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Sarah Saad AlOtaibi,1 Hessa Abdulrahman Almutairi,2 Mutlaq Khalid Alotaibi,3 Kholoud Alharbi,4 Ghareeb Bahari4 1Nursing Improvement Administration Department at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Nursing Department at General Directorate of Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Nursing Administration Department at Afif General Hospital, Afif, Saudi Arabia; 4Administration and Education Department, College of Nursing at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Ghareeb Bahari, P.O. Box 642, Riyadh, 11421, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966118054381, Email gbahari@ksu.edu.saBackground: Disaster management is an ongoing international concern, and nurses play essential roles in minimizing negative impacts on the health of communities. However, many nurses have limited knowledge and skills on how to respond to disasters effectively. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a newly developed educational program on improving nurses’ disaster management and preparedness.Methods and Design: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 88 nurses working at a public hospital. The educational program included six modules covering various aspects of disaster management. Pre-and post-tests were administered to evaluate changes in perceptions of disaster management competencies. Independent sample t-test, Pearson coefficient correlation, and One-way ANOVA tests were all run using SPSS.Results: A significant proportion of nurses (78.4%) reported ongoing training in disaster management, while a smaller percentage (21.6%) expressed a contrary opinion. Nurses also had a moderate level of agreement with the disaster preparedness program (Pretest: 2.26 ± 0.34; post-test: 2.29 ± 0.31). Further, the results showed small improvements in nursing perceptions of the operational plan after the educational program (Pretest: M=2.76, SD=0.63; Post-test: M=2.89, SD=0.44), although the differences between pre-and-post assessments were not significant (P > 0.05). The mean values for overall familiarity in the pre-test were 3.16 ± 1.39, while in the post-test, they slightly increased to 3.26 ± 1.18. The findings also showed no statistically significant differences reported in nurses’ attitudes and familiarity towards disaster preparedness based on the gender, marital status, nationality, working shifts, and working hours variables (P > 0.05).Conclusion: This study demonstrated the significance of providing nurses with the essential knowledge that helps respond to disasters. Online educational programs can help improve nurses’ preparedness to better manage disasters. Future research should investigate additional variables that could enhance nurses’ knowledge and skills related to disaster response.Keywords: disaster management, preparedness, educational program, healthcare, nurses

Background: Health literacy is an essential predictor of health status, disease control and adherence to medications. Objectives: The study goals were to assess the health literacy level of the general population in Saudi Arabia using translated Gulf Arabic version of the short-version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and Single Item Literacy Screener (SILS) tests and to measure the relationship between health literacy and education level. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional with a convenience sample of 123 participants from the general population in Riyadh. Data were collected using the modified (Gulf) Arabic versions of both S-TOFHLA and SILS. Fisher’s Exact test was used to measure the difference of the health literacy scores according to the education degrees and Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure the internal consistency of the S-TOFHLA items. Results: More than half (55.4%) of the participants were male, 50.4% had a middle school or less education level, and we found that 84.4% had adequate health literacy as measured by the S-TOFHLA, compared to 49.6% as measured by SILS. The Fisher’s Exact test showed a significant difference (P

Haifa A Fadil,1 Ziyad S Alrehaili,2 Khaled M Alharbi,3 Abdulaziz F Almuzaini,4 Raed Hamed Alharbi,4 Hindi S Alharbi,4 Hossein M Elbadawy,5,6 Yaser M Alahmadi1 1Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Medical and Pharmaceutical Services, Pharmacy Department, General Directorate of Medical Services Ministry of Interior, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Department, Pharmaceutical Care Division, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Medical City, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 6Health and Life Research Center, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Haifa A Fadil, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Email hfadil@taibahu.edu.saBackground: The aging global population presents challenges in medication management, particularly among diabetic elderly patients vulnerable to potentially inappropriate medications (PIM). PIM can lead to adverse outcomes like hypoglycemia, falls, cognitive decline, and hospitalizations, affecting quality of life and survival. This study aimed to assess PIM prevalence among diabetic elderly patients in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia, using the American Geriatrics Society 2023 Updated Beers Criteria.Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted among 480 diabetic adults aged 60 years or older at a tertiary care hospital over 3 months. Data, including demographics, comorbidities, and medication use, were extracted from Electronic Health Records. 2023 AGS Updated Beers Criteria® was followed.Results: The median age was 66 years with a male predominance (62.7%). Peripheral vascular disease (42.7%) and prior myocardial infarction (22.7%) were prevalent comorbidities. Inappropriate insulin use was observed in 17.7% of insulin users, mainly short-acting insulin without basal/long-acting insulin. Approximately 39.2% of patients were prescribed antidiabetic drugs deemed inappropriate by Beers Criteria, with Gliclazide being the most common (35.6%). Despite potential drug–disease interactions, such as urogenital infections, half of the patients received cautioned drugs, while only 4.2% experienced such infections.Conclusion: The study highlights the prevalence of PIMs among diabetic elderly patients in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Adherence to Beers Criteria guidelines is crucial to optimize therapy for this population. Age and congestive heart failure were significant predictors of PIM use.Keywords: beers criteria, elderly, diabetes, insulin, PIM, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Saudi Arabia. Inability to get sun exposure greatly influences Vitamin D levels. Getting enough Vitamin D during childhood and young adulthood can prevent possible future diseases. We aim to estimate the level of knowledge of Saudi University students about Vitamin D and Vitamin D supplements, to correlate it with their attitudes and practices to sun exposure and Vitamin D supplements and to compare between males and females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an epidemiological cross-sectional KAP study conducted at King Saud University in Riyadh. A stratified random sampling technique was used where students were randomly selected from 3 colleges and stratified to males and females. N= 767 students completed the online survey used to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the students. RESULTS: We found that the level of knowledge of university students was moderate to low (mean equivalent to 40%) where females had better knowledge. Also, their practices are not sufficient to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels as only 8.2% stay in the sun for more than an hour during weekdays. Only 10.2% of students take regular Vitamin D supplements, where females are the more likely users. 99.1% of students stay indoors during work. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge about Vitamin D is low among university students but slightly higher in females and medical students. Almost all participants work indoors and most of them wear a mask whenever going out. Few students take regular Vitamin D supplements. Females agreed more they have Vitamin D deficiency and take supplements more than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mohammed S Aldossary,1 Mateg A Alahmary,1 Mashael M Almutawaa,2 Shahad M Alhajri,1 Abdulrahman O Almalki,3 Khalid A Alharbi,3 Afnan M Almuaddi,1 Mervat M El Dalatony1,4 1General Directorate of Research and Studies, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Prosthodontics, Vision Colleges, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3General Directorate of Patient Experience Center, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Public Health & Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibin El Kom, Menoufia Governorate, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammed S Aldossary, General Directorate of Research and Studies, Ministry of Health, Tower 2, P.C. 12382, Alnakheel District, Digital City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966-11-2124000, Email msaldossary@moh.gov.saBackground: Patient satisfaction is crucial for assessing healthcare quality and identifying strengths and weaknesses in healthcare organizations. In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Health (MOH) implemented the Patient Experience Measurement Program to enhance patient experience and healthcare quality. This study aimed to identify specific aspects of patient satisfaction with dental visits in Saudi Arabia to improve dental care quality and inform dental services development.Methods: The study used a standardized self-administered questionnaire (Health Links/Press Ganey) and analyzed surveys from patients who visited MOH-specialized dental clinics in Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2022. The dental section comprised 20 questions across five domains, with patients rating their experience on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.Results: A total of 964 patients were surveyed. The overall patient satisfaction with dental settings was 3.61 out of 5.0 (72.2%). The highest satisfaction score was for personal issues with the dental clinic domain (3.93/5; 78.6%), while the least satisfaction score was for access to the dental clinic domain (3.29/5; 65.8%). Among all items, the cleanliness of the facility showed the highest satisfaction score (4.11/5; 82.2%). The least satisfaction was for the ease of contacting the dental clinic (2.71/5; 54.2%).Conclusion: The study found high levels of satisfaction among Saudi patients with dental services provided through MOH facilities across various component domains. This highlights the crucial role of dentists in ensuring high-quality dental care and serves as an indication of the overall healthcare quality in MOH facilities.Keywords: patient experience, patient-centered care, patient satisfaction, dental care, Saudi Arabia, Press Ganey

The fractional model has been developed for the thermal flow of hybrid nanofluid due to the inclined surface. The thermal investigation of the hybrid nanomaterial is predicted by utilizing the molybdenum disulphide nanoparticles and graphene oxide nanomaterials. The flow computations for mixed convection flow of nanoparticles and base fluids are performed due to vertical oscillating plate. The simulations for the formulated model have been done ρ-Laplace transform technique for Caputo fractional simulations. Definitions of Mittage–Leffler function and ρ-Laplace transform are also presented for the governing model. The application of updated definitions of ρ-Laplace transform for the Caputo fractional model is quite interesting unlike traditional Laplace transforms. The comparative investigation for both types of nanoparticles is performed for heat and mass transfer rates. It is observed that the heat enhancement rate due to water-based nanoparticles is relatively impressive compared to the kerosene oil-based nanomaterials.

The impact of Marangoni convection has noteworthy applications in nanotechnology, atomic reactor, silicon wafers, semiconductor processing, soap films, materials sciences, thin-film stretching, crystal growth, and melting and welding processes. On the other hand, thermophoretic particle deposition (TPD) has a significant application in building ventilation systems, crushed coal burners, thermal exchangers, and air cleaners. Inspired by these applications, the present work mainly concentrates on the Marangoni convection flow of Al2O3/water-based nanofluid over a stretching sheet in a porous medium with TPD in the presence of Newtonian heating. Additionally, heat absorption/generation in energy expression is considered. A suitable similarity variable is applied to simplify the partial differential equations into a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Furthermore, Runge Kutta Fehlberg fourth fifth order method along with the shooting technique is implemented to solve the reduced ODEs. Furthermore, mathematical computational software helps to acquire a numerical solution. The velocity of nanofluid increases for enhancement of Marangoni number and diminishes for porosity parameter. The heat absorption/generation parameter improves thermal dispersion in both common wall temperature and Newtonian heating cases. For the upgradation in the thermophoretic parameter, the concentration decreases and the rate of mass transfer increases. The rate of heat transfer increases as the heat source parameter grows and decreases as the heat sink parameter decreases. In all of the profiles, nanofluid outperforms viscous fluid.

The effects of grafting two greenhouse tomato cultivars (Durinta and Valouro F1) onto three tomato rootstocks (Beaufort, Maxifort, and Spirit) under different irrigation regimes [(50%, 75%, and 100% crop EvapoTranspiration (ETc)] were studied by evaluating the vegetative growth, proline, chlorophyll, and mineral content of the leaves as well as fruit yield and Total Yield Water Use Efficiency (TYWUE). Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and total yield decreased, whereas proline and TYWUE increased, with increasing water stress. Between the two tested cultivars, Durinta showed more vigorous growth than Valouro. Plant growth, proline, Ca+2 and K+ concentrations, fruit yield, and TYWUE were higher in grafted plants than in non-grafted plants. Adverse effect of high water stress (50% ETc) was evident in the non-grafted plants, particularly in Valouro. A positive effect of grafting was observed when Beaufort was used as the rootstock. Durinta grafted onto Beaufort (DB) under moderate irrigation regime (75% ETc) exhibited water savings (25%) and higher yield (21.6-30.8%) and TYWUE (55.1- 55.5%) than fully irrigated (100% ETc) control (non-grafted Durinta). The results indicated that grafting onto appropriate rootstock could alleviate some of the negative effects of water limitation on greenhouse tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we numerically analyze the significance of motile microbes on the magnetohydrodynamic steady convective streams of tangent hyperbolic (TH) nanofluid flow across an elastic nonlinearly stretching surface of an irregular thickness. The consequences of an external magnetic field, thermal radiation, and thermal conductivity are also examined on the TH nanofluid. The governing system of equations (nonlinear set of partial differential equations) is transfigured into a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using the similarity variable conversions. Furthermore, the reduced form of nonlinear ODEs is numerically computed through the parametric continuation method (PCM) using MATLAB software. The relative evaluation is carried out to authenticate the numerical outcomes. It has been observed that the energy field accelerates with the Rayleigh number, Weissenberg number, and Brownian motion. The mass propagation ratio improves with the effect of activation energy and decreases with the influence of chemical reactions. Furthermore, the motile microbes’ profile declined with the outcome of the Peclet and Lewis numbers. The skin friction increases up to 7.3% with various magnetic values ranging from 0.5 to 1.5. However, the energy transfer rate declines to 5.92%. The thermal radiation boosts the energy propagation rate and flow velocity by up to 11.23 and 8.17%, respectively.

Alruwaili NK, Zafar A, Imam SS, et al. Int J Nanomedicine. 2020;15:4717–4737. The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged duplication of isotonicity images in Figure 8. The corresponding author did cooperate with the investigation and images relating to the isontonicity study were provided. However, despite the authors’ assistance, it was still not clear how the images came to be duplicated, and, as we cannot verify the validity of the published work, we are therefore retracting the article. The authors have been informed and do not agree with this decision. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.

Khalid Khalaf Alharbi, Amal F Alshammary, Omar Sammar Aljabri, Imran Ali Khan Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Imran Ali KhanDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, PO Box-10219, Riyadh, 11433, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaTel +966501112806Fax +966114693851Email imkhan@ksu.edu.saPurpose: Limited studies have shown positive and negative associations of serum amylase A1 (SAA1) gene in childhood obesity, previously showed the relation with obesity in different ethnicity. The current study therefore investigated the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms present in the SAA1 gene on subjects of Saudi obesity.Participants and Methods: In this case–control study, we selected 140 subjects of Saudi population and categorized them into 83 cases of obesity and 57 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed with quantitative/real time-polymerase chain reaction in the SAA1 gene for rs11603089A/G, rs4638289A/T and rs7131332A/G polymorphisms.Results: In rs11603089 polymorphism, co-dominant model (AG vs AA+GG; OR-2.23 [95% CI:1.02– 4.86]; p=0.04) and rs4638289 polymorphism, a disparity in significance was observed between the homozygous variant (TT vs AA; OR-16.8 [95% CI: 2.06– 136.8]; p=0.0009), dominant model (AT+TT vs AA; OR-2.57 [95% CI: 1.28– 5.19]; p=0.007), recessive model (TT vs AA+AT; OR-11.36 [95% CI: 1.45– 89.06]; p=0.004) and allelic frequency for (T vs A: OR-2.35 [95% CI: 1.39– 3.98]; p=0.001) between the obesity cases and control subjects. However, statistical correlations did not reveal the rs7131332A/G polymorphism either (p> 0.05).Conclusion: In conclusion, rs4638289 polymorphism was associated with risk allele and dominant model with obesity subjects. Further additional studies were warranted.Keywords: obesity, SAA1 gene, rs11603089, rs4638289 and rs7131332 polymorphisms

Nabil K Alruwaili,1 Ameeduzzafar Zafar,1 Syed Sarim Imam,2 Khalid Saad Alharbi,3 Nasser Hadal Alotaibi,4 Sultan Alshehri,2,5 Nabil A Alhakamy,6 Abdulaziz I Alzarea,1 Muhammad Afzal,3 Mohammed Elmowafy1,7 1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Al-Jouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Al-Jouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Al-Jouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5College of Pharmacy, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 7Department of Pharmaceutics and Ind. Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, EgyptCorrespondence: Ameeduzzafar Zafar Email zzafarpharmacian@gmail.comPurpose: The present study was designed to study the gentamycin (GTM)-loaded stimulus-responsive chitosan nanoparticles to treat bacterial conjunctivitis.Methods: GTM-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (GTM-CHNPs) were prepared by ionotropic gelation method and further optimized by 3-factor and 3-level Box–Behnken design. Chitosan (A), sodium tripolyphosphate (B), and stirring speed (C) were selected as independent variables. Their effects were observed on particle size (PS as Y1), entrapment efficiency (EE as Y2), and loading capacity (LC as Y3).Results: The optimized formulation showed the particle size, entrapment efficiency, and loading capacity of 135.2± 3.24 nm, 60.18± 1.65%, and 34.19± 1.17%, respectively. The optimized gentamycin-loaded chitosan nanoparticle (GTM-CHNPopt) was further converted to the stimulus-responsive sol-gel system (using pH-sensitive carbopol 974P). GTM-CHNPopt sol-gel (NSG5) exhibited good gelling strength and sustained release (58.99± 1.28% in 12h). The corneal hydration and histopathology of excised goat cornea revealed safe to the cornea. It also exhibited significant (p< 0.05) higher ZOI than the marketed eye drop.Conclusion: The finding suggests that GTM-CHNP-based sol-gel is suitable for ocular delivery to enhance the corneal contact time and improved patient compliance.Keywords: chitosan, nanoparticles, gentamycin, histopathology, antimicrobial assessment, HET CAM test

Mohammad M Al-Sanea,1 Lizaveta Gotina,2 Mamdouh FA Mohamed,3 Della Grace Thomas Parambi,1 Hesham A M Gomaa,4,5 Bijo Mathew,6 Bahaa G M Youssif,7 Khalid Saad Alharbi,8 Zainab M Elsayed,9 Mohamed A Abdelgawad,1,10 Wagdy M Eldehna9,11 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf 2014, Saudi Arabia; 2Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, Korea; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt; 4Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf 2014, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni-Suef, Egypt; 6Division of Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry Research Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ahalia School of Pharmacy, Palakkad, Kerala 678557, India; 7Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt; 8Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakakah 72341, Saudi Arabia; 9Scientific Research and Innovation Support Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt; 10Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt; 11Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohammad M Al-SaneaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf 2014, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 594076460Email mmalsanea@ju.edu.saIntroduction: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) represent one of the most validated cancer targets. The inhibition of HDACs has been proven to be a successful strategy for the development of novel anticancer candidates.Methods: This work describes design and synthesis of a new set of HDAC inhibitors ( 7a-c and 8a, b) utilizing ligustrazine as a novel cap moiety, and achieving the pharmacophoric features required to induce the desired inhibition.Results: The newly synthesized derivatives were evaluated for their potential inhibitory activity toward two class I histone deacetylases, namely HDAC1 and HDAC2. The tested ligustrazine-based compounds were more potent toward HDAC2 (IC50 range: 53.7– 205.4 nM) than HDAC1 (IC50 range: 114.3– 2434.7 nM). Furthermore, the antiproliferative activities against two HDAC-expressing cancer cell lines; HT-29 and SH-SY5Y were examined by the MTT assay. Moreover, a molecular docking study of the designed HDAC inhibitors ( 7a-c and 8a,b) was carried out to investigate their binding pattern within their prospective targets; HDAC1 (PDB-ID: 4BKX) and HDAC2 (PDB-ID: 6G3O).Discussion: Compound 7a was found to be the most potent analog in this study toward HDAC1 and HDAC2 with IC50 values equal 114.3 and 53.7 nM, respectively. Moreover, it was the most effective counterpart (IC50 = 1.60 μM), with 4.7-fold enhanced efficiency than reference drug Gefitinib (IC50 = 7.63 μM) against SH-SY5Y cells. Whereas, compound 8a (IC50 = 1.96 μM) was the most active member toward HT-29 cells, being 2.5-times more potent than Gefitinib (IC50 = 4.99 μM). Collectively, these results suggest that 7a merits further optimization and development as an effective new HDACI lead compound.Keywords: HDACs Inhibitors, Ligustrazine, Anticancer agents, In silico study, Synthesis

Hamza Mohammad Abdulghani,1 Areej Salman AlRajeh,2 Budoor Hussain AlSalman,2 Lulwah Sami AlTurki,2 Norah Sulaiman AlNajashi,2 Mohammad Irshad,2 Khalid Hamad Alharbi,3 Yazeed Eid AlBalawi,3 Yazeed A AlSuliman,3 Tauseef Ahmad2 1Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Saud University, 2College of Medicine, King Saud University, 3King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Diabetes mellitus with comorbid complications constitute a major public health problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of comorbid complications with glycosylated hemoglobin levels and diabetes duration. Also assessed were patients’ diabetic foot-care knowledge and practices. Patients and methods: This was a quasiexperimental study. A total of 360 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were interviewed at a government health care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Diabetic complications and HbA1c-level data were collected from hospital records. A standard questionnaire was used to assess their diabetic foot-care knowledge and practice. Results: Of the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, 32.5% had highly uncontrolled glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (≥8.6%) and 62.8% had had diabetes >10 years. The patients had comorbid complications, such as hypertension (61.4%), dyslipidemia (58.6%), retinopathy (23.3%), heart disease (14.4%), and severe foot complications (3.9%). The majority of highly uncontrolled HbA1c-level patients had retinopathy (OR 8.90, P=0.0001), foot complications (OR 8.09, P=0.0001), dyslipidemia (OR 2.81, P=0.010), and hypertension (OR 2.0, P=0.028) compared to the controlled HbA1c-level (10 years also had higher prevalence of foot complications (OR 2.92, P=0.0001), retinopathy (OR 2.17, P=0.011), and hypertension (OR 1.67, P=0.033). From patient responses, physicians examined only 34.2% of patient feet and 36.7% of patients received physicians advice for foot care. About 70% of patients had knowledge of diabetic foot care; however, only 41.7% of patients always examined their feet, 41.4% washed feet with warm water, 31.4% carefully dried between the toes, and 33.1% were using foot-moisturizing substances. Conclusion: The prevalence of comorbid complications was higher in the Saudi population compared to other international studies. Also, foot-care practice was not satisfactory. Therefore, there is need of improvement and increased awareness among physicians and patients to check regularly for proper care of the diabetic foot to avoid diabetic foot-related complications. Keywords: diabetic mellitus, comorbid complication, foot care, Saudi Arabia

C9H8FN3S, monoclinic, P21/c, a = 15.8636(6) Å, b = 7.6641(3) Å, c = 16.4472(7) Å, β = 106.016(2)°, V = 1922.04(13) Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0348, wRref(F2) = 0.1001, T = 296(2) K.

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is caused by several bacteria, including Salmonella , Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli , Enterococcus spp., and Mycoplasma spp., and BCO is a significant animal health and welfare issue in broiler production, causing 1-2% of bird condemnation at marketing age and resulting in annual losses of tens of millions of dollars. This study evaluated the efficacy of a probiotic program alone and combined with a multivalent electron beam (eBeam)-inactivated vaccine in reducing BCO lameness. The probiotic program included an Enterococcus faecium spray ( E. faecium 669, at 2 × 10 9 CFU/bird) at hatch and a triple-strain Bacillus -based product ( B. subtilis 597, B. subtilis 600, and B. amyloliquefaciens 516 at 1 × 10 9 CFU/bird/day) in drinking water from day 1 to day 56. An aerosol transmission challenge model simulated commercial bacterial exposure. Birds were divided into five groups: a positive control (PC) group (T1) and a negative control (NC) group (T2) receiving no treatment and three treatment groups receiving the probiotic program (T3), the multivalent vaccine (T4), or both the probiotic program and the multivalent vaccine (T5). Data analyzed via ANOVA ( p < 0.05) showed T3, T4, and T5 had significantly lower lameness (43.7%, 40.3%, and 40.7%) than T2 (71.0%) and T1 (83.0%). T5 resulted in reductions comparable to T4, indicating no significant synergistic effect. These findings show that probiotics alone or with a vaccine effectively mitigate BCO lameness, enhance broiler welfare, and reduce economic losses.

Aim: The investigation aimed to study the outcome of rosiridin in Parkinson's disease (PD) induced by rotenone (ROT) in rodents., Methods: Rodents were randomized into IV groups and were induced with ROT followed by treatment with rosiridin. Group I-IV received saline as a vehicle, II-ROT (0.5 mg/kg S.C) for 28 consecutive days, III and IV- rosiridin 10 and 20 mg/kg orally with ROT. On completion of the experimental duration, behavioral investigations were carried out. Biochemical variables such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), oxidative stress and antioxidants markers (Malondialdehyde-MDA, glutathione-GSH, superoxide dismutase-SOD, and catalase-CAT), anti-inflammatory (Interleukin-1 beta-IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha-TNF-α), alteration in neurotransmitters (Serotonin-5-HT), norepinephrine, and dopamine-DA, along with metabolites such as 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid-5- HIAA),), mitochondrial complex I, II, IV, and caspase-3 activity were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Furthermore, molecular docking and dynamics were performed for target ligands., Results: Rosiridin significantly restored the level of AChE, oxidative stress and antioxidants markers (MDA, GSH, SOD, and CAT), anti-inflammatory (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), alteration in neurotransmitters, mitochondrial complex I, II, IV, and caspase-3 activity. Rosiridin has a favorable negative binding affinity to AChE (-8.99 kcal/mol). The results of the molecular dynamics simulations indicate that proteins undergo a substantial change in conformational dynamics when binding to rosiridin., Conclusion: In this study, rosiridin may exhibit neuroprotective properties against the Parkinson's model for treating PD., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Soil contamination with cadmium (Cd) and salinity poses a significant challenge, affecting crop health and productivity. This study explores the combined application of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) to mitigate the toxic effects of Cd and salinity in wheat plants. Field experiments conducted in Cd-contaminated saline soils revealed that the application of SCB (0, 5, and 10 t ha -1 ) and ZnO NPs (0, 12.5, and 25 mg L -1 ) significantly improved key soil physicochemical properties, including soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). The combined application of SCB and ZnO NPs significantly mitigated the effects of Cd and salinity on soil and wheat plants. SCB (10 t ha -1 ) reduced soil pH by 6.2% and ESP by 30.8% compared to the control, while increasing microbial biomass by 151.1%. ZnO NPs (25 mg L -1 ) reduced Cd accumulation in wheat shoots by 43.3% and seeds by 46.3%, while SCB and ZnO NPs combined achieved a reduction of 74.1% and 62.9%, respectively. These amendments enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, with catalase (CAT) increasing by 35.3% and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) by 54.9%. Wheat grain yield increased by 42% with SCB alone and by 75.2% with combined SCB and ZnO NP treatment, underscoring their potential as eco-friendly soil amendments for saline, Cd-contaminated soils. These results underscore the potential of SCB and ZnO NPs as eco-friendly amendments for improving wheat productivity in contaminated soils, offering a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture in salt-affected areas.

Excessive irrigation of saline-alkaline soils with Cd-contaminated wastewater has resulted in deterioration of both soil and plant quality. To an investigate this, a study was conducted to explore the effects of biochar (applied at 10 t ha -1 ), PGPRs ( Bradyrhizobium japonicum (USDA 110) + Trichoderma harzianum at 1:1 ratio), and Si-NPs (25 mg L -1 ) on soybean plants grown in saline-alkali soil irrigated with wastewater. The results showed that the trio-combination of biochar with PGPRs, (as soil amendments) and Si-NPs (as foliar spraying), was more effective than individual or coupled applications in reducing Cd bioavailability in the soil, minimizing its absorption, translocation and bioconcentration in soybean tissues. The trio-combination reduced Cd bioavailability in the soil by 39.1% and Cd accumulation in plant roots, shoots, and seeds by 61.0%, 69.3%, and 61.1%, respectively. Physiological improvements in soybean plants were also observed, including 197.8% increase in root growth, 209.3% increase in chlorophyll content, and 297.4% increase in carotenoid levels. The trio-combination significantly improved soil physicochemical characteristics, enhanced soil microbial indicators and boosted soil enzymes activity, which in turn facilitated nutrient uptake and increased antioxidant enzymes activity. These positive outcomes enhanced photosynthesis, improved productivity and increased seed nutritional value. Overall, the trio-combination of biochar with PGPRs and Si-NPs are considered a reliable approach not only for revitalizing soybean growth but also for immobilizing Cd and improving soil health under wastewater irrigation.

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) lowers costs, guarantees staying current with new technology and abilities, and enables the provision of high-quality care. Evidence-based practice (EBP) considered the foundation for safe patient care., Aim: is to validate and carry out the linguistic-cultural adaptation of the S-EBPQ for the Arabic language., Design: A methodological study design was used., Method: There were two primary stages: translation and validation. Three experts reviewed the contents during the translation and validation in order to ensure their relevancy. 15 nursing students conducted face validation to confirm the produced items' clarity and understandability. Reliability assessment was achieved by conducting a pilot study on 72 nursing students. Ethical approval was taken. For statistical analysis, SPSS software was used. The internal reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's Alpha. The Pearson Correlation was used to test the relationship between the student's score on the questionnaire and their age and gender., Results: The Scale-Content Validity Index was 0.90; Cronbach's Alpha value was 0.963. Students in face validation phase confirmed that wording, clarity, and understandable language of the items were achieved. The Mean of students total score was 80.2 (SD = 21.5). Pearson test revealed that there was a weak positive correlation between students' scores and age R = 0.320 (p = 0.001). Also, it demonstrated that there was no correlation between the students' scores and the gender R =-0,028 (p = 0.817)., Conclusion: The Arabic version of the S-EBPQ generally had a solid structure and it demonstrated high validity and reliability. The questionnaire could be used in future studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Mental health challenges among university students are pervasive, with alexithymia posing a particularly significant yet understudied challenge. This condition significantly affects an individual's ability to cope with stress due to difficulties in recognizing, describing, and processing emotions. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate alexithymia prevalence and its associated factors among dental undergraduate students and interns enrolled at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data were collected through a self-administered online survey that assessed alexithymia symptoms (using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale [TAS-20]), sociodemographic profiles, lifestyle-related factors, and health-related factors. The associations between participant factors and alexithymia were assessed using chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the 421 eligible participants, 369 completed the survey (87.6% response rate), revealing a significant prevalence of alexithymia (37.9%). Female gender (AOR = 1.7, p = 0.04), depression (AOR = 5.6, p < 0.0001), chronic diseases (AOR = 3.5, p = 0.003), and childhood abuse (AOR = 2.2, p = 0.047) were independent factors significantly associated with alexithymia. Conclusions: These findings highlight the pressing need for mental health support within dental education. Early interventions targeting alexithymia could mitigate its adverse consequences, promoting better student well-being and academic success.

Background: A favorable clinical environment and nurse motivation are both essential for achieving high-quality patient outcomes and organizational performance in healthcare systems, which can be highly distressing for nurses. The purpose of this study was thus to determine the associations among and influences of psychological distress, work environment quality, and motivation on one another., Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study conducted with a total sample of 204 nurses in two public tertiary hospitals. We used an online survey to collect nurses' responses, which comprised the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-6, Brief Nurses' Practice Environment Scale, and Multidimensional Work Motivation Scale. We ran the necessary statistical analyses in SPSS version 28., Results: We found that nurses' psychological distress, work environment quality, and motivation were moderate. A significant, positive, and moderate relationship existed between psychological distress and work environment quality, while nurses' educational level was statistically different with their motivation level. In the regression, only the nationality, current position, and work environment variables significantly influenced psychological distress. The hospital type also significantly influenced work environment quality. No variable was found to influence nurses' motivation level, though., Conclusions: We concluded that nurses' work environment quality and motivation are interconnected with the psychological stress they experience at work. Monitoring nurses' work environment quality, motivation levels, and psychological distress is thus vital to ensure better patient care., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Alharbi et al.)

Climate change-induced drought stress decreases crop productivity, but the application of β-sitosterol (BS) and biochar (BC) boosts crop growth and yield. A pot experiment was conducted to examine the effects of the alone and combined application of BS and BC on the growth and yield of Phaseolus vulgaris under drought stress. The synergistic application of BS and BC increased plant height (46.9cm), shoot dry weight (6.9g/pot), and root dry weight (2.5g/pot) of P. vulgaris plants under drought stress. The trend of applied treatments for photosynthetic rate remained as BC (15%)

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is a major welfare issue for broiler production worldwide affecting approximately 1.5% of broilers over 42 days old. Excessive body weight gain causes mechanical stress on long bones, leading to micro-fractures. This condition induces a bacterial infection of fractures, resulting in bone necrosis and eventual BCO lameness. Increasing gut integrity and supporting Calcium metabolism contribute to the optimal bone structure and subsequently reduce BCO lameness. Probiotics thus provide an excellent strategy for alleviating BCO due to the improvement of intestinal integrity and barrier function. Accordingly, the present study investigated the lameness reduction through the feed supplementation of a selected probiotic. Broiler chickens were assigned to three treatments, including a control litter group (FL), a PoultryStar ® Bro probiotic fed group (BRO), and a control wire-flooring group (CW) designed to induce BCO lameness. The probiotic significantly decreased lameness by 46% compared to the control group ( p < 0.05). The most predominant bacteria identified from the BCO lesions were Staphylococcus cohnii and Staphylococcus lentus . Moreover, significant increments of tight junction gene expression in jejunum and ileum, plus numerical improvements of body weight gain (BW; +360 g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR; -12 pts) were observed in BRO-supplemented birds.

In the context of increasing agricultural challenges posed by soil salinity and drought stress, the main importance of the present study was to evaluate some novel treatments for improving canola productivity and resilience by applying wood distillate (WD) in combination with bagasse ash (SBA). A two-year field experiment using a split plot design was conducted and evaluated several physiological and biochemical parameters under different irrigation regimes conducted at 80% and 50% field capacity. While there were considerable moderation effects of SBA and WD on soil salinity, expressed as exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), under both well-irrigated and drought conditions, more importantly, the ESP was reduced to 31% under drought stress with combined WD and SBA applications over any single factor. WD and SBA treatments of canola leaves showed reduced Na content with increased K levels, and the plants maintained physiological attributes-chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and relative water content-to the level of controls of well-irrigation. Besides, they significantly alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and electrolyte leakage (EL) levels and increasing the activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Nonenzymatic antioxidants such as total soluble sugars (TSS), total soluble proteins (TSP), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) were significantly increased under stress conditions with a special accent on combined treatment, whereas the levels of proline and GB that increased in alignment with drought reduced under the combined application. Various growth parameters of plants like plant height, number of branches, and siliques per plant were significantly improved with WD and SBA under drought stress. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation further confirmed the relationships among these parameters and thus underpinned that WD and SBA can evoke a synergistic effect to enhance growth promotion and stress tolerance in canola. This, therefore, infers that the combined application of WD and SBA can be key, offering very high potential as viable options to better canola productivity under adverse environmental conditions.

Introduction: Recent advancements in nanotechnology present promising opportunities for enhancing crop resilience in adverse environmental conditions., Methods: In this study, we conducted a factorial experiment to investigate the influence of potassium nanosilicate (PNS) on sorghum plants exposed to varying degrees of drought stress A randomized complete block design with three replications was employed to subject the sorghum plants to different drought conditions. The three levels of stress were designated as non-stress (NS at -0.03 MPa), moderate stress (MD at -0.6 MPa), and severe stress (SD at -1.2 MPa). The plants were administered PNS at concentrations of 0 mM (control), 3.6 mM Si, and 7.2 mM Si., Results and Discussion: As drought stress intensified, we observed significant reductions in multiple plant parameters, including height, fresh weight, dry weight, leaf number, stem diameter, cluster length, seed weight, and nutrient uptake, with the most pronounced effects observed under SD conditions. Interestingly, nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) levels exhibited an increase under drought stress and PNS application, peaking at MD, alongside Si concentrations. Notably, PNS application facilitated enhanced nutrient uptake, particularly evident in the significant increase in nitrogen concentration observed at 3.6 mM PNS. Furthermore, the application of PNS significantly enhanced the fresh weight and nutrient concentrations (notably K and Si) in sorghum seeds under drought stress, despite varying statistical significance for other nutrients. These findings shed light on the mechanisms through which PNS exerts beneficial effects on plant performance under drought stress. By elucidating the complex interactions between PNS application, drought stress, and plant physiology, this study contributes significantly to the development of sustainable agricultural practices aimed at bolstering crop resilience and productivity in water-limited environments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Alharbi, Alnusairi, Alnusaire, Alghanem, Alsudays, Alaklabi and Soliman.)

In the center of the Nile Delta in Egypt, the Kitchener drain as the primary drainage discharges about 1.9 billion m 3 per year of water, which comprises agricultural drainage (75 %), domestic water (23 %), and industrial water (2 %), to the Mediterranean Sea. Cadmium (Cd) stands out as a significant contaminant in this drain; therefore, this study aimed to assess the integration of biochar (0, 5, and 10 ton ha -1 ) and three PGPRs (PGPR-1, PGPR-2, and PGPR-3) to alleviate the negative impacts of Cd on sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) in saline-alkali soil. The treatment of biochar (10 ton ha -1 ) and PGPR-3 enhanced the soil respiration, dehydrogenase, nitrogenase, and phosphatase activities by 137 %, 129 %, 326 %, and 127 %, while it declined soil electrical conductivity and available Cd content by 31.7 % and 61.3 %. Also, it decreased Cd content in root, shoot, and seed by 55.3 %, 50.7 %, and 92.5 %, and biological concentration and translocation factors by 55 % and 5 %. It also declined the proline, lipid peroxidation, H 2 O 2 , and electrolyte leakage contents by 48 %, 94 %, 80 %, and 76 %, whereas increased the catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and polyphenol oxidase activities by 80 %, 79 %, 61 %, and 116 %. Same treatment increased seed and oil yields increased by 76.1 % and 76.2 %. The unique aspect of this research is its investigation into the utilization of biochar in saline-alkali soil conditions, coupled with the combined application of biochar and PGPR to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd contamination on sunflower cultivation in saline-alkali soil., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

BACKGROUND Chat Generative Pre-Trained (ChatGPT) Transformer was created by OpenAI and has a powerful tool used in research. This study aimed to assess the awareness and perceptions of ChatGPT among researchers and academicians at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. MATERIAL AND METHODS A self-administered cross-sectional study was conducted among academicians and researchers from November 2023 to March 2024 using electronic questionnaires prepared in Google Forms. The data were collected using the Tawasul platform, which sent the electronic questionnaires to the targeted population. To determine the association between variables, the chi-square or Fisher exact test was applied at a significance level of <0.05. To find predictors of use of ChatGPT, multiple linear regression analysis was applied. RESULTS A response rate of 66.5% was obtained. Among those, 60.2% (n=121) had expertise in computer skills and 63.7% were familiar with ChatGPT. The respondents' gender, age, and specialization had a significant association with familiarity with ChatGPT (p<0.001). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that there was a significant association between the use of ChatGPT, age (B=0.048; SE=0.022; t=2.207; p=.028; CI=0.005-0.092) gender (B=0.330; SE=0.067; t=4.906; p=.001; CI=197-.462) and nationality, (B=0.194; SE=0.065; t=2.982; p=.003, CI=.066-.322). CONCLUSIONS The growing use of ChatGPT in scholarly research offers a chance to promote the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. Future studies ought to concentrate on assessing ChatGPT's clinical results and comparing its effectiveness to those of other ChatGPT and other AI tools.

BACKGROUND The use of herbal medicines (HMs) is increasing, which raises concerns of herb-drug interactions (HDIs). This questionnaire-based study aimed to evaluate knowledge of HMs and HDIs in 147 undergraduate nursing students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between March 2022 to June 2022. MATERIAL AND METHODS An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 147 nursing undergraduates at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from March 2022 to June 2022, using a self-administered 24-item questionnaire. The convenience sampling method was used to evaluate the knowledge of HMs and interactions of anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and antiplatelet drugs with herbs like ginkgo biloba, St. John's wort, garlic, ginger, green tea, and chamomile tea. RESULTS The findings of this study reported that 74.8% of the undergraduates used HMs. With regard to HDIs, 20.4% of nursing undergraduates identified the interaction between gingko biloba and drugs like ibuprofen and warfarin, while 13.6% identified interactions between drugs like warfarin with green tea, ginger, and chamomile tea. Regarding general knowledge, 59% of the students (n=84) reported good knowledge of HMs. Previous history of HM use significantly affected the mean HM knowledge score (t=4.635; P=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS To summarize, Saudi nursing students showed a lack of understanding and knowledge of HDIs. Ability to identify specific HDIs, like ginkgo biloba interactions with warfarin and ibuprofen, and warfarin interactions with green tea and ginger, was limited. There is a need to introduce HM and HDI courses in the academic curriculum.