Report of Bufo tihamicus karyotype from Saudi Arabia

This study gives a description of the Karyotype of the Tihama toad Bufo tihamicus from Saudi Arabia. Samples of males and females of Bufo tihamicus Parker were collected from Gazan Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The karyotype consists of a diploid number 2n = 22 and the fundamental number NF = 44 in both of the sexes. No heteromorphism in relation to sex chromosome pair was found.Keywords: Amphibian, karyotype, chromosome, Bufo tihamicusAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(16), pp. 2120-212

Knowledge and Attitude of Saudi Arabian School Teachers with Regards to Emergency Management of Dental Trauma

Injury to both the primary and the permanent dentitions and their supporting structures is one of the most common dental problems seen in children.  School is one of the locations with greatest prevalence of occurrence of traumatic dental injuries.  School teachers play important role in prevention of dental trauma and improving its prognosis. The present study was undertaken to assess knowledge and attitudes regarding emergency management of dental trauma, first aid for avulsed tooth and influence of dental education among school teachers in Abha city. METHODS: The participants were 100 school teachers from Abha city and were interviewed using a questionnaire regarding management of dental trauma.  The completed proformas was collected and the result was statistically analyzed to know the knowledge and attitudes regarding emergency management of dental trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of school staff had little knowledge related to handling of traumatic dental injuries and emergency management of avulsed permanent teeth in school children. Majority of school teachers were eager to have knowledge regarding dental trauma through continues dental education programs and workshops.  First aid training increases knowledge about dental trauma and should be included in the course curriculum of teachers training program

Determination of putative virulence factors among clinical isolates of enterococci isolated from a military hospital in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

Background: The pathogenic potential of enterococci to produce life-threatening infections is well-documented. The scientific community has, of late, evinced a renewed interest in the putative virulence factors of enterococci. Objective of the study was to determine the putative virulence factors of clinically isolated Enterococcus species from a military hospital and to describe the association between virulence factors and vancomycin susceptibility.Methods: A total of 245 enterococci were isolated from clinical samples collected from KFMMC, a leading military hospital in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Following species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the Vitek 2 system; the isolates were tested for the production of caseinase, gelatinase, biofilm, and presence of haemolysin.Results: Among the enterococcal isolates, 36.7% produced caseinase, 38% produced gelatinase, 24.1% exhibited biofilm formation, and 30.6% were positive for haemolytic activity. A significant association between vancomycin susceptibility patterns and the virulence factors, gelatinase and haemolytic activity, were noted. No significant associations were observed between vancomycin susceptibility patterns and the presence of caseinase or the formation of biofilms.Conclusions: Virulence factors are invariably produced by several clinical isolates of enterococci in our hospital, and some virulence factors are associated with vancomycin susceptibility

Divorce and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease: A Multicenter Study

The association between marital status and coronary artery disease (CAD) is supported by numerous epidemiological studies. While divorce may have an adverse effect on cardiac outcomes, the relationship between divorce and severe CAD is unclear. We conducted a multicenter, observational study of consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography during the period between April 1, 2013, and March 30, 2014. Of 1,068 patients, 124 (12%) were divorced. Divorce was more frequent among women (27%) compared to men (6%). Most divorced patients had been divorced only once (49%), but a subset had been divorced 2 (38%) or ≥3 (12%) times. After adjusting for baseline differences, there was no significant association between divorce and severe CAD in men. In women, there was a significant adjusted association between divorce and severe MVD (OR 2.31 [1.16, 4.59]) or LMD (OR 5.91 [2.19, 15.99]). The modification of the association between divorce and severe CAD by gender was statistically significant for severe LMD (Pinteraction 0.0008) and marginally significant for CAD (Pinteraction 0.05). Among women, there was a significant adjusted association between number of divorces and severe CAD (OR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 4.5]), MVD (OR 2.0 [95% CI 1.4, 3.0]), and LMD (OR 3.4 [95% CI 1.9, 5.9]). In conclusion, divorce, particularly multiple divorces, is associated with severe CAD, MVD, and LMD in women but not in men

The need for national medical licensing examination in Saudi Arabia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medical education in Saudi Arabia is facing multiple challenges, including the rapid increase in the number of medical schools over a short period of time, the influx of foreign medical graduates to work in Saudi Arabia, the award of scholarships to hundreds of students to study medicine in various countries, and the absence of published national guidelines for minimal acceptable competencies of a medical graduate.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We are arguing for the need for a Saudi national medical licensing examination that consists of two parts: Part I (Written) which tests the basic science and clinical knowledge and Part II (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) which tests the clinical skills and attitudes. We propose this examination to be mandated as a licensure requirement for practicing medicine in Saudi Arabia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The driving and hindering forces as well as the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the licensing examination are discussed in details in this debate.</p

Social Mobile Devices as Tools for Qualitative Research in Education: iPhones and iPads in Ethnography, Interviewing, and Design-Based Research

This paper’s focus is on the development of research methodologies to investigate learning in higher education. These methodologies have made use of Social Mobile Devices (SMD) for data collection, a relativity new concept in qualitative research. The paper provides examples of practice linked with discussions from the Learning Without Frontiers Conference 2011 (LWF 2011) around the constraints, affordances, and ethical issues inherent in the use of SMDs for research. While the researchers used Apple iPhones and Apple iPads, this should not limit the applicability of the paper to other devices. It is hoped that this paper will aid the development of these tools for research purposes in the future through wider discussion, use, and dissemination. Technological development of SMDs continues unabated, hence developing methodologies around their use is an important task that will enable researchers to take advantage of the future applications they provide, whilst being aware of their impact upon the research process

Transforming English Language Education in Saudi Arabia: Why Does Technology Matter?

Several studies have discussed the potential of reforming the Saudi educational system in line with Vision 2030 announced in 2016. While some studies highlighted factors that can make transformation successful, reviewed studies proposed future plans on how educational reform can take place, i.e., studies that investigated the Vision’s educational opportunities are mostly proposals, meaning that no experimental research has yet been conducted on the actual learning practice, particularly with English education and the incorporation of technology into learning. Thus, the current longitudinal study is an attempt to investigate English language teachers’ perceptions of and attitudes about the Vision and whether they have experienced any remarkable educational changes in their own behavior and teaching practices. The study was conducted with 15 female in-service English language teachers. Data was collected in two phases to reveal any change in teachers perceptions over time. The study concluded that almost all participants held positive attitudes toward Vision 2030. However, there was not a correlation between teachers' perceptions and actual teaching experience in terms of pedagogical and technological perceptions and the Vision's implications

Design-based research: a tool to generate and refine instructional design principles for mobile language learning

Given that mobile learning does not rely on a specific learning theory, it needs a theoretically established paradigm that can be effectively employed for mobile language learning. This study used a design-based research approach to test, extend, and redefine generic mobile learning design principles for mobile language learning. Current design principles of mobile learning were conceptualized and then employed in natural contexts to test their ecological validity, and a new framework was generated for conceptualizing instructional design principles for mobile language learning. The research design utilized iterative reflections and feedback from language learners to inform two iterations of mobile language learning designs. Throughout the two iterations, students and their teacher experienced the implementation of mobile instructional design principles into their learning task, reflected on their experience of implementation, and provided feedback to make adjustments to the design principles. Both students and the teacher collaborated on the design via face-to-face in-class discussions and outside class using Facebook and mobile phones. Students' reflections and feedback were obtained through pre-task, during-task, and post-task focus-group interviews; stimulated recall sessions; and the analysis of students' Facebook interactions. The study illustrated the benefits of contextualizing language learning using mobile phones and Facebook. In addition, it provided a deeper understanding of mobile instructional design and evidence, feedback, and guidance for both language teachers and mobile instructional designers