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الملخص: أهداف البحث: التحمل القلبي الرئوي مهم للمشاركة بشكل مريح في أنشطة الحياة اليومية. تستخدم اختبارات التمرين، مثل اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق، بشكل شائع لتقييم القدرة على التحمل القلبي الرئوي. نحن نهدف إلى دراسة تأثيرات اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق القائم على الممر والمعتمد على مختبر تحليل المشية في الوقت الحقيقي التفاعلي على الأداء الوظيفي. طريقة البحث: تم تقسيم ثلاثين رجلا أصحاء بشكل عشوائي إلى مجموعتين. أجرى المشاركون في المجموعة (أ) اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق على الممر، تليها فترة الراحة (ساعة واحدة)، وبعد ذلك، قاموا بإجراء اختبار المشي في الوقت الحقيقي للتحليل التفاعلي القائم على المشي لمدة ست دقائق. في المجموعة (ب)، أجرى المشاركون الاختبارات بتسلسل عكسي لتلك التي أجراها المشاركون في المجموعة (أ). النتائج: أدى اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق القائم على الممر إلى زيادة كبيرة في مسافة ست دقائق سيرا على الأقدام (6 ميجاوات) وسرعة المشي لمدة ست دقائق مقارنة باختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق القائم على مختبر التحليل التفاعلي في الوقت الحقيقي. لم يلاحظ أي فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين المجموعتين في أي من النتائج الثانوية التالية: ضغط الدم الانقباضي، وضغط الدم الانبساطي، وتشبع الأكسجين، ومعدل ضربات القلب، وضيق التنفس، والتعب العام. ولوحظ وجود علاقة إيجابية قوية بين مسافة اختبار المشي البالغة ست دقائق وسرعة اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق. الاستنتاجات: لا ينبغي استخدام اختبار المشي لمدة ست دقائق القائم على الممر واختبار المشي في الوقت الحقيقي للتحليل التفاعلي القائم على المختبر لمدة ست دقائق بشكل تبادلي. Abstract: Objective: Cardiopulmonary endurance is important for comfortably participating in activities of daily living. Exercise tests, such as the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), are commonly used to evaluate cardiopulmonary endurance. We investigated the effects of the Gait Real-Time Analysis Interactive Lab (GRAIL)- and corridor-based 6MWTs on functional performance. Methods: Thirty healthy men were randomly divided into two groups. Group A participants performed a corridor-based 6MWT, followed by a washout period (1 h). Subsequently, they performed the GRAIL-based 6MWT. Group B participants performed the tests in the reverse order of that performed by Group A participants. Results: The corridor-based 6MWT resulted in significantly higher 6MW distance and 6MW speed than the GRAIL-based 6MWT. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in any of the following secondary outcomes: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, oxygen saturation, heart rate, dyspnea, and overall fatigue. A strong positive correlation was observed between the 6MW distance and 6MW speed. Conclusion: The corridor- and GRAIL-based 6MWT should not be used interchangeably.

This study introduces a novel methodology for enhancing the compressive strength of self-compacting concrete (SCC) via the use of the Explainable Boosting Machine (EBM), a sophisticated and interpretable machine learning algorithm. It presents a data-driven model that aims to accurately predict the strength of SCC by considering the intricate interactions among its various elements. Additionally, the model provides insights into the variables that influence SCC's compressive strength. By using EBM in conjunction with XGBoost and CatBoost algorithms, this study conducts a comparative examination of predictive abilities using datasets related to composition and rheology. The findings reveal that CatBoost has greater predictive performance using rheology dataset, as shown by an R2 value of 0.977. Conversely, XGBoost exhibits a higher predictive capability using the composition dataset, as indicated by an R2 value of 0.947. The EBM can provide comprehensive explanations at both global and local levels. It effectively identifies the key factors that have a significant influence on compressive strength. These factors include the coarse aggregate content, cement content, water content, viscosity, and V-funnel flow time. The study findings provide more evidence to support the notion that including rheological data into the model leads to a notable improvement in its accuracy. This outcome further confirms the existence of a direct correlation between rheological properties and compressive strength. The explanatory insights provided by EBM give practical instructions for customising SCC mixes to attain desired strengths. This facilitates quality control and enables personalised concrete design in the field of construction. This study highlights the potential of interpretable machine learning algorithms in improving the predictive modelling of SCC features. This advancement may lead to the development of more durable, efficient, and customised building materials.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of medical education that were based on the traditional classroom experience. To maintain postgraduate education during the lockdown, many of these activities continued via virtual methods. We aim to assess residents' perceptions of online medical education. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study targeting emergency medicine residents in the western region of Saudi Arabia. An electronic self-administered validated survey was used to assess the residents' experiences and perceptions of online medical education. Results: A total of 125 participants were surveyed (52% response rate). There was a significant increase in hours spent in online education after COVID-19 according to Wilcoxon signed rank test (p < 0.001). On a Likert scale, most residents agreed that they found online medical education enjoyable and easy to engage with. However, most did not find it as interactive as the traditional teaching methods. The most enjoyed aspects were the ability to learn in their own homes, and the flexibility in scheduling. The biggest barriers were difficulties in maintaining focus, and technical problems. Most (59.2%) of the residents found that online learning did not cover procedural skills acquired from simulation and direct patient training. Conclusion: The convenience and diversity of online education make it a good alternative tool compared to traditional methods. Despite the disadvantages of online education, we think it will continue to play a role in residency programs going forward in the future. [SJEMed 2023; 4(2.000): 092-098]

Abstract Climate changes and the rapid expanding human population have become critical concerns for global food security. One of the promising solutions is the employment of plant growth regulators (PGRs) for increasing crop yield and overcoming adverse growth conditions, such as desert climate. Recently, the apocarotenoid zaxinone and its two mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) have shown a promising growth-promoting activity in cereals and vegetable crops under greenhouse and field conditions. Herein, we further investigated the effect of MiZax3 and MiZax5, at different concentrations (5 and 10 µM in 2021; 2.5 and 5 µM in 2022), on the growth and yield of the two valuable vegetable crops, potato and strawberry, in the Kingdom of Saudi of Arabia. Application of both MiZax significantly increased plant agronomic traits, yield components and total yield, in five independent field trials from 2021 to 2022. Remarkably, the amount of applied MiZax was far less than humic acid, a widely applied commercial compound used here for comparison. Hence, our results indicate that MiZax are very promising PGRs that can be applied to promote the growth and yield of vegetable crops even under desert conditions and at relatively low concentrations.

Emerging technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) has great potential for use in real time in many areas, including healthcare, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, and environmental surveillance. Many obstacles exist alongside the most popular IoT applications and services. The quality of representation, modeling, and resource projection is enhanced through interactive devices/interfaces when IoT is integrated with real-time applications. The architecture has become the most significant obstacle due to the absence of standards for IoT technology. Essential considerations while building IoT architecture include safety, capacity, privacy, data processing, variation, and resource management. High levels of complexity minimization necessitate active application pursuits with variable execution times and resource management demands. This article introduces the Organized Optimization Integration Validation Model (O2IVM) to address these issues. This model exploits k-means clustering to identify complexities over different IoT application integrations. The harmonized service levels are grouped as a single entity to prevent additional complexity demands. In this clustering, the centroids avoid lags of validation due to non-optimized classifications. Organized integration cases are managed using centroid deviation knowledge to reduce complexity lags. This clustering balances integration levels, non-complex processing, and time-lagging integrations from different real-time levels. Therefore, the cluster is dissolved and reformed for further integration-level improvements. The volatile (non-clustered/grouped) integrations are utilized in the consecutive centroid changes for learning. The proposed model’s performance is validated using the metrics of execution time, complexity, and time lag.

Incorporation solid waste generated in industry into concrete production is considered an environmentally sustainable approach as it reduces pollution, lowers energy consumption, and mitigates the depletion of natural resources. Copper slag (CS) is a residual material produced through the copper smelting process. The slag materials are kept in expansive landfills and consume substantial land space. The typical approaches for managing CS involve recycling, metal recovery, and the creation of additional value through the manufacturing of items, including but not limited to railroad ballast, abrasive tools, cutting tools, roofing granules, abrasive tiles, glass, asphalt surfaces, and foundations for road construction. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical strength and microstructural properties of concrete, focusing on using CS as a substitute for fine aggregate. This review systematically analyzes its use in concrete production over the last two decades. For the review, data were collected from various publishers, which are peer-reviewed articles, and validated using databases like Scopus, Scimago journal and country rank (SJR), Web of Science, etc. This review concluded that the potential of utilizing CS as a workable alternative for fine aggregate is highly attractive, given its superior performance in mortar and concrete mixes when compared to mixes without CS.

Epithelial cancer cells rely on the extracellular matrix (ECM) attachment in order to spread to other organs. Detachment from the ECM is necessary for these cells to seed in other locations. When the attachment to the ECM is lost, cellular metabolism undergoes a significant shift from oxidative metabolism to glycolysis. Additionally, the cancer cells become more dependent on glutaminolysis to avoid a specific type of cell death known as anoikis, which is associated with ECM detachment.In our recent study, we observed increased expression of H3K27me3 demethylases, specifically KDM6A/B, in cancer cells that were resistant to anoikis. Since KDM6A/B is known to regulate cellular metabolism, we investigated the effects of suppressing KDM6A/B with GSK-J4 on the metabolic processes in these anoikis-resistant cancer cells.Our results from untargeted metabolomics revealed a profound impact of KDM6A/B inhibition on various metabolic pathways, including glycolysis, methyl histidine, spermine, and glutamate metabolism. Inhibition of KDM6A/B led to elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and depolarization of mitochondria, while reducing the levels of glutathione, an important antioxidant, by diminishing the intermediates of the glutamate pathway. Glutamate is crucial for maintaining a pool of reduced glutathione.Furthermore, we discovered that KDM6A/B regulates the key glycolytic genes expression like hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and GLUT-1, which are essential for sustaining glycolysis in anoikis-resistant cancer cells.Overall, our findings demonstrated the critical role of KDM6A/B in maintaining glycolysis, glutamate metabolism, and glutathione levels. Inhibition of KDM6A/B disrupts these metabolic processes, leading to increased ROS levels and triggering cell death in anoikis-resistant cancer cells.

Background:. The cosmetic procedure is a treatment modality for improving the appearance of a person, and it may involve either surgical or nonsurgical interventions. The number of women who undergo cosmetic surgery in Saudi Arabia has increased dramatically. In fact, the reasons for the increase in the number of cosmetic procedures include the growth impact of social media and the pursuit of perfection. The study aimed to determine the level of acceptance of cosmetic surgery among young Saudi women, and the factors influencing their decisions. Methods:. This cross-sectional study was conducted among literate Saudi women during March 2023 to April 2023. A self-reported questionnaire was used, which investigated the demographics, acceptance, and information about cosmetic surgery and social media. Results:. A total of 1685 female participants were included in this study: 62.6% were students, 73.6% were single, and 65.8% were aged 18–23 years. The levels of acceptance were high among 38.9% of the participants, and the level of acceptance was significantly affected by age (P = 0.0001), social status (P = 0.0001), work (P = 0.0001), education (P = 0.001), and income (P = 0.001). Up to 86.1% of the participants had not undergone cosmetic surgery, and the reasons for undergoing surgery commonly included dissatisfaction with appearance and social media. Conclusions:. The acceptance of cosmetic surgery in this study was low, and it was affected by several demographics of the participants. For instance, social media played a crucial role in driving women to undergo such procedures.

Odontogenic tumors (OTs) are distinct conditions that develop in the jawbones, exhibiting diverse histopathological features and variable clinical behaviors. Unfortunately, the literature on this subject in Saudi Arabia remains sparse, indicating a pressing need for more comprehensive data concerning the frequency, demographics, treatment modalities, and outcomes of OTs. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the frequency, demographic features, treatment, and outcomes of OTs across three tertiary medical centers. Methods and Material: OT cases were identified in King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), and Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC) from January 2010 to December 2021. Results: Ninety-two OT cases were identified from the anatomical pathology laboratories of three tertiary hospitals. KFMC contributed the highest number of cases (43.5%), followed by KAMC (30.4%) and PSMMC (26.1%). The median age of OT patients was 29 years (range: 5–83), with males representing more than half of the patients (56.5%). The mandible was the most frequent site of OT occurrence (72.5%), with ameloblastoma being the predominant OT (63.0%), followed by odontoma (19.5%). Among the treatment modalities, bone resection was employed the most (51.0%), followed by enucleation (25.6%). Notably, 11.5% of OT cases with available follow-up data exhibited recurrence, with ameloblastoma accounting for eight recurrent cases. Conclusions: Although OTs are relatively common in the jaws, they are rare in anatomical pathology laboratories and the general population. This study contributes valuable insights into the epidemiology characteristics, treatment trends, and recurrence rates of OTs in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Early detection and prevention of diseases can reduce morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. There is need to assess the utilization of preventive services for common chronic diseases, cancers, and vaccinations. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and sequence of utilization of preventive services for common chronic diseases, cancers, and vaccinations in addition to exploring community perspectives on these services. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey, which was conducted at primary healthcare centers in Prince Sultan Military Medical City covering Riyadh region from October 2022 to January 2023. The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from attendees aged 18 years and older, focusing on the utilization of eight preventive services (blood glucose testing, blood pressure measurement, cholesterol testing, screening for breast cancer, screening for cervical cancer, screening for colorectal cancer, screening for prostate cancer, and flu and pneumococcal vaccines). Descriptive statistics of the study were reported in frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test was used to assess association between outcome variables. Results: Participants were mostly married and had a higher educational degree. However, a considerable number is not accessing primary healthcare services regularly. The results showed that the rate of utilizing preventive services was as follows: blood pressure screening (91%), blood glucose testing (72%), cholesterol testing (65.8%), vaccination utilization (39.5%), breast cancer screening (8%), prostate cancer screening (4.6%), colon cancer screening (4.2%), and least utilized was cervical cancer screening with frequency of (3%). Conclusion: The results underscore the importance of increasing awareness and accessibility of primary healthcare services to promote better health outcomes in the region.

The 21st century has witnessed a substantial increase in the demand for construction materials, mainly influenced by the growing population. This increase in demand has resulted in higher prices for these materials and has also placed considerable burdens on environmental resources, prompting the search for eco-friendly and economically viable alternatives such as geopolymer materials to replace traditional materials like cement. The benefits of geopolymer materials as substitutes for cement in concrete extend beyond their exceptional durability. Initially, geopolymer was introduced to address the environmental impact arising from carbon dioxide emissions and the substantial consumption of fossil fuels through the production of cement. The current review investigates recent advances regarding the durability characteristics of geopolymer materials. This includes aspects such as water absorption, temperature resistance, sulfuric acid resistance, sulfate resistance, chloride ion penetration, and freeze–thaw resistance, among others. The results of this review highlight geopolymer concrete’s enhanced durability over traditional cement-based concrete. Furthermore, this review offers recommendations and outlines potential research avenues for further exploration of geopolymer concrete.

BackgroundNeonatal early onset sepsis (NEOS) is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition affecting newborns within the first few days of life. While the diagnosis of NEOS was based on clinical signs and symptoms in the past, recent years have seen growing interest in identifying specific diagnostic factors and optimizing therapy outcomes. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic and risk factors and therapy outcomes of neonatal EOS in ICU patients in Saudi Arabia, with the goal of improving the management of neonatal EOS in the country.MethodsThis method outlines the protocol development, search strategy, study selection, and data collection process for a systematic review on neonatal early onset sepsis in Saudi Arabian ICU patients, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) is a well-established guideline that provides a framework for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses in a transparent and standardized manner. It aims to improve the quality and reporting of such research by ensuring clear and comprehensive reporting of study methods, results, and interpretations. The search strategy included electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library) and manual search of relevant studies, and data were extracted using a standardized form.ResultsThe systematic review included 21 studies on neonatal sepsis in Saudi Arabia, with varying study designs, sample sizes, and prevalence rates of sepsis. Group B streptococcus and E. coli were the most commonly isolated pathogens. Various diagnostic factors and risk factors were reported, including hematological parameters, biomarkers, and blood cultures. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Joanna Briggs Institute critical checklist.ConclusionsThe review identified a number of risk and diagnostic factors and therapy outcomes for neonatal sepsis. However, most of the studies were having small scale cohort groups. Further research with controlled study designs is needed to develop effective prevention and management strategies for neonatal sepsis in Saudi Arabia.

The use of oncolytic viruses (OVs) in combination with cytokines, such as IL-12, is a promising approach for cancer treatment that addresses the limitations of current standard treatments and traditional cancer immunotherapies. IL-12, a proinflammatory cytokine, triggers intracellular signaling pathways that lead to increased apoptosis of tumor cells and enhanced antitumor activity of immune cells via IFN-γ induction, making this cytokine a promising candidate for cancer therapy. Targeted expression of IL-12 within tumors has been shown to play a crucial role in tumor eradication. The recent development of oncolytic viruses enables targeted delivery and expression of IL-12 at the tumor site, thereby addressing the systemic toxicities associated with traditional cancer therapy. In this study, we constructed an oncolytic virus, VSVΔ51M, based on the commercially available VSV wild-type backbone and further modified it to express human IL-12. Our preclinical data confirmed the safety and limited toxicity of the modified virus, VSV-Δ51M-hIL-12, supporting its potential use for clinical development.

This study evaluates the formation of 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in chicken thighs and breasts, cooked by different methods. These methods are: madhbi, charcoal mandi, electrical oven mandi, gas flame oven mandi and shawaya. Chicken samples were collected from a restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Analysis of the samples was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). The data obtained showed that madhbi chicken had higher PAHs levels than other cooking styles, with the mean concentration in chicken breast of 87.72 µg/Kg and thigh of 75.56 µg/Kg. Phenanthrene was the compound detected at the highest concentration in different cooking methods. There was no significant difference in concentration of PAHs between the parts of chicken cooked with the same method. However, the method of cooking had a significant impact on the formation of PAHs. Therefore, the formation of PAHs in chicken meat could be reduced by choosing appropriate cooking methods. Moreover, the margin of exposure was used to assess the health risk in adults due to madhbi chicken ingestion. The results showed that there is no serious health concern.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health concern. Microbial dysbiosis and associated metabolites have been associated with CRC occurrence and progression. This study aims to analyze the gut microbiota composition and the enriched metabolic pathways in patients with late-stage CRC. In this study, a cohort of 25 CRC patients diagnosed at late stage III and IV and 25 healthy participants were enrolled. The fecal bacterial composition was investigated using V3-V4 ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, followed by clustering and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analyses. A cluster of ortholog genes’ (COG) functional annotations and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were employed to identify enrichment pathways between the two groups. The findings showed that the fecal microbiota between the two groups varied significantly in alpha and beta diversities. CRC patients’ fecal samples had significantly enriched populations of Streptococcus salivarius, S. parasanguins, S. anginosus, Lactobacillus mucosae, L. gasseri, Peptostreptococcus, Eubacterium, Aerococcus, Family XIII_AD3001 Group, Erysipelatoclostridium, Escherichia-Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Alistipes, Ralstonia, and Pseudomonas (Q < 0.05). The enriched pathways identified in the CRC group were amino acid transport, signaling and metabolism, membrane biogenesis, DNA replication and mismatch repair system, and protease activity (Q < 0.05). These results suggested that the imbalance between intestinal bacteria and the elevated level of the predicated functions and pathways may contribute to the development of advanced CRC tumors. Further research is warranted to elucidate the exact role of the gut microbiome in CRC and its potential implications for use in diagnostic, prevention, and treatment strategies.

Background: Nursing Residency Programs (NRPs) reportedly help close the disparities in job-related knowledge, expertise, and attitudes that affect new nurses, healthcare organizations, and care quality by offering instructions and resources for new graduate nurses. Aim: This study aims to explore the relationship between work readiness and perceived clinical competence among graduates attending the NRP as compared to nurse interns at one university hospital. Methods: This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional research design, recruiting 203 graduate nurses through a purposive sampling technique via electronic invitations. Results: The results of this study showed that graduates attending the NRP had higher scores at all levels of work readiness and clinical competence, with work readiness being found as a predictor of clinical competence. Conclusions: Healthcare organizations are responsible for exploring the transition to practice programs and their effectiveness in enhancing work readiness to increase the quality of care offered to patients and to prepare skillful new graduates for professional and safe practice.

Emerging technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) has great potential for use in real time in many areas, including healthcare, agriculture, logistics, manufacturing, and environmental surveillance. Many obstacles exist alongside the most popular IoT applications and services. The quality of representation, modeling, and resource projection is enhanced through interactive devices/interfaces when IoT is integrated with real-time applications. The architecture has become the most significant obstacle due to the absence of standards for IoT technology. Essential considerations while building IoT architecture include safety, capacity, privacy, data processing, variation, and resource management. High levels of complexity minimization necessitate active application pursuits with variable execution times and resource management demands. This article introduces the Organized Optimization Integration Validation Model (O2IVM) to address these issues. This model exploits k-means clustering to identify complexities over different IoT application integrations. The harmonized service levels are grouped as a single entity to prevent additional complexity demands. In this clustering, the centroids avoid lags of validation due to non-optimized classifications. Organized integration cases are managed using centroid deviation knowledge to reduce complexity lags. This clustering balances integration levels, non-complex processing, and time-lagging integrations from different real-time levels. Therefore, the cluster is dissolved and reformed for further integration-level improvements. The volatile (non-clustered/grouped) integrations are utilized in the consecutive centroid changes for learning. The proposed model's performance is validated using the metrics of execution time, complexity, and time lag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of this research is to explore the potential synergistic effects of combining 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol and thymoquinone against a variety of Candida isolates. This investigation aims to offer an understanding of the collective antimicrobial action of these compounds. Methods: Broth microdilution was utilized to assess the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol and thymoquinone for 22 clinical Candida isolates. Following this, a checkerboard assay was employed to analyze the interaction between 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol and thymoquinone, with a specific focus on the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI). Results: The MICs of thymoquinone and 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol were determined for 22 clinical Candida strains, with thymoquinone exhibiting MICs ranging from 64 to 8 μg/mL, and 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol displaying MICs varying from 64 to 8 μg/mL. Notably, the combination of 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol and thymoquinone resulted in a synergistic effect, leading to a significant reduction in MICs, with reductions of up to 64-fold with FICI below 0.5 against tested strains. Conclusion: The prospect of using 3-hydrazinoquinoxaline-2-thiol in combination with thymoquinone as an effective solution against Candida looks encouraging. Nevertheless, to validate its practical applicability, additional comprehensive testing and experiments are imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of γ-ray on the halide perovskite (CuPbI3) thin film has been investigated in this work. Nanocrystalline and homogeneous CuPbI3 material was effectively deposited on a glass substrate using spin coating method. The thin film, which has a thickness of approximately 227 nm, was exposed to γ-ray's source (Co60 with a dose rate of 7.328 kGy/h) in the range of 0–75 kGy. Then the structural, morphological, electrical and optical properties of CuPbI3 thin films were studied before and after being irradiated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the hexagonal phase structure, and the crystalline size decreased from 42 to 16 nm with increasing crystallinity up to 50 kGy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that the grain size (33-23 nm) and surface of thin films were significantly affected by γ-ray's doses variation. The optical transmission and reflectance of CuPbI3 thin films were studied by means of their response to incident γ-rays. The estimated band gap (Eg) slightly increased from 2.23 to 2.3 eV with increasing γ-rays dose from 0 to 50 kGy and then deceased afterward. Other optical parameters, such as Urbach energy, extinction coefficients, refractive index, optical density and dielectric constants, were determined before and after γ-ray's exposure. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra depict the transition peak at 620.35 nm and the structural defect peak at 606.3 nm. The intensity of the PL peaks could depend on the γ-rays dose with respect to the as-deposited thin films. Impedance spectroscopy of all samples revealed that the grain boundary resistance gradually reduced with increasing γ-ray's dose. This study concludes that the incident γ-rays play a main role in properties of the CuPbI3 thin film, which is favorable for sensing/detecting applications of γ-ray's.

Acute Myocardial infarction is a non-communicable disease representing the leading cause of death in Saudi Arabia. Studying the ethnicity in its risk factors has been poorly investigated.ObjectivesTo compare risk factors among Saudi nationals and expatriates.MethodsA retrospective cohort study for patients admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit of one of the largest tertiary care hospitals in Tabuk diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction from September 2018 to August 2019. Risk factors were compared among groups on the basis of their ethnicity.ResultsIn total 18,746 patients were included. Gender and age were the predominant risk factors; Male (p < 0.05) and age >50 years (p < 0.05). There were significant differences between Saudis and expatriates in all measurable parameters indicating that a genetic factor contributes to the risk factors, which was proved by the significant differences between the Middle East North Africa and South Asia subgroups. Interestingly, the mean values of laboratory results were higher than Saudi populations.ConclusionsThe disparity in lipid profile among the studied groups addresses the patient ethnicity should be considered during education programs for the risk factors of cardiovascular disease.

The current study investigated the neuroprotective activity of some drugs and nutriceuticals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential on the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Rats were categorized into seven groups: Rats received tween80 daily for 5 weeks as a control group, MnCl2 (10 mg/kg, i.p) either alone (group II) or in combination with vinpocetine (VIN) (20 mg/kg) (group III), punicalagin (PUN) (30 mg/kg) (group IV), niacin (85 mg/kg) (group V), vitamin E (Vit E) (100 mg/kg) (group VI) or their combination (group VII). Motor activities was examined using open-field and catalepsy. Striatal monamines, acetylcholinesterase, excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitters, redox status, pro-oxidant content, brain inflammatory, apoptotic and antioxidant biomarkers levels were assessed. Besides, histopathological investigations of different brain regions were determined. Groups (IV –GVII) showed improved motor functions of PD rats. Applied drugs significantly increased the brain levels of monoamines with the strongest effect to PUN. Meanwhile, they significantly decreased levels of acetylcholinesterase with a strongest effect to PUN. Moreover, they exhibited significant neuronal protection and anti-inflammatory abilities through significant reduction of the brain levels of COX2, TNF-α and Il-1β with a strongest effect to the PUN. Interestingly; groups (IV – GVII) showed restored glutamate/GABA balance and exhibited a pronounced decrease in caspase-3 content and GSK-3β protein expression levels. In addition, they significantly increased Bcl2 mRNA expression levels with a strongest effect for PUN. All these findings were further confirmed by the histopathological examinations. As a conclusion, we propose VIN and PUN to mitigate the progression of PD via their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, neurotrophic and neurogenic activities.