The Extent of Comprehension and Knowledge with Respect to Digital Citizenship Among Middle Eastern and US students at UNC

Digital technologies have revolutionized the way people acquire information and gain new knowledge. With a click or touch on the screen, anybody who is online can sail in the digital world and accomplish many things.  As such, the optimal use of information and communication technology involves user comprehension, knowledge, and awareness of positive digital citizenship.  The purpose of this study was to examine the scope of knowledge and understanding about digital citizenship among Middle Eastern and US students at the University of Northern Colorado. It also examines the difference among Middle Eastern and US students at the University of Northern Colorado in three categories: respect, education and protection. The study was based on a questionnaire that was distributed to 51 students at the University of Northern Colorado. The result reveals that there was not a significant difference between Middle Eastern and US students at the University of Northern Colorado in term of digital citizenship awareness. This study recommends examining other variables that may affect on digital citizenship. Keywords: Digital citizenship, awareness, respect, educate, protect, Middle East.

Acute Appendicitis among Saudi and Non-Saudi Patients: A Cross-Sectional Based Study

Objective: We conduct this study to discuss the differences between Saudi and non- Saudi patients with acute appendicitis.Background: Acute appendicitis is one of emergency surgeries in developing and developed countries. Its symptoms are vomiting, lower abdominal pain and decreased appetite. Appendicitis needs urgent surgical prouder to avoid its perforation and associated complications which may lead to death. Method: We conduct cross-sectional based study in one of khamis Mushayt, Saudi Araba. 136 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis were included and their medical records were reviewed after getting their informed consent.Results: We included 136 patients, 90 were non-Saudi and 46 were Saudi. There were no statistically differences in their diagnosis but the distribution of the diagnosis was different.Conclusion: Acute appendicitis was more prevalent among non-Saudi patients, the diagnosis between both was with no significant differences. Keywords: acute appendicitis, Saudi, non-Saudi, diagnosis, cross-sectional, Saudi Arabia and khamis Mushayt

Patient perception and attitudes toward magnetic resonance imaging safety

BackgroundMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners use strong, static and fast magnetic fields to form images. Due to rapid developments in MRI technology, several accidents have been recorded in hospitals worldwide as a result of insufficient knowledge about the dangers of MRI on the part of the patient or a failure to follow safety guidelines. This study evaluates patients’ perception and attitudes about MRI safety.AimsThis is a cross sectional study to evaluate the perception and attitudes of patients regarding MRI safety procedures.MethodsA 21 items questionnaire was collected from 119 patients in the MRI waiting area before the commencement of examination. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 22.0, IBM Corp, Armonk, New York). The odds (OR) and 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) were used for analysis, the level of significance was set at p=0.05 using Chi-Square test to evaluate the relationship among the variables in the questionnaire.ResultsThe responses were collected from the patients and their relatives (46 male (38.6 per cent) and 73 female (61.4 per cent)). Approximately 71 per cent of the participants have already read or heard about MRI and the related safety aspects. 76 per cent of overall participants stated that they are aware of the need for preparation before an MRI exam with more awareness of MRI safety issues among younger patients (88 per cent). In this instance, females showed a higher level of knowledge (26 per cent) compared to males (11 per cent) with p=0.035.ConclusionPatients reported insufficient information about MRI safety which may increase the potential for accidents

The impact of qat (Catha edulis Forsk) chewing frequency on status of chronic periodontitis

Background: Chronic periodontitis occurs due to the reaction between bacterial components of dental plaque and the humoral and cellular host immune productions, such as cytokines and inflammatory mediators. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of qat (Catha edulis Forsk) chewing frequency on the status of chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 patients with chronic periodontitis were selected for this study and they were divided on the basis of qat chewing habits frequency into three equal groups, i.e., non qat chewing group (control group), qat chewing once daily and qat chewing twice daily. Plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), and Clinical attachment loss (CAL) were recorded. Gingival biopsies were obtained from selected site for assessing histopathological changes. The data were collect and analyzed by ANOVA test. Results: There were significant differences in PLI, GI, and CAL between qat chewing patients groups compared to non qat chewing patients group (control group). Histopathological study showed increased inflammatory cells in qat chewing patients groups compared to non chewing patients group. Conclusion: There was increased severity of chronic periodontitis with increased frequency of qat chewing habit daily there is a significance differences in clinical and histopathological findings between the patients in Group II and Group III (study groups) compared to Group I (control group). Clinical Significance: The current study reveal that the severity of chronic periodontitis may be increased with increased qat chewing frequency due to its traumatic effect on periodontal tissues

Impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota – a case-control study.

Oral microbiota is a vital part of human microbiota, including bacterial, protozoa, viral and fungal species. Beneficial microbes form biofilms to form a first-line defense against harmful microorganisms. Tobacco smoking is considered a major environmental factor affecting the orodental microbiota. Smokers harbor more pathogenic microbes than non-smokers. In fact, cigarette smoking exposes the oral cavity to a large number of toxicants, perturbing the oral microbial ecology through various mechanisms. In Saudi Arabia, research on the impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota is still lacking. Therefore, this case-control study is an important addition to the literature in terms of tobacco use and its effects on oral microbiota and oral hygiene. 130 men were recruited for this study, including 65 smokers and 65 non-smokers. The following parameters were recorded for all 130 participants – age, weight, height and education. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of tobacco smoking on the oral microbiome of smokers and non-smokers. The majority of the smokers were young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 inclusive (n=27). The results show that excessive microorganism growth was seen in smokers to a greater degree than non-smokers (38.5% of smokers vs. 8.8% of non-smokers). Not surprisingly, a significant majority (85.3%) of non-smokers had moderate microorganism growth compared to only 53.8% of smokers. cigarette smoking facilitates excessive growth of oral microorganisms, predisposing smokers to various periodontal diseases. In fact, smoking perturbs the balance of oral microbiota, producing a viable environment for microbes to cause diseases. Further large scale prospective studies are required to determine the exact mechanism that causes tobacco to affect oral microbiota

Impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota – a case-control study.

Oral microbiota is a vital part of human microbiota, including bacterial, protozoa, viral and fungal species. Beneficial microbes form biofilms to form a first-line defense against harmful microorganisms. Tobacco smoking is considered a major environmental factor affecting the orodental microbiota. Smokers harbor more pathogenic microbes than non-smokers. In fact, cigarette smoking exposes the oral cavity to a large number of toxicants, perturbing the oral microbial ecology through various mechanisms. In Saudi Arabia, research on the impact of tobacco smoking on oral microbiota is still lacking. Therefore, this case-control study is an important addition to the literature in terms of tobacco use and its effects on oral microbiota and oral hygiene. 130 men were recruited for this study, including 65 smokers and 65 non-smokers. The following parameters were recorded for all 130 participants – age, weight, height and education. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of tobacco smoking on the oral microbiome of smokers and non-smokers. The majority of the smokers were young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 inclusive (n=27). The results show that excessive microorganism growth was seen in smokers to a greater degree than non-smokers (38.5% of smokers vs. 8.8% of non-smokers). Not surprisingly, a significant majority (85.3%) of non-smokers had moderate microorganism growth compared to only 53.8% of smokers. cigarette smoking facilitates excessive growth of oral microorganisms, predisposing smokers to various periodontal diseases. In fact, smoking perturbs the balance of oral microbiota, producing a viable environment for microbes to cause diseases. Further large scale prospective studies are required to determine the exact mechanism that causes tobacco to affect oral microbiota

The Influence Of Ethical Leadership On Employee Behavior: A Systematic Review

Background: The research was carried out to understand the influence of ethical leadership practices which affect employee behavior in the workplace that ultimately leads to employee performance and organizational productivity. Aim: The purpose of the systematic review is to carefully analyze the existing literature on ethical leadership that directly influence employee behavior. Method: A systematic search of databases including PubMed and google scholar was conducted to identify relevant studies published between 2015-2023. The inclusion criteria for this study consisted of selecting articles written in English that specially examined ethical leadership and employee behavior in the healthcare sector. Additionally, the chosen articles had to use well-established scales for measurement and provide valuable data on ethical leadership which affect employee behavior in the workplace. After initial screening and quality assessment, ten studies were included in the synthesis. Results: It revealed a consistent pattern of ethical leadership practices which are affecting employee behavior. Job Performance, Job satisfaction, and Burnout which are the key factors in the workplace are found to be dependent and influenced by ethical leadership. Ethical leadership practices were identified as crucial factors in mitigating and fostering a positive and productive work environment and efficient workforce. Conclusion: The review underscores the importance of promoting ethical leadership to develop and promote employee performance in hospital settings. The research concluded that ethical leadership in the workplace plays a vital role to overcome workplace issues