessed for noise, uniformity, artifact added value, contrast-to-noise ratio, spatial resolution and geometrical distortion. A clinical assessment of implant related anatomical landmarks was done in random order by two blinded examiners. Results: The absorbed dose was reduced with reduction of exposure settings. The quantitative image quality values were acceptable at variable exposure settings. The anatomical landmarks of the maxilla had good quality at all different kVp settings. To produce good image quality, the mandibular landmarks demanded higher exposure parameters than maxilla. Conclusion: Changing the exposure parameters does not necessarily produce higher image quality outcomes but does affect the radiation dose to the patient. The image quality could be optimized for implant treatment planning at lower exposure settings and dose than the default settings.Dentistry, Faculty ofGraduat

Periodontal disease epidemiology : assessment of untreated periodontitis and accuracy of partial mouth recording protocols

The current thesis includes three projects that covered several aspects of periodontitis epidemiology. The first project focused on studying the prevalence, extent, and associations with untreated periodontitis. A purposive sample of 431 subjects never treated for periodontal conditions was clinically examined at screening dental school clinics. Background data were collected using questionnaires. The prevalence, extent, and associations with untreated periodontitis were evaluated. Our findings showed that the prevalence and extent of untreated periodontitis were high in untreated subjects. Significant exposures associated with untreated periodontitis included age ≥35 years, male sex, lower education, lower income, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, current cigarette smoking, and lower perceived stress. The second thesis project compared the performance of partial-mouth recording protocols (PRP) with the full-mouth recording protocol (FRP) to estimate the prevalence, extent, and associations of untreated periodontitis. Three PRPs were selected: full-mouth at the mesiobuccal and distolingual sites [(FM)MB-DL], half-mouth at mesiobuccal and distolingual [(HM)MB-DL] and random-half-mouth (RHM) protocol. The accuracy of PRPs was compared with that of FRP by calculating the sensitivity, negative predictive value, and absolute bias. Our findings showed that PRPs had the highest overall accuracy in estimating the untreated periodontitis prevalence, extent, and associations were the (FM)MB-DL and RHM. The third project focused on studying the accuracy of using PRPs in estimating the prevalence, extent, severity, and associations of periodontitis for population-based studies using a systematic review and meta-analyses. A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve the studies that examined the accuracy of PRP toward estimating the periodontitis prevalence, its extent, severity, and its associations. Data selection, extraction, synthesis, and meta-analyses were performed for 14 studies that matched the eligibility criteria. Our findings include the following: the PRPs that had the highest overall accuracy in studying the periodontitis prevalence, its extent and severity were the (FM)MB-B-DL, (FM)MB-DL, full-mouth at Mesiobuccal-Midbuccal-Distobuccal [(FM)MB-B-DB] sites, (FM)MB-DB, a total of 84 sites using random site selection method, and RHM. Based on a limited number of studies, estimating the associations with periodontitis using PRPs resulted in marginal bias.Dentistry, Faculty ofGraduat