Search

To investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in community-dwelling Saudi adults aged ≥50 years and the associated risk factors. Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was dichotomized as depressive symptoms when the participants scored ≥10. Risk factors included age, sex, body mass index, education, employment, marital status, number of chronic diseases and medications, fatigue severity scale (FSS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Among the 206 participants, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17.48%. The number of chronic diseases, medications, and fatigue symptoms were significantly higher in those with depressive symptoms, whereas cognitive functions were significantly lower. Fatigue symptoms and cognitive functions were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. The cut-off scores for risk factors were ≥42 (FSS) and ≤23 (MoCA scale). Fatigue and cognitive impairments were the only risk factors that distinguished participants with and without depressive symptoms.

Lipofibromatosis-like neural tumor (LPF-NT) is a rare variant of lipofibromatosis. Standard lipofibromatosis tumors show a predilection for the distal extremities of male children or young adults and are typically painless, slow-growing, subcutaneous or deep soft tissue masses. We present a case of a 50-year-old male with a slowly expanding, right foot mass. Physical examination revealed a painful, non-tender firm mass on the right medial foot. Magnetic imaging studies revealed a poorly defined soft tissue mass extending through subcutaneous tissue up to the dermis. Histologic examination revealed a spindle cell neoplasm. Immunohistochemistry showed co-expression of S100 protein, CD34 and TRK. In addition, the lesion was found to be positive for the LMNA-NTRK1 fusion by next-generation sequencing. These findings were supportive of a diagnosis of LPF-NT. At 3-month post-excision, the patient had no pain and repeat imaging indicated no evidence of tumor. The authors recommended including LPF-NT in the differential diagnosis of masses or lesions that are fibro-fatty tumors.

Cognitive impairment negatively impacts health, psychological, social, and economic domains. Cognitive impairment commonly affects physical functions in older adults, whereas these are deteriorated. However, the prevalence and associated factors of cognitive impairment among community-dwelling adults in Saudi Arabia have not been investigated yet. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of severe cognitive impairment and its associated factors in community-dwelling older adults in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study involved adults aged ≥50 years. Demographic data and clinical data, including number of medications and body mass index (BMI), were collected. Cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms were measured using Arabic versions of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. The participants were divided into severe cognitive impairment and mild cognitive impairment or normal cognitive function groups based on a score of <20 or ≥20, respectively, using the MoCA. Physical measures included dynamic gait index (DGI) scores, timed up-and-go (TUG), 5 times sit-to-stand (5XSST), functional reach test, and 6-minute walk test. A total of 206 participants (female: n = 96) were included. The prevalence of severe cognitive impairment in the community-dwelling older adults was 12.6%. The number of chronic conditions (odds ratio [OR]: 2.31, p<0.001), number of medications (OR: 1.36, p = 0.003), and depressive symptoms using PHQ-9 (OR: 1.11, p = 0.009) were significantly associated with severe cognitive impairment after adjustment for other covariates, including age, sex, and BMI. Based on the physical function measures, only the scores for DGI (OR: 0.86, p = 0.003), TUG (OR: 1.16, p = 0.035) and 5XSST (OR: 1.25, p <0.001) were significantly associated with severe cognitive impairment. This study revealed a high prevalence of severe cognitive impairment among community-dwelling adults in Saudi Arabia. Its major risk factors include depressive symptoms, number of chronic conditions and medications, and physical measures, including DGI, TUG, and 5XSST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implant antennas are important in many biomedical implantable applications. In this work, a single band planar inverted F, a dual band planar inverted F-L, and a dual band elliptical-shape implantable antennas are presented. The planar inverted F element operates at the Medical Implant Communications Services (MICS) band. While, in order to cover the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) band, a planar inverted L parasitic element is added to the design. In the elliptical-shape implantable antenna, a planar C active element is designed for the MICs band, while a planar inverted C parasitic element is used for the ISM band. The work represents a parametric study on how the dielectric constant, the short-circuited pin position, and the skin layer thickness affect the S11 and the frequency band for the three different antenna models. Simulation results for the scattering parameters of the introduced antennas are performed by the CST microwave studio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic conjunctivitis is a prevalent ocular condition characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva due to hypersensitivity reactions to various allergens. Understanding its epidemiology and clinical characteristics is crucial for effective management and public health interventions. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence, triggers, and associated factors of allergic conjunctivitis among residents of the Southern region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through Google Forms. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS, including descriptive statistics and bivariable/multivariable analyses. Results: A total of 693 participants were recruited through convenience sampling via online platforms. Among the participants, 73.9% reported ocular symptoms, while 26.1% did not. Dust emerged as the most common trigger for ocular symptoms (32.9%), followed by eye drops/contact lenses (8.7%), animal dander (6.9%), and chemicals (5.8%). Notably, 39.7% reported experiencing ocular symptoms throughout the year. Despite the prevalence of ocular symptoms, only 26.7% consulted an ophthalmologist. Multivariable analysis revealed that gender and seasonal variation in symptoms were associated with allergic conjunctivitis diagnosis. Females showed a lower odds ratio (OR) of being diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis compared to males (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.29–1.31), and participants experiencing symptoms with no specific season had significantly lower odds of being diagnosed with allergic conjunctivitis (OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.11–0.72). A history of allergic rhinitis demonstrated a strong positive association with allergic conjunctivitis diagnosis (OR: 3.77, 95% CI: 1.83–7.75). Conclusion: The study highlights the considerable burden of allergic conjunctivitis and the underutilization of healthcare services among affected individuals in the Southern region of Saudi Arabia. Tailored interventions and increased awareness are essential for effective management and mitigation of allergic conjunctivitis’s impact on affected individuals and healthcare systems.

This study aimed to develop predictive models for rock hardness and abrasivity based on hyperspectral imaging data, providing valuable information without interrupting the mining processes. The data collection stage first involved scanning 159 rock samples collected from 6 different blasted rock piles using visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors. The hardness and abrasivity of the samples were then determined through Leeb rebound hardness (LRH) and Cerchar abrasivity index (CAI) tests, respectively. The data preprocessing involved radiometric correction, background removal, and staking VNIR and SWIR images. An integrated approach based on K-means clustering and the band ratio concept was employed for feature extraction, resulting in 28 band-ratio-based features. Afterward, the random forest regressor (RFR) algorithm was employed to develop predictive models for rock hardness and abrasivity separately. The performance assessment showed that the developed models can estimate rock hardness and abrasivity of unseen data with R2 scores of 0.74 and 0.79, respectively, with the most influential features located mainly within the SWIR region. The results indicate that integrated hyperspectral data and RFR technique have strong potential for practical and efficient rock hardness and abrasivity characterization during mining processes.

Abstract Stroke remains a global health concern, necessitating early prediction for effective management. Atherosclerosis-induced internal carotid and intra cranial stenosis contributes significantly to stroke risk. This study explores the relationship between blood pressure and stroke prediction, focusing on internal carotid artery (ICA) branches: middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA), and their role in hemodynamics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) informed by the Windkessel model were employed to simulate patient-specific ICA models with introduced stenosis. Central to our investigation is the impact of stenosis on blood pressure, flow velocity, and flow rate across these branches, incorporating Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) analysis. Results highlight differential sensitivities to blood pressure variations, with M1 branch showing high sensitivity, ACA moderate, and M2 minimal. Comparing blood pressure fluctuations between ICA and MCA revealed heightened sensitivity to potential reverse flow compared to ICA and ACA comparisons, emphasizing MCA's role. Blood flow adjustments due to stenosis demonstrated intricate compensatory mechanisms. FFR emerged as a robust predictor of stenosis severity, particularly in the M2 branch. In conclusion, this study provides comprehensive insights into hemodynamic complexities within major intracranial arteries, elucidating the significance of blood pressure variations, flow attributes, and FFR in stenosis contexts. Subject-specific data integration enhances model reliability, aiding stroke risk assessment and advancing cerebrovascular disease understanding.

This study introduces a novel method utilizing hyperspectral imaging for instantaneous ore-waste analysis of drill cuttings. To implement this technique, we collected samples of drill cuttings at regular depth intervals from five blast holes in an open pit gold mine and subjected them to scanning using a hyperspectral imaging system. Subsequently, we employed two distinct methods for processing the hyperspectral images. A knowledge-based method was used to estimate ore grade within each sampled interval, and a data-driven technique was employed to distinguish the ore and waste for each sample interval. Firstly, leveraging the mixed mineralogical composition of the samples, the Linear Spectral Unmixing (LSU) technique was utilized to predict ore grade for each sample. Additionally, the Gradient Boosting Classifier (GBC) was used as an efficient data-driven approach to classify ore-waste samples. Both methods rendered accurate results when they were compared with results obtained through laboratory X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and gold assay analysis for the same sample intervals. Adopting the proposed methodology in open pit mine operations can significantly enhance the process of grade control during blast hole drilling. This includes reducing costs, saving time, minimizing uncertainty in ore grade estimation, and establishing more precise ore-waste boundaries in resource block models.

Abstract Stroke occur mainly due to arterial thrombosis and rupture of cerebral blood vessels. Previous studies showed that blood flow-induced wall shear stress is an essential bio marker for estimating atherogenesis. It is a common practice to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to calculate wall shear stress and to quantify blood flow. Reliability of predicted CFD results greatly depends on the accuracy of applied boundary conditions. Previously, the boundary conditions were estimated by varying values so that they matched the clinical data. It is applicable upon the availability of clinical data. Meanwhile, in most cases all that can be accessed are arterial geometry and inflow rate. Consequently, there is a need to devise a tool to estimate boundary values such as resistance and compliance of arteries. This study proposes an analytical framework to estimate the boundary conditions for a carotid artery based on the geometries of the downstream arteries available from clinical images.

Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome represent two closely intertwined public health challenges that have reached alarming epidemic proportions in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the weighted pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa as defined by the 2004 National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III 2004) and/or the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Methods. A systematic search was conducted to retrieve studies published in the English language on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among type 2 diabetic individuals in sub-Saharan Africa. Searches were carried out in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, African Index Medicus, and African Journal Online from their inception until July 31, 2023. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the weighted pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome in sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence of between-study variance attributed to heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q statistic and the I2 statistic. The Joanna Briggs Institute quality appraisal criteria were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. The summary estimates were presented with forest plots and tables. Publication bias was checked with the funnel plot and Egger’s regression test. Results. Overall, 1421 articles were identified and evaluated using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and 30 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. The weighted pooled prevalence of metabolic syndrome among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa was 63.1% (95% CI: 57.9–68.1) when using the NCEP-ATP III 2004 criteria and 60.8% (95% CI: 50.7–70.0) when using the IDF criteria. Subgroup analysis, using NCEP-ATP III 2004 and IDF criteria, revealed higher weighted pooled prevalence among females: 73.5% (95% CI: 67.4–79.5), 71.6% (95% CI: 60.2–82.9), compared to males: 50.5% (95% CI: 43.8–57.2), 44.5% (95% CI: 34.2–54.8), respectively. Central obesity was the most prevalent component of metabolic syndrome, with a pooled prevalence of 55.9% and 61.6% using NCEP-ATP III 2004 and IDF criteria, respectively. There was no statistical evidence of publication bias in both the NCEP-ATP III 2004 and IDF pooled estimates. Conclusions. The findings underscore the alarming prevalence of metabolic syndrome among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, it is essential to promote lifestyle modifications, such as regular exercise and balanced diets, prioritize routine obesity screenings, and implement early interventions and robust public health measures to mitigate the risks associated with central obesity.

Different approaches have been suggested for the waste heat recovery of high-temperature exhausted gas of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). In such systems, mostly gas turbine (GT) and organic Rankine cycle (ORC) are added as bottoming systems to the SOFC (Configuration 1). However, the SOFC-GT-ORC has a considerable amount of waste energy which can be recovered. In the present research, the waste energy of ORC in the heat rejection stage and the residual exhausted gas of the system were recovered by a thermoelectric generator (TEG) and a hot water unit, respectively. Then, the extra produced power in the TEG was directed to a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer and a reverse osmosis desalination unit (RODU) for hydrogen and potable water outputs. The performance of SOFC-GT, Configuration 1, and Configuration 2 was compared through a 4E (energy, exergy, exergy-economic, and environmental) analysis. In the best performance point, the exergy efficiency and unit cost of product (UCOP) of SOFC-GT were obtained as 69.41% and USD 26.53/GJ. The exergy efficiency increased by 2.56% and 2.86%, and the UCOP rose by 0.45% and 12.25% in Configurations 1 and 2. So, the overall performance of Configuration 1 was acceptable and Configuration 2 led to the highest exergy efficiency, while its economic performance was not competitive because of the high investment cost of RODU.

Summary: Background: Monitoring progress towards the WHO global target to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, entails reliable prevalence estimates for HCV infection in different populations. Little is known about the global burden of HCV infection in pregnant women. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we estimated the global and regional seroprevalence of HCV antibody (Ab) and determinants in pregnant women. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, we searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and SciELO databases for peer-reviewed observational studies between January 1, 2000 and April 1, 2023, without language or geographical restrictions. Pooled global seroprevalence (and 95% confidence interval, CI) were estimated using random-effects meta-analysis and seroprevalences were categorised according to World Health Organization regions and subregions, publishing year, countries’ income and human development index (HDI) levels. We used sensitivity analysis to assess the effect of four large sample size studies on pooled global prevalence through the “leave-one-out” method. We also investigated the association of potential risk factors with HCV seropositivity in pregnant women by subgroup and meta-regression analyses. The Protocol was registered in PROSPERO CRD42023423259. Findings: We included 192 eligible studies (208 datasets), with data for 148,509,760 pregnant women from 53 countries. The global seroprevalence of HCV Ab in pregnant women was 1.80% (95% CI, 1.72–1.89%) and 3.29% (3.01–3.57%) in overall and sensitivity analyses, respectively. The seroprevalence was highest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (6.21%, 4.39–8.29%) and lowest in the Western Pacific region (0.75%, 0.38–1.22%). Subgroup analysis indicated that the seroprevalence of HCV Ab among pregnant women was significantly higher for those with opioid use disorder (51.94%, 95% CI: 37.32–66.39) and HIV infection (4.34%, 95% CI: 2.21–7.06%) than for the general population of pregnant women (1.08%, 95% CI: 1.02–1.15%), as confirmed by multivariable meta-regression (p

Background: Cupping is a cultural/religious treatment modality in Saudi Arabia that has been recently regulated by the Ministry of Health. The objective was to determine the prevalence of cupping use, its predictors, and related beliefs among patients attending a primary care center. Methods: Observational cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2019 among patients attending Alwazarat healthcare center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using a self-completed questionnaire. Results: A total of 386 patients were included. Approximately 68.3% of the patients were females, and 41.8% were aged between 26 and 35 years. About 34.2% of the patients had cupping therapy before. Cupping use was higher in older age (P < 0.001), males (P = 0.002), and specific occupations (P < 0.001). The most frequent health problems treated were headache (40.5%), lethargy (13.0%), diabetes (10.7%), and hypertension (9.9%). Most (82.4%) of patients believed that the cupping they used was beneficial. Approximately 27.9% of the patients had cupping done in non-specialized centers, and 50% were not sure about infection control practices. Cupping was associated with the following encouraging factors; religious beliefs (79.8%), previous experience with relatives and friends (74.0%), culture and habits (57.8%), information in social media, and multimedia (52.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only age >35 years and previous experience of relatives and friends were independent predictors of cupping use. Conclusions: Cupping is a popular therapeutic modality among patients seeking primary care services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Authorities are required to continue reviewing the standards of cupping clinics to ensure their license and patient safety.

Background elevated systolic blood pressure (sBP) after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) correlates with worse outcome. however, the association between sBP reduction (sBPr) and outcome after successful reperfusion with MT is not well established. Objective To investigate the association between sBPr in the first 24 hours after successful reperfusion and the functional and safety outcomes of MT. Methods a multicenter retrospective study, which included 10 comprehensive stroke centers, was carried out. Patients with acute ischemic stroke and anterior circulation large vessel occlusions who achieved successful reperfusion via MT were included. SBPr was calculated using the formula 100x([admission SBP-mean sBP]/admission SBP). Poor outcome was defined as a modified rankin scale (mrs) score of 3-6 at 90 days. safety endpoints included symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, mortality, and requirement for hemicraniectomy during admission. a generalized mixed linear model was used to study the association between sBPr and outcomes. results a total of 1361 patients were included in the final analysis. sBPr as a continuous variable was inversely associated with poor outcome (Or=0.97; 95% ci 0.95 to 0.98; p<0.001) but not with the safety outcomes. subanalysis based on reperfusion status showed that sBPr was associated with lower odds of poor outcome only in patients with complete reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTici 3)) but not in patients with incomplete reperfusion (mTici 2b). When sBPr was divided into categories (<1%, 1%-10%, 11%-20%, >20%), the rate of poor outcome was highest in the first group. Conclusion SBPr in the first 24 hours after successful reperfusion was inversely associated with poor outcome. no association between sBPr and safety outcome was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate microbiological and molecular markers of periodontal problems and its association with conception in 101 Iraqi women, 50 primary infertile while 27 secondary infertile and 24 pregnant as control group. Major periodontal pathogen in the subgingival plaque and cervical vaginal swab specimens was detected, and molecular marker (16SrRNA) gene used for detection of Fusobacterium in our study. Fusobacterium sp. isolates from oral samples were examined biochemically and confirmed by molecular detection, they were also subjected to antibiotic sensitivity test and were shown to be resistant to β-lactamase family of antibiotics and were mostly resistant to Ciprofloxacin. Four Fusobacterium sp samples were identified in both Oral samples and vaginalcervical specimens of the same four women from the primary infertile group. Fusobacterium sp. was significantly (P<0.01) more frequently detected in the Oral samples and vaginal-cervical specimens among primary infertile group (38.7%) than pregnant (9.1%) as so among secondary (30.0%) than pregnant (9.1%). Analysis identified a model of a significant predictive factor of presence of Fusobacterium sp.: primary infertile [Odd ratio (OR) = 6.3 at 95% CI = 1.33-25.1] and secondary infertile OR = 4.2 at 95% CI = 1.84-12.22. this can show that infertalty state can be more risked than pregnant women to have the Fusobacterium sp and be effected by it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]