Medical dental practitioners assessments of electronic dental record in primary health care in Kuwait

BACKGROUND: The adopting of electronic patient records can improve healthcare quality and efficiency, including in dentistry. Doctors understanding are important for the successful implementation of such systems into routine use. AIM OF THE STUDY: The study objective was to assess the dentists prospective about electronic dental records. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For this cross-sectional national survey, 300 self-administered questionnaires were distributed to dentists working at randomly selected primary-health centers in the five healthcare regions of Kuwait during November (2016) and March (2017). We received 247 completed questionnaires (82% response rate). This study collected sociodemographic data and responses on Likert scales to 44 statements on the benefits, features and functionality of electronic records, accessing and sharing, as well as obstacles preventing their use and practitioners' resistance. RESULTS: Participants responded very positively, particularly on issues such as the storage of radiographic images (85% agreed) and records (89%), sharing patient records with other dentists (96%), and the potential for improving medical histories (98%). The main obstacles to uptake identified were software/hardware issues (57%) and the need for technical training (55%) and maintenance (65%). There was some regional variation in positive responses. CONCLUSIONS: Kuwaiti medical dental practitioners recognize the need for electronic patient records to optimize the quality of patient care. They generally have positive attitudes towards electronic records, and most agree that accessing and sharing them with other healthcare providers is useful. They identified several obstacles to uptake, such as the need for technical support and training. Our findings indicate a context supportive of the widespread adoption of electronic dental records in Kuwait

Physicians' Perceptions of Electronic Prescribing with an Electronic Medical Record in Kuwait Primary Healthcare Centers

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate physicians’ perceptions of electronic prescribing in Kuwaiti primary healthcare centres. // METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2017 among 368 physicians from 25 primary healthcare centres in Kuwait. Data were collected from the participants using a self-reported questionnaire, including sociodemographic characteristics, previous experience with computers and awareness, knowledge and use of e-prescribing systems and their functional features. In addition, perceptions of the benefits and levels of satisfaction associated with e-prescribing were explored. // RESULTS: A total of 306 physicians completed the survey (response rate: 83%). The majority had positive perceptions regarding the use of e-prescribing, particularly in terms of time-savings (86%), healthcare quality (84%), productivity (80%) and clinical workflow and efficiency (83%). However, many respondents indicated that e-prescribing systems required additional improvements in terms of functionality. // CONCLUSION: Most physicians in primary healthcare centres in Kuwait recognised the importance of e-prescribing to improve the quality of patient care, streamline workflow, increase productivity and reduce medical errors. However, there is a need to improve the design and infrastructure of e-prescribing systems, which may aid in the adoption of such systems in Kuwait

Processing and Properties of Bar-Shaped Single-Seeded and Multi-Seeded YBCO Bulk Superconductors by a Top-Seeded Melt Growth Technique

© 2016 The Author(s)The fabrication of (RE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors, where RE is a rare-earth element such as Y, Gd and Sm, is both time consuming and expensive due to the complexity of the melt process and the slow growth rate of large, single grains. In this study, different approaches to the fabrication of bar-shaped, bulk YBCO superconductors are investigated and compared using single- and multiple-seeding techniques via top-seeded melt growth (TSMG). Both the microstructural and superconducting properties of the bulk samples are investigated, including trapped field, critical current density, critical temperature and levitation force. The results of this study indicate that, in general, the superconducting properties of YBCO fabricated by a single-seeded process are significantly better than those of samples fabricated by a four-seeded process for non-bridge seeds. The differences between the samples are less pronounced in the levitation force measurements, however. In this paper, we attempt to explain the reasons for the similarities and differences observed between bulk samples fabricated by the different single- and multi-seeded processes.This work was supported by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)

Prevalence and outcomes of Guillain-Barré syndrome among pediatrics in Saudi Arabia: a 10-year retrospective study

Safiyyah Asiri,1 Waleed A Altwaijri,1,2 Duaa Ba-Armah,1 Ahmed Al Rumayyan,1,2 Muhammad T Alrifai,1,2 Mahmoud Salam,3 Adel F Almutairi3 1Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Department, King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Science and Technology Unit, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a progressive acute form of paralysis most probably secondary to an immune-mediated process. GBS among Saudis has been seldom investigated, which leaves both clinicians and researchers with scarcity in knowledge. Therefore, this study aims to assess the prevalence and clinical prognosis of GBS among pediatrics admitted with acute paralysis at a large healthcare facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective study reviewed patients’ medical records between 2005 and 2015. Eligible cases were children (<14 years old) admitted to the hospital complaining of acute paralysis and later diagnosed with one form or variant of GBS. Pearson’s chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, and binary logistic regression were employed to analyze the collected data. Results: The prevalence of GBS was 49%. The male-to-female ratio was 1.45:1. The mean ± standard deviation age was 7±3.7 years. There were 34 (69.4%) cases with progression to maximum paralysis in ≤2 weeks, while 15 (30.6%) cases occurred beyond 2 weeks. Males (n=24, 82.8%) were more likely to endure progression to maximum paralysis in ≤2 weeks after the disease onset, compared to females (n=10, 50%), P=0.014. All cases complaining of respiratory problems exhibited a progression to maximum paralysis in ≤2 weeks, compared to those with no respiratory problems, P=0.027. Residual paralysis at 60 days post disease onset was highly associated with GBS patients of age 8–14 years (n=15, 65.2%), compared to younger patients (n=8, 30.8%), P=0.016. Patients admitted in colder seasons (n=14, 63.6%) were more likely to suffer residual paralysis too, compared to those in warmer seasons (n=9, 33.3%), P=0.035. GBS cases who complained of facial weakness (n=9, 75%) and ocular abnormalities (n=10, 71.4%) were also more likely to endure residual paralysis at 60 days post disease onset, P=0.025 and P=0.03, respectively. Conclusion: Male gender could be a determinant of rapid progression to maximum paralysis, while the older age group in pediatrics is expected to endure residual paralysis at 60 days post disease onset. GBS can be accounted as a rare disease, especially in pediatrics, so confirmed cases should be investigated comprehensively for research purposes. Keywords: GBS, factors, prognosis, residual, paralysis, neur

Processing and Properties of Bar-Shaped Single-Seeded and Multi-Seeded YBCO Bulk Superconductors by a Top-Seeded Melt Growth Technique

© 2016 The Author(s)The fabrication of (RE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors, where RE is a rare-earth element such as Y, Gd and Sm, is both time consuming and expensive due to the complexity of the melt process and the slow growth rate of large, single grains. In this study, different approaches to the fabrication of bar-shaped, bulk YBCO superconductors are investigated and compared using single- and multiple-seeding techniques via top-seeded melt growth (TSMG). Both the microstructural and superconducting properties of the bulk samples are investigated, including trapped field, critical current density, critical temperature and levitation force. The results of this study indicate that, in general, the superconducting properties of YBCO fabricated by a single-seeded process are significantly better than those of samples fabricated by a four-seeded process for non-bridge seeds. The differences between the samples are less pronounced in the levitation force measurements, however. In this paper, we attempt to explain the reasons for the similarities and differences observed between bulk samples fabricated by the different single- and multi-seeded processes

Data supporting ''Processing and Properties of Bar-shaped Single-seeded and Multi-seeded YBCO Bulk Superconductors by a Top Seeded Melt Growth Technique''

Data supporting the publication. The enclosed data set contains raw data connected with magnetization measurements, trapped field properties and levitation data

Data supporting ''Processing and Properties of Bar-shaped Single-seeded and Multi-seeded YBCO Bulk Superconductors by a Top Seeded Melt Growth Technique''

Data supporting the publication. The enclosed data set contains raw data connected with magnetization measurements, trapped field properties and levitation data

How products are evaluated? Evaluation in customer review texts

This study, drawing on insights from the Appraisal framework, the parameter-based approach to evaluation and corpus linguistics, investigates the evaluative language used in customer review texts. The primary goal of this investigation is to develop a framework of evaluation that can be used to account adequately for evaluative expressions in customer review texts, and the ultimate goal is to support the argument that the modelling and theorising of evaluation is context-specific. Based on the investigation into a corpus compiled of review texts retrieved from www.amazon.co.uk, this study proposes a data-driven, parameter-based and appraisal-informed framework of evaluation which comprises four parameters—Quality, Satisfactoriness, Recommendability and Worthiness. Since these parameters are not thought-up, but are generalised from real data, it is arguable that the proposed framework of evaluation is certainly valid and thus can be used to describe and analyse evaluative language used in this particular context. This in turn indicates that the description and theorising of evaluation is indeed highly dependent on the discourse type that is under examination