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Background: Medical education is known to be stressful and demanding. Medical students face a various stressors, which include academic pressure, fear of not reaching goals, and difficulty integrating into systems. This study aims to assess levels of stress and coping strategies among medical students at Jazan University in Saudia Arabia. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted that comprised of 240 students at Jazan Faculty of Medicine using a self-administrated questionnaire to obtain data on socio-demographic characteristics, perceived stress, stressors, and coping strategies. Results: Respondents mean age was 22.08 ± 1.82 years and 52.7% were female. Of these, 51.9% were in preclinical years of study, 29.5% were in the second academic year, and 39.8% had a GPA greater than 4. Students stress level ranges from moderate to high. The most common causes were academic problems and frequency of examinations and work overload (92.1%), worrying about the future (61.8%), and lack of entertainment and time for recreation (58.9%). The most common coping strategy was recreational activity such as going to movies, watching TV, reading, sleeping, or shopping (36.5%). Mean perceived stress scale (PSS) and Brief-COPE scores were 24.1 ± 4.85 and 66.16 ± 10.71, respectively. Participant age and PSS score have significant positive correlation (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Stress level is moderate to high especially among students in preclinical years and among females. It is recommended to improve teaching and learning environment plus proper counseling and academic support. Also, active involvement of students in the educational process may help reduce academic stressors. Plain Language Summery: Medical students face a range of stressors due to the demands of study. This research found medical Students suffer stress level ranging from moderate to high. Most common causes of stress are academic problems, frequency of examinations, and work overload. Most common coping strategy performed by students was recreational activities like going to movies, watching TV, reading, sleeping, or shopping. It is recommended to improve teaching and learning environment plus proper counseling and academic support. Also, active involvement of students in the educational process may help reduce academic stressors.

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe infectious disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Regarding the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in Egypt, this study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of rapid COVID antigen swab in the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection in pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 and discuss the pulmonary and extrapulmonary symptoms of COVID-19. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional study performed on 447 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at the chest out-patient clinic or Department of Chest and ICU in Menoufia University Hospital during the period from July 2021 to March 2022. Detailed history, full laboratory data, high-resolution computed tomography, and rapid antigen swab were obtained. Results A total of 447 patients were included in this study. They were classified into two groups: group 1 included 105 patients with pulmonary symptoms and group 2 included 342 patients with extrapulmonary symptoms in the absence or presence of pulmonary symptoms. The current study showed a sensitivity of 88.6% and specificity of 100% regarding the rapid antigen swab in diagnosing COVID-19. Regarding the extrapulmonary symptoms, muscle ache was the most common symptom in 52% of the patients followed by loss of taste and smell in 39.8% of patients. Conclusion Rapid antigen tests are practical, are reliable, provide fast results (~15 min), and are cheap diagnostic methods with high sensitivity and specificity for COVID-19. Moreover, it showed a wide range of extrapulmonary symptoms of COVID-19, and every symptom revealed should be suspected and investigated.

This study aimed to identify the impact of work stress on job performance of nursing workers in Al-Awda Hospital in Gaza Strip. The researchers used the descriptive and analytical approach. The study population was selected from nursing staff in Al-Awda Hospital, where the size of the study sample reached 60 nurses. The researchers used the comprehensive enumeration method for all members of the study population. Questionnaire was used for data collection because the size of the study population is small. The most important findings of the study are: The level of the respondents’ answers in Al-Awda Hospital about work stress was 68.8%, job performance was 78.13%, and there is a direct statistically significant relationship between the dimensions of work stress and the job performance of nursing workers at Al-Awda Hospital, where the correlation coefficient was 0.318. Furthermore, the results showed a statistically significant effect between the dimensions of work stress on job performance at Al-Awda Hospital. The study recommended that senior management at Al-Awda Hospital pay attention to all dimensions of work stress, the elements that contribute to improve job performance of nurses, and their impact on improving job performance at Al-Awda Hospital.

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Background Pleural effusion is a common clinical problem and can arise from many diseases. Several imaging methods such as chest radiograph, ultrasonography (US), and computed tomography (CT) scan are being used to diagnose and detect the etiology of pleural effusion. Objective The aim of this work was to compare imaging findings of chest US and CT and the role of chest US in diagnosis of pleural effusion. Patients and methods This observational prospective cohort study was done on 70 patients with pleural effusion of determined etiology admitted to the Chest Department, Menoufia University Hospital, in the period between August 2018 and June 2019. We compared between chest US and CT in different types of pleural effusion. Results This study showed that pleural septations were detected by US more than CT, and the difference was statistically significant (P

A 27-year-old female with a history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission presented with chest pain, liver cirrhosis, and a thrombus in the hepatic vein on ultrasound. Further workup with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass extending from the inferior vena cava to the right atrium, 3.4 x 3.4 x 7.0 cm in size. She underwent excision of the intracardiac mass with a full sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass successfully. Her postoperative course was uncomplicated. She was discharged home on postoperative day six. Subsequent histopathology confirmed high-grade leiomyosarcoma. Postoperative positron emission tomography CT showed no evidence of metastatic disease., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. IRB issued approval N/A. This research project dose not require review or approval by IRB. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Chong et al.)

Background: Post-COVID conditions (PCC), characterized by persistent symptoms following acute infection, represent an emerging chronic illness that potentially affects millions of people worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 infection has resulted in a PCC incidence ranging from 10 to 30 % in non-hospitalized individuals to 50-70 % in hospitalized patients. Most PCC patients experience mild symptoms, while a minority report severe manifestations. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of PCC among COVID-19 patients who attended three public hospitals in Alexandria, Egypt between June 2022 and February 2023, and to investigate its risk factors., Methods: All COVID-19-confirmed patients aged >18 years attended the selected hospitals, and their household contacts were contacted. Data were collected through telephone interviews using a questionnaire adapted from World Health Organization (WHO) and Penn Medicine tools, covering demographics, COVID-19 history, and PCC symptoms. PCC was defined as symptoms starting three months after the post-acute infection and lasting for at least two months beyond. Statistical analyses employed descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a logistic regression model, with a significance level of p < 0.05., Results: A total of 1546 patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 39.7 ± 15.9 years, 46.0 % were males, and 13.9 % had comorbidities. Of them, 760 patients (49.2 %) reported PCC symptoms including, 52.6 % seen at outpatients, 26.7 % were admitted, and 0.5 % required admission to ICU. PCC symptoms included shortness of breath (94.2 %), mood changes (13.9 %), cough (13.0 %), and fatigue (8.8 %). PCC was associated with older age, hospitalization during acute COVID-19, comorbidities including asthma, hypertension, and diabetes, as well as treatment with different COVID-19 medications. Logistic regression shows that asthma, male gender, and treatment with medicines at the hospital remained significant in the model (ORs: 6.85, 0.36, and 0.88, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study sheds light on PCC's prevalence and influencing factors following infection in Alexandria, Egypt. Common PCC symptoms included difficulty in breathing, fatigue, and psychological manifestations. The findings emphasize the critical need for early intervention and targeted management strategies, especially for high-risk groups such as asthma patients, to alleviate the long-term health consequences of COVID-19. Study results could guide the prevention of PCC e.g., through vaccination, management of long-term sequelae of PCC e.g., rehabilitation, and psychological support initiatives., 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Objectives: Halimeda macroloba (H. macroloba) a seaweed commonly known as green macroalgae is a potential source of bioactive compounds utilised in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. However, there are no reliable scientific studies that describe harmful consequences, which attest to its safety. Thus, the current investigation focuses on a 14-day acute toxicity assessment of H. macroloba hydroalcoholic extract (HME)., Methods: HME was prepared using 70 % alcohol as solvent by the maceration method for 72 h and Soxhlet method. Phytochemical analysis was done using standard procedures, according to OECD 423 guidelines. Female Wistar albino rats fasted overnight and received a single oral dosage of 50, 300, and 2,000 mg/kg BW (body weight). Further rats were starved for 4 h and watched individually for every 30 minutes, then twice a day for 14 days. To determine the toxicity overall behaviour, BW, haematological, biochemical, histopathology, and gross morphology were examined., Results: Pharmacologically active phytoconstituents were identified by phytochemical analysis. No significant abnormalities/fatalities from single-dose of HME at escalating doses. No BW or behavioural changes. The majority of the haematological and biochemical parameters were normal. Did not show any apparent changes. simultaneously, a few indicated slight variations that may or may not be caused by HME extract no lesions or anomalies in Gross morphology. Histopathological investigations revealed that HME had no adverse effects on organs., Conclusions: HME administration at doses up to 2,000 mg/kg BW didn't result in acute toxicity/impairment to the pancreas, liver or kidney. Nevertheless, the study's limited test dose of 2,000 mg/kg, BW, didn't result in any fatalities/ adverse effects., (© 2024 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Background: We previously demonstrated that aluminum cookware brought from Afghanistan by resettled families as well as some aluminum cookware available for purchase in the United States represent a previously unrecognized source of lead exposure. However, the extent to which this cookware represents a source of lead exposure to other United States residents is unclear., Objectives: To test additional cookware for lead content and its propensity to leach lead and other toxic metals. This will further our understanding of the extent to which this cookware represents a lead poisoning risk in the United States and elsewhere., Methods: We screened an additional 28 pieces of aluminum cookware and 5 brass items for lead content using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer and used our leachate method to estimate the amount of lead that migrates into food. We also tested 17 additional stainless steel items to determine whether they would be safer alternatives., Results: Many aluminum cookware products contained in excess of 100 parts per million (ppm) of lead. Many also leached enough lead under simulated cooking and storage conditions to exceed recommended dietary limits. One hindalium appam pan (an Indian frying pan/wok) leached sufficient lead to exceed the childhood limit by 1400-fold. Brass cookpots from India also yielded high lead levels, with one exceeding the childhood limit by over 1200-fold. In contrast, stainless steel cookware leached much lower levels of lead., Impact: Aluminum and brass cookware available for purchase in the United States represents a previously unrecognized source of lead exposure., (© 2024. The Author(s).)