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Background: The productivity of livestock production has been greatly impacted by parasitic diseases. The infection prevalence of parasites in native and imported slaughtered animals has not received much attention, despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has data on animal parasites. This study aimed to determine the infection prevalence of parasites in slaughtered animals in relation to host origin and host age. Methods: This investigation was conducted at Al Makhwah area in southwestern Saudi Arabia for six months from September 2021 to February 2022. The examined animals were 1208 in total, including goats (504), sheep (440) and cattle (264). All the animals examined were slaughtered at official abattoirs. The collected parasites were preserved, processed and identified. Result: Out of 1208 examined, 72 were infected (5.96%). The parasite community consisted of six species, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Fasciola hepatica, F. giagantica, Monezia expansa, Echinococcus granulosus (Hydatiid cyst) and Haemonchus contortus. Hydatidosis was a more prevalent parasitic disease. The infection prevalence of hydatidosis in the examined animals was high in cattle (4.85%) while were 3.76 and 4.77% in goats and sheep respectively. Significant differences in prevalence per host age in goats, sheep and cattle were found. The prevalence of parasites in imported animals was higher (16.67, 17.5 and 11.36% in cattle, sheep and goats respectively) as compared to that in native ones (5.42, 6.5 and 3.69% in cattle, sheep and goats respectively). Based on our findings, Hydatidosis was identified as the most prevalent parasitic disease. Imported animals had a higher parasitic infection compared to local animals. It is essential to take necessary measures to prevent the transmission of Hydatidosis and improper organ condemnation from abattoirs. We recommend conducting further research to identify the reasons why imported animals are more likely to become infected than local animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worker relationships with the company, clients, and family may be impacted by their sense of well-being, which arises from the interaction of several occupational factors. Thus, it becomes more crucial to consider this subject thoroughly than the standard of nursing care. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is highly concerned about the current nursing shortage and high turnover because of the effects they have on the efficacy and efficiency of any system that delivers healthcare. The fulfilment, happiness, and delight that come from working is known as employee job satisfaction. The emotions that employees get from their employment itself are just as important as the pay or perks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute appendicitis is currently considered one of the most common acute surgical diseases of the abdomen and requires emergency surgery. It is also one of the most common abdominal emergencies in both developed and developing countries. The current study is aimed at assessing the specificity and sensitivity of Ultrasound and Computed Tomography in the diagnosis of appendicitis as well as the prevalence of its complications. The association of appendicitis with several laboratory findings will also be evaluated. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at Dallah-Namar Hospital, Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Results: 720 patients were differentially diagnosed with appendicitis in the study area. Of these, 618 patients had US abdomen/pelvis, with 15 (2.4%) showing positive findings. Amongst the 203 patients noted to have undergone abdominal CT,8 (4.0%) was found to have positive findings. Conclusion: The sensitivity of the US was determined to be relatively low. Also, serum creatinine was found to be elevated among all patients diagnosed with appendicitis. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to be conducted to further support the current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the instructional leadership practices implemented by academic professionals and leaders to enhance the curriculum of Islamic economics and finance (IEF) in two public universities in Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a qualitative approach, using a case study methodology that focused on two meticulously chosen universities in Saudi Arabia. A total of 21 academics from two public universities in Saudi Arabia who worked in IEF schools were selected for semi-structured interviews. Findings: The findings showed that two universities in Saudi Arabia that offer degrees in IEF exhibited limited instructional leadership. The findings indicate four apparent barriers that may explain the lack of involvement in instructional leadership and fair practices in the IEF curriculum at Saudi Arabian universities. According to this study, a positive collegial climate in Saudi universities' IEF promotes shared instructional leadership. Research limitations/implications: The use of a limited qualitative method and small sample of respondents in this study may not provide enough evidence to generalise the findings to all universities and higher education schools in Saudi Arabia. Although a case study was used to describe IEF curriculum management and implementation at the two universities, caution should be exercised when applying these findings to other institutions. Practical implications: IEF schools in Saudi universities need to leverage their positive, collaborative and relationship-building environments to develop activities that promote shared instructional leadership. Originality/value: The research findings can offer valuable insights and examples for school leaders to develop instructional activities and promote the concept of "shared instructional leadership". This approach involves delegating responsibilities and actions to others to enhance the IEF curriculum's quality. Policymakers and university officials can use these findings to enhance strategic policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this Integrative Literature Review (ILR) is to consider the knowledge on injurious possessions of smoking amongst Saudi general population. Integrative Literature Review (ILR). The search databases for the publications used in the study are PubMed and EBSCO Information Services. Topics concerning knowledge on harmful effects of smoking among Saudi general population were used in the making of the article. No software was exploited for data analysis. The majority of Saudis are aware of the health risks associated with smoking and have seen or read the warnings on cigarette packages. Smokers were unaffected by the influence of cigarette health warnings in terms of quitting. To develop tobacco-free future generations, mass awareness campaigns against tobacco, tobacco control, and cessation measures can be implemented. Many efforts are required from health policymakers and healthcare specialists to distribute info around the dangers of smoking and the health benefits of quitting. This emphasizes the significance of educating the public about pertinent information in order to encourage positive attitudes and encourage healthy behaviors. In conclusion, this research may provide a starting point for understanding how knowledge about tobacco use can promote smoking cessation behaviors. This study emphasizes the necessity for behavior modification tactics that encourage people to adopt healthier habits and has significant ramifications for public healthcare plans while maintaining an optimistic attitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basal Qusaiba hot shale member of Qalibah Formation is considered to be an important source rock in the Paleozoic petroleum system of Saudi Arabia and an exploration target for tight shale as one of the Unconventional resources of petroleum. This work has been carried out to understand the fractures network of Qusaiba shale member in outcrops located to the west of Qusayba' village in Al-Qasim area, Central Saudi Arabia. The main objective of this study is to understand the distribution of natural fractures over different lithological units. Description data sheets were used for the detailed lithological description of Qusaiba shale member on two outcrops. Spot-7 and Landsat ETM+ satellite images were used for lineament mapping and analyses on a regional scale in a GIS environment. Fractures characterization in outcrop-scale was conducted by using linear scanline method. Qusaiba shale member in the study area consists of 5 main lithofacies, divided based on their sedimentary structures and petrographical properties, from base to top in the outcrops, the lithofacies are; fissile shale, very fine-grained micaceous siltstone, bioturbated mudstone, very fine to fine-grained hummocky cross-stratified sandstone, and fine to medium-grained low/high angle cross-stratified sandstone lithofacies. Lineaments interpretation of the Spot-7 and Landsat ETM+ satellite images showed two major directions in the study area; 320° that could be related to Najd fault system and 20° that could be related to the extensional activities which took place after Amar collision. Fractures are much denser in the fissile shale and mudstone lithofacies than sandstones lithofacies, and average spacing is smaller in the fissile shale and mudstone lithofacies than sandstones lithofacies. Lineaments and large-scale fractures are Non-Stratabound fractures and they deal with the area as one big mechanical unit, but small-scale fractures are Stratabound fractures that propose different mechanical units within Qusaiba shale member in the study area. The fractures network in the study area has a wide range of properties related to fractures density, length, spacing, height, and termination degree. The conceptual multi-scale model divides the fractures in the study area into 4 orders depending on the available data that have been observed from satellite images and field. The multi-scale fractures model that was generated in this study could help to understand the distribution of stratigraphically controlled fractures when integrated with flow simulation models. Overall, this work could have a significant contribution to tight shale exploration plans in the subsurface by providing some knowledge about the fractures mechanical behavior of the lower part of Qusaiba shale member of Qalibah Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Benzathine penicillin G is indicated for intramuscular (IM) administration. There have been reports of unintentional intravenous (IV) administration, which has been associated with cardiorespiratory arrest and death. This article reports on a case of inadvertent IV administration of benzathine penicillin G instead of IM injection. Clinical details: A 29‐year‐old Saudi army male with no history of any chronic illness visited the Security Forces Hospital in Makkah because of injuries to his left hand and left ear as a result of a bomb blast. The patient underwent surgery, and was conscious, oriented and vitally stable after the operation. He was prescribed benzathine penicillin G to prevent wound infection, but the injection was incorrectly administered IV instead of IM. Outcomes: The patient did not exhibit any visible clinical symptoms after receiving the drug via the wrong route. The patient's vital signs were fine and he did not have a fever. The full complete blood count was normal, except for a mild elevation in the neutrophil count (84%) and a mild decrease in lymphocytes (8.8%). Random blood glucose was 149 mg/dL and the activated partial thromboplastin time was 39.3 s. All other laboratory investigations were within the normal range. The creatinine concentration fluctuated between 0.8 and 1 mg/dL. Conclusion: This was an obvious case of a drug‐related problem categorised as a 'wrong route error'. The role of clinical pharmacists in preventing such errors is important to ensure patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date palm trees are infected by different diseases and pests that negatively affect its quality and productivity. The control of these pests and diseases requires the use of appropriate technologies to minimize the infection rate and crop losses. This study was intended to determine the adoption rate of some diseases and pests control technologies and methods among Date Palm farmers in Dammam area of Saudi Arabia and the most important factors affecting it. Data was collected through face to face interviews from a simple random sample of 111 Date Palm farmers in the study area using a validated and pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequency distribution. mean and standard deviation) and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The study results indicated that the adoption rates of the diseases and pests control technologies and methods by Date farmers are very low. Only one practices (getting rid of agricultural residues immediately) out of the seventeenth technologies and methods under consideration reached medium level. The adoption rates of the other technologies and methods were low and all of them were less than two on an adoption scale of four points. The study revealed that the most important determinants of the adoption rate of the diseases and pests control technologies and methods by Date Palm farmers were the farmers' level of contact with the different sources of information and farm size; each of them had a statistically significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of forest fire was studied after one year in three natural forests in Al Baha region (south-west Saudi Arabia). Three sample plots (100 m2 each) were selected randomly inside the burned and the immediately neighboring unburned area in each forest (Al Hilia, Al Kahla & Ragdan). The effect of fire on tree species recovery, regeneration and some soil physical and chemical properties was investigated. Regeneration of Acacia origena increased significantly after fire and dominated the burned areas. Most of the trees in these areas either resprouted completely or partially. In contrast, Juniperus procera was very sensitive to fire and most burned trees failed to recover or regenerate. Olea spp., were intermediate in their reaction to fire, but generally they were negatively affected by fire in terms of recovery and regeneration. Fire had no effect on soil texture. Soil pH increased significantly, whereas (EC) significantly decreased in the burned sites as compared to unburned areas. Organic matter and total N decreased significantly in the burned areas, whereas available P and K increased significantly after fire. Micronutrients such as Mo, Co, Ni and Pb, varied in their response to fire and no pattern was recorded. It appears that A. origena might succeed other associated tree species after fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The variation in cystic echinococcosis (CE) prevalence and mean intensity was studied in relation to site, season and host age and sex. A total of 12,911 slaughtered animals, 140 camels, 2668 cattle, 6525 sheep and 3578 goats were inspected for hydatid cysts in Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia, in three study areas during four seasons from June 2008 to May 2009. The prevalence of infection was 32.85%, 8.28%, 12.61% and 6.56% in camels, cattle, sheep and goats respectively. The prevalence of the parasite varied significantly in relation to site, season and host age classes and sex in most host species. Spring showed the highest prevalence in camels, cattle and sheep. A significant association was found among host age classes and likelihood of infection in all examined hosts and the oldest age class was significantly more likely to be infected. The main effects in parasite intensity were host sex and age in most examined host species. A positive correlation was found between intensity of CE and host age class in all animal species examined. The most commonly infected organs were liver and lungs which constituted 48.75% and 32.83% respectively, of the total infected organs. There was a significant difference among host species in fertile cysts (P <0.0001). The higher percentages of fertile cysts were in sheep (47.67%) and goats (23.99%) indicating that sheep and goats are the most important intermediate hosts for Echinococcus granulosus. Examined hydatid cysts of the liver had a higher fertility rate (38.79%) than those of the lungs (25.13%). Cysts size ranged from 1 to 8cm in diameter. The mean cyst diameter was found in the lungs higher than that in the liver in all hosts. The range in the number of cysts was 1–33 in infected animals. The mean number of cysts was higher in lungs than that in liver in all examined animals. The viability rate of protoscoleces of liver fertile cysts (62.20%) was significantly higher than that of lung cysts (52.73%). In conclusion, these findings of infection, mean abundance and fertility rates of CE in slaughtered animals, prompt plans for further epidemiological studies and control programmes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The final effluent for 5 hospitals (3 governmental and 2 private) was surveyed in order to study their bacterial population including, total viable bacteria (TVB) and total coliform (TC) counts / ml, macro and micro- morphology of the isolated and identification of the isolated and purified bacterial strains to the specific level confirmed using API strips and its code index matching computer program. Counts allover the study showed figures beyond the international permissible limits, ranging between 1 × 103 – 1 × 107 cfu/ml. Identification confirmed that the bacterial population is composed of 27 species belonging to 17 genera; Escherichia coli 1, Klebsiella pneumoniae, K. ornithinolytica, Providencia alcalifaciens, Salmonella arizonae, Enterobacter cloacae, E. saburiae, E. gergoviae, Yersinia pestis, Citrobacter frundii, Serratia marcens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. putida, Flvimonas oryzihabitans, Chryseomona luteda, Stenotrophomonas maltophila, Shewanella putrifaciens, Aeromonas hydrophila, A. salmonicida, Chryseobacterium meningiosepticum, Ch. Indologenes, Pasteurella multocida, Pas. pneumotropica and Moraxella catarrhalis, affiliated to 5 families; Enterbacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Vibrionaceae, Pasteurellaceae and Moraxellaceae. Gram negative bacterial strains dominated specially those of family Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae. The higher distribution patterns amongst the isolated strains, from almost all samples were for E. coli 1, followed by Enterobacter cloacae and Chryseobacterium meningiosepticum.. Antibiotic assay (9 antibiotics from different families) on 153 representative strains using antibiotic serial dilutions from 10 up to 100 μg/ml- to determine MIC (s), MBC (s) and the MIC/MBC indexes. All the studied strains exhibited resistance to at least 3 of the 9 tested antibiotics. Many bacterial isolates resist the whole 9 antibiotics and to a concentration of more than 100 μg/ml. The majority of the resistance strains were gram negative and the mechanism of action proved to be inhibitory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The escalating healthcare expenditure is a major challenge to sustainability of the healthcare systems. To confront the escalating health expenditure in general and medicines expenditure in particular, many countries promoted the use of generic medicines. To promote generic medicines, many countries have adopted a generic substitution (GS) policy and generic prescribing. To effectively implement the GS policy, it is evident in the literature that it is essential to have an evidence-based guide on therapeutic equivalence and formulary of interchangeable medicines to guide responsible GS. In Saudi Arabia, GS is permissive and pharmacists are given the right to perform GS. While the prescriber's approval is not a requirement, patient consent is required when performing GS. Although there are some general drug references, such as the Saudi National Formulary (SNF) and list of registered medicines in the Saudi market, but there is currently no information available to healthcare professionals that documents the therapeutic and bioequivalence between medicines. Thus, it is essential to have a formulary of interchangeable medicines to guide appropriate GS or at least to include such vital information regarding therapeutic equivalence and brand interchangeability as part of the SNF. That, in turn, will not only make healthcare professionals more confident when providing GS, but will also enable the avoidance of situations where GS is inappropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]