Post-operative adhesions present a number of difficulties, including intestinal obstruction and i... more Post-operative adhesions present a number of difficulties, including intestinal obstruction and infertility, and they frequently require readmission due to adhesion-related problems. Notwithstanding these ramifications, there are surprisingly few thorough national surveys that address surgeons' awareness of adhesives. By assessing Saudi surgeons' knowledge of post-operative adhesions and their use of antiadhesive medications, this study aims to close this knowledge gap. Methods This study is a cross-sectional observational research study aimed at Saudi Arabian surgeons utilizing a selfadministered, semi-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to participants via social media and in-person email using basic random selection. It included adhesion morbidity and prevalence, pre-operative informed consent issues, adhesion preventive viewpoints, and anti-adhesive chemical use. Results There were 111 participants in total, of 41% were experienced surgeons with more than five years of experience. According to the survey, the majority of surgeons occasionally employed anti-adhesive compounds, especially during laparotomies (28%), and 38% never used them during laparoscopies. The study found that participants varied in what they informed patients regarding adhesion complications: 25% of participants informed 5%-10% of the patients about the possible adhesion complications in laparotomy procedures, whereas 26% of participants informed 10-25% of the patients in laparoscopic procedures. Compared with their specialist peers, general surgeons agreed more on the clinical significance of adhesions and prevention. Notably, three-quarters of participants were unclear about when to use anti-adhesive compounds. Conclusion While acknowledging the clinical significance of post-operative adhesions and recognizing the potential for prevention, most surveyed surgeons did not include adhesions as a post-operative complication in informed consent. The study underscores a belief in the efficacy of anti-adhesives yet reveals a widespread lack of clarity regarding specific indications for their use. Recommendations include implementing educational sessions during surgical training to heighten awareness of adhesions as a major post-operative complication and to encourage the appropriate utilization of available barriers and pharmacological anti-adhesive products.
Background Thyroid disorders are caused either by excessive or inadequate thyroid hormone product... more Background Thyroid disorders are caused either by excessive or inadequate thyroid hormone production or by the enlargement of the thyroid gland. Various types of thyroid disorders exist, including primary (related directly to the gland itself), secondary (related to thyroid function), and other types. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of thyroid disease manifestation and its risk factors among individuals living in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Methodology An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults living in Tabuk city of Saudi Arabia aged 18 years or above. Data was collected using an electronic questionnaire through a simple random sampling method. Data was then coded, entered, and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results A total of 403 participants were enrolled in this study. More than half (n=265, 65.8%) were females, and 188 (46.7%) were in the age group of 18-35 years. The educational level of the majority of them was a bachelor's degree (n=296, 73.4%). Hypothyroidism was the most common thyroid disorder among family members (n=51, 62.4%). Inadequate iodine intake was thought to be a risk factor for thyroid disorders, as mentioned by 276 (68.5%) participants. Exact 284 (70.5%) participants believed that females are more at risk of having thyroid disease. The mean total knowledge score was found to be 25.1±4.48 out of a total of 34. Exact 216 (53.6%) participants had good knowledge about thyroid disorders. The female gender had significantly higher levels of knowledge as compared to males (p-value=0.002) regarding the manifestation and risk factors of thyroid disorders. In terms of educational level, a bachelor's or above was found to be significantly associated with a higher level of knowledge (p-value=0.003). Conclusion A good level of knowledge and awareness about thyroid disorders was observed among more than half of the participants. Few knowledge gaps were identified regarding knowledge about symptoms of hypothyroidism and certain medications which might cause thyroid disorders.
Neuropathic pain, which affects 7%-10% of the general population, is caused by a lesion or diseas... more Neuropathic pain, which affects 7%-10% of the general population, is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system, which includes peripheral fibers and central neurons. There are numerous known causes of neuropathic pain, and as the world's population ages, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus rises, and cancer patients are more likely to survive postchemotherapy. Its occurrence is projected to rise. The intricacy of neuropathic symptoms, adverse outcomes, and challenging treatment choices all appear to contribute to the burden of chronic neuropathic pain. Crucially, neuropathic pain patients have a lower quality of life due to a higher need for prescription drugs, more frequent visits to the physician, the morbidity from the pain itself, and the underlying disease. The most effective strategy to treat neuropathic pain would employ the right combination of pharmacological and nonpharmacologic therapy. As first-line treatments, gabapentinoids, tricyclic antidepressants, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are advised while tramadol and opioids are regarded as second-line therapy. Because there are currently insufficient high-quality trials, cannabinoids are advised as third-line treatments, and methadone and some anticonvulsants are suggested as fourth-line therapies. In cases of failure of pharmacological therapy or other special considerations, neuromodulation therapy is suggested, which involves deep brain stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and transcranial current stimulation and is broadly categorized under invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation procedures. In this study, we aim to comprehensively review the existing management strategies for neuropathic pain, specifically in the context of pharmacological, neuromodulation, and quality of life domains.
Background: Dental students in Saudi Arabia are authorized to write prescriptions for antibiotics... more Background: Dental students in Saudi Arabia are authorized to write prescriptions for antibiotics during practical training. Adverse side effects and resistance could result from inappropriate prescription. Accordingly, there is a need to evaluate the knowledge of dental students regarding guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitude toward guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription among dental students and interns at multiple universities in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental students in their final clinical years (4th to 6th year) and dental interns. The study data were collected using a valid and reliable structured questionnaire comprising three domains: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) knowledge, and 3) attitude toward antibiotic prescription for dental and systemic conditions. The data were analyzed and presented as frequency percentages, and the chi-square test was used to compare the knowledge and attitude items between the dental students and interns. The statistical significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: A total of 248 participants (women: 55.6%, men: 44.4%) were included in the study. Approximately 21.8% were 4th year students; 17.7%, 5th year students; 12.9%, 6th year students; and 47.6%, interns. For most items, the knowledge level was relatively high, and the attitude was generally positive among the participants. Approximately, 87.1% had good knowledge about current guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis, 83.9% about antibiotic prescription, and 95.2% about antibiotic resistance. The interns showed significantly higher knowledge levels and favorable attitude, particularly for guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription and correct use of antibiotics for oral cases, than did the students. Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic among the participants. Conclusion: The interns and 6th-year students demonstrated a relatively high knowledge level and positive attitude toward appropriate antibiotic prescriptions. However, deficiencies were observed among the students in their early clinical years, particularly for systemic conditions. These findings highlight the importance of implementing educational campaigns and providing guidelines to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics among dental students in their final clinical years.
Down syndrome is the most common inherited chromosomal disorder caused by trisomy 21. Atlantoaxia... more Down syndrome is the most common inherited chromosomal disorder caused by trisomy 21. Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) is more common in children with Down syndrome, resulting from ligament laxity and odontoid dysplasia. We report the case of a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome submental. She came to the ER with a history of abnormal gait for one week and was admitted with a case of ataxia for investigations. Moreover, we discovered that she had atlantoaxial subluxation, which was treated surgically.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Recent advancements in dental technology, such as magnification devices like loupes and surgical ... more Recent advancements in dental technology, such as magnification devices like loupes and surgical microscopes, have greatly improved the accuracy and quality of root canal treatments. Dental operating microscopes (DOMs) have become widely accepted in endodontics, providing enhanced visualization and facilitating precise identification of anatomical landmarks, root canal orifices, and pulp remnants. The increased magnification and illumination offered by DOMs have improved treatment outcomes by enabling more efficient removal of bacteria, debris, and obturation materials from the root canal system. Studies have shown that the use of DOMs can significantly increase the success rates of endodontic treatments, allowing for the identification and treatment of even the smallest canals and anatomical variations. Additionally, DOMs enhance ergonomics, patient communication, and documentation in dental practice. However, challenges such as cost and limited office space hinder their widespread...
Background Nomophobia is a psychological condition caused by a fear of disconnecting from others ... more Background Nomophobia is a psychological condition caused by a fear of disconnecting from others through mobile phones. Aim This study aims to determine the prevalence of and predictors of nomophobia and anxiety symptoms among the general population in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Methods This study was an observational cross-sectional study using a web-based online survey distributed in two middle eastern countries (Saudi Arabia and Jordan) between Jun 24 and Jul 20, 2021. A convenience sample was used to recruit the study participants. Categorical variables were identified as frequencies and percentages. In addition, a binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with nomophobia symptoms. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software, version 27 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA), analyzed the data. Results A total of 5,191 responded to the online survey. Around (26.5%) reported that they suffer from an anxiety problem or use a treatment for a...
Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Existing assistive technologies (AT) often fail to support the unique needs of blind and visually... more Existing assistive technologies (AT) often fail to support the unique needs of blind and visually impaired (BVI) people. Thus, BVI people have become domain experts in customizing and 'hacking' AT, creatively suiting their needs. We aim to understand this behavior in depth, and how BVI people envision creating future DIY personalized AT. We conducted a multi-part qualitative study with 12 blind participants: an interview on unique uses of AT, a two-week diary study to log use cases, and a scenario-based design session to imagine creating future technologies. We found that participants work to design new AT both implicitly through creative use cases, and explicitly through regular ideation and development. Participants envisioned creating a variety of new technologies, and we summarize expected benefts and concerns of using a DIY technology approach. From our results, we present design considerations for future DIY technology systems to support existing customization and 'hacking' behaviors. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Accessibility; Empirical studies in accessibility; • Social and professional topics → People with disabilities.
Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Workplaces around the globe are beginning to rapidly adopt hybrid meetings to conduct, plan, and ... more Workplaces around the globe are beginning to rapidly adopt hybrid meetings to conduct, plan, and organize their work. While previous literature explores the benefts and drawbacks of hybrid meetings, the experiences of professionals with disabilities are largely missing. With an orientation towards an accessible future of work, we interviewed 21 professionals with disabilities to unpack the accessibility barriers, opportunities, and conficts of hybrid meetings. We highlight the creative ways professionals with disabilities developed workarounds and repairs to these accessibility tensions. Our paper expands the understanding of accessibility in hybrid meetings by identifying how the visibility of access labor may be afected by being in the room together with other colleagues or joining remotely. We also observed how hybrid confgurations can require navigating accessibility conficts specifc to the location site of each participant. Building from our analysis, we ofer practical suggestions and design directions to make hybrid meetings accessible. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in accessibility.
International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications
Fossil fuels, including oil, are the most important sources of energy. They are commonly used in ... more Fossil fuels, including oil, are the most important sources of energy. They are commonly used in various forms of commercial and industrial consumption. Producing oil is a complex task that requires special management and planning. This can result in a serious problem if the oil well is not operated properly. Oil engineers must have the necessary knowledge about the well's status to perform their duties properly. This study proposes a linear regression method to predicate the oil production value. It takes into account various independent variables, such as the pressure, downhole temperature, and pressure tubing. The proposed method can accurately reach a very close prediction of the actual production value by achieving very interesting results at the end of this study.
Introduction Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies is well reported in the literature and ... more Introduction Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies is well reported in the literature and accepted by the western and other non-Muslim communities, but Muslim communities' perception is poorly reported and rarely mentioned. This study aims to evaluate the perception of the Saudi community on abortion decisions as a management option in congenital fetal anomalies. Methods This is an observational, descriptive cross-sectional study, where participants of Saudi nationality, living in Jeddah, and consenting to participate in the research filled up a self-administrated, structured, close-ended, validated questionnaire. The level of agreement was measured on a Likert scale. Results A total of 574 participants were included in the study; 43.3% were female. The mean age of the participants was 30.3 years (SD = 10.6). Undergraduate students were 58.9%, single participants were 56.3%, and participants without children were 61.3%. The prevalence of abortion was 17.9%. The overall agreement on accepting abortion as an option was 61%. Gender (p<0.001), knowledge level (p=0.003), and religion (p=0.01) were the most important factors that influenced people's perception of abortion. Other factors like participants' age (p=0.09), level of education (p=0.48), marital status (p=0.16), having children (p=0.48), and gender of the fetus (p=0.2) were not significant factors in their decision to choose abortion. Conclusion Overall, Saudis were more inclined to accept abortion in case of a confirmed congenital anomaly, yet females were more accepting of the idea than males.
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Blind and low vision people use visual description services (VDS) to gain visual interpretation a... more Blind and low vision people use visual description services (VDS) to gain visual interpretation and build access in a world that privileges sight. Despite their many benefits, VDS have many harmful privacy and security implications. As a result, researchers are suggesting, exploring, and building obfuscation systems that detect and obscure private or sensitive materials. However, as obfuscation depends largely on sight to interpret outcomes, it is unknown whether Blind and low vision people would find such approaches useful. Our work aims to center the perspectives and opinions of Blind and low vision people on the potential of obfuscation to address privacy concerns in VDS. By reporting on interviews with 20 Blind and low vision people who use VDS, our findings reveal that popular research trends in obfuscation fail to capture the needs of Blind and low vision people. While obfuscation might be helpful in gaining more control, tensions around obfuscation misrecognition and confirma...
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Social media platforms aspire to create online experiences where users can participate safely and... more Social media platforms aspire to create online experiences where users can participate safely and equitably. However, women around the world experience widespread online harassment, including insults, stalking, aggression, threats, and non-consensual sharing of sexual photos. This article describes women's perceptions of harm associated with online harassment and preferred platform responses to that harm. We conducted a survey in 14 geographic regions around the world (N = 3,993), focusing on regions whose perspectives have been insufficiently elevated in social media governance decisions (e.g. Mongolia, Cameroon). Results show that, on average, women perceive greater harm associated with online harassment than men, especially for non-consensual image sharing. Women also prefer most platform responses compared to men, especially removing content and banning users; however, women are less favorable towards payment as a response. Addressing global gender-based violence online requ...
International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries
Background: In most recent studies in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of uncontrolled asthma was hig... more Background: In most recent studies in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of uncontrolled asthma was higher than the worldwide population, especially among the younger age group. Despite the effectiveness of medications, poor adherence in adolescents is a major barrier that prevents them from achieving good asthma control. The objective of this study was to guide adolescents toward better asthma control. We explored barriers affecting medication adherence among adolescents with asthma in the Medina region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Medina region. Data were collected from online surveys, intermediate and secondary schools, and primary healthcare centers from 221 adolescents between 12 and 18 years old who answered online self-reported questionnaires that included the modified Medication Adherence Rating Scale and the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Result: Our results showed that 63.8% of the study population were non-adherent to asthma medications. Overall, 44.8% h...
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown a dramatic rise in the past few years. It is ... more Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown a dramatic rise in the past few years. It is one of the most common chronic neurodevelopmental disorders with strong genetic basis. As patients’ outcomes are implicated by their parents’ knowledge and perception about ASD. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception of childhood autism among parents in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that targeted all parents with at least one child in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2020. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was distributed online. A total of 413 participants were included. To describe our study participants, we used frequencies for the categorical variables. Chi-square test was used to determine the presence of associations. Results A total of 413 respondents were included, most of them were females. The mean age of the sample was (41±11.35). After assessing the knowledge about ASD among our sample of patients, most of th...
Ozone refers to a tri-atomic oxygen molecule and is present in stratosphere abundantly. Ozone is ... more Ozone refers to a tri-atomic oxygen molecule and is present in stratosphere abundantly. Ozone is known to have multiple medical and dental properties. Use of ozone therapy in the field of dentistry dates back to 1930s where wound healing and disinfection were its initial use. Later, owing to its properties its use expanded to treatment of various oral disorders. Ozone treatment has been more effective than conventional therapies that follow a less invasive and conservative approach to dental treatment. The purpose of this research is to review the available information about applications of ozone in dentistry. Ozone treatment has so far been used for wound healing, tooth decay, oral lichen planus, gingivitis, periodontitis, halitosis, osteonecrosis of the jaw, postoperative pain, plaque and biofilms, dentin hypersensitivity, temporomandibular joint disorders, among several others. Ozone has been successfully transformed the oral and dental treatment. Ozone therapy is a very effectiv...
World Family Medicine Journal /Middle East Journal of Family Medicine
Breast cancer is considered one of the major healthcare problems and one of the top biomedical re... more Breast cancer is considered one of the major healthcare problems and one of the top biomedical research priorities among all biomedical research. Breast cancer is a common but extremely complex disease. The incidence of breast cancer becoming more aggressive is increasing, with around one million and seven hundred thousand new cases that get worse yearly, and this incidence is expected to increase significantly in the next 5–10 years. These rates are suggestive of the slow progress of this disease. Worldwide, Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. The mortality rates for women who are already diagnosed with breast cancer have improved, but even then, the median survival in the metastatic stage is low, around 24 months. For the treatment, chemotherapy is the gold-standard approach for most cancer types and the modest improvement in both survival rates and toxicity reduction. Every newly diagnosed breast cancer should be presented at a multidisciplinary conference to...
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a range of neurodevelopmental conditions accompanied b... more Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a range of neurodevelopmental conditions accompanied by dysbiosis of gut microbiota. Therefore, a number of microbiota manipulation strategies were developed to restore their balance. However, a comprehensive comparison of the various methods on gut microbiota is still lacking. Here, we evaluated the effect of Bifidobacterium (BF) treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation (FT) on gut microbiota in a propionic acid (PPA) rat model of autism using 16S rRNA sequencing. Following PPA treatment, gut microbiota showed depletion of Bacteroidia and Akkermansia accompanied by a concomitant increase of Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae, and Paraeggerthella. The dysbiosis was predicted to cause increased levels of porphyrin metabolism and impairments of acyl-CoA thioesterase and ubiquinone biosynthesis. On the contrary, BF and FT treatments resulted in a distinct increase of Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, Marvinbryantia, Butyricicoccus, and Dorea. Th...
Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2020
In the emerging maker movement, clinicians have long played an advisory role in the development o... more In the emerging maker movement, clinicians have long played an advisory role in the development of customized assistive technology (AT). Recently, there has been a growing interest in including clinicians as builders of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) AT. To identify the needs of clinicians-asmakers, we investigated the challenges that clinicians faced as they volunteered in an AT building project where they were the primary designers and builders of assistive mobility devices for children. Through observation and cobuilding of modified ride-on toy cars with clinicians, we found that the rapid pace of development and transient relationship between user and builder did not allow for a complete assessment of the child's mobility. Furthermore, clinicians struggled to actualize concepts borne out of their clinical intent due to a lack of engineering skill. This study highlights the need for tools that support cliniciansas-makers in the AT maker process and a new conceptualization of the role of DIY-AT maker programs within the AT provider ecosystem.
The ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) calls for an urgent developmen... more The ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) calls for an urgent development of effective and safe prophylactic and therapeutic measures. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) glycoprotein is a major immunogenic and protective protein, and plays a crucial role in viral pathogenesis. In this study, we successfully constructed a synthetic codon-optimized DNA-based vaccine as a countermeasure against SARS-CoV-2; denoted as VIU-1005. The design was based on the synthesis of codon-optimized coding sequence for optimal mammalian expression of a consensus full-length S glycoprotein. The successful construction of the vaccine was confirmed by restriction digestion and sequencing, and the protein expression of the S protein was confirmed by western blot and immunofluorescence staining in mammalian cells. The immunogenicity of the vaccine was tested in two mouse models (BALB/c and C57BL/6J). Th1-skewed systemic S-specific IgG antibodies a...
Post-operative adhesions present a number of difficulties, including intestinal obstruction and i... more Post-operative adhesions present a number of difficulties, including intestinal obstruction and infertility, and they frequently require readmission due to adhesion-related problems. Notwithstanding these ramifications, there are surprisingly few thorough national surveys that address surgeons' awareness of adhesives. By assessing Saudi surgeons' knowledge of post-operative adhesions and their use of antiadhesive medications, this study aims to close this knowledge gap. Methods This study is a cross-sectional observational research study aimed at Saudi Arabian surgeons utilizing a selfadministered, semi-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to participants via social media and in-person email using basic random selection. It included adhesion morbidity and prevalence, pre-operative informed consent issues, adhesion preventive viewpoints, and anti-adhesive chemical use. Results There were 111 participants in total, of 41% were experienced surgeons with more than five years of experience. According to the survey, the majority of surgeons occasionally employed anti-adhesive compounds, especially during laparotomies (28%), and 38% never used them during laparoscopies. The study found that participants varied in what they informed patients regarding adhesion complications: 25% of participants informed 5%-10% of the patients about the possible adhesion complications in laparotomy procedures, whereas 26% of participants informed 10-25% of the patients in laparoscopic procedures. Compared with their specialist peers, general surgeons agreed more on the clinical significance of adhesions and prevention. Notably, three-quarters of participants were unclear about when to use anti-adhesive compounds. Conclusion While acknowledging the clinical significance of post-operative adhesions and recognizing the potential for prevention, most surveyed surgeons did not include adhesions as a post-operative complication in informed consent. The study underscores a belief in the efficacy of anti-adhesives yet reveals a widespread lack of clarity regarding specific indications for their use. Recommendations include implementing educational sessions during surgical training to heighten awareness of adhesions as a major post-operative complication and to encourage the appropriate utilization of available barriers and pharmacological anti-adhesive products.
Background Thyroid disorders are caused either by excessive or inadequate thyroid hormone product... more Background Thyroid disorders are caused either by excessive or inadequate thyroid hormone production or by the enlargement of the thyroid gland. Various types of thyroid disorders exist, including primary (related directly to the gland itself), secondary (related to thyroid function), and other types. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of thyroid disease manifestation and its risk factors among individuals living in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Methodology An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adults living in Tabuk city of Saudi Arabia aged 18 years or above. Data was collected using an electronic questionnaire through a simple random sampling method. Data was then coded, entered, and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results A total of 403 participants were enrolled in this study. More than half (n=265, 65.8%) were females, and 188 (46.7%) were in the age group of 18-35 years. The educational level of the majority of them was a bachelor's degree (n=296, 73.4%). Hypothyroidism was the most common thyroid disorder among family members (n=51, 62.4%). Inadequate iodine intake was thought to be a risk factor for thyroid disorders, as mentioned by 276 (68.5%) participants. Exact 284 (70.5%) participants believed that females are more at risk of having thyroid disease. The mean total knowledge score was found to be 25.1±4.48 out of a total of 34. Exact 216 (53.6%) participants had good knowledge about thyroid disorders. The female gender had significantly higher levels of knowledge as compared to males (p-value=0.002) regarding the manifestation and risk factors of thyroid disorders. In terms of educational level, a bachelor's or above was found to be significantly associated with a higher level of knowledge (p-value=0.003). Conclusion A good level of knowledge and awareness about thyroid disorders was observed among more than half of the participants. Few knowledge gaps were identified regarding knowledge about symptoms of hypothyroidism and certain medications which might cause thyroid disorders.
Neuropathic pain, which affects 7%-10% of the general population, is caused by a lesion or diseas... more Neuropathic pain, which affects 7%-10% of the general population, is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system, which includes peripheral fibers and central neurons. There are numerous known causes of neuropathic pain, and as the world's population ages, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus rises, and cancer patients are more likely to survive postchemotherapy. Its occurrence is projected to rise. The intricacy of neuropathic symptoms, adverse outcomes, and challenging treatment choices all appear to contribute to the burden of chronic neuropathic pain. Crucially, neuropathic pain patients have a lower quality of life due to a higher need for prescription drugs, more frequent visits to the physician, the morbidity from the pain itself, and the underlying disease. The most effective strategy to treat neuropathic pain would employ the right combination of pharmacological and nonpharmacologic therapy. As first-line treatments, gabapentinoids, tricyclic antidepressants, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are advised while tramadol and opioids are regarded as second-line therapy. Because there are currently insufficient high-quality trials, cannabinoids are advised as third-line treatments, and methadone and some anticonvulsants are suggested as fourth-line therapies. In cases of failure of pharmacological therapy or other special considerations, neuromodulation therapy is suggested, which involves deep brain stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and transcranial current stimulation and is broadly categorized under invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation procedures. In this study, we aim to comprehensively review the existing management strategies for neuropathic pain, specifically in the context of pharmacological, neuromodulation, and quality of life domains.
Background: Dental students in Saudi Arabia are authorized to write prescriptions for antibiotics... more Background: Dental students in Saudi Arabia are authorized to write prescriptions for antibiotics during practical training. Adverse side effects and resistance could result from inappropriate prescription. Accordingly, there is a need to evaluate the knowledge of dental students regarding guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription. Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitude toward guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription among dental students and interns at multiple universities in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental students in their final clinical years (4th to 6th year) and dental interns. The study data were collected using a valid and reliable structured questionnaire comprising three domains: 1) demographic characteristics, 2) knowledge, and 3) attitude toward antibiotic prescription for dental and systemic conditions. The data were analyzed and presented as frequency percentages, and the chi-square test was used to compare the knowledge and attitude items between the dental students and interns. The statistical significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: A total of 248 participants (women: 55.6%, men: 44.4%) were included in the study. Approximately 21.8% were 4th year students; 17.7%, 5th year students; 12.9%, 6th year students; and 47.6%, interns. For most items, the knowledge level was relatively high, and the attitude was generally positive among the participants. Approximately, 87.1% had good knowledge about current guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis, 83.9% about antibiotic prescription, and 95.2% about antibiotic resistance. The interns showed significantly higher knowledge levels and favorable attitude, particularly for guidelines and applications of antibiotic prescription and correct use of antibiotics for oral cases, than did the students. Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic among the participants. Conclusion: The interns and 6th-year students demonstrated a relatively high knowledge level and positive attitude toward appropriate antibiotic prescriptions. However, deficiencies were observed among the students in their early clinical years, particularly for systemic conditions. These findings highlight the importance of implementing educational campaigns and providing guidelines to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics among dental students in their final clinical years.
Down syndrome is the most common inherited chromosomal disorder caused by trisomy 21. Atlantoaxia... more Down syndrome is the most common inherited chromosomal disorder caused by trisomy 21. Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) is more common in children with Down syndrome, resulting from ligament laxity and odontoid dysplasia. We report the case of a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome submental. She came to the ER with a history of abnormal gait for one week and was admitted with a case of ataxia for investigations. Moreover, we discovered that she had atlantoaxial subluxation, which was treated surgically.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
Recent advancements in dental technology, such as magnification devices like loupes and surgical ... more Recent advancements in dental technology, such as magnification devices like loupes and surgical microscopes, have greatly improved the accuracy and quality of root canal treatments. Dental operating microscopes (DOMs) have become widely accepted in endodontics, providing enhanced visualization and facilitating precise identification of anatomical landmarks, root canal orifices, and pulp remnants. The increased magnification and illumination offered by DOMs have improved treatment outcomes by enabling more efficient removal of bacteria, debris, and obturation materials from the root canal system. Studies have shown that the use of DOMs can significantly increase the success rates of endodontic treatments, allowing for the identification and treatment of even the smallest canals and anatomical variations. Additionally, DOMs enhance ergonomics, patient communication, and documentation in dental practice. However, challenges such as cost and limited office space hinder their widespread...
Background Nomophobia is a psychological condition caused by a fear of disconnecting from others ... more Background Nomophobia is a psychological condition caused by a fear of disconnecting from others through mobile phones. Aim This study aims to determine the prevalence of and predictors of nomophobia and anxiety symptoms among the general population in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Methods This study was an observational cross-sectional study using a web-based online survey distributed in two middle eastern countries (Saudi Arabia and Jordan) between Jun 24 and Jul 20, 2021. A convenience sample was used to recruit the study participants. Categorical variables were identified as frequencies and percentages. In addition, a binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with nomophobia symptoms. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software, version 27 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA), analyzed the data. Results A total of 5,191 responded to the online survey. Around (26.5%) reported that they suffer from an anxiety problem or use a treatment for a...
Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Existing assistive technologies (AT) often fail to support the unique needs of blind and visually... more Existing assistive technologies (AT) often fail to support the unique needs of blind and visually impaired (BVI) people. Thus, BVI people have become domain experts in customizing and 'hacking' AT, creatively suiting their needs. We aim to understand this behavior in depth, and how BVI people envision creating future DIY personalized AT. We conducted a multi-part qualitative study with 12 blind participants: an interview on unique uses of AT, a two-week diary study to log use cases, and a scenario-based design session to imagine creating future technologies. We found that participants work to design new AT both implicitly through creative use cases, and explicitly through regular ideation and development. Participants envisioned creating a variety of new technologies, and we summarize expected benefts and concerns of using a DIY technology approach. From our results, we present design considerations for future DIY technology systems to support existing customization and 'hacking' behaviors. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); Accessibility; Empirical studies in accessibility; • Social and professional topics → People with disabilities.
Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Workplaces around the globe are beginning to rapidly adopt hybrid meetings to conduct, plan, and ... more Workplaces around the globe are beginning to rapidly adopt hybrid meetings to conduct, plan, and organize their work. While previous literature explores the benefts and drawbacks of hybrid meetings, the experiences of professionals with disabilities are largely missing. With an orientation towards an accessible future of work, we interviewed 21 professionals with disabilities to unpack the accessibility barriers, opportunities, and conficts of hybrid meetings. We highlight the creative ways professionals with disabilities developed workarounds and repairs to these accessibility tensions. Our paper expands the understanding of accessibility in hybrid meetings by identifying how the visibility of access labor may be afected by being in the room together with other colleagues or joining remotely. We also observed how hybrid confgurations can require navigating accessibility conficts specifc to the location site of each participant. Building from our analysis, we ofer practical suggestions and design directions to make hybrid meetings accessible. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in accessibility.
International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications
Fossil fuels, including oil, are the most important sources of energy. They are commonly used in ... more Fossil fuels, including oil, are the most important sources of energy. They are commonly used in various forms of commercial and industrial consumption. Producing oil is a complex task that requires special management and planning. This can result in a serious problem if the oil well is not operated properly. Oil engineers must have the necessary knowledge about the well's status to perform their duties properly. This study proposes a linear regression method to predicate the oil production value. It takes into account various independent variables, such as the pressure, downhole temperature, and pressure tubing. The proposed method can accurately reach a very close prediction of the actual production value by achieving very interesting results at the end of this study.
Introduction Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies is well reported in the literature and ... more Introduction Termination of pregnancy for fetal anomalies is well reported in the literature and accepted by the western and other non-Muslim communities, but Muslim communities' perception is poorly reported and rarely mentioned. This study aims to evaluate the perception of the Saudi community on abortion decisions as a management option in congenital fetal anomalies. Methods This is an observational, descriptive cross-sectional study, where participants of Saudi nationality, living in Jeddah, and consenting to participate in the research filled up a self-administrated, structured, close-ended, validated questionnaire. The level of agreement was measured on a Likert scale. Results A total of 574 participants were included in the study; 43.3% were female. The mean age of the participants was 30.3 years (SD = 10.6). Undergraduate students were 58.9%, single participants were 56.3%, and participants without children were 61.3%. The prevalence of abortion was 17.9%. The overall agreement on accepting abortion as an option was 61%. Gender (p<0.001), knowledge level (p=0.003), and religion (p=0.01) were the most important factors that influenced people's perception of abortion. Other factors like participants' age (p=0.09), level of education (p=0.48), marital status (p=0.16), having children (p=0.48), and gender of the fetus (p=0.2) were not significant factors in their decision to choose abortion. Conclusion Overall, Saudis were more inclined to accept abortion in case of a confirmed congenital anomaly, yet females were more accepting of the idea than males.
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Blind and low vision people use visual description services (VDS) to gain visual interpretation a... more Blind and low vision people use visual description services (VDS) to gain visual interpretation and build access in a world that privileges sight. Despite their many benefits, VDS have many harmful privacy and security implications. As a result, researchers are suggesting, exploring, and building obfuscation systems that detect and obscure private or sensitive materials. However, as obfuscation depends largely on sight to interpret outcomes, it is unknown whether Blind and low vision people would find such approaches useful. Our work aims to center the perspectives and opinions of Blind and low vision people on the potential of obfuscation to address privacy concerns in VDS. By reporting on interviews with 20 Blind and low vision people who use VDS, our findings reveal that popular research trends in obfuscation fail to capture the needs of Blind and low vision people. While obfuscation might be helpful in gaining more control, tensions around obfuscation misrecognition and confirma...
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Social media platforms aspire to create online experiences where users can participate safely and... more Social media platforms aspire to create online experiences where users can participate safely and equitably. However, women around the world experience widespread online harassment, including insults, stalking, aggression, threats, and non-consensual sharing of sexual photos. This article describes women's perceptions of harm associated with online harassment and preferred platform responses to that harm. We conducted a survey in 14 geographic regions around the world (N = 3,993), focusing on regions whose perspectives have been insufficiently elevated in social media governance decisions (e.g. Mongolia, Cameroon). Results show that, on average, women perceive greater harm associated with online harassment than men, especially for non-consensual image sharing. Women also prefer most platform responses compared to men, especially removing content and banning users; however, women are less favorable towards payment as a response. Addressing global gender-based violence online requ...
International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries
Background: In most recent studies in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of uncontrolled asthma was hig... more Background: In most recent studies in Saudi Arabia, the percentage of uncontrolled asthma was higher than the worldwide population, especially among the younger age group. Despite the effectiveness of medications, poor adherence in adolescents is a major barrier that prevents them from achieving good asthma control. The objective of this study was to guide adolescents toward better asthma control. We explored barriers affecting medication adherence among adolescents with asthma in the Medina region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Medina region. Data were collected from online surveys, intermediate and secondary schools, and primary healthcare centers from 221 adolescents between 12 and 18 years old who answered online self-reported questionnaires that included the modified Medication Adherence Rating Scale and the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Result: Our results showed that 63.8% of the study population were non-adherent to asthma medications. Overall, 44.8% h...
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown a dramatic rise in the past few years. It is ... more Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown a dramatic rise in the past few years. It is one of the most common chronic neurodevelopmental disorders with strong genetic basis. As patients’ outcomes are implicated by their parents’ knowledge and perception about ASD. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perception of childhood autism among parents in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that targeted all parents with at least one child in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2020. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was distributed online. A total of 413 participants were included. To describe our study participants, we used frequencies for the categorical variables. Chi-square test was used to determine the presence of associations. Results A total of 413 respondents were included, most of them were females. The mean age of the sample was (41±11.35). After assessing the knowledge about ASD among our sample of patients, most of th...
Ozone refers to a tri-atomic oxygen molecule and is present in stratosphere abundantly. Ozone is ... more Ozone refers to a tri-atomic oxygen molecule and is present in stratosphere abundantly. Ozone is known to have multiple medical and dental properties. Use of ozone therapy in the field of dentistry dates back to 1930s where wound healing and disinfection were its initial use. Later, owing to its properties its use expanded to treatment of various oral disorders. Ozone treatment has been more effective than conventional therapies that follow a less invasive and conservative approach to dental treatment. The purpose of this research is to review the available information about applications of ozone in dentistry. Ozone treatment has so far been used for wound healing, tooth decay, oral lichen planus, gingivitis, periodontitis, halitosis, osteonecrosis of the jaw, postoperative pain, plaque and biofilms, dentin hypersensitivity, temporomandibular joint disorders, among several others. Ozone has been successfully transformed the oral and dental treatment. Ozone therapy is a very effectiv...
World Family Medicine Journal /Middle East Journal of Family Medicine
Breast cancer is considered one of the major healthcare problems and one of the top biomedical re... more Breast cancer is considered one of the major healthcare problems and one of the top biomedical research priorities among all biomedical research. Breast cancer is a common but extremely complex disease. The incidence of breast cancer becoming more aggressive is increasing, with around one million and seven hundred thousand new cases that get worse yearly, and this incidence is expected to increase significantly in the next 5–10 years. These rates are suggestive of the slow progress of this disease. Worldwide, Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. The mortality rates for women who are already diagnosed with breast cancer have improved, but even then, the median survival in the metastatic stage is low, around 24 months. For the treatment, chemotherapy is the gold-standard approach for most cancer types and the modest improvement in both survival rates and toxicity reduction. Every newly diagnosed breast cancer should be presented at a multidisciplinary conference to...
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a range of neurodevelopmental conditions accompanied b... more Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a range of neurodevelopmental conditions accompanied by dysbiosis of gut microbiota. Therefore, a number of microbiota manipulation strategies were developed to restore their balance. However, a comprehensive comparison of the various methods on gut microbiota is still lacking. Here, we evaluated the effect of Bifidobacterium (BF) treatment and fecal microbiota transplantation (FT) on gut microbiota in a propionic acid (PPA) rat model of autism using 16S rRNA sequencing. Following PPA treatment, gut microbiota showed depletion of Bacteroidia and Akkermansia accompanied by a concomitant increase of Streptococcus, Lachnospiraceae, and Paraeggerthella. The dysbiosis was predicted to cause increased levels of porphyrin metabolism and impairments of acyl-CoA thioesterase and ubiquinone biosynthesis. On the contrary, BF and FT treatments resulted in a distinct increase of Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, Marvinbryantia, Butyricicoccus, and Dorea. Th...
Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2020
In the emerging maker movement, clinicians have long played an advisory role in the development o... more In the emerging maker movement, clinicians have long played an advisory role in the development of customized assistive technology (AT). Recently, there has been a growing interest in including clinicians as builders of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) AT. To identify the needs of clinicians-asmakers, we investigated the challenges that clinicians faced as they volunteered in an AT building project where they were the primary designers and builders of assistive mobility devices for children. Through observation and cobuilding of modified ride-on toy cars with clinicians, we found that the rapid pace of development and transient relationship between user and builder did not allow for a complete assessment of the child's mobility. Furthermore, clinicians struggled to actualize concepts borne out of their clinical intent due to a lack of engineering skill. This study highlights the need for tools that support cliniciansas-makers in the AT maker process and a new conceptualization of the role of DIY-AT maker programs within the AT provider ecosystem.
The ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) calls for an urgent developmen... more The ongoing global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) calls for an urgent development of effective and safe prophylactic and therapeutic measures. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) glycoprotein is a major immunogenic and protective protein, and plays a crucial role in viral pathogenesis. In this study, we successfully constructed a synthetic codon-optimized DNA-based vaccine as a countermeasure against SARS-CoV-2; denoted as VIU-1005. The design was based on the synthesis of codon-optimized coding sequence for optimal mammalian expression of a consensus full-length S glycoprotein. The successful construction of the vaccine was confirmed by restriction digestion and sequencing, and the protein expression of the S protein was confirmed by western blot and immunofluorescence staining in mammalian cells. The immunogenicity of the vaccine was tested in two mouse models (BALB/c and C57BL/6J). Th1-skewed systemic S-specific IgG antibodies a...
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Papers by Rahaf Alharbi