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Objective . To describe heated humidified high-flow nasal cannulas (HHHFNC) utilization in level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Saudi Arabia. Methods . A prospective cross-sectional study using an electronic web-based questionnaire. The survey targeted level III NICUs hospitals using HHHFNCs, covering HHHFNC availability, protocols, patient characteristics, and indications. It also collected opinions on the benefits of HHHFNCs compared to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). Results . Out of 47 government-level III neonatal intensive care units, 35 (74%) responded to the survey. Among the included units, 46% had guidelines for HHHFNC use. Additionally, 51% reported using HHHFNC in infants of all gestational ages. The primary indication for HHHFNC use was weaning off nCPAP (34%), with 60% of the respondents noting its advantages for kangaroo care and breastfeeding. Conclusion . HHHFNC are increasingly prevalent in NICUs in Saudi Arabia. However, there remain no clear policies or guidelines regarding their use in preterm infants.

The precise manipulation of electromagnetic and thermoelectric characteristics in the miniaturization of electronic devices offers a promising foundation for practical applications in quantum computing. Double perovskites characterized by stability, non-toxicity, and spin polarization, have emerged as appealing candidates for spintronic applications. This study explores the theoretical elucidation of the influence of iridium's 5d electrons on the magnetic characteristics of Sr 2 AIrO 6 (A = Y, Lu, Sc) with WIEN2k code. The determined formation energies confirm the thermodynamic stability while an analysis of band structure and the density of states (DOS) reveals a half-metallic ferromagnetic character. This characteristic is comprehensible through the analysis of exchange constants and exchange energies. The current analysis suggests that crystal field effects, a fundamental hybridization process and exchange energies contribute to the emergence of ferromagnetism due to electron-spin interactions. Finally, assessments of electrical and thermal conductivities, Seebeck coefficient, power factor, figure of merit and magnetic susceptibility are conducted to assess the potential of the investigated materials for the applications in thermoelectric devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

With the wide potential of organic field-effect transistors in all the modern electronic circuitries, researchers are grappling with the challenge of poor charge transport and hence lower mobility in organic polymers. Low-charge carrier mobility is mainly due to disorder in the molecular packing of organic semiconductors along with other factors, such as impurities, defects and interactions between molecules. The current research work has been conducted to align the molecular chains of poly[4-(4,4-dihexadecyl-4H-cyclopenta[1,2-‌‌‌b:5,4-‌b']‌dithiophen-2-yl)-alt-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo-[3,4-c]pyridine] (PCDTPT) using directional coating techniques such as dip coating and brush coating on nano-grooved substrates. Long-range order of polymer chains was clearly observed along the direction of brush coating and nanogrooves in optical and atomic force microscope (AFM) images while transmission spectra confirmed decreased pi-pi stacking for the polymer films deposited by this technique. By comparing the mobility performance of brush-coated devices with other techniques, we found a remarkable mobility enhancement of 90 times that of conventional spin-coated device and 24 times enhancement compared with the dip-coated device for the case when the alignment of polymer chains was parallel to the channel. All the fabrication and characterizations were performed in the ambient environment. This study demonstrates a potential approach to align the polymers on long and short ranges hence providing a route for high-performing devices in ambient conditions., Competing Interests: We declare we have no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The spin coating method was used to deposit MAPbI 2 Br films on FTO-glass substrates. Zn 2+ (zinc) doping was used for these films at intensity rates of 2% and 4%, respectively. XRD analysis proved that MAPbI 2 Br films had a cubic structure and a crystalline character. 2% Zn doping into the MAPbI 2 Br film had a modest large grain size (38.09 nm), E g (1.95 eV), high refractive index (2.66), and low extinction coefficient (1.67), according to XRD and UV-vis analyses. To facilitate and enhance carrier transit, at contacts as well as throughout the bulk material, the perovskite's trap-state densities decreased. The predicted MAPbI 2 Br valence and conduction band edges are -5.44 and -3.52, respectively. The conduction band (CB) edge of the film that was exposed to Zn atoms has been pressed towards the lower value, assembly it a better material for solar cells. EIS is particularly useful for understanding charge carrier transport, recombination mechanisms, and the influence of different interfaces within the device structure. J sc is 11.09 mA cm -2 , V oc is 1.09, PCE is 9.372% and FF is 0.777. The cell made with the 2% Zn doped into the MAPbI 2 Br film demonstrated a superior device.

In this study, solar cells based on pure Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 and Al-doped metal were fabricated using the sol-gel spin-coating technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of cubic-structured films for both pure and Al-doped. Notably, the grain size of Al-doped Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 was observed to be larger than that of its pure counterpart. The optical properties of these films were investigated using UV-vis spectroscopy, revealing essential parameters such as the bandgap energy ( E g ), refractive index ( n ), extinction coefficients ( k ), and dielectric constant. While the pure film exhibited an E g of 1.91 eV, the Al-doped film demonstrated a slightly lower E g of 1.82 eV. Utilization of these films in solar cell fabrication yielded intriguing results. The J - V curve shows that the pure solar cell displayed a short-circuit current density ( J sc ) of 5.01 mA/cm 2 , a fill factor (FF) of 0.67, an open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) of 0.89 V, and an efficiency of 3.02%. Al doping led to improvements, with an increase in V oc to 0.91 V, FF to 0.71, and J sc to 5.29 mA/cm 2 . Consequently, the overall efficiency surged to 3.40%, marking a substantial 12.5% enhancement compared with the pure solar cell. These findings underscore the efficacy of Al doping in enhancing the performance of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based solar cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Lead-free halide double perovskite (LFHDP) Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional lead-based perovskites (LBPs), offering notable advantages in terms of chemical stability and non-toxicity. However, the efficiency of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 solar cells faces challenges due to their wide bandgap ( E g ). As a viable strategy to settle this problem, we consider optimization of the optical and photovoltaic properties of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 by Gallium (Ga) substitution. The synthesized Cs 2 Ag 0.95 Ga 0.05 BiBr 6 is rigorously characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy, and solar simulator measurements. XRD analysis reveals shifts in peak positions, indicating changes in the crystal lattice due to Ga substitution. The optical analysis demonstrates a reduction in the E g , leading to improvement of the light absorption within the visible spectrum. Importantly, the Cs 2 Ag 0.95 Ga 0.05 BiBr 6 solar cell exhibits enhanced performance, as evidenced by higher values of open circuit voltage ( V oc ), short-circuit current ( J sc ), and fill factor (FF), which are 0.94 V, 6.01 mA cm -2 , and 0.80, respectively: this results in an increased power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.51% to 4.52%. This research not only helps to overcome film formation challenges, but also enables stable Cs 2 Ag 0.95 Ga 0.05 BiBr 6 to be established as a high-performance material for photovoltaic applications. Overall, our development contributes to the advancement of environmentally friendly solar technologies., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The semiconductor/insulator blends for organic field-effect transistors are a potential solution to improve the charge transport in the active layer by inducing phase separation in the blends. However, the technique is less investigated for long-chain conducting polymers such as Poly[2,5-(2-octyldodecyl)-3,6-diketopyrrolopyrrole-alt-5,5-(2,5-di(thien-2-yl)thieno [3,2-b]thiophene)] (DPPDTT), and lateral phase separation is generally reported due to the instability during solvent evaporation, which results in degraded device performance. Herein, we report how to tailor the dominant mechanism of phase separation in such blends and the molecular assembly of the polymer. For DPPDTT/PMMA blends, we found that for higher DPPDTT concentrations (more than 75%) where the vertical phase separation mechanism is dominant, PMMA assisted in the self-assembly of DPPDTT to form nanowires and micro-transport channels on top of PMMA. The formation of nanowires yielded 13 times higher mobility as compared to pristine devices. For blend ratios with DPPDTT ≤ 50%, both the competing mechanisms, vertical and lateral phase separation, are taking place. It resulted in somewhat lower charge carrier mobilities. Hence, our results show that by systematic tuning of the blend ratio, PMMA can act as an excellent binding material in long-chain polymers such as DPPDTT and produce vertically stratified and aligned structures to ensure high mobility devices., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Background: Obese individuals have a higher risk of degenerative disc disease (DDD). Currently, body mass index is not sensitive enough to differentiate between muscle and fat distribution, and obesity-related health issues are linked to the way body fat is distributed. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between the dorsal subcutaneous fat thickness (DSFT) of the lumbar spine, an alternative measurement tool of body fat distribution, and DDD., Methods: A total of 301 patients with DDD and 123 participants without the disease were recruited. Using length functions of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) console, the DSFT of L1 to S1 intervertebral disc levels was measured in mid-sagittal spin-echo T2 weighted image. The Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-squared test (X2) were utilized to examine any variations between the case and control groups. Logistic regression models were built to explore the association of the DSFT with DDD., Results: The logistical regression model showed a positive association between DDD and DSFT [OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.64, p = 0.03]. In the stratified logistic regression analysis, a positive association was found between DDD and DSFT among younger participants and females [OR young : 1.48; 95% CI (1.02-2.20); p = 0.04-OR female : 1.37; 95% CI (1-1.88); p = 0.05]., Conclusions: Younger females with thicker DSFT at the L1-L2 level are more likely to develop DDD. This suggests that increased DSFT may be a contributing factor to DDD.

Manganese-doped bismuth ferrites were synthesized using the coprecipitation method with the green extract Azadirachta indica . Our incorporation of the transition element, manganese, into bismuth ferrites tackles the challenge of increased leakage current often observed in intrinsic bismuth ferrites. We gained key insights through a comprehensive examination of the structural, dielectric, and optical properties of these materials, utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), impedance spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy, respectively. The formation of an octahedral geometry was confirmed using the FTIR technique. UV-visible spectroscopy indicated that 2% Mn doping is optimal, while we obtained a low band gap energy (2.21 eV) and high refractive index (3.010) at this amount of doping. The manufactured materials exhibited the typical ferrite-like dielectric response, that is, the dielectric parameter gradually decreased as the frequency increased and then stayed constant in the high-frequency range. Using the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical assay, we also examined the antioxidant activity of bismuth ferrites. We concluded that among different Mn-doped BiFeMnO 3 -based nanomaterials, the 2 wt % Mn-doped BiFeMnO 3 shows the highest antioxidant activity. This finding substantiates the efficacy of the optimized material with regard to its potent antioxidant activity, positioning it as a promising candidate for potential biomedical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Recently, all inorganic double perovskites have drawn a lot of interest as promising solar materials. The optical, structural, thermoelectric, electronic, and mechanical properties of double halide perovskites A 2 LiGaI 6 (A = Cs, Rb) are explored via first-principles calculations with the WIEN2k code, using GGA PBEsol and TB-mBJ potentials. The majority of perovskite materials utilized in the highest-performing solar cells have bandgaps ranging between 1.48 and 1.62 eV. The compounds A 2 LiGaI 6 (A = Cs, Rb) have a direct bandgap of 1.51 eV and 1.55 eV, respectively, and are expected to be useful in solar cells. The optical study shows that there are large absorption bands in the visible region, as determined by the dielectric constant, absorption, and other dependent factors. Their potential for use in solar cells is increased by their absorption in the visible part. The BoltzTraP code has been used to perform thermoelectric studies to assess the electrical, thermal conductivities, and Seebeck coefficient. They are important for construction of thermoelectric generators that harvest heat energy because of their high figure of merit and incredibly low thermal conductivity of lattice at ambient temperature. Furthermore, by examining the spectroscopic limit maximum efficiency, up to 30 % efficiency is predicted for both compositions, which paves the way for the applicability of them in solar energy conversion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is used to assess the stiffness of the liver to rule out cirrhosis or fibrosis. The image, nevertheless, is regarded as shear-wave imaging and does not depict any anatomical features. Multimodality medical image fusion (MMIF), such as the fusion of MRE with computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can help doctors optimize the advantages of each imaging technique. As a result, perceptions serve as valid and valuable assessment criteria. The contrast sensitivity function (CSF), which describes the rates of visual contrast sensitivity through the changing of spatial frequencies, is used mathematically to characterize the human visual system (HVS). As a result, we suggest novel methods for fusing images that use discrete wavelets transform (DWT) based on HVS and CSF models. Images from MRI or CT scan were combined with MRE images, and the outcomes were assessed both subjectively and objectively. Visual inspection of merging images was done throughout the qualitative analysis. The CT-MRE fused images in all four datasets were shown to be superior at maintaining bones and spatial resolution, despite the MRI-MRE being better at exhibiting soft tissues and contrast resolution. It is clear from all four datasets that the liver soft tissue in MRI and CT images mixed successfully with the red-colored stiffness distribution seen in MRE images. The proposed approach outperformed DWT, which produced visual artifacts such as signal loss. Quantitative evaluation using mean, standard deviation, and entropy showed that the generated images from the proposed technique performed better than the source images and DWT. Additionally, peak signal-to-noise ratio, mean square error, correlation coefficient, and structural similarity index measure were employed to compare the two fusion approaches, namely, MRI-MRE and CT-MRE. The comparison did not show the superiority of one approach over the other. In conclusion, both subjective and objective evaluation approaches revealed that the combined images contained more information and characteristics. Hence, the proposed method might be a useful procedure to diagnose and localize the stiffness regions on the liver soft tissue by fusion of MRE with MRI or CT., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Alharbi et al.)

Long-standing research efforts have enabled the widespread introduction of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in next-generation technologies. Concurrently, environmental and operational stability is the major bottleneck in commercializing OFETs. The underpinning mechanism behind these instabilities is still elusive. Here we demonstrate the effect of ambient air on the performance of p-type polymer field-effect transistors. After exposure to ambient air, the device showed significant variations in performance parameters for around 30 days, and then relatively stable behaviour was observed. Two competing mechanisms influencing environmental stability are the diffusion of moisture and oxygen in the metal-organic interface and the active organic layer of the OFET. We measured the time-dependent contact and channel resistances to probe which mechanism is dominant. We found that the dominant role in the degradation of the device stability is the channel resistance rather than the contact resistance. Through time-dependent Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, we systematically prove that moisture and oxygen cause performance variation in OFETs. FTIR spectra revealed that water and oxygen interact with the polymer chain and perturb its conjugation, thus resulting in degraded performance of the device upon prolonged exposure to ambient air. Our results are important in addressing the environmental instability of organic devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Objectives: Epistaxis among children is considered a scary issue for both the child and the parents. In Saudi Arabia, one third of children suffer from epistaxis. In our study, we aimed to assess the level of knowledge among parents regarding first-aid management of epistaxis in Taif city, Saudi Arabia., Method: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study among parents who visited Alhada Armed Forces Hospital and Prince Mansour Military Hospital between May 2022 and July 2022 in Taif, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire with 17 questions was distributed among the participants. We excluded parents with children who were older than 18 years., Results: A total of 502 parents were included in the study. About two thirds (67.5%) of parents had a moderate level of knowledge and around one third (30.9%) showed a good level of knowledge regarding epistaxis first aid. Furthermore, higher knowledge scores were found among parents who had epistaxis previously ( P = 0.026), who attended a course on first aid ( P = 0.002), and who were aged more than 35 years ( P = 0.017)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that most Saudi parents had a moderate level of knowledge regarding first-aid management of epistaxis. Additionally, several factors, such as the number of children, age, those attending first-aid courses, and experience treating others with epistaxis, were associated with the level of knowledge among parents. Further larger studies are required among Saudi parents to examine the knowledge, practice, and related factors regarding first-aid management of epistaxis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care.)

Background: Child abuse is a significant issue across many countries. Despite the situation's innate understanding, many children are not reported to authorities and continue to experience abuse, sometimes even death. Healthcare professionals must be alert for abuse in any child who appears with injuries that are out of the ordinary because it is easy for indicators of child abuse to go unnoticed in a busy emergency department. The current study aims to evaluate and detect the challenges in diagnosing and reporting cases of child abuse among healthcare practitioners in emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine., Methods: A self-administered online disseminated questionnaire was used for data collection during the period from October 1 to December 30, 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted on emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine healthcare practitioners working in hospitals in healthcare centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All data were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0 for (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) Windows., Results: The study sample constituted 200 physicians working in the front lines of healthcare like emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine primary care services, 50.5% were males and 49.5% were females. 36.5% of participants were 31-39 years old. 42% were family medicine physicians, 36.5% were pediatricians, and 21.5% were emergency medicine. About 43% of participants attended an educational workshop on child abuse. Nineteen percent of participants are very familiar with the diagnosis of child abuse and 36% of participants reported one to three cases of child abuse in the emergency department in the last year, 5% reported four to six cases and 56.5% reported none. Forty-seven percent of participants reported diagnosing one to five cases of child abuse throughout their whole career, 13% reported 11-15 cases, 6.5% reported six to 10 cases and 28.5% reported none. Causes of underdiagnosis of child abuse by healthcare providers were reported as 63% inexperience, 59% inadequate time for physical examination, 59% lack of diagnosis protocol, 51% lack of confidence in communicating with parents, 36% physicians' cultural background, and 38% lack of confidence in the diagnosis. 93.5% of participants think that healthcare practices need further education for child abuse., Conclusion: In conclusion, physicians in Saudi Arabia who participated in the study had good knowledge to diagnose a case of child abuse. Inexperience, inadequate time for physical examination, lack of diagnosis protocol, lack of confidence in communicating with parents, and physicians' cultural background were the main identified challenges for diagnosing child abuse. Familiarity with cases of child abuse was significantly associated with physicians' age, specialty, and level of training., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, AlShalhoub et al.)

In the world, one in eight women will develop breast cancer. Men can also develop it, but less frequently. This condition starts with uncontrolled cell division brought on by a change in the genes that regulate cell division and growth, which leads to the development of a nodule or tumour. These tumours can be either benign, which poses no health risk, or malignant, also known as cancerous, which puts patients' lives in jeopardy and has the potential to spread. The most common way to diagnose this problem is via mammograms. This kind of examination enables the detection of abnormalities in breast tissue, such as masses and microcalcifications, which are thought to be indicators of the presence of disease. This study aims to determine how histogram-based image enhancement methods affect the classification of mammograms into five groups: benign calcifications, benign masses, malignant calcifications, malignant masses, and healthy tissue, as determined by a CAD system of automatic mammography classification using convolutional neural networks. Both Contrast-limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CAHE) and Histogram Intensity Windowing (HIW) will be used (CLAHE). By improving the contrast between the image's background, fibrous tissue, dense tissue, and sick tissue, which includes microcalcifications and masses, the mammography histogram is modified using these procedures. In order to help neural networks, learn, the contrast has been increased to make it easier to distinguish between various types of tissue. The proportion of correctly classified images could rise with this technique. Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, a model was developed that allows classifying different types of lesions. The model achieved an accuracy of 62%, based on mini-MIAS data. The final goal of the project is the creation of an update algorithm that will be incorporated into the CAD system and will enhance the automatic identification and categorization of microcalcifications and masses. As a result, it would be possible to increase the possibility of early disease identification, which is important because early discovery increases the likelihood of a cure to almost 100%.

Scabies is a highly contagious, globally prevalent, parasitic skin infestation caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis, also known as the itch mite. There have been outbreaks not only in the developing world, but also in the developed world among refugees and asylum seekers. Once infested with scabies mites, symptomatic patients, as well as asymptomatic carriers, quickly spread the disease through direct skin-to-skin contact. Typically, symptoms of scabies are characterized by an erythematous, papular, pruritic rash associated with burrows. Treatment of scabies involves using topical or systemic scabicides and treating secondary bacterial infections, if present. Given the prevalence and contagiousness of scabies, measures to prevent its spread are essential. Through application of the novel Identify-Isolate-Inform (3I) Tool, emergency medical providers can readily identify risk factors for exposure and important symptoms of the disease, thus limiting its spread through prompt scabicide therapy; isolate the patient until after treatment; and inform local public health authorities and hospital infection prevention, when appropriate. Ultimately, these three actions can aid public health in controlling the transmission of scabies cases, thus ensuring the protection of the general public from this highly contagious skin infestation.

Aim: Oral health is an integral part of general health, and good knowledge and oral hygiene practices are the key to achieving oral health. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and oral hygiene practices of school children in Saudi Arabia and the need for dental health education and intervention., Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among male school children ( n = 451), aged 6-12 years, in the Al-Zulfi region of Saudi Arabia. Participants were included in this study using one-stage cluster sampling. The subjects completed a questionnaire, and the oral hygiene index-simplified was recorded. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 21., Results: Only 41.9% of the children had good oral hygiene. Of the sampled children, 72.7% used a toothbrush and toothpaste, but only 2.2% were aware of dental floss; 62.7% children brushed for 1-2 minutes and had good oral hygiene, but 55.9% of children had no knowledge about periodontal health. Only 30.1% parents observed their children during tooth brushing., Conclusion: Use of a toothbrush and toothpaste is the most commonly used and most effective oral hygiene aid. Brushing twice a day for 1-2 minutes seems to be effective. Oral health care education should be included in the school curriculum, and a parental awareness program is needed to emphasize their role in the dental health of their children., How to Cite This Article: Kannan SPK, Alfahaid SF, Alharbi AS, et al. Oral Hygiene Behavior of School Children in Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Survey. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(1):66-71., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2020; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.)