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This study examines the attributes of date palm fruits that influence consumer purchasing decisions and measures the attributes' relative importance weights for understanding consumption patterns relative to the cultivation areas. A case study was conducted for a selected date fruit, Khalas, which is cultivated in Saudi Arabia and ranked first in the world in exported dates. Our empirical investigation is based on utilizing a proposed quantitative analysis that integrated the entropy weighting method and binary logit models. With this survey design, 486 questionnaires were collected. Analysis results revealed a ranking list of preferred attributes, with size, mellowness, price, and color being the most valued. However, this ranking list fluctuates when different cultivated types of Khalas dates are available. The results also showed that consumption patterns may change in terms of preference index and shopping location. The paper concludes with a discussion of managerial implications, limitations, and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in children is a growing global concern. It is known that genetic and environmental factors contribute to childhood T1D. An optimal model to predict the development of T1D in children using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) would aid medical practitioners in developing intervention plans. This paper for the first time has built a model to predict the risk of developing T1D and identify its significant KPIs in children aged (0-14) in Saudi Arabia. Machine learning methods, namely Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Naive Bayes, and Artificial Neural Network have been utilised and compared for their relative performance. Analyses were performed in a population-based case-control study from three Saudi Arabian regions. The dataset (n = 1,142) contained demographic and socioeconomic status, genetic and disease history, nutrition history, obstetric history, and maternal characteristics. The comparison between case and control groups showed that most children (cases = 68% and controls = 88%) are from urban areas, 69% (cases) and 66% (control) were delivered after a full-term pregnancy and 31% of cases group were delivered by caesarean, which was higher than the controls (χ2 = 4.12, P-value = 0.042). Models were built using all available environmental and family history factors. The efficacy of models was evaluated using Area Under the Curve, Sensitivity, F Score and Precision. Full logistic regression outperformed other models with Accuracy = 0.77, Sensitivity, F Score and Precision of 0.70, and AUC = 0.83. The most significant KPIs were early exposure to cow's milk (OR = 2.92, P = 0.000), birth weight >4 Kg (OR = 3.11, P = 0.007), residency(rural) (OR = 3.74, P = 0.000), family history (first and second degree), and maternal age >25 years. The results presented here can assist healthcare providers in collecting and monitoring influential KPIs and developing intervention strategies to reduce the childhood T1D incidence rate in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing conditions of domestic agricultural production and the resulting products will not be able to fruitfully address the increasing food demand due to the limited fertile land and water resources in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the escalating threat of a hotter climate, the deterioration in precipitation, and harsh droughts in Saudi Arabia have reduced the predictability of water management efficiency and resulted in the exhaustion of water bodies and serious degradation of ecosystems that have directly affected agricultural systems and indirectly, food security. This study also aims to assess the impact of water efficiency on food insecurity in Saudi Arabia. The study applied the Bayesian Vector Autoregressive (BVAR) model for the reference period for the data extended from 2000–2020. Likewise, we used both impulse response functions (IRFs) and forecasting variance error decomposition (FVED) through 1000 Monte Carlo simulations according to the BVAR model to examine both the response of food insecurity to the shocks on water management efficiency used for various purposes and the decomposition of error variance in food insecurity. The results show that food insecurity was not observed throughout this study. The results of the BVAR analysis indicate that in the short run, the coefficients of water use efficiency are significant based on the Food Insecurity Multidimensional Index (FIMI). Also, the BVAR model provides a better forecast with an interdependence on water use efficiency for agricultural purposes and FIMI. Moreover, the results obtained from IRFs have shown a significant effect of water efficiency on FIMI. Water use efficiency for agriculture and industrial purposes reduces food insecurity while increasing water for services use increases food insecurity. Water use efficiency is the key factor affecting food insecurity in the short run. The results reveal that the water use efficiency shocks will decrease food insecurity. The shocks experienced by food insecurity can be predicted as self-shock over a span of ten years. Emphasis is given to the task of water management that may support food security in Saudi Arabia through implementing and enhancing the water use efficiency as an integral part of achieving the SDGs in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization and population growth have increased the need for optimizing the location of health services in highly urbanized countries like Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study employs a multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM) approach, e.g., fuzzy overlay technique by combining the P-Median location-allocation model, for optimizing health services. First, a geodatabase, containing public hospitals, road networks and population districts, was prepared. Next, we investigated the location and services of five public hospitals in Jeddah city of KSA, by using a MCDM model that included a fuzzy overlay technique with a location-allocation model. The results showed that the allocated five hospitals served 94 out of 110 districts in the study area. Our results suggested additional hospitals must be added to ensure that the entire city is covered with timely hospital services. To improve the existing situation, we prioritized demand locations using the maximize coverage (MC) location problem model. We then used the P-Median function to find the optimal locations of hospitals, and then combined these two methods to create the MC-P-Median optimizer. This optimizer eliminated any unallocated or redundant information. Health planners can use this model to determine the best locations for public hospitals in Jeddah city and similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the online discourses on "sustainability" and explores how environmental sustainability has been constructed within the Saudi online discourse. In doing so, the study focuses on the potential of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), along with Green Riyadh and King Salman Park, to promote sustainability awareness in the kingdom. The corpus of the study comprises news articles and Twitter hashtags. In addition, the study uses corpus-based discourse analysis to examine the keyness and intertextuality. The results of the study convey a contextualized national identity while communicating internationally within discursive circles. It is also identified that interdiscursivity is central in the corpus, although the discourse of action especially dominated other smaller discourses, such as consequences/risks, economy, and tourism. The results also indicate the prominent construction of officials, which could be linked to the dynamics of change in the Saudi scene. Finally, the study emphasizes the action-oriented nature of such discourse while drawing attention to some of the challenging issues to long-term advocacy in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physicians promote oral health by screening for oral pathologies, providing emergency help, and referring patients to dentists. The literature consistently reports a robust association between periodontal disease and systemic diseases. However, it is not fully known if physicians in Saudi Arabia are aware of the oral-systemic disease links. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate physicians' awareness of the oral-systemic disease links and their association with patients' referral to dentists and patients' access to oral care. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted (June 2019-January 2020) on physicians working in private and public hospitals in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The physicians (n = 333) responded to a paper-based self-administered and pilot-tested questionnaire which inquired about their awareness of oral-systemic disease links and patient referral to dentists. The reliability of items of oral-systemic disease links was evaluated by calculating Cronbach's alpha (0.84). Results: Most participants (92.8%) agreed/strongly agreed that oral health is associated with systemic health. Half of the sample (50.8%) referred patients to dentists during the last month. Almost 80.5% believed that more patients will be referred to the dentists because of their awareness of the oral-systemic disease links and 84% believed that more patients will access oral care services if patients were aware of the oral-systemic disease links. The participants who referred patients to the dentists during the last month (P = 0.038), believed that more patients will be referred (P = 0.001), and believed that more patients will access oral care (P = 0.003) demonstrated significantly higher oral-systemic disease links awareness score. The adjusted model showed patients' referral to dentist (OR = 1.96.10, P = 0.006) and believing in more patients accessing oral care (OR = 2.05, P = 0.044) were associated with significantly increased awareness of the oral-systemic disease links. Conclusion: Most physicians in the study were aware of the oral-systemic disease links. Increased awareness of the oral-systemic disease links was significantly associated with the referral of patients to dentists and belief in improved patients' access to oral care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an optimal sizing algorithm for a hybrid renewable energy system using smart grid load management application based on the available generation. This algorithm aims to maximize the system energy production and meet the load demand with minimum cost and highest reliability. This system is formed by photovoltaic array, wind turbines, storage batteries, and diesel generator as a backup source of energy. Demand profile shaping as one of the smart grid applications is introduced in this paper using load shifting-based load priority. Particle swarm optimization is used in this algorithm to determine the optimum size of the system components. The results obtained from this algorithm are compared with those from the iterative optimization technique to assess the adequacy of the proposed algorithm. The study in this paper is performed in some of the remote areas in Saudi Arabia and can be expanded to any similar regions around the world. Numerous valuable results are extracted from this study that could help researchers and decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly worldwide. On September 15, 2021, a total of 546,251 confirmed cases were recorded in Saudi Arabia alone. Saudi Arabia imposed various levels of lockdown and forced the community to implement social distancing. In this paper, we formulate a mathematical model to study the impact of these measures on COVID-19 spread. The model is analyzed qualitatively, producing two equilibrium points. The existence and stability of the COVID-19 free equilibrium and the endemic equilibrium depend on the control reproduction number, Rc. These results are in good agreement with the numerical experiments. Moreover, the model is fitted with actual data from the COVID-19 dashboard of the Saudi Ministry of Health. We divide the timeline from March 12, 2020, to September 23, 2020, into seven phases according to the varied applications of lockdown and social distancing. We then explore several scenarios to investigate the optimal application of these measures and address whether it is possible to rely solely on social distancing without imposing a lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) among children is an increasing concern globally. A reliable estimate of the age at onset of T1D in children would facilitate intervention plans for medical practitioners to reduce the problems with delayed diagnosis of T1D. This paper has utilised Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Random Forest (RF) to model and predict the age at onset of T1D in children in Saudi Arabia (S.A.) which is ranked as the 7th for the highest number of T1D and 5th in the world for the incidence rate of T1D. De-identified data between (2010-2020) from three cities in S.A. were used to model and predict the age at onset of T1D. The best subset model selection criteria, coefficient of determination, and diagnostic tests were deployed to select the most significant variables. The efficacy of models for predicting the age at onset was assessed using multi-prediction accuracy measures. The average age at onset of T1D is 6.2 years and the most common age group for onset is (5-9) years. Most of the children in the sample (68%) are from urban areas of S.A., 75% were delivered after a full term pregnancy length and 31% were delivered through a cesarean section. The models of best fit were the MLR and RF models with R2 = (0.85 and 0.95), the root mean square error = (0.25 and 0.15) and mean absolute error = (0.19 and 0.11) respectively for logarithm of age at onset. This study for the first time has utilised MLR, ANN and RF models to predict the age at onset of T1D in children in S.A. These models can effectively aid health care providers to monitor and create intervention strategies to reduce the impact of T1D in children in S.A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information sharing via social networking systems (SNS) is a common practice among academics, as well as others, that brings substantial benefits. At the same time, privacy concerns are widespread among SNS users, which may tend to inhibit their maximising the benefit from using the systems. This paper investigates the proposition that SNS user attitudes and behaviour are affected by privacy concerns, and that the effects are subject to significant cultural factors. A broad assessment of the literature provides the context for the study. Working in the context of Saudi Arabia, we apply a mixed-methods approach beginning with in-depth interviews, exposing in detail a range of views and concerns about privacy and SNS use, also allowing us to identify three key factors that bear on SNS usage and users' concerns. Analysis of these factors in the light of the "theory of reasoned action" derives a structural model predicting several hypotheses relating the factors and users' attitudes and behaviour. We assess the model through development of a questionnaire, administered to a large pool of academic participants, that allows us to examine how the model responds in general, and via multigroup partial least squares analyses, differentially to gender and to culturally distinct (Arab vs. non-Arab) constituents of the participant group. Results show good support for the hypotheses and clear gender and culture effects. Picking up issues from the interviews, discussion focuses on users' views about SNS providers' privacy policies and their inadequacy regarding culturally specific ethical concerns. We argue that these views may reflect different regulatory environments in combination with other cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal 17 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) attracted attention to the importance of partnerships between governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) for sustainable development. This paper aims to analyze the processes of establishing and operating the partnerships between NPOs and other actors in terms of governance. The best practices for partnership governance were examined according to the partnering life cycle framework. A simple random sample of 184 NPOs in six regions of Saudi Arabia was selected for data collection. These organizations were analyzed according to their governance practices in 937 partnerships established during 2016–2018. The findings showed that the organizations had strongly implemented the phases of building and scoping and managing and maintaining, while their governance practices regarding phases of reviewing and revising and sustaining outcomes ranged between moderate and low levels. The results also revealed significant differences between the overall implementation of the partnering life cycle practices and the NPO's year of establishment. It was concluded that analyzing the current situation of implementing the best practices of partnership governance is useful to explore the efficiency and effectiveness of partnerships between NPOs and other actors, as well as the existing policy gaps, so as to create and implement sustainable-oriented partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, we aim to confirm factors for measuring the perceived quality of Information Technology (IT) services within a higher education context. The perceived quality of IT services is complex and is often measured by multi-dimensional constructs, which requires designing a sufficiently valid scale. Drawing upon literature and expert input, this study has identified 5 dimensions of IT service quality. Using an empirical study, we prove that perception of IT Service Quality (ITSQ) has a dimensional structure and can be measured using a 44-item scale which has been satisfactorily validated. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is applied to confirm the relationship between the items and dimensions. The findings of this study present a scale for measuring ITSQ within higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an agent-based computational model of violent political revolutions in which a subjugated population of citizens and an armed revolutionary organisation attempt to overthrow a central authority and its loyal forces. The model replicates several patterns of rebellion consistent with major historical revolutions, and provides an explanation for the multiplicity of outcomes that can arise from an uprising. The relevance of the heterogeneity of scenarios predicted by the model can be understood by considering the recent experience of the Arab Spring involving several rebellions that arose in an apparently similar way, but resulted in completely different political outcomes: the successful revolution in Tunisia, the failed protests in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and civil war in Syria and Libya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For dental graduates, internships are a vital transitional phase that gives them the invaluable opportunity to close the gap between their academic studies and the reality of professional dentistry. Research on dental internships remains limited and most of the existing studies focus on the clinical aspects of dental internships with little attention given to dental interns' experiences overall. This study aims to bridge this gap in the literature by gaining an in-depth understanding of Saudi dental graduates' range of experiences as dental interns. Methods: To achieve the research objective, this study adopted a qualitative approach. Using purposive and snowball sampling, the study recruited 23 dental interns from Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, who had completed at least nine months of their internship. Data was gathered across three months via diaries and virtual semi-structured interviews based on participants' preferences. The data was then analysed thematically using an inductive analytical strategy. Results: The data analysis revealed three major themes and four sub-themes regarding the experiences of dental interns. The core three themes were "activities", "autonomy" and "transitioning to a balanced life" whereby interns have the time and freedom to explore their interests, rekindle their social lives and focus on self-care, resulting in a better work-life balance. Conclusion: This study suggests that dental interns will benefit from the retention and strengthening of key internship activities such as research, community work and clinical rotations. Additionally, the experiences of dental interns can be improved by encouraging interns to progress in their clinical training with a high level of autonomy. Also, due to the limited research in this area, further studies are required to improve our understanding of the lived experiences of dental interns and dental internships in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are crucial for immediate medical assistance during life-threatening situations. However, insufficient public awareness about EMS services can impede their effectiveness. This study aimed to assess EMS knowledge and trust among the population of Eastern Saudi Arabia while identifying factors contributing to low awareness. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Eastern Saudi Arabia from September 2022 to September 2023. The study included participants aged 18 to 60 from diverse backgrounds. Using a convenience sampling approach, data was collected using a validated questionnaire covering demographics, hypothetical scenarios, EMS knowledge, and trust in EMS. We conducted the Chi-square tests and logistic regression using Jamovi software, with significance levels set at p < 0.05. Our study yielded 435 participants; 55% were males. Gender-based analysis showed significant differences in responses regarding first aid provision and EMS services (P < 0.001). Expectations for EMS response times also varied by gender (P = 0.01). Knowledge-based analysis revealed that age and education significantly influenced EMS knowledge (P < 0.001). Respondents with EMS knowledge were more likely to know how to provide first aid, understand the importance of emergency number 112, and trust EMS (P < 0.001). Trust-based analysis showed age and education-related differences in EMS trust (P < 0.001). Respondents with EMS knowledge and awareness of emergency numbers displayed higher trust in EMS (P < 0.001). This study underscores the need for enhanced public awareness of EMS services in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Age, education, and gender emerged as critical factors affecting EMS knowledge and trust. Bridging this awareness gap necessitates tailored educational campaigns and continuous monitoring. Policymakers should prioritise EMS awareness within broader healthcare strategies, contributing to improved public health outcomes and community well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: BMI is a feasible and recommended measure for overweight and obesity screening in children and adolescents. The study aimed to determine how often physicians correctly identified obesity/ overweight status in children and adolescents by using BMI percentile charts. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed the paper medical records of children and adolescents (6–14 years) who visited family medicine and pediatric outpatient clinics (Jan-June 2012) in a medical city in Riyadh. Investigators calculated BMI percentiles (using height, weight, age and gender data retrieved from the records) in order to identify patient weight status. Physician documentation of obesity/overweight diagnoses in patient problem lists were cross checked against their BMI percentile to assess the accuracy of physicians’ identification of weight status. The recommended management plan for identified patients was also recorded. Results: A total of 481 charts were reviewed, 213 (44%) children were seen by family medicine physicians and 268 (56%) by pediatricians. The sample was equally distributed by gender. Height was undocumented for 13% (71) of visiting patients. Eighteen percent of patients (86) were classified as overweight (35)/obese (51) according to age and sex adjusted BMI percentile. Physicians’ correctly identified and documented weight status in 20% of overweight/obese patients: 17 out of 86 subjects. Weight status identification was higher among pediatricians—25% as compared to family medicine physicians—10% [p = 0.08]. Dietary referral was the most common management plan for the identified children. Physicians were more likely to identify obese children {≥95th} compared to overweight {≥85th - 95th} children. Subjects whose BMI for age classified them into the highest BMI percentile category {≥95th} were more likely to be correctly identified (29%) compared to those classified within {≥85th - 95th} category—6% [p = 0.007]. Conclusion: Physician identification of obesity/ overweight status for children and adolescents was low, irrespective of their specialty, and despite the condition being prevalent in the sample. Future research that concentrates on interventions that may improve documentation of obesity/overweight diagnoses and parameters needed for BMI indices would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic presented many psychological stressors which affected healthcare worker wellbeing. The aim of this study was to understand the factors that affect the wellbeing of healthcare professionals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using Job-Demand and Resource (JD-R) Model. The proposal model consisted of demand factors (Work load—job demand, loneliness—personal demand), support factors (organizational support—job resource, and resilience—personal resource), mediators (burnout and work engagement), and outcome (wellbeing) A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted across 276 healthcare workers from hospitals and primary healthcare centers, including healthcare professionals, health associate professionals, personal care workers, health management and support personnel, and health service providers, and others between February-March 2022. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Among the respondents, the majority were female (198, 71,7%), married (180, 65.2%), healthcare professionals (206, 74.6%), being more than 10 years in the profession (149, 51.6%), and non-Saudi nationality (171, 62.0%). Burnout accounted for a significant effect on wellbeing. Of the demands (workload and loneliness) and the resources (organizational support and resilience), workload had the greatest impact on burnout. Healthcare organizations should invest in reducing workloads and promoting resilience to reduce burnout and increase healthcare worker wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in interdisciplinary archaeological research in Arabia have focused on the evolution and historical development of regional human populations as well as the diverse patterns of cultural change, migration, and adaptations to environmental fluctuations. Obtaining a comprehensive understanding of cultural developments such as the emergence and lifeways of Neolithic groups has been hindered by the limited preservation of stratified archaeological assemblages and organic remains, a common challenge in arid environments. Underground settings like caves and lava tubes, which are prevalent in Arabia but which have seen limited scientific exploration, offer promising opportunities for addressing these issues. Here, we report on an archaeological excavation and a related survey at and around Umm Jirsan lava tube in the Harrat Khaybar, north-western Saudi Arabia. Our results reveal repeated phases of human occupation of the site ranging from at least the Neolithic through to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age. Pastoralist use of the lava tube and surrounding landscape is attested in rock art and faunal records, suggesting that Umm Jirsan was situated along a pastoral route linking key oases. Isotopic data indicates that herbivores primarily grazed on wild grasses and shrubs rather than being provided with fodder, while humans had a diet consistently high in protein but with increasing consumption of C3 plants through-time, perhaps related to the emergence of oasis agriculture. While underground and naturally sheltered localities are globally prominent in archaeology and Quaternary science, our work represents the first such combined records for Saudi Arabia and highlight the potential for interdisciplinary studies in caves and lava tubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insufficient physical activity (PA) was estimated to cause 4.8% of deaths and 2.6% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to noncommunicable diseases in Saudi Arabia in 2019. While Saudi Arabia is already achieving great improvements, we predict the health and economic burden of insufficient PA up to 2040 to present a case for policy makers to invest more in the uptake of PA. Methods: Using a population health model to estimate avoidable health loss, we identified four causes of health loss related to low PA (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer) and estimated the deaths and DALYs from these causes. We projected the expected disease burden until 2040 under alternative assumptions about future PA levels and trends by using three health scenarios: baseline (no change in 2019 PA levels), intervention (81% of the population achieving sufficient PA levels), and ideal (65% of population: moderate PA, 30%: high PA, and 5%: inactive). We applied an "intrinsic value" approach to estimate the economic impact of each scenario. Results: Overall, we estimate that between 2023 and 2040, about 80,000 to 110,000 deaths from all causes and 2.0 million to 2.9 million DALYs could be avoided by increasing PA levels in Saudi Arabia. The average annual economic loss from insufficient PA is valued at 0.49% to 0.68% of the current gross domestic product, with an average of US$5.4 billion to US$7.6 billion annually till 2040. The most avoidable disease burden and economic losses are expected among males and because of ischemic heart disease. Conclusions: This study highlights that low PA levels will have considerable health and economic impacts in Saudi Arabia if people remain inactive and do not start following interventions. There is an urgent need to develop innovative programs and policies to encourage PA among all age and sex groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is considered as one of the main sources for renewable energy in the near future. However, solar energy and other renewable energy sources have a drawback related to the difficulty in predicting their availability in the near future. This problem affects optimal exploitation of solar energy, especially in connection with other resources. Therefore, reliable solar energy prediction models are essential to solar energy management and economics. This paper presents work aimed at designing reliable models to predict the global horizontal irradiance (GHI) for the next day in 8 stations in Saudi Arabia. The designed models are based on computational intelligence methods of automated-design fuzzy logic systems. The fuzzy logic systems are designed and optimized with two models using fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) and simulated annealing (SA) algorithms. The first model uses FCM based on the subtractive clustering algorithm to automatically design the predictor fuzzy rules from data. The second model is using FCM followed by simulated annealing algorithm to enhance the prediction accuracy of the fuzzy logic system. The objective of the predictor is to accurately predict next-day global horizontal irradiance (GHI) using previous-day meteorological and solar radiation observations. The proposed models use observations of 10 variables of measured meteorological and solar radiation data to build the model. The experimentation and results of the prediction are detailed where the root mean square error of the prediction was approximately 88% for the second model tuned by simulated annealing compared to 79.75% accuracy using the first model. This results demonstrate a good modeling accuracy of the second model despite that the training and testing of the proposed models were carried out using spatially and temporally independent data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, hypertension is among the leading causes of premature mortality. It is a noncommunicable disease characterized by a persistent state of raised blood pressure that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and medical conditions affecting the brain and kidneys. There is a paucity of thorough hypertension knowledge assessment among hypertensive patients in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Thus, this study aimed to assess overall and specific knowledge about hypertension and to identify predictors of inadequate knowledge. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia between February and April 2023. Data were collected using an online, self-administered questionnaire divided into two sections. In the first section, the characteristics of the participants were collected. In the second section, the Hypertension Knowledge-Level Scale was used to measure overall and specific knowledge areas (subdimensions). The overall and subdimensional means were tested using Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests. Furthermore, the binary logistic regression was conducted to determine inadequate knowledge predictors. Results: In all 253 hypertensive patients were eligible for participation; almost 70% of whom were male. The mean age of the participants was 45 years (±14.7), and their mean overall knowledge score was 17.60 (±5.09), which was equivalent to 67.7% of the maximum score. In addition, 40.7% of participants had an adequate level of hypertension knowledge. The complications subdimension level of knowledge was borderline optimal. At the same time, an adequate knowledge level was detected only in the lifestyle subdimension. Conclusion: Most patients showed inadequate levels of knowledge related to hypertension management. Diet, medical treatment, disease definition, drug compliance, and complications were subsequently the least knowledgeable subdimensions among the study population. Therefore, these subdimensions should be prioritized when planning hypertension educational interventions and during follow-up sessions, especially for patients of younger age groups and those with lower educational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Effective nurse leadership enhances nurse welfare, improves patient care, and increases organisational success. A lack of adequate, supportive leadership significantly contributes to many nurses leaving the profession. Nurse managers need to prioritise engagement and retention as significant focus areas to address the nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia and accomplish the national program's objectives. Aim: To examine the correlation between the leadership styles of clinical nurse managers and staff engagement. Method: This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design. The leadership styles of clinical nurse managers were evaluated using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X). Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Questionnaires were distributed to 450 nurses in four public hospitals in western Saudi Arabia. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect the data. Results: A total of 278 nurses from a range of clinical areas participated in the survey, which revealed that the leadership styles of clinical nurse managers positively or negatively impact nurse work engagement. Most clinical nurse managers exhibit transformational leadership, followed by transactional, then passive-avoidant styles. Respondents displayed a high level of work engagement, emphasising the positive impact of transformational and transactional leadership on work engagement outcomes. The findings showed significant differences in leadership styles and work engagement levels between Saudi and non-Saudi nurses across various dimensions. Conclusion: Understanding the effect of leadership styles employed by nurse managers on work engagement can positively impact staff retention rates and the quality of patient care. Nurse managers should participate in training programs to enhance their practical leadership skills to enhance the work engagement levels of nurses. Implication: Nurse work engagement can be improved by establishing training programs that promote effective leadership and highlight the significance of various leadership styles and their subsequent impact on nurse work engagement. Nursing students should receive education on leadership styles. Nursing leaders should be given access to mentoring programs and opportunities for career advancement to support the introduction of effective leadership styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Measuring and monitoring physical growth is a key element in assessing children's health. The physical and mental development of a growing child are indicators of good health and nutrition. This study aimed to explore the patterns of growth parameters among children under 5 years old attending primary health care centres (PHCCs) in rural northern Abha. Feeding habits during the first 2 years of life were also assessed. Method: This study was conducted on 1–5 April 2022 in all (PHCCs) in Billasamr and Ballahmar, two neighbourhoods of northern Abha. The investigator designed a form for collecting each child's age (months), weight (kilograms), gender, birth order, number of family members, type of feeding (exclusive breastfeeding, exclusive bottle feeding, or mixed feeding), and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Results: Gender affected the body weight of Saudi infants, as boys weighed significantly more than age-matched girls. Birth order also affected body weight. During the first and third years of life, Saudi children's body weight was not significantly affected by feeding type. During the second and fifth years of life, formula-fed children weighed more than breastfed or combination-fed children. However, during the fourth year of life, body weight was highest in combination-fed children. Conclusion: Growth patterns over time, established from multiple data points, must be used in conjunction with other medical and family history to evaluate appropriate growth. Recording and tracking body size, especially recumbent length and weight, as part of well-baby care is critical for any assessment of child wellbeing and health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is crucial to take into account the concerns of dental patients about their prosthodontic needs when planning the course of treatment. However, there is a dearth of research that examines these needs among adult dental patients. Objectives: This study aims to translate and validate the perceived prosthodontic treatment need scale (PPTN) in Arabic. Methods: The 17-item PPTN scale was translated from English into Arabic and completed by 206 patients seeking prosthodontic treatment in a dental hospital in Saudi Arabia. Data collection was carried out in September and October 2023. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to ascertain the underlying factor structure; a unidimensional scale was hypothesised and tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), including several multiple model fit indices. The assessment of reliability was conducted using Cronbach's alpha. The convergent and discriminant validity of the final scale were examined. Results: EFA produced an 11-item scale distributed into three factors that explain 65.43% of the total variance with eigenvalues > 1. All items showed acceptable reliability, ranging from 0.65 to 0.84. The first factor pertained to social issues, while the second item was concerning dental appearance. Lastly, the third factor included functional difficulties associated with tooth loss or dental problems. The results of the CFA demonstrate a satisfactory level of model fit, with the standardised factor loadings ranging from 0.51 to 0.89. Convergent and discriminant validity of the model factors were established. Conclusion: The translated questionnaire was deemed legitimate and would be useful in comprehending patients' perceived treatment requirements, hence contributing to the advancement of prosthodontic research and practical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) was used to measure the attitudes of the general population in Saudi Arabia toward people who stutter (PWS) and to identify the predictors of the overall stuttering score (OSS). Method: A total of 404 adults from Saudi Arabia (16.8% male and 83.2% female) completed an online POSHA-S questionnaire. Results: The attitudes of adults in Saudi Arabia were similar to those of other samples worldwide. Working status, income, and multilingualism were substantial predictors of the OSS. Conclusion: Saudi adults have positive impressions, beliefs, and self-reactions to PWS. However, their knowledge of stuttering tends to be limited. Therefore, campaigns conducted to raise awareness of stuttering should adopt the most widely used sources of knowledge in the Saudi Arabian community (i.e., the Internet and social media). Sociodemographic variables predictive of positive versus negative OSS include working status and multilingualism. Unpredictive variables, that do not predict positive versus negative OSS, include age, gender, education, parental status, health, abilities, and income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The demand for qualified cardiac technology (CT) graduates is increasing in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to provide the first descriptive occupational survey of the educational outputs of the first established CT speciality program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the past 10 years. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, survey-based study. An online self-administered survey was distributed to all alumni who graduated from the CT program between 2013 and 2022 at the Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (IAU) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Results: Of the 238 graduates, 164 completed the survey (72.2%). All the respondents (100%) were women, 56% were aged 25–30 years, 58.5% were married, the majority (95.7%) held a bachelor's degree, and (93.3%) lived in the eastern region. Of the respondents, 33.7% specialised in cardiac catheterisation and 66.3% in echocardiography. Of those, 66.4% were employed, which was similar between both subspecialties and predominantly in the Eastern region (83.9%). A total of 57.9% of participants attributed the reason for unemployment to limited opportunities in the Eastern province (vs. 15.8% across the country). A total of 76.6% of the respondents reported that most job opportunities were in the Central region (Riyadh). The main barriers and limitations to unemployment reported by the alumni were the need for childcare assistance, further training, and poor job search/interview skills. Of the respondents, 42% expressed a desire to change their career path because of limited job opportunities (10.7%) followed by a change in career interest post-graduation (7.9%). Conclusions: The employment rate of IAU CT alumni was high (66.4%) and predominantly based in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia, and 42% expressed a desire to change their career path due to limited regional job opportunities. The findings from this study will help inform the future of speciality across the kingdom and shape the potential for expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of Cannabis is a widespread issue in the Asir region. It has a lot of legal and occupational repercussions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health status of cannabis addicts at admission and after treatment using body mass index, glycemic status, liver function, renal function, and oxidative stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 120 participants. The study was conducted at Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Asir region of Saudi Arabia, with 100 hospitalized patients receiving addiction treatment and 20 healthy volunteers. The participants were divided into two groups: group I, the control group, and group II, the cannabis addicts. The socio-demographic data were gathered. The level of cannabis in the urine and the CWAS [Cannabis Withdrawal Assessment Scale] were determined. In addition, the Body Mass Index [BMI], vital signs [temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate], serum levels of albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP, urea, creatinine, Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS], superoxide dismutase [SOD], reduced glutathione [GSH], and catalase [CAT] were analyzed on the first day of admission and after treatment. According to the results, there was no significant change in the body mass index. The vital signs in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values. Regarding renal function tests such as urea and creatinine, we found that after treatment, the mean urea and creatinine values in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values. However, after treatment, the mean values of fasting blood glucose levels in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than at admission. Also, the mean values of liver function tests such as albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values after treatment. In assessing the antioxidant system, we found that the mean values of TBARS, SOD, GSH, and CAT in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values after treatment. The current findings have revealed that cannabis addiction harms the various body systems and has significant implications for the addict's state of health. The values of oxidative stress biomarkers did not change in this study, but other measured parameters improved after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the prevalence of obesity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is 33.7% (women 39.5% and men 29.5%), respectively. The effects of obesity on airway inflammation and respiratory mechanics as well as the function of adipose tissue has a key role in the development of various lung diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the level of cytokines between obese (BMI ≥ 30) and non-obese participants and to assess their association with BMI, airways inflammation and pulmonary function. Method: One-hundred and seven non-smoking students (18–25 years of age) were recruited using convenience sampling technique for comparative cross-sectional study. Of them, 80 students were eligible and included in the analysis; 54 were non-obese (BMI<30) and 26 were obese (BMI ≥ 30). All the participants underwent anthropometric measurements, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement, spirometry and cytokines measurement (IL-6, IL-1β, GM-CSF, IL-7, IL-8 and IL-10). Measurements were compared between obese and non-obese groups. Then a correlation test was made between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines with BMI, pulmonary function test finding and FeNO. Results: The prevalence of obesity was 32.5% in the study population. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 levels was significantly higher in obese than non-obese participants (p = 0.044). The level of FeNO log was significantly higher in obese participants than non-obese (p = 0.002). The pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 showed positive correlation with BMI while GMCSF showed negative correlation with FVC (p<0.05). Conclusion: The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was found to be significantly higher in obese participants than non-obese participants. Furthermore, it showed positive correlation with BMI whereas pro-inflammatory cytokine GMCSF showed negative correlation with FVC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is growing interest in Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program to combat mental distress in medical students. In Saudi Arabia, literature is insufficient about MBSR and its effectiveness. This study aims to measure the effectiveness of MBSR in improving mindful state, stress, anxiety, and depression in medical students. Also, the study explores the association between the attendance rate of MBSR sessions and its effectiveness. Lastly, the study examines gender differences in response to MBSR. Methods: This is a stratified randomized controlled study of 84 medical students from two medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They were recruited voluntarily from November 2018 to April 2021, and allocated to MBSR and waitlist groups using a stratified randomization method based on gender. MBSR group received eight weeks of sessions through audiovisual materials. An online survey utilizing validated questionnaires assessing stress, mindfulness, anxiety, and depression was used to evaluate both groups pre-program (time 0), post-program (time 1), and three months later (time 2). Results: Seventy-one participants completed the post-test (time 1). There were no differences between study groups at time 0 and 1. However, in 41 subjects who completed the follow-up test (time 2), the anxiety dropped significantly in MBSR group (mean difference (MD), -3.935; 95% CI, -7.580 to -0.290). Furthermore, attending more MBSR sessions was inversely correlated with depression (r, -0.556; P, 0.002), and anxiety (r, -0.630; P, 0.000). Compared to their baseline, males in MBSR group improved in stress (MD, 3.08; 95% CI, 0.30 to 5.86), anxiety (MD, 4.91; 95% CI, 3.32 to 6.50), and mindfulness (MD, -0.58; 95% CI, -1.01 to -0.15), while females improved in stress (MD, 2.64; 95% CI, 0.02 to 5.26). Conclusion: Despite the study being interrupted by the stressful COVID-19 outbreak, the findings suggest that MBSR improved psychological outcomes when participants commit to the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiac arrhythmias in prehospital settings is largely determined by providers of emergency medical services (EMS) who can proficiently interpret the electrocardiography (ECG). The aim of this study was to assess the ECG competency of EMS providers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Between Aug and Sep 2022, we invited all EMS providers working for the Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Makkah, Riyadh, and Sharqiyah regions to complete a cross-sectional survey. The survey was used to assess the ability of EMS providers to interpret 12 ECG strips. Characteristics and ECG competency were summarized using descriptive statistics. Differences in ECG competency across paramedics with lower and higher qualifications were assessed. Results: During the study period, 231 participants completed the survey, and all were included. The overall mean age was 33.4, and most participants were male (94.8%). Nearly half of the participants were paramedics with an associate degree and 46.4% were paramedics with higher degrees. The average rate of correct answers to the 12 ECG strips was 43.3% (95% CI: 35.4%, 51.3%). Atrial flutter, ventricular fibrillation, atrial fibrillation, 3rd degree heart block, and ventricular tachycardia were identified by 52.8%, 60.2%, 42.0%, 40.7%, and 49.4% of the participants, respectively. The strip with an AMI was identified by 41.1%, while a pathological Q wave and ventricular extrasystole were identified by 19.1% and 24.7%, respectively. Paramedics with higher qualifications were as 28.0%-61.0% more likely to correctly interpret the 12 ECG strips compared to those with an associate degree (p-value across all variables was ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: While the majority of participants in our region were unable to correctly answer the 12 ECG questionnaire, paramedics with higher qualifications were. Our study indicates that there is a need for evidenced-based ECG curricula targeting different levels of EMS professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inclusive educational practices enhance engagement among students with disabilities in school settings. This study aimed to investigate: (i) the general attitudes of non-disabled female Saudi Arabian students toward their peers with disabilities, with a particular focus on the general attitudes towards those with hearing disabilities (HD), intellectual disabilities (ID), and behavioral problems (BP), and (ii) the relationships between three selected student-related characteristics (type of school, in-school contact with peers with disabilities, and out-of-school contact with peers with disabilities). Method: Using a sample of 678 participants aged 7–12 years old, we tested the impact of personal and contextual factors (age, type of peer disability, type of school, in-school interaction with peers with disabilities, and out-of-school interaction with peers with disabilities on the attitudes of non-disabled Saudi Arabian elementary school students using ANCOVA linear regression analysis. Results: Regardless of the type of disability, the participants reported having positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities. The type of disability, school, and previous interactions all had a significant effect on fostering positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities, specifically, those with HD, ID, and BP. The participants had less positive attitudes towards their peers with BP compared to their attitudes towards peers students with HD or ID which were more positive and had a larger effect size. The findings also demonstrated that the participants' attitudes toward their peers with HD or ID were influenced by their previous experience of interacting with people with disabilities as well as the type of school they attended. Participants from Saudi ARAMCO (SA) schools had more positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities compared to those from public schools, and participants from non-inclusive schools had more positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities compared to those from inclusive schools. Participants from non-inclusive schools had much more positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities than those from inclusive schools; participants who had previous out-of-school interactions with people with disabilities had significantly more positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities than those who had no previous out-of-school interactions with people with disabilities. Participants from SA schools had the most negative attitudes toward peers with BP, regardless of age. Conclusions: The findings imply that being taught in an inclusive educational setting in Saudi Arabia does not inevitably encourage non-disabled students to adopt more positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities. Therefore, with the support of their school principals, Saudi Arabian teachers working in inclusive educational settings should be encouraged to develop and implement initiatives to adopt an inclusive strategy based on group projects bringing together students with and without disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is compelling evidence for the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier epidemics. However, fewer studies have examined the subjective meaning experience of healthcare providers who have survived COVID-19 as patients. This qualitative study aimed to understand further and describe the life experiences of healthcare providers who have survived COVID-19 as patients in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using unstructured in-depth individual interviews among n = 10 healthcare providers from public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed based on a phenomenological approach, which resulted in five themes: (i) physical and psychological signs and symptoms; (ii) self-healing, hiding pain, and family; (iii) fear of complications; (iv) disease stigma & long-term psychological outcomes; (v) emotional support, mental well-being & resignation. The overall synthesis showed that healthcare providers, as patients, experience the same difficulties and stressors as the general public. In some cases, these factors are even worse, as family members, colleagues, and employers develop a new type of stigma. Given the impact of social media and the flow of information of any type, more research is needed to examine the sources used to obtain information by the general public, whether these sources are reliable, and how the public can be taught to use only scientific data and not social data. Understanding the experience of healthcare providers as patients during the pandemic has allowed to look at the feelings and needs of people during illness from a new perspective. As expressed by participants, being a healthcare provider does not reduce the fear of the disease and does not mitigate its consequences in the form of stigmatization and isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Readiness to practice nursing is essential for nursing students to ensure that they are conscientious, have a sense of responsibility, and are rational in performing their clinical practice. This study tested the psychometric properties of the "Nursing Practice Readiness Scale" Arabic version (NPRS-A) to assess Saudi nursing students' readiness to practice nursing in clinical settings. This study used a methodological design to examine the psychometric properties of the NPRS-A among 373 nursing students in Saudi Arabia. The findings provide evidence of the NPRS-A's good content validity. The PCA revealed five distinct components with a "cumulative variance explained" of 69.2%. The test of difference on the nursing practice preparedness between students from different levels showed that students in the 2nd year were less prepared than junior and senior nursing students. The correlation test showed that a higher GPA and higher self-reported readiness are more ready to practice nursing in clinical settings. The research showed an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.957. The establishment of the NPRS-A is significant, not only in Saudi Arabia but other Arabic-speaking countries. Nurse educators and nursing education policymakers can use this version to assess nursing students' learning needs to be prepared to practice nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Few studies focused on the impact of food insecurity severity on the risk of malnutrition among COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Objectives: This study described the prevalence of food insecurity among COVID-19 patients, its severity, and its associated factors. Additionally, the impact of the severity of food insecurity on the risk of malnutrition was determined. It is hypothesized that food insecurity is associated with an increased risk of malnutrition among COVID-19 patients. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Al Madinah Al Munawarah in Saudi Arabia. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 and acute severe or nonsevere illness were enrolled. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale was used to determine the severity of food insecurity, and risk of malnutrition was assessed using the Malnutrition Screening Tool. Demographic characteristics, history of medical conditions, food intake, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. Results: A total of 514 patients were enrolled, with 391 (76%) having acute nonsevere COVID-19 symptoms. A total of 14.2% of patients suffered from food insecurity. Of these, 17% had severe symptoms. The severity of food insecurity was influenced by patients' education (P = 0.02, 95% CI 0.019–0.225), weight loss (P = 0.0001, 95% CI 0.252–0.752), and loss of appetite (P = 0.0001, 95% CI 0.293–0.604). Fifteen percent of patients were at risk of malnutrition. Many obese patients suffered from severe COVID-19 symptoms (P = 0.029, 95% CI 0.02–0.539). The risk of malnutrition was associated with the severity of food insecurity (P = 0.001, 95% CI -0.056- -0.014), BMI (P = 0.049, 95% CI 0.000–0.042), and employment status (P = 0.034, 95% CI 0.002–0.048). Conclusion: Food insecurity and the risk of malnutrition among COVID-19 patients should be assessed to prevent adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental and physical well-being of healthcare workers is being affected by global COVID-19. The pandemic has impacted the mental health of medical staff in numerous ways. However, most studies have examined sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic problems in healthcare workers during and after the outbreak. The study's objective is to evaluate COVID-19's psychological effects on healthcare professionals of Saudi Arabia. Healthcare professionals from tertiary teaching hospitals were invited to participate in the survey. Almost 610 people participated in the survey, of whom 74.3% were female, and 25.7% were male. The survey included the ratio of Saudi and non-Saudi participants. The study has utilized multiple machine learning algorithms and techniques such as Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), K Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Gradient Boosting (GB), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM). The machine learning models offer 99% accuracy for the credentials added to the dataset. The dataset covers several aspects of medical workers, such as profession, working area, years of experience, nationalities, and sleeping patterns. The study concluded that most of the participants who belonged to the medical department faced varying degrees of anxiety and depression. The results reveal considerable rates of anxiety and depression in Saudi frontline workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on how Stone Age communities conceived domestic and utilitarian structures are limited to a few examples of schematic and non-accurate representations of various-sized built spaces. Here, we report the exceptional discovery of the up-to-now oldest realistic plans that have been engraved on stones. These engravings from Jordan and Saudi Arabia depict 'desert kites', humanmade archaeological mega-traps that are dated to at least 9,000 years ago for the oldest. The extreme precision of these engravings is remarkable, representing gigantic neighboring Neolithic stone structures, the whole design of which is impossible to grasp without seeing it from the air or without being their architect (or user, or builder). They reveal a widely underestimated mental mastery of space perception, hitherto never observed at this level of accuracy in such an early context. These representations shed new light on the evolution of human discernment of space, communication, and communal activities in ancient times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates health-promoting messages in British and Saudi officials' social-media discourse during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. Taking discourse as a constructivist conception, we examined the crisis-response strategies employed by these officials on social media, and the role of such strategies in promoting healthy behaviors and compliance with health regulations. The study presents a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of the tweets of a Saudi health official and a British health official that focuses on keyness, speech acts, and metaphor. We found that both officials utilized clear communication and persuasive rhetorical tactics to convey the procedures suggested by the World Health Organization. However, there were some differences in how the two officials used speech acts and metaphors to achieve their goals. The British official used empathy as the primary communication strategy, while the Saudi official emphasized health literacy. The British official also used conflict-based metaphors such as war and gaming, whereas the Saudi official used metaphors that reflected life as a journey interrupted by the pandemic. Despite these differences, both officials utilized directive speech acts to tell audiences the procedures they should follow to achieve the desired conclusion of healing patients and ending the pandemic. In addition, rhetorical questions and assertions were used to direct people to perform certain behaviors favored. Interestingly, the discourse used by both officials contained characteristics of both health communication and political discourse. War metaphors, which were utilized by the British Health official, are a common feature in political discourse as well as in health-care discourse. Overall, this study highlights the importance of effective communication strategies in promoting healthy behaviors and compliance with health regulations during a pandemic. By analyzing the discourse of health officials on social media, we can gain insights into the strategies employed to manage a crisis and effectively communicate with the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying self-spreading, virus-blocking Wolbachia bacteria are being deployed to suppress dengue transmission. However, there are challenges in applying this technology in extreme environments. We introduced two Wolbachia strains into Ae. aegypti from Saudi Arabia for a release program in the hot coastal city of Jeddah. Wolbachia reduced infection and dissemination of dengue virus (DENV2) in Saudi Arabian mosquitoes and showed complete maternal transmission and cytoplasmic incompatibility. Wolbachia reduced egg hatch under a range of environmental conditions, with the Wolbachia strains showing differential thermal stability. Wolbachia effects were similar across mosquito genetic backgrounds but we found evidence of local adaptation, with Saudi Arabian mosquitoes having lower egg viability but higher adult desiccation tolerance than Australian mosquitoes. Genetic background effects will influence Wolbachia invasion dynamics, reinforcing the need to use local genotypes for mosquito release programs, particularly in extreme environments like Jeddah. Our comprehensive characterization of Wolbachia strains provides a foundation for Wolbachia-based disease interventions in harsh climates. Author summary: Wolbachia bacteria live inside the cells of many insects including mosquitoes. Wolbachia strains can block the transmission of dengue and other arboviruses transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and are being introduced around the world for disease control. The success of this strategy relies on the ability of Wolbachia to spread locally by causing cytoplasmic incompatibility (embryo death when infected males mate with uninfected females), on Wolbachia having limited fitness costs in local mosquito hosts, and on Wolbachia persisting in the local mosquito background in the environmental conditions that mosquitoes encounter. Here we comprehensively assess the feasibility of using two Wolbachia strains in releases with Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the challenging environment of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We show effective dengue virus blocking and incompatibility in both strains in the local mosquito genetic background but higher fitness costs for one strain which may offset its ability to maintain higher infection levels under the fluctuating temperatures expected in Jeddah. We find that the Jeddah Ae. aegypti are more resistant to desiccation, highlighting the importance of establishing infections in the local genetic background. These findings directly inform the employment of Wolbachia strategies in Jeddah and emphasize the value of testing the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to construct a new distribution known as the weighted Burr–Hatke distribution (WBHD). The PDF and CDF of the WBHD are derived in a closed form. Moments, incomplete moments, and the quantile function of the proposed distribution are derived mathematically. Eleven estimate techniques for estimating the distribution parameters are discussed, and numerical simulations are utilised to evaluate the various approaches using partial and overall rankings. According to the findings of this study, it is recommended that the maximum product of spacing (MPSE) estimator of the WBHD is the best estimator according to overall rank table. The actuarial measurements were derived to the suggested distribution. By contrasting the WBHD with other competitive distributions using two different actual data sets collected from the COVID-19 mortality rates, we show the importance and flexibility of the WBHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to unravel the degree to which scientific and engineering practices complied with the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) were present in the performance of physics teachers at the secondary stage in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. The study also sought to identify the effect of the qualification and years of experience variables on the degree to which the NGSS-aligned practices were present in the performance of physics teachers. The study adopted a mixed method in applying a closed-ended questionnaire and an interview. The questionnaire comprised 44 indicators and was applied to (49) teachers who were randomly selected. The interview was applied to (6) education supervisors who were purposively selected. The results revealed that the following five practices: "asking questions and identifying problems"; "obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information"; "planning and carrying out investigations"; "analyzing and interpreting data"; and "involvement with proofs and evidence" all rated medium. The three practices, "interpretation and solutions design"; "developing and using models"; and "using mathematics and computational thinking" all rated weak. Data analysis of education supervisors' interviews revealed that their opinions were, to an extent, concordant with the questionnaire findings. The results also revealed that graduate teachers exhibited a higher level of these practices than the teachers with just BS degrees while years of experience, as a variable, had no significant difference in teachers' use of these practices. It was concluded that teachers of physics need to reconsider their teaching practices to be aligned with NGSS. This study can be a contribution to teachers' professional development efforts that target the alignment of science instruction with the NGSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Saudi Arabian higher education system is yet to address specific issues concerning language planning and policy. Policies concerning English language use in Saudi academia remain ungoverned, thus leading to implicit personal policies (i.e., self-directed policies). Such freedom in language use may generate concerns among stakeholders, especially if differences emerge between men and women in the same workplace. Current literature does not offer insights into how English is used by each gender in academic settings or outside the classroom in Saudi Arabia; this study seeks to address this gap. A six-item online survey was distributed among higher education English language departments in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was completed by 210 faculty members (67 men and 143 women). Responses from men and women were compared using the Mann-Whitney test. The main findings include significant differences in language use between the two genders, suggesting different levels of commitment to English use. These findings imply that future English language policies may need to incorporate divergent views between the two genders. The recommendations include the need for micro-level policies and the involvement of both genders in designing policies to ensure their successful application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Twitter as a social media platform has revolutionized the way we interact with others and receive information. The presence of dental schools in Twitter facilitates the engagement of students, educators, dental professionals, and the community. Given the explosive popularity of Twitter as a social media platform and its potential use in the areas of education and branding, the questions of why and how dental schools use these services warrant comprehensive research. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the pattern and use of Twitter as a social media platform for dental schools in Saudi Arabia. Methods: The tweets were extracted within the timeframe from July 15, 2019, to July 15, 2020. The Twitter data collected included: full text content, the count of retweets, quotes, replies and likes. Extracted tweets were categorized into five main themes: news and announcement, dental professional communication, general communication, oral health education, and promoting participation. Tweets in each main theme were further categorized according to the dental schools' academic roles namely; education, research and community service. In addition, tweets were classified according to originality of the tweet, language used, nature of the tweet and the use of hashtags and mentions. Descriptive analysis presented in the form of frequency tables with percentages and mean (SD) as well as graphical presentation of the pattern and use of Twitter for Saudi dental schools in the form of bar, pie and line charts. Categorical data were analyzed using chi square test, while continuous data were analyzed using ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: A total of 15 Saudi dental schools with Twitter accounts were included in the analysis. King Saud University (KSU) had the largest number of followers with 17,200. Within the time frame of this study, a total of 1,889 original tweets from dental schools were found. Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) had the highest number of posted tweets (n = 647, 34.3%). The distribution of tweets was highest in September 2019 (n = 239) and lowest in July 2020 (n = 22). Majority of the tweets (81.9%) belonged to five out of the 15 dental schools. News and announcements were the most tweeted thematic subject with 1,034 tweets (55%). While community service was the most tweeted academic role with 803 tweets (42%). The top five active dental schools' performance for both thematic and academic role classifications were significantly different based on the chi square test (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of Twitter as a social media platform, in dental education especially when it comes to presence and branding for dental schools. Twitter is a helpful platform to expose dental schools to the community, this can be seen by their academic achievements as well as their active role with community service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, smart home technologies have offered opportunities for elderly people to manage their daily health-related activities. Despite the advancement in smart home technology (SHT), the level of end-user acceptance among elderly people is still low. This study proposes an SHT framework by examining the determinants of elderly behavioural intention (BI) to use smart home technologies by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. This study uses the quantitative approach to survey about 486 elderly people in Saudi Arabia, and it applies the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) technique to perform the data analysis. Findings reveal that culture influence and technology awareness are significant factors in determining the BI to use SHT among elderly people. The study also finds that attitude mediates the relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and behavioural intention. We find that region and education moderate the relationships between culture influence, technology awareness, and behavioural intention. This study theoretically extends the UTAUT theory by including external constructs: culture influence, technology awareness, attitude, education, and region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are increasing in Saudi Arabia (SA). Among other conditions, these risk factors increase the likelihood of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which in turn increases risks for advanced liver diseases, such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and cancer. The goal of this study was to quantify the health and economic burden of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease in SA. Methods: We developed a microsimulation of the SA population to quantify the future incidence and direct health care costs of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease, including liver cancer. Model inputs included population demographics, body mass index, incidence, mortality and direct health care costs of T2DM and liver disease and relative risks of each condition as a function of BMI category. Model outputs included age- and sex-disaggregated incidence of obesity-attributable T2DM and liver disease and their direct health care costs for SA's working-age population (20–59 years) between 2020 and 2040. Results: Between 2020 and 2040, the available data predicts 1,976,593 [± 1834] new cases of T2DM, 285,346 [±874] new cases of chronic liver diseases, and 2,101 [± 150] new cases of liver cancer attributable to obesity, amongst working-age people. By 2040, the direct health care costs of these obesity-attributable diseases are predicted to be 127,956,508,540 [± 51,882,446] USD. Conclusions: The increase in obesity-associated T2DM and liver disease emphasises the urgent need for obesity interventions and strategies to meaningfully reduce the future health and economic burden of T2DM, chronic liver diseases and liver cancer in SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to assess the quality of training programs for teachers of students with disabilities in light of recent trends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The descriptive-inferential approach was used in this study, which was applied to male and female teachers who attended an initiative of training teachers of students with disabilities. The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Education in the summers of 2019/2020. The sample of the study consisted of (272) teachers who were chosen by the stratified random sampling method from three cities (Jeddah, Makkah, and Taif). To achieve the objective of the study, a questionnaire was used to collect data after checking the issues of validity and reliability indications. The results of the study revealed that the overall degree of the assessment of the quality of training programs for teachers of students with disabilities in light of recent trends from the point of view of the study sample was medium. Also, there were statistically significant differences in the assessment degree of the quality of training programs for teachers of students with disabilities in light of recent trends due to academic qualification in favor of postgraduate studies, and years of experience for those with more than 10 years of experience. However, no statistically significant differences were shown due to gender. In light of these results, the study presented some recommendations. There were weaknesses in the training programs in terms of training teachers on their various roles and responsibilities, standards for the effective use of educational skills, and the development of values and ideas. Also, these training programs did not take into account the development of the values associated with technology and its relationship to teachers. In light of the results, the study recommended that the Ministry of Education should pay attention to the adoption of a strategic plan to improve the quality of training programs for the teachers of students with disabilities by relying on modern models and trends in teacher training. I addition, there is a need to conduct a diagnostic study of the most important challenges and obstacles and proposed solutions to the quality of training programs for the teachers of students with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and development actors play a critical role in meeting development challenges and building cooperative sustainability. The objective of this study was to analyze the key characteristics of engagements established between agricultural cooperatives and other actors and determine their success level. An analytical framework was developed to highlight nine areas, namely partnership configuration, stakeholders, objectives of the partnerships, partnership types, partnership stages, communication methods, achieved outcomes, partnership evaluation, and partnership sustainability. The targets were all agricultural cooperatives building associations with other actors between 2016 and 2020 in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the study covered 69 partnerships founded by 32 agricultural cooperatives. The results revealed that the cooperatives involved in partnerships essentially provide farming inputs and equipment for their stakeholders and capacity building and training purposes. The public sector was the leading actor that collaborated with agricultural cooperatives in inter-sector partnerships. The findings also showed that 55.1% of the partnerships were "strategic partnerships" in cases of both independent value formation and integrative partnerships. By focusing on mapping the partnerships, this study presents beneficial information for policy-makers working on how agricultural cooperatives dealt with the other actors and the lessons gathered to build future sustainability collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers are increasingly looking to plants as sources of novel ingredients active against vector-borne diseases. Medicinal plant extracts and their metabolites are an attractive source for such products. This study investigated the insecticidal activity of five essential oils extracted from the most common medicinal herbs in Jazan province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Extracted oils and nanoemulsions synthesized from those oils were characterized before application at different concentrations to laboratory-reared fourth-stage larvae of Culex pipens. Basil (Ocimum bascilicum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) essential oils showed moderate larvicidal effect with LC50 81.07 ug/mL and 96.29 ug/mL, respectively. That activity was improved in their nanoemulsion forms, as evidenced by a reduction in the LC50 to 65.19 ug/mL for basil and 64.50 ug/mL for cumin. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), henna (Lawsonia inermis) and ginger (Zingiber officinalis) oils showed weaker insecticidal activity, with LC50 values of 394 ug/mL, 306 ug/mL, and 494 ug/mL, respectively. Moreover, the nanoemulsion forms of those essential oils did not show any improvement in their insecticidal activity. In conclusion, of the studied plants, the nanoemulsions of basil and cumin showed significant larvicidal activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The available data to determine the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) burden in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Therefore, this study closely examines and tracks the trends of the COPD burden in Saudi Arabia from 1990 to 2019 using the dataset of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019. Methods: This study used the GBD 2019 dataset to analyse the COPD prevalence, incidence, morbidity and mortality rates in the Saudi Arabian population from 1990 to 2019, stratified by sex and age. The age-standardised rate was used to determine the prevalence, incidence, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and deaths. Results: In 2019, an estimated 434,560.64 people (95% Uncertainty Interval (UI) 396,011.72–473,596.71) had COPD in Saudi Arabia, corresponding to an increase of 329.82% compared with the number of diagnosed people in 1990 [101,104.05 (95% UI 91,334.4–111,223.91)]. The prevalence rate of COPD increased by 49%, from 1,381.26 (1,285.35–1,484.96) cases per 100,000 in 1990 to 2,053.04 (1918.06–2194.29) cases per 100,000 in 2019, and this trend was higher in males than females. The incidence rate of COPD in 2019 was 145.06 (136.62–154.76) new cases per 100,000, representing an increase of 43.4% from the 1990 incidence rate [101.18 (95.27–107.86)]. In 2019, the DALYs rate was 508.15 (95% UI 434.85–581.58) per 100,000 population. This was higher in males than females, with a 14.12% increase among males. In 2019, YLLs contributed to 63.6% of DALYs due to COPD. The death rate due to COPD was 19.6 (95% UI 15.94–23.39) deaths per 100 000 in 2019, indicating a decrease of 41.44% compared with the death rate in 1990 [33.55 deaths per 100 000 (95% UI 25.13–47.69)]. In 2019, COPD deaths accounted for 1.65% (1.39–1.88) of the total of deaths in Saudi Arabia and 57% of all deaths caused by chronic respiratory diseases. Conclusion: Over the period 1990–2019, the prevalence and incidence of COPD in Saudi Arabia have been steadily rising. Even though COPD morbidity and death rates have been decreasing, they remain higher in men and older age. The holistic assessment and interventions with careful attention to optimising the community-based primary care management, such as screening for early diagnosis, smoking cessation programs and pulmonary rehabilitation, are likely to be the most successful strategies to reduce the burden of COPD in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific research in Saudi Arabia's universities has undergone significant changes in recent years with the speed of higher education expansion and the opening of new universities. Artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied to existing data analysis processes to enhance pattern recognition and to support advanced data analysis. This study aimed to investigate the obstacles to activating the role of university instructors and students in joint scientific research. The study also aimed to evaluate joint scientific research between university teachers and students in universities, as well as the mechanisms for activating joint scientific research among male and female students in health and humanities science within Saudi universities, to enhance creation and invention achievements. To determine the obstacles to activating scientific research roles between students and tutors in Saudi universities using AI, a simple random sampling technique was adopted for this study. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to 250 respondents affiliated with universities in Saudi Arabia. The data collected were statistically analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. The results of this study revealed that the objectives of joint scientific research between university teachers and students in universities have a significant positive predictor of obstacles to activating the role of teachers in joint scientific research with students in Saudi universities. The study also showed that there was a statistically significant correlation (p value = 0.00) between each of the variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veterinary medicine uses antibiotics randomly for treatment and growth promotion. Milk of dairy animals contains substantial quantities of antibiotics that have harmful effects on health. It is therefore necessary to test commercially available milk using immunological, chromatographic, or microbiological methods to confirm the absence of antibiotic residues. This study aims to perform a microbiological test, followed by a quantitative confirmation analysis, on raw milk to assess the presence of antibiotic residues. Tests were conducted on 200 milk samples collected from markets and farms in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The microbial inhibitor test (Delvotest SP-NT) revealed that 40 samples were positive for antibiotic residues. The positive samples were further tested using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as a confirmatory quantitative test for 29 antibiotics that belong to five groups: tetracyclines, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and lactamases. Only four samples tested positive for oxytetracycline residues above the maximum residue limit. Based on these results, researchers suggest a monitoring system that considers both microbial and HPLC-MS/MS methods when detecting antibiotic residues in bovine milk. The analysis of risk to human health revealed that antibiotic residues at the detected levels do not pose any health risks to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]