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In this study, three starch hydrogels composite prepared using different ratios of starch, citric acid, acrylamide, and MgO nanoparticles (referred to as St1-g-(CA-AM), St2-g-(CA-AM), and St3-g-(CA-AM) MgO). These materials were assessed using FT-IR, SEM, and EDX. The adsorption of 134Cs(I) and 60Co (II) onto these materials studied using radiometric analysis. The investigation focused on how temperature, contact duration, initial metal ion concentration, and pH of the solution affected the sorption efficiency. It is found that a pH value of 7 optimized the adsorption reaction, reaching equilibrium after 40 minutes. The kinetics of the adsorption followed a pseudo-second order model. The Langmuir model adequately explained the sorption mechanism, supported by the analysis of isotherm models. The monolayer adsorption capacities for 60Co (II) and 134Cs (I) were 113.38 and 100.2 mg g−1, respectively. The thermodynamic study indicated that the sorption process is both endothermic and spontaneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has probably contributed to sleep disturbance among nurses, especially those working at emergency departments (EDs). Sleep disorders in nurse managers can negatively impact their health and impair work performance and decision-making. This study aimed to explore the quality of sleep among nurses working in EDs and its influencing factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: In this study, a cross-sectional design was employed to assess the sleep quality of nurses working in EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research recruited a convenience sample of emergency nurses, who were selectively sourced from four hospitals in Hail City. This recruitment occurred over the period from April to July 2022. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using SPSS, with the significance level set at 0.05. Results: Among the 216 participants in the study, the majority (55.6%) were aged between 30 and 39 years, and 73.6% were female. Additionally, 64.4% were married, while 69.4% had a bachelor's degree, 20% held a diploma, and the remaining had a master's degree. Notably, a significant 81.5% of the nurses reported poor sleep quality, as assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with an overall mean score of 10.55 indicating poor sleep. The study highlighted that poor sleep quality among nurses was linked to being female, being married, and not exercising regularly. Better sleep was associated with nurses who manage fewer patients per shift and have adequate monthly income. Conclusion: The prevalence of poor sleep quality among Emergency nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic is high. There is a pressing need for targeted interventions to enhance sleep quality among ED nurses. Improving sleep quality is not only essential for the wellbeing of these nurses but is also likely to contribute to better patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study tested the ability of the aquatic plant Azolla pinnata to remove the pyrene and determine the effect of Pyrene on the pigments (chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids) and antioxidant parameters (CAT, SOD, MDA and, ROS) in the plant. The plant was exposed to different concentrations of Pyrene (1,5,10,15,25, and 50 mg/l) for 14 days. The results showed that the high removal rate of pyrene reached 99% for 25 and 50 mg/l of pyrene on the 14th day of the experiment, while the lowest removal rate was 42.1% for 1 mg/l on the third day. The results showed the lowest values of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and carotenoids were 0.55, 0.25, and 0.433 μg/g recorded at 50 ppm respectively. While chlorophyll b recorded a low value of 0.32 μg/g at 25 mg/l, the highest concentration of these pigments was registered in the control group. Also, the results showed a gradual increase in antioxidant values compared to the control group, recording the highest values of 0.2873 and 1.04 U/g at 50 ppm and the lowest value of CAT and SOD at 5ppm, compared to the control group. Also, the study recorded a gradual increase in ROS and MDA values with increasing concentrations of pyrene, the highest value was 1.6367 and 14.4433 µmole/g for ROS and MDA at (50ppm), whereas the lowest value was recorded at 5 ppm compared to the control group. Statistical analysis at (p˂0.05) showed significant differences between all the interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the authors propose a deep learning (DL) approach for classifying melanoma skin cancer (MSC). They introduce a convolution neural network (CNN) model that consists of 27 layers, which are carefully designed to extract features from skin lesion images and classify them into melanoma and non-melanoma classes. The proposed CNN model comprises multiple convolution layers that apply filters to the input image to extract features such as edges, shapes, and patterns. Batch normalization layers that normalize the output of the convolution layers to accelerate the learning process and prevent overfitting follow these convolution layers. The performance of the proposed CNN model was evaluated on publicly available datasets of skin lesion images, and the findings showed that it outperformed several state-of-the-art methods for melanoma classification. The authors also conducted ablation studies to analyze each layer’s contribution to the model’s overall performance. The proposed DL approach has the potential to assist dermatologists in the early detection of MSC, which can lead to treatment that is more effective and improves patient outcomes. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of DL techniques for medical image analysis and highlights the importance of carefully designing and optimizing CNN models for high performance. The accuracy of the proposed system is 99.99%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood psychiatric disorder. It frequently persists into adulthood and is a risk factor for other mental disorders and adverse outcomes, mainly if not managed optimally. This study aimed to assess ADHD treatment adherence and explore the underlying causes of non-adherence in ADHD children in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 221 participants. The survey included demographic characteristics of the child and parents, the child's medical history, quality of services evaluation, as well as medication adherence assessment by Medication Adherence Report Scale (MARS), the general beliefs about medicines questionnaire (General-BMQ), in addition to assessing the parents' beliefs about ADHD and provided/recommended treatment. Results: The sample was primarily 6 to 8-year-old children (32.81%) and males (78.52%). Most subjects were prescribed extended-release agents (45.7%), and overall, high-quality services were provided to the patients. The adherence rate of ADHD patients to their medication was 89.77%. The mother's education correlated significantly with patient adherence (p=0.029), and the mother's age correlated significantly with their beliefs (p=0.021), in addition to the family income (0.033). Children on Methylphenidate Immediate Release had good compliance with the medication (p=0.008). Moreover, Methylphenidate Extended Release has shown continuity results, increasing the adherence rates (p=0.035). Conclusion: ADHD medication adherence was high and associated with older age, educational status, and type of medication used. Physicians should consider these factors to improve adherence in their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses food prices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the factors that influence them, and the measures that the government took to guarantee their stability during the period 1926–1945. The article's timeframe coincides with an important phase of the Kingdom's development, marked by efforts to promote the integration and unification between all its regions by fostering regulatory, financial, and economic unity within the context of limited financial resources. In doing so, it follows a historical analysis methodology, relying on a variety of source materials, among the most important of which are the local documents kept at the King Abdulaziz Foundation, the Institute of Public Administration, and King Fahad National Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is interested in the sorption and separation of 131Ba, 109Cd, 152+154Eu, and 97Zr from radioactive solutions onto barium molybdenum titanate loaded on carboxy methyl cellulose (BaMoTi@CMC) composites. In this work, different samples of BaMoTi@CMC composites were fabricated by the co-precipitation method and characterized using different analytical tools such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance (ATR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The batch sorption investigations on 131Ba, 109Cd, 152+154Eu, and 97Zr include the influence of time, pH, and metal ion concentrations. The data reveal that S-3 has higher sorption efficiency than S-2 under all conditions. Isotherm is studied by Langmuir and Freundlich models. Binary systems data confirm that Cd(ii), Ba(ii), and Zr(iv) can be separated from Cd–Eu, Ba–Eu, and Zr–Eu binary systems using S-2 and S-3 at different pHs. Finally, the data prove that Zr(iv) and Ba(ii) can be easily separated from tertiary systems (Zr–Ba–Cd) onto S-2 and S-3 at pH 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]