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Herein, the proposed work reports a simple chemical approach; solution combustion method to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles and Nd-doped ZnO (Nd2O3-ZnO) nanocomposites (0.001 g–5 g) using the combustion technique. The combustion approach is considered one of the environmentally friendly, cost-effective, high yields, and most straightforward procedures for rapidly preparing nanomaterials on a large scale. The prepared nano samples were characterized through standard analytical methods, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis–NIR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The XRD results and SEM image showed that the manufactured Nd2O3–ZnO nanostructured samples were crystalline with uniform distribution of Nd dopants on the host ZnO samples, clear with higher Nd concentration ratios. Moreover, as the Nd was raised in the Nd2O3–ZnO nanostructures, the direct energy bandgap values of the Nd: ZnO nanocomposites were detected to decline from 3.35 eV for pure ZnO to reach 3.26 eV, and the indirect bandgap diminished from 3.28 eV to 3.20 eV. All prepared Nd2O3–ZnO samples were applied for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue, and both. The photocatalytic efficiency increased with the Nd doping ratio. The best photocatalyst is 0.5 g Nd2O3 doped-ZnO, which degrades Methylene Blue, Rhodamine B, and combination solutions containing both dyes with 100% against ZnO alone with 80% within 60 min under the visible light. Compared to the pure ZnO nanoparticles, the synthesized Nd2O3–ZnO nanostructured samples disclosed improvements in the structural morphology, optical, energy bandgaps, dielectric refraction, and electrical and photocatalytic properties.

Precalcaneal congenital fibrolipomatous hamartoma is a benign condition of infancy that is sometimes misdiagnosed due to lack of reports in the literature. Lesions usually present with painless, non-pruritic, skin colored bilateral, solitary, symmetric nodules located in the middle of the heels. The lesions gradually increase in size and then regress by the age of 2 to3 years old.

ZnO-doped Polyvinyl alcohol/polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVA/PVP) polymeric films were prepared in this study through an easy and inexpensive solution-casting method. The scope of the study was based on the structural, dielectric, and optical parameters, as well as on the optical limiting effects of the ZnO-doped polymer blend (PB) as nanocomposite films. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the synthesized nanocomposites were semicrystalline. The calculated crystalline size of the polymeric semicrystalline peak decreased as ZnO increased or enhanced the blend polymer. Fourier’s transformer infrared (FT-IR) study confirmed a substantial dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles in a polymeric PVA/PVP matrix. The optical absorption properties suggested focusing on the surface plasmonic peak (SPR). The refractive index values ranged from 1.718 for the pure PB ZnO0 sample in the Hossam, Ibrahim, and Heba model to 3.036 for the PB ZnO5 film from the Anani model. Nonlinear optical parameters (χ((3)), and n(2)) were calculated and analyzed for the PB ZnO nanocomposite films under investigation. The maximum value for χ((1)) was 0.550, while for χ((3)), its susceptibility value was 155.85 × 10−13 esu, and for the nonlinear refractive index (n((2)), it was 20.87 × 10−11 esu. A gradual decrease was revealed in the optical limiting sources, as a high content of ZnO was induced in the blend PVA/PVP polymer. Due to their unique properties, these materials can be used in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

The new proton-conducting composite electrolyte films (PCCEFs) consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying ammonium fluoride salt concentrations were created using an expanded liquid casting process. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirms the composite electrolyte films (CEFs) formation. The improvement in AMF02 salt doping compared to the PVA matrix film approach resulted in decreased variation in the crystalline size values, thus explaining how [NH4+] and polymer PVA matrix films interact. The band gaps decrease when the AMF02 salt filler concentration increases due to increased crystallite size. The suggested composites evaluated successful CUT-OFF laser filters and attenuation, as well as limiting laser power systems. For the 11.11 wt% AMF02 doping salt, the highest DC conductivity was 73.205 × 10−9 (siemens/m) at ambient temperature. Our dielectric results demonstrate that the CEFs are usually suitable for optoelectronic systems. There is a huge need to develop low dielectric permittivity composite electrolyte films (CEFs) for microelectronic devices and the high-frequency region.

Background: Skin cancer is one of the most common among white-skinned individuals. Its prevalence depends on geographic and ethnic variations. The pattern of skin cancer in Saudi patients per province is not well-established. Purpose: This retrospective study evaluated the pattern of skin cancer among Saudi patients from Riyadh area who have visited King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between the years of 2005 and 2015. Methods: Data from 300 cancer patients were collected from KAMC and analyzed with respect to age, sex, cancer type, and cancer location. Results: Except for mycosis fungoides (MF), all other studied skin cancer types were more common in males as compared to females (1.56:1). Among the study population, the majority of skin cancer cases were seen in patient who aged more than 40 years old (86%) with the highest rate to be among those who are between 60 and 79 years old. Among all cases, the pattern and ratio of various skin cancers were as follows: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (45.7%), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (14.7%), MF (7.3%), and malignant melanoma (MM) (7%), followed by sebaceous adenocarcinoma (SC), Kaposi sarcoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberance each of 4.3%. With respect to cancer location, 141 cases were located on the face (46.95%), 46 on the hips and lower limbs (15.26%), 44 on the chest and abdomen (14.8%), 28 on the scalp and neck (9.29%), 21 on the shoulders and upper limbs (6.95%), and 17 were unspecified. Conclusion: Among Saudi patients with skin cancer in the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), BCC and SCC were the most common cancers, followed by MF and MM. Further studies are needed to fully determine common risk factors among these and future cases.

Abstract Background In Saudi Arabia, healthcare industry is undergoing major expansions to meet the demand of rapidly growing healthcare needs. The aims of this study were; (1) to assess the pattern of smartphone use in healthcare facilities, and (2) to determine perception towards its use among healthcare workers. Method A cross-sectional survey of 351 healthcare workers (HCWs) at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was conducted, from October to November 2016, using a previously validated perception domain to measure perception towards usefulness (5 statements) and practicality (5 statements) of smartphones in clinical settings. Pattern of use of smartphones and health-related applications in healthcare facilities was also investigated. Logestic regression models were applied to identify the predictors of smartphone use and installation of health-related applications for use in healthcare facilities. Significance was considered at p-value of

Menyfah Q Alanazi,1–3 Mahmoud Salam,2–4 Fulwah Y Alqahtani,5 Anwar E Ahmed,2,3 Abdullah Q Alenaze,6 Majed Al-Jeraisy,2,3,7 Majed Al Salamah,8 Fadilah S Aleanizy,5 Daham Al Daham,2,3 Saad Al Obaidy,7 Fatma Al-Shareef,9 Abdulaziz H Alsaggabi,1 Mohammed H Al-Assiri2,3 1Drug Policy and Economics Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Hariri School of Nursing, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon; 5Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6Ishbilia Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7Pharmaceutical Care Service, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 8Emergency Department, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Saudi Medication Safety Centre, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Menyfah Q AlanaziDrug Policy and Economics Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, P.O. Box 22390, Riyadh 11426, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 11 801 1111Email menefah@gmail.comBackground: Antibiotic prescriptions at emergency departments (ED) could be a primary contributing factor to the overuse of antimicrobial agents and subsequently antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions at an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional study, based on a review of antibiotic prescriptions was conducted. All cases who visited the emergency department over a three-month period with a complaint of infection were analyzed in terms of patient characteristics (age, sex, infection type, and number of visits) and prescription characteristics (antibiotic category, spectrum, course and costs). The World Health Organization and International Network of Rational Use of Drugs prescribing indicators were presented. Descriptive and analytic statistics were applied.Results: A total of 36,069 ED visits were recorded during the study period, of which 45,770 drug prescriptions were prescribed, including 6,354 antibiotics. The average number of drugs per encounter was 1.26, while the percentage of encounters with a prescribed antibiotic was 17.6%. Among antibiotic prescriptions, the percentage of encounters with injection antibiotics was 15.2%. Almost 77% of antibiotics were prescribed by their generic names, and the percentage of antibiotics prescribed from the essential list was 100%.Conclusion: The average number of drugs per encounter in general and antibiotics per encounter in specific at this setting was lower than the standard value. However, the percentage of antibiotics prescribed by its generic name was less than optimal.Keywords: antibiotic, prescription, errors, prevalence, predictors, emergency

Abstract Mesoporous α–Fe2O3 has been synthesized via a simple sol-gel procedure in the presence of Pluronic (F-127) triblock copolymer as structure directing agent. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were deposited onto α–Fe2O3 matrix by the photochemical reduction approach. Morphological analysis revealed the formation of Ag nanoparticles with small sizes