The Effect of Electronic Flashcards on EFL Students' Vocabulary Learning: The Case of Saudi Arabia

This study aimed to investigate the effect of electronic flashcards on EFL vocabulary learning of preparatory-year female students at a  Saudi Arabia. It was conducted following the quantitative research methodology with a quasi-experimental design. Two groups were assigned: an experimental group who used electronic flashcards, and a control group who employed the traditional method of vocabulary learning. A pre-test and a post-test were administered in order to appraise their performance before and after the experiment. The results revealed that the post-test scores of students in the experimental group were significantly higher than their pre-test. Also, the results showed that electronic flashcards promoted students' vocabulary, causing a statistical significance in comparison to the control group. Based on these findings, this study was able to draw a number of implications and recommendation

The Effectiveness of Using Robots in a Computer Science Orientation Class

One goal of using robots in introductory computer science (CS) courses is to improve motivation among learners. In this study, we investigate the effectiveness of using the Cozmo and Lego Mindstorm robots to improve students’ motivation in a CS orientation course, and we describe our experience using these robots in the lab. To evaluate the effectiveness, we asked participants in pre- and post-surveys about their motivation to learn about CS and programming due to the robots, as well as follow-up questions about the different robots and their engagement in the class because of the robots. Even though our results show students significantly more motivated to use the robots to learn about CS and programming before taking the class, this might be due to the heavy use of the Lego Mindstorm, which students rated less motivating than the Cozmo. While the use of robots negatively impacted students’ motivation, their overall interests in CS and coding decrease similarly to students in a course without robots

The effect of thermal processing in oil on the macromolecular integrity and acrylamide formation from starch of three potato cultivars organically fertilized

Starches from three organically produced cultivars of potato tuber (Lady Rosetta, Spunta and Voyager) have been studied in relation to (i) acrylamide production (ii) macromolecular integrity after frying with extra virgin olive oil, soybean oil and corn oil. During cultivation, a treatment involving the combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization under organic farming was applied (N1, P2, K1 where Ν1 = 1.3 g Ν per plant, P2 = 5.2 g P2O5 per plant, Κ1 = 4.0 g K2O per plant). Potatoes fried in olive oil retained the highest glucose concentrations for all cultivars 0.85 ± 0.2 mmol/kg, followed by 0.48 ± 0.2 for those fried in corn oil and 0.40 ± 0.1 mmol/kg for those fried in soybean oil. The highest average fructose concentration was recorded for the samples fried in corn oil as 0.81 ± 0.2, followed by 0.80 ± 0.2 and 0.68 ± 0.3 mmol/kg for the samples fried in olive and soybean oils, respectively. Asparagine was the most abundant free amino acid in the three varieties tested, followed by glutamine and aspartic acid. The mean initial concentration of asparagine in raw potatoes tubers was 42.8 ± 1.6 mmoles kg−1 for Lady Rosetta, 34.6 ± 1.2 mmoles kg−1 (dry weight) for Spunta and 36.2 ± 2.0 mmoles kg−1 for Voyager. Lady Rosetta contained a significantly higher concentration of asparagine compared to the other two varieties (p < 0.05). The greatest quantity of acrylamide was observed in French fries derived from the potato variety Lady Rosetta when fried in soybean oil and it was 2,600 ± 440 μg/kg, followed by Spunta which was 2,280 ± 340 μg/kg and Voyager 1,120 ± 220 μg/kg. There is a significant reduction in the formation of acrylamide in the variety Voyager compared to the others (p = 0.05)

Role of Interventional Radiology in Management of Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common and potentially life-threatening condition that requires prompt and effective management. Interventional radiology has emerged as a valuable tool in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding, offering minimally invasive techniques that can rapidly control bleeding and improve patient outcomes. This review aims to provide an overview of the role of interventional radiology in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding, including its various techniques and their efficacy. The review discusses the different interventional radiology procedures that can be used to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal bleeding. It also highlights the advantages of techniques used in evaluation and management, including their ability to localize and control bleeding, as well as their low complication rates and shorter recovery times compared to traditional surgical approaches. Furthermore, the review addresses the specific indications for interventional radiology in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as the role of interventional radiology in the setting of underlying conditions. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the role of interventional radiology in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding, highlighting its effectiveness and potential benefits for patients. It also emphasizes the need for further research and collaboration between interventional radiologists and gastroenterologists to optimize the use of these techniques in clinical practice

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10&nbsp;years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37&nbsp;years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Genetic variation among Saudi tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) landraces studied using SDS-PAGE and SRAP markers

Genetic diversity among seven Saudi tomato landraces collected from different regions of the country was assessed using SDS-PAGE and molecular (sequence-related amplified polymorphism- SRAP) markers. A total of 19 alternative protein bands with different mobility rates were identified within a molecular weight range of 9.584–225 KDa, with 53% polymorphism. Specific protein bands were observed in the “Hail 548” and “Qatif 565” landraces. Genetic similarity based on Jaccard’s coefficient ranged from 0.53 to 1.00, with an average of 0.72. For molecular evaluation, 143 amplicons (fragments) were generated using 27 SRAP primer pair combinations, of which 88 were polymorphic across all the landraces. The PIC values ranged from 0.46 to 0.90, with an average of 0.76. All landraces showed an average of 0.66 similarity coefficient value. The UPGMA dendrogram supported by principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed clusters of the landraces that almost corresponded to their geographical origin. Thus, seed storage protein profiling based on SDS-PAGE and SRAP markers can efficiently be used to assess genetic variability among tomato germplasms. The information obtained in the analysis will be of great interest in the management of ex situ collections for utilization in breeding programs or for direct use in quality markets. Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum L., Landraces, SDS-PAGE, SRA

Knowledge of Saudi parents toward the emergency management of avulsed permanent teeth: A cross-sectional survey

Introduction: Traumatic dentoalveolar injuries are frequent in children, affecting teeth, their supporting structures, and adjacent soft tissues. Parents are among the first people to deal with tooth avulsion among children at home or at play. This study, therefore, aimed to examine parental knowledge and attitudes about avulsed permanent teeth and their emergency treatment in children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 274 parents of children receiving care at KKU College of Dentistry, Abha. Informed consent was obtained after explaining the nature of the study and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were entered in MS Excel Sheet, and descriptive statistics were obtained. Results: Sixty-one percent of the parents reported dental trauma at home or school. 67.2% were not aware of the steps to be taken in tooth avulsion. The percentage for the source of information for avulsed tooth was a dentist (38.8%) and the internet (34.5%). 73.8% were unaware of the fact that permanent avulsed tooth can be replanted. 56.3% parents said that they would discard the knocked out tooth. Regarding knowledge about traumatic dental injuries 43.9% said it is imperative to know about it. Conclusion: This survey reflected the lack of awareness and adequate knowledge regarding the avulsed tooth. There is an imperative need for educating the parents regarding management of avulsed tooth permanent tooth

Role of Serum Amyloid A as a Biomarker for Predicting the Severity and Prognosis of COVID-19

Objective. To detect biomarkers that can be used to predict COVID-19 severity to identify patients with high probability of disease progression and poor prognosis. Methods. Of the 102 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to King Fahd General Hospital, Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, from July 1, 2021 to August 5, 2021, 50 were included in this cross-sectional study to investigate the influence of serum amyloid A (SAA) on disease severity and survival outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Dynamic shifts in SAA, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), lymphocytes, neutrophils, biochemical markers, and disease progression were examined. At admission, and at three, five, and seven days after treatment, at least four data samples were collected from all patients, and they underwent clinical status assessments. Results. Critically ill patients showed higher SAA and CRP levels and WBC and neutrophil counts and significantly lower lymphocyte and eosinophil counts compared to the moderately/severely ill patients, especially with regard to disease progression. Similarly, nonsurvivors had higher SAA levels than survivors. The moderately/severely ill patients and the survivors had significantly higher dynamic changes in SAA compared to the critically ill patients and nonsurvivors, respectively, with differences clearly noticed on the fifth and seventh day of treatment. ROC curve analysis revealed that the combination of SAA and CRP was valuable in evaluating the disease progression and prognosis of COVID-19 patients at different time points; however, a combination of SAA and lymphocyte counts was more sensitive for disease severity prediction on admission. The most sensitive parameters for predicting survival on admission were the combination of SAA/WBC and SAA/neutrophil count. Conclusions. The study findings indicate that SAA can be used as a sensitive indicator to assess the degree of disease severity and survival outcomes of COVID-19 patients