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This research study examines academic self-perceptions and course satisfaction among university students and associated factors during virtual classes. A cross-sectional online survey of (n = 328) undergraduate and postgraduate Saudi students who took virtual classes during the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020 and the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021 during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The findings demonstrated students' scores on negative academic self-perceptions (mean (M) = 9.84; standard deviation (S.D.) = 3.09) are significantly higher in comparison to positive academic self-perceptions (M = 7.71; S.D. = 2.46) and the difference was statistically significant, t(327) = 3.69, p < 0.001. The analysis demonstrated that mean differences were significant across 'year of study', 'field of study', 'CGPA' (cumulative grade points average), 'employment status', 'on-site work' and 'being a parent of young child' (p < 0.01). Correlation analysis shows a linear positive association between perceptions of workload and low technical support with negative academic self-perceptions (p < 0.001) and an inverse relationship with positive academic self-perceptions (p < 0.001). The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the predictor variables in the model (perceptions of workload and technical support) explain 62% variance in negative academic self-perceptions and 41% variance in positive academic self-perceptions. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrated that positive academic self-perceptions bring a 32% variance in course satisfaction. These findings underscore the importance of balancing workload during online studies in higher education and provision of adequate technical support to reduce the negative academic self-perceptions which are associated with lower levels of course satisfaction. Students' academic self-perceptions and course satisfaction during virtual studies are important factors to retain students' motivation in learning and academic performance.

Background: People's perception about access to resources is an important determinant of their trust to deal with challenge. There is a lack of research about role of perceived access to information in psychological reactions during pandemics. Objective: The purpose of the research was to examine the role of perceived access to information in determining quality of life and psychological responses during pandemics. Method: Data for this study came from an online cross-sectional survey conducted during COVID-19 outbreak. The sample comprised of 754 participants from various regions of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The survey questionnaire obtained data on socio-demographic profile, participants' ratings about positive or negative impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on access to information. The distress is measured through subscales of depression, anxiety and stress on DASS-21. Statistical analysis of data was carried out to determine the nature of association between access to information with distress during pandemic. Results: About three quarter (74.7%) of the respondents perceived not enough health information toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants diagnosed with COVID-19 had significant positive correlation with access to health information, while faith had negative correlation. Access to information had significantly positive correlation with Quality of Life and positive psychological responses. Conclusions: The impact of pandemic on access to information was largely considered negative and associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety and stress. Findings have significant implications, which demonstrate improving access to information not only crucial for infection control but also mitigate the psychological costs of such pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seeking medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic became a controversial issue due to increased vulnerability and fear of being infected (COVID-19). There is a lack of empirical evidence about factors associated with avoiding medical visits during the first wave of the pandemic in KSA. Therefore, this study aims to determine the rate of avoiding medical visits and associated factors during the first wave of the pandemic in KSA. Methods: 754 participants from various KSA regions responded to an online survey questionnaire that collected data on background variables, testing and diagnosis with COVID-19, chronic medical conditions, and presence of symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used to assess the predictive role of various factors in avoiding medical care. Results: More than half (55%) of the participants avoided medical visits during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic due to fear of catching the infection. Females and married were more likely (OR=1.46; 95% CI: 1.09-1.95) and (OR=1.41; 95% CI: 1.04-1.92) to avoided medical visits than males and unmarried, respectively. Participants who tested or diagnosed for COVID-19 were less likely to avoid medical visits (OR=0.58; 95% CI: 0.39-0.88) and (OR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.26-0.85) respectively. Respondents with and without chronic medical conditions were equally likely to avoid medical care (p>.05). Those who reported symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression were more likely to avoid medical despite when it was needed (OR=1.62; 95% CI: 1.19-2.19); (OR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.22-2.26) and (OR=1.40; 95% CI: 1.04-1.87) respectively. Conclusions: Public health campaigns should emphasize the importance of visiting health centers; and normalize psychological reactions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate the negative impact on health status. Health system should also be prepared to accommodate the consequences of delayed health visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite basic decline in the normality of HBV and HCV sullying in Saudi Arabia, these viral pains cause gigantic bitterness and mortality, and power a unimaginable load on the country's social protection structure. In 2007, the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) orchestrated viral hepatitis as the second most traditional viral torment after chickenpox, with in every practical sense 9000 new cases isolated in that year (52% HBV, 32% HCV and 16% HAV). Development in mapping the epidemiological occurrence of viral hepatitis in Saudi Arabia has invigorated on an extremely fundamental dimension over the scope of the latest two decades. While this advancement has kept up our perspective of the illness, it has in a comparable vein revealed colossal openings in our evident check of the capricious bits of finding out about unrest clinical verbalization. The estimations of clinical parameters specifically HBA and HBA2 of a lot of subjects fall under the run of the mill extend, in any case, for HBF most subjects demonstrated qualities underneath slightest cut off regard. At social affair level (male and female) all of the parameters in larger piece of the subject's revealed characteristics in conventional range beside the HBF regards for females that showed characteristics underneath slightest cut off regard. Further, in male Saudi occupants and furthermore male Non-Saudi inhabitants the estimations of HBF in most of the subjects were underneath the lower cut off regard. Similar results were found in female Saudi inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is the second most predominant tropical disease in Africa after malaria. In the developing world, it has a great public health and socio-economic importance. Here, we aimed to assess the antioxidant and anti-schistosomal activities of Morus alba leaves (MLE) methanolic extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) on the noticed tissue damage caused by Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice. The infection resulted in marked histopathological abnormalities in the spleen and jejunum. Moreover, infection induced splenomegally and the spleen appeared with disorganized red and white pulps while the jejunum of the infected mice appeared with some inflammation, vacuolation of the epithelium, and destruction of some villi. Also, the number of goblet cells within the infected villi was significantly increased. In addition, schistosomiasis caused oxidative damage where the level of glutathione (GSH) was reduced significantly while the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite/nitrate were elevated significantly. On the other hand, oral gavage of MLE extract ameliorated the tissues damage and oxidative stress induced by Schistosomasis. The present study indicates that MLE extract possess a highly promising ameliorative effect against histopathological damages and oxidative stress induced by Schistosomasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was designed to evaluate the antagonistic effect of palm pollen extract (PPE) against Eimeria papillate-induced growth depression and metabolic disturbance in laboratory mice Swiss albino mice were randomly divided into three groups. The first group represents control non-infected animals. Second and third groups were orally infected with 1.5xl03 sporulated E. papillate oocysts. The 3rd group was treated with a daily dose (150 mg/kg) of PPE for five successive days. All animals were sacrificed on day 5 p.L, and samples were collected Control non-infected mice had an average gain in their weights by about 18%, while infected mice lost their weights by about 7%. Upon treatment of infected mice with PPE, there was an average weight gain of about 5% A state of disturbance in nutrient levels and systemic inflammatory response had been induced as a result of E. papillate infection. Blood glucose level and total proteins were elevated with concurrent decrease of carbohydrate and protein content in jejunum tissue. Also, infection caused hyperlipidemic status and disturbance in metal ion concentrations Moreover, plasma enzymatic activities of lactate dehydrogenase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were significantly elevated as a consequence of E. papillate infection. PPE could effectively restore carbohydrate proteins lipids and metal ions near to their normal values with diminishing the activity of the mentioned enzymatic biomarkers of inflammation. Finally, palm pollens can be used as an excellent food supplement to ameliorate the induced metabolic disturbance and growth depression associated with the intestinalxoccidial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To propagate within a eukaryotic cell, pathogenic bacteria hijack and remodulate host cell functions. The Gram-negative obligate intracellular Chlamydiaceae, which pose a serious threat to human and animal health, attach to host cells and inject effector proteins that reprogram host cell machineries. Members of the conserved chlamydial TarP family have been characterized as major, early effectors that bind to and remodel the host actin cytoskeleton. We now describe a new function for the Chlamydia pneumoniae TarP member CPn0572, namely the ability to bind and alter the microtubule cytoskeleton. Thus, CPn0572 is unique in being the only prokaryotic protein that directly modulates both dynamic cytoskeletons of a eukaryotic cell. Ectopically expressed GFP-CPn0572 associates in a dose-independent manner with either cytoskeleton singly or simultaneously. In vitro, CPn0572 binds directly to microtubules. Expression of a microtubule-only CPn0572 variant resulted in the formation of an aberrantly thick, stabilized microtubule network. Intriguingly, during infection, secreted CPn0572 also co-localized with altered microtubules, suggesting that this protein also affects microtubule dynamics during infection. Our analysis points to a crosstalk between actin and microtubule cytoskeletons via chlamydial CPn0572., (© 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

Background: Food supplements such as vitamin D3 and omega-3 have a significant role in activating the immune system and impacting the diversity of gut microbiota; thus, controlling the growth of invading pathogens indirectly., Objective: This study aims to evaluate the direct antimicrobial activity of vitamin D3 and omega- 3 individually, combined together, and combined with low concentrations of gentamicin or amphotericin B against selected pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, this study hypothesizes the potential antimicrobial mechanism and recommends suitable studies to be conducted., Method: Minimum inhibitory concentration of different serial dilutions of vitamin D3 [0.7μg/mL-83.3μg/mL] or omega-3 [0.7mg/mL-100mg/mL] or combined [vitamin D3:1.3μg/mL-83.3μg/mL and omega-3:1.56mg/mL-100mg/mL] with/without antibiotic have been investigated on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans using check board technique., Results: The highest concentration of vitamin D3 [83.3 μg/mL] demonstrated a complete eradication of the tested microorganisms. Conversely, omega-3 had a lower effect on them. The highest concentration of combining vitamin D3 and omega-3 with/without gentamicin resulted in a complete eradication of the S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa with a 6.8 to 7 log reduction. On the other hand, C. albicans was inhibited when using vitamin D3 [83.3 μg/mL] or when this concentration is combined with 100mg/mL of omega-3. However, when these two concentrations were added to amphotericin B the log reduction dropped to 0.45 suggesting antagonistic effect., Conclusion: These findings suggested that, unlike omega 3, vitamin D3 possesses good antimicrobial effects against pathogenic microorganisms. The combination of the studied food supplement showed enhanced microbial inhibition at high concentration, while they had antagonistic effect when combined with amphotericin B and applied on C. albicans combined. Further studies on the exact antimicrobial mechanism are still required to understand the measured data here., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Despite the marked decline of schistosomiasis in Saudi Arabia in recent years, it is still reported in several regions. This study investigates the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Saudi Arabia over seven years (2014-2020)., Methodology: A retrospective study was retrieved from the annual reports of the Ministry of Health. A Geographic Information System GIS, Chi-square, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data., Results: Out of the 4,371,481 tested, 680 cases were positive for schistosomiasis, with a cumulative incidence rate of 2.155/100,000 population. This number showed significant variation over the study period ( p value < 0.001). The highest number of cases detected in 2015 was almost 2-fold (OR = 1.93; 95%CI: 1.36-2.74) higher than in 2020. Both clinical forms (urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis) exist in Saudi Arabia (79.6% and 20.4% of all schistosomiasis cases, respectively). Schistosomiasis was reported in seven out of thirteen regions. Among them, Mecca has a relatively high number of cases (OR = 5.57; 95%CI: 2.49-12.47). Conversely, the Eastern Province has a low number of cases (OR = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.02-0.39) when compared to the Najran region ( p value > 0.001). Regarding the distribution of schistosomiasis cases by gender and nationality, we noticed that most of the positive cases were found among males (70.6%) and expatriates (83.6%)., Conclusions: The persistence of schistosomiasis and the disparity in the demographic factors underscores the imperative for intensified and integrative One Health interventions to combat this disease in Saudi Arabia.