Search

This study aims to discuss the concept of both Islamic and commercial banks, in order to illustrate the similarities and differences between Islamic and commercial banking systems. Additionally, this research evaluates the profitability of the Islamic and commercial banks in the GCC region and examines the impact of the subprime global financial crisis on both banking sectors during the period 2005-2013. The analysis of the financial information revealed significant findings in the profitability levels of the Islamic and commercial banks. The findings indicate that the Islamic banking system is more efficient in using its assets to generate profit; while commercial banks are more efficient than Islamic banks in terms of controlling their operating costs, conventional banks suffered significant losses in the financial market instruments, which led to reduce the profitability levels.

Due to the wide availability of easy-to-access content on social media, along with the advanced tools and inexpensive computing infrastructure, has made it very easy for people to produce deep fakes that can cause to spread disinformation and hoaxes. This rapid advancement can cause panic and chaos as anyone can easily create propaganda using these technologies. Hence, a robust system to differentiate between real and fake content has become crucial in this age of social media. This paper proposes an automated method to classify deep fake images by employing Deep Learning and Machine Learning based methodologies. Traditional Machine Learning (ML) based systems employing handcrafted feature extraction fail to capture more complex patterns that are poorly understood or easily represented using simple features. These systems cannot generalize well to unseen data. Moreover, these systems are sensitive to noise or variations in the data, which can reduce their performance. Hence, these problems can limit their usefulness in real-world applications where the data constantly evolves. The proposed framework initially performs an Error Level Analysis of the image to determine if the image has been modified. This image is then supplied to Convolutional Neural Networks for deep feature extraction. The resultant feature vectors are then classified via Support Vector Machines and K-Nearest Neighbors by performing hyper-parameter optimization. The proposed method achieved the highest accuracy of 89.5% via Residual Network and K-Nearest Neighbor. The results prove the efficiency and robustness of the proposed technique; hence, it can be used to detect deep fake images and reduce the potential threat of slander and propaganda.

One of the most common infectious processes known to ancient and modern medicine alike, the majority of these illnesses are odontogenic in identity. The majority of these infections can be treated surgically, including drainage, endodontic treatment, and exodontia in order to be controlled without resorting to antimicrobials. Due to the intricate anatomy involved and the potential for catastrophic medical problems even with expert therapy, severe space infections pose a difficult dilemma for maxillofacial surgeons. Because of the proximity of the submandibular and submental areas, infections can also affect several spaces. Streptococcus pyogenes, a Gram-positive aerobic pathogen, was found to be the most frequent organism linked to orofacial infection. Possibly deadly consequences that may appear after MSI include septicemia, airway compromise, cavernous sinus thrombosis, necrotizing fasciitis, and mediastinitis. Deep space maxillofacial and cervicofacial infections should be managed according to certain principles, including immediate and prompt evaluation of the infection's extent based on anatomical location, rate of development, and possibility for airway impairment. Penicillin is still the preferred empiric medication, at least for outpatients, according to recent data on the antibiotic sensitivity of the most frequently identified bacteria of odontogenic infections. With respect to surgical intervention, many surgeons have been shown to favor tracheotomy to endotracheal intubation for maintaining the airway in patients with airway blockage. In contrast to those who receive endotracheal intubation, patients with severe cervicofacial infections who receive tracheotomy for airway support have been shown to have a shorter stay in critical care, experience fewer problems, and pay less overall. After assessing the host immunity, early definite operative therapy is essential for halting the infection's spread.

Background: Anemia during pregnancy is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among postpartum women. The main reason for the condition is dietary Iron deficiency and the most common type of anemia found in women during pregnancy is iron deficiency anemia. Among many complications, postpartum hemorrhage is a problem linked with anemia during pregnancy. In Saudi Arabia, pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is not common but still, cases are reported. The present study aimed to determine its prevalence in population and to see its relationship with anemia during pregnancy. Methods: It was an analytical cross-sectional study in which the data was collected from women using properly designed questionnaires. The study population was women who got pregnant and delivered in main hospitals of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data of respondents for demographical and clinical variables were collected and analyzed using SPSS using appropriate statistical tests. Results: 600 participants responded to the questionnaire. The mean age was 26.32 years. The prevalence of PPH among studied population was 11.9%. Anemia during pregnancy was found to be positively associated with PPH with the p value of 0.0039. Smoking history was also correlated with PPH. There was no strong association between age and increase risk of PPH. Conclusion: This study concluded that PPH is not common in Saudi Arabia. There is a moderate association of anemia during pregnancy and PPH. Smoking is also a positive predictor for PPH. There are some limitations in the study so there is a need of large-scale study to confirm the findings in the population.

The aim of this paper which was conducted through digital databases; PubMed and Embase for all studies that were published concerning our topics up to the end of 2021, was to identify the roles of nurses in management of patient post-kidney transplant. Kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that involves the transfer of a healthy kidney into the body of a patient with end-stage renal disease in order to compensate for the loss of a kidney or to replace a diseased organ with a functional one. As a result, kidney allograft recipients require nursing care, with special attention paid to the effects of the surgical procedure and those associated with the use of immunosuppressive agents. Nurses tasked with these patients' care should be knowledgeable enough to enable the development of correct nursing diagnoses (NDs) and, as a result, suitable care plans.

Background: Cervical myelopathy is the most common cause of acquired spinal cord compromise. The concept of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), defined as symptomatic myelopathy associated with degenerative arthropathic changes in the spine axis, is being introduced. Patients with DCM visit many doctors due to a variety of symptoms, mainly orthopedics, neurosurgeons, neurologists, or physiotherapists. Aim: This study aims to assess awareness and perception of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy among medical students in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in Aseer region, Southern Saudi Arabia targeting all medical students and interns at the College of Medicine. An online questionnaire was initiated by the study researchers after intensive literature review and expert’s consultation. The final questionnaire was published using the social media platforms from 1st of September to 3rd of September, 2022. The questionnaire was uploaded online by the researchers and their friends, or relatives till no more new answers were obtained. Results: A total of 380 medical students and interns completed the study survey. Students’ ages ranged from 18 to 30 years with mean age of 22.6 ± 2.1 years old. Exactly 235 (61.8%) students were females and 212 (55.8%) were in their clinical study years. Exactly 106 (27.9%) students had good awareness level regarding DCM while 274 (72.1%) had poor awareness level. The most reported source of information was internet (46.3%), followed by lectures (33.9%), social media (30%), textbook (18.9%), and workshop (15.5%). Conclusion: In conclusion, the current study showed that medical students’ awareness regarding DCM was poor especially among male students and others who had not been taught about the disease. Also, the internet was the most prominent source of students’ information rather than study lectures. Keywords: Degenerative cervical myopathy, myopathy disorders, medical students, Awareness, Saudi Arabia.

Background: With the increased prevalence of osteoporosis, proficiency in knowledge of osteoporosis is essential for healthcare providers to prevent and treat this disease. Therefore, it is crucial for future physicians to receive adequate education. Our study aimed to assess osteoporosis awareness and knowledge among medical students training to become physicians. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted among a sample of medical students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study included students from the following universities: Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Saud University, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University during the 2019-2020 academic year. We utilized the revised Osteoporosis Knowledge Test questionnaire, which was administered online. Results: A total of 805 participants completed the online questionnaire (52% male and 48% female). The majority of the students had a grade point average of 4.50 (46.1%). Of a total score of 32 points, the mean knowledge score of the study population was 16.6 ± 4.4 points. The mean exercise score of the study population was 10.7 ± 3.1 points out of 20 points. The mean nutrition score was 14 ± 3.6 points out of 26 points. Conclusions: The level of knowledge of medical students regarding osteoporosis is poor. The need for better education of future physicians in Saudi Arabia regarding osteoporosis must be addressed. The introduction of problem-based learning strategies and community-oriented teaching programs may facilitate greater awareness of the public health impact of osteoporosis.

Background: During several years, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) played a significant role in the health of periodontal tissues. The goals of prosthodontics management are to restore the missing teeth, provide the loss of teeth functions, and establish acceptable dental esthetics, and there are some evidences revealing the passive effects of snuff on the results of prosthodontics and periodontal treatment, so the present study is performed to evaluate the outcomes of topical application of ascorbic acid solution as an adjunctive method of periodontal therapy among wet sniff users after prosthodontics therapy. Methods: The clinical situation was evaluated in 150 moderate periodontitis patients after conventional periodontal and prosthodontics therapy. They were selected from outpatient clinics, college of dentistry, King Khalid University, and from some hospitals Ministry of Health in Tabuk, Jazan and Aseer regions. The study was conducted from September 2020 to December 2020. The time of post-treatment assessment was one year. The study was included 50 patients who don’t use wet snuff as a group I (GI) (control group), 50 patients wet snuff users as group II (GII), and 50 patients wet snuff users were treated with topical application of ascorbic acid solution as group III (GIII). The participants were aged over 20 years, with a mean age of 35 years. The duration of using wet snuff was at least one year. Plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment loss (CAL) were recorded at baseline (first visit), then after 4 weeks (second visit) and after 6 weeks (third visit) of conventional periodontal therapy and topical application of ascorbic acid solution. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA test and paired t-test. Results: According to statistical analysis, there was the inclination of decrease in the mean and standard deviation of plaque index (PLI) from 2.8 ± 1.4 to 2.5 ± 0.51, and 2.7 ± 0.33 in group II, and decrease from 2.7 ± 0.34 to 2.5 ± 0.23 and 2.6 ± 0.65 in group III. Similarly in the gingival index (GI), there was a decrease in the mean and standard deviation from 2.8 ± 0.52 to 2.3 ± 0.62 and 2.5 ± 0.51 in group II and a decrease from 2.5 ± 0.8 to 2.3 ± 0.58 and 2.4 ± 0.47 in group III. Moreover, there was a decrease in the mean and standard deviation of clinical attachment loss (CAL) from 4.5 ± 0.26 to 3.9 ± 0.83 and 4.2 ± 0.83 in group II and from 4.2 ± 0.31 to 3.8 ± 0.46 and 3.8 ± 0.31 in group III; less than group I without significance differences (p > 0. 05) in all study groups at baseline and after 4 weeks, and 6 weeks of follow up except CAL. Conclusion: The results of our study displayed that periodontal parameters vary among wet snuff users after topical application of ascorbic acid solution as an adjunctive method of periodontal therapy

Five various chemometric methods were established for the simultaneous determination of azilsartan medoxomil (AZM) and chlorthalidone in the presence of azilsartan which is the core impurity of AZM. The full spectrum-based chemometric techniques, namely partial least squares (PLS), principal component regression, and artificial neural networks (ANN), were among the applied methods. Besides, the ANN and PLS were the other two methods that were extended by genetic algorithm procedure (GA-PLS and GA-ANN) as a wavelength selection procedure. The models were developed by applying a multilevel multifactor experimental design. The predictive power of the suggested models was evaluated through a validation set containing nine mixtures with different ratios of the three analytes. For the analysis of Edarbyclor® tablets, all the proposed procedures were applied and the best results were achieved in the case of ANN, GA-ANN, and GA-PLS methods. The findings of the three methods were revealed as the quantitative tool for the analysis of the three components without any intrusion from the co-formulated excipient and without prior separation procedures. Moreover, the GA impact on strengthening the predictive power of ANN- and PLS-based models was also highlighted.

Background: Hemorrhoidal disease (piles) is a common anorectal disease. Although the majority of patients can be successfully treated with conservative medication and local applicants, some patients need to undergo surgery during their life. Population awareness regarding the disease is essential for avoiding long life-annoying symptoms and complications. The present study aims to assess the general population awareness and attitude regarding hemorrhoids and its preventive measures in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional approach was used, targeting the general population in Aseer region aged 18 years or older. The data were collected using a pre-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire covered participants’ data including age, gender, educational level, work filed, and history of having hemorrhoid disorder. Awareness regarding hemorrhoid was assessed using 13 items covering all aspects of the disease. The questionnaire was published online. At the end of 4 months, data were extracted and exported as an excel file for filtering and errors checking. Results: A sample of totally 390 individuals completed the questionnaire whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years, with a mean age of 35.6 ± 10.2 years. 255 (65.4%) participants were male, and 45.6% were university graduated. As for participants’ awareness regarding hemorrhoids, 56.9% of the participants defined hemorrhoid as perianal edema, while 73.8% defined it as perianal pain. Generally, 233 participants had good awareness level regarding hemorrhoids in total. Conclusions: In conclusion, the majority of the general population in Aseer region was aware of hemorrhoid and its preventive measures. More effort should be paid to improve population awareness regarding the nature of the disease and the new diagnostic tools.

Background: Anemia during pregnancy is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among postpartum women. The main reason for the condition is dietary Iron deficiency and the most common type of anemia found in women during pregnancy is iron deficiency anemia. Among many complications, postpartum hemorrhage is a problem linked with anemia during pregnancy. In Saudi Arabia, pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is not common but still cases are reported. The present study aimed to determine its prevalence in population and to see its relationship with anemia during pregnancy. Methods: It was an analytical cross sectional study in which the data was collected from women using properly designed questionnaires. The study population was women who got pregnant and delivered in main hospitals of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data of respondents for demographical and clinical variables was collected andanalyzed using SPSS using appropriate statistical tests. Results: 600 participants responded to the questionnaire. The mean age was 26.32 years. The prevalence of PPH among studied population was 11.9%. Anemia during pregnancy was found to be positively associated with PPH with the p value of0.0039. Smoking history was also correlated with PPH. There was no strong association between age and increase risk of PPH. Conclusion: The study concluded thatPPH is not common in Saudi Arabia. There is a moderate association of anemia during pregnancy and PPH. Smoking is also a positive predictor for PPH.Thereare some limitations in the study so there is a need of large scale study to confirm the findings in the population.

Brain tumors are difficult to treat and cause substantial fatalities worldwide. Medical professionals visually analyze the images and mark out the tumor regions to identify brain tumors, which is time-consuming and prone to error. Researchers have proposed automated methods in recent years to detect brain tumors early. These approaches, however, encounter difficulties due to their low accuracy and large false-positive values. An efficient tumor identification and classification approach is required to extract robust features and perform accurate disease classification. This paper proposes a novel multiclass brain tumor classification method based on deep feature fusion. The MR images are preprocessed using min-max normalization, and then extensive data augmentation is applied to MR images to overcome the lack of data problem. The deep CNN features obtained from transfer learned architectures such as AlexNet, GoogLeNet, and ResNet18 are fused to build a single feature vector and then loaded into Support Vector Machine (SVM) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) to predict the final output. The novel feature vector contains more information than the independent vectors, boosting the proposed method’s classification performance. The proposed framework is trained and evaluated on 15,320 Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs). The study shows that the fused feature vector performs better than the individual vectors. Moreover, the proposed technique performed better than the existing systems and achieved accuracy of 99.7%; hence, it can be used in clinical setup to classify brain tumors from MRIs.

Background The role of fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in indolent lymphoma has been minimally studied. Objective This study aims to assess the value of FDG-PET/CT in predicting the prognosis of indolent lymphoma. Methods We prospectively recruited 42 patients with indolent lymphoma. A total of 2 patients were excluded, and 40 underwent baseline PET/CT and follow-up at various time points. A total of 9 patients were observed only, 7 received 4 doses of rituximab alone, and 24 received chemoimmunotherapy. Metabolic response on follow-up PET/CT was assessed using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and Deauville criteria (DC). We aimed to obtain the best SUVmax and DC to predict optimal survival rates, risk stratification, and optimize therapeutic strategies. The mean follow-up from the initial diagnosis was 33.83 months. Results SUVmax Conclusions We demonstrated the utility of PET/CT in indolent lymphomas. SUVmax (