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Copyright of Ialam is the property of Arab Federation for Libraries & Information and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Social Affairs is the property of Journal of Social Affairs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Diabetes is a recognizable and major health burden in Saudi Arabia. The incidence of Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 (DM1) reached 109.5 per 100,000 child and adolescent. One of the major life-threatening complications of DM1 is Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). This study aims to estimate DKA incidence among DM1 patients and possible risk factors. Methods: Retrospective review for DM1 patients at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, and who was presented with DKA during the past six and half years. Results: Three hundred and fifty DM1 patients were included and (72) experienced DKA during study period. The average annual DKA onset was (6.2%). Mean age was (22.82 ± 5.567) years, and females constituted (66.7%) of this group. Poor medication compliance was the commonest risk factor associated with DKA, and this relationship was found significant (P-value 0.003). Out of the total DKA sufferers, (28) patients experienced recurrent or multiple DKA episodes, and those had higher HbA1C levels (11.7 ± 2.9 Vs 12.4 ± 3.3). Patients who had multiple DKA episodes reported less visits to the diabetes educator when compared to the single DKA group. (On average (9) Vs (11) per year). Conclusion: DKA was found relatively uncommon among our DM1 patients, and usually seen in young females with poor medication compliance. More comprehensive education on DKA is needed to protect against life threatening complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate smartphone addiction among medical students and to determine factors associated with smartphone addiction among sixth-year medical students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 203 sixth-year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during July 2017. Data analysis was done using SPSS20. Results: The number of completed questionnaires received was181 out of 203, making a response rate of 89%. There were 87 male respondents (48.1%) and 94 female respondents (51.9%). The overall prevalence of smartphone addiction was 66 (36.5%). There is a statistically significant relationship between daily hours of smartphone usage and smartphone addiction (p<0.02). Out of 66 addicted students, 24 (55.8%) students reported using their smartphone more than five hours daily, 17(34.7%) students were using it 4 to 5 hours daily, 13 (27.7%) students were using it 2 to 3 hours daily and 12(28.6%) students were using it less than two hours daily. The study showed no statistically significant relationship between smartphone addiction and smoking statusor degree of obesity. There was a significant association between the total score on the smartphone addiction scale and daily usage hours (pvalue<0.005). Conclusion: The overall prevalence of smartphone addiction was high among our study participants. The smartphone addiction was associated with daily hours of smartphone usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanocytic nevi (MN) pose diagnostic difficulty due to their heterogeneous clinical, biological and molecular characteristics. Their recognition is also important because cutaneous melanomas are known to arise in pre-existing MN. Aim: This retrospective study aims to examine the clinical features and histopathological types of MN among patients attending King Abdulaziz University Hospital between January 2000 and December 2017. It also aims to examine the correlation of their number to cutaneous melanoma. Materials and Methods: All biopsy specimen data of pigmented skin lesions were collected through an electronic search of the Anatomic Pathology archives. Age, gender and site distribution and histological features were studied for different MN and their relation to cutaneous melanoma if associated. Results: MN were most common in the third decade of life affecting females more than males. The most frequent anatomic location was the head region, 176 (45.3%), with face being most frequent site, 45 (25.5%). Histologically the most common MN was intradermal type accounting for 217 (56%). Two dysplastic nevi and one congenital nevus was associated with cutaneous melanoma. Conclusion: MN most commonly affected patients in their third decade of life. Females were more affected than males. Histologically most MN were of intradermal type and were rarely associated with cutaneous melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adds to the current literature on ongoing in-house professional development for teachers by exploring how administrators, other faculty, and the English-language (EFL) teachers who participated in Cambridge University Press's Train the Trainer course (TTT) at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Saudi Arabia, judged the TTT's usefulness. To determine whether to support the TTT in the future, KAU wanted to identify how well its TTT graduates could provide professional development to their colleagues. This study's aim is to discuss how positively those who were involved in the TTT, particularly the administration, the TTT graduate trainers themselves, and the other teachers who attended the workshops presented by first-year graduates of the ELI's TTT responded to the course. The main question it addresses is how successful the implementation of such a TTT course can be at the English language institute of a Saudi university, like at KAU, so as to determine if the TTT should continue to be offered at KAU and more generally, taking the example of the ELI at KAU, if the TTT course should also be proposed at other English language institutes in Saudi Arabia. This study employed a Likert scale survey, semistructured interviews, and open-ended questions with TTT participants, administrators, and other faculty to assess the TTT's initial value. The main finding of this study is that so far, the TTT course was perceived as beneficial. However, future analyses should evaluate the longer-term effects of the TTT on teaching approaches and student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand the attitude of medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU‑HS) toward anesthesia as a specialty and to determine common factors influencing their career choice options. Study Design: This was a cross‑sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted between March 25, and April 20, 2017, at KSAU‑HS. The survey was distributed among 5th and 6th years medical students. Data were collected through a validated hardcopy questionnaire of 16 multiple choice questions. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, specialty preferences, what factors attract Saudi medical students to choose their preferred specialty and how they view the option of choosing anesthesiology as a career. Results: A total of 236 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of respondents were in their 5th year of medical school representing (62%). The distribution of medical field interest ranged from (38%) surgery to (1%) anesthesiology. approximately, (60%) thought that controllable lifestyle was an important factor to consider in choosing a residency program. Only (45%) of respondents thought that prestige of specialty is a major factor that would influence their choice for a specialty. Conclusion: Based on the outcome of the study, it is recommended that medical undergraduate students exposure to anesthesia specialty should be magnified. Greater efforts have to be made to increase the number of medical students preferring anesthesia through emphasizing on the positive aspects of the specialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a difference between evidence-based guidelines for geriatric patients and clinical practice of physicians. Prescribing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can be attributed to the fact that many physicians are not aware of PIMs usage. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a combined intervention program comprising an educational and clinical pharmacist intervention to reduce the incidence of PIMs among hospitalized geriatric patients. Methods: This was a prospective pre-test versus post-test design study. The screening tool of older persons' prescriptions, 2nd version, and 2015 American Geriatric Society Beers' criteria were used to assess the appropriateness of medications prescribed for geriatric inpatients. The study was carried out in the medical wards of the Department of Medicine at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results: Four hundred geriatric patients were enrolled in the study: 200 in a pre-intervention group (control) and 200 in the intervention group. After the combined intervention, the incidence rate of PIMs decreased significantly from 61% to 29.5% (p<0.001). Out of 317 recommendations given by the clinical pharmacist, the physicians accepted a total of 196 (61.83%) recommendations. The most common PIMs to avoid regardless of diagnosis of geriatric patients before interventions were first-generation antihistamines (46%), sliding scale insulin (18.5%), antipsychotics (6.5%), benzodiazepines (9.5%), and antiarrhythmic drugs (15%). Conclusion: Using a combined intervention program that comprises an educational intervention of updated evidence-based guidelines and clinical pharmacist intervention would add a significant value to improve prescribing patterns in hospitalized geriatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify the occurrence rate of thyroid ultrasound abnormalities in asymptomatic subjects, and describe the features of detected nodules among university students. Methods: The study is based on an observational research design that was conducted from April 2015 to May 2015. The study included 166 individuals, aged between 19 and 23 years. The subjects had their glands examined by ultrasound (US) scanning, using Philips ultrasound machine (5-12 MHz linear transducer). Results: We recruited 90 (57.8%) females and 76 (42.2%) males without any indications of thyroid disease. Data estimated that 41 (24.7%) subjects had positive results on thyroid disease screening, 24 (70.6%) participants had solitary nodules, and 10 (29.4%) had multiple nodules. Thirty-four subjects revealed nodular presentation in the screening, among which 24 (70.6%) indicated solitary nodules and 10 (29.4%) had multiple nodules. Among 3 subjects, who indicated hypoechoic nodules, 2 (66.7%) underwent US-fine needle aspiration biopsy and received histological confirmation that they had papillary carcinomas. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a useful and effective technique for screening thyroid related diseases, and can be utilized as a routine practice for general population screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical students have high levels of stress that could be due to the daily life stressors and the extra stress of academic burden. The present study investigated the perceived stress level as well as the reasons and sources of stress among medical students at a comparatively newly established medical college affiliated with King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). Methods: The present study was carried out at Rabigh Medical College (RMC), KAU, Jeddah, and completed in 2015. The data was collected by an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that has three components: a list of 33 items of probable stressors, perceived stress scale, and demographic information and academics. Results: The response rate in our study was 86% (152/176), the mean age was 20.35 ± 1.09, 77 (51%) were from preclinical years and 75 (49%) from clinical years. The mean PSS score among our participants was 28.5 ± 3.8 with a median of 28.0 (IQR 26.0-31.0) and 59.2% of participants were stressed. The mean PSS score 30.6 ± 4.4 for students with sibling > 5 was significantly higher as compared to the mean PSS score (27.9 ± 3.3) for students with sibling =5. Similarly, the mean PSS score (32.0 ± 3.4) of students with often/always occurrence of psychosocial stressors was higher as compared to the mean PSS score (28.3 ± 3.7) of those students with less than a frequent occurrence of stressors. Moreover, those students that were more stressed had lower marks in the last exam (< 80%) as compared to students with less stress who had higher marks (≥80%) (P < .05). Performance in practicals, examinations frequency, disappointment with the class lectures, lack of personal interest in medicine, lengthy academic curriculum/syllabus, worries about the future and periodic examinations performance were rated as severe. The logistic regression analysis showed that stress cases were linked with last exam marks [OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.64-2.48], number of siblings [OR 2.27, 95% CI 0.97-5.27], and academic stressor [OR 2.02, 95% CI 0.61-6.66] but no significant relationship was found. Conclusion: There were high-stress levels among the participants of this study, and the main stressors were academicrelated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an attempt to explore the advantages and disadvantages of non-verbal communication, specifically body language, in intercultural settings, and the extent to which non-verbal factors contribute to the success of communication, by interviewing 31 English language instructors at the English language Institute at King Abdulaziz University. The instructors came from different cultural backgrounds and their length of stay in Saudi Arabia varies from 1 year to more than 7 years. The findings show that although the main function of body language in an intercultural setting is to clarify meaning when language is a barrier, the difference in cultural backgrounds sometimes leads to miscommunication or misinterpretation of nonverbal messages. However, almost all the participants considered body language a positive tool in facilitating communication and compensating for the lack of vocabulary in intercultural communication. More research on the similarities and differences between cultures with regard to nonverbal communication is recommended, in order to avoid or minimize misunderstandings that may result from cultural and linguistic differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sophisticated educational technologies are evolving rapidly, and online courses are becoming more easily available, generating interest in innovating lightweight data-driven adaptive approaches that foster responsive teaching and improving the overall learning experience. However, in most existing adaptive educational systems, the black-box modeling of learner and instructional models based on the views of a few designers or experts tended to drive the adaptation of learning content. However, different sources of uncertainty could affect these views, including how accurately the proposed adaptive educational methods actually assess student responses and the corresponding uncertainties associated with how students receive and comprehend the resulting instruction. E-learning environments contain high levels of linguistic uncertainties, whereby students can interpret and act on the same terms, words, or methods (e.g., course difficulty, length of study time, or preferred learning style) in various ways according to varying levels of motivation, pre-knowledge, cognition, and future plans. Thus, one adaptive instructional model does not fit the needs of all students. Basing the instruction model on determining learners' interactions within the learning environment in interpretable and easily read white-box models is crucial for adapting the model to students' needs and understanding how learning is realized. This paper presents a new zSlices-based type-2 fuzzy-logic-based system that can learn students' preferred knowledge delivery needs based on their characteristics and current levels of knowledge to generate an adaptive learning environment. We have evaluated the proposed system's efficiency through various large-scale, real-world experiments involving 1871 students from King Abdulaziz University. These experiments demonstrate the proposed zSlices type-2 fuzzy-logic-based system's capability for handling linguistic uncertainties to produce better performance, particularly in terms of enhanced student performance and improved success rates compared with interval type-2 fuzzy logic, type-1 fuzzy systems, adaptive, instructor-led systems, and non-adaptive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Medical ethics is the branch of ethics that deals with moral issues in medical practice. Many postgraduate training programs have developed educational interventions in ethics to meet accreditation standards and prepare learners for certification examinations and clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of residents in King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) toward the need for ethics education and identify the most effective methods of teaching ethical issues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study of residents in different specialties at KAUH was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: demographic data, assessment of the educational need for ethics education, assessment of the impact of various learning methods, and assessment of the need for ethically important practices and behavior. SPSS version 16.0 was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive analysis included frequency distribution, percentages, mean, and standard deviation (SD); Chi-square test and t-test were employed to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Eighty-eight of the 102 residents invited to participate in the study returned completed questionnaires, providing a response rate of 86.3%. Their ages ranged between 24 and 38 years with a mean of 27.7 (standard deviation 2.8) years. Approximately two-thirds of the residents (65.9%) agreed that medical ethics can be taught and learned while only 19.3% of them disagreed. The most effective methods of ethical education according to the residents were discussion groups of peers led by a knowledgeable clinician (78.4%), clinical rounds (72.7%), and an incorporation of ethical issues into lectures and teaching rounds (69.3%). CONCLUSION: This study documents the importance residents placed on ethics education directed at practical, real-world dilemmas and ethically important professional developmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the predictors of Emotional Intelligence (EI), and its relationship with academic performance, leadership capacity, self-efficacy and the perceived stress between medical students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 540 students selected through a multi-stage stratified random sampling method during 2015/2016. A standardized, confidential data collection sheet was used. It included Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence (SSREI) scale, Authentic Leadership questionnaire, General Self-Efficacy Scale and the short version of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were done, and a multiple linear regression model was constructed. Results: The predictors of high EI were gender (female), increasing age, and being non-smoker. EI was positively associated with better academic performance, leadership capacity and selfefficacy. It was negatively correlated to perceived-stress. Conclusion: Female gender, age, non-smoking were the predictors of high EI. Conduction of holistic training programs on EI, leadership and self-efficacy are recommended. More smoking control programs and stress management courses are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the association of different factors in the mammography related pain perception of women who attended their screening and diagnostic mammography appointments and whether the pain perceived was equal to the pain experienced. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at the Breast Unit of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), in the period between April and May 2015. A structured questionnaire with close-ended questions was given to a sample of 100 women before and after their mammogram, asking about their pain perception and whether it had changed. Results: The factors that affected anticipated mammography pain for the surveyed women were past mammography experiences, previous breast procedures, and the knowledge that was gathered beforehand about mammography. After the mammography, the women who thought the procedure was going to be painful experienced what they expected. The majority of the women who did not expect the mammography to be painful experienced pain during their mammogram. Most of the women who did not know whether it would be painful or not experienced the mammography as painful. Conclusion: Pain expectation can be approached in various ways to make the mammography experience much more tolerable for women, encouraging them to attend and return for their scans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign language anxiety plays an essential role in language learning and negatively impacts on the whole learning process. This research aims to explore the Saudi learners' perceptions of speaking anxiety in language classrooms and provide some effective and helpful solutions for reducing it. The sample of this study involved 10 Saudi female students, studying their foundation year at the English Language Institute (ELI), King Abdulaziz University. Their ages range between 18 to 20 years old. To reach a richer insight and better understanding of the research phenomenon, a qualitative approach was conducted. For gathering data, ten semistructured interviews with ten Saudi female students from levels 102, 103, and 104 were used and then thematically analyzed using Nvivo 10 software. The qualitative data found that Saudi female students do feel worried and anxious in foreign language classrooms when speaking the foreign language. However, they showed a positive attitude and a willingness to improve their English speaking proficiency level as a way of reducing anxiety by watching English movies, using English internet sites, traveling abroad and talking to native speakers, doing more presentations, practice reading English books and joining English institutes during summer vacation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health care is a basic human right, and Saudi Arabia affirms these rights for all its citizens. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of medical students regarding health rights in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) from September 2015 through November 2015. A questionnaire written in English collected demographic data and included questions about reproductive health care and health rights of women and patients with cancer, senility, or special needs. Results: Of the 267 participants, 184 (68.9%) were female, and 252 (94.4%) were Saudi. Regarding consent, 87 (32.6%) and 113 (42.3%) participants believed a female patient required the consent of a male guardian to receive medical treatment or surgery, respectively, in Saudi Arabia, and only 106 (39.7%) knew that a female patient could provide consent for a caesarean section. Sixty-six (24.7%) believed that abortion is never allowed in Islam. Only 93 (34.8%) were aware that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients had health rights, about half (144, 53.9%) knew that cancer patients have a right to full information, and most (181, 67.8%) believed that a patient had the right to withhold health information from his/her family. Approximately half were aware that cancer patients have the right to free medical treatment (138, 51.7%) or that health rights applied to special needs patients (137, 51.3%) and senile patients (122, 45.7%). Conclusions: The knowledge of KAU medical students regarding health rights of certain patient populations highlights the importance of health rights education in medical school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research has demonstrated that eating patterns are strongly influenced by the physical environment and students are more likely to eat foods that are available and easily accessible. Taking the responsibility for running university meals should be based on a healthy foundation. Methods: In this study, we conducted a survey on the physical environment and food business at the King Abdulaziz University's Female Section in Saudi Arabia (KAU). We visited 11 food premises "including the main cafeteria" at the female section aiming to assess its equipment, hygiene status and the healthiness' of food/beverage options available and served during the academic year 2013-2014 using a Nutrient Profiling (NP) model. Results: Of the analysed food and beverage items (n = 191), 74.3% (n = 142) were classified as high in saturated fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) with a low rate of fruit and vegetable' items. Some food items did not meet the criteria for the NP analysis and they were considered as unclassified items. All food premises were adequately equipped and some food premises did not achieve the general requirements for food hygiene that is internationally recognized, while the main cafeteria of the KAU's Female Section achieved the requirements of food hygiene. Conclusion: A novel aspect of the study is the objective assessment of the available and served food and drink items at KAU using the UK FSA NP system (UK FSA NP System: A Nutrient Profiling Model that was developed for the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency). It is anticipated that the findings of this research will serve as an impetus for providing appropriate nutrition services for female students at KAU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new closure and a modified detrainment for the simplified Arakawa-Schubert (SAS) cumulus parameterization scheme are proposed. In the modified convective scheme which is named as King Abdulaziz University (KAU) scheme, the closure depends on both the buoyancy force and the environment mean relative humidity. A lateral entrainment rate varying with environment relative humidity is proposed and tends to suppress convection in a dry atmosphere. The detrainment rate also varies with environment relative humidity. The KAU scheme has been tested in a single column model (SCM) and implemented in a coupled global climate model (CGCM). Increased coupling between environment and clouds in the KAU scheme results in improved sensitivity of the depth and strength of convection to environmental humidity compared to the original SAS scheme. The new scheme improves precipitation simulation with better representations of moisture and temperature especially during suppressed convection periods. The KAU scheme implemented in the Seoul National University (SNU) CGCM shows improved precipitation over the tropics. The simulated precipitation pattern over the Arabian Peninsula and Northeast African region is also improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mastery of musculoskeletal (MSK) examination is an essential skill required in the daily practice of a wide variety of fields, including internal medicine, family medicine, rheumatology, emergency medicine, pediatrics and orthopedic surgery; however, an inadequacy of MSK medicine education has been observed in medical colleges worldwide. Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess the competence of senior medical students and interns in examining the MSK system. Design: This was a cross-sectional survey. Setting: This study was conducted between April 2016 and June 2016 at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. Participants: The sample comprised final-year medical students and medical interns. Main Outcome Measures: Score on the Freedman and Bernstein examination and students' levels of confidence in examining the MSK system. Results: A total of 140 respondents (medical interns, 42.1% and sixth year students, 57.9%) completed the survey. The mean GPA of the students was 4 (SD 0.41), and the mean grade was 9.82 (SD 3.83) out of 25. Only two participants scored 70%, representing a passing rate of 1.4%. A strong significant correlation was observed between GPA and exam passing score (r = .580; P-value = 0.0016). We also observed a significant association between student level and passing grade. Nearly half of the participants reported that the MSK medicine curriculum needed to be improved. Conclusion: These analyses suggest that undergraduate medical education in MSK is insufficient, as close to 99% of our senior medical students and interns failed to demonstrate competency using the passing grade set by internal medicine residency program directors. Limitations: It would have been beneficial to assess students' MSK examination competency before and after enactments in the MSK curriculum to determine the impact of a new curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis with a high prevalence throughout the world. Toxoplasma gondii infection is frequently asymptomatic. Primary school children are particularly vulnerable to toxoplasmosis due to their habits of playing in water, soil, eating various raw foods, or contact with pets, including dogs, cats, and birds and hence they are an ideal target group to investigate T. gondii prevalence. Data collected from this age group can thus be used to assess whether T. gondii threatens the health of school-aged children, and also as a reference for evaluating the need for community interventions. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of antitoxoplasmosis IgG and IgM in Primary School children and to detect agents that increase prevalence of the disease. Materials and methods: 328 primary children (219 females and 109 males) were screened for T. gondii antibodies with ELISA along with a questionnaire conducted to all children and parents/guardians to obtain data for relevant eating and social habits. Among the risk factors tested, including contact with cats and soil, consumption of raw meat and vegetables, and drinking unboiled milk. Results: the seroprevalence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG & IgM was found to be 12 % (40 out of 328) and 2.4 % (8 out of 328), respectively while combined anti Toxoplasma IgG & IgM antibodies were found in 1.5 % of the children (5 out of 328). Infection acquisition rate was directly proportional to age and it was of interest that the most significant risk factor was not the petting of cats but the ingestion of raw meat. The seroprevalence of T. gondii IgG & IgM by ELISA among primary children in this region of Saudi Arabia is considerable with few identifiable significant risk factors reported. Conclusion: effective measures should be taken to prevent and control T. gondii infection in primary school children, the results of this study showed that in order to increase awareness of the disease in the community especially for girls and their parents on common root causes such as raw meat and vegetable is necessary. Policy makers also need to initiate prevention and control programs to not only primary children but also pregnant women and immunocompromised patients in particular because they are more severely affected by T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saudi Medical Journal is the property of Saudi Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Saudi Medical Journal is the property of Saudi Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To help teach object-oriented programming, students at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia created a self-paced, interactive program that associates code with visual cues to reinforce the concepts of inheritance and polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case report presents a novel finding of Rectosigmoid Hirschsprung disease in association with Factor VII deficiency in 2 years female presented to King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH). She was admitted in pediatric surgery unit. On examination; she looked ill and there were signs of infection at the colostomy site. The infection was treated and her overall health improved in 2 months. Mixing study and Factor VII level confirmed the presence of Factor VII deficiency. Congenital Factor VII deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disease occurring at a rate of 1:500,000 individuals while Hirschsprung disease (HD) is found in 1:5000 individuals. The combination of these two disorders is extremely rare. The patient was successfully managed for both disorders and discharged in good health in stable condition with no hemorrhagic complication. This case report describes an exceptionally unusual combination of congenital factor VII deficiency and Hirschsprung Disease in same patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives:Exams at the Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD) are usually constructed to match King Abdulaziz University (KAU) policy of a fixed 60% cutoff score, though they have never been tested or evaluated. The purpose of this study was to validate the cutoff scores of three final fifth-year written exams of the undergraduate Endodontic course to assess whether they were similar to KAU regulation using the Angoff rating method. Design and settings:This study was conducted between May 2014 and February 2015 at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University. Methods: Using the Angoff rating method, three final fifth-year undergraduate Endodontic written exams were evaluated by four senior faculty members. Results: The cutoff scores for exams 1, 2 and 3 were 57.4%, 62.9% and 63.1%, respectively. Adjusting the exams’ cut off scores would cause changes in some students’ results. Conclusions: Although the cutoff scores for all exams were close to 60%, slight deviation from the accepted cutoff score could definitely affect the students’ results. Therefore, all exams should be validated before being given to students to certify that the cutoff score is credible and defensible. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim:This study aimed to evaluate fifth-year medical students' perception of their learning experience during pediatric rotation at the medical college of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Method:This cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a questionnaire to fifth-year students who attended the pediatric rotation at KAU, during 2013–2014. Results:Three hundred fifty-six out of 360 students agreed to participate, representing a response rate of 99%. More than 90% were satisfied with the module, and 80% reported the usefulness of the orientation session. The mean scores for the usefulness of morning experience and afternoon activities were 7.20 ± 2.40 and 6.40 ± 2.70, respectively. A significant difference in the mean scores for supervision was observed between the clerkship sites (p = .0001), with the highest score for consultants’ supervision (7.01 ± 2.90) and lowest for interns’ supervision (4.81 ± 3.30). Conclusions:Overall, although the program was satisfactory to the majority of participants, areas of concern were identified. Students reported more effective learning and development of clinical skills , during the morning rounds, when supervised by consultants and senior specialists, and in activities that involved examining patients, presenting cases, and participating in discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To explore the potential, challenges and needs for internship research activities in achieving scholar outcomes among graduates. Methods:A qualitative general needs assessment and evaluation of an internship research program was conducted at King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD), KSA, from December 2014 to February 2015 using focus groups and interviews. The participants included: administrates, faculty, and internship students. Data were transcribed and analyzed following the grounded theory. Results:The participants were two administrative personnel, 21 faculty members, and 16 internship students. Results were clustered around five main domains; curriculum design, faculty, students, administrative, and institutional domain. Reported potentials included: a multi-faceted educational intervention approach, and building evidence-based skills and inquiry minds among graduates. Time, load, and incentives were major challenges reported by faculty. Interesting and achievable research topics were major challenges reported by students. Areas that needed development included: equipped research personnel, aligned administrative and institutional support, faculty skills, students’ knowledge and skills, aligned curriculum, and clear program goals, objectives, and outcomes. Conclusion:Curriculum design, faculty and students’ skills; as well as administrative and institutional support were found to play major roles in the success of the current internship research program at KAUFD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]