Validation of three noninvasive laboratory variables to predict significant fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ado, Ayman A.; Al-Swat, Khalid; Azzam, N.; Al-Faleh, Faleh; Ahmed, S.

2007-01-01

We tested the clinical utility of the platelet count, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio, and the AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) score in predicting the presence or absence of advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C in Saudi Arabia. Liver biopsy procedures performed on chronic hepatitis C patients in our gastroenterology unit at King Khalid University Hospital were traced form records between 1998 to 2003. The hospital computer database was then accessed and detailed laboratory parameters obtained. By plotting receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC), three selected models (platelet count, AST/ALT ratio and the APRI score) were compared in terms of the best variable to predict significant fibrosis. Two hundred and forty-six patients with hepatitis C were included in this analysis. Overall, 26% of patients had advanced fibrosis. When comparing the three above mentioned prediction models, APRI score was the one associated with the highest area under the curve (AUC) = 0.812 (95%Cl, 0.756-0.868) on the ROC curves, compared to the platelet count and AST/ALT ratio, which yielded an AUC of 0.783 (0.711-0.855) and 0.716 (0.642-0.789), respectively. The APRI score seemed to be the best predictive variable for the presence or absence of advanced fibrosis in Saudi hepatitis C patients. (author)

Perceptions of clinical safety climate of the multicultural nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional survey.

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Almutairi, Adel F; Gardner, Glenn; McCarthy, Alexandra

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the safety climate perceptions of the multicultural nursing workforce, and to investigate the influence of diversity of the multicultural nursing workforce on clinical safety in a large tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. Working in a multicultural environment is challenging. Each culture has its own unique characteristics and dimensions that shape the language, lifestyle, beliefs, values, customs, traditions, and patterns of behaviour, which expatriate nurses must come to terms with. However, cultural diversity in the health care environment can potentially affect the quality of care and patient safety. A mixed-method case study (survey, interview and document analysis) was employed. A primary study phase entailed the administration of the Safety Climate Survey (SCS). A population sampling strategy was used and 319 nurses participated, yielding a 76.8% response rate. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Kruskal-Wallis test) were used to analyse survey data. The data revealed the nurses' perceptions of the clinical safety climate in this multicultural environment was unsafe, with a mean score of 3.9 out of 5. No significant difference was found between the age groups, years of nursing experience and their perceptions of the safety climate in this context. A significant difference was observed between the national background categories of nurses and perceptions of safety climate. Cultural diversity within the nursing workforce could have a significant influence on perceptions of clinical safety. These findings have the potential to inform policy and practice related to cultural diversity in Saudi Arabia.

Smartphone addiction among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Alosaimi, Fahad D; Alyahya, Haifa; Alshahwan, Hatem; Al Mahyijari, Nawal; Shaik, Shaik A

2016-06-01

To investigate the prevalence and correlates of smartphone addiction among university students in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted in King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between September 2014 and March 2015. An electronic self administered questionnaire and the problematic use of mobile phones (PUMP) Scale were used.  Out of 2367 study subjects, 27.2% stated that they spent more than 8 hours per day using their smartphones. Seventy-five percent used at least 4 applications per day, primarily for social networking and watching news. As a consequence of using the smartphones, at least 43% had decrease sleeping hours, and experienced a lack of energy the next day, 30% had a more unhealthy lifestyle  (ate more fast food, gained weight, and exercised less), and 25% reported that their academic achievement been adversely affected. There are statistically significant positive relationships among the 4 study variables, consequences of smartphone use (negative lifestyle, poor academic achievement), number of hours per day spent using smartphones, years of study, and number of applications used, and the outcome variable score on the PUMP. The mean values of the PUMP scale were 60.8 with a median of 60.  University students in Saudi Arabia are at risk of addiction to smartphones; a phenomenon that is associated with negative effects on sleep, levels of energy, eating habits, weight, exercise, and academic performance.

Neurology Research in Saudi Arabia : Urgent call for action

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Hussein Algahtani

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Research activities in Saudi Arabia are promoted at the governmental and institutional levels. However, the output and quality of research conducted in the field of neurology has not yet been measured quantitatively. This study therefore aimed to analyse neurology-related publications from Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was conducted in January 2016. A systematic search using the PubMed® search engine (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA was conducted to identify all neurology-related articles published from Saudi Arabia between January 1996 and December 2015. Results: A total of 1,292 neurologyrelated publications were identified. Neurology research increased linearly with time, with most publications originating from Riyadh (67% and the university sector (≈47%. However, most neurology-related articles were published in journals which had an impact factor of <1 (55%. Conclusion: Neurology research in Saudi Arabia has increased substantially over the last 20 years. However, as most articles were published in low-impact journals, the quality of research remains inadequate and should be improved. It is important that an official research culture be established in both governmental and private universities as well as colleges and health institutions in Saudi Arabia. The formation of clinical academic departments staffed by research experts is recommended to ensure the quality of neurology research output.

Saudi Arabia; Selected Issues

OpenAIRE

International Monetary Fund

2012-01-01

This Selected Issues paper on Saudi Arabia assesses Saudi Arabia’s role in the oil market and global economy. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil, has long played a systemically important role in the global oil market. Short-term fluctuations in Saudi Arabia’s oil production have partially reflected attempts to stabilize the global oil market. Saudi Arabia has on several occasions used its systemic role to raise production to fill global demand gaps created by large...

Dental students’ perceptions of undergraduate clinical training in oral and maxillofacial surgery in an integrated curriculum in Saudi Arabia

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Mahmoud Al-Dajani

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim was to understand dental students’ experiences with oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS teaching, their confidence levels in performing routine dento-alveolar operations, and the relationship between the students’ confidence level and the number of teeth extracted during the clinical practice. Methods: The survey questionnaire was distributed to 32 students at Aljouf University College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia during their fourth and fifth year in 2015. Respondents were asked to rate 19 items, which represent a student’s confidence in performing routine surgical interventions, using a four-point Likert scale (1=very little confidence, 4=very confident. A multivariate regression was computed between average confidence and the variables: weekly hours devoted to studying oral and maxillofacial surgery, college grade point average, and the total number of teeth extracted. Results: The response rate was 100%. Students revealed the highest level of confidence in giving local anesthesia (96.9%, understanding extraction indications (93.8%, and performing simple extractions (90.6%. Less confidence was shown with handling difficult extractions (50.0%, extracting molars with separation (50.0% or extracting third molars (56.3%. The average confidence in performing surgical procedures was 2.88 (SD=0.55, ranging from 1.79 to 3.89. A given student’s confidence increased with an increase in the total number of teeth extracted (P=0.003. Conclusion: It reveals a significant impact of undergraduate clinical training on students’ confidence in performing oral and maxillofacial surgery clinical procedures: The more clinical experience the students had, the more confidence they reported.

Clinical presentation and treatment outcome of molar pregnancy: Ten years experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

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Ayman A Al-Talib

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To study the clinical presentation and treatment outcome of molar pregnancy at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Reviewed medical records of all molar pregnancy cases among all the deliveries at a tertiary care hospital in Dammam from 2005 to 2014, after approval by institutional ethical review committee. Data abstracted included patient′s age, parity, presenting symptoms, gestational age at diagnosis, uterine size, ultrasonographic findings, BhCG level at the time of diagnosis and at follow-up after evacuation, and blood loss during evacuation. Data was entered and analyzed using Excel; frequency distribution for categorical variables and descriptive statistics for continuous variables were computed. Results: Of a total of 25,000 deliveries in ten years, 22 cases of complete molar pregnancy were encountered: 0.9 cases of molar pregnancy per 1000 pregnancies. Majority of patients (63.7% were older than 35 years, and were nulliparous (45.5%. The commonest symptom was vaginal bleeding (86.4% followed by hyperemesis gravidarum (41.0%; Hyperthyroidism was seen in 1 patient (4.5%. Ovarian enlargement by theca-lutin cyst was seen in 3 patients (13.6%. The majority of patients (63.6% had normal BhCG within 9 weeks (63 days after suction curettage. The majority of the cases followed a benign course. Conclusion: Aged older than 35 years seems a risk factor and vaginal bleeding is the commonest presenting symptom. Early booking of pregnant women to antenatal care clinics and routine first trimester ultrasound made diagnosis easier and earlier before complications appear.

Phytogeography of Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlNafie, Abdulatif H

2008-01-01

This paper presents the phyto geography of Saudi Arabia and examines its phytogeographic location within the complex plant geographical regions of the Middle East. It reviews and discuses works have that been published so far by plant geographers and biogeographers on the phytogeographical regions of Southwest Asia and Northeast Africa, and determines the location of Saudi Arabia within it. The delimitation of the frontiers between plant-regions in Saudi Arabia, especially the south western part, which has always created some difficulties for biogeographers as well as phytogeographers who have studied the region. (author)

The Impact of Urbanization on Energy Intensity in Saudi Arabia

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Mounir Belloumi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the long-term and causal relationship between energy intensity, real GDP per capita, urbanization and industrialization in Saudi Arabia over the period 1971–2012 using the breakpoint unit root tests developed by Perron (1989 and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL model bounds testing to cointegration proposed by Pesaran et al. (2001 and employing a modified version of the Granger causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995. Additionally, to test the robustness of the results, the fully modified ordinary least squares (OLS regression, the dynamic OLS regression, and the Hansen test are used. Our results show that the variables are cointegrated when energy intensity is the dependent variable. It is also found that urbanization positively affects energy intensity in both the short term and the long term. Causality tests indicate that urbanization causes economic output that causes energy intensity in the long term. Our results do not support the urban compaction hypothesis where urban cities benefit from basic public services and economies of scale for public infrastructure. Therefore, measures that slow down the rapid urbanization process should be taken to reduce energy intensity in Saudi Arabia. In addition, reducing energy inefficiency in energy consumption should be a strategy to attain sustainable development in the near future in Saudi Arabia.

Geopolitical hotspots : Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, J.

2004-01-01

This presentation reviewed the geopolitics of energy in the Middle East, with particular reference to Saudi Arabia as a potential hotspot. The author examined the question of who actually governs Saudi Arabia and the core relationship between Crown Prince Abdullah and the interior Minister, Prince Nayef. Issues regarding the country's social stability were discussed with reference to the high unemployment rate. The financial security of Saudi Arabia was also discussed with reference to the need for economic and political reform. Expectations for Saudi petroleum output were outlined along with regional spurs for energy competition and OPEC participation

Burnout Among Otolaryngology Residents in Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Study.

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Aldrees, Turki; Badri, Motasim; Islam, Tahera; Alqahtani, Khalid

2015-01-01

Determine the prevalence of, and associated risk factors for, burnout among otolaryngologist residents in Saudi Arabia. A cross-section study of multicenter hospitals in Saudi Arabia conducted in March 2013. Registered residents in Saudi Otolaryngology Board Program. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout status. Questions supplementary to the Maslach Burnout Inventory were also included to identify associated potential risk factors such as demographic data, resident satisfaction, and work conditions. Of the initial 123 questionnaires that were distributed, 85 yielded responses, a rate of 69%. The mean age (standard deviation [SD]) of respondents was 29 (2.3) years. Of those, 67% (57/85) were men and 66% (55/85) were married. Resident levels were delineated: level 2, 19%; level 3, 33%; level 4, 29%; and level 5, 19%. The mean number of on-call days/month (SD) was 7 (2), clinics/week (SD) was 3 (1), sleep hours/day (SD) was 6 (1), and operations/week (SD) was 2 (1). The mean emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization scores were high at 29.5 (SD = 9.6) and 10.7 (SD = 6), respectively. The mean personal accomplishment was low at 32.33 (SD = 6). The mean of all subscales did not differ by sex (EE p = 0.5; depersonalization p = 0.09; personal accomplishment p = 0.4). Mean EE differed by marital status, which was 31.2, 31.3, and 25.6 for married, divorced, and single, respectively, analysis of variance test p = 0.045. Burnout prevalence was found to be high among otolaryngologist residents in Saudi Arabia. The associated variables examined in this study should be addressed to decrease this level of burnout and provide residents with a less stressful work environment. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Prevalence of Organized Retail Crime in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Saleh Dabil

2014-01-01

This study investigates the level of existence of organized retail crime in supermarkets of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The store managers, security managers and general employees were asked about the types of retail crimes occur in the stores. Three independent variables were related to the report of organized retail theft. The independent variables are: 1) the supermarket profile (volume, location, standard and type of the store), 2) the social physical environment of the store (maintenance, clea...

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in Saudi Arabia: Demographic, clinical, and survival data from two tertiary care hospitals

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Nahid Sherbini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background : Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF is rare and can be challenging to diagnose. Limited data is available from the Middle Eastern region, especially Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a retrospective study that looked at all the patients diagnosed with IPF between 2007 and 2012 at two tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia. We collected the demographical, clinical, laboratory and radiological data from the patients′ medical records. Medications administered and 1 year survival was also assessed. Results : Between 2007and 2012, 134 IPF patients were identified. Their baseline characteristics (Mean ± SD included: age 64 ± 13 years, body mass index 29 ± 8 kg/m 2 , FEV 1 56 ± 15 percent of predicted, FVC 53 ± 13 percent of predicted, FEV 1 /FVC 0.81 ± 0.09, total lung capacity 75 ± 13 percent of predicted, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide 57 ± 15 percent of predicted, on home oxygen at presentation 71 (53%, mean ejection fraction 0.50 ± 0.07, mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure (via echocardiogram 40 + 22 mmHg, presentation mean S pO2 92 ± 7%, presentation 6-min walk distance 338 ± 64 m and lowest S pO2 during 6-min walk test 88 ± 5%. Patients were predominantly female (56%, and 42% of patients had diabetes and were active smokers. The IPF patients′ frequency of hospital admission (n = 99 was 2.4 ± 1.7 per year and duration of hospital stay (n = 99 was 17.4 ± 23.8 days. Overall 1 year survival in all IPF patients was good, 93% (124 patients remained alive after 1 year. Conclusions : In Saudi Arabia, IPF patients tended to be slightly older and the disease progression was somewhat slower than reported IPF cohorts in other populations. They had frequent hospital admissions and a long hospital length of stay. The influence of genetics and co-morbid diseases on the incidence and outcome of IPF should be explored further.

Factors associated with adherence to medication among depressed patients from Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

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Al Jumah K

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Khalaf Al Jumah,1 Mohamed Azmi Hassali,2 Dalal Al Qhatani,1 Kamal El Tahir3 1Department of Pharmacy, Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; 3College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Several studies have investigated the factors associated with adherence to antidepressants, with inconsistent conclusions. However, no similar study has investigated this issue among patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study is to explore patients’ adherence to antidepressant medications, and the factors associated with adherence.Methods: A non-experimental cross-sectional design was used to measure adherence to antidepressants among major depressive disorder patients, and the factors associated with adherence. The patients were recruited from the outpatient clinic at the Al-Amal Complex for Mental Health in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between August 2013 and January 2014. Eligible participants met with one of the research coordinators for assessment of their adherence. Adherence was investigated indirectly by use of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, and patients’ beliefs were assessed through the Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire. Information about the severity of their depression, demographics, and other study variables were collected.Results: A total of 403 patients met the inclusion criteria and participated in the study. Of those, 203 (50.37% were females, while the remaining 200 (49.6% were males. There was an average age of 39 years (standard deviation, ±11 years. Half of the patients (52.9% reported low adherence to their antidepressant medication, with statistically significant differences between the low adherence and high adherence scores relating to sex, age, and duration of illness. Conclusion: Low medication adherence is a common problem among major depressive disorder

Diversity of dengue virus-3 genotype III in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Hashem, Anwar M; Sohrab, Sayed S; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; El-Ela, Saeid Abo; Abujamel, Turki S; Hassan, Ahmed M; Farraj, Suha A; Othman, Noura A; Charrel, Remi N; Azhar, Esam I

2018-07-01

Dengue is the most important arboviral disease in tropical and subtropical countries. Dispersal of the vector and an increase in migratory flow between countries have led to large epidemics and severe clinical outcomes. Over the past 20 years, dengue epidemics have become more wide-spread and frequent. Previous studies have shown that dengue is endemic in Jeddah, Makkah and Al-Madinah in western Saudi Arabia as well as in Jazan region in the southern part of the country. The four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) have been reported from western Saudi Arabia. It has been suggested that pilgrims could play a significant and unique role in DENV-1 and DENV-2 introduction into Saudi Arabia, especially in the cities of Jeddah, Makkah and Al-Madinah during Hajj and Umrah seasons. However, only limited data on DENV-3 in Saudi Arabia are available. All available DENV-3 sequences published and unpublished from Saudi Arabia and other countries were retrieved from Genbank and gene sequence repository and phylogenetically analyzed to examine the diversity of DENV-3 into the city of Jeddah. Based on the analysis of the envelope gene and non-structural 1 (E/NS1) junction sequences, we show that there were at least four independent introductions of DENV-3, all from genotype III into Jeddah. The first introduction was most probably before 1997 as Saudi virus isolates from 1997 formed a cluster without any close relationship to other globally circulating isolates, suggesting their local circulation from previous introduction events. Two introductions were most probably in 2004 with isolates closely-related to isolates from Africa and India (Asia), in addition to another introduction in 2014 with isolates clustering with those from Singapore (Asia). Our data shows that only genotype III isolates of DENV-3 are circulating in Jeddah and highlights the potential role of pilgrims in DENV-3 importation into western Saudi Arabia and subsequent exportation to their home countries during Hajj

Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sambart, A.

1998-01-01

Saudi Arabia is a country of the first importance because of its oil reserves (26% of the known world reserves) and its oil production: the third of the whole Opec production. This energetic gold mine finances up to 75% of the budget and assures 90% of its exports. The capacity of Saudi Arabia to refine crude oil is now comparable to that of France. Nevertheless the inflexibility of government expenditures makes foreign investors necessary to a balanced industrial development. It is expected that the Board of Trade soon presents some dispositions in order to promote and ease the opening to foreign investors. (A.C.)

Peeling skin syndrome: 11 cases from Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ghamdi, Fasiza; Al-Raddadi, Ali; Satti, Mohamed

2006-01-01

Peeling skin syndrome (PSS) is a rare genodermatoses of probable autosomal recessive inheritance in Saudi Arabia, consanguinity of parents is common and consequently the occurrence of family disease, including that of the skin, is not uncommon. To characterize the clinical and pathological features of PSS in Saudi Arabia, we reviewed the medical records and clinical photographs of patients with recurring blistering diseases and conducted a histopathologic evaluation of skin biopsies to identify the site of cleavage. Eleven persons with PSS were seen at King Khalid National Guard Hospital in Jeddah between the years 1986 and 2005. Ages ranged between 2 and 15 years and there were 9 males (81.8%) and 2 females (18.2%). The most common presentation in the majority of patients was localized spontaneous peeling of the skin. Eight patients (72.8%) had a history of vesicles that were small, dry and peeled away. Trauma did no play role in blister formation. All patients were local from Bedouin tribes where a family history of a similar complaint was documented in 8 cases (72.7%). And consanguinity of marriage was evident on 6 patients (54.5%). Histological examination of the biopsies showed either intracorneal or superficial subcorneal cleavage above the granuler layer in all biopsied patients. Although rare, PSS occurs in Saudi Arabia and is most likely related to consanguinity of marriages. This disease is generally mild and is characterized by intrascorneal cleavage within the superficial epidermis. The disease should be recognized and not confused with other vasicobullous disease. (author)

Saudi Arabia : emerging with influence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Qudsi, S.

2006-01-01

Energy and the Saudi economy were discussed with reference to reserves, oil prices, gross domestic product co-movements, and gas resources and development. In particular, this presentation reviewed the emergence and prospects of the petrochemical industry of Saudi Arabia using statistical, institutional and economic analyses relying on a wide range of data sources. Saudi Arabia has the world's largest oil reserves, at 263 billion barrels. In the 1990s, more than 54 Tcf of non-associated gas reserves were added to Saudi Arabia's resource base, more than doubling its proven non-associated gas reserves to approximately 97 Tcf. With 138 Tcf of associated gas reserves, Saudi Arabia holds the fourth largest gas reserves in the world at nearly 235 Tcf. First, this presentation identified and evaluated the endowments as well as the institutional and strategic forces that are driving the growth of the petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia. Some of the economic, technical and geopolitical factors that influenced the increase in oil prices between 2003 and 2005 were also identified. The dual relationship between the Saudi petrochemical industry and long term economic performance of the Saudi economy were illustrated within a broad domestic economic diversification policy objective. The future growth prospects and challenges facing the Saudi petrochemical industry were also evaluated with respect to the evolving economic reform policies and Saudi international commitments. Potential implications for the petrochemical industry in North America were also identified, in terms of technology transfer and having Saudi Arabia secure the markets in order to meet its commitment to the World Trade Organization. tabs., figs

An Analysis of Variables Related to Biology Achievement at the 12th Grade Level in the Southwestern Region of Saudi Arabia.

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Al-Shahrani, Amer A. S.

Saudi Arabia has not ignored the fact that education is the key to a nation's progress. It considers education as a first priority and is trying to catch up with more advanced nations in this area. One way Saudi Arabia has planned to reduce the risk of complete reliance on the oil revenues is by improving education. This study was designed to…

Motivational Issues of Faculty in Saudi Arabia

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Abdul-Cader, Akram; Anthony, Peter John

2014-01-01

This study focused on the factors that affect motivation of faculty in Saudi Arabia. It included two surveys and open-ended queries to a focus group of five academic managers and 25 faculty members of varying nationalities, rank, and institutes in Saudi Arabia. The research showed that the faculties in Saudi Arabia's highest education industry…

Novel Gentic Variations Contributing to Asthma Susceptability in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-13

Collection of Clinical Data That Will be Used in This Study and Will Form a Data Bank for Asthma in Saudi Arabia; Identify Known and NOVEL Genetic Risk Factors Contributing to Asthma Susceptibility; Study the Mechanistic Roles of the Genetic Variants Within Major Asthma Susceptibility Genes

Extreme intrafamilial variability of Saudi brothers with primary hyperoxaluria type 1

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Alfadhel M

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Majid Alfadhel,1 Khalid A Alhasan,2 Mohammed Alotaibi,3 Khalid Al Fakeeh41Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Division of Nephrology Department of Pediatrics, King Saud University King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Radiology, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Division of Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaBackground: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1 is characterized by progressive renal insufficiency culminating in end-stage renal disease, and a wide range of clinical features related to systemic oxalosis in different organs. It is caused by autosomal recessive deficiency of alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase due to a defect in AGXT gene.Case report: Two brothers (one 6 months old; the other 2 years old presented with acute renal failure and urinary tract infection respectively. PH1 was confirmed by high urinary oxalate level, demonstration of oxalate crystals in bone biopsy, and pathogenic homozygous known AGXT gene mutation. Despite the same genetic background, same sex, and shared environment, the outcome of the two siblings differs widely. While one of them died earlier with end-stage renal disease and multiorgan failure caused by systemic oxalosis, the older brother is pyridoxine responsive with normal development and renal function.Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of extreme intrafamilial variability of PH1 and international registries are needed to characterize the genotype-phenotype correlation in such disorder.Keywords: primary hyperoxaluria, oxalosis, PH1, intrafamilial variability

Prevalence of Latent Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) in Saudi Arabia; Population based survey.

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Balkhy, Hanan H; El Beltagy, Kamel; El-Saed, Aiman; Aljasir, Badr; Althaqafi, Abdulhakeem; Alothman, Adel F; Alshalaan, Mohammad; Al-Jahdali, Hamdan

2017-07-01

The annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) data in Saudi Arabia has not been updated since 1993. To estimate the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) and ARTI in a population-based sample in Saudi Arabia using Tuberculin skin test (TST) and QuantiFERON TB Gold in tube (QFT-GIT) test. A population-based cross sectional study was conducted between July 2010 and March 2013. Participants were randomly selected from the population served by the primary healthcare centers of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alhassa and Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1369 participants were included. The overall prevalence of LTBI was similar using TST and QFT-GIT (9.3% and 9.1% respectively, p=0.872) but stratified prevalence rates were variable in all sociodemographic groups except marital status. Additionally, the prevalence rates of LTBI using either test alone showed significant differences by several sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. The overall ARTI was 0.36% using TST and 0.35% using QFT-GIT. We are reporting much lower estimates for the prevalence of LTBI and the ARTI in a population-based sample in Saudi Arabia relative to the data that have been used for more than two decades. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Allergic fungal sinusitis in children in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Swiahb, Jamil N.; Al-Ammar, A.; Al-Dousary, Surayie H.

2007-01-01

Objective was to report the allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) in children in Saudi Arabia and to review the experience of King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital in diagnosis and management of AFS in children. Hospital charts of 45 children reviewed retrospectively. Clinical presentation, radiological and operative findings, management and outcomes studied. Only 25 patients had >-4 diagnostic criteria, treated endoscopically between January 2000 and December 2005 and followed at least 2 years in KAUH, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Twenty-five patients had at least 4 criteria for AFS> All patients underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) with high recurrence rate 44%. Twenty-eight percent needed revision surgery even with medical treatment post operatively. Moreover, no other complications were reported in this study. Aspergillus spp is the most common fungal type in our review. Allergic fungal sinusitis in children is underestimated and understudied associated with poor outcome and high recurrence because of difficulty in management. Therefore, the most effective approach of AFS management in children is to have a high index of suspicion, adequate, preoperative evaluation, medical preparation preoperatively, meticulous surgery, medical management, postoperative including topical and systemic corticosteroids and close clinical follow-up with endoscopically guided debridement. (author)

Prevalence of oral lichen planus in Gizan, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salem, Gamil

1990-01-01

This paper reports on the prevalence of oral lichen planus among 4277 dental patients aged 18-73 years, seen in the Dental Department, King Fahad Central Hospital, Gizan, Saudi Arabia, between 1982 and 1987. Oral mucosal lesions, diagnosed as lichen planus, were clinically and histologically identified in 72 subjects (40 males and 32 females). The average age of the affected group was 49 years. No correlation was evident between lichen planus and tobacco habits in this study, nor was there any association with diabetes or hypertension. The average period of follow-up was 3.2 years, during which time 4 patients developed malignant transformation of their oral lesions. The prevalence of lichen planus in this study was 1.7%, which is higher than the prevalence figures reported earlier for this disease in Saudi Arabia. (author)

The cost of domestic energy prices to Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alyousef, Yousef; Stevens, Paul

2011-01-01

The issue of subsidies on domestic energy prices has moved up the policy agenda, most recently as a result of the G20 commitment in September 2009 to phase out such subsidies. However, what constitutes a 'subsidy' is complex and controversial. The IEA in its last World Energy Outlook claimed that Saudi Arabia was second in the world in terms of its levels of subsidy on domestic energy prices. However, because Saudi Arabia is a price maker in the international oil market, the methodology used by the IEA is seriously flawed. This paper explains the problems with the methodology for computing subsidies and explains the correct method in the case of Saudi Arabia. It then attempts to measure the levels of subsidy in Saudi Arabia using this methodology. However, while it converts the IEA's 'subsidy' of $23 billion into a net 'profit' of $5.7 billion, it goes on to point out that the current low price regime is causing problems for Saudi Arabia. - Highlights: → How to define energy subsidies in the context of Saudi Arabia as the price maker for international oil prices? → How far do the low domestic energy price in Saudi Arabia represent subsidized prices? → What are the costs and benefits of low/subsidized domestic energy prices in Saudi Arabia? → What policy options are available to offset the very poor record of energy efficiency in Saudi Arabia?

What variables can influence clinical reasoning?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vahid Ashoorion

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Clinical reasoning is one of the most important competencies that a physician should achieve. Many medical schools and licensing bodies try to predict it based on some general measures such as critical thinking, personality, and emotional intelligence. This study aimed at providing a model to design the relationship between the constructs. Materials and Methods: Sixty-nine medical students participated in this study. A battery test devised that consist four parts: Clinical reasoning measures, personality NEO inventory, Bar-On EQ inventory, and California critical thinking questionnaire. All participants completed the tests. Correlation and multiple regression analysis consumed for data analysis. Results: There is low to moderate correlations between clinical reasoning and other variables. Emotional intelligence is the only variable that contributes clinical reasoning construct (r=0.17-0.34 (R 2 chnage = 0.46, P Value = 0.000. Conclusion: Although, clinical reasoning can be considered as a kind of thinking, no significant correlation detected between it and other constructs. Emotional intelligence (and its subscales is the only variable that can be used for clinical reasoning prediction.

What variables can influence clinical reasoning?

Science.gov (United States)

Ashoorion, Vahid; Liaghatdar, Mohammad Javad; Adibi, Peyman

2012-12-01

Clinical reasoning is one of the most important competencies that a physician should achieve. Many medical schools and licensing bodies try to predict it based on some general measures such as critical thinking, personality, and emotional intelligence. This study aimed at providing a model to design the relationship between the constructs. Sixty-nine medical students participated in this study. A battery test devised that consist four parts: Clinical reasoning measures, personality NEO inventory, Bar-On EQ inventory, and California critical thinking questionnaire. All participants completed the tests. Correlation and multiple regression analysis consumed for data analysis. There is low to moderate correlations between clinical reasoning and other variables. Emotional intelligence is the only variable that contributes clinical reasoning construct (r=0.17-0.34) (R(2) chnage = 0.46, P Value = 0.000). Although, clinical reasoning can be considered as a kind of thinking, no significant correlation detected between it and other constructs. Emotional intelligence (and its subscales) is the only variable that can be used for clinical reasoning prediction.

Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major of different zymodemes in the Sudan and Saudi Arabia: a comparative study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaafar, A; Fadl, A; el Kadaro, A Y

1994-01-01

Sporotrichoid cutaneous leishmaniasis is due to dissemination of amastigotes via the lymphatics to the subcutaneous tissues. A comparison was made between the potential to disseminate by this route of 2 parasites of different zymodemes in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. In Sudan cutaneous leishmaniasis...... is caused by Leishmania major zymodeme LON-1, and in Saudi Arabia by L. major LON-4. Sporotrichoid leishmaniasis was significantly more common in Sudan, occurring in 23% of patients compared with 10% in Saudi Arabia. Lymph node involvement was slightly more prevalent in the Sudan. Clinical and pathological...... differences between subcutaneous nodules, particularly when they ulcerate, and multiple primary cutaneous lesions are described and treatment of localized and sporotrichoid leishmaniasis is discussed. The pathological features of the primary lesions in the Sudan and Saudi Arabia were similar....

Saudi Arabia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidt, Martin

2017-01-01

In April 2016 Saudi Arabia took the world by surprise with the launch of its Vision 2030 plan. The surprise was not the plan in itself, as the kingdom has since 1970 guided its development through a series of 5-year plans, but rather the radical approach to development contained in the plan. Priv...... silver. Later in 2016 the Vision 2030 plan was followed by the National Transformation Plan 2020 which is a far more detailed plan or operational plan, posting specific benchmarks and targets for the economy in order to fulfill the aims of the Vision 2030.......In April 2016 Saudi Arabia took the world by surprise with the launch of its Vision 2030 plan. The surprise was not the plan in itself, as the kingdom has since 1970 guided its development through a series of 5-year plans, but rather the radical approach to development contained in the plan...

Self-Directed Learning Readiness among Undergraduate Students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alfaifi, Mousa S.

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine the level of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) among undergraduate students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia. Also, investigated were potential relationships between the level of self-directed learning readiness and selected demographic variables such as gender and specific college within the…

Some Silurian (Llandovery) monograptids from Saudi Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

El-Khayal, A.A.

1985-01-01

Three species of Monograptus are recognized from Qusayba, Al-Qasim Province, Saudi Arabia. The Qusayba Shales Member of the Tabuk Formation in central Saudi Arabia contains M. decipiens decipiens, M. ex gr. barrandei and M. elongatus, associated with other graptolites. This assemblage is indicative

First dinosaurs from Saudi Arabia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin P Kear

Full Text Available Dinosaur remains from the Arabian subcontinent are exceedingly rare, and those that have been documented manifest indeterminate affinities. Consequently the discovery of a small, but diagnostic, accumulation of elements from Campanian-Maastrichtian (~ 75 Ma deposits in northwestern Saudi Arabia is significant because it constitutes the first taxonomically identifiable dinosaur material described from the Arabian Peninsula. The fossils include a series of possible lithostrotian titanosaur caudal vertebrae, and some isolated theropod marginal teeth that share unique character states and metric parameters (analyzed using multivariate statistical methods with derived abelisaurids - this is the first justifiable example of a non-avian carnivorous dinosaur clade from Arabia. The recognition of titanosaurians and abelisaurids from Saudi Arabia extends the palaeogeographical range of these groups along the entire northern Gondwanan margin during the latest Cretaceous. Moreover, given the extreme paucity of coeval occurrences elsewhere, the Saudi Arabian fossils provide a tantalizing glimpse into dinosaurian assemblage diversity within the region.

Early Childhood Education in Saudi Arabia: Report

Science.gov (United States)

Rabaah, Alqassem; Doaa, Dashash; Asma, Alzahrani

2016-01-01

This paper reviewed the development of early childhood education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia and its strengths and weaknesses. The paper discusses the contextual background of Saudi Arabia, including its geography, demographics, social system, economy, political system and religion. In addition, the paper investigated the education system at large in…

Prediction of municipal water production in touristic Mecca City in Saudi Arabia using neural networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AbdelHamid Ajbar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate forecast of municipal water production is critically important for arid and oil rich countries such as Saudi Arabia which depend on costly desalination plants to satisfy the growing water demand. Achieving the desired prediction accuracy is a challenging task since the forecast model should take into consideration a variety of factors such as economic development, climate conditions and population growth. The task is further complicated given that Mecca city is visited regularly by large numbers during specific months in the year due to religious reasons. This study develops a neural network model for forecasting the monthly and annual water demand for Mecca city, Saudi Arabia. The proposed model used historic records of water production and estimated visitors’ distribution to calibrate a neural network model for water demand forecast. The explanatory variables included annually-varying variables such as household income, persons per household, and city population, along with monthly-varying variables such as expected number of visitors each month and maximum monthly temperature. The NN prediction outperforms that of a regular econometric model. The latter is adjusted such that it can provide monthly and annual predictions.

Projects Delay Factors of Saudi Arabia Construction Industry Using PLS-SEM Path Modelling Approach

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Abdul Rahman Ismail

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the development of PLS-SEM Path Model of delay factors of Saudi Arabia construction industry focussing on Mecca City. The model was developed and assessed using SmartPLS v3.0 software and it consists of 37 factors/manifests in 7 groups/independent variables and one dependent variable which is delay of the construction projects. The model was rigorously assessed at measurement and structural components and the outcomes found that the model has achieved the required threshold values. At structural level of the model, among the seven groups, the client and consultant group has the highest impact on construction delay with path coefficient β-value of 0.452 and the project management and contract administration group is having the least impact to the construction delay with β-value of 0.016. The overall model has moderate explaining power ability with R2 value of 0.197 for Saudi Arabia construction industry representation. This model will able to assist practitioners in Mecca city to pay more attention in risk analysis for potential construction delay.

Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Screening and Treatment of Precancerous Lesions for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mandeel, Hazem Mahmoud; Sagr, Emad; Sait, Khalid; Latifah, Hassan Mohamed; Al-Obaid, Abdulaziz; Al-Badawi, Ismail A; Alkushi, Abdulmohsen O; Salem, Hany; Massoudi, Nada S; Schunemann, Holger; Mustafa, Reem A; Brignardello-Petersen, Romina

2016-01-01

Cervical cancer is the third most common gynecological malignancy in Saudi women with an estimated incidence rate of 1.9 cases per 100 000 women-years. More than 40% of cervical cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages due to lack of a routine screening program in Saudi Arabia. Thus, national guidelines for routine screening and treatment of precancerous cervical lesions are needed. The Saudi Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare invited a panel of local experts and partnered them with a team from McMaster University in Canada for methodological support, to develop national clinical practice guidelines on the screening and treatment of precancerous lesions for cervical cancer. After the panel identified key clinical questions, the McMaster University working group updated existing systematic reviews that had been used for the 2013 WHO Guidelines for screening and treatment of precancerous lesions for cervical cancer prevention. Recommendations were based on the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. Those recommendations took into account the available evidence, patient values and preferences, and resource use in the Saudi context. The panel provided recommendations on two major issues: screening for precancerous lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 & 3) and treatment of those lesions to prevent cervical cancer in women who tested positive after screening. The Saudi expert panel recommends using the HPV DNA test followed by colposcopy or cytology (Pap test) followed by colposcopy to screen for CIN2+ in women at risk of cervical cancer. The panel recommends cryotherapy or loop excision electrosurgery procedure (LEEP) over cold knife cone biopsy to treat women at risk of cervical cancer that tests positive for CIN2+. Universal screening for precancerous cervical dysplasia in women in Saudi Arabia is recommended using HPV testing and or cytology. Either cryotherapy or LEEP are preferred for treatment. National

Physical therapy education in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Alghadir, Ahmad; Zafar, Hamayun; Iqbal, Zaheen Ahmed; Anwer, Shahnawaz

2015-01-01

[Purpose] To review the physical therapy educational program model, professional curriculum, and gender representation at major universities, as well as the quality and scope of physical therapy practice in Saudi Arabia. [Methods] Information regarding course curriculum, gender representation, and the quality and scope of physical therapy practice was collected from six universities in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Physical Therapy Association, and the Saudi Health Commission. [Results] The first b...

Rainfall Climatology over Asir Region, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Sharif, H.; Furl, C.; Al-Zahrani, M.

2012-04-01

Arid and semi-arid lands occupy about one-third of the land surface of the earth and support about one-fifth of the world population. The Asir area in Saudi Arabia is an example of these areas faced with the problem of maintaining sustainable water resources. This problem is exacerbated by the high levels of population growth, land use changes, increasing water demand, and climate variability. In this study, the characteristics of decade-scale variations in precipitation are examined in more detail for Asir region. The spatio-temporal distributions of rainfall over the region are analyzed. The objectives are to identify the sensitivity, magnitude, and range of changes in annual and seasonal evapotranspiration resulting from observed decade-scale precipitation variations. An additional objective is to characterize orographic controls on the space-time variability of rainfall. The rainfall data is obtained from more than 30 rain gauges spread over the region.

Factors affecting performance of hospital nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ahmadi, Hanan

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors influencing performance of hospital nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. Specific objectives were to estimate self-reported performance, and determine whether differences in employee demographics, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, influenced performance. In total, 15 hospitals were randomly selected. The questionnaire was sent to all nurses (1,834) in these facilities and 923 nurses responded. Statistical analysis included correlation, t-test, and regression analysis. The study finds that job performance is positively correlated with organizational commitment, job satisfaction and personal and professional variables. Both job satisfaction and organizational commitment are strong predictors of nurses' performance. Job performance is positively related to some personal factors, including years of experience, nationality, gender, and marital status. Level of education is negatively related to performance. The findings of this study have a limited generalisability due to the fact that all measures used are based on self-reports. Future research may be directed to other objective measures of performance. Emphasis should be placed on effective supervision, empowerment, and a better reward system. Cultural diversity is a reality for most health organizations in Saudi Arabia; therefore, they need to adopt effective human resources strategies that aim to improve commitment and retention of qualified workers, and build a high performance organizational culture based on empowerment, open communication, and appreciation of impact of national culture on work attitudes. This study fulfills a research gap in the area of nursing performance, and its relationship with work attitudes in Saudi Arabia. The paper also highlights the impact of national culture on job performance and work attitude among nurses in Saudi Arabia, and other countries facing the issue of multi-national work force.

Human sensitization to Prosopis Juliflora antigen in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Frayh, A.; Gad-el-Rab, Mohammed O.; Al-Mobeireek, K.; Al-Turki, T.; Hasnain, Syed M.; Al-Sedairy, Sultan T.

1999-01-01

Allergenicity Prosopis juliflora pollen antigen has been reported fromonly a few countries, including the US, South Africa, India and Kuwait. Insome parts of Saudi Arabia, species of Prosopis have been introduced by themillions as roadside ornamentation. There appear to be four flowering seasonsduring which pollen grains float in all directions. However, the role ofProsopis pollen as the sensitizing and/or rhinitis in the Kingdom has neverbeen evaluated. A total of 473 allergic patients suffering from the bronchialasthma in four different geographical regions (Abha, Qassim, Hofuf, Gizan),and attending allergy clinics and chest disease centers of university andMinistry of Health hospitals in the region were tested for immediatehypersensitivity reaction to Prosopis Juliflora allergens. Airborne pollengrains at one center were also studied for one full year, using volumetricsampling techniques. A total of 76.1% patients in Qassim, 37.5% in Gizan, 29%in Abha and 11% in Hofuf reacted positively to Prosopis antigen. Multiplesensitivities to other pollen antigens were detected in all patients. Thelevel of airborne Prosopis pollen detected in Gizan exceeded 90 grains m ofair. In view of documented evidence of Prosopis pollen as a sensitizingfactor in Saudi Arabia has been confirmed. However the cause of elicitationof symptoms in many multiple sensitive patients, together with the questionof cross-reactivities, needs thorough and detailed investigation. In vitroconfirmation of all positive results is also required to incriminate Prosopisas one of the major allergens in parts of Saudi Arabia. (author)

Patient's awareness of their medical conditions in multi-specialtyoutpatient clinics in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Khowaiter, Saad S.; Al-Ali, Abdulaziz S.; Al-Maawi, Abdulaziz M.; Al-Rukban, Mohammed O.; Abdo, Ayman A.; Al-Obaidy, Mamdoh S.; Al-Sedrani, Yasser A.

2008-01-01

Objective was to assess the patient's awareness of their medicalconditions, identify the factors affecting their awareness and assesspatient's satisfaction with their doctor's explanations of medicalconditions. A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2005 in theoutpatient clinics of King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.The statistical package for Social Science was used for analysis. Fivehundred and one patients were included in the study. The mean age was45.6+-16.8. Fifty-five percent were female and 29% were highly educated. Mostof the patients (64.1%) knew their diagnoses. This was significantlyassociated with educational level; chronicity of the disease and theawareness of other issues related to their illness such as complications andname of their medications (p>0.05). Few patients (20%) knew complications oftheir diseases. Seventy percent of the patients were satisfied with theirdoctor's explanation of their disease. Knowing the diagnosis (p=0.001) andthe disease complications (p=0.014) were associated significantly withpatient's satisfaction. These figures are less than what they should be.Physicians must be advised of the importance of proper patient education. Inaddition, the lack of proper education by physicians demonstrated in thisstudy should be compensated for by an increase in non-physician basededucation tools. (author)

Saudi Arabia: petroleum industry review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shammas, Pierre

2000-01-01

A comprehensive review is provided of Saudi Arabia's petroleum industry covering oil and gas exploration and production, refining, oil and gas trade, marketing and Saudi overseas investments. Profiles of key Saudi decision makers are provided. A statistical appendix includes data from the start of oil production in Saudi Arabia in 1938. Part I Geological potential; Part II The Saudi energy economy; Part III Production capacity; Part IV The oil refining sector ; Part V Exports and logistics; Part VI Overseas petroleum industry investments; Part VII The decision makers; Part VIII Statistical Appendix; Reserves, Production, Exports, Prices 1950 to 1999. (Author)

The Spectrum of Glomerulonephritis in Saudi Arabia: The Results of the Saudi Registry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huraib S

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Only few studies regarding glomerulonephritis, with relatively small numbers of patients, have so far been published from different centers in Saudi Arabia, and have reported conflicting results regarding the patterns, even in the same city. The possible reasons for these differences include the small number of patients in the different studies, differences in the indications for renal biopsies, referral bias, geographical differences, and, sometimes, the non-availability of the necessary diagnostic facilities in the reporting centers. In order to overcome these problems, a registry for glomerulonephropathy was attempted in Saudi Arabia. Six large referral hospitals from different regions of Saudi Arabia participated in this registry. Biopsy reports and clinical information of 1294 renal biopsies were obtained. There were 782 renal biopsies due to glomerulonephritis (GN accounting for 77.2% of the total biopsies. Five hundred eighty seven (72.6% were primary glomerulonephritidis. Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS (21.3% and membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN (20.7% were the most common types found in the primary glomerulonephritidis. Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN was present in only 10.6% of the cases. IgA nephropathy was found in 6.5% of the cases. Of the secondary glomerulo-nephritides, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE was the most common indication for biopsy (57.0% and amyloidosis was found in only 3.2% of the biopsies. In conclusion, FSGS and MPGN were the most common forms of primary glomerulonephritis in adult patients in Saudi Arabia. MGN was not as common as in the western world. SLE was the commonest cause of secondary GN. Amyloidosis was not as common as in other Arab countries. There is a need for more centers from Saudi Arabia to join this national GN registry. Similar registries can be established in different Arab countries, which all would, hopefully, lead to a Pan-Arab GN registry.

Study cast measurements in the assessment of incisor crowding among patients attending dental clinics in Abha city, Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Al-Shahrani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Demand for orthodontic treatment is increasing in Saudi Arabia. An observational study was planned to assess the incisor crowding in maxillary and mandibular arch among Saudi males and females reporting to different dental clinics in Abha city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Five hundred and thirty-two study casts of males and females aged between 16 and 35 years without a previous history of extraction of permanent teeth were included in the study. Labiolingual linear displacement of anatomic contact points of each maxillary and mandibular incisor from the adjacent tooth was measured. Right canine mesial aspect to the left canine mesial aspect was examined for five displacements. Results: There was a high prevalence of incisor crowding observed in the study population. Sixty-four percent (342 out of 532 casts showed bi-maxillary crowding, 14% (75 out of 352 showed mandibular, and 8.1% (43 out of 532 showed maxillary crowding. About 13.6% (72 out of 532 of the study population had well-aligned maxillary and mandibular incisors while 86.4% (460 out of 532 had some degree of incisor crowding. Females had more incisor crowding (48.5%-258 out of 532 than males (37.9%-202 out of 532. Conclusion: High prevalence of incisor crowding in Abha region reported in this study necessitates long-term planning and preventive measures for the adolescent population and treatment of the adult population of the Abha city, KSA.

Attitudes of medical students toward communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Fawaz S; Alsaeedi, Abdullah

2016-07-01

To explore medical students' attitudes towards communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia and to examine impact of socio-demographic variables on the attitudes towards learning these skills.   In this cross-sectional study, sample of medical students were recruited from Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the second semester (January-May 2014). Participants were all year 2 (197 students) and year 5 (151 students). The study utilize the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) to measure students' attitudes toward communication skills learning. The response rate was 93.9%.  The study showed that Taif medical students hold highly positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Positive attitude score (PAS) was significantly higher in level 5 students, older age group.   Significant positive attitude toward learning communication skills clearly observed in target group. Students with more positive attitudes towards communication skills learning tended to be higher level and older age.

Saudi Arabia: persistent but tenable deficits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-01-01

In this article is described the economic situation of Saudi Arabia. In a first time, Saudi Arabia drew from external reserves to finance gulf war and covered its budget deficits, then the internal debts took over. The actual strategy in order to transfer from state to private national and foreign sector a great part of new projects financing is become a necessity to control the deficits in a country where state is strongly got in debt. (N.C.). 2 tabs

Use of dental clinics and oral hygiene practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Tuffaha, Marwa; Daoud, Farah; Kravitz, Hannah; AlMazroa, Mohammad A; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Memish, Ziad A; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2016-04-01

We conducted a large household survey in 2013 to determine the current status of oral health practices and use of oral health services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Saudi Health Information Survey is a national multistage survey of individuals ≥ 15 years of age. We used a backward elimination multivariate logistic regression model to measure the association between having been to a dental clinic during the last year, and sex, age, marital status, education, time since last routine medical examination, history of diagnosis with a cardiovascular chronic condition, brushing or flossing teeth and use of Miswak (a chewing stick). Between April and June 2013, 10,735 participants completed the survey (89.4% of the households contacted). An estimated 1.5 million (11.5%) and 6.3 million (48.6%) Saudi Arabian people, ≥ 15 years of age, had visited a dental clinic for a routine check-up and for a complaint during the last year, respectively. In total, 16.3%, 85.0% and 52% of Saudi Arabian people never brush their teeth, never floss their teeth or never use Miswak, respectively. The probability of visiting a dental clinic increased with education, among individuals who brushed or flossed their teeth and who used Miswak. Oral hygiene practices are not common among Saudi Arabian people, and use of health care for prevention of oral disease is limited. Hence, the need for oral health promotion is pressing. The KSA Ministry of Health should develop and implement programmes, through its primary health clinics, to increase the awareness of the importance of good oral health. © 2016 The Authors. International Dental Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Dental Federation.

Economic Models of OPEC Behaviour and the Role of Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Nourah A. Al-Yousef

1998-01-01

Previous studies of OPEC have suggested ways of explaining the behaviour of OPEC as a group. The specific role of Saudi Arabia in the market and within OPEC has received attention from some authors. This study analyses the role of Saudi Arabia in these models and tries to find how much they explain the role of Saudi Arabia in the period from 1973 to the present. Models of OPEC behaviour are divided into four sets. The first set of models does not address the role of Saudi Arabia; they include...

Saudi Arabia and CERN sign protocol

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

On 9 May 2008, Mohammed I. Al Suwaiyel, President of the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology, representing the Government of Saudi Arabia, and CERN Director-General, Robert Aymar, signed a protocol to the 2006 cooperation agreement between CERN and Saudi Arabia. Members of the Saudi Arabian Government visit ATLAS.The purpose of the protocol is to define the operational framework needed to carry out various specific tasks provided for in the cooperation agreement in order to promote the development of a high energy particle physics community in Saudi Arabia and its ultimate visible participation as a member of the global CERN community. Signing the protocol, Mohammed I. Al-Suwaiyel said: "The Saudi Arabian Government has taken a number of initiatives to promote R&D in the interests of our country’s development and the advancement of science. Thanks to this protocol, Saudi scientists will be able to work towards this go...

Health technology assessment in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aqeel, Sinaa

2018-05-16

The Saudi government, similar to any other government, is committed to making public spending more efficient, using resources more effectively, and limiting waste. Health technology assessment (HTA) is a tool that informs policy and decision makers regarding the formulation of safe and effective policies that are patient-focused and help to achieve efficiency when allocating limited health-care resources. Areas covered: After a brief description of HTA in the international context, this review provides a brief introduction to Saudi Arabia's health-care system, followed by a delineation of the decision maker(s) and influencers and the decision-making process for pricing and reimbursement. The article then discusses the current status of HTA in Saudi Arabia and proposes four strategic objectives that can form the first step in the development of a formal HTA process. Expert commentary: In Saudi Arabia, facilitators for incorporating HTA into the decision-making process exist. Future local research is needed to guide the implementation of full HTA.

Factors unflinching e-commerce adoption by retailers in Saudi Arabia: Qual Analysis

OpenAIRE

AlGhamdi, Rayed; Drew, Steve; Al-Ghaith, Waleed

2012-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary findings of a study researching the diffusion and the adoption of online retailing in Saudi Arabia. It reports new research that identifies and explores the key issues that positively and negatively influence retailers in Saudi Arabia regarding the adoption of electronic commerce. Retailers in Saudi Arabia have been reserved in their adoption of electronically delivered aspects of their business. Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has the largest and fastes...

Pharmacy education in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Wazaify, Mayyada; Matowe, Lloyd; Albsoul-Younes, Abla; Al-Omran, Ola A

2006-02-15

The practice of pharmacy, as well as pharmacy education, varies significantly throughout the world. In Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, the profession of pharmacy appears to be on the ascendance. This is demonstrated by an increase in the number of pharmacy schools and the number of pharmacy graduates from pharmacy programs. One of the reasons pharmacy is on the ascendance in these countries is government commitment to fund and support competitive, well-run pharmacy programs. In this report we describe pharmacy education in 3 Middle East countries: Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. All 3 countries offer bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) degrees. In addition, 2 universities in Jordan and 1 in Saudi Arabia offer PharmD degree programs. The teaching methods in all 3 countries combine traditional didactic lecturing and problem-based learning. Faculties of pharmacy in all 3 countries are well staffed and offer competitive remuneration. All 3 countries have a policy of providing scholarships to local students for postgraduate training abroad. The majority of students in Jordan and Kuwait are female, while the ratio of male to female students in Saudi Arabia is even. Students' attitudes towards learning are generally positive in all 3 countries. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, most pharmacy graduates work in the public sector, while in Jordan, the majority work in the private sector.

The persistence of rift valley fever in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Elfadil, A A; Hasab-Allah, K A; Dafa-Allah, O M; Elmanea, A A

2006-12-01

A survey was conducted in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia to investigate the presence of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in sheep and goats, by clinical identification of suspected herds and detection of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies to RVF virus. The level of herd immunity was identified by detecting immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. Rift Valley fever was diagnosed in six out of eight districts included in the survey. Twenty-two animals from 17 herds tested positive for the presence of IgM antibodies against RVF in these districts. The infection rate ranged from 0.12% in the Sabya district to 1.04% in the Jizan district. The level of herd immunity ranged from 22.2% in Jizan to 39.3% in the Alarda district. It can be concluded that the presence of IgM antibodies in clinically suspected herds suggests persistent RVF infection in the Jazan region. Thus, RVF control programmes should be continued to prevent the recurrence of outbreaks in the region and the possible further spread of infection to other regions of Saudi Arabia.

Variability of clinical features in attacks of migraine with aura

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Jakob M; Goadsby, Peter J; Charles, Andrew C

2016-01-01

. CONCLUSION: These findings are consistent with variable involvement of different brain regions during a migraine attack. The variable occurrence of nausea, and phonophobia in conjunction with photophobia, both defining features of migraine, may be an important consideration in designing clinical studies......BACKGROUND: There is significant variability in the clinical presentation of migraine, both among patients, and between attacks in an individual patient. We examined clinical features of migraine with aura in a large group of patients enrolled in a clinical trial, and compared retrospective...... a detailed retrospective description of the clinical features of their attacks of migraine. During the trial, clinical symptoms in migraine attacks starting with aura were recorded prospectively in 861 attacks. RESULTS: Retrospectively reported visual aura symptoms were variable and often overlapping...

Sports injuries in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadat-Ali, M; Sankaran-Kutty, M

1985-03-01

Saudi Arabia has now a wealth of sporting facilities of which the youth of the country is making full use. A prospective study of sports related injuries was conducted during the twelve months of 1983. We present an analysis of 846 such injuries seen at the King Fahd University Hospital, Al Khobar. These injuries formed 8.36% of those who attended after an accident for emergency treatment, of which 63% were under 20 years. The majority was sustained during soccer games. The most frequent site of injury was the knee. We believe that specialised Sports Injury Clinics, initially based at the University Hospitals should be established here, to give guidance and education concerning avoidance of injuries, and for the treatment and follow-up of those injured and enable them to return to sports early.

Patient’s medicinal knowledge in Saudi Arabia:

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thamir M. Alshammari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Patient education is one of the main factors of patient therapeutic plan and without it, the patient may not benefit from his/her medications. Several studies showed the effectiveness of educating patients about their disease(s and their medication(s which ultimately enhance their quality of life especially in chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Concept of patient education is well known and understood in the Western countries while in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia it is not well established despite some efforts made by few big hospitals. In Saudi Arabia, different stakeholders such as hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare professionals, health societies and association and governmental agencies do not do their job as patient education. Aim of this paper was to throw some light about the current situation in Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Saudi Arabia: A Community-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhunizan, Muath; Alkhenizan, Abdullah; Basudan, Loay

2018-01-01

The age of the population in Saudi Arabia is shifting toward elderly, which can lead to an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment (MCI and dementia) among elderly patients in a community-based setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, we included patients aged 60 years and above who were seen in the Family Medicine Clinics affiliated with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. Patients with delirium, active depression, and patients with a history of severe head trauma in the past 3 months were excluded. Patients were interviewed during their regular visit by a trained physician to collect demographic data and to administer the validated Arabic version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. One hundred seventy-one Saudi patients were recruited based on a calculated sample size for the aim of this study. The mean age of included sample was 67 ± 6 years. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 45%. The prevalence of MCI was 38.6% and the prevalence of dementia was 6.4%. Age, low level of education, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease were risk factors for cognitive impairment. Prevalence of MCI and dementia in Saudi Arabia using MoCA were in the upper range compared to developed and developing countries. The high rate of risk factors for cognitive impairment in Saudi Arabia is contributing to this finding.

Time for an Adolescent Health Surveillance System in Saudi Arabia: Findings From "Jeeluna".

Science.gov (United States)

AlBuhairan, Fadia S; Tamim, Hani; Al Dubayee, Mohammad; AlDhukair, Shahla; Al Shehri, Sulieman; Tamimi, Waleed; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Magzoub, Mohi Eldin; de Vries, Nanne; Al Alwan, Ibrahim

2015-09-01

With the increasing burden of noncommunicable disease, adolescence is viewed as an opportune time to prevent the onset of certain behaviors and promote healthy states. Although adolescents comprise a considerable portion of Saudi Arabia's population, they have received insufficient attention and indicators of their health status, as a first step in a prevention cycle are unavailable. This study was carried out with the aim of identifying the health risk behaviors and health status of adolescents in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional, school-based study was carried out in all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. Through multistage, cluster, random sampling, intermediate, and secondary school students were invited to participate. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire addressing health risk behaviors and health status, clinical anthropometric measurements, and laboratory investigations. A total of 12,575 adolescents participated. Various health risk behaviors, including dietary and sedentary behaviors, lack of safety measures, tobacco use, bullying, and violence were highly prevalent. Twenty-eight percent of adolescents reported having a chronic health condition, 14.3% reported having symptoms suggestive of depression, 30.0% were overweight/obese, and 95.6% were vitamin D deficient. Behaviors and conditions known to persist into adulthood and result in morbidity and premature mortality are prevalent among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Preventive measures and local health policies are urgently needed and can impact adolescents and future adults. Establishing adolescent health surveillance is necessary to monitor trends and impacts of such measures. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eating Disorders Among Female Students of Taif University, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abd El-Azeem Taha, Azza Ali; Abu-Zaid, Hany Ahmed; El-Sayed Desouky, Dalia

2018-03-01

Eating disorders are a common health problem among adolescents, and females are especially vulnerable to them. There is lack of information on the prevalence of eating disorders in Saudi Arabia. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of eating disorders among female undergraduate university students in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. The study was undertaken in the female section at Taif university from November 1, 2016 to March 30, 2017. Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was used to determine the prevalence of eating disorders. The questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate students and their anthropometric measurements were assessed after obtaining their consent. The sample included 1200 university students with a median age of 21 years (range 17-33). Nonparametric tests were used to assess relationship between variables. Chi-squared test was used to compare items of the disordered eating attitudes and behaviors between positive and negative EAT respondents. Using the cutoff score of 20 on EAT-26 test, 35.4% of the students were classified at risk for eating disorders. Medical and obese students achieved the highest significant EAT scores. A high prevalence of eating disorders was found among females at Taif university, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our findings call for prevention of these disorders and we recommend establishing a national screening program among Saudi university female students for early detection and management of these problems. © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Princes, priests, and people is Saudi Arabia the next Iran

OpenAIRE

Waltermire, Bradley J.

2005-01-01

Renewed violent attacks in Saudi Arabia against the monarchy, combined with growing concern over royal corruption has led some analysts to predict that Saudi Arabia is likely to be "the next Iran"-that Islamist revolutionaries will come to power in Riyadh. I test this theory through the lens of network analysis in order to measure the degree of state-society integration in Pahlavi Iran and Saudi Arabia. My analysis finds that a) the Saudi state is far more integrated in society through so...

Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: A Review of the Recent Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Dawish, Mohamed Abdulaziz; Robert, Asirvatham Alwin; Braham, Rim; Al Hayek, Ayman Abdallah; Al Saeed, Abdulghani; Ahmed, Rania Ahmed; Al Sabaan, Fahad Sulaiman

2016-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that Saudi Arabia ranks the second highest in the Middle East, and is seventh in the world for the rate of diabetes. It is estimated that around 7 million of the population are diabetic and almost around 3 million have pre-diabetes. Even more worrying perhaps, is the increasing pattern of diabetes noted in Saudi Arabia in the recent past. In fact, diabetes has approximately registered a ten-fold increase in the past three eras in Saudi Arabia. Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been found to be related to high mortality, morbidity and vascular complications, accompanied by poor general health and lower quality of life. In Saudi Arabia, DM is quickly reaching disturbing proportions and becoming a significant cause of medical complications and even death. However, when compared with the developed countries, the research work conducted, focusing particularly on the incidence, prevalence and socio-demographic properties of DM is woefully inadequate. The health burden due to DM in Saudi Arabia is predicted to rise to catastrophic levels, unless a wide-ranging epidemic control program is incorporated, with great emphasis laid on advocating a healthy diet, including exercise and active lifestyles, and weight control. To properly manage the DM in Saudi Arabia, a multidisciplinary approach is required. In this review we discuss all the aspects of DM in Saudi Arabia drawing from the published literature currently available.

Human sensitization to Prosopis juliflora antigen in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Frayh, A; Hasnain, S M; Gad-El-Rab, M O; Al-Turki, T; Al-Mobeireek, K; Al-Sedairy, S T

1999-01-01

Allergenicity to Prosopis juliflora pollen antigen has been reported from only a few countries, including the US, South Africa, India and Kuwait. In some parts of Saudi Arabia, species of Prosopis have been introduced by the millions as roadside ornamentation. There appear to be four flowering seasons during which pollen grains float in all directions. However, the role of Prosopis pollen as the sensitizing and/or triggering agent of allergic asthma and/or rhinitis in the Kingdom has never been evaluated. A total of 473 allergic patients suffering from bronchial asthma in four different geographical regions (Abha, Qassim, Hofuf and Gizan), and attending allergy clinics and chest disease centers of university and Ministry of Health hospitals in the region were tested for immediate hypersensitivity reaction to Prosopis juliflora allergens. Airborne pollen grains at one center were also studied for one full year, using volumetric sampling techniques. A total of 76.1% patients in Qassim, 37.5% in Gizan, 29% in Abha and 11% in Hofuf reacted positively to Prosopis antigen. Multiple sensitivities to other pollen antigens were detected in all patients. The level of airborne Prosopis pollen detected in Gizan exceeded 90 grains m -3 of air. In view of the documented evidence of Prosopis-involved allergenicity, the role of Prosopis pollen as a sensitizing factor in Saudi Arabia has been confirmed. However, the cause of elicitation of symptoms in many multiple sensitive patients, together with the question of cross-reactivities, needs thorough and detailed investigation. In vitro confirmation of all positive results is also required to incriminate Prosopis as one of the major allergens in parts of Saudi Arabia.

Electricity generation analyses in an oil-exporting country: Transition to non-fossil fuel based power units in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnoosh, Arash; Lantz, Frederic; Percebois, Jacques

2014-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, fossil-fuel is the main source of power generation. Due to the huge economic and demographic growth, the electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia has increased and should continue to increase at a very fast rate. At the moment, more than half a million barrels of oil per day is used directly for power generation. Herein, we assess the power generation situation of the country and its future conditions through a modelling approach. For this purpose, we present the current situation by detailing the existing generation mix of electricity. Then we develop an optimization model of the power sector which aims to define the best production and investment pattern to reach the expected demand. Subsequently, we will carry out a sensitivity analysis so as to evaluate the robustness of the model's by taking into account the integration variability of the other alternative (non-fossil fuel based) resources. The results point out that the choices of investment in the power sector strongly affect the potential oil's exports of Saudi Arabia. For instance, by decarbonizing half of its generation mix, Saudi Arabia can release around 0.5 Mb/d barrels of oil equivalent per day from 2020. Moreover, total power generation cost reduction can reach up to around 28% per year from 2030 if Saudi Arabia manages to attain the most optimal generation mix structure introduced in the model (50% of power from renewables and nuclear power plants and 50% from the fossil power plants). - Highlights: • We model the current and future power generation situation of Saudi Arabia. • We take into account the integration of the other alternative resources. • We consider different scenarios of power generation structure for the country. • Optimal generation mix can release considerable amount of oil for export

Conservation in Saudi Arabia; moving from strategy to practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Barichievy, Chris; Sheldon, Rob; Wacher, Tim; Llewellyn, Othman; Al-Mutairy, Mohammed; Alagaili, Abdulaziz

2018-02-01

Conservation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is relatively young, yet have made considerable gains in conservation through strategic proclamation and reintroductions. Changes in land use, illegal hunting and competition with domestic stock has decimated the native ungulates, meaning that the survival of the native ungulate species is now completely dependent on protected area network. The challenge is to sustain this network to make meaningful conservation impact into the future. We review the status of ungulate conservation in Saudi Arabia and highlight that the conservation strategy is well developed. The major challenge faced in conservation in Saudi Arabia now is to implement what has been sanctioned.

Four viruses infecting figs in Western Saudi Arabia

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Amal Y. ALDHEBIANI

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Many diseases are compromising fig production in Saudi Arabia and in particular those caused by viruses. RT-PCR assays were conducted on 80 samples collected from four fig-growing provinces in the West Mecca region of Saudi Arabia, including the Fatima, Khulais, Rabigh and Alshifa valleys. Samples consisted of leaf tissues taken from caprifig and common fig trees. The presence of Fig mosaic virus (FMV, Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 1 (FLMaV-1, Fig leaf mottle-associated virus 2 (FLMaV-2 and Fig mild mottle-associated virus (FMMaV was assessed from the samples. RT-PCR results showed that all four viruses were present in the surveyed areas with different proportions of infection. Incidence was 69% of samples, with a peak of 80%, from the Alshifa and Fatima valleys, 60% from Rabigh and 55% from Khulais valley. FLMaV-1 was the prevailing virus (55% of samples, followed by FMV (34%, whereas FLMaV-2 (11% of samples and FMMaV (6% were less common. Most of the mosaic symptoms observed in surveyed fig orchards occurred with the presence of FMV. However, many other symptoms remained unexplained because of the arduous task of determining the involvement of other fig-infecting viruses with mosaic disease. This is the first report of FMMaV and FLMaV-2 in Saudi Arabia, and of FMV and FLMaV-1 in western Saudi Arabia. The virus status of this crop is probably compromised and a sanitation programme is required to produce healthy plant material in Saudi Arabia.

The importance of silicon photovoltaic manufacturing in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elani, U.A.; Bagazi, S.A.

1998-01-01

In this paper, the potential of silicon development for photovoltaics will be discussed in conjunction with the availability of raw material and photovoltaic demand in Saudi Arabia. Recent studies suggest that silicon raw material for photovoltaic production should be considered for further investigation towards solar cells manufacturing in Saudi Arabia. (author)

Family profile of victims of child abuse and neglect in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Almuneef, Maha A; Alghamdi, Linah A; Saleheen, Hassan N

2016-08-01

To describe the family profile of child abuse and neglect (CAN) subjects in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected retrospectively between July 2009 and December 2013 from patients' files, which were obtained from the Child Protection Centre (CPC) based in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Four main sets of variables were examined: demographics of victim, family profile, parental information, and information on perpetrator and forms of abuse.  The charts of 220 CAN cases were retrospectively reviewed. Physical abuse was the most common form of abuse (42%), followed by neglect (39%), sexual abuse (14%), and emotional abuse (4%). Children with unemployed fathers were 2.8 times as likely to experience physical abuse. Children living in single/step-parent households were 4 times as likely to experience physical abuse. Regarding neglect children living in larger households (≥6) were 1.5 times as likely to be neglected by their parents as were children living in smaller households (less than 6). Regarding sexual abuse, male children were 2.9 times as likely to be abused as were female children.  The recent acknowledgment of CAN as a public health problem in Saudi Arabia suggests that time will be needed to employ effective and culturally sensitive prevention strategies based on family risk factors.

Periodontal disease awareness among pregnant women in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Asa'ad, Farah A; Rahman, Ghousia; Al Mahmoud, Noura; Al Shamasi, Ebtehaj; Al Khuwaileidi, Abrar

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness regarding periodontal disease and its effects on pregnancy among pregnant women in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional survey, self-administered, structured questionnaires were distributed to 300 pregnant women who were chosen randomly from attendees of maternity health care centers in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. The questions were developed from literature reviews of articles. The questionnaire addressed personal and sociodemographic variables, periodontal health awareness, and knowledge of pregnant women. The questionnaire was translated into Arabic and was pretested during the pilot study on a random sample of 50 pregnant women. Data were analyzed by χ(2) -tests, with the level of significance set at P disease could be prevented through toothbrushing and flossing. Approximately 97% of the respondents knew the negative effect of smoking, while only 12% knew there was a possible relationship between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The results of this cross-sectional study found that there is limited knowledge and awareness about periodontal disease and its possible effects on pregnancy among pregnant women attending maternal health care centers in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Indonesians in Saudi Arabia: Worhsip and Work

OpenAIRE

Husson, Laurence

1997-01-01

This article, which opens a new line of research, is intended to make a first assessment of the consequences of Indonesian migration to saudi Arabia, in particular during the first half of the 2Oth century-a period when the immigration is bound up with the pilgrimage from which Saudi Arabia draws a large part of its revenues. It must be added that while documentary evidence and partial studies on this period exist, it turns out that documentation on the contemporary peri...

Clinical variables, lifestyle and coping in hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Comelis Bertolin, Daniela

2016-10-01

To verify the relationship between coping strategies of people with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and their clinical variables and lifestyle habits. It was developed a cross-sectional study that used the Coping Strategies Inventory of Folkman and Lazarus and a semi-structured questionnaire for collecting clinical variables and lifestyles of patients undergoing hemodialysis in the Urology and Nephrology Institute of São Jose do Rio Preto-SP (Brazil). Participants were 107 adults undergoing hemodialysis, with an average age of 51 years; 62.4% were men. The main causes of chronic kidney disease were chronic glomerulonephritis, diabetes mellitus, undetermined cause and hypertension. The most reported coping strategies were focused on emotion. There were greater coping scores among people who had diabetes, those who had leisure and those who referred religion. People who exercised and those who had undergone renal transplantation had more positive coping. Clinical variables of people undergoing hemodialysis can be sources of stress, and lifestyle habits are associated with coping strategies to mitigate the effects of stress. Copyright© by the Universidad de Antioquia.

Research progress and prospects of Saudi Arabia in global medical sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Meo, S A; Hassan, A; Usmani, A M

2013-12-01

Since last decade, Saudi Arabia has been swiftly moving ahead to promote an education and research in the country. This study aimed to investigate the research outcome of Saudi Arabia in medical sciences during the period 1996-2012. In this study, the research papers published in various global science journals during the period 1996-2012 were accessed. We recorded the total number of research documents having an affiliation with Saudi Arabia. The main source for information was Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science, Thomson Reuters and SCI-mago/Scopus. In global science data base, Saudi Arabia contributed 103804 documents in all science and social sciences. In medicine the total number of research papers from Saudi Arabia are 16196, citable documents 14732, total citations 102827, citations per documents 6.36 and Hirsch index (h-index) is 92. However, in combined medical and allied health sciences the total number of research papers are 27246, citable documents 25416, total citations 181999, mean citations per documents 7.07 and mean h-index is 41.44. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia contributed 40797 research documents in ISI indexed journals only and also 151 research documents in highly reputable and towering science journals. Saudi Arabia's research performance in global medical sciences has markedly increased during the period 2006-2012. The research publications are continuously on mounting path; however, the number of citations has decreased. The country improved its regional as well as international research rankings and graded 45 in the world in year 2012.

Saudi Arabia: the French nuclear sector mobilized

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheikh-Ali, A.

2016-01-01

Saudi Arabia is preparing itself to replace half fossil energies by a mix of nuclear and renewable energies. Although the nuclear program is not yet well implemented, Saudi Arabia and France have signed an agreement to develop cooperation in the nuclear sector. A joint committee was created to give a frame to assess the best practices in terms of nuclear regulations, waste management, scientific cooperation and training. Concerning nuclear regulations, waste management and scientific cooperation the French contacts of KACARE (King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy) are respectively IRSN, ANDRA and CEA. Concerning scholar and professional training, a cooperation involving I2EN (International Institute for Nuclear Energy), EDF and AREVA on one side and the King Saud University, the Prince Mohammad University, the EFFAT University and the Dar Al Hekma College on the other side, has been set to develop training in nuclear engineering in Saudi Arabia. In parallel, AREVA and EDF have developed a program to find and qualify local subcontractors. (A.C.)

Carbon dioxide emissions, economic growth, energy use, and urbanization in Saudi Arabia: evidence from the ARDL approach and impulse saturation break tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Raggad, Bechir

2018-05-01

This study investigates the existence of long-run relationship between CO 2 emissions, economic growth, energy use, and urbanization in Saudi Arabia over the period 1971-2014. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach with structural breaks, where structural breaks are identified with the recently impulse saturation break tests, is applied to conduct the analysis. The bounds test result supports the existence of long-run relationship among the variables. The existence of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis has also been tested. The results reveal the non-validity of the EKC hypothesis for Saudi Arabia as the relationship between GDP and pollution is positive in both the short and the long run. Moreover, energy use increases pollution both in short and long run in the country. On the contrary, the results show a negative and significant impact of urbanization on carbon emissions in Saudi Arabia, which means that urban development is not an obstacle to the improvement of environmental quality. Consequently, policy-makers in Saudi Arabia should consider the efficiency enhancement, frugality in energy consumption, and especially increase the share of renewable energies in the total energy mix.

A Quality Model to Select Patients in Cupping Therapy Clinics: A New Tool for Ensuring Safety in Clinical Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboushanab, Tamer; AlSanad, Saud

2018-06-08

Cupping therapy is a popular treatment in various countries and regions, including Saudi Arabia. Cupping therapy is regulated in Saudi Arabia by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), Ministry of Health. The authors recommend that this quality model for selecting patients in cupping clinics - first version (QMSPCC-1) - be used routinely as part of clinical practice and quality management in cupping clinics. The aim of the quality model is to ensure the safety of patients and to introduce and facilitate quality and auditing processes in cupping therapy clinics. Clinical evaluation of this tool is recommended. Continued development, re-evaluation and reassessment of this tool are important. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Clinical variables in radiotracer biodistributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lentle, B.C.; Scott, J.R.; Schmidt, R.P.; Noujaim, A.A.

1981-01-01

Radionuclide dosimetry must, by its nature, define tissue irradiation in terms of mean exposure in a population of a statistically acceptable size. In the daily practice of clinical nuclear medicine there are, however, quite large variations in the biodistribution of tracers and thus in resulting radiation doses. Age is a variable, particularly in respect of bone-seeking tracers. Sex imposes variations in radiation dose on account of the differing anatomical configurations of the gonads. Breast uptake and excretion of certain tracers in women are additional variables. Activity and occupation are occasional variables. Numerous iatrogenic causes of altered radiotracer biodistributions have been described. Cancer chemotherapy is a particularly potent cause of changed biodistributions while even a trivial matter such as preparing the skin with an iodine containing antiseptic may cause displacement of technetium from its compounds. In the blocking of thyroid uptake of radioiodines, there is good precedent for the manipulation of regional tissue dosimetry. It is possible to go beyond the mere cataloguing of these effects to look creatively at the subject of comparative tissue biodistributions and hence comparative dosimetry. Effects such as the clinical observation of the interference by cis-platinum with the usual biodistribution of radio-gallium suggest that such compounds can be used as probes each to lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of the other

Electricity generation analyses in an oil-exporting country: Transition to non-fossil fuel based power units in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnoosh, Arash; Lantz, Frederic; Percebois, Jacques

2013-12-01

In Saudi Arabia, fossil-fuel is the main source of power generation. Due to the huge economic and demographic growth, the electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia has increased and should continue to increase at a very fast rate. At the moment, more than half a million barrels of oil per day is used directly for power generation. Herein, we assess the power generation situation of the country and its future conditions through a modelling approach. For this purpose, we present the current situation by detailing the existing generation mix of electricity. Then we develop a optimization model of the power sector which aims to define the best production and investment pattern to reach the expected demand. Subsequently, we will carry out a sensitivity analysis so as to evaluate the robustness of the model's by taking into account the integration variability of the other alternative (non-fossil fuel based) resources. The results point out that the choices of investment in the power sector strongly affect the potential oil's exports of Saudi Arabia. (authors)

Teachers' Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Regular Education Classrooms in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Aseery, Fahad. A.

2016-01-01

This study investigated teachers attitudes toward including Deaf and hard of hearing (D/hh) students in regular education classrooms in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the study analyzed how the teachers' attitudes toward inclusion were influenced by the following variables: teaching position, training on inclusion the teachers had received, years of…

Hemoglobin H disease in the Al-Qatif region of Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ankra-Badu, George A.; Al-Jama, A.; Al-Kadim, Y.

2001-01-01

The Al-Qatif region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has thehighest prevalence of alpha-thalassemia genes in the Kingdom. Hemoglobin H(Hb H) disease, however, has been rarely reported. We decided therefore toverify the rarity of disease and characterize the presenting features incases identified. All patients seen in Qatif Central Hospital betweenSeptember 1988 and November 1990 with low red cell indices were screened forHb H disease and those found positive had clinical data compiled from theirhospital records and analyzed. Thirty-nine cases of Hb H were diagnosed. Themean age of patients was 18 years. The mean hemoglobin was 13.5 g/dL forneonates and 7.6 g/dL for others. The mean Hb Bart's level was 27.5% inneonates and the mean Hb H level in others was 11.1%. In addition to low redcell indices, all patients had a high red cell distribution width (RDW) meanof 25.6%. The main clinical signs were jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly.Concurrent glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency was seen in28.2% of patients. Hemoglobin H disease is not uncommon in the Al-Qatifregion of Saudi Arabia. The red cell indices may mimic iron deficiency, whichshould be excluded by the presence of jaundice and organomegaly. Thecondition often co-exists with G6PD deficiency. (author)

Driving online shopping: Spending and behavioral differences among women in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-maghrabi, T.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study proposes a revised technology acceptance model that integrates expectation confirmation theory to measure gender differences with regard to continuance online shopping intentions in Saudi Arabia. The sample consists of 650 female respondents. A structural equation model confirms model fit. Perceived enjoyment, usefulness, and subjective norms are determinants of online shopping continuance in Saudi Arabia. High and low online spenders among women in Saudi Arabia are equivalent. The structural weights are also largely equivalent, but the regression paths from perceived site quality to perceived usefulness is not invariant between high and low e-shoppers in Saudi Arabia. This research moves beyond online shopping intentions and includes factors affecting online shopping continuance. The research model explains 60% of the female respondents’ intention to continue shopping online. Online strategies cannot ignore either the direct and indirect spending differences on continuance intentions, and the model can be generalized across Saudi Arabia.

Clinical and acoustical variability in hypokinetic dysarthria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metter, E.J.; Hanson, W.R.

1986-01-01

Ten male patients with parkinsonism secondary to Parkinson's disease or progressive supranuclear palsy had clinical neurological, speech, and acoustical speech evaluations. In addition, seven of the patients were evaluated by x-ray computed tomography (CT) and (F-18)-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Extensive variability of speech features, both clinical and acoustical, were found and seemed to be independent of the severity of any parkinsonian sign, CT, or FDG PET. In addition, little relationship existed between the variability across each measured speech feature. What appeared to be important for the appearance of abnormal acoustic measures was the degree of overall severity of the dysarthria. These observations suggest that a better understanding of hypokinetic dysarthria may result from more extensive examination of the variability between patients. Emphasizing a specific feature such as rapid speaking rate in characterizing hypokinetic dysarthria focuses on a single and inconstant finding in a complex speech pattern

Clinical profile of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Faifa-Gizan, South west province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (A study of 140 cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rao Raghu

1998-01-01

Full Text Available A preliminary study was conducted to know the age, sex distribution and clinical pattern of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL in a remote hilly area, Faifa, Gizan situated in the South West region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. C L accounted for nearly 5% of the new outpatient attendance in the study period (1988-90 of 20 months. Out of the 140 new patients who formed the study group, 82 were males (58.57% and 58 females (41.43% in the age range of 9 months to 60 years. Ninety two patients were children (65.71% below 15 years. including 58 boys and 34 girls and CL is a major public health problem in children of this area. The fact that out of 140 affected individuals, 134 were local Saudis and 6 non-Saudis reveals the autochthonous nature of the disease in this region. The clinical spectrum included dry crusted ulcers, erythematous indurated plaques, nodules, papules, and oozing shallow ulcers. The lesions were distributed mostly on face and extremities. Response to pentostam (Sodium stibogluconate was highly satisfactory.

Genetic stratigraphy of key demographic events in Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Verónica; Triska, Petr; Pereira, Joana B; Alshamali, Farida; Rito, Teresa; Machado, Alison; Fajkošová, Zuzana; Cavadas, Bruno; Černý, Viktor; Soares, Pedro; Richards, Martin B; Pereira, Luísa

2015-01-01

At the crossroads between Africa and Eurasia, Arabia is necessarily a melting pot, its peoples enriched by successive gene flow over the generations. Estimating the timing and impact of these multiple migrations are important steps in reconstructing the key demographic events in the human history. However, current methods based on genome-wide information identify admixture events inefficiently, tending to estimate only the more recent ages, as here in the case of admixture events across the Red Sea (~8-37 generations for African input into Arabia, and 30-90 generations for "back-to-Africa" migrations). An mtDNA-based founder analysis, corroborated by detailed analysis of the whole-mtDNA genome, affords an alternative means by which to identify, date and quantify multiple migration events at greater time depths, across the full range of modern human history, albeit for the maternal line of descent only. In Arabia, this approach enables us to infer several major pulses of dispersal between the Near East and Arabia, most likely via the Gulf corridor. Although some relict lineages survive in Arabia from the time of the out-of-Africa dispersal, 60 ka, the major episodes in the peopling of the Peninsula took place from north to south in the Late Glacial and, to a lesser extent, the immediate post-glacial/Neolithic. Exchanges across the Red Sea were mainly due to the Arab slave trade and maritime dominance (from ~2.5 ka to very recent times), but had already begun by the early Holocene, fuelled by the establishment of maritime networks since ~8 ka. The main "back-to-Africa" migrations, again undetected by genome-wide dating analyses, occurred in the Late Glacial period for introductions into eastern Africa, whilst the Neolithic was more significant for migrations towards North Africa.

Identification of a monopartite begomovirus associated with yellow vein mosaic of Mentha longifolia in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohrab, Sayed Sartaj; Daur, Ihsanullah

2018-02-01

Mentha is a very important crop grown and used extensively for many purposes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Begomoviruses are whitefly-transmitted viruses causing serious disease in many important plants exhibiting variable symptoms with significant economic loss globally. During farmers' field survey, yellow vein mosaic disease was observed in Mentha longifolia plants growing near tomato fields in Saudi Arabia. The causative agent was identified in 11 out of 19 samples using begomovirus-specific primers and the association of begomovirus with yellow vein mosaic disease in M. longifolia was confirmed. The full-length viral genome and betasatellite were amplified, cloned, and sequenced bidirectionally. The full DNA-A genome was found to have 2785 nucleotides with 1365 bp-associated betasatellite molecule. An attempt was made to amplify DNA-B, but none of the samples produced any positive amplicon of expected size which indicated the presence of monopartite begomovirus. The sequence identity matrix and phylogenetic analysis, based on full genome showed the highest identity (99.6%) with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and in phylogenetic analysis it formed a closed cluster with Tomato leaf curl virus infecting tomato and Corchorus crop in Saudi Arabia. The sequence analysis results of betasatellites showed the highest identity (98.9%) with Tomato yellow leaf curl betasatellites infecting tomato and phylogenetic analysis using betasatellites formed a close cluster with Tomato yellow leaf curl betasatellites infecting tomato and Corchorus crops, which has already been reported to cause yellow vein mosaic and leaf curl disease in many cultivated and weed crops growing in Saudi Arabia. The identified begomovirus associated with yellow vein mosaic disease in mentha could be a mutated strain of TYLCV and tentatively designated as TYLCV-Mentha isolate. Based on published data and latest information, this is the first report of identification of Tomato yellow leaf

Review and classification of variability analysis techniques with clinical applications

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Analysis of patterns of variation of time-series, termed variability analysis, represents a rapidly evolving discipline with increasing applications in different fields of science. In medicine and in particular critical care, efforts have focussed on evaluating the clinical utility of variability. However, the growth and complexity of techniques applicable to this field have made interpretation and understanding of variability more challenging. Our objective is to provide an updated review of variability analysis techniques suitable for clinical applications. We review more than 70 variability techniques, providing for each technique a brief description of the underlying theory and assumptions, together with a summary of clinical applications. We propose a revised classification for the domains of variability techniques, which include statistical, geometric, energetic, informational, and invariant. We discuss the process of calculation, often necessitating a mathematical transform of the time-series. Our aims are to summarize a broad literature, promote a shared vocabulary that would improve the exchange of ideas, and the analyses of the results between different studies. We conclude with challenges for the evolving science of variability analysis. PMID:21985357

Review and classification of variability analysis techniques with clinical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bravi, Andrea; Longtin, André; Seely, Andrew J E

2011-10-10

Analysis of patterns of variation of time-series, termed variability analysis, represents a rapidly evolving discipline with increasing applications in different fields of science. In medicine and in particular critical care, efforts have focussed on evaluating the clinical utility of variability. However, the growth and complexity of techniques applicable to this field have made interpretation and understanding of variability more challenging. Our objective is to provide an updated review of variability analysis techniques suitable for clinical applications. We review more than 70 variability techniques, providing for each technique a brief description of the underlying theory and assumptions, together with a summary of clinical applications. We propose a revised classification for the domains of variability techniques, which include statistical, geometric, energetic, informational, and invariant. We discuss the process of calculation, often necessitating a mathematical transform of the time-series. Our aims are to summarize a broad literature, promote a shared vocabulary that would improve the exchange of ideas, and the analyses of the results between different studies. We conclude with challenges for the evolving science of variability analysis.

77 FR 53959 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Roads of Arabia...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-04

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8008] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and the History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia'' SUMMARY: Notice... objects to be included in the exhibition ``Roads of Arabia: Archaeology and the History of the Kingdom of...

Essays on oil and business cycles in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Aba Alkhail, Bandar A.

This dissertation consists of three chapters. Chapter one presents a theoretical model using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) approach to investigate the role of world oil prices in explaining the business cycle in Saudi Arabia. This model incorporates both productivity and oil revenue shocks. The results indicate that productivity shocks are relatively more important to business cycles than oil shocks. However, this model has some unfavorable features that are associated with both investment and labor hours. The second chapter presents a modified theoretical model using DSGE approach to examine the role of world oil prices versus productivity shocks in explaining the business cycles in Saudi Arabia. To overcome the unfavorable features of the baseline model, the alternative model adds friction to the model by incorporating investment portfolio adjustment cost. Thus, the alternative model produces similar dynamics to that of the baseline model but the unfavorable characteristics are eliminated. Also, this chapter conducts sensitivity analysis. The objective of the third chapter is to empirically investigate how real world oil price and productivity shocks affect output, consumption, investment, labor hours, and trade balance/output ratio for Saudi Arabia. This chapter complements the theoretical model of the previous chapters. In addition, this study builds a foundation for future studies in examining the impact of real world oil price shocks on the economies of key trade partners of Saudi Arabia. The results of the third chapter show that productivity shocks matter more for macroeconomic fluctuations than oil shocks for the Saudis' primary trade partners. Therefore, fears of oil importing countries appear to be overstated. As a whole, this research is important for the following reasons. First, the empirical model is consistent with the predictions of our theoretical model in that productivity is a driving force of business cycles in Saudi Arabia

Indonesians in Saudi Arabia: Worhsip and Work

OpenAIRE

Laurence Husson

2014-01-01

This article, which  opens a new  line of research,  is intended  to make a first assessment of the consequences  of Indonesian migration to saudi Arabia,  in particular  during  the  first half of the 2Oth century-a period when the immigration is bound  up with the pilgrimage from which Saudi Arabia draws a large part of its revenues. It must be added  that while documentary  evidence and partial studies on  this period  exist,  it turns out that documentation on the contemporary peri...

Histopathologic Patterns of Breast Lesions in Northern Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence rates of common types of breast cancer in Northern Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A retrospective cohort study was carried out over a five-year period in two referral hospitals. In this study 257 files were retrieved from departments of Surgery from different hospitals in Hail region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA. Results: Of the 257 samples diagnosed using Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC, histopathological diagnosis was confirmed for 158 patients. Of the 158 diagnosed samples, 46/158 (23.2% were ductal carcinoma, 7/158 (4.4% were lobular carcinoma, 3/158 (1.9% were mixed tumours, and 102/158 (64.6 were fibroadenoma. Conclusion: Fibroadenoma and ductal carcinoma are the prevalent breast lesions in Hail Region of Saudi Arabia.

Childhood Depression: Relation to Adaptive, Clinical and Predictor Variables

OpenAIRE

Garaigordobil, Maite; Bernar?s, Elena; Jaureguizar, Joana; Machimbarrena, Juan M.

2017-01-01

The study had two goals: (1) to explore the relations between self-assessed childhood depression and other adaptive and clinical variables (2) to identify predictor variables of childhood depression. Participants were 420 students aged 7–10 years old (53.3% boys, 46.7% girls). Results revealed: (1) positive correlations between depression and clinical maladjustment, school maladjustment, emotional symptoms, internalizing and externalizing problems, problem behaviors, emotional reactivity, and...

Saudi Arabia: Problems and prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granata, V.; Palermo, M.

1993-01-01

Saudi Arabia has a central role in the world oil market. After analyzing the country's political and economic situation with all its possible outgrowths, this article indicates the various development prospects relevant to Saudi oil production and its future impacts on the market

Evaluation of genetic diversity of Panicum turgidum Forssk from Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Assaeed, Abdulaziz M; Al-Faifi, Sulieman A; Migdadi, Hussein M; El-Bana, Magdy I; Al Qarawi, Abdulaziz A; Khan, Mohammad Altaf

2018-01-01

The genetic diversity of 177 accessions of Panicum turgidum Forssk, representing ten populations collected from four geographical regions in Saudi Arabia, was analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A set of four primer-pairs with two/three selective nucleotides scored 836 AFLP amplified fragments (putative loci/genome landmarks), all of which were polymorphic. Populations collected from the southern region of the country showed the highest genetic diversity parameters, whereas those collected from the central regions showed the lowest values. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 78% of the genetic variability was attributable to differences within populations. Pairwise values for population differentiation and genetic structure were statistically significant for all variances. The UPGMA dendrogram, validated by principal coordinate analysis-grouped accessions, corresponded to the geographical origin of the accessions. Mantel's test showed that there was a significant correlation between the genetic and geographical distances ( r  = 0.35, P  < 0.04). In summary, the AFLP assay demonstrated the existence of substantial genetic variation in P. turgidum . The relationship between the genetic diversity and geographical source of P. turgidum populations of Saudi Arabia, as revealed through this comprehensive study, will enable effective resource management and restoration of new areas without compromising adaptation and genetic diversity.

A screening tool for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Hassan, Ahmad M.; Al-Haidar, Fatima; Al-Alim, Fateh; Al-Hag, Othman

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A clinically validated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scale in Arabic for evaluating children in Saudi Arabia who might be suspected of having ADHD is lacking. Thus, we studied the validity of an Arabic version of the ADHD Rating Scale in discriminating children with an ADHD diagnosis from normal children or from those with non-ADHD psychiatric diagnoses, including mental retardation. METHODS: The guardians of 119 children provided demographic data ...

Cultural acceptance of robotic telestroke medicine among patients and healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khathaami, Ali M.; Alshahrani, Saeed M.; Kojan, Suleiman M.; Al-Jumah, Mohammed A.; Alamry, Ahmed A.; El-Metwally, Ashraf A.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To determine the degree of satisfaction and acceptance of stroke patients, their relatives, and healthcare providers toward using telestroke technology in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2012 at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Remote Presence Robot (RPR), the RP-7i® (FDA- cleared) provided by InTouch Health was used in the study. Patients and their relatives were informed that the physician would appear through a screen on top of a robotic device, as part of their clinical care. Stroke patients admitted through the emergency department, and their relatives, as well as healthcare providers completed a self-administered satisfaction questionnaire following the telestroke consultation sessions. Results: Fifty participants completed the questionnaire. Most subjects agreed that the remote consultant interview was useful and that the audiovisual component of the intervention was of high quality; 98% agreed that they did not feel shy or embarrassed during the remote interview, were able to understand the instruction of the consultant, and recommended its use in stroke management. Furthermore, 92% agreed or strongly agreed that the use of this technology can efficiently replace the physical presence of a neurologist. Conclusion: Results suggest that the use of telestroke medicine is culturally acceptable among stroke patients and their families in Saudi Arabia and favorably received by healthcare providers. PMID:25630777

Assessment of physicians' awareness and knowledge of familial hypercholesterolemia in Saudi Arabia: Is there a gap?

Science.gov (United States)

Batais, Mohammed Ali; Almigbal, Turky H; Bin Abdulhak, Aref A; Altaradi, Hani B; AlHabib, Khalid F

2017-01-01

The scarcity of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) cases reported in Saudi Arabia might be indicative of a lack of awareness of this common genetic disease among physicians. To assess physicians' awareness, practice, and knowledge of FH in Saudi Arabia. This is a cross-sectional study conducted among physicians at four tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between March 2016 and May 2016 using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 294 physicians completed the survey (response rate 90.1%). Overall, 92.9% of the participants have poor knowledge of FH while only 7.1% have acceptable knowledge. The majority (68.7%) of physicians rated their familiarity with FH as average or above average, and these had higher mean knowledge scores than participants with self-reported below average familiarity (mean 3.4 versus 2.6) (P knowledge scores compared to those without FH patients in their care (3.5 versus 2.9) (P = 0.006). In addition, there were statistically significant differences between physicians' mean knowledge scores and their ages, levels of training, and years in practice. Moreover, a substantial deficit was identified in the awareness of various clinical algorithms to diagnose patients with FH, cascade screening, specialist lipid services, and the existence of statin alternatives, such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors. A substantial deficit was found in the awareness, knowledge, practice, and detection of FH among physicians in Saudi Arabia. Extensive educational programs are required to raise physician awareness and implement best practices; only then can the impact of these interventions on FH management and patient outcome be assessed.

Smartphone addiction among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Alosaimi, Fahad D.; Alyahya, Haifa; Alshahwan, Hatem; Mahyijari, Nawal Al; Shaik, Shaffi A.

2016-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of smartphone addiction among university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between September 2014 and March 2015. An electronic self administered questionnaire and the problematic use of mobile phones (PUMP) Scale were used. Results: Out of 2367 study subjects, 27.2% stated that they spent more than 8 hours per day using their smartphones....

Assessment of evidence-based practice among hospital pharmacists in Saudi Arabia: attitude, awareness, and practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jazairi, Abdulrazaq S; Alharbi, Reem

2017-08-01

Background Many studies have previously looked at the perceptions, attitude, and use of Evidence-based Practice (EBP) among healthcare providers. However, limited data is available on the implementation of EBP among pharmacists in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular. Objective To evaluate the awareness, attitude, and practice of EBP among hospital practicing pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. Setting Secondary and tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia with a bed capacity of ≥200 Methods This is a cross sectional, survey-based study where a validated selfadministrated questionnaire was utilized. Pharmacists working in secondary and tertiary care hospitals with a bed capacity of ≥200 were targeted. The descriptive data consisted of percentages for discrete and medians for continuous statistics. Results The survey was distributed to a total of 1136 pharmacists. Total number of respondents is 228 which represent a response rate of 20%. Most of them (75% median score = 8) have a positive attitude toward EBP. In addition to clinical expertise, only 48.6% of them were able to identify EBP resource as the second component of EBP concept, while only 1.7% of the respondents were able to identify patient preference as a third component. Lack of personal time, critical appraisal skills, and resources, (40%, 15.6% and 13.9% respectively) are considered as the major barriers to implementing EBP in pharmacy. Conclusion The majority of pharmacists in Saudi Arabia hold a positive attitude of EBP. Unfortunately, most of pharmacists do not consider patients' values as a component of EBP. The major barriers to practicing EBP are lack of personal time, critical appraisal skills, and resources availability.

Shortage of psychotropic medications in community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: Causes and solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ruthia, Yazed Sulaiman; Mansy, Wael; Barasin, Mohammad; Ghawaa, Yazeed Mohammad; AlSultan, Mohammed; Alsenaidy, Mohammad A; Alhawas, Solaiman; AlGhadeer, Sultan

2017-07-01

Background: Patients with mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, who seek medical care in private psychiatric clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have recently expressed concerns to doctors about difficulty in filling psychotropic medications, such as Amitriptyline and Aripiprazole, at retail community pharmacies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a shortage of some commonly prescribed psychotropic medications in retail community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia, and if so, to explore the possible reasons behind the shortage of these medications. Methods: The availability of 28 commonly prescribed psychotropic medications was checked in multiple retail community pharmacies in 4 different regions of Saudi Arabia. Further, potential reasons behind the shortage of some psychotropic medications in retail community pharmacies were also explored. Results: Amitriptyline, Amoxapine, Aripiprazole, Bupropion, Buspirone, Duloxetine, Haloperidol, Hydroxyzine, Lithium, Prochlorperazine, Procyclidine, Promethazine, Thioridazine, Trazodone, and Trifluoperazine were unavailable in over half of the 248 community pharmacies surveyed. Four possible reasons behind the shortage of these medications were reported by 31 pharmacists working in different retail community pharmacies' purchasing departments, with a majority (58.06%) reporting the primary reason for a shortage of these medications that they are slow-moving items with low profit margins. Conclusions: The findings of this study should expedite the reform process in both the Ministry of Health and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) to publish and enforce an essential list of medications for retail community pharmacies, which should include the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications.

Efficacy of Insulin Pump Therapy on Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction and Glycemic Control Among Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: A Prospective Study

OpenAIRE

Al Hayek, Ayman A.; Robert, Asirvatham A.; Al Dawish, Mohamed A.; Braham, Rim B.; Goudeh, Hanouf S.; Al Sabaan, Fahad S.

2015-01-01

Introduction The aim of this study was to explore the impact of insulin pump therapy on diabetes treatment satisfaction and glycemic control among patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Saudi Arabia. Methods A 6-month, prospective study was conducted among 47 patients (aged 17?24?years) with T1DM who attended the Insulin Pump Clinic at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between April 2014 and November 2014. The respondents were purposively and conveniently se...

Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever in Saudi Arabia

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

This podcast looks at the epidemiologic characteristics of Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever in humans in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. CDC epidemiologist Dr. Adam MacNeil discusses the severity and risk factors for the illness.

Gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and its role in public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Mobaraki, A E H; Söderfeldt, B

2010-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, local interpretations of Islamic laws and social norms have a negative impact on the health and well-being of women. The objective of this literature review was to discuss gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and its relation to public health. Despite the scarcity of recent statistics and information regarding gender inequity in Saudi Arabia, this review is an attempt to explore this sensitive issue in this country. Women's roles and rights in Saudi society were examined, including education, marriage, polygamy, fertility, job opportunities, car driving and identification cards. Further research to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices towards health care of Saudi men and women is recommended.

Medical internship training in Saudi Arabia: interns’ views and perceptions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swaid AI

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Ali I Swaid,1 Abdelkhalig H Elhilu,2 Mohamed S Mahfouz3 1Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, 2Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, 3Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia Background: Internship training offers an important opportunity for personal development and career planning. However, there are many factors affecting the efficiency of training, and the views of interns are rarely considered. The main objective of this study was to explore the views of interns enrolled in Jazan University internship program during the year 2015. Subjects and methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Jazan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the academic year 2015. To achieve the study goals, an online questionnaire was distributed to all interns (n=85 enrolled in the Jazan University internship program. Results: Results revealed that satisfaction with training was more evident in general surgery and pediatrics (76.1%, n=54 and 77.5%, n=55, respectively. Satisfaction was lowest for obstetrics and gynecology programs (45.1%, n=32, while in internal medicine it was 54.9% (n=39. Training in general surgery and pediatrics was rated as excellent by most of the interns (45.8% and 43.1%, respectively. The picture is reversed in obstetrics and gynecology, as 43.1% rated it as average. More than half of the study sample felt that they were well prepared to start the next step in their career at the end of internship (50.7%, while 25.4% felt that they were moderately prepared. Conclusion: It is clear that training quality in views of interns is variable across the major specialties, and there are some problems in obstetrics and gynecology training. More studies are needed to explore in-depth dimensions of internship training program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Keywords: Jazan University, internship program, gynecology and

Incidence and severity of keratoconus in Asir province, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Assiri, A A; Yousuf, B I; Quantock, A J; Murphy, P J

2005-11-01

To assess the incidence and associated signs and symptoms of patients with keratoconus in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia. 125 new keratoconus patients (51 male, 74 female; mean age 18.5 (SD 3.8) years; range 8--28 years) were recruited from referrals to the department of ophthalmology, Asir Central Hospital, over a 1 year period. Age, visual acuity, and keratometry were recorded along with clinical signs and symptoms. The incidence of keratoconus in Asir Province is 20 cases per 100,000 population. Also, the disease severity is high, as indicated by an early mean age (17.7 (3.6) years) with advanced stage keratoconus. Visual acuity, with either spectacles or rigid contact lenses, was 6/12 or better in 98% of eyes measured. Just over half (56%) of patients had atopic ocular disease. 16% of patients had a positive family history of the disease and 16% had atopic dermatitis (eczema and/or vitiligo). The incidence and severity of keratoconus in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia, is high with an early onset and more rapid progress to the severe disease stage at a young age. This might reflect the influence of genetic and/or environmental factor(s) in the aetiology of keratoconus.

Vitamin D in Saudi Arabia: Prevalence,distribution and disease associations.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Daghri, Nasser M

2018-01-01

More than 33 years have passed since the first paper highlighting vitamin D deficiency as a public health concern in Saudi Arabia was published in 1983. Despite "early" detection,it wasn't until the year 2010 where the interest in vitamin D research grew exponentially worldwide and was finally visible in Saudi clinical and academic areas. Since then,many landmark studies have been generated with regards to the physiologic functions of vitamin D,both skeletal and extra-skeletal. This review is limited to the prevalence,distribution A systematic review on the prevalence studies done in KSA from 2011 to 2016 was done and revealed that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (Saudi Arabia among different populations (adults,children and adolescents,newborns and pregnant/lactating women) is 81.0% (Confidence Interval 95% 68.0-90.0),in line with most neighboring Gulf countries. Vitamin D deficiency in KSA has been mostly associated with bone and insulin-resistant diseases but limited data are available to prove causality. In conclusion,there is a need to develop local consensus guidelines that will identify candidates for screening,monitoring and treating those who are at most risk for vitamin D deficiency complications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban Unrest and Non-Religious Radicalization in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Menoret , Pascal

2009-01-01

The expressions of dissent in contemporary Saudi Arabia, whether through violent action or ideological and theological constructions, are well documented today. The very contexts within which violence appears and develops are less well known. If it is essential to read and analyse the Islamic discourses and to observe and interpret the history of Islamic activism in Saudi Arabia, such an elitist focus may overlook more discrete events that might explain the way ordinary people refer to state ...

A rare case of prostatic abscess caused by Brucella organisms: First report in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anwar Hamdi Alenazi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that is known endemic infection in Saudi Arabia. Yet, this infection has not been reported as evident cause of prostatic abscess. we present a new case of prostatic abscess caused by brucella organism proven using pus culture and serology. These organisms should be suspected in patients presenting with clinical picture of prostatic abscess especially in endemic areas.

Assisted reproductive technology in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Abduljabbar, Hassan S; Amin, Rubina

2009-04-01

This paper aims at presenting details of the application of assisted reproductive technology and the impact of the Islamic law (Sharia) on its practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Analysis of the data sourced from manual searches of bibliographies from key articles showed that this technology in KSA is practiced in a strictly religious manner and certain aspects of the technology are completely forbidden. It further showed that lack of an official government in-vitro fertilization (IVF) registry to gather information on the activities of IVF clinics has limited the data available for international comparisons. Sharing information internationally could allow religiously concerned infertile couples to have access to the reproductive services in the Kingdom. It would further improve the quality of care, enhance certain techniques like in-vitro maturation and experimentation on embryos, by providing resources that are currently unavailable, keeping in view the religious beliefs and avoiding conflicts.

A re-examination of the Salicornias (Amaranthaceae of Saudi Arabia and their polymorphs

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Turki Ali Al-Turki

2017-11-01

Full Text Available During the period from 1964 to 1999 Saudi Arabian species of Salicornia were wrongly treated under the European species, S. europaea L. Recent explorations proved that there are two separate allopatric species of Salicornia in Saudi Arabia, one inhabiting the inland salt-marshes of the Najd (highlands and the other inhabiting the Arabian Gulf Coast (lowlands. Morphological, ecological and exploratory studies confirm that they are two distinct species. The two species differ in features of bark, axillary spikes, basal vegetative segment(s of spike, fertile segments, colour of senescent plants, and flowering, fruiting and germination phenology. As both the species have been described earlier from Iran, they are now new records for Saudi Arabia. The species are, S. persica ssp. iranica (Akhani Kadereit & Piirainen and S. sinus-persica Akhani. S. sinus-persica, of which the status was thought doubtful has been confirmed. Both the species have been described and illustrated. Each species comprises a number of polymorphs. As leaves and flowers are rudimentary, confusing species circumscriptions, a proliferation of binomials has resulted in the taxonomy of Salicornia. To mitigate such confusion, the full range of variability of the Saudi Arabian species has been documented.

Stroke in Saudi Arabia: a review of the recent literature | Asirvatham ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the largest country in the Middle East occupying approximately four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula supporting a population of more than 28 million. Stroke is becoming a rapidly increasing problem and an important cause of illness and deaths in Saudi Arabia. However, compared with ...

Tracking the India-Arabia Transform Plate Boundary during Paleogene Times.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, M.; Huchon, P.; Chamot-Rooke, N. R. A.; Fournier, M.; Delescluse, M.

2014-12-01

The Zagros and Himalaya mountain belts are the most prominent reliefs built by continental collision. They respectively result from Arabia and India collision with Eurasia. Convergence motions at mountain belts induced most of plate reorganization events in the Indian Ocean during the Cenozoic. Although critical for paleogeographic reconstructions, the way relative motion between Arabia and India was accommodated prior to the formation of the Sheba ridge in the Gulf of Aden remains poorly understood. The India-Arabia plate-boundary belongs to the category of long-lived (~90-Ma) oceanic transform faults, thus providing a good case study to investigate the role of major kinematic events over the structural evolution of a long-lived transform system. A seismic dataset crossing the Owen Fracture Zone, the Owen Basin, and the Oman Margin was acquired to track the past locations of the India-Arabia plate boundary. We highlight the composite age of the Owen Basin basement, made of Paleocene oceanic crust drilled on its eastern part, and composed of pre-Maastrichtian continental crust overlaid by Early Paleocene ophiolites on its western side. A major transform fault system crossing the Owen Basin juxtaposed these two slivers of lithosphere of different ages, and controlled the uplift of marginal ridges along the Oman Margin. This transform system deactivated ~40 Ma ago, coeval with the onset of ultra-slow spreading at the Carlsberg Ridge. The transform boundary then jumped to the edge of the present-day Owen Ridge during the Late Eocene-Oligocene period, before seafloor spreading began at the Sheba Ridge. This migration of the plate boundary involved the transfer of a part of the Indian oceanic lithosphere accreted at the Carlsberg Ridge to the Arabian plate. The episode of plate transfer at the India-Arabia plate boundary during the Late Eocene-Oligocene interval is synchronous with a global plate reorganization event corresponding to geological events at the Zagros and

Vocational Education to Meet the Needs of a Changing Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Clifton P.

Faced with sizable oil revenues and the need and desire to expand and diversify its industrial potential, Saudi Arabia is improving its vocational training efforts and attempting to involve as many of its citizens in vocational training programs as possible. At present, Saudi Arabia is having to import skilled workers to keep up with necessary…

Comparison between hybrid renewable energy systems in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisham El Khashab

2015-05-01

This paper investigates RE sources applications at Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, besides a simulation using HOMER software to three proposed systems newly erected in Yanbu Industrial College Renewable Energy (RE lab. The lab represents a hybrid system, composed of PV, wind turbine, and Fuel cell systems. The cost of energy is compared in the three systems to have an actual estimation for RE in developing countries. The climatic variations at Yanbu that is located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia are considered.

Ground Motion Prediction Equations for Western Saudi Arabia from a Reference Model

Science.gov (United States)

Kiuchi, R.; Mooney, W. D.; Mori, J. J.; Zahran, H. M.; Al-Raddadi, W.; Youssef, S.

2017-12-01

Western Saudi Arabia is surrounded by several active seismic zones such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba where a destructive magnitude 7.3 event occurred in 1995. Over the last decade, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has deployed a dense seismic network that has made it possible to monitor seismic activity more accurately. For example, the network has detected multiple seismic swarms beneath the volcanic fields in western Saudi Arabia. The most recent damaging event was a M5.7 earthquake that occurred in 2009 at Harrat Lunayyir. In terms of seismic hazard assessment, Zahran et al. (2015; 2016) presented a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) for western Saudi Arabia that was developed using published Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) from areas outside of Saudi Arabia. In this study, we consider 41 earthquakes of M 3.0 - 5.4, recorded on 124 stations of the SGS network, to create a set of 442 peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) records with a range of epicentral distances from 3 km to 400 km. We use the GMPE model BSSA14 (Boore et al., 2014) as a reference model to estimate our own best-fitting coefficients from a regression analysis using the events occurred in western Saudi Arabia. For epicentral distances less than 100 km, our best fitting model has different source scaling in comparison with the GMPE of BSSA14 adjusted for the California region. In addition, our model indicates that the peak amplitudes have less attenuation in western Saudi Arabia than in California.

Rabies in Saudi Arabia: a need for epidemiological data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziad A. Memish

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Rabies is endemic in animals in the Arabian Peninsula. Although Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Peninsula, little has been published about the rabies situation in the country. A total of 11 069 animal bites to humans were reported during 2007–2009, and 40 animals suspected of rabies were examined for rabies infection from 2005 through 2010. Results suggest that animal-related injuries in Saudi Arabia remain a public health problem, with feral dogs accounting for the majority of bites to humans and for the majority of animals found to be rabid. Over the last 10 years, no confirmed human rabies case has been reported. More detailed information about the epidemiology of animal bites and that of animal rabies in Saudi Arabia would be of great interest, notably to provide a basis on which vaccination recommendations could be made for the numerous international travellers visiting the country.

Women's Education in Saudi Arabia

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Alsuwaida, Nouf

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the historical, political, ideological (value), and government policies of women's education in Saudi Arabia implicated within teaching and learning, how women's higher education has changed over time in the realm of Saudi cultural traditions and religious norms. It also highlights the golden era of women's higher education.…

Glycemic indices, glycemic load and glycemic response for seventeen varieties of dates grown in Saudi Arabia.

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AlGeffari, Metab Ali; Almogbel, Ebtehal Solaiman; Alhomaidan, Homaidan Turki; El-Mergawi, Ragab; Barrimah, Issam Alsaed

2016-01-01

Dates are consumed worldwide, and are an important fruit for many individuals in Saudi Arabia. Currently, limited information is available on the glycemic indices of different date varieties. To determine the glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and glycemic response for 17 common date varieties in Saudi Arabia. Prospective clinical trial on healthy subjects. College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The available carbohydrate content of Tamer stage dates was determined using standard laboratory methods. Healthy subjects (ten males and nine females) received 50 g of glucose (on three separate occasions) and 50 g equivalent of available carbohydrates from the seventeen varieties of date (each once). The GI and GL were then calculated. GI, GL, and glycemic response. The mean (SEM) GI of the date samples was 55.2 (7.7) (range, 42.8-74.6). Sellaj and Maktoomi exhibited the highest GI (74.6 [10.1] and 71.0 [11.1]), respectively, whereas Shaqra, Sukkary, and Sag'ai had the lowest GI (42.8 [5.5], 43.4 [4.7] and 44.6 [6]), respectively. The GL of the date samples ranged from 8.5 to 24. Sellaj had a high GL (24), whereas Ajwah and Shaqra had a low GL (8.5 and 9.2). The analyses suggested no significant difference in GI between the date varieties. However, the GL values differed significantly between the 17 date varieties (P Saudi Arabia. The identification of date varieties with lower glycemic responses may help lower the GI of the diet of both healthy and diabetic Saudi individuals. We used dates at the Tamer stage, which may not be translatable to all types of dates.

Assessing the current state of dental informatics in saudi arabia: the new frontier.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Nasser, Lubna; Al-Ehaideb, Ali; Househ, Mowafa

2014-01-01

Dental informatics is an emerging field that has the potential to transform the dental profession. This study aims to summarize the current applications of dental informatics in Saudi Arabia and to identify the challenges facing expansion of dental informatics in the Saudi context. Search for published articles and specialized forum entries was conducted, as well as interviews with dental professionals familiar with the topic. Results indicated that digital radiography/analysis and administrative management of dental practice are the commonest applications used. Applications in Saudi dental education included: web-based learning systems, computer-based assessments and virtual technology for clinical skills' teaching. Patients' education software, electronic dental/oral health records and the potential of dental research output from electronic databases are yet to be achieved in Saudi Arabia. Challenges facing Saudi dental informatics include: lack of IT infrastructure/support, social acceptability and financial cost. Several initiatives are taken towards the research in dental informatics. Still, more investments are needed to fully achieve the potential of various application of informatics in dental education, practice and research.

Utilization of penile prosthesis and male incontinence prosthetics in Saudi Arabia

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Amjad Alwaal

2017-01-01

Conclusions: There is an increased utilization of penile prosthetics in Saudi Arabia. The private sector performs the majority of penile prosthesis procedures, and most of them are of the semirigid type. The governmental sector is more likely to perform inflatable penile prosthesis and male incontinence device procedures. Male incontinence prosthetics' use is very limited in Saudi Arabia.

A finite and stable exponential growth-adjusted indirect cost of cancer associated with discounted years of life lost in Saudi Arabia

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Omar B. Da'ar

2018-05-01

Conclusion: Our findings reveal evidence of indirect cost associated with cancer premature deaths in Saudi Arabia. In order to develop cancer control actions, the results of this study can inform health system policymakers not only of the extent of the enormous economic burden but also drawing attention to epidemiological and economic factors that explain the variability of the burden.

Too costly to matter: Economics of nuclear power for Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Ali; Ramana, M.V.

2014-01-01

Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans for nuclear power. Given this context, this paper examines the economics of nuclear power and compares it to two other sources of electricity, natural gas and solar energy. It calculates the costs of electricity generation, water desalination and the opportunity cost associated with forgone oil and gas revenues. A sensitivity analysis is included to account for variations in important parameters within the comparative cost analysis. Our results suggest that for a large range of parameters, the economics of nuclear power are not favorable in comparison with natural gas, even if the currently low domestic natural gas prices in Saudi Arabia were to rise substantially. Further, electricity from solar plants has the potential to be cheaper than nuclear power within the next decade if the rapid decline in solar energy costs in the last decade continue, i.e., before the first planned nuclear power plant would be completed. However, unless the price of oil drops substantially below current values, it would be more economically optimal to export the oil than using it for generating electricity. - Highlights: • Future projections show nuclear power is not cost effective for Saudi Arabia. • A combination of solar and natural gas could largely meet future electricity demand. • There are multiple, non-economic, motivations for Saudi Arabia's nuclear program. • Saudi Arabia would economically benefit by not using oil for electricity generation

Seismicity of the Tihamat-Asir region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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Merghelani, Habib M.

1979-01-01

Knowledge of the seismicity of the west coast of Saudi Arabia is vitally important to the Kingdom. The eastern margin of the Red Sea, which includes all of the west coast of Saudi Arabia, is possibly cut by transform faults that may be capable of producing earthquakes large enough to cause damage in the heavily populated areas or in the industrial complexes under construction. Prior to this study, there were no seismic stations in Saudi Arabia and no studies of microearthquake activity. It was generally assumed that there were no active faults along the west coast. During the period 20 January to 22 February, 1978, five portable seismic stations were deployed in the Tihamat Asir in the southwest part of the country. A significant level of microearthquake activity was detected at a location that approximately coincides with the landward extension of the proposed transform fault. The recording of these earthquakes demonstrates that there are active faults at this location, probably associated with the currently active Red Sea tectonic system. The practical significance of these earthquakes cannot be evaluated from the few data available, and further studies should be undertaken to determine if there are significant seismic hazards along the west coast of Saudi Arabia. 

EGovernment Stage Model: Evaluating the Rate of Web Development Progress of Government Websites in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Osama Alfarraj; Steve Drew; Rayed Abdullah AlGhamdi

2011-01-01

This paper contributes to the issue of eGovernment implementation in Saudi Arabia by discussing the current situation of ministry websites. It evaluates the rate of web development progress of vital government websites in Saudi Arabia using the eGovernment stage model. In 2010, Saudi Arabia ranked 58th in the world and 4th in the Gulf region in eGovernment readiness according to United Nations reports. In particular, Saudi Arabia has ranked 75th worldwide for its online service index and its ...

Strategies to address the nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia.

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Aboshaiqah, A

2016-09-01

To investigate the nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia and specifically the shortage of Saudi nurses in the healthcare workforce and to propose solutions. Literature published from 1993 to 2013 providing relevant information on the nursing shortage, cultural traditions and beliefs, and nursing education and policies in Saudi was accessed from multiple sources including Medline, CINAHL Plus and Google Scholar and from official Saudi government document and was reviewed. Saudi Arabia depends largely on an expatriate workforce, and this applies to nursing. Saudi Arabia is experiencing a nursing shortage in common with most countries in the world and a shortage of Saudi nationals, especially women, in the healthcare workforce. The world shortage of nursing is extrinsic to Saudi, but intrinsic factors include a poor image of the nursing profession in the country that is exacerbated by cultural factors. With the call for the Saudization of the workforce to replace the imported workforce by Saudi nationals, including nurses, through the 1992 Royal Decree, Saudi Arabia faces a problem in attracting and retaining Saudi nationals in the nursing workforce. Solutions are suggested that are aimed at improving the public image of nursing through education and the use of the media and improvements in the workplace by addressing working processes such as teamwork, ensuring adequate staffing levels and addressing some aspects of culture which may make working in nursing more compatible with being a Saudi national. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Mental health system in Saudi Arabia: an overview

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Qureshi NA

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Naseem Akhtar Qureshi,1 Abdulhameed Abdullah Al-Habeeb,2 Harold G Koenig3 1General Administration for Research and Studies, 2Mental Health and Social Services, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Background: There is evidence that mapping mental health systems (MHSs helps in planning and developing mental health care services for users, families, and other caregivers. The General Administration of Mental Health and Social Services of the Ministry of Health over the past 4 years has sought to streamline the delivery of mental health care services to health consumers in Saudi Arabia. Objective: We overview here the outcome of a survey that assessed the Saudi MHS and suggest strategic steps for its further improvement. Method: The World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems was used systematically to collect information on the Saudi MHS in 2009–2010, 4 years after a baseline assessment. Results: Several mental health care milestones, especially provision of inpatient mental health services supported by a ratified Mental Health Act, were achieved during this period. However, community mental health care services are needed to match international trends evident in developed countries. Similarly, a larger well-trained mental health workforce is needed at all levels to meet the ever-increasing demand of Saudi society. Conclusion: This updated MHS information, discussed in light of international data, will help guide further development of the MHS in Saudi Arabia in the future, and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region may also benefit from Saudi experience. Keywords: Saudi Arabia, mental health system, organization, legal issues, research, training

High prevalence of the PER-1 gene among carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Aly, M M; Abu Alsoud, N M; Elrobh, M S; Al Johani, S M; Balkhy, H H

2016-11-01

The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Saudi Arabia and their resistance genetic mechanisms are yet to be identified. We studied the prevalence and genetic diversity of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase genes, particularly the PER-1 gene, among carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii strains from patients at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 2006 and 2014. Fresh subcultured samples were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Total genomic DNA was extracted from each isolate and further used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping, sequence-based typing (SBT) of PER-1 and OXA-51-like gene, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of positive isolates. Randomly selected clinical isolates (n = 100) were subjected to MLST. A total of 503 isolates were characterized as multidrug-resistant (MDR) using the MIC. Isolates were further PCR tested for bla -TEM and bla -PER-1 resistance genes (n = 503). The genotyping results showed that 68/503 (14 %) isolates were positive to bla TEM. The genotyping results of PER-1-like genes showed that 384/503 (76.3 %) were positive among MDR Acinetobacter isolates. Based on SBT, the majority of these isolates were clustered into three main groups including isolates harboring PER-1: AB11 (bla -PER-1 ), isolate AB16 (bla -PER-1 ), and, finally, the plasmid pAB154 (bla -PER-7 ). Remarkably, many isolates were concealing the PER-1 gene and harboring the TEM resistance genes as well. MLST results for selected isolates (n = 100) identified four main sequence types (STs: 2, 19, 20, and 25) and four novel isolates (ST 486-489). We report 76.3 % prevalence of the PER-1 resistance gene among Acinetobacter clinical isolates from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Further work is needed to explore the clinical risks and patient outcome with such resistance related to healthcare-associated infections and investigate the genetic and molecular mechanisms that confer the MDR

Combining clinical variables to optimize prediction of antidepressant treatment outcomes.

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Iniesta, Raquel; Malki, Karim; Maier, Wolfgang; Rietschel, Marcella; Mors, Ole; Hauser, Joanna; Henigsberg, Neven; Dernovsek, Mojca Zvezdana; Souery, Daniel; Stahl, Daniel; Dobson, Richard; Aitchison, Katherine J; Farmer, Anne; Lewis, Cathryn M; McGuffin, Peter; Uher, Rudolf

2016-07-01

The outcome of treatment with antidepressants varies markedly across people with the same diagnosis. A clinically significant prediction of outcomes could spare the frustration of trial and error approach and improve the outcomes of major depressive disorder through individualized treatment selection. It is likely that a combination of multiple predictors is needed to achieve such prediction. We used elastic net regularized regression to optimize prediction of symptom improvement and remission during treatment with escitalopram or nortriptyline and to identify contributing predictors from a range of demographic and clinical variables in 793 adults with major depressive disorder. A combination of demographic and clinical variables, with strong contributions from symptoms of depressed mood, reduced interest, decreased activity, indecisiveness, pessimism and anxiety significantly predicted treatment outcomes, explaining 5-10% of variance in symptom improvement with escitalopram. Similar combinations of variables predicted remission with area under the curve 0.72, explaining approximately 15% of variance (pseudo R(2)) in who achieves remission, with strong contributions from body mass index, appetite, interest-activity symptom dimension and anxious-somatizing depression subtype. Escitalopram-specific outcome prediction was more accurate than generic outcome prediction, and reached effect sizes that were near or above a previously established benchmark for clinical significance. Outcome prediction on the nortriptyline arm did not significantly differ from chance. These results suggest that easily obtained demographic and clinical variables can predict therapeutic response to escitalopram with clinically meaningful accuracy, suggesting a potential for individualized prescription of this antidepressant drug. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The occurrence of emerging trace organic chemicals in wastewater effluents in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Alidina, Mazahirali; Hoppe-Jones, Christiane; Yoon, Min; Hamadeh, Ahmed F.; Li, Dong; Drewes, Jorg

2014-01-01

. This study provides the first reconnaissance of TOrC occurrence in wastewater effluents within Saudi Arabia. Four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs 1-4) located in Western Saudi Arabia were sampled hourly over twelve-hour periods, for a total of six sampling

The Physician-Patient Relationship and its Association with Self-Efficacy in Female Patients Managing Chronic Diseases in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alghabiwi, Reem; Palianopoulou, Maria; Eklund Karlsson, Leena

2018-01-01

-efficacy in self-managing chronic disease in 253 female patients aged 18-55 years from six primary care clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using two standard questionnaires (PDRQ-9 and SEMCD) and analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (SPSS Software). Our findings showed...

Characteristics of Rheumatoid Arthritis relative to HLA-DR in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Arfaj, Abdurhman S.

2001-01-01

The objective was to determine the clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis in Saudi Arabia in relation to human leukocyte antigen type. A group of 91 rheumatoid arthritis patients, 72 females and 19 males were studied for the various clinical, laboratory and radiological parameters along with human leukocyte antigen-DR phenotypes. Since human leukocyte antigen-DR10 was most commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis in our population, we compared those patients with human leukocyte antigen-DR10 to those without. The comparison yielded differences in the presence of rheumatoid nodules, erosions, corticosteroid treatment, and joint involvement at presentation, hemoglobin levels, and white cell count. Only the last 3 parameters showed a statistical significance. Human leukocyte antigen type of Saudi patients with rheumatoid arthritis influenced the course of the disease but only to a limited extent. (author)

Leadership style and organisational commitment among nursing staff in Saudi Arabia.

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Al-Yami, Mansour; Galdas, Paul; Watson, Roger

2018-03-23

To examine how nurse managers' leadership styles, and nurses' organisational commitment in Saudi Arabia relate. Effective leadership is influential in staff retention; however, recruiting and maintaining nurses is an increasing problem in Saudi Arabia. Using a survey design, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire were distributed to a sample of 219 nurses and nurse managers from two hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Transformational leadership was the most dominant leadership style. After controlling for the influence of manager/staff status, nationality and hospitals, transformational leadership was the strongest contributor to organisational commitment. Perceptions of both transformational and transactional leadership styles, increased with age for nurse managers and nursing staff. Introducing the Full Range of Leadership model to the Saudi nursing workforce could help to prepare Saudi nurses for positions as nurse managers and leaders. The study provides insight into the type of leadership that is best suited to the dynamic and changing health care system in Saudi Arabia. It is possible that transformational leaders could influence and induce positive changes in nursing. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Nursing Management Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

eHealth in Saudi Arabia: Current Trends, Challenges and Recommendations.

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Alsulame, Khaled; Khalifa, Mohamed; Househ, Mowafa

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the current status of eHealth in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of health informatics professionals. We used a case study approach and analyzed participant data using thematic analysis. The study took place between July and August 2013. Data collection included interviews with nine senior health information professionals in Saudi Arabia. The findings describe participant views on current eHealth trends in Saudi Arabia and show differences among Saudi healthcare organizations in terms of eHealth adoption. Participants also describe the challenges relating to organizational and cultural issues, end user attitudes towards eHealth projects, and the lack of specialized human resources to implement eHealth systems. Two main recommendations made by the participants were to form a new national body for eHealth and to develop a unified plan for the implementation of Saudi eHealth initiatives.

Supervolcanoes within an ancient volcanic province in Arabia Terra, Mars.

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Michalski, Joseph R; Bleacher, Jacob E

2013-10-03

Several irregularly shaped craters located within Arabia Terra, Mars, represent a new type of highland volcanic construct and together constitute a previously unrecognized Martian igneous province. Similar to terrestrial supervolcanoes, these low-relief paterae possess a range of geomorphic features related to structural collapse, effusive volcanism and explosive eruptions. Extruded lavas contributed to the formation of enigmatic highland ridged plains in Arabia Terra. Outgassed sulphur and erupted fine-grained pyroclastics from these calderas probably fed the formation of altered, layered sedimentary rocks and fretted terrain found throughout the equatorial region. The discovery of a new type of volcanic construct in the Arabia volcanic province fundamentally changes the picture of ancient volcanism and climate evolution on Mars. Other eroded topographic basins in the ancient Martian highlands that have been dismissed as degraded impact craters should be reconsidered as possible volcanic constructs formed in an early phase of widespread, disseminated magmatism on Mars.

Adult Education in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Tim D.; Algren, Mark S.

Religion pervades all aspects of Saudi Arabia, the conservative home of Islam, where the constitution is the Quran and law is interpreted by religious scholars. A formal adult basic education program was initiated in 1960. As part of the country's modernization since the early 1970s, the Saudi government has begun an enormous nation-building plan…

Questionnaire-based analysis of infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities in Saudi Arabia in regards to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabaan, Ali A; Alhani, Hatem M; Bazzi, Ali M; Al-Ahmed, Shamsah H

Effective implementation of infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities depends on training, awareness and compliance of healthcare workers. In Saudi Arabia recent significant hospital outbreaks, including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), have resulted from lack of, or breakdown in, infection prevention and control procedures. This study was designed to assess attitudes to, and awareness of, infection prevention and control policies and guidelines among healthcare workers of different professions and institution types in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was administered to 607 healthcare workers including physicians (n=133), nurses (n=162), laboratory staff (n=233) and other staff (n=79) in government hospitals, private hospitals and poly clinics. Results were compared using Chi square analysis according to profession type, institution type, age group and nationality (Saudi or non-Saudi) to assess variability. Responses suggested that there are relatively high levels of uncertainty among healthcare workers across a range of infection prevention and control issues, including institution-specific issues, surveillance and reporting standards, and readiness and competence to implement policies and respond to outbreaks. There was evidence to suggest that staff in private hospitals and nurses were more confident than other staff types. Carelessness of healthcare workers was the top-cited factor contributing to causes of outbreaks (65.07% of total group), and hospital infrastructure and design was the top-cited factor contributing to spread of infection in the hospital (54.20%), followed closely by lack and shortage of staff (53.71%) and no infection control training program (51.73%). An electronic surveillance system was considered the most effective by staff (81.22%). We have identified areas of concern among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia on infection prevention and control which vary between institutions and among different

Seasonal Evaporation and Surface Energy Budget Estimation Across an Arid Agricultural Region in Saudi Arabia: Quantifying Groundwater Extraction

Science.gov (United States)

Aragon, B.; Huang, D.; Houborg, R.; Dasari, H. P.; Hoteit, I.; McCabe, M.

2017-12-01

In arid-land agricultural environments, knowledge of the water and energy budget is critical in order to sustainably manage the allocation and use of water resources. Using long-term weather reanalysis data from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a time-series record of Landsat 8 imagery, we apply the Priestly-Taylor Jet Propulsion Lab (PT-JPL) model to estimate the energy budget over the Al Jawf agricultural region in the north of Saudi Arabia. This zone generates a significant proportion of the agricultural production in Saudi Arabia and consumes an important fraction of the non-renewable water resources. This research contributes towards efforts seeking to quantify the precise amount of water that is used in agriculture - a difficult variable given that the overwhelming majority of supply comes from groundwater extraction. Results of this research can be used to improve crop management and to mitigate aquifer over-exploitation by monitoring the indiscriminate use of water and establishing bounds around the rates of groundwater withdrawal.

Clinical Implications of Glucose Variability: Chronic Complications of Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hye Seung Jung

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Glucose variability has been identified as a potential risk factor for diabetic complications; oxidative stress is widely regarded as the mechanism by which glycemic variability induces diabetic complications. However, there remains no generally accepted gold standard for assessing glucose variability. Representative indices for measuring intraday variability include calculation of the standard deviation along with the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE. MAGE is used to measure major intraday excursions and is easily measured using continuous glucose monitoring systems. Despite a lack of randomized controlled trials, recent clinical data suggest that long-term glycemic variability, as determined by variability in hemoglobin A1c, may contribute to the development of microvascular complications. Intraday glycemic variability is also suggested to accelerate coronary artery disease in high-risk patients.

Core inflation indicators for Saudi Arabia

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Alkhareif Ryadh M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper constructs and analyzes core inflation indicators for Saudi Arabia for the period of March 2012 to May 2014 using two alternative approaches: the exclusion method (ex food and housing/rent and the statistical method. The findings of the analysis suggest that the ex food and housing/ rent inflation is more volatile than the overall CPI inflation over the sample period. In contrast, the statistical core inflation is relatively more stable and less volatile. Moreover, the ex food and housing/rent inflation is only weakly correlated with headline inflation, whereas the statistical core inflation exhibits a stronger correlation. This combination of lower volatility and higher correlation with headline inflation makes the statistical method a much better choice for policymakers. From a monetary policy standpoint, using a bundle of core inflation measures, including both properly constructed exclusion and statistical methods, is more desirable, especially when variation across measures is widespread, as is the case in Saudi Arabia.

Peaceful nuclear energy to Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melibary, A.R.; Wirtz, K.

1980-11-01

The argument for and against the application of peaceful nuclear energy in Saudi Arabia is discussed in terms of the country's industrial development and power requirement for electricity and desalination. The discussion leads to the conclusion that due to its large oil reserve, Saudi Arabia may tolerate a considerate approach to nuclear energy up to the year 2000. Beyond this date, nuclear energy should be used in order to achieve the desired industrial maturity in the country. The introduction of nuclear energy, however, will be faced with three constraints, namely man power availability, cooling water requirement, and the size of the electrical grid. The period 1980-2000 is thus most suitable for important preparation steps, among which are the adoption of regulatory provisions, establishment of nuclear facilities with necessary equipments, and staff training for regulatory, organizational, and technical activities. The paper outlines a scheme for the initiation steps and efforts to meet these requirements. (orig.) [de

Interactions between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alosaimi, Fahad Dakheel; Alkaabba, Abdulaziz; Qadi, Mahdi; Albahlal, Abdullah; Alabdulkarim, Yasir; Alabduljabbar, Mohammad; Alqahtani, Faisal

2013-01-01

Interaction between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representative (PR) is a major component of the promotional activities by pharmaceutical companies. The lack of studies examining the magnitude of this interaction in Saudi Arabia is evident. The objective of this study is to estimate the magnitude and associated characteristics of physician-PR interaction. A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working in the different regions of Saudi Arabia between March and July of 2012. A cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and July of 2012 in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. A self-administrated questionnaire was developed and handed to all participants, both in paper and electronic formats. A total of 663 participants completed the questionnaire. The participation rate was 66.3% (663/1000). The majority of the participants (72.9%) reported interaction with PRs. This was lower among residents/interns compared to higher ranking employees (55.6% vs 83.6%, P strategy to reduce negative impact.

Childhood Depression: Relation to Adaptive, Clinical and Predictor Variables

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Maite Garaigordobil

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The study had two goals: (1 to explore the relations between self-assessed childhood depression and other adaptive and clinical variables (2 to identify predictor variables of childhood depression. Participants were 420 students aged 7–10 years old (53.3% boys, 46.7% girls. Results revealed: (1 positive correlations between depression and clinical maladjustment, school maladjustment, emotional symptoms, internalizing and externalizing problems, problem behaviors, emotional reactivity, and childhood stress; and (2 negative correlations between depression and personal adaptation, global self-concept, social skills, and resilience (sense of competence and affiliation. Linear regression analysis including the global dimensions revealed 4 predictors of childhood depression that explained 50.6% of the variance: high clinical maladjustment, low global self-concept, high level of stress, and poor social skills. However, upon introducing the sub-dimensions, 9 predictor variables emerged that explained 56.4% of the variance: many internalizing problems, low family self-concept, high anxiety, low responsibility, low personal self-assessment, high social stress, few aggressive behaviors toward peers, many health/psychosomatic problems, and external locus of control. The discussion addresses the importance of implementing prevention programs for childhood depression at early ages.

The prevalence and determinants of poor glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia

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Alzaheb RA

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Riyadh A Alzaheb,1 Abdullah H Altemani2 1Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, 2Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia Background: Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM is rising sharply in Saudi Arabia, data on glycemic control, crucial to reducing diabetes mellitus complications, remain scarce. This study therefore investigated glycemic control status and the factors influencing poor glycemic control among adult T2DM patients in Saudi Arabia.Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 423 T2DM patients at a diabetic center in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia between September 2016 and July 2017. Glycemic levels were measured via fasting blood glucose (FBG levels, and “poor glycemic control” was defined as FBG >130 mg/dL. Poor glycemic control’s risk factors were identified using a logistic regression.Results: In the sample, 74.9% of the patients had poor blood glycemic control. Logistic regression revealed that T2DM patients had an increased chance of poorly controlled diabetes if they had family histories of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =7.38, 95% CI 4.09–13.31, longer diabetic durations (AOR =2.33, 95% CI 1.14–4.78 for 5–10 years and AOR =5.19, 95% CI 2.50–10.69 for >10 years, insufficient physical exercise (AOR =19.02, 95% CI 6.23–58.06, or were overweight (AOR =3.79, 95% CI 2.00–7.18, or obese (AOR =5.35, 95% CI 2.72–12.59.Conclusion: A high proportion of the sampled patients had poor glycemic control, therefore, health care professionals should manage the associated risk factors to limit disease complications and improve the health of patients with diabetes. Keywords: type 2 diabetes, glycemic control, Saudi Arabia

Clinical polymorphism and variability in education of autistic children

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Morozov S.A.Morozova T.I.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Children with autism spectrum disorders are considered a highly heterogeneous group by clinical signs, which makes it impossible to develop a common method of correctional and educational development for them. In this article, results of an analysis of clinical, psychological and pedagogic polymorphism in autism spectrum disorders are shown, emphasized are its main components and basic consequences necessary for organizing education. Results are viewed in the context of the principle of variability in education. A dual structure of variability in education of autistic children has been discovered. Shortly reviewed are some topical problems of correctional education process for autism spectrum disorders

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Blanchard, Christopher M

2008-01-01

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant political and economic influence as the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large energy reserves...

Decadal Variation of Precipitation in Saudi Arabia induced by Agricultural Irrigation

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, M. H.; Wey, H. W.; Wada, Y.; IM, E. S.; Chien, R. Y.; Wu, R. J.

2017-12-01

Decadal variation of wet-season precipitation has been found in the arid region of central Saudi Arabia. 1980s has been a rather wet decade compared with the decades before. Previous studies have mentioned that the irrigation moisture may contribute to the precipitation anomalies in Saudi Arabia. In the current study, we show from observational data that the contribution of the variation comes mostly from February to May. As the irrigation is a localized forcing, we therefore use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to simulate the response of the land-atmosphere interaction to the wet soil moisture resulted from additional irrigation moisture supply. Preliminary result shows in the irrigated simulation that precipitation in central Saudi Arabia is enhanced, indicating the possible link between irrigation expansion in the 1980s and the decadal precipitation variation over central Saudi Arabia. We propose it is the anomalous convergence induced by irrigation as well as additional moisture that contribute to the enhanced precipitation over heavily irrigation region in the central Saudi Arabian. In addition, analysis on the daily precipitation from the WRF outputs indicates that positive rainfall anomalies tend to happen when there is rainfall originally; that is, irrigation enhances rainfall but not creates rainfall.

Smart phone usage and addiction among dental students in Saudi Arabia: a cross sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatesh, Elluru; Jemal, Mohammad Yousef Al; Samani, Abdullah Saleh Al

2017-04-06

Purpose The main aim of this research is to explore measures of smart phone usage, smart phone addiction, and their associations with demographic and health behavior-related variables among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Methods A Cross sectional study involving sample of 205 dental students from Qaseem Private College were surveyed for smart phone use and addiction using the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale for Adolescents (SAS-SV). Results Smart phone addiction was seen in 136 (71.9%) of the 189 students. The findings from our study revealed that high stress levels, low physical activity, higher body mass index (BMI), longer duration of smart phone usage, higher frequency of usage, shorter time period until first smart phone use in the morning and social networking sites (SNS) were associated significantly with the smart phone addiction. Conclusion The current research gives the information about the extent of smart phone over usage and addiction among the dental students in Saudi Arabia with indication of the predictors of addiction and the need for further research in the area with comprehensible interpretation to spread the awareness of the smart phone addiction.

Cost containment: the Middle East. Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, R W

1994-08-01

The 1970s and early 1980s saw the phenomenal growth and development of healthcare services in Saudi Arabia. This growth was unique in that it took place in a country that lacked basic infrastructure and trained personnel, but had recently acquired great wealth. Developments that took hundreds of years to occur in other countries took only 20 yrs to attain in Saudi Arabia. This growth posed unique challenges and required novel solutions. Recently, the country has had to cope with a drastic decrease in oil revenue, as well as cutbacks in healthcare funding. Now that the basic foundations of a national healthcare service have been constructed, it remains to be seen whether gains can be consolidated and steady progress made as more and more Saudi nationals take over and run their own public and private healthcare services.

Complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of dengue type 1 virus isolated from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Azhar, Esam I; Hashem, Anwar M; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Abol-Ela, Said; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; Sohrab, Sayed Sartaj; Farraj, Suha A; Othman, Norah A; Ben-Helaby, Huda G; Ashshi, Ahmed; Madani, Tariq A; Jamjoom, Ghazi

2015-01-16

Dengue viruses (DENVs) are mosquito-borne viruses which can cause disease ranging from mild fever to severe dengue infection. These viruses are endemic in several tropical and subtropical regions. Multiple outbreaks of DENV serotypes 1, 2 and 3 (DENV-1, DENV-2 and DENV-3) have been reported from the western region in Saudi Arabia since 1994. Strains from at least two genotypes of DENV-1 (Asia and America/Africa genotypes) have been circulating in western Saudi Arabia until 2006. However, all previous studies reported from Saudi Arabia were based on partial sequencing data of the envelope (E) gene without any reports of full genome sequences for any DENV serotypes circulating in Saudi Arabia. Here, we report the isolation and the first complete genome sequence of a DENV-1 strain (DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011) isolated from a patient from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2011. Whole genome sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed high similarity between DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011 strain and D1/H/IMTSSA/98/606 isolate (Asian genotype) reported from Djibouti in 1998. Further analysis of the full envelope gene revealed a close relationship between DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011 strain and isolates reported between 2004-2006 from Jeddah as well as recent isolates from Somalia, suggesting the widespread of the Asian genotype in this region. These data suggest that strains belonging to the Asian genotype might have been introduced into Saudi Arabia long before 2004 most probably by African pilgrims and continued to circulate in western Saudi Arabia at least until 2011. Most importantly, these results indicate that pilgrims from dengue endemic regions can play an important role in the spread of new DENVs in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Therefore, availability of complete genome sequences would serve as a reference for future epidemiological studies of DENV-1 viruses.

Hepatitis B and C virus prevalence in couples attending an in vitro fertilization clinic in a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia: comparison with ten years earlier.

Science.gov (United States)

Albadran, Asma; Hibshi, Ali; Saeed, Bahjat; Coskun, Serdar; Awartani, Khalid Arab

2017-01-01

Viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia. Recent data has indicated a major reduction in viral hepatitis prevalence in Saudi population. However, there is limited data for infertile Saudi couples. To determine the prevalence of HCV and HBV attending an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic in Saudi Arabia between 2012 and 2015 to compare with the prevalence 10 years earlier in the same center. Retrospective prevalence study. Tertiary care center in Riyadh. Data on the prevalence of HBV and HCV was collected on all couples seen at the IVF unit between 2002-2005 and 2012-2015. Prevalence of HBV and HCV. In 4442 patients during 2002-2005 and 5747 patients during 2012-2015, the prevalence of HBV was significantly less in 2012-2015 compared with 2002-2005 (1.67% [97 patients] vs 4.7% [210 patients], P < .0001), respectively, but HCV prevalence was similar for the two periods (0.7% for both periods) (P=.887). The hepatitis B seroprevalence rate was higher in males compared to females during 2002-2005 (6.3% vs 3.1%) (P < .0001) and 2012-2015 (2.4% vs 1.1% ) (P < .0001), respectively. The significant drop in HBV prevalence was most likely due to the introduction of the vaccination program in 1989, while reasons for HCV prevalence remaining unchanged are unclear. No data on confounding factors that may have affected the prevalence.

Are nurses verbally abused? A cross-sectional study of nurses at a university hospital, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shamlan, Nouf A; Jayaseeli, Nithya; Al-Shawi, Moneera M; Al-Joudi, Abdullah S

2017-01-01

Workplace violence against health-care workers is a significant problem worldwide. Nurses are at a higher risk of exposure to violence. Studies available in Saudi Arabia are few. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of verbal abuse of nurses at King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU) in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and to identify consequences and the demographic and work-related characteristics associated with it. This cross-sectional study of 391 nurses by total sample was conducted between November and December 2015, using a modified self-administered questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. Data was entered, and analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. The descriptive statistics were reported using frequency and percentages for all categorical variables. Chi-squared tests or Fisher's Exact test, as appropriate, were performed to test the associations of verbal abuse with the demographic and work-related characteristics of the participants. Variables with p violence in their workplace were more vulnerable to workplace verbal abuse. Workplace verbal abuse is a significant challenge in KFHU. For decision makers, it is rather disturbing that a lot of cases go unreported even though procedures for reporting exist. Implementation of an efficient transparent reporting system that provides follow-up investigations is mandatory. In addition, all victims should be helped with counseling and support.

Utilization of penile prosthesis and male incontinence prosthetics in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alwaal, Amjad; Al-Sayyad, Ahmad J

2017-01-01

Erectile dysfunction is a prevalent disease affecting over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 years. Penile prosthesis represents the end of the line treatment when other less invasive therapies fail or are contraindicated. Male stress urinary incontinence can significantly diminish quality of life and lead to embarrassment and social withdrawal. Surgical therapies, such as male urethral slings and artificial urinary sphincters (AUS), are considered effective and safe treatments for male stress incontinence. No data exist on the utilization of penile prosthesis or male incontinence surgical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Generally, urological prosthetic surgery is performed either in private hospitals or in government hospitals. Our aim was to assess the trend of penile prosthesis and male incontinence device utilization in Saudi Arabia. We utilized sales' data of penile prosthetics, male slings, and AUS from the only two companies selling these devices in Saudi Arabia (AMS ® and Coloplast ® ), from January 2013 to December 2016. There were 2599 penile prosthesis implantation procedures done in the study period, with 67% of them performed in private institutions. There was a progressively increased use of penile prosthetics which nearly doubled from 2013 to 2016. The main type of prosthesis utilized was the semirigid type 70% versus 11% of the 2-piece inflatable and 17% of the 3-piece inflatable device. Only 10 slings and 31 AUS were inserted during the same study period. There is an increased utilization of penile prosthetics in Saudi Arabia. The private sector performs the majority of penile prosthesis procedures, and most of them are of the semirigid type. The governmental sector is more likely to perform inflatable penile prosthesis and male incontinence device procedures. Male incontinence prosthetics' use is very limited in Saudi Arabia.

Hepatitis virus genotyping by Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA Enzyme immunoassay among Saudi patients in the Western Province, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osoba, A.O.; Ibrahim, M.; Abdelaal, M.A.; Al-Mowallad, A.; Al-Shareef, B.; Hussein, B.A.

2000-01-01

The distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia is unknown. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalent HCV genotypes among HCV seropositive Saudi patients in the Western Province and to study the relationship between types/subtypes, clinical status and liver histology. Serum samples were collected from 140 consecutive patients attending the Hematology Clinic with varying grades of liver diseases, high almandine transferees (ALT) for > 6 months, positive HCV, qualitative PCR and who had liver biopsy. HCV genotyping was determined on patients who had tested positive by both HCV enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and the recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA). Of the 140 patients, 97 (69.2%) had genotype 4, 18 (12.8%) had genotype 1a, and 16 (11.4%) had genotype 1b. Genotype 2b and 5 were found in two patients (1.4%) each, while 5 patients (3.6%) had mixed infections with genotype 4 and 5. Of the 97 patients infected with genotype 4, 84 (86.6%) had chronic active hepatitis (CAH), two (2.1%) had CAH with active cirrhosis, 9(9.3%) had cirrhosis and two (2.1%) had normal liver histology (NLH). The most prevalent HCV genotype in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia was genotype 4 (69.2%). Genotype 1b was encountered in 16 (11.4%) patients. For the first time, genotype 5 was identified in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia. Genotype 1b and 4 were associated with different histological grades of liver disease. (author)

Virtual water content for meat and egg production through livestock farming in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Shakhawat; Ouda, Omar K. M.; Papadopoulou, Maria P.

2017-12-01

The concept of virtual water content (VWC) may facilitate an understanding of total water demand for commodity production. The water consumption for livestock production forms a significant fraction of freshwater demand in arid regions, i.e., Saudi Arabia. In this paper, VWC was estimated for different livestocks in the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. The VWC for camel production was also estimated, which has not been investigated in the previous studies. The overall VWC for livestock in Saudi Arabia was about 10.5 and 8.9 billion m3 in 2006 and 2010, respectively. This study shows the decreasing trend of overall VWC in producing livestock in Saudi Arabia. The VWC were highest in Riyadh followed by Eastern region, Qaseem, Hail, and Makkah with ranges of 3587-4112, 1684-2044, 1007-1331, 644-810, and 504-715 million m3/year, respectively. The results demonstrate that a shift in diet from the high VWC meat to low VWC meat may reduce the overall VWC for livestock production. The findings of this analysis provide an assessment of the quantity and trend of water demand for livestock production in Saudi Arabia, which is useful to assess the development of an information-based agricultural water management strategy.

The proportion of expenditure on children to family’s income in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nisreen Al-Banawi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Saudi Arabia has witnessed enormous socio-economic changes for the last two decades. Due to this, the standard living of most Saudi people has been improved noticeably. Accordingly, that affects on the consumption expenditure of the Saudi family particularly on the children which has been increased substantially. However, no studies with respect to cost of children have yet been undertaken in Saudi Arabia. This study is to estimate the proportion of expenditure on children, to family’s income in Saudi Arabia by estimating the cost of children in Saudi Arabia; using Jeddah as a case study. In the study, the cost of children is taken to be money expenditure that is the amount that parents actually spent on their children. The study involves a sample of (1500 respondents from the city of Jeddah. Also, explores attitudes and opinions towards certain topics related to cost of children and the family. The study highlights that cost of children rise proportionately to family income, children age, and their numbers.

The interrelationship between clinical and immunity variables in epilepsy

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Kalinin Vladimir V.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The role of cellular immunity in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, as an interaction between immunity and clinical and neurobiological variables is not properly understood.

The Pattern of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in a Single Tertiary Center in Saudi Arabia

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Mohammad H. Al-Hemairi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA is the most common chronic arthritis in children. Our aim is to describe demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and treatment of JIA patients followed up in Pediatric Rheumatology clinic in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia. Methods. Medical records of all patients who are followed up between January 2007 and January 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected about demographic, clinical, and laboratory features and treatment. Results. Total patients were 82, males were 31 (37.8%, and mean age of JIA onset was 7.1 ± 3.6 yr. Mean follow-up duration was 2.67±1.6 yr. Systemic onset JIA (SoJIA was the commonest (36.5%, followed by polyarticular in 29.2% and oligoarticular in 28%. Large and small joints are involved in 76 (92% and 30 (36.6%, respectively. Main extra-articular feature was fever in 34 (41.4%. Uveitis was diagnosed in 7 (8.5% and in 5 (21.7% of oligoarticular JIA. Anemia was found in 49 (59.7%, high ESR in 45 (54.8%, and leukocytosis and thrombocytosis in 33 (40.2%. Positive ANA was found in 30 (36.5% mainly in oligoarticular subtype as 12 (52% patients (out of 23 had this positive test. 9 patients (10.9% required NSAIDs only, 6 patients (7.3% required NSAIDs and intra-articular steroids only, and 19 (23% required NSAIDs, methotrexate, steroids, and biologics. Conclusion. SoJIA is the most common JIA subtype in our study. A population based rather than a single center study will give more details about JIA characteristics in Saudi Arabia

A refined approach: Saudi Arabia moves beyond crude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krane, Jim

2015-01-01

Saudi Arabia's role in global energy markets is changing. The kingdom is reshaping itself as a supplier of refined petroleum products while moving beyond its long-held role as a simple exporter of crude oil. This change is commensurate with the typical development trajectory of a state progressing to a more advanced stage of global economic integration. Gains from increased refining include reducing fuel imports and capturing margins now bequeathed to competitors. Refining also allows the kingdom to export its heavy crude oil to a wider array of customers, beyond select importers configured to handle heavy crudes. However, the move also presents strategic complications. The world's 'swing supplier' of oil may grow less willing or able to adjust supply to suit market demands. In the process, Saudi Arabia may have to update the old “oil for security” relationship that links it with Washington, augmenting it with a more diverse set of economic and investment ties with individual companies and countries, including China. -- Highlights: •Saudi Arabia is diverting crude oil into an expanding refining sector. •In doing so, the kingdom is moving beyond its role as global “swing supplier” of crude oil. •The kingdom will benefit from increased refining, including enhanced demand for heavy crude. •Strategic complications may force it to seek security partners beyond Washington

Reprioritizing current research trends in medical education: a reflection on research activities in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Obeidat, Akef S; Alhaqwi, Ali Ibrahim; Abdulghani, Hamza Mohammad

2015-04-01

There are numerous national efforts to determine and develop research priorities of medical education in Saudi Arabia. These priorities were first proposed in 2010 by "Dr Al-Khuli's Chair for Developing Medical Education in Saudi Arabia". The proposed priority domains were: curriculum, students, faculty, and quality assurance and accreditation. To investigate publications in medical education at the national and international levels in areas relating to these proposed priorities. Electronic search within PubMed database for papers relating to each domain of priority was conducted at national and international levels in the last three years, using the same keywords as the priority domains, but only confined to undergraduate medical education. Out of 3145 articles retrieved when searching with keyword as broad as "undergraduate medical curriculum" only 81 articles worldwide and 3 articles from Saudi Arabia were dealing with curriculum related issues as a whole. Further search on the sub-domains "effective strategies to manage undergraduate curriculum" and "undergraduate medical education models", resulted in the retrieval of few articles worldwide and none from Saudi Arabia. At the national level, there were 63 publications from Saudi Arabia that were either course (topic)-specific or could not be classified under the four domains specified by Dr Al-Khuli's Chair. Research activities in medical education in Saudi Arabia in the last 3 years showed diversity and lack of focus in the research priorities. Efforts of academic and research centers should continue to monitor and encourage these activities toward achieving the recommended priorities.

Issues engulfed Saudi Arabia construction workers

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Emad, N. H.; Rahman, I. A.

2018-04-01

This paper presents an exploratory study conducted in Makkah city to uncover issues faced by construction workers from the construction leaders’ perspective. Eleven construction leaders/experts were interviewed to unleash their experiences on handling the foreign workers working in Makkah construction projects. Most of the experts are senior management staffs with more than 10 years’ working experience in Saudi Arabia construction industry. The interviews were carried out in semi structured mode where all the information was captured manually and also electronically. The identified issues were sorted based on its commonality into 10 clusters. Hence in each cluster, the numbers of issue considered by the experts are reflecting the importance of that particular cluster. The result of the clusters according to the number of issues mentioned by the experts are safety issues, restricted government regulation, demotivated issues, lack of quality workers, poor living quality, communication barriers, adaption issues, poor attitudes, lack of logistical arrangements and lack of education. With these identified issues it will assist the construction players in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia in dealing with their workers.

Quality of hypertension care in the family practice center, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia

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Yahia M Al-Khaldi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Hypertension (HTN is a common health problem in Saudi Arabia. Good control depends on the quality of care, which should be supervised and monitored regularly through clinical audit. Aims: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of HTN care at Al-Manhal Family Practice, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. Settings and Design: This study was conductedin 2009 at Al-Manhal Family Practice, Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Medical records of all hypertensive patients were extracted and reviewed using master sheets. Assessment of processes and outcomes of HTN care were based on the standards of quality assurance manual issuedby the Ministry of Health. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were entered and analyzed by SPPS, version 15. Relevant statistical tests were used accordingly and the P-value was considered significant when it was less than 0.05. Results: A total of 295 medical records were reviewed and assessed. Most patients were Saudi, married, and about 50% were educated. Two-hundred and thirty-one records were assessed for processes and outcomes of HTN care. Weight measurement and physical examination were carried out for 99% and 97% of the patients, respectively. For 53% of the patients, blood was checked for glucose and kidney function and a lipid profile was done. More than two-thirds of the patients were overweight and obese while 46% had diabetes. Less than one half of the patients had good control of HTN. Conclusions: By most standards, quality of HTN care in Al-Manhal Family Practice was unsatisfactory. Most of the patients had comorbidities and poor HTN control. Essential facilities should be provided to the practice to optimize HTN care and to improve the degree of control.

Women’s Activism in Saudi Arabia: Male Guardianship and Sexual Violence

OpenAIRE

Tønnessen, Liv

2016-01-01

Saudi Arabia is often presented in Western media as the poster child of women’s oppression. It is the country where women are forced to cover their heads and body in black dress and cannot drive cars. Although Saudi Arabia has ratified several human rights conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), there are many legal restrictions on Saudi women’s rights in the name of Sharia. Because Sharia, as applied by Sau...

Effects of Weight Reduction After Sleeve Gastrectomy on Metabolic Variables in Saudi Obese Subjects in Aseer Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bawahab, Mohammed A; Assiri, Abdullah S; Maksoud, Walid Abdel; Patel, Ayyub; Kadoumi, Osama; Zaman, Gaffar Sarwar; Alessih, Riyad Mohammed Khalil; Haider, Syed Saleem

2017-08-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the occurrence of oxidative stress, status of protective antioxidants enzymes, inflammatory biomarkers, and some metabolic health variables in the blood and to compare the results between those of the normal controls and obese patients submitted to sleeve gastrectomy-induced weight loss over a 1-year follow-up period. A prospective study was conducted in Aseer Central Hospital and Abha Private Hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January 2012 to January 2013 on 50 normal (BMI = 22-25 kg/m 2 ) control subjects and 50 obese (BMI = 45-50 kg/m 2 ) patients. A subset of 20 men and 80 women patients, aged 20-45 years, was included. The systemic blood cell counts were determined by Beckman Coulter UniCel analyzer. The occurrence of oxidative stress, the status of antioxidant enzyme system in the blood, levels of serum hepatic enzymes, cardiovascular risk factors, and serum sodium, potassium, copper, and zinc levels were determined by spectrophotometric procedures. The concentration of TSH and T 4 were analyzed by Siemens Immunoassay System. Group 1 (Obese: preoperative) This group compared with the normal controls exhibited significant (p copper and zinc levels were significantly (p phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and vitamin C, were remarkably (p potassium, copper, zinc, and TSH levels were significantly (p < 0.001) decreased. Obesity is a chronic disease of multifactorial origin and resulted in perturbations of whole body metabolism in this study. It is thus likely that this imbalance was associated with an inhibition in protective antioxidants and occurrence of oxidative stress. The staging concept of sleeve gastrectomy is a safe and effective approach with remarkable efficacy in sustaining weight loss and bringing back normal metabolism of variables in tissues over a 1-year follow-up period.

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: A Soaring Epidemic

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Asirvatham Alwin Robert

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM is quite prevalent in the world, with a proportion of 1 in every 300 persons and steadily rising frequency of incidence of about 3% every year. More alarmingly, the incidence of T1DM among infants is also increasing, with children as young as 6 months succumbing to it, instead of that at a rather established vulnerable age of around seven and near puberty, when the hormones antagonize the action of insulin. These reports pose a unique challenge of developing efficient T1DM management system for the young children. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA is the largest country in the Middle East that occupies approximately four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula supporting a population of more than 33.3 million people, of whom 26% are under the age of 14 years. As per the Diabetes Atlas (8th edition, 35,000 children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia suffer from T1DM, which makes Saudi Arabia rank the 8th in terms of numbers of TIDM patients and 4th country in the world in terms of the incidence rate (33.5 per 100,000 individuals of TIDM. However, in comparison with that in the developed countries, the number of research interventions on the prevalence, incidence, and the sociodemographic aspects of T1DM is woefully inadequate. In this review we discuss different aspects of T1DM in Saudi Arabia drawing on the published literature currently available.

In Hospital Stroke Mortality: Rates and Determinants in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

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Adel A. Alhazzani

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The present study analyzed in-hospital first-time stroke mortality in southwestern Saudi Arabia over one-year to assess the in-hospital stroke case fatality rate, mortality rate and explore the factors associated with in-hospital stroke mortality. Study Design: Hospital based follow-up study. Methods: First-time stroke patients admitted to all hospitals in Asser region over one-year period (January through December 2016 were included in the study. Data about personal characteristics, pre-stroke history and clinical criteria, on admission clinical criteria, in-hospital complications and survival status were collected. The last reported Aseer region population was used to calculate age and sex stroke mortality rate per 100,000 population/year. Hazard ratios (HR and concomitant 95% confidence intervals (95% CI were computed using multivariate Cox regression survival analysis. Kaplan-Meier curve survival analysis for stroke patients were plotted. Results: A total of 121 in-hospital deaths out of 1249 first-time stroke patients giving an overall case fatality rate (CFR of 9.7%. Non-significant difference with gender and age were observed in CFR. Overall, in-hospital stroke mortality rate was 5.58 per 100,000/year. Males and elders showed a significantly higher mortality rates. Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed pre-stroke smoking (HR = 2.36, pre-stroke hypertension (HR = 1.77, post-stroke disturbed consciousness (HR = 6.86, poor mobility (HR = 2.60 and developing pulmonary embolism (HR = 2.63 as significant predictors of in-hospital stroke mortality. Conclusions: In Southwestern Saudi Arabia, the in-hospital stroke mortality rate is higher in men and increases with aging. The prognosis of acute stroke could be improved by smoking cessation, better control of hypertension and prevention of in hospital complication particularly pulmonary embolism.

Clinical picture and treatment of 2212 patients with common variable immunodeficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gathmann, Benjamin; Mahlaoui, Nizar; Gérard, Laurence; Oksenhendler, Eric; Warnatz, Klaus; Schulze, Ilka; Kindle, Gerhard; Kuijpers, Taco W.; van Beem, Rachel T.; Guzman, David; Workman, Sarita; Soler-Palacín, Pere; de Gracia, Javier; Witte, Torsten; Schmidt, Reinhold E.; Litzman, Jiri; Hlavackova, Eva; Thon, Vojtech; Borte, Michael; Borte, Stephan; Kumararatne, Dinakantha; Feighery, Conleth; Longhurst, Hilary; Helbert, Matthew; Szaflarska, Anna; Sediva, Anna; Belohradsky, Bernd H.; Jones, Alison; Baumann, Ulrich; Meyts, Isabelle; Kutukculer, Necil; Wågström, Per; Galal, Nermeen Mouftah; Roesler, Joachim; Farmaki, Evangelia; Zinovieva, Natalia; Ciznar, Peter; Papadopoulou-Alataki, Efimia; Bienemann, Kirsten; Velbri, Sirje; Panahloo, Zoya; Grimbacher, Bodo; de Vergnes, Nathalie; Costes, Laurence; Andriamanga, Chantal; Courteille, Virginie; Brosselin, Pauline; Korganow, Anne-Sophie; Lutz, Patrick; ten Berge, R. J. M.

2014-01-01

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is an antibody deficiency with an equal sex distribution and a high variability in clinical presentation. The main features include respiratory tract infections and their associated complications, enteropathy, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative disorders.

Clinical picture and treatment of 2212 patients with common variable immunodeficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gathmann, B.; Mahlaoui, N.; Gerard, L.; Oksenhendler, E.; Warnatz, K.; Schulze, I.; Kindle, G.; Kuijpers, T.W.; Dutch, W.I.D.; Beem, R.T. van; Guzman, D.; Workman, S.; Soler-Palacin, P.; Gracia, J.; Witte, T. de; Schmidt, R.E.; Litzman, J.; Hlavackova, E.; Thon, V.; Borte, M.; Borte, S.; Kumararatne, D.; Feighery, C.; Longhurst, H.; Helbert, M.; Szaflarska, A.; Sediva, A.; Belohradsky, B.H.; Jones, A.; Baumann, U.; Meyts, I.; Kutukculer, N.; Wagstrom, P.; Galal, N.M.; Roesler, J.; Farmaki, E.; Zinovieva, N.; Ciznar, P.; Papadopoulou-Alataki, E.; Bienemann, K.; Velbri, S.; Panahloo, Z.; Grimbacher, B.; Meer, L.T. van der; Deuren, M. van; Netea, M.G.; Meer, J.W.M. van der; et al.,

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is an antibody deficiency with an equal sex distribution and a high variability in clinical presentation. The main features include respiratory tract infections and their associated complications, enteropathy, autoimmunity, and lymphoproliferative

Potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey

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Ahmed G. Hegazi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey against selected bacterial strains of medical importance. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 Saudi Arabia honey used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains. The bacterial strains were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: The antibacterial activity of Saudi honey against five bacterial strains showed different levels of inhibition according to the type of honey. The overall results showed that the potential activity was differing according to the pathogen and honey type. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the Saudi honey inhibit the growth of bacterial strains and that honey can be used as complementary antimicrobial agent against selected pathogenic bacteria.

Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever in Saudi Arabia

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2010-10-28

This podcast looks at the epidemiologic characteristics of Alkhurma Hemorrhagic Fever in humans in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. CDC epidemiologist Dr. Adam MacNeil discusses the severity and risk factors for the illness.  Created: 10/28/2010 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 11/17/2010.

Cenozoic volcanic rocks of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, R.G.; Gregory, R.T.; Brown, G.F.

2016-01-01

The Cenozoic volcanic rocks of Saudi Arabia cover about 90,000 km2, one of the largest areas of alkali olivine basalt in the world. These volcanic rocks are in 13 separate fields near the eastern coast of the Red Sea and in the western Arabian Peninsula highlands from Syria southward to the Yemen Arab Republic.

A qualitative exploration of the major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Aljadhey, Hisham; Mahmoud, Mansour A; Alshammari, Thamir M; Al-Dhaeefi, Mohammed; Le Louet, Herve; Perez-Gutthann, Susana; Pitts, Peter J

2015-09-01

To explore the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and formulate recommendations to improve it from the perspective of healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. This was a qualitative study of 4 focus group discussions with pharmacists, physicians, and academicians held under the auspices of the King Saud University School of Pharmacy and the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 29 eligible healthcare professionals were invited to participate in the discussion. The predefined themes of the study were the current practice and major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in regulatory bodies, hospitals, the community, and academia, as well as recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance practice.  Of the 29 participants invited, 27 attended the discussion. Challenges facing regulatory bodies included complicated adverse drug reactions (ADR) reporting forms, lack of feedback on ADRs submitted to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, lack of decisions from the local authority to withdraw medications, and lack of data on pharmacovigilance. The challenges to pharmacovigilance in hospitals included the lack of knowledge of the significance of ADR reporting, workload, blaming culture, and lack of collaboration between regulatory bodies and hospitals. However, challenges facing pharmaceutical industries included the lack of drug manufacturers in Saudi Arabia and lack of interest in pharmacovigilance. Recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance included the need for communication, stronger regulatory requirements, the need for research, the need for unified ADRs reporting, and continuous education and training.  The study has identified the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and made certain recommendations to overcome them. These recommendations might be helpful for regulatory bodies to enhance spontaneous reporting and promote pharmacovigilance.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Intercultural Awareness and the Iowa Air National Guard Elf One.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-02-01

IL Sleraes Editor . j .: Briefing on Saudi Arabia for 133rd Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which will also warned against having porno - Air Force Base, Okla...Pornography (Playboy, Oui, etc., are cons;idered porno ). (d) Ficearms. (e) Pork or Pork by-products. (5) Return address must be included and clearly

Risk Factors for Spousal Physical Violence Against Women in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldoseri, Halah M; Sharps, Phyllis

2017-03-01

This study aimed to explore selected risk factors for spousal physical violence (SPV) in women frequenting primary health care clinics (PHCs) in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in six PHCs, where one-on-one, private interviews with 200 women were conducted using a standardized World Health Organization (WHO) violence against women questionnaire (v.10.0). SPV was reported by 45.5% of women. Husband-specific risk factors including alcohol or drug addiction, unemployment, control of wealth in the family, and physical aggression toward other men were significant predictors for SPV. A multisectoral approach should be implemented with focus on providers' training, women's safety, and involvement of men in violence prevention and intervention programs.

Assessing Potential Wind Energy Resources in Saudi Arabia with a Skew-t Distribution

KAUST Repository

Tagle, Felipe

2017-03-13

Facing increasing domestic energy consumption from population growth and industrialization, Saudi Arabia is aiming to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and to broaden its energy mix by expanding investment in renewable energy sources, including wind energy. A preliminary task in the development of wind energy infrastructure is the assessment of wind energy potential, a key aspect of which is the characterization of its spatio-temporal behavior. In this study we examine the impact of internal climate variability on seasonal wind power density fluctuations using 30 simulations from the Large Ensemble Project (LENS) developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Furthermore, a spatio-temporal model for daily wind speed is proposed with neighbor-based cross-temporal dependence, and a multivariate skew-t distribution to capture the spatial patterns of higher order moments. The model can be used to generate synthetic time series over the entire spatial domain that adequately reproduces the internal variability of the LENS dataset.

Assessing Potential Wind Energy Resources in Saudi Arabia with a Skew-t Distribution

KAUST Repository

Tagle, Felipe; Castruccio, Stefano; Crippa, Paola; Genton, Marc G.

2017-01-01

Facing increasing domestic energy consumption from population growth and industrialization, Saudi Arabia is aiming to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and to broaden its energy mix by expanding investment in renewable energy sources, including wind energy. A preliminary task in the development of wind energy infrastructure is the assessment of wind energy potential, a key aspect of which is the characterization of its spatio-temporal behavior. In this study we examine the impact of internal climate variability on seasonal wind power density fluctuations using 30 simulations from the Large Ensemble Project (LENS) developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Furthermore, a spatio-temporal model for daily wind speed is proposed with neighbor-based cross-temporal dependence, and a multivariate skew-t distribution to capture the spatial patterns of higher order moments. The model can be used to generate synthetic time series over the entire spatial domain that adequately reproduces the internal variability of the LENS dataset.

Final Report for Annex II--Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources In Saudi Arabia, 1998-2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Myers, D. R.; Wilcox, S. M.; Marion, W. F.; Al-Abbadi, N. M.; Mahfoodh, M.; Al-Otaibi, Z.

2002-04-01

The Final Report for Annex II - Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources in Saudi Arabia 1998-2000 summarizes the accomplishment of work performed, results achieved, and products produced under Annex II, a project established under the Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy Research and Development between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. The report covers work and accomplishments from January 1998 to December 2000. A previous progress report, Progress Report for Annex II - Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources in Saudi Arabia 1993-1997, NREL/TP-560-29374, summarizes earlier work and technical transfer of information under the project. The work was performed in at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and at selected weather stations of the Saudi Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA).

NO2 and Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia

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Khalid Al-Ahmadi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Air pollution exposure has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of specific cancers. This study investigated whether the number and incidence of the most common cancers in Saudi Arabia were associated with urban air pollution exposure, specifically NO2. Overall, high model goodness of fit (GOF was observed in the Eastern, Riyadh and Makkah regions. The significant coefficients of determination (r2 were higher at the regional level (r2 = 0.32–0.71, weaker at the governorate level (r2 = 0.03–0.43, and declined slightly at the city level (r2 = 0.17–0.33, suggesting that an increased aggregated spatial level increased the explained variability and the model GOF. However, the low GOF at the lowest spatial level suggests that additional variation remains unexplained. At different spatial levels, associations between NO2 concentration and the most common cancers were marginally improved in geographically weighted regression (GWR analysis, which explained both global and local heterogeneity and variations in cancer incidence. High coefficients of determination were observed between NO2 concentration and lung and breast cancer incidences, followed by prostate, bladder, cervical and ovarian cancers, confirming results from other studies. These results could be improved using individual explanatory variables such as environmental, demographic, behavioral, socio-economic, and genetic risk factors.

Public awareness of blood donation in Central Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolfotouh MA

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Mostafa A Abolfotouh,1,2 Mohammed H Al-Assiri,1 Manar Al-Omani,2 Alwaleed Al Johar,3 Abdulaziz Al Hakbani,3 Ahmed S Alaskar1,2 1King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, 2King Saud bin-Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, 3College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Introduction: In Saudi Arabia, voluntary donors are the only source of blood donation. The aim of this study was to assess the level of public knowledge and attitude toward blood donation in Saudi Arabia. Methods: Using a previously validated questionnaire that comprises 38 questions to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and motivations towards blood donation, 469 Saudi adults who attended different shopping malls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were surveyed. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of blood donation, with the significance set at P<0.05. Results: Approximately half of all subjects (53.3% reported that they had previously donated blood, 39% of whom had donated more than once. The knowledge percentage mean score was 58.07%, denoting a poor level of knowledge, with only 11.9% reporting a good level of knowledge. The attitude percentage mean score towards donation was 75.45%, reflecting a neutral attitude towards donating blood, with 31.6% reporting a positive attitude. Donation was significantly more prevalent among males than females (66% versus 13.3%; P<0.001. After adjustment for confounders, a higher knowledge score (t=2.59; P=0.01, a higher attitude score (t=3.26; P=0.001, and male sex (t=10.45; P<0.001 were significant predictors of blood donation. An inability to reach the blood donation centers and a fear of anemia were the main reasons for females not donating blood (49.9% and 35.7%, respectively, whereas a lack of time was the main reason for males (59.5%. Conclusion: Prevalence of blood donation was less than satisfactory among the Saudi public, probably due to misconceptions, poor

Diphyllobothriasis in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkhalife, Ibrahim S.; Hassan, Rafiaa R.; Abdel-Hameed, Ahmed A.; Al-Khayal, Laila A.

2006-01-01

We described a Saudi patient infected with Diphyllobothrium latum D. latum. A 38-year-old male presented, complaining of passing worms. He had a history of recent travel to Europe and South East Asia. Stools examination revealed typical D. latum eggs. He was treated with praziquantel followed by saline purge, after which he discharged an intact tapeworm. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations of the worm confirmed the diagnosis of D. latum. This is the first case of diphyllobothriasis to be reported in Saudi Arabia. The epidemiology and methods of prevention of diphyllobothriasis are discussed. (author)

Contractor Selection in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

M. A. Bajaber; M. A. Taha

2012-01-01

Contractor selection in Saudi Arabia is very important due to the large construction boom and the contractor role to get over construction risks. The need for investigating contractor selection is due to the following reasons; large number of defaulted or failed projects (18%), large number of disputes attributed to contractor during the project execution stage (almost twofold), the extension of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) into construction industry, and finally the few ...

Drug resistance patterns of acinetobacter baumannii in makkah, saudi arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, M.A.; Ashshi, A.M.; Mahomed, M.F.

2012-01-01

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii causes infections of respiratory, urinary tract, blood stream and surgical sites. Its clinical significance has increased due to its rapidly developing resistance to major groups of antibiotics used for its treatment. There is limited data available on antimicrobial susceptibility of A. baumannii from Saudi Arabia. Objectives: To determine the patterns of drug resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii and predisposing factors for its acquisition.Subjects and Methods: In this descriptive study, 72 hospitalized patients infected with A baumannii were studied. The clinical and demographic data of the patients were collected using a predesigned questionnaire. Isolation and identification of A.baumannii from all clinical specimens were done using standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susce ptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: Majority of the isolates (61.1%) were from respiratory tract infections. A.baumannii isolates showed high drug resistance to piperacil lin (93.1%), aztreonam (80.5%), ticarcillin, ampicillin, and tetracycline (76.4%, each) and cefotaxime (75%). Only amikacin showed low rate of resistance compared to other antibiotics (40.3%). About 36% patients had some underlying diseases with diabetes mellitus (11%) being the predominant underlying disease. Conclusions: High antimicrobial resistance to commonly used antibiotics was seen against A.baumannii isolates. Only amikacin was most effective against it. (author)

Patterns and determinants of stress among consultant physicians working in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alosaimi FD

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Fahad D Alosaimi,1 Hossam S Alawad,2 Ayedh K Alamri,2 Abdullah I Saeed,2 Khalid A Aljuaydi,2 Alwaleed S Alotaibi,2 Khalid M Alotaibi,2 Eiad A Alfaris3 1Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 3King Saud University Chair for the Development of Medical Education, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Background: Physicians experience several work-related stressors that have been mounting up in recent decades. This study aimed to examine perceived stress and its risk factors and consequences among consultant physicians in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 to March 2015 among physicians who were assigned rank of consultant. The stress level was assessed using perceived stress scale (PSS.Results: A total of 582 consultants participated. The average age was 46.9±7.9 years, 71% were males, 56% were Saudi, 15% were smokers, and 68% slept ≤6 hours per night. The median PSS score was 17 (interquartile range of 14–21, which represented 44% of maximum possible PSS score. The upper tertile of PSS score (represents a high stress level was significantly associated with being younger, female, and Saudi. The majority (85% considered job environment to be stressful and ~50% attributed that to a high workload and a noncooperative administration. In the year preceding this study, half of consultants frequently contemplated or even worked toward changing their medical institutes or even moving to work outside Saudi Arabia because of perception of a stressful working environment. Over the previous year, encountering life stressors, considering job environment as stressful and experiencing passive suicidal ideation, were significantly associated with higher levels of stress

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-14

rights. 21 Ambassador Chas Freeman, President of the Middle East Policy Council, served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum ...U.S. Policymakers Conference, Washington, DC, October 15, 2009. 24 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more

Saudi Arabia between conservatism, accomodation and reform

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, R.; Aarts, P.; Wagemakers, J.; Kanie, M.; Geel, A.

2012-01-01

Of all the countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia seems to have remained immovable since the beginning of the Arab Spring. What does conservatism mean, are reforms possible, and what is the pace of change? The clever mix of conservatism, reform and accommodation are the characteristic features

Depression in patients with colorectal cancer in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaheen Al Ahwal, Mahmoud; Al Zaben, Faten; Khalifa, Doaa Ahmed; Sehlo, Mohammad Gamal; Ahmad, Rami Ghazi; Koenig, Harold G

2015-09-01

Persons with colon cancer experience considerable psychological stress due to physical and social changes brought on by illness, increasing their risk of depressive disorder (DD). We examine the prevalence of DD and depressive symptoms and determine baseline demographic, social, psychological, and physical health correlates. A convenience sample of 70 cancer patients in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was screened for DD using an abbreviated version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Depression (SCID) and for depressive symptoms using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Demographic, psychosocial, psychiatric, and physical health characteristics were also assessed, along with past treatments for colon cancer. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified predictors of DD and symptoms. The 1-month prevalence of DD was 30.0% (12.9% major depression, 5.7% minor depression, and 11.4% for dysthymia) and significant depressive symptoms were present in 57.1% (HDRS 8 or higher), including having persistent suicidal thoughts for 2 weeks or longer wthin the past month (14.3%) . Low social support and having a co-morbid psychiatric illness (particularly anxiety) independently predicted DD based on the SCID. Saudi nationality, poor financial situation, low social support, and co-morbid psychiatric illness independently predicted depressive symptoms on the HDRS. Surprisingly, stage of cancer, duration of cancer, and treatments for cancer were unrelated to DD or depressive symptoms. DD and significant depressive symptoms are common in patients with colon cancer in Saudi Arabia, and are predicted by a distinct set of demographic and psychosocial risk factors that may help with identification. Demographic and psychological risk factors were more likely to be associated with depression than cancer characteristics in this sample. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Prevalence of Dental Anomalies in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Afify, Ahmed R.; Zawawi, Khalid H.

2012-01-01

Objective. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anomalies that could be a cause of malocclusion in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study of 878 digital orthopantomograms (OPGs) taken of patients, age ranging between 12 and 30 years, who presented to treatment at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between 2002 and 2011. The OPGs and dental records were reviewed for con...

Genetic variability of genital mycoplasmas and its clinical value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. I. Plakhova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents data on genetic variability of genital mycoplasmas. The author presents the results of genetic variability studies for M. hominis, gene vaa, U. parvum, gene mba, and M. genitalium, gene mg192, sampled from women with different clinical manifestations of inflammatory diseases of the urogenital system. Based on the molecular typing results for 138 samples of genital mycoplasmas, the author revealed a relationship between clinical manifestations of inflammatory diseases of the urogenital system caused by U. parvum and different U. parvum serovars as well as different genetic variations of M. hominis.Infection with 6 U. parvum serovar results in the development of inflammatory diseases of the urogenital tract accompanied by subjective manifestations (р < 0.05. Genetic variant II of М. hominis was revealed more often in patients with clinical manifestations of inflammatory diseases while variant I was revealed more often in patients infected with М. hominis without any signs of inflammation (р < 0.05. Genetic variants of M. genitalium were determined; no significant differences in terms of their prevalence in the examined patients were revealed.

Breast Cancer Knowledge Among Male High School Students in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Amoudi, Samia; AlHomied, Moaiad Tariq Abdul-Aziz; AlSayegh, Nasser Youssef Nasser; Radi, Osama Naseem Ismail; Zagzoog, Mohammed Majed Suliman; Aloufi, Omar Faisal Mubarak; Al-Harbi, Abdullah Abdulkarim Ali; Tayeb, Safwan; Hassanien, Mohammed; Al-Ahwal, Mahmoud; Eldeek, Basem; Harakeh, Steve

2016-12-01

Breast cancer (BC) accounts for 24 % of all women cancer cases diagnosed in Saudi Arabia each year. Awareness is extremely important in combating this disease. This study was undertaken to assess male high school students' response to BC. This cross-sectional survey was performed on male high school students across schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire gathered data on respondent demographics, beliefs about BC, BC risk factors, early screening methods, and role of men in BC. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 20. A total of 824 students participated, with an average age of 17.0 years. There was more than 50 % agreement that early detection of BC enhances the chances of recovery, that BC is treatable, and that clinical breast examination and breastfeeding provide protection from BC. Around half the survey population thought that BC was fatal and contagious. Fewer than 50 % thought that BC was inherited and related to smoking, consumption of contraceptive pills, repeated exposure to radiation, obesity, and wearing a bra and that breast tumors were all malignant and spread to different parts of the body. Others knew that mammograms should be performed periodically. A high percentage persuaded their relatives to have mammograms and provided them with psychological support. Knowledge of BC among male high school students in Saudi Arabia is still limited, and, therefore, programs and activities need to be established to increase awareness among high school students.

Cultural acceptance of robotic telestroke medicine among patients and healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. Results of a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Khathaami, Ali M; Alshahrani, Saeed M; Kojan, Suleiman M; Al-Jumah, Mohammed A; Alamry, Ahmed A; El-Metwally, Ashraf A

2015-01-01

To determine the degree of satisfaction and acceptance of stroke patients, their relatives, and healthcare providers toward using telestroke technology in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2012 at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Remote Presence Robot (RPR), the RP-7i (FDA- cleared) provided by InTouch Health was used in the study. Patients and their relatives were informed that the physician would appear through a screen on top of a robotic device, as part of their clinical care. Stroke patients admitted through the emergency department, and their relatives, as well as healthcare providers completed a self-administered satisfaction questionnaire following the telestroke consultation sessions. Fifty participants completed the questionnaire. Most subjects agreed that the remote consultant interview was useful and that the audiovisual component of the intervention was of high quality; 98% agreed that they did not feel shy or embarrassed during the remote interview, were able to understand the instruction of the consultant, and recommended its use in stroke management. Furthermore, 92% agreed or strongly agreed that the use of this technology can efficiently replace the physical presence of a neurologist. Results suggest that the use of telestroke medicine is culturally acceptable among stroke patients and their families in Saudi Arabia and favorably received by healthcare providers.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease is rare in children: An update from Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A; Kattan, Rana F; Memish, Ziad A

2016-11-08

To summarize the reported Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases, the associated clinical presentations and the outcomes. We searched the Saudi Ministry of Health website, the World Health Organization website, and the Flutracker website. We also searched MEDLINE and PubMed for the keywords: Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus, MERS-CoV in combination with pediatric, children, childhood, infancy and pregnancy from the initial discovery of the virus in 2012 to 2016. The retrieved articles were also read to further find other articles. Relevant data were placed into an excel sheet and analyzed accordingly. Descriptive analytic statistics were used in the final analysis as deemed necessary. From June 2012 to April 19, 2016, there were a total of 31 pediatric MERS-CoV cases. Of these cases 13 (42%) were asymptomatic and the male to female ratio was 1.7:1. The mean age of patients was 9.8 ± 5.4 years. Twenty-five (80.6%) of the cases were reported from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The most common source of infection was household contact (10 of 15 with reported source) and 5 patients acquired infection within a health care facility. Using real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction of pediatric patients revealed that 9 out of 552 (1.6%) was positive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Utilizing serology for MERS-CoV infection in Jordan and Saudi Arabia did not reveal any positive patients. Thus, the number of the pediatric MERS-CoV is low; the exact reason for the low prevalence of the disease in children is not known.

Epidemiological study of scorpion stings in Saudi Arabia between 1993 and 1997

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. K. Al-Sadoon

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This investigation evaluated the epidemiological aspects of scorpion stings in different areas of Saudi Arabia. A total of 72,168 cases of scorpion stings recorded in Ministry of Health Medical Centers in 11 selected areas of Saudi Arabia were analyzed based on area, age, sex, time of sting, sting site, treatment outcome, time of year, and scorpion species. Stings occurred throughout the year; the highest frequency was in June (15.08%, the lowest in February (2.52%. Most patients were male (61.8%; the majority of which were more than 15 years old (65.4%. Nocturnal envenomation (47.74% was more common than diurnal (43.91%; most stings were in exposed limbs (90.95%, mainly in the lower limbs (63%. Most envenomings were mild (74.48% and all evolved to cure, except for one death. Envenomation was characterized by local pain, erythema, headache, vomiting, and anxiety. This study found that the Leiurus quinquestriatus (Ehrenberg 1828, Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier 1807, and Apistobuthus pterygocercus (Finnegan 1807 were responsible for most of the stings, indicating their medical importance in Saudi Arabia. The study shows low threat to life despite the high number of stings; this is a result of the availability of medical facilities and the multi-center antivenom use in different areas of Saudi Arabia.

Impacts of Groundwater Constraints on Saudi Arabia's Low-Carbon Electricity Supply Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, Simon C; Djilali, Ned; Krey, Volker; Fricko, Oliver; Johnson, Nils; Khan, Zarrar; Sedraoui, Khaled; Almasoud, Abdulrahman H

2016-02-16

Balancing groundwater depletion, socioeconomic development and food security in Saudi Arabia will require policy that promotes expansion of unconventional freshwater supply options, such as wastewater recycling and desalination. As these processes consume more electricity than conventional freshwater supply technologies, Saudi Arabia's electricity system is vulnerable to groundwater conservation policy. This paper examines strategies for adapting to long-term groundwater constraints in Saudi Arabia's freshwater and electricity supply sectors with an integrated modeling framework. The approach combines electricity and freshwater supply planning models across provinces to provide an improved representation of coupled infrastructure systems. The tool is applied to study the interaction between policy aimed at a complete phase-out of nonrenewable groundwater extraction and concurrent policy aimed at achieving deep reductions in electricity sector carbon emissions. We find that transitioning away from nonrenewable groundwater use by the year 2050 could increase electricity demand by more than 40% relative to 2010 conditions, and require investments similar to strategies aimed at transitioning away from fossil fuels in the electricity sector. Higher electricity demands under groundwater constraints reduce flexibility of supply side options in the electricity sector to limit carbon emissions, making it more expensive to fulfill climate sustainability objectives. The results of this analysis underscore the importance of integrated long-term planning approaches for Saudi Arabia's electricity and freshwater supply systems.

DIVIDEND POLICY IN SAUDI ARABIA

OpenAIRE

Dialdin Osman; Elsaudi Mohammed

2010-01-01

We examine dividend policy in a unique environment in Saudi Arabia, where (1) firms distribute almost 100% of their profits in dividends, (2) firms are highly levered mainly through bank loans, and (3) there are no income or capital gains taxes. Some common factors that affect dividend policy of both financial and non-financial firms, we found some factors that affect only non-financial firms. In particular, the common factors are profitability, size, and business risk. Government ownership, ...

78 FR 56767 - Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Central Government of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-13

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8471] Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Central Government of Saudi Arabia Pursuant to Section 7031(b)(3) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and... year Acts with respect to Saudi Arabia, and I hereby waive this restriction. This determination and the...

Prevalence and distribution of selected dental anomalies among saudi children in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yassin, Syed M

2016-12-01

Dental anomalies are not an unusual finding in routine dental examination. The effect of dental anomalies can lead to functional, esthetic and occlusal problems. The Purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of selected developmental dental anomalies in Saudi children. The study was based on clinical examination and Panoramic radiographs of children who visited the Pediatric dentistry clinics at King Khalid University College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia. These patients were examined for dental anomalies in size, shape, number, structure and position. Data collected were entered and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences version. Of the 1252 children (638 Boys, 614 girls) examined, 318 subjects (25.39%) presented with selected dental anomalies. The distribution by gender was 175 boys (27.42%) and 143 girls (23.28%). On intergroup comparison, number anomalies was the most common anomaly with Hypodontia (9.7%) being the most common anomaly in Saudi children, followed by hyperdontia (3.5%). The Prevalence of size anomalies were Microdontia (2.6%) and Macrodontia (1.8%). The prevalence of Shape anomalies were Talon cusp (1.4%), Taurodontism (1.4%), Fusion (0.8%).The prevalence of Positional anomalies were Ectopic eruption (2.3%) and Rotation (0.4%). The prevalence of structural anomalies were Amelogenesis imperfecta (0.3%) Dentinogenesis imperfecta (0.1%). A significant number of children had dental anomaly with Hypodontia being the most common anomaly and Dentinogenesis imperfecta being the rare anomaly in the study. Early detection and management of these anomalies can avoid potential orthodontic and esthetic problems in a child. Key words: Dental anomalies, children, Saudi Arabia.

Sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior as risk factors for human papillomavirus infection in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhamlan, F S; Khayat, H H; Ramisetty-Mikler, S; Al-Muammar, T A; Tulbah, A M; Al-Badawi, I A; Kurdi, W I; Tulbah, M I; Alkhenizan, A A; Hussain, A N; Ahmed, M; Al-Ahdal, M N

2016-05-01

To determine the prevalence and the sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a hospital-based cohort of women in Saudi Arabia. Cervical specimens and questionnaire data were collected from women attending clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Cervical specimens were examined for abnormal cytology using a standard Pap test and for the presence of HPV-DNA using PCR and reverse line blot hybridization tests. Approximately 73% of the 400 women tested were Saudi nationals. Nearly 50% were under 40 years old (range 22-80 years, mean±standard deviation 41.20±10.43 years). Approximately 17% of the women were HPV-positive. The most commonly detected HPV types were HPV-18 (34%) and HPV-16 (19%), with multiple infections detected in 10% of positive specimens. Multivariate analyses revealed that smoking and multiple partners were significant risk factors for HPV infection (pSaudi women. However, a high prevalence of HPV infection was found, with smoking and multiple partners as significant risk factors, in this hospital-based cohort of predominantly Saudi women. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Efforts of Controlling Money Laundering of Narcotics Money in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaled A. ALASMARI

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Money laundering is a silent crime. Its goal is to cover up the source of large sums of money that criminals often gather from their criminal activities. This paper will analyze the situation of money laundering in narcotics as it applies in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this end, the paper will first define important terms such as money laundering and narcotics. It will then explain the relationship between money laundering, narcotics trade, and terrorism activities. This background information will form the base for analyzing the various efforts that the Saudi Arabia nation has in place for countering money laundering in narcotics trade. The paper will then explain the challenges facing these efforts, and the future of money laundering in Saudi Arabia. The largest criminal activity associated with money laundering is terrorism financing. The several terror attacks associated with Saudi Arabia’s terror groups like Al-Qaida have made the government realize the importance of curbing money laundering in an effort to counter terrorism. Thus, anti-money laundering strategies are set in place to address all the avenues of money laundering.

Nurse turnover in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An integrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Falatah, Rawaih; Salem, Olfat A

2018-04-06

To appraise and synthesise existing literature on nurse turnover in the Saudi Arabian context. Saudi Arabia is notably one of the nations with a health care system that is bombarded by high rates of turnover and turnover intention. Moreover, rapid population growth and the expansion of the health care system increase the demand on registered nurses in the kingdom. Eleven primary sources were reviewed using Whittemore and Knafl's (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005; 52, 546-553) integrative review method. There is variation in the reported turnover rates across the studies. The identified determinants of nurse turnover in the Saudi Arabian context included nurses' demographics, satisfaction, leadership and management, and job-related factors. There is a need for more studies that focus on the cost and outcome of nurse turnover and turnover intention in the Saudi Arabian context. The review highlights the alarming rates of nurse turnover and its determinants in Saudi Arabia. Nurse managers in Saudi Arabia should consider this information, as they make daily assignments. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Geostatistical methods in evaluating spatial variability of groundwater quality in Al-Kharj Region, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Omran, Abdulrasoul M.; Aly, Anwar A.; Al-Wabel, Mohammad I.; Al-Shayaa, Mohammad S.; Sallam, Abdulazeam S.; Nadeem, Mahmoud E.

2017-11-01

The analyses of 180 groundwater samples of Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, recorded that most groundwaters are unsuitable for drinking uses due to high salinity; however, they can be used for irrigation with some restriction. The electric conductivity of studied groundwater ranged between 1.05 and 10.15 dS m-1 with an average of 3.0 dS m-1. Nitrate was also found in high concentration in some groundwater. Piper diagrams revealed that the majority of water samples are magnesium-calcium/sulfate-chloride water type. The Gibbs's diagram revealed that the chemical weathering of rock-forming minerals and evaporation are influencing the groundwater chemistry. A kriging method was used for predicting spatial distribution of salinity (EC dS m-1) and NO3 - (mg L-1) in Al-Kharj's groundwater using data of 180 different locations. After normalization of data, variogram was drawn, for selecting suitable model for fitness on experimental variogram, less residual sum of squares value was used. Then cross-validation and root mean square error were used to select the best method for interpolation. The kriging method was found suitable methods for groundwater interpolation and management using either GS+ or ArcGIS.

Epidemiological, demographic, and clinical characteristics of 47 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease from Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study.

Science.gov (United States)

Assiri, Abdullah; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A; Al-Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Al-Rabiah, Fahad A; Al-Hajjar, Sami; Al-Barrak, Ali; Flemban, Hesham; Al-Nassir, Wafa N; Balkhy, Hanan H; Al-Hakeem, Rafat F; Makhdoom, Hatem Q; Zumla, Alimuddin I; Memish, Ziad A

2013-09-01

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a new human disease caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV). Clinical data on MERS-CoV infections are scarce. We report epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 47 cases of MERS-CoV infections, identify knowledge gaps, and define research priorities. We abstracted and analysed epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from confirmed cases of sporadic, household, community, and health-care-associated MERS-CoV infections reported from Saudi Arabia between Sept 1, 2012, and June 15, 2013. Cases were confirmed as having MERS-CoV by real-time RT-PCR. 47 individuals (46 adults, one child) with laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV disease were identified; 36 (77%) were male (male:female ratio 3·3:1). 28 patients died, a 60% case-fatality rate. The case-fatality rate rose with increasing age. Only two of the 47 cases were previously healthy; most patients (45 [96%]) had underlying comorbid medical disorders, including diabetes (32 [68%]), hypertension (16 [34%]), chronic cardiac disease (13 [28%]), and chronic renal disease (23 [49%]). Common symptoms at presentation were fever (46 [98%]), fever with chills or rigors (41 [87%]), cough (39 [83%]), shortness of breath (34 [72%]), and myalgia (15 [32%]). Gastrointestinal symptoms were also frequent, including diarrhoea (12 [26%]), vomiting (ten [21%]), and abdominal pain (eight [17%]). All patients had abnormal findings on chest radiography, ranging from subtle to extensive unilateral and bilateral abnormalities. Laboratory analyses showed raised concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (23 [49%]) and aspartate aminotransferase (seven [15%]) and thrombocytopenia (17 [36%]) and lymphopenia (16 [34%]). Disease caused by MERS-CoV presents with a wide range of clinical manifestations and is associated with substantial mortality in admitted patients who have medical comorbidities. Major gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, community prevalence

78 FR 23625 - Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Central Government of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-19

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8281] Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Central Government of Saudi Arabia Pursuant to Section 7031(b)(3) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and... United States to waive the requirements of Section 7031(b)(1) of the Act with respect to Saudi Arabia...

Incorporating the Delphi Technique to investigate renewable energy technology transfer in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Otaibi, Nasir K.

Saudi Arabia is a major oil-producing nation facing a rapidly-growing population, high unemployment, climate change, and the depletion of its natural resources, potentially including its oil supply. Technology transfer is regarded as a means to diversify countries' economies beyond their natural resources. This dissertation examined the opportunities and barriers to utilizing technology transfer successfully to build renewable energy resources in Saudi Arabia to diversify the economy beyond oil production. Examples of other developing countries that have successfully used technology transfer to transform their economies are explored, including Japan, Malayasia, and the United Arab Emirates. Brazil is presented as a detailed case study to illustrate its transition to an economy based to a much greater degree than before on renewable energy. Following a pilot study, the Delphi Method was used in this research to gather the opinions of a panel of technology transfer experts consisting of 10 heterogeneous members of different institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including aviation, telecommunication, oil industry, education, health systems, and military and governmental organizations. In three rounds of questioning, the experts identified Education, Dependence on Oil, and Manpower as the 3 most significant factors influencing the potential for success of renewable energy technology transfer for Saudi Arabia. Political factors were also rated toward the "Very Important" end of a Likert scale and were discussed as they impact Education, Oil Dependence, and Manpower. The experts' opinions are presented and interpreted. They form the basis for recommended future research and discussion of how in light of its political system and its dependence on oil, Saudi Arabia can realistically move forward on renewable energy technology transfer and secure its economic future.

Incidence and prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia: An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Abdulellah; Perry, Lin; Gholizadeh, Leila; Al-Ganmi, Ali

2017-12-01

This study aimed to report on the trends in incidence and prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia over the last 25 years (1990-2015). A descriptive review. A systematic search was conducted for English-language, peer reviewed publications of any research design via Medline, EBSCO, PubMed and Scopus from 1990 to 2015. Of 106 articles retrieved, after removal of duplicates and quality appraisal, 8 studies were included in the review and synthesised based on study characteristics, design and findings. Studies originated from Saudi Arabia and applied a variety of research designs and tools to diagnosis diabetes. Of the 8 included studies; three reported type 1 diabetes and five on type 2 diabetes. Overall, findings indicated that the incidence and prevalence rate of diabetes is rising particularly among females, older children/adolescent and in urban areas. Further development are required to assess the health intervention, polices, guidelines, self-management programs in Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Saudi Arabia plans future strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, John.

1996-01-01

The future strategy of Saudi Arabia with respect to its oil production capacity is discussed. A major uncertainty affecting planning is the prospect of an Iraqi return to the market as and when Saddam Hussein falls or he manages to comply fully with all the UN resolutions and sanctions are lifted. It is believed that Iraq could at very short notice be capable of exporting 2mb/d of crude rising to 2.5 mb/d within a few months. This is 10% of OPEC's physically traded crude. Also taken seriously are Baghdad's assertions that Iraq will have a production capacity of about 6mb/d by the year 2000. Saudi officials are concerned that OPEC is not ready to tackle the impact of an Iraqi return to the market at a time when some OPEC members are producing above quota anyway. The most likely outcome is thought to be that OPEC would simply raise their nominal production ceiling. Against this background, Saudi Arabia has embarked on the exploitation of the gigantic oil reserves of the Shaybah field. This development offers the kingdom an ability, on the one hand, to increase its earnings while remaining within its OPEC quota and, on the other hand, to increase output substantially should it ever appear that its best interests are served by not adhering to quotas. (UK)

Genetic stratigraphy of key demographic events in Arabia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fernandes, V.; Triska, P.; Pereira, J. B.; Alshamali, F.; Rito, T.; Machado, A.; Fajkošová, Zuzana; Cavadas, B.; Černý, Viktor; Soares, P.; Richards, M. B.; Pereira, L.

2015-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 3 (2015), e0118625 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-37998S Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Arabia * archaeogenetics * migrations Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 3.057, year: 2015

When to trust our learners? Clinical teachers' perceptions of decision variables in the entrustment process.

Science.gov (United States)

Duijn, Chantal C M A; Welink, Lisanne S; Bok, Harold G J; Ten Cate, Olle T J

2018-06-01

Clinical training programs increasingly use entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as focus of assessment. However, questions remain about which information should ground decisions to trust learners. This qualitative study aimed to identify decision variables in the workplace that clinical teachers find relevant in the elaboration of the entrustment decision processes. The findings can substantiate entrustment decision-making in the clinical workplace. Focus groups were conducted with medical and veterinary clinical teachers, using the structured consensus method of the Nominal Group Technique to generate decision variables. A ranking was made based on a relevance score assigned by the clinical teachers to the different decision variables. Field notes, audio recordings and flip chart lists were analyzed and subsequently translated and, as a form of axial coding, merged into one list, combining the decision variables that were similar in their meaning. A list of 11 and 17 decision variables were acknowledged as relevant by the medical and veterinary teacher groups, respectively. The focus groups yielded 21 unique decision variables that were considered relevant to inform readiness to perform a clinical task on a designated level of supervision. The decision variables consisted of skills, generic qualities, characteristics, previous performance or other information. We were able to group the decision variables into five categories: ability, humility, integrity, reliability and adequate exposure. To entrust a learner to perform a task at a specific level of supervision, a supervisor needs information to support such a judgement. This trust cannot be credited on a single case at a single moment of assessment, but requires different variables and multiple sources of information. This study provides an overview of decision variables giving evidence to justify the multifactorial process of making an entrustment decision.

Variability in ACL tunnel placement: observational clinical study of surgeon ACL tunnel variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Brian R; Ramme, Austin J; Wright, Rick W; Brophy, Robert H; McCarty, Eric C; Vidal, Armando R; Parker, Richard D; Andrish, Jack T; Amendola, Annunziato

2013-06-01

Multicenter and multisurgeon cohort studies on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are becoming more common. Minimal information exists on intersurgeon and intrasurgeon variability in ACL tunnel placement. Purpose/ The purpose of this study was to analyze intersurgeon and intrasurgeon variability in ACL tunnel placement in a series of The Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) ACL reconstruction patients and in a clinical cohort of ACL reconstruction patients. The hypothesis was that there would be minimal variability between surgeons in ACL tunnel placement. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Seventy-eight patients who underwent ACL reconstruction by 8 surgeons had postoperative imaging with computed tomography, and ACL tunnel location and angulation were analyzed using 3-dimensional surface processing and measurement. Intersurgeon and intrasurgeon variability in ACL tunnel placement was analyzed. For intersurgeon variability, the range in mean ACL femoral tunnel depth between surgeons was 22%. For femoral tunnel height, there was a 19% range. Tibial tunnel location from anterior to posterior on the plateau had a 16% range in mean results. There was only a small range of 4% for mean tibial tunnel location from the medial to lateral dimension. For intrasurgeon variability, femoral tunnel depth demonstrated the largest ranges, and tibial tunnel location from medial to lateral on the plateau demonstrated the least variability. Overall, surgeons were relatively consistent within their own cases. Using applied measurement criteria, 85% of femoral tunnels and 90% of tibial tunnels fell within applied literature-based guidelines. Ninety-one percent of the axes of the femoral tunnels fell within the boundaries of the femoral footprint. The data demonstrate that surgeons performing ACL reconstructions are relatively consistent between each other. There is, however, variability of average tunnel placement up to 22% of mean condylar depth

Different treatment modalities for refractory vaginismus in western Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fageeh, Wafa M K

2011-06-01

Although vaginismus is a common sexual dysfunction in Saudi Arabia, there are limited data concerning the treatment modalities associated with patients with symptoms of vaginismus. This study is aimed to evaluate the presentation and different modalities of management in patients with severe refractory vaginismus in western Saudi Arabia. Successful penetrative sexual intercourse suggesting that common elements of the therapies used were successful. A retrospective study of patients presenting with severe refractory vaginismus treated in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The subjects were 15 women with third to fourth degree vaginismus who presented to King Abdulazziz University Hospital between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2009. The mean age of the participants was 23 years. The mean duration of marriage before seeking medical advice was 12 months. Six patients had undergone conventional therapy successfully. The other six cases, four of which had a previous history of treatment failure, and two who were unresponsive to 4 months of conventional therapy were offered botulinum toxin type A. Five patients who received the Botox therapy had satisfactory intercourse on the same day of the treatment. One patient required a repeat injection after 2 months for recurrent vaginismus. Three of the 15 patients refused the treatment as they were already divorced and had only come in to exclude organic causes for their condition. Vaginismus is an overlooked topic in conservative societies such as Saudi Arabia. For most patients, not knowing who to confide in or where to turn to plays a major role in the under diagnosis of vaginismus. Conventional therapy proved effective in mild and moderate cases, while botulinum toxin has a more rapid effect and was thus more effective in severe cases. © 2011 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Saudi Arabia and Regional Issues

Science.gov (United States)

1993-04-01

and Kuwait to the north; by the Persian Gulf, Qatar , the United Arab Emirates, and Oman to the east; by Oman and Yemen to the South; and by the Red Sea...on both the east and west coasts, primary and secondary aquifers that may not be renewable, and a growing system of dams that attempt to capture the...water plants producing 230 million gallons of water per day. (1:1289) More than 20 deep aquifers have been discovered in Saudi Arabia with 340

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsuwat, Obaidallah Buraykan; Alzahrani, Abdulrahman Ahmad; Alzhrani, Mohammed Abdullah; Alkhathami, Ali Mesfer; Mahfouz, Mohammad Eid Mahmoud

2018-03-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic gastrointestinal tract disease. The incidence is higher in Asian and Arab countries. In Saudi Arabia, there are few studies that have assessed the prevalence of GERD among some cities' communities. Hence, this study aims to study the prevalence of GERD among the general population of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of GERD among the community of Saudi Arabia. The sample was randomly gathered through self-administered validated GERD questionnaire (GerdQ) to diagnose GERD, during the period from November to December 2016. The sociodemographic data was assessed for all participants. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0 (SPSS); the t -test was used to assess the association of GERD and sociodemographic data. The sample was comprised of 2,043 participants. Female and male were 51.8% and 48.2%, respectively. Mean age was 29.6 years with the standard deviation of 10.5 years. The GERD prevalence was 28.7%. It was found statistically significant among divorced/widow (34.9%, P = 0.003). In contrast, there was no association between GERD's prevalence and gender, age, residence status, education level, occupation, and blood group (P > 0.05). The prevalence of GERD among Saudi population is higher than that in Western countries and East Asia. It affects divorced/widow, obese and those with a sedentary lifestyle. It is advocated that national programs and educational campaigns for prevention of this disease and its complications should be established.

78 FR 52213 - Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-22

... (Preliminary)] Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan...), that there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports from India, Korea, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine...

Mobile Phone Services in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Mohammed T. Simsim

2009-01-01

This paper discusses telecominication market developments in Saudi Arabia. Empirical research was carried in the holy city of Makkah to study the customer's preference for mobile cellular service and the factor influencing their subscription of the mobile phone service. Results indicate that the financial factor sicnificantly influence the customer's selection of the service provider.

Online Continuing Medical Education in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alwadie, Adnan D.

2013-01-01

As the largest country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and its health care system are well positioned to embark on an online learning intervention so that health care providers in all areas of the country have the resources for updating their professional knowledge and skills. After a brief introduction, online continuing medical education is…

Residency Programs and Clinical Leadership Skills Among New Saudi Graduate Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dossary, Reem Nassar; Kitsantas, Panagiota; Maddox, P J

2016-01-01

Nurse residency programs have been adopted by health care organizations to assist new graduate nurses with daily challenges such as intense working environments, increasing patient acuity, and complex technologies. Overall, nurse residency programs are proven beneficial in helping nurses transition from the student role to independent practitioners and bedside leaders. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of residency programs on leadership skills of new Saudi graduate nurses who completed a residency program compared to new Saudi graduate nurses who did not participate in residency programs. The study design was cross-sectional involving a convenience sample (n = 98) of new graduate nurses from three hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The Clinical Leadership Survey was used to measure the new graduate nurses' clinical leadership skills based on whether they completed a residency program or not. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine leadership skills in this sample of new Saudi graduate nurses. A significant difference was found between residents and nonresidents in their leadership skills (t = 10.48, P = .000). Specifically, residents were significantly more likely to show higher levels of leadership skills compared to their counterparts. Attending a residency program was associated with a significant increase in clinical leadership skills. The findings of this study indicate that there is a need to implement more residency programs in hospitals of Saudi Arabia. It is imperative that nurse managers and policy makers in Saudi Arabia consider these findings to improve nurses' leadership skills, which will in turn improve patient care. Further research should examine how residency programs influence new graduate nurses' transition from student to practitioner with regard to clinical leadership skills in Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in dietary habits, physical activity and status of metabolic syndrome among expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alzeidan, Rasmieh A; Rabiee, Fatemeh; Mandil, Ahmed A; Hersi, Ahmad S; Ullah, Anhar A

2018-03-05

The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of living in Saudi Arabia on expatriate employees and their families' behavioural cardiovascular risk factors (BCVRFs), and to examine the association between changes in BCVRFs and metabolic syndrome (MetS). A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1437 individuals, aged ≥ 18 years, from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We used the World Health Organization STEPS questionnaire to ask every participant questions about BCVRFs twice: (1) to reflect their period of living in Saudi Arabia and (2) to shed light upon life in their country of origin. Their mean age was 40.9 (11.7) years. The prevalence of BCVRFs was as follows: tobacco use in 156 (11%), physical inactivity in 1049 (73%) low intake of fruit and vegetables in 1264 (88%) and MetS in 378 (26%). Residing in Saudi Arabia had reduced physical activity and intake of fruit and vegetables. There was also a significant increase in the fast food consumption. In conclusion, living in Saudi Arabia had a significant negative effect on BCVRFs. However, there was no statistically significant association between changes in fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity and MetS status, except that intake of fast food was lower among participants with MetS.

Job satisfaction among physiotherapists in Saudi Arabia: does the leadership style matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Alkassabi, Othman Y; Al-Sobayel, Hana; Al-Eisa, Einas S; Buragadda, Syamala; Alghadir, Ahmad H; Iqbal, Amir

2018-06-07

Research has shown high rates of stress and dissatisfaction among allied health professionals, including physiotherapists, having an adverse impact on workforce retention rates. This study aimed to examine the job satisfaction and influential factors among physiotherapists working in private and government hospitals of Saudi Arabia with a focus on leadership style. This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted among sixty-nine licensed physical therapists working in various health care settings in Riyadh. The Job Satisfaction Survey questionnaire was used to measure job satisfaction, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to measure perceptions of leadership style. Other data including demographic and work-related information were collected. Chi-square and Pearson's correlation analysis were used to establish correlation among the variables. The respondents from government and private hospitals showed non-significant differences (p > 0.05) among them on job satisfaction score, which was considered "ambivalent". Some of the respondents "slightly disagreed" in terms of pay, promotion, fringe benefits, contingent reward, operating conditions, and communication; however, rest of them "slightly agreed" for immediate supervision, co-workers, and the nature of work. Job satisfaction correlated significantly with female gender (p leadership style (p > 0.05). All the physiotherapists, whether working in government or private hospitals, were neither fully satisfied nor fully dissatisfied with their jobs. Female physiotherapists from musculoskeletal subspecialty of physiotherapy were more satisfied than male physiotherapists from other subspecialty of physiotherapy. Of course, leadership style does matter in the job satisfaction among physiotherapists in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Transition to knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nour, S.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses the progress in transition to knowledge-based economy in Saudi Arabia. As for the methodology, this paper uses updated secondary data obtained from different sources. It uses both descriptive and comparative approaches and uses the OECD definition of knowledge-based economy and

Education and the Satellite: Possibilities for Saudi Arabia?

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Sharhan, Jamal

2000-01-01

Discussion of developments in satellite communications and educational applications focuses on the possibilities of adapting satellite technology for instruction in developing countries. Topics include satellite use in Australia and the United States; and recommendations for the adoption of satellite technology in Saudi Arabia. (Author/LRW)

Burden and treatment patterns of invasive fungal infections in hospitalized patients in the Middle East: real-world data from Saudi Arabia and Lebanon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alothman AF

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Adel F Alothman,1 Abdulhakeem O Althaqafi,2 Madonna J Matar,3 Rima Moghnieh,4 Thamer H Alenazi,1 Fayssal M Farahat,2 Shelby Corman,5 Caitlyn T Solem,5 Nirvana Raghubir,6 Cynthia Macahilig,7 Claudie Charbonneau,8 Jennifer M Stephens5 1College of Medicine, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Infection Prevention and Control, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin AbdulAziz University for Health Sciences, King AbdulAziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Infectious Disease, Notre Dame de Secours University Hospital, Byblos, Lebanon; 4Department of Internal Medicine, Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; 5Real-world Evidence/Data Analytics Center of Excellence, Pharmerit International, Bethesda, MD, USA; 6Pfizer, New York, NY, 7Medical Data Analytics, Parsippany, NJ, USA; 8Pfizer International Operation, Paris, France Objectives: The objective of this study was to document the burden and treatment patterns associated with invasive fungal infections (IFIs due to Candida and Aspergillus species in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Methods: A retrospective chart review study was conducted using data recorded from 2011 to 2012 from hospitals in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Patients were included if they had been discharged with a diagnosis of IFI due to Candida or Aspergillus, which was culture proven or suspected based on clinical criteria. Hospital data were abstracted for a random sample of patients to capture demographics, treatment patterns, hospital resource utilization, and clinical outcomes. Descriptive results were reported. Results: Five hospitals participated and provided data on 102 patients with IFI (51 from Lebanon and 51 from Saudi Arabia. The mean age of the patients was 55 years, and 55% were males. Comorbidities included diabetes (41%, coronary artery disease (24%, leukemia (19%, moderate

Analysis of HIV subtypes and the phylogenetic tree in HIV-positive samples from Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Zahrani, Alhusain J.

2008-01-01

Objective was to assess the prevalence of HIV-1 genetic subtypes in Saudi Arabia in samples that are serologically positive for HIV-1 and compare the HIV-1 genetic subtypes prevalent in Saudi Arabia with the subtypes prevalent in other countries. Thirty-nine HIV-1 positive samples were analyzed for HIV-1 subtypes using molecular techniques. The study is retrospective study that was conducted in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in Abbott laboratories (United States of America) from2004 to 2007. All samples were seropositive for HIV-1 group M. Of the 39 seropositive samples, only 12 were polymerase chain reaction positive. Subtype C is the most common virus strain as it occurred in 58% of these samples; subtype B occurred in 17%; subtypes A, D and G were found in 8% each. The phylogenetic tree was also identified for the isolates. Detection of HIV subtypes is important for epidemiological purposes and may help in tracing the source of HIV infections in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (author)

The genus Artemisia L. in the northern region of Saudi Arabia: essential oil variability and antibacterial activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Guetat, Arbi; Al-Ghamdi, Faraj A; Osman, Ahmed K

2017-03-01

Four species of the genus Artemisia L. (Artemisia monosperma, Artemisia scoparia, Artemisia judaica and Artemisia sieberi) growing in the northern region of Saudi Arabia were investigated with respect to their volatile oil contents. The yield of oil varied between 0.30 and 0.41%, % (w/w). A. monosperma showed the highest number of compounds with 30 components representing 93.78% of oil composition. However, A. judaica showed the lowest number of compounds with only 16 components representing 87.47% of essential oil. A. scoparia and A. sieberi are both composed of 17 components, representing 97.14 and 94.2% of total oil composition. A. sieberi and A. judaica were dominated by spathulenol (30.42 and 28.41%, respectively). For A. monosperma, butanoic acid (17.87%) was a major component. However, A. scoparia was a chemotype of acenaphthene. (83.23%). Essential oil of studied species showed high antibacterial activities against common human pathogens.

Origin of the Eastern Mediterranean: Neo-Tethys Rifting Along a Cryptic Cadomian Suture with Afro-Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Avigad, D.; Abbo, A.; Gerdes, A.

2016-12-01

The East Mediterranean is a land-locked basin, a remnant of Neo-Tethys. It was formed in the Permo-Triassic as a result of the drift of the Tauride block from the Afro-Arabian margin of Gondwana. Herein we show that rather than being a genuine Afro-Arabia crustal fragment, the Tauride block is underlain by a Late Neoproterozoic Cadomian basement, which differs significantly from the Neoproterozoic "Pan-African" basement of NE Africa from which it was detached. Resembling other Cadomian terranes of Western Europe, the Tauride basement is chiefly a greywacke succession deposited in a mid to late Ediacaran back-arc basin formed on the periphery of Afro-Arabia, above the southward subducting proto-Tethys. The back-arc region was deformed and metamorphosed to various degrees and intruded by latest Ediacaran-Cambrian granites and volcanics during the Cadomian orogeny. Unlike the protracted (ca .300 m.y.) Neoproterozoic crustal evolution recorded in Afro-Arabia, the Cadomian basement of the Taurides evolved briefly, over ca. 50 m.y. We show that the entire cycle of sedimentation, metamorphism and magmatism in the Tauribe basement took place in the late Ediacaran-Cambrian and lagged after Neoproterozoic Pan-African orogeny and igneous activity in Afro-Arabia. The Cadomian orogeny had accreted the Taurides, and adjoining peri-Gandwana Cadomian terranes, with an already-consolidated Afro-Arabian continent. Permo-Triassic rifting of the East Mediterranean occurred close to the transition between these two domains. Rifting has thus been inherited from, and superimposed on late Ediacaran structures formed in front of the current Afro-Arabia margin of Gondwana during Cadomian orogeny. The boundary between the Cadomian edifice and the Pan-African crust of Afro-Arabia appears to lie nowadays on the southern margin of the Mediterranean, extending from Morocco in the west to Arabia in the east. Hence, the continental margin of the East Mediterranean, including in the Levant basin

A review of 33 years (1980-2013) of data indicating a rise in ectopic pregnancy in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Turki, Haifa A

2015-01-01

To assess the trend in ectopic pregnancy (EP) at a single center in Saudi Arabia and to compare the data with those from the rest of Saudi Arabia. In a retrospective study, data were analyzed from patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with a diagnosis of EP between January 2011 and December 2013. The prevalence of EP was calculated as a percentage of the number of live births during the study period. A 30-year review of publications on EP in Saudi Arabia was done via search engines. During the study period, there were 58 EPs among 3818 deliveries, giving an overall incidence of 1.5% at the study center; the incidence of EP in the rest of the country during this period was 0.5%. Between 2002 and 2004, the country's incidence was 0.6% as compared with 1% at the study center. The incidence of EP in Saudi Arabia has increased in the past few decades. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of psychomotor skills and didactic performance among dental students in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afify AR

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Ahmed R Afify,1 Khalid H Zawawi,1 Hisham I Othman,2 Ayman A Al-Dharrab31Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, 2Department of Basic Oral and Clinical Sciences, 3Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaObjectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the psychomotor skills and the academic performance of dental students.Methods: Didactic and preclinical scores were collected for students who graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2011. Three courses (Dental Anatomy, Removable Prosthodontic Denture, and Orthodontics were selected. Correlations comparing didactic and practical scores were done for the total samples, then for the males and females separately.Results: There was no significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for the three courses for the total sample. There was a significant correlation between all three subjects in the didactic scores. For females, the results showed that there was only a significant correlation between the practical and didactic scores for Dental Anatomy. For males, no correlation was observed between the practical and didactic scores for all subjects.Conclusion: In the present sample, didactic performance did not correlate well with the students' psychomotor performance.Keywords: psychomotor performance, didactic performance, dental students, correlation study, dental education, practical performance

Climate change and epidemiology of human parasitoses in Saudi Arabia: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wael Mohamed Lotfy

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Climate change is an emerging global problem. It has hazardous effects that vary across different geographic regions and populations. It is anticipated to have significant effects in Saudi Arabia. The present work reviews the future of human parasitoses in Saudi Arabia in response to the expected climate change. The key projections are increased precipitations, flash floods, unstable temperatures, sea-level rise and shoreline retreat. Such environmental changes could strongly influence the epidemiology of fly-borne, mosquito-borne, snail-borne and water-borne human parasitoses in the country.

Coesite from Wabar crater, near Al Hadida, Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, E.C.T.; Fahey, J.J.; Littler, J.

1961-01-01

The third natural occurrence of coesite, the high pressure polymorph of silica, is found at the Wabar meteorite crater, Arabia. The Wabar crater is about 300 feet in diameter and about 40 feet deep. It is the smallest of three craters where coesite has been found.

Academic Libraries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tameem, Jamal A.

1988-01-01

Considers the status of higher education and academic libraries in Saudi Arabia. Topics covered include the role of academic libraries, use patterns, library education, the availability of professional librarians and administrators, library automation, academic cooperation with the United States, and the impact of social influences on library…

Sports injuries in Saudi Arabia.

OpenAIRE

Sadat-Ali, M; Sankaran-Kutty, M

1985-01-01

Saudi Arabia has now a wealth of sporting facilities of which the youth of the country is making full use. A prospective study of sports related injuries was conducted during the twelve months of 1983. We present an analysis of 846 such injuries seen at the King Fahd University Hospital, Al Khobar. These injuries formed 8.36% of those who attended after an accident for emergency treatment, of which 63% were under 20 years. The majority was sustained during soccer games. The most frequent site...

How novice, skilled and advanced clinical researchers include variables in a case report form for clinical research: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Hongling; Zeng, Lin; Fetters, Micheal D; Li, Nan; Tao, Liyuan; Shi, Yanyan; Zhang, Hua; Wang, Xiaoxiao; Li, Fengwei; Zhao, Yiming

2017-09-18

Despite varying degrees in research training, most academic clinicians are expected to conduct clinical research. The objective of this research was to understand how clinical researchers of different skill levels include variables in a case report form for their clinical research. The setting for this research was a major academic institution in Beijing, China. The target population was clinical researchers with three levels of experience, namely, limited clinical research experience, clinicians with rich clinical research experience and clinical research experts. Using a qualitative approach, we conducted 13 individual interviews (face to face) and one group interview (n=4) with clinical researchers from June to September 2016. Based on maximum variation sampling to identify researchers with three levels of research experience: eight clinicians with limited clinical research experience, five clinicians with rich clinical research experience and four clinical research experts. These 17 researchers had diverse hospital-based medical specialties and or specialisation in clinical research. Our analysis yields a typology of three processes developing a case report form that varies according to research experience level. Novice clinician researchers often have an incomplete protocol or none at all, and conduct data collection and publication based on a general framework. Experienced clinician researchers include variables in the case report form based on previous experience with attention to including domains or items at risk for omission and by eliminating unnecessary variables. Expert researchers consider comprehensively in advance data collection and implementation needs and plan accordingly. These results illustrate increasing levels of sophistication in research planning that increase sophistication in selection for variables in the case report form. These findings suggest that novice and intermediate-level researchers could benefit by emulating the comprehensive

Emerging frontiers of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia: The metamorphosis in the last fifty years.

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Asiri, Yousif A

2011-01-01

The trends in the quality of biomedical education in pharmacy schools have witnessed significant changes in the 21st century. With the advent of continuous revision and standardization processes of medical curricula throughout the world, the focus has been on imparting quality education. This pedagogic paradigm has shifted to pharmacy schools. In Saudi Arabia, the concept of "medical and pharmacy education" is relatively new as mainstream pharmacy curriculum and universities were established only half a century ago. This period has seen major changes in the dimension of "pharmacy education" to keep pace with the education systems in the United States and Europe. As our knowledge and perceptions about pharmaceuticals change with time, this motivates educators to search for better teaching alternatives to the ever increasing number of enthusiastic and budding pharmacists. Recently, the academic system in Saudi Arabian Pharmacy has adopted a more clinically-oriented Pharm. D. curriculum. This paper deals with the major changes from the inception of a small pharmacy faculty in 1959, the College of Pharmacy at the King Saud University, Riyadh, to the model of progress and a prototype of pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia. The fifty year chronological array can be regarded as an epitome of progress in pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia from its traditional curriculum to the modern day Pharm. D. curriculum with a high population growth and expanding health care sector, the demand for qualified pharmacists is growing and is projected to grow considerably in the future. The number of pharmacy graduates is increasing each year by many folds and to meet the needs the system lays stress upon a constant revising and updating of the current curriculum from a global perspective.

The Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia in the Near East at the Beginning of the 21st Century

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Igor V. Kryuchkov

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the formation of a new foreign policy strategy of Saudi Arabia in conditions of the changing situation in the Middle East after the “Arab spring” and the “nuclear deal” with Iran. It is shown in the article that the instability of domestic policy and economic problems connected with oil price drop have influence on the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia. Struggle with Iran for domination in the region becomes the basis of its policy in the Middle East. The author notes that the complication of relations with the USA also greatly influences the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom condemned the nuclear program agreement of Iran. Riyadh didn’t manage to neutralize the growth of influence of Iran in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Riyadh places a bet on B. Asad opponents support in the Syrian conflict aiming to strengthen its positions in the country and to dislodge Iran and Russia from it. Confrontation with Iran forced Saudi Arabia to interfere with the civil war in Yemen and to carry out a successful operation in Bahrein. The article shows the aspiration of Saudi Arabia to withhold Egypt, Jordan and a number of other countries of the region in the sphere of its foreign policy through financial aid to these countries. It is proved that the reasons of the conflict of Saudi Arabia with Iran were of economic, geopolitical and religious nature, and that Saudi Arabia aspired to strengthen its positions in the Middle East and East Africa. A great breakthrough was acquisition of two islands in the Red Sea from Egypt by Riyadh.

Clinical Trials With Large Numbers of Variables: Important Advantages of Canonical Analysis.

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Cleophas, Ton J

2016-01-01

Canonical analysis assesses the combined effects of a set of predictor variables on a set of outcome variables, but it is little used in clinical trials despite the omnipresence of multiple variables. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of canonical analysis as compared with traditional multivariate methods using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). As an example, a simulated data file with 12 gene expression levels and 4 drug efficacy scores was used. The correlation coefficient between the 12 predictor and 4 outcome variables was 0.87 (P = 0.0001) meaning that 76% of the variability in the outcome variables was explained by the 12 covariates. Repeated testing after the removal of 5 unimportant predictor and 1 outcome variable produced virtually the same overall result. The MANCOVA identified identical unimportant variables, but it was unable to provide overall statistics. (1) Canonical analysis is remarkable, because it can handle many more variables than traditional multivariate methods such as MANCOVA can. (2) At the same time, it accounts for the relative importance of the separate variables, their interactions and differences in units. (3) Canonical analysis provides overall statistics of the effects of sets of variables, whereas traditional multivariate methods only provide the statistics of the separate variables. (4) Unlike other methods for combining the effects of multiple variables such as factor analysis/partial least squares, canonical analysis is scientifically entirely rigorous. (5) Limitations include that it is less flexible than factor analysis/partial least squares, because only 2 sets of variables are used and because multiple solutions instead of one is offered. We do hope that this article will stimulate clinical investigators to start using this remarkable method.

The Paradox of Pelvic Exenteration: The Interaction of Clinical and Psychological Variables.

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Arnaboldi, Paola; Santoro, Luigi; Mazzocco, Ketti; Oliveri, Serena; Maggioni, Angelo; Pravettoni, Gabriella

2015-10-01

To text the feasibility of a psychological intervention package administered to 49 pelvic exenteration candidates, aimed at evaluating the preoperative prevalence of psychological distress and assessing the presence of any correlation between preoperative psychological distress and clinical variables such as pain and hospitalization length. Patients were referred to the psychology unit from the very beginning of their clinical pathway and were administered the Psychological Distress Inventory (PDI) and the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer (Mini-MAC) questionnaire at prehospital admission. Patients presenting with a significant level of distress received nonstandardized psychological support. Statistical analyses were performed to detect the presence of any correlation between psychological variables at prehospital admission and clinical outcomes. The 40% of patients had significant levels of distress at prehospital admission (PDI ≥ 30). As regards Mini-MAC, the mean value of fighting spirit attitude and fatalism was higher in our sample than in the normative sample of the Mini-MAC validation study in the Italian cancer population. Their anxious preoccupation attitude was lower. There were no correlations between clinical and psychological variables: level of postsurgery pain was higher (3.7) in the subgroup of patients with presurgery PDI < 30 compared with those with PDI ≥ 30 (3.5). However, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 1.00). Considering hospitalization length, the above described trend was similar. Although highly distressed, pelvic exenteration candidates show an adaptive range of coping mechanisms. This calls for a greater effort in studying the complexity of their psychoemotional status to provide them with the best multidisciplinary care. Extensive study of the real effectiveness of psychological intervention is warranted: randomized clinical trials could help in detecting the presence of any correlation between clinical and

Rotavirus infection in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kheyami, Ali M.; Cunliffe, Nigel A.; Hart, C. Anthony

2006-01-01

Human rotavirus, an important causative agent of severe gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide, leads to high morbidity in both developing and developed countries. Effective control depends upon an accurate understanding of disease burden and the relative importance of circulating serotypes. We examined the epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus in Saudi Arabia through a review of 22 published studies of rotavirus and the antilogy diarrhea carried out from 1982 to 2003. The prevalence of rotavirus ranged between 10% to 46% with a median of 30%. Most cases were among children less than 2 years of age, and particularly in first year of life. There were significant differences in the seasonability within Saudi Arabia with increased infection during winter in some cities and during summer in others. G1 was the predominant serotype followed by G4, G3 and G2, in 4 studies where strains have been G-typed. The prevalence of noticeable strains ranged from 11.0% to 31.3%. No data were available on P types... Results of electropherotyping in 4 studies revealed that the long elctropherotype was predominant. Rotavirus is an important cause of severe diarrhea in Saudi children. However, the available data on rotavirus strains in circulation are limited. And there is an urgent need for up-to-date and comprehensive studies to evaluate rotavirus strains in circulation and identify unusual types that could be incorporated into future vaccines. (author)

Clinical predictors of resectability of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Almadi, Majid A; Alharbi, Othman; Azzam, Nahla; Altayeb, Mohannad; Javed, Moammed; Alsaif, Faisal; Hassanain, Mazen; Alsharabi, Abdulsalam; Al-Saleh, Khalid; Aljebreen, Abdulrahman M

2013-01-01

sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 75%, positive likelihood ratio of 3.6, and a negative likelihood ratio of 0.15 for resectability of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This study describes the clinical characteristics of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Saudi Arabia. None of the clinical or laboratory variables that were included in our study could independently predict resectability of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Further studies are warranted to validate these results.

Women in Saudi Arabia and the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review.

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Alshaikh, Mashael K; Filippidis, Filippos T; Baldove, Juren P; Majeed, Azeem; Rawaf, Salman

2016-01-01

Background . Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in Saudi Arabia. Saudi women in particular are more susceptible as there are sociocultural restrictions on female physical activities that may lead to high prevalence of CVD risks, especially obesity, and physical inactivity. This study aims to systematically review the published articles related to the prevalence of CVD risk among women in Saudi Arabia. The search strategy covers all published articles that assess the risk factor of CVD in Saudi Arabia from January 2000 to December 2015, using the following sources: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. A total of 61 studies were included. Results. Prevalence among Saudi women of smoking ranged from 1.1% to 9.1%, hypertension was 21.8%, diabetes ranged from 9.6% to 27.6%, overweight was 27%, and obesity was 40.23%, and physical inactivity ranged from 53.2% to 98.1%. Hypercholesterolemia prevalence on Saudi women on average was 24.5%, while metabolic syndrome ranged from 13.6% to 40.3%. Conclusion . The prevalence of CVD risk factors is high among women in Saudi Arabia especially in obesity and physical inactivity. Public health authorities must implement solutions from a gender specific aspect to reverse the trend and decrease the prevalence of CVDs among Saudi women.

Saudi Arabia: A future regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology.

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Meo, Sultan Ayoub

2015-10-01

Saudi Arabia is the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula, blessed with significant natural resources, including oil, gas and minerals. Saudi Arabia has recognised the importance of education in social and economic transformation, and has established a large number of universities, research and advanced technical institutes which have broken the metropolitan boundaries and have been extended to the far-flung areas of the country. There are 68 universities and degree-awarding institutes. The educational budget reached its highest-ever level of $56.56 billion for the year 2014. About 124,000 Saudi students are pursuing higher education in about 500 universities around the world. Saudi Arabia produced 177826 research papers in Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) database and in the year 2014 alone, 26168 research papers were published in indexed science journals with a rising h-index of 144. The country is turning into a regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology while swiftly shifting from an oil-based to a knowledge-based economy.

Notes on chameleons III. The chameleons of southern Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hillenius, D.

1966-01-01

Three chameleons have been described from southern Arabia: Chamaeleo calyptratus Duméril & Duméril, 1851; Chamaeleo calcarifer Peters, 1871 and Chamaeleo arabicus (Matschie, 1893). Chamaeleo arabicus is clearly connected with typical Chamaeleo chamaeleon by intermediate forms: Chamaeleo chamaeleon

A cross-sectional study of anxiety and marital quality among women with breast cancer at a university clinic in western Saudi Arabia

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Faten N. Al-Zaben

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To examine relationship between the quality of marital relationship and anxiety among women with breast cancer (BC in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited a consecutive series of 49 married women with BC seen in the Al-Amoudi Breast Cancer Center of Excellence at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, KSA in early 2013. Participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Spouse Perception Scale, and Quality of Marriage Index forms, and answered questions on demographic and cancer characteristics. Results: Anxiety symptoms indicating “possible” anxiety disorder were present in 10.4% and “probable” anxiety disorder in 14.6% (25% total. No significant relationship was found between the quality of marital relationship and anxiety symptoms (B=-0.04, standard error=0.05, t=-0.81, p=0.42. Anxiety was primarily driven by low education, poor socioeconomic status, and young age. Conclusion: Anxiety symptoms are prevalent among married women with BC seen in a university-based clinic in the KSA. Further research is needed to determine whether a diagnosis of BC adversely affects marital relationship, and whether this is the cause for anxiety in these women.

The association between body mass index and duration spent on electronic devices in children and adolescents in Western Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Al-Agha, Abdulmoein E.; Nizar, F. Sarah; Nahhas, Anwar M.

2016-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the duration spent on electronic devices, and to assess the factors that can cause obesity among children. Methods: A cross-sectional study including 541 participants. Data was collected from March to June 2015 via ambulatory pediatric clinics in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The BMI standard deviation was calculated based on Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards. Results: The mean age of...

Foreign Language Planning in Saudi Arabia: Beyond English

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Payne, Mark; Almansour, Maram

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study of foreign language planning in Saudi Arabia. In terms of official policy, the sole foreign language taught in Saudi public schools is English. Therefore, researching foreign languages there is often limited to researching the area of English as a Foreign Language. However, evidence shows that…

Ecological study on Uyun Layla in Saudi Arabia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

use

Arabia, but there are some coastal or lowland areas receiving great amount of rainfall leaving ponds or sometimes lakes behind. Uyun Laila was an example .... poisonous effect on plant growth (Al-Haish,. 1985). This increase in copper contents may be due to the pollution from urbanization and human activities in the area.

Coronavirus infections in horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemida, M G; Chu, D K W; Perera, R A P M; Ko, R L W; So, R T Y; Ng, B C Y; Chan, S M S; Chu, S; Alnaeem, A A; Alhammadi, M A; Webby, R J; Poon, L L M; Balasuriya, U B R; Peiris, M

2017-12-01

Equine coronaviruses (ECoV) are the only coronavirus known to infect horses. So far, data on ECoV infection in horses remain limited to the USA, France and Japan and its geographic distribution is not well understood. We carried out RT-PCR on 306 nasal and 315 rectal swabs and tested 243 sera for antibodies to detect coronavirus infections in apparently healthy horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman. We document evidence of infection with ECoV and HKU23 coronavirus by RT-PCR. There was no conclusive evidence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in horses. Serological data suggest that lineage A betacoronavirus infections are commonly infecting horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman but antibody cross-reactivities between these viruses do not permit us to use serological data alone to identify which coronaviruses are causing these infections. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The association between insured male expatriates' knowledge of health insurance benefits and lack of access to health care in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alkhamis, Abdulwahab A

2018-03-15

Insufficient knowledge of health insurance benefits could be associated with lack of access to health care, particularly for minority populations. This study aims to assess the association between expatriates' knowledge of health insurance benefits and lack of access to health care. A cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 2015 to February 2016 among 3398 insured male expatriates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The dependent variable was binary and expresses access or lack of access to health care. Independent variables included perceived and validated knowledge of health insurance benefits and other variables. Data were summarized by computing frequencies and percentage of all quantities of variables. To evaluate variations in knowledge, personal and job characteristics with lack of access to health care, the Chi square test was used. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were recorded for each independent variable. Multiple logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression were performed and adjusted ORs were extracted. Descriptive analysis showed that 15% of participants lacked access to health care. The majority of these were unskilled laborers, usually with no education (17.5%), who had been working for less than 3 years (28.1%) in Saudi Arabia. A total of 23.3% worked for companies with less than 50 employees and 16.5% earned less than 4500 Saudi Riyals monthly ($1200). Many (20.3%) were young (English (16.7%) and lacked previous knowledge of health insurance (18%). For perceived knowledge of health insurance, 55.2% scored 1 or 0 from total of 3. For validated knowledge, 16.9% scored 1 or 0 from total score of 4. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only perceived knowledge of health insurance had significant associations with lack of access to health care ((OR) = 0.393, (CI) = 0.335-0.461), but the result was insignificant for validated knowledge. Stepwise logistic regression gave similar findings. Our results

Will Saudi Arabia run out of money? : “they talk the talk, but can they walk the walk?”

OpenAIRE

Mundal, Bjørnar; Waaler, Frederik

2015-01-01

We examine when and if Saudi Arabia run out of money in order to predict if Saudi Arabia will change their oil policy due to the low oil price we are facing today. This is done by running different static analyses, time series analysis and an analysis on the effects of cutting production based on elasticity of supply. We find that Saudi Arabia run out of money if they continue without financial and strategic adjustments. However, our findings show that other analysts overestima...

HIV-1 Genetic Variability in Cuba and Implications for Transmission and Clinical Progression.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Madeline; Machado, Liuber Y; Díaz, Héctor; Ruiz, Nancy; Romay, Dania; Silva, Eladio

2015-10-01

INTRODUCTION Serological and molecular HIV-1 studies in Cuba have shown very low prevalence of seropositivity, but an increasing genetic diversity attributable to introduction of many HIV-1 variants from different areas, exchange of such variants among HIV-positive people with several coinciding routes of infection and other epidemiologic risk factors in the seropositive population. The high HIV-1 genetic variability observed in Cuba has possible implications for transmission and clinical progression. OBJECTIVE Study genetic variability for the HIV-1 env, gag and pol structural genes in Cuba; determine the prevalence of B and non-B subtypes according to epidemiologic and behavioral variables and determine whether a relationship exists between genetic variability and transmissibility, and between genetic variability and clinical disease progression in people living with HIV/AIDS. METHODS Using two molecular assays (heteroduplex mobility assay and nucleic acid sequencing), structural genes were characterized in 590 people with HIV-1 (480 men and 110 women), accounting for 3.4% of seropositive individuals in Cuba as of December 31, 2013. Nonrandom sampling, proportional to HIV prevalence by province, was conducted. Relationships between molecular results and viral factors, host characteristics, and patients' clinical, epidemiologic and behavioral variables were studied for molecular epidemiology, transmission, and progression analyses. RESULTS Molecular analysis of the three HIV-1 structural genes classified 297 samples as subtype B (50.3%), 269 as non-B subtypes (45.6%) and 24 were not typeable. Subtype B prevailed overall and in men, mainly in those who have sex with men. Non-B subtypes were prevalent in women and heterosexual men, showing multiple circulating variants and recombinant forms. Sexual transmission was the predominant form of infection for all. B and non-B subtypes were encountered throughout Cuba. No association was found between subtypes and

Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior Towards Online Shopping in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hani A

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study intends to identify factors that may affect consumer behavior in Saudi Arabia while shopping online. Although Saudi Arabia has the largest and fastest growing ICT in the Middle East and the online shopping activities in Saudi are increasing rapidly, it is still lagging behind the global development. The four factors–website design quality, perceived trust, perceived convenience and advertisements & promotions were selected from the available literature. A survey was conducted and questionnaire that includes 25 questions was distributed randomly to a sample of 107 participants in Dammam city (in the Eastern Province of the kingdom. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS software. The result indicates one hypothesis has been accepted. The findings of the study are analyzed and discussed further at the end of this paper.

Visit-to-visit cholesterol variability correlates with coronary atheroma progression and clinical outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Donald; Nicholls, Stephen J; St John, Julie; Elshazly, Mohamed B; Kapadia, Samir R; Tuzcu, E Murat; Nissen, Steven E; Puri, Rishi

2018-04-21

Utilizing serial intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS), we aimed to exam the association of intra-individual lipid variability, coronary atheroma progression, and clinical outcomes. We performed a post hoc patient-level analysis of nine clinical trials involving 4976 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent serial coronary IVUS in the setting of a range of medical therapies. We assessed the associations between progression in percent atheroma volume (ΔPAV), clinical outcomes, and visit-to-visit lipid variability including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Variability of lipid parameters was measured using intra-individual standard deviation over 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Atherogenic lipoprotein variability significantly associated with ΔPAV [odds ratio (95% confidence interval; P-value), LDL-C: 1.09 (1.02, 1.17, P = 0.01); non-HDL-C: 1.10 (1.02, 1.18, P = 0.01); TC/HDL-C: 1.14 (1.06, 1.24, P = 0.001); ApoB: 1.13 (1.03, 1.24, P = 0.01)]. Survival curves revealed significant stepwise relationships between cumulative major adverse cardiovascular events and increasing quartiles of atherogenic lipoprotein variability at 24-months follow-up (log-rank P C). Stronger associations were noted between achieved lipoprotein levels and ΔPAV [LDL-C: 1.27 (1.17, 1.39; P C: 1.32 (1.21, 1.45; P C: 1.31 (1.19, 1.45; P < 0.001); ApoB: 1.20 (1.07, 1.35; P = 0.003)]. Greater visit-to-visit variability in atherogenic lipoprotein levels significantly associates with coronary atheroma progression and clinical outcomes, although the association between achieved atherogenic lipoproteins and atheroma progression appears stronger. These data highlight the importance of achieving low and consistent atherogenic lipoprotein levels to promote plaque regression and improve clinical outcomes.

Trends of Climate Change in Saudi Arabia: Implications on Water Resources

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Qassem Y. Tarawneh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Climate change is an important factor for sustainable water resource management in the arid and semi-arid countries. In this study, future trends of temperature and rainfall were assessed for several regions in Saudi Arabia. The linear and Mann–Kendall analyses showed an increase of temperature in all regions and decrease of rainfall in many regions. Following trend analysis, the outputs of the NCAR Community Climate System Model were obtained for three emission scenarios (high: representative concentration pathways RCP8.5; high medium: RCP6; and low: RCP2.6 for the assessment periods of 2025–2044, 2045–2064 and 2065–2084 respectively, and compared with the average values from the reference period (1986–2005. In all emission scenarios, temperature showed an increase from 1986 to 2005 in all regions. For RCP8.5, increase of temperature are in the ranges of 0.8–1.6 °C, 0.9–2.7 °C and 0.7–4.1 °C during 2025–2044, 2045–2064 and 2065–2084 respectively. However, rainfall showed variable patterns with respect to emission scenarios and assessment periods. In most regions, the RCP6 showed decrease in rainfall from the reference period while the RCP8.5 and RCP2.6 showed variable patterns. The increase of temperature and variable pattern of rainfall may increase uncertainty in developing sustainable water resource management strategies.

Epidemiological aspects of prematurity in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia

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Faisal O. Al-Qurashi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To assess the epidemiological characteristics of prematurity and survival rate in preterm infants diagnosed at a university hospital in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective study was carried out of 476 preterm infants who were admitted with the diagnosis of prematurity to King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, between June 2008 and 2013. Demographics, birth weight, and neonatal survival rate were analyzed. Results: Four hundred and seventy-six preterm infants were admitted with a total prevalence of 7.5%. Descriptive analysis revealed 55% were males. Extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks’ gestation comprised 9% and very preterm infants (28 to <32 weeks’ gestation comprised 20%. Extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW infants (<1000 g comprised 11%. One hundred and fifty-seven (32% infants were small for gestational age. Out of the total number of ELBW infants, 58% of them were discharged. The overall mortality was 7.6%. The mortality rate of male infants was 53%. The survival to discharge according to gestational age ranged from 30-97.6%. Conclusion: The estimated prevalence of preterm births in a university hospital in eastern province of Saudi Arabia, is consistent with various studies from different parts of the world.

Expanded Newborn Screening Program in Saudi Arabia: Incidence of screened disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Alfadhel, Majid; Al Othaim, Ali; Al Saif, Saif; Al Mutairi, Fuad; Alsayed, Moeenaldeen; Rahbeeni, Zuhair; Alzaidan, Hamad; Alowain, Mohammed; Al-Hassnan, Zuhair; Saeedi, Mohamad; Aljohery, Saeed; Alasmari, Ali; Faqeih, Eissa; Alwakeel, Mansour; AlMashary, Maher; Almohameed, Sulaiman; Alzahrani, Mohammed; Migdad, Abeer; Al-Dirbashi, Osama Y; Rashed, Mohamed; Alamoudi, Mohamed; Jacob, Minnie; Alahaidib, Lujane; El-Badaoui, Fahd; Saadallah, Amal; Alsulaiman, Ayman; Eyaid, Wafaa; Al-Odaib, Ali

2017-06-01

To address the implementation of the National Newborn Screening Program (NBS) in Saudi Arabia and stratify the incidence of the screened disorders. A retrospective study conducted between 1 August 2005 and 31 December 2012, total of 775 000 newborns were screened from 139 hospitals distributed among all regions of Saudi Arabia. The NBS Program screens for 16 disorders from a selective list of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) and endocrine disorders. Heel prick dry blood spot samples were obtained from all newborns for biochemical and immunoassay testing. Recall screening testing was performed for Initial positive results and confirmed by specific biochemical assays. A total of 743 cases were identified giving an overall incidence of 1:1043. Frequently detected disorders nationwide were congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia with an incidence of 1:7175 and 1:7908 correspondingly. The highest incidence among the IEM was propionic acidaemia with an incidence rate of 1:14 000. The article highlights the experience of the NBS Program in Saudi Arabia and providing data on specific regional incidences of all the screened disorders included in the programme; and showed that the incidence of these disorders is one of the highest reported so far world-wide. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Female Leadership Capacity and Effectiveness: A Critical Analysis of the Literature on Higher Education in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alomair, Miznah O.

2015-01-01

In light of the progressive changes occurring in Saudi Arabia, developing female leadership capacity and effectiveness in the country's higher education is vital. This literature review examines the scholarship and research on female leadership in higher education in Saudi Arabia, describes the major barriers for female leaders, and provides a…

Reassessment of osteoporosis-related femoral fractures and economic burden in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadat-Ali, Mir; Al-Dakheel, Dakheel A; Azam, Md Q; Al-Bluwi, Mohammed T; Al-Farhan, Mohammed F; AlAmer, Hussein A; Al-Meer, Zakaria; Al-Mohimeed, Abdallah; Tabash, Ibrahim K; Karry, Maher O; Rassasy, Yaseen M; Baragaba, Mohammed A; Amer, Ahmed S; AlJawder, Abdallah; Al-Bouri, Kamil M; ElTinay, Mohammed; Badawi, Hamed A; Al-Othman, Abdallah A; Tayara, Badar K; Al-Faraidy, Moaad H; Amin, Ahmed H

2015-01-01

The current study reassesses the prevalence of fragility fractures and lifetime costs in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Forty-two percent (391) of the fractures were at the neck of the femur, and 38.6 % (354) were inter-trochanteric fractures. The overall incidence was assessed to be 7528 (1,300,336 population 55 years or older) with the direct cost of SR564.75 million ($150.60 million). A National Fracture Registry and osteoporosis awareness programs are recommended. Proximal femur fragility fractures are reported to be increasing worldwide due to increased life expectancy. The current study is carried out to assess the incidence of such fractures in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and to assess the costs incurred in managing them annually. Finally, by extrapolating the data, the study can calculate the overall economic burden in Saudi Arabia. The data of fragility proximal femur fractures was collected from 24 of 28 hospitals in the Eastern Province. The data included age, sex, mode of injury, type of fracture, prescribed drug (and its cost), and length of hospital stay. Population statistics were obtained from the Department of Statistics of the Saudi Arabian government Web site. Twenty-four hospitals (85 %) participated in the study. A total of 780 fractures were sustained by 681 patients. Length of stay in the hospital averaged 23.28 ± 13.08 days. The projected fracture rate from all the hospitals would be 917 (an incidence of 5.81/1000), with a total cost of SR68.77 million. Further extrapolation showed that the overall incidence could be 7528 (1,300,336 population 55 years or older) with the direct cost of SR564.75 million ($150.60 million). Osteoporosis-related femoral fractures in Saudi Arabia are significant causes of morbidity besides incurring economic burden. We believe that a National Fracture Registry needs to be established, and osteoporosis awareness programs should be instituted in every part of Saudi Arabia so that these patients can

Bayesian noise-reduction in Arabia/Somalia and Nubia/Arabia finite rotations since ˜20 Ma: Implications for Nubia/Somalia relative motion

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Iaffaldano, Giampiero; Hawkins, Rhys; Sambridge, Malcolm

2014-04-01

Knowledge of Nubia/Somalia relative motion since the Early Neogene is of particular importance in the Earth Sciences, because it (i) impacts on inferences on African dynamic topography; and (ii) allows us to link plate kinematics within the Indian realm with those within the Atlantic basin. The contemporary Nubia/Somalia motion is well known from geodetic observations. Precise estimates of the past-3.2-Myr average motion are also available from paleo-magnetic observations. However, little is known of the Nubia/Somalia motion prior to ˜3.2 Ma, chiefly because the Southwest Indian Ridge spread slowly, posing a challenge to precisely identify magnetic lineations. This also makes the few observations available particularly prone to noise. Here we reconstruct Nubia/Somalia relative motions since ˜20 Ma from the alternative plate-circuit Nubia-Arabia-Somalia. We resort to trans-dimensional hierarchical Bayesian Inference, which has proved effective in reducing finite-rotation noise, to unravel the Arabia/Somalia and Arabia/Nubia motions. We combine the resulting kinematics to reconstruct the Nubia/Somalia relative motion since ˜20 Ma. We verify the validity of the approach by comparing our reconstruction with the available record for the past ˜3.2 Myr, obtained through Antarctica. Results indicate that prior to ˜11 Ma the total motion between Nubia and Somalia was faster than today. Furthermore, it featured a significant strike-slip component along the Nubia/Somalia boundary. It is only since ˜11 Ma that Nubia diverges away from Somalia at slower rates, comparable to the present-day one. Kinematic changes of some 20% might have occurred in the period leading to the present-day, but plate-motion steadiness is also warranted within the uncertainties.

Investigation of clinical pharmacokinetic variability of an opioid antagonist through physiologically based absorption modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Xuan; He, Minxia; Kulkarni, Rajesh; Patel, Nita; Zhang, Xiaoyu

2013-08-01

Identifying the source of inter- and/or intrasubject variability in pharmacokinetics (PK) provides fundamental information in understanding the pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics relationship of a drug and project its efficacy and safety in clinical populations. This identification process can be challenging given that a large number of potential causes could lead to PK variability. Here we present an integrated approach of physiologically based absorption modeling to investigate the root cause of unexpectedly high PK variability of a Phase I clinical trial drug. LY2196044 exhibited high intersubject variability in the absorption phase of plasma concentration-time profiles in humans. This could not be explained by in vitro measurements of drug properties and excellent bioavailability with low variability observed in preclinical species. GastroPlus™ modeling suggested that the compound's optimal solubility and permeability characteristics would enable rapid and complete absorption in preclinical species and in humans. However, simulations of human plasma concentration-time profiles indicated that despite sufficient solubility and rapid dissolution of LY2196044 in humans, permeability and/or transit in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may have been negatively affected. It was concluded that clinical PK variability was potentially due to the drug's antagonism on opioid receptors that affected its transit and absorption in the GI tract. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Variability of CSF Alzheimer's disease biomarkers: implications for clinical practice.

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Stephanie J B Vos

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF biomarkers are increasingly being used for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of CSF intralaboratory and interlaboratory variability on diagnostic CSF-based AD classification of subjects and identified causes of this variation. METHODS: We measured CSF amyloid-β (Aβ 1-42, total tau (t-tau, and phosphorylated tau (p-tau by INNOTEST enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays (ELISA in a memory clinic population (n = 126. Samples were measured twice in a single or two laboratories that served as reference labs for CSF analyses in the Netherlands. Predefined cut-offs were used to classify CSF biomarkers as normal or abnormal/AD pattern. RESULTS: CSF intralaboratory variability was higher for Aβ1-42 than for t-tau and p-tau. Reanalysis led to a change in biomarker classification (normal vs. abnormal of 26% of the subjects based on Aβ1-42, 10% based on t-tau, and 29% based on p-tau. The changes in absolute biomarker concentrations were paralleled by a similar change in levels of internal control samples between different assay lots. CSF interlaboratory variability was higher for p-tau than for Aβ1-42 and t-tau, and reanalysis led to a change in biomarker classification of 12% of the subjects based on Aβ1-42, 1% based on t-tau, and 22% based on p-tau. CONCLUSIONS: Intralaboratory and interlaboratory CSF variability frequently led to change in diagnostic CSF-based AD classification for Aβ1-42 and p-tau. Lot-to-lot variation was a major cause of intralaboratory variability. This will have implications for the use of these biomarkers in clinical practice.

Use of social media in education among medical students in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsuraihi, Anas Khaleel; Almaqati, Ahmed Saeed; Abughanim, Sultan Adnan; Jastaniah, Nisreen Abdulrahman

2016-12-01

Social media (SM), a virtual place where people can share, exchange, and communicate their ideas and knowledge, has become the new trend in communication and learning. This study aims to explore Saudi Arabian medical students' usage of SM and to discover the most common resources used in medical education. Furthermore, it aims to illustrate students' belief about the influence of SM on their learning. This cross-sectional study administered validated questionnaires to medical students from different universities in Saudi Arabia, via emails, Twitter, Facebook, and short message service. A non-probability sampling technique was utilized and a sample size of 381 students was arrived at, using 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error, since the total number of medical students in Saudi Arabia is approximately 36,000. The total respondents were 657 students from 23 different Saudi Arabian medical schools (females: 60.5%, n=397; males: 39.5%, n=260). The questionnaires of 21% of the students (n=139) were excluded from the analysis since they were incomplete. The most common website used by both genders was YouTube (42.3%, n=185); however, males preferred using Twitter and Wikis (p=0.001). With regard to utilizing SM for learning, 95.8% (n=419) of the students believed that it is beneficial. Females stated that SM helps them link basic and clinical science (p=0.003). Medical schools need to improve the utilization of SM by their faculty and students by developing activities and encouraging the usage of SM in education.

Use of social media in education among medical students in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anas Khaleel Alsuraihi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose Social media (SM, a virtual place where people can share, exchange, and communicate their ideas and knowledge, has become the new trend in communication and learning. This study aims to explore Saudi Arabian medical students’ usage of SM and to discover the most common resources used in medical education. Furthermore, it aims to illustrate students’ belief about the influence of SM on their learning. Methods This cross-sectional study administered validated questionnaires to medical students from different universities in Saudi Arabia, via emails, Twitter, Facebook, and short message service. A non-probability sampling technique was utilized and a sample size of 381 students was arrived at, using 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error, since the total number of medical students in Saudi Arabia is approximately 36,000. The total respondents were 657 students from 23 different Saudi Arabian medical schools (females: 60.5%, n=397; males: 39.5%, n=260. Results The questionnaires of 21% of the students (n=139 were excluded from the analysis since they were incomplete. The most common website used by both genders was YouTube (42.3%, n=185; however, males preferred using Twitter and Wikis (p=0.001. With regard to utilizing SM for learning, 95.8% (n=419 of the students believed that it is beneficial. Females stated that SM helps them link basic and clinical science (p=0.003. Conclusion Medical schools need to improve the utilization of SM by their faculty and students by developing activities and encouraging the usage of SM in education.

The relationship between quality of work life and turnover intention of primary health care nurses in Saudi Arabia.

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Almalki, Mohammed J; FitzGerald, Gerry; Clark, Michele

2012-09-12

Quality of work life (QWL) has been found to influence the commitment of health professionals, including nurses. However, reliable information on QWL and turnover intention of primary health care (PHC) nurses is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between QWL and turnover intention of PHC nurses in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was used in this study. Data were collected using Brooks' survey of Quality of Nursing Work Life, the Anticipated Turnover Scale and demographic data questions. A total of 508 PHC nurses in the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia, completed the questionnaire (RR = 87%). Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, General Linear Model (GLM) univariate analysis, standard multiple regression, and hierarchical multiple regression were applied for analysis using SPSS v17 for Windows. Findings suggested that the respondents were dissatisfied with their work life, with almost 40% indicating a turnover intention from their current PHC centres. Turnover intention was significantly related to QWL. Using standard multiple regression, 26% of the variance in turnover intention was explained by QWL, p turnover intention, after controlling for demographic variables. Creating and maintaining a healthy work life for PHC nurses is very important to improve their work satisfaction, reduce turnover, enhance productivity and improve nursing care outcomes.

Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder in school-aged children in Saudi Arabia.

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Alqahtani, Mohammed M J

2010-09-01

The current study was designed to explore the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in primary schools in Saudi Arabia. The study collected data from both teachers and parents for 708 primary school pupils attending grades 1-3 (7-9 years old), using DSM-IV criteria of ADHD. The result showed that the overall rate of ADHD was 2.7%, and in particular, the rate of attention types, 2.0%; hyperactive/impulsivity type, 1.4% and combined type, 0.7%. Teachers reported ADHD in a higher frequency than parents. However, applying a combination of reports from teachers and parents, screening of ADHD is likely to be more accurate. These findings highlight the importance of detecting ADHD in pupils at an early age and to develop a specific set of psychological clinical interventions for helping them.

Patterns of ophthalmic emergencies presenting to a referral hospital in Medina City, Saudi Arabia

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Omar M. Alabbasi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Data are required on ophthalmic cases that present to the emergency eye clinics in Madinah, Saudi Arabia for proper allocation of healthcare resources. Objectives: To determine the frequency and various diagnoses of patients presenting to the A&E at Ohud Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data was collected prospectively for all patients who presented to the A&E ophthalmology clinic from June 2014 to September 2014. The data was analyzed and presented using frequency of incidence and percentages. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate the diagnoses based on age, sex and nationality. P ≤ 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results: The study sample included 868 patients. The male-to-female ratio was 1.1:1.0. The main age categories included patients ≥45 years of age (256 patients and 251 patients between the ages of 15–30 years. Various types of Conjunctivitis was the most common diagnosis, reported in 282 patients (32.5%, and followed by dry eye syndrome in 156 (18% patients. Nasolacrimal duct obstruction in 156 patients (18%. Eyelid infections were detected in 102 patients (12%, corneal abrasion in 102 patients (9.3%. Various eye traumas was diagnosed in 30 patients (3.5%, increased intraocular pressure (IOP in 17 patients (2%, ruptured globe in 2 patients (0.2% and various other non-emergency pathologies in the remaining eyes. There were no significant differences in patient’s characteristics and categories of diagnoses. Conclusion: Non-emergent ophthalmic cases were the most common reason for the ophthalmology emergency room visits. It was observed that most cases could be referred to outpatient departments and potentially be managed by primary healthcare providers. This would be more cost effective and will also allow for better management of vision threatening ocular emergencies.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-20

influence of the Islamic State and Iran. 44 However, in conjunction with the government’s expanded efforts to dissuade Saudi citizens from supporting...Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant global influence through its administration of the birthplace...Administration has endorsed Saudi citizens ’ rights to free assembly and free expression. Saudi leaders reject foreign interference in the country’s internal

Indoor radon concentration measurement in the dwellings of Al-Jauf region of Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Jarallah, M. I.; Fazal ur, Rehman

2006-01-01

Indoor radon concentration measurement in the dwellings of Al-Jauf region of Saudi Arabia was carried out using passive radon dosemeters. The objective of this radon survey was to obtain representative indoor radon data of Al-Jauf region. The study is a continuation of radon survey in main cities of Saudi Arabia which constitutes a baseline for Saudi Arabia in the Radon World Atlas. A total of 318 passive radon dosemeters were distributed randomly in the region and placed for a period of 1 y starting from April 2004 to April 2005. The results of indoor radon concentration measurement in 136 dwellings distributed in Al-Jauf region are presented. The remaining dosemeters were lost in the dwellings or mishandled. The results showed that the average, minimum, maximum radon concentrations and standard deviation were 35, 7, 168 and 30 Bq m -3 , respectively. Geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of the radon distribution were found to be 28 and 1.83, respectively. (authors)

Adherence to COPD treatment in Turkey and Saudi Arabia: results of the ADCARE study

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Kokturk N

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Nurdan Kokturk,1 Mehmet Polatli,2 I Kivilcim Oguzulgen,1 Sarfraz Saleemi,3 Mohammed Al Ghobain,4 Javed Khan,5 Adam Doble,6 Luqman Tariq,7 Fayaz Aziz,7 Abdelkader El Hasnaoui7 1Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Turkey; 2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, School of Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey; 3Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Medicine, King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 6Foxymed, Paris, France; 7GlaxoSmithKline, Dubai, UAE Background: COPD affects millions of people worldwide. Poor treatment adherence contributes to increased symptom severity, morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to investigate adherence to COPD treatment in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study in adult COPD patients in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Through physician-led interviews, data were collected on sociodemographics and disease history, including the impact of COPD on health status using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT; quality of life, using the EuroQol Five-Dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D; and anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS. Treatment adherence was measured using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8. Multivariate logistic regression analysis examined the predictors of non-adherence and the impact of adherence on symptom severity. Results: Four hundred and five COPD patients participated: 199 in Turkey and 206 in Saudi Arabia. Overall, 49.2% reported low adherence (MMAS-8 <6. Of those, 74.7% reported high disease impact (CAT >15 compared to 58.4% reporting medium/high adherence (p=0.0008. Patients with low adherence reported a lower mean 3-level EQ-5D

Do no harm: the role of community pharmacists in regulating public access to prescription drugs in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahnassi, Anas

2016-04-01

Pharmacists have a crucial role to ensure regulated public access to prescription drugs. The study aimed to investigate the views of community pharmacists practising in Saudi Arabia on their role in the unauthorised supply of prescription drugs, consider the possible contributory factors and report pharmacists' suggested strategies to regulate supply. One hundred community pharmacists were invited to participate in an interview-based survey, including questions on demographic characteristics, and the unauthorised supply of prescription drugs. Descriptive statistics were conducted, and associations between categorical responses tested; a P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant. Responses to open questions were analysed thematically. In Saudi Arabia, there is widespread unregulated supply of prescription drugs; pharmacists are under pressure from patients to provide prescription drugs for a wide range of clinical conditions. There are safety and appropriateness concerns when drugs are provided based on patient demand rather than clinical need. Pharmacists do not maintain patient records with information on drugs supplied and associated actions. While most pharmacists supply prescription drugs without the necessary prescriber authorisation, they also this may jeopardise patients safety. While we have many concerns about this practice its present form, we believe pharmacists should have certain prescribing privileges within their areas of competence. A legal framework is needed to guarantee proper pharmacists' training, support, mentorship and access to the tools required to provide safe pharmacy practice. © 2015 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Impact of menstruation on select hematology and clinical chemistry variables in cynomolgus macaques.

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Perigard, Christopher J; Parrula, M Cecilia M; Larkin, Matthew H; Gleason, Carol R

2016-06-01

In preclinical studies with cynomolgus macaques, it is common to have one or more females presenting with menses. Published literature indicates that the blood lost during menses causes decreases in red blood cell mass variables (RBC, HGB, and HCT), which would be a confounding factor in the interpretation of drug-related effects on clinical pathology data, but no scientific data have been published to support this claim. This investigation was conducted to determine if the amount of blood lost during menses in cynomolgus macaques has an effect on routine hematology and serum chemistry variables. Ten female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), 5 to 6.5 years old, were observed daily during approximately 3 months (97 days) for the presence of menses. Hematology and serum chemistry variables were evaluated twice weekly. The results indicated that menstruation affects the erythrogram including RBC, HGB, HCT, MCHC, MCV, reticulocyte count, RDW, the leukogram including neutrophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts, and chemistry variables, including GGT activity, and the concentrations of total proteins, albumin, globulins, and calcium. The magnitude of the effect of menstruation on susceptible variables is dependent on the duration of the menstrual phase. Macaques with menstrual phases lasting ≥ 7 days are more likely to develop changes in variables related to chronic blood loss. In preclinical toxicology studies with cynomolgus macaques, interpretation of changes in several commonly evaluated hematology and serum chemistry variables requires adequate clinical observation and documentation concerning presence and duration of menses. There is a concern that macaques with long menstrual cycles can develop iron deficiency anemia due to chronic menstrual blood loss. © 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

In vitro ciprofloxacin resistance patterns of gram positive bacteria isolated from clinical specimens in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhtar, N.; Alzahrani, A.; Obeid, O.El-Treify; Dassal, D.

2009-01-01

Over the last few decades the ever-increasing level of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials has been a cause of worldwide concern. Fluoroquinolones, particularly ciprofloxacin has been used indiscriminately for both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. The increased use of ciprofloxacin has led to a progressive loss of bacterial susceptibility to this antibiotic. Therefore it is necessary to have update knowledge of resistance pattern of bacteria to this antibiotic so that alternate appropriate antibiotics can be used for ciprofloxacin-resistant bacterial infections. Objective: To evaluate the trends of ciprofloxacin resistance pattern in commonly isolated gram positive bacteria over time in a Saudi Arabian teaching hospital. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for ciprofloxacin susceptibility patterns of 5534 isolates of gram-positive bacteria isolated from clinical specimens submitted to microbiology laboratories at King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU), Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia during the period from January 2002 to August 2005. Results: Increase in ciprofloxacin resistance rates with some fluctuations, among these isolates, were observed. For Staphylococcus aureus, it varied from 4.62, 1.83, 7.01 and 3.98%, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 97.92, 97.75, 87.01 and 88.26%, Streptococcus pyogenes 5.35, 4.47, 14.44 and 3.53% during the years 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. Cirprofloxacin resistance during the years 2002, 2004 and 2005 for other isolates was as follows: Streptococcus pneumoniae, 30.23, 23.02 and 26.47%; enterococcus group D, 43.05, 20.68 and 57.03% and non-enterococcus group D, 62.96, 76.92 and 87.50% respectively. Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin resistance in gram positive bacterial clinical isolates particularly Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) enterococcus group D, and non-enterococcus group D, has greatly increased and ciprofloxacin no more remains

Impact of unleaded gasoline in reducing emissions in Saudi Arabia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamid, S.H.

2001-01-15

Saudi Arabia is dealing progressively with tighter restrictions on refined product qualities. Efforts are ongoing within the country concerning the phase-out of lead in motor gasoline and the reduction of sulfur in diesel as well. The removal of lead is the main characteristic of environmental friendly gasoline. The detrimental health effects of using leaded gasoline are many, and lead exposure can cause kidney failure, brain dysfunction, behavioral problems, and neurological impairment. Saudi Arabia is moving towards using unleaded gasoline, and efforts are being put forward by research organizations to produce lead-free gasoline in the Kingdom. A high severity fluid catalytic cracking process is being developed for converting vacuum gas oil into high-octane gasoline components. This process requires high temperature and pressure and low contact time as compared to the conventional FCC process. (author)

Physician awareness of decompressive hemicraniectomy for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jehani, Hosam M; Alsharydah, Abdulaziz; Rammal, Seba A; Baeesa, Saleh S; Mekhlafi, Mohammad

2018-04-01

To explore the perspective on Decompressive craniectomy (DH) of each of these specialties to establish common grounds for improved clinical practice. An electronic survey was distributed via email and social media groups to members of these specialties in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries. Local practices, common triggers for referral for DH, perceived outcomes of these procedures, individual impression of what constitutes good clinical outcomes were explored. There are 89 physicians participated: 41 (46.1%) neurologists, 34 (38.2%) neurosurgeons, and 14 (15.7%) intensivests. Participants are mostly practicing in intermediate volume centers or high volume centers. Half of the neurosurgeons preferred to be consulted immediately on candidates with large middle cerebral artery (MCA) strokes. The most important referral trigger for DH was clinical changes. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) cutoff for good clinical outcome was 3 for 73.6% of respondents. There was agreement that DH only improves survival (64.4%). A third of the neurologists considered it to improve functional outcome compared to 15.4% of intensivests and 14.8% of neurosurgeons. There was agreement (66.7%) that patients older than 60 years with involvement of more than one territory should be excluded from DH. Only 7.7% of neurosurgeons excluded patients with dominant hemispheric strokes. Our physicians` views are variable in what`s called acceptable outcome, and further studies are needed to to test the characteristics that helps in decision making such as hemisphere dominancy, time onset of stroke and vital radiological signs. This is seen despite the literature being full of data that supports the DC over medical management in malignant MCA infarction. Better multidisciplinary education initiatives are needed to unify the understanding and help improve the practices in this challenging subset of patients.

Understanding social media usage by females in Saudi Arabia: a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Understanding social media usage by females in Saudi Arabia: a descriptive finding. ... This study was conducted to determine the effects of SM on Saudi females. ... hence more effort should be undertaken to encourage more uptake of SM for ...

Counter-terrorism strategies in Indonesia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, R.; Hasan, Noorhaidi; Hendriks, B.; Janssen, F.

2012-01-01

This report is the result of a year-long study, conducted from March 2010 to March 2011, of the counter-terrorist strategies of three countries: Indonesia, Algeria and Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to acquire insight into the counter-terrorist strategies of these countries, to analyse

An analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations for a small open oil-based economy: The case of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Abdulkarim, Bander B.

The increasing fluctuations in the oil prices through the last decades have been transferred to the oil exporting countries. Thus, many oil exporting countries experienced significant changes in the economic activity due to changes in the oil markets. In light of this, oil exporting countries have attempted to implement a policy that would stabilize the fluctuations in the oil markets recognizing the adverse effects of such behavior on oil exporting countries, as well as oil importing countries. Saudi Arabia, as the largest oil-exporting country and a member of OPEC, takes the role of oil-markets stabilizer by behaving as the swing producer. This role has caused the global economic fluctuations to transfer into the domestic economy. In addition, Saudi Arabian government has adopted a fixed exchange rate currency regime. Although it has contributed to domestic price stabilizations, this policy has also exposed the country to global economic disturbances. The purpose of the study is to empirically investigate these aspects for Saudi Arabia. First, the effects of shocks originated in the international markets on the Saudi Arabian economy. Second, how the fixed exchange rate regimes influences the domestic macroeconomic variables. Third, to what extent the oil sector contributes to the non-oil domestic fluctuations. Finally, how the findings from the study can be explained by economic theory. In pursuing this, there are four economic theories that are considered to explain the causes of business cycles. These theories are Classical Theory, Keynesian Theory, Monetarist Theory, and the Real Business Cycles. In addition, a theoretical model is derived that is suitable for an oil-based economy. The model follows the set up of McCallum and Nelson (1999). Then, the empirical models of Structural Vector Autoregression (SVAR) and Error Correction Model (ECM) are implemented with three different specifications: Choleski Decomposition, Block Exogeneity and long-run Cointegration

Homo sapiens in Arabia by 85,000 years ago.

Science.gov (United States)

Groucutt, Huw S; Grün, Rainer; Zalmout, Iyad A S; Drake, Nick A; Armitage, Simon J; Candy, Ian; Clark-Wilson, Richard; Louys, Julien; Breeze, Paul S; Duval, Mathieu; Buck, Laura T; Kivell, Tracy L; Pomeroy, Emma; Stephens, Nicholas B; Stock, Jay T; Stewart, Mathew; Price, Gilbert J; Kinsley, Leslie; Sung, Wing Wai; Alsharekh, Abdullah; Al-Omari, Abdulaziz; Zahir, Muhammad; Memesh, Abdullah M; Abdulshakoor, Ammar J; Al-Masari, Abdu M; Bahameem, Ahmed A; Al Murayyi, Khaled M S; Zahrani, Badr; Scerri, Eleanor L M; Petraglia, Michael D

2018-05-01

Understanding the timing and character of the expansion of Homo sapiens out of Africa is critical for inferring the colonization and admixture processes that underpin global population history. It has been argued that dispersal out of Africa had an early phase, particularly ~130-90 thousand years ago (ka), that reached only the East Mediterranean Levant, and a later phase, ~60-50 ka, that extended across the diverse environments of Eurasia to Sahul. However, recent findings from East Asia and Sahul challenge this model. Here we show that H. sapiens was in the Arabian Peninsula before 85 ka. We describe the Al Wusta-1 (AW-1) intermediate phalanx from the site of Al Wusta in the Nefud desert, Saudi Arabia. AW-1 is the oldest directly dated fossil of our species outside Africa and the Levant. The palaeoenvironmental context of Al Wusta demonstrates that H. sapiens using Middle Palaeolithic stone tools dispersed into Arabia during a phase of increased precipitation driven by orbital forcing, in association with a primarily African fauna. A Bayesian model incorporating independent chronometric age estimates indicates a chronology for Al Wusta of ~95-86 ka, which we correlate with a humid episode in the later part of Marine Isotope Stage 5 known from various regional records. Al Wusta shows that early dispersals were more spatially and temporally extensive than previously thought. Early H. sapiens dispersals out of Africa were not limited to winter rainfall-fed Levantine Mediterranean woodlands immediately adjacent to Africa, but extended deep into the semi-arid grasslands of Arabia, facilitated by periods of enhanced monsoonal rainfall.

Perceived stress among male medical students in Egypt and Saudi Arabia : Effect of sociodemographic factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Hady El-Gilany; Mostafa Amr; Sabry Hammad

2010-01-01

In Arab countries, epidemiological data about psychological morbidity among medical undergraduate students are scarce. This study sought to determine whether there was a difference in perceived stress levels of male medical students at Mansoura University, Egypt, compared with male medical students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.The sample consisted of 304 male medical students in Egypt and and 284 male medical students in Saudi Arabia. The self-reported questionnaire covered four categories, including 15 items, on sources of stress (stressors). The perceived stress scale and hospital anxiety and depression scale were used to measure stress, anxiety and depression.There was no significant difference between the two groups in number of stressors. However, Egyptian students were more likely to cite relationship, academic and environmental problems than Saudis. The prevalence of high stress was nearly equal in both groups. However, anxiety and depression were significantly higher among Egyptian than Saudi students. A logistic regression analysis of independent predictors of severe stress among both groups combined revealed that a satisfactory family income and university-graduated father were independent protective factors. The independent risk predictors were anxiety and number of stressors.Stress, anxiety and depression are frequent among medical students. Counseling and preventive mental health services should be an integral part of the routine clinical facilities caring for medical students (Author).

Fish consumption behavior and fish farming attitude in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Qader Khan

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to explore fish consumption behavior and fish farming attitude of the Saudi households in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA. The survey was conducted in Sharurah town situated in Najran province. The data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire from 100 respondents residing in the province. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to see the significant and non-significant impact of the two variables. The results showed that majority (37% of the respondents fell in the age group of 25–34 and majority (35% of the respondents have high level of education i.e. up to university level. The results also depicted that majority (31% of the people consume fish and were aware of the nutritional value of fish. However, majority (85% of the respondents were not satisfied by the fish price. The results further indicated that none of the respondent was engaged in fish farming activity i.e. they had no fish farms at their homes. Furthermore, majority (83% respondents had no intentions to start fish farming at their homes in future. The study concludes that fish consumption and preference is high in the study area and people prefer fish more than chicken and meat for consumption purposes because of their knowledge regarding the nutritional value of fish. However, the age and educational level have negative impact on the respondent’s opinion about fish price in the study area. The study recommends that proper policies should be formulated to educate people about fish farming (aquaponics and its importance through fisheries extension services to enhance the interest of people in fish farming. Keywords: Fish consumption, Fish farming, Attitude, Intentions, Saudi Arabia, Aquaponics

University Teacher Educators' Research Engagement: Perspectives from Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Borg, Simon; Alshumaimeri, Yousif

2012-01-01

This paper examines university teacher educators' engagement with and in educational research. Survey results collected from eighty-two teacher educators at a leading university in Saudi Arabia pointed to modest levels of research activity and also suggested that these individuals held largely technical views of what research is. Their assessments…

Investigating Difficulties of Learning Computer Programming in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alakeel, Ali M.

2015-01-01

Learning computer programming is one of the main requirements of many educational study plans in higher education. Research has shown that many students face difficulties acquiring reasonable programming skills during their first year of college. In Saudi Arabia, there are twenty-three state-owned universities scattered around the country that…

Optimizing coffee cultivation and its impact on economic growth and export earnings of the producing countries: The case of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Abdulkader, Ahmed M; Al-Namazi, Ali A; AlTurki, Turki A; Al-Khuraish, Muteb M; Al-Dakhil, Abdullah I

2018-05-01

Coffee is one of the historical socioeconomic crops. It has received an increasing attention at the global level, due to its positive interlinkage with the economic growth and on the gross domestic product for most of the producing countries, particularly, developing and least developed countries. Saudi Arabia is one of the coffee producing countries that has a relative comparative advantage of coffee cultivation. Yet, coffee cultivation has not received as much attention in Saudi Arabia as that of producing countries around the world. This study aims to assess the current state of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the potential to optimize coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia that maximizes the net national economic return and export earnings, given limitation of cultivated areas, local market activities, and international trade activities. The study statistically analyzed primary data collected from around (65) coffee farms and traders in the study regions at the south and southwest Saudi Arabia, and optimized coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia using LINGO optimization software. Empirical results of the study revealed the great potential of Saudi Arabia to expand coffee cultivation at south and southwest regions to meet the escalating local demand and to increase its share at the world market up to 2%. Optimization of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia showed a high potential to meet the local demand for coffee by producing 80.07 thousand tons grown over 2861.78 hectares and to generate a net return equivalent to $395.72 million a year, which is equivalent to $138.28 thousand per hectare and $4.94 thousand per ton of coffee. Optimizing coffee cultivation will play a substantial role to increase market share of Saudi Arabia to about 1-2% of the world market by increasing its export volume, respectively, to about 69.66 and 112.56 thousand tons, the national net economic return by about $395.86 and $395.95 million a year, and the export earnings

The Level of Psychological Burnout at the Teachers of Students with Autism Disorders in Light of a Number of Variables in Al-Riyadh Area

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Atiyat, Omar Khalil

2017-01-01

This study aimed at measuring the level of the psychological burnout in the teachers of students that have autism symptoms in Al-Riyadh area--kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In light of variables. These variables are the gender, the teaching place, the academic qualification of the teachers, the experience of the teachers, the age of the teachers, and…

Building prognostic models for breast cancer patients using clinical variables and hundreds of gene expression signatures

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Liu Yufeng

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple breast cancer gene expression profiles have been developed that appear to provide similar abilities to predict outcome and may outperform clinical-pathologic criteria; however, the extent to which seemingly disparate profiles provide additive prognostic information is not known, nor do we know whether prognostic profiles perform equally across clinically defined breast cancer subtypes. We evaluated whether combining the prognostic powers of standard breast cancer clinical variables with a large set of gene expression signatures could improve on our ability to predict patient outcomes. Methods Using clinical-pathological variables and a collection of 323 gene expression "modules", including 115 previously published signatures, we build multivariate Cox proportional hazards models using a dataset of 550 node-negative systemically untreated breast cancer patients. Models predictive of pathological complete response (pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were also built using this approach. Results We identified statistically significant prognostic models for relapse-free survival (RFS at 7 years for the entire population, and for the subgroups of patients with ER-positive, or Luminal tumors. Furthermore, we found that combined models that included both clinical and genomic parameters improved prognostication compared with models with either clinical or genomic variables alone. Finally, we were able to build statistically significant combined models for pathological complete response (pCR predictions for the entire population. Conclusions Integration of gene expression signatures and clinical-pathological factors is an improved method over either variable type alone. Highly prognostic models could be created when using all patients, and for the subset of patients with lymph node-negative and ER-positive breast cancers. Other variables beyond gene expression and clinical-pathological variables, like gene mutation status or DNA

The extent of use of online pharmacies in Saudi Arabia

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Norah Abanmy

2017-09-01

Conclusion: The popularity of purchasing medicines over the Internet is still low in Saudi Arabia. However, because the majority of respondents are willing to purchase medicines online, efforts should be made by the Saudi FDA to set regulations and monitor this activity.

Revisiting the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS): The Anxiety of Female English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

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Al-Saraj, Taghreed M.

2014-01-01

With the increase in globalization, the study of English has become common in Saudi Arabia, but students' experiences of foreign language anxiety (FLA) have been underexamined. Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries are culturally distinct from the Western world, where the most popular assessments of FLA were developed. Through a qualitative and…

Water management during climate change using aquifer storage and recovery of stormwater in a dunefield in western Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, O; Missimer, T M; Stenchikov, G

2014-01-01

An average of less than 50 mm yr −1 of rainfall occurs in the hyperarid region of central Western Saudi Arabia. Climate change is projected to create greater variation in rainfall accumulation with more intense rainfall and flood events and longer duration droughts. To manage climate change and variability in ephemeral stream basins, dams are being constructed across wadi channels to capture stormwater, but a large percentage of this stored water is lost to evaporation. A dam/reservoir system located in Wadi Al Murwani in Western Saudi Arabia was recently constructed and is expected to contain a maximum stored water volume of 150 million m 3 . A hydrologic assessment of a dunefield lying 45 km downstream was conducted to evaluate its potential use for aquifer storage and recovery of the reservoir water. A 110 m elevation difference between the base of the dam and the upper level of the dunefield occurs, allowing conveyance of the water from the reservoir to the dunefield storage site by gravity feed without pumping, making the recharge system extremely energy efficient. Aquifer storage and recovery coupled with dams would allow water management during extreme droughts and climate change and has widespread potential application in arid regions

Water management during climate change using aquifer storage and recovery of stormwater in a dunefield in western Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Lopez Valencia, Oliver Miguel

2014-07-28

An average of less than 50 mm yr-1 of rainfall occurs in the hyperarid region of central Western Saudi Arabia. Climate change is projected to create greater variation in rainfall accumulation with more intense rainfall and flood events and longer duration droughts. To manage climate change and variability in ephemeral stream basins, dams are being constructed across wadi channels to capture stormwater, but a large percentage of this stored water is lost to evaporation. A dam/reservoir system located in Wadi Al Murwani in Western Saudi Arabia was recently constructed and is expected to contain a maximum stored water volume of 150 million m3. A hydrologic assessment of a dunefield lying 45 km downstream was conducted to evaluate its potential use for aquifer storage and recovery of the reservoir water. A 110 m elevation difference between the base of the dam and the upper level of the dunefield occurs, allowing conveyance of the water from the reservoir to the dunefield storage site by gravity feed without pumping, making the recharge system extremely energy efficient. Aquifer storage and recovery coupled with dams would allow water management during extreme droughts and climate change and has widespread potential application in arid regions. 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Duration of untreated psychosis and pathway to care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Al Fayez, Hanan; Lappin, Julia; Murray, Robin; Boydell, Jane

2017-02-01

Recent studies of 'duration of untreated psychosis' (DUP) indicate that some patients remain untreated in the community for some time. Considerable emphasis has been placed on reducing the DUP. However, most studies investigating DUP have been conducted in Western countries, where well-developed primary care systems are available. This study aims to describe DUP and its association with both demographic factors and pathways to care in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A retrospective study of 421 new case records of all Saudi schizophrenia patients over a 2-year period in six governmental hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The median DUP was 1.41 years (interquartile range 0.35-2.81 years). The longest time to contact was 9.86 years but 90% had a DUP shorter than 5 years. Older age at onset, single marital status and higher educational level were associated with shorter DUP. Long DUP was associated with help seeking from traditional healers. In Saudi Arabia, it usually takes longer for patients to seek help from psychiatric services after their first psychosis onset than it does in Western countries. The results suggest that the DUP is influenced by both demographic factors and pathways to care. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Geomatics Education in Saudi Arabia: Status, Challenges and Prospects

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Aina, Yusuf Adedoyin

2009-01-01

Geospatial technology has been identified as one of the three most important emerging fields along with nanotechnology and biotechnology. The application of the technology is expected to grow and become more diversified in the coming years. In Saudi Arabia, the utilization of geotechnology is growing but still limited compared to the Western…

Novel mutations underlying argininosuccinic aciduria in Saudi Arabia

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Rashed Mohamed S

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Argininosuccinic aciduria (ASAuria is an autosomal recessive disorder of the urea cycle relatively common in Saudi Arabia as a consequence of extensive consanguinity. It is the most common urea cycle disorder identified in the Saudi population, which therefore prioritizes the need to delineate the underlying molecular defects leading to disease. Findings We utilized Whole Genome Amplification (WGA, PCR and direct sequencing to identify mutations underlying ASAuria cases diagnosed by our institution. A missense mutation that accounts for 50% of Saudi ASAuria patients was recently reported by our laboratory. In this study we report a further six novel mutations (and one previously reported found in Saudi patients with ASAuria. The novel four missense, one nonsense and one splice-site mutation were confirmed by their absence in >300 chromosomes from the normal population. Pathogenicity of the novel splice-site mutation was also confirmed using reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis. Cross species amino acid conservation at the substituted residues described were observed in some but not all instances. Conclusions Together, the eight mutations described by our laboratory, encompass >90% of ASAuria patients in Saudi Arabia and add to about 45 other ASAuria mutations reported worldwide.

Exploring Knowledge and Attitudes about Vitamin D among Adults in Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study

OpenAIRE

Najlaa Aljefree; Patricia Lee; Faruk Ahmed

2017-01-01

Abstract: Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to explore participants’ knowledge about vitamin D and attitudes toward sun exposure. The study also aimed to explore the social and cultural factors that might potentially contribute to vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabia. Face-to-face interviews were carried out in the cities of Jeddah and Makkah between May and October 2015. The interview questions were semi-structured, and the data was analyzed using ...

Prevalence of sleep-related accidents among drivers in Saudi Arabia

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BaHammam, Ahmad S.; Alkhunizan, Muath A.; Lesloum, Rabea H.; Alshanqiti, Amer M.; Aldakhil, Abdulrahman M.; Pandi-Perumal, Seithikurippu R.; Sharif, Munir M.

2014-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of sleepy driving and sleep-related accidents (SRA) varies widely, and no data exist regarding the prevalence of sleepy driving in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the prevalence and predictors of sleepy driving, near-misses, and SRA among drivers in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was developed to assess sleep and driving in detail based on previously published data regarding sleepy driving. The questionnaire included 50 questions addressing socio-demographics, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), driving items, and the Berlin Questionnaire. In total, 1,219 male drivers in public places were interviewed face-to-face. RESULTS: The included drivers had a mean age of 32.4 ± 11.7 years and displayed a mean ESS score of 7.2 ± 3.8. Among these drivers, 33.1% reported at least one near-miss accident caused by sleepiness. Among those who had actual accidents, 11.6% were attributed to sleepiness. In the past six months, drivers reported the following: 25.2% reported falling asleep at least once during, driving and 20.8% had to stop driving at least once because of severe sleepiness. Young age, feeling very sleepy during driving, and having at least one near-miss accident caused by sleepiness in the past six months were the only predictors of accidents. CONCLUSION: Sleepy driving is prevalent among male drivers in Saudi Arabia. Near-miss accidents caused by sleepiness are an important risk factor for car accidents and should be considered as a strong warning signal of future accidents. PMID:25276244

An initial investigation on the challenges of managing construction workforce in Saudi Arabia

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Al-Emad, N.; Rahman, I. A.

2017-11-01

Most of the construction workers in Saudi Arabia are foreigners from several countries having different knowledge, skills and cultures. These create challenges to administer the workers in ensuring project success. This paper presents an initial investigation to uncover the challenges faced by construction professionals in managing construction workforce in Saudi Arabia. It describes insight processes of handling the workforce during planning stage, recruitment procedures and construction stage based on interview with senior manager who are well experienced in handling mega construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The interview was carried out in semi structured mode where the interviewee was given ample time to express the experiences encountered in dealing the workforce issue. This preliminary work able to identify among important issues related to construction workers are restrictions to non-Muslim skilled workers, limited visa quota, being away from family, delay in salary payment, cheating of workers skill’s status, safety issues, communication barriers and living conditions. Hence, these issues require quality leadership attributes such as continuous empathy with workers, respectful, trustful, sincere, reliable, good communication skills and problem solving skills. These findings are useful to construction practitioners and also research work related to construction leadership in handling worker’s issues.

Treatment patterns, resource utilization, and outcomes among hospitalized patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus complicated skin and soft tissue infections in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia

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Matar MJ

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Madonna J Matar,1 Rima Moghnieh,2 Adel F Alothman,3 Abdulhakeem O Althaqafi,4 Thamer H Alenazi,3 Fayssal M Farahat,4 Shelby Corman,5 Caitlyn T Solem,5 Nirvana Raghubir,6 Cynthia Macahilig,7 Seema Haider,8 Jennifer M Stephens5 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Notre Dame des Secours University Hospital, Jbeil, Lebanon; 2Department of Internal Medicine, Makassed General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; 3College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Infection Prevention and Control, King AbdulAziz Medical City, King Saud bin AbdulAziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 5Pharmerit International, Real-World Evidence/Data Analytics, Bethesda, MD, 6Pfizer, New York, NY, 7Medical Data Analytics, Parsippany, NJ, 8Pfizer, Groton, CT, USA Objectives: To describe treatment patterns and medical resource use for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in terms of drug selection against the infecting pathogen as well as hospital resource utilization and clinical outcomes among patients with these infections. Methods: This retrospective chart review study evaluated 2011–2012 data from five hospitals in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Patients were included if they had been discharged with a diagnosis of MRSA cSSTI, which was culture-proven or suspected based on clinical criteria. Hospital data were abstracted for a random sample of patients with each infection type to capture demographics, treatment patterns, hospital resource utilization, and clinical outcomes. Statistical analysis was descriptive. Results: Data were abstracted from medical records of 87 patients with MRSA cSSTI; mean age 52.4±25.9 years and 61% male. Only 64% of patients received an MRSA active initial therapy, with 56% of first

Lactase persistence variants in Arabia and in the African Arabs

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Priehodová, E.; Abdelsawy, A.; Heyer, E.; Černý, Viktor

2014-01-01

Roč. 86, č. 1 (2014), s. 7-18 ISSN 0018-7143 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-37998S Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : lactase persistence * Arabia * Africa * migration Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 0.853, year: 2014

Survey of the reptilian fauna of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. V. The lizard fauna of Turaif region

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Mohammed K. Al-Sadoon

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Turaif area located in the Northern border region of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important regions of the Kingdom. This work was proposed to throw light on the diversity of lizard fauna investigated through the collection and subsequent identification of specimens from different localities of Turaif region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sixteen species of lizards belonging to 5 families (Agamidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, Scincidae and Varanidae were recorded. Lacertidae was the most common family. Three species of lizards namely Acanthodactylus orientalis, Acanthodactylus scutellatus and Acanthodactylus grandis were reported for the first time in the Turaif region of Saudi Arabia. The geographical distribution of the collected species within this province was mapped.

Physicians’ knowledge and attitudes in Saudi Arabia regarding implantable cardiac defibrillators

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Tariq Alhogbani

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate knowledge and attitude of physicians involved in the management of patients with heart failure regarding implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD. Methods: We conducted personal interviews with physicians involved in treating patients with heart failure. Between October 2015 and February 2016, the study was conducted in hospitals in the Riyadh region where no cardiac electrophysiology service was available. Every participant was met in person and received an oral questionnaire that aimed to assess basic knowledge regarding ICD indications and benefits. Results: Sixty-three physicians were met from 13 hospitals (14 consultants and 49 specialists. Forty-one percent of participants use the recommended cut-off level of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF which is ≤35% as the LVEF criterion for ICD referral in patients with cardiomyopathy. Only 50% of the consultants use ≤35% as the LVEF criterion for ICD referral. Seventy percent of the participants thought that ICD may improve heart failure symptoms. Forty-eight percent of physicians have a defined channel to refer patients to higher centers for ICD implant. There was no statistically significant difference between physicians’ knowledge when we categorized them according to three different factors: (1 physician’s specialty (cardiology vs. internal medicine; (2 physician’s degree (consultant vs. specialist; and (3 physician’s location (inside vs. outside Riyadh city. Conclusion: There is a lack of knowledge of current clinical guidelines regarding ICD implantation for patients with heart failure at general hospitals in Saudi Arabia. This finding highlights the need to improve the dissemination of guidelines to practitioners involved in managing patients with heart failure in an effort to improve ICD utilization. Keywords: Cardiac defibrillator, Heart failure, Physicians’ knowledge, Saudi Arabia

Knowledge and attitude towards the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia.

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Abbag, Huda F; El-Mekki, Awad Ahmed; Al Bshabshe, Ali Aobaid Ali; Mahfouz, Ahmed A; Al-Dosry, Ahasen A; Mirdad, Rasha T; AlKhttabi, Nora F; Abbag, Lubna F

2018-03-07

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) belongs to the family Coronaviridae, and is named for the crown-like spikes on its surface. The clinical presentation of MERS-CoV infection ranges from asymptomatic to very severe disease, and the classical presentation includes fever, cough chills, sore throat, myalgia, and arthralgia. A cross-sectional study of 339 healthcare personnel was conducted over an 8-month period in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia using a structured survey that included demographic information and questions testing participant's knowledge. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents properly identified the causative agent of MERS-CoV as an RNA virus (66.4%, n=225) that is enveloped (68.1%, n=231). On the other hand, few respondents identified the proper number of strains or the genus (16.5% and 17.4%, respectively). More than half of the study sample identified the disease as zoonotic (57.2%, n=194). Similarly, 89.1% (n=302) identified that camels and bats are prone to infection with coronaviruses. Only 23.9% (n=81) properly identified March through May as the season with the highest transmission rate. There was a massive lack of adequate knowledge regarding prevalence of antibodies. Only 18.3% (n=62) of respondents identified PCR as the proper diagnostic confirmatory test for MERS-CoV infection. Regarding MERS-CoV clinical features, 76.4% (n=259) recognized the presence of sub-clinical infection, 64.7% (n=218) indicated that cases should be immediately isolated, and 46.9% (n=159) identified the main cause of mortality as respiratory failure. There is limited microbiological and virological knowledge of MERS-CoV infection among healthcare personnel in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, although the clinical aspects are known. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Nubian Complex of Dhofar, Oman: an African middle stone age industry in Southern Arabia.

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Jeffrey I Rose

Full Text Available Despite the numerous studies proposing early human population expansions from Africa into Arabia during the Late Pleistocene, no archaeological sites have yet been discovered in Arabia that resemble a specific African industry, which would indicate demographic exchange across the Red Sea. Here we report the discovery of a buried site and more than 100 new surface scatters in the Dhofar region of Oman belonging to a regionally-specific African lithic industry--the late Nubian Complex--known previously only from the northeast and Horn of Africa during Marine Isotope Stage 5, ∼128,000 to 74,000 years ago. Two optically stimulated luminescence age estimates from the open-air site of Aybut Al Auwal in Oman place the Arabian Nubian Complex at ∼106,000 years ago, providing archaeological evidence for the presence of a distinct northeast African Middle Stone Age technocomplex in southern Arabia sometime in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 5.

Public health education in Saudi Arabia: Needs and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Mahmoud Abdulrahman; Al-Zalabani, Abdulmohsen H; Bin Abdulrahman, Khalid A

2016-01-01

In the last decade, public health (PH) has come to the frontlines in Saudi Arabia. The recent outbreak of a novel corona virus (MERS-CoV) highlighted the importance of PH services and the need for a competent PH workforce. The urgency and panic induced by infectious disease outbreaks explain the heightened interest. Decision makers' interest in public health was observed through a series of decisions, including creating a position for Deputy Minister for Public Health, changing the name of "Directorate of Primary Healthcare Centers" to "Directorate of Public Health" in all health regions and initiating a special scholarship program to prepare health administration professionals in collaboration with US-based universities. A distinguished group of PH leaders in Saudi Arabia was gathered in a structured workshop that was organized by the Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, college of medicine to discuss the current status and future needs of PH education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The workshop highlighted the need for PH education development and outlined the challenges ahead. The main challenges laid out by participants in the workshop were the development of an appropriate PH curriculum, appropriate training spots for practical placement, the development of research priorities for PH to satisfy the needs of PH programs and agencies, attracting the most qualified academic staff, the enrolment of highly motivated students and finally, the establishment of a quality assurance program to ensure the quality of PH education programs. The development of a framework for graduate competencies in PH was perceived to be a top priority. Moreover, setting a PH workforce surveillance system, building partnership between PH academic institutions and PH services providers, implementing national campaigns to explain what PH is about and illuminating the role of PH workers were also of utmost importance.

The Mafic Lower Crust of Neoproterozoic age beneath Western Arabia: Implications for Understanding African Lower Crust

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, R. J.; Mooney, W. D.

2011-12-01

We review evidence that the lower crust of Arabia - and by implication, that beneath much of Africa was formed at the same time as the upper crust, rather than being a product of Cenozoic magmatic underplating. Arabia is a recent orphan of Africa, separated by opening of the Red Sea ~20 Ma, so our understanding of its lower crust provides insights into that of Africa. Arabian Shield (exposed in W. Arabia) is mostly Neoproterozoic (880-540 Ma) reflecting a 300-million year process of continental crustal growth due to amalgamated juvenile magmatic arcs welded together by granitoid intrusions that make up as much as 50% of the Shield's surface. Seismic refraction studies of SW Arabia (Mooney et al., 1985) reveal two layers, each ~20 km thick, separated by a well-defined Conrad discontinuity. The upper crust has average Vp ~6.3 km/sec whereas the lower crust has average Vp ~7.0 km/sec, corresponding to a granitic upper crust and gabbroic lower crust. Neogene (<30 ma) lava fields in Arabia (harrats) extend over 2500 km, from Yemen to Syria. Many of these lavas contain xenoliths, providing a remarkable glimpse of the lower-crustal and upper-mantle lithosphere beneath W. Arabia. Lower crustal xenoliths brought up in 8 harrats in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria are mostly 2-pyroxene granulites of igneous (gabbroic, anorthositic, and dioritic) origin. They contain plagioclase, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene, and a few contain garnet and rare amphibole and yield mineral-equilibrium temperatures of 700-900°C. Pyroxene-rich and plagioclase-rich suites have mean Al2O3 contents of 13% and 19%, respectively: otherwise the two groups have similar elemental compositions, with ~50% SiO2 and ~1% TiO2, with low K2O (<0.5%) and Na2O (1-3%). Both groups show tholeiitic affinities, unrelated to their alkali basalt hosts. Mean pyroxene-rich and plagioclase-rich suites show distinct mean MgO contents (11% vs. 7%), Mg# (67 vs. 55), and contents of compatible elements Ni (169 vs. 66 ppm

OCONUS Compliance Assessment Protocols (OCAP) - Saudi Arabia (Army Version) (CD-ROM)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Krooks, David A; Schell, Donna J

2004-01-01

...: 1 CD-ROM; 4 3/4 in.; 670 KB. ABSTRACT: This environmental compliance assessment manual is based on the Final Governing Standards for Environmental Security by United States Forces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (FGS-SA...

Mathematics Teacher's Job Satisfaction in Middle School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

ALZHRANI, KHALED MOHMMAD A.

2017-01-01

This research examines Mathematics teachers’ job satisfaction levels in the four dimensions of job satisfaction (administrative support, workplace atmosphere, teaching efficacy and students’ behavior) and its relation to students’ achievements in Middle schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A forecast of ophthalmology practice trends in saudi arabia: a survey of junior residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Alwadani, Fahad; Alrushood, Aziz; Altokhy, Hisham; Alasbali, Tariq

2010-10-01

The aim of this study is to identify the trends in practice pattern among current ophthalmology residents in Saudi Arabia. Ophthalmology residents in Saudi Arabia responded anonymously to a written survey between November 2007 and February 2008. The survey contained questions on demographic information, medical education, residency training, career goals and factors influencing their career choice. The data were categorized by gender. The influence of gender on outcome was assessed in a univariate fashion using the Chi-square or Fisher exact test when appropriate. A P-value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant for all analyses. A total of 68 out of 85 residents (80%) responded to the survey. Over one-half of the residents preferred to pursue a fellowship within Saudi Arabia (53%), while others (25%) planned to train in North America. The majority of respondents wished to practice in an urban setting (63%). Anterior segment was the most desired subspecialty, while general ophthalmology and glaucoma were not a popular choice. Most residents were interested in refractive surgery (77%) and research (75%). The main factor influencing the decision to pursue ophthalmology was the ability to combine medicine and surgery (97%), while a positive elective experience was also an important factor, particularly for female respondents (91% vs. 57%; P < 0.001). Concerted efforts are required to encourage adoption to ophthalmic practice in public institutions rather than in private practice. In addition training in underrepresented subspecilaties should be encouraged to ensure adequate ophthalmic care for all citizens of Saudi Arabia.

The emerging role of respiratory physiotherapy: A profile of the attitudes of nurses and physicians in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Mohammedali, Zainab; O'Dwyer, Tom K; Broderick, Julie M

2016-01-01

Respiratory physiotherapy plays a key role in the management and treatment of patients with respiratory diseases worldwide, yet this specialty is not well established in Saudi Arabia. To profile the attitudes among physicians and nurses toward physiotherapists working in respiratory care settings in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted. A questionnaire was developed consisting of 23 items, which was distributed both electronically and in paper form to physicians and nurses working in hospitals and health-care centers in Saudi Arabia. Physicians and nurses working outside of Saudi Arabia, and other health professionals, were excluded from the study. A total of 284 questionnaires were returned (nurses: n = 158; physicians: n = 126). The majority believed that physiotherapists have the skills to be involved in respiratory care (79.9%, n = 226) and that physiotherapists are an important member of the Intensive Care Unit team (90.4%, n = 255). Most respondents ( n = 232, 82.9%) felt in need of more information regarding the role of physiotherapy within respiratory care; significantly more nurses than physicians believed they needed additional education ( P = 0.002). Specialized physicians were more likely than nonspecialized physicians to refer respiratory patients to physiotherapy ( P Saudi Arabia. The need for further education for physicians and nurses on the role of physiotherapy in respiratory care was highlighted; this would enable physiotherapy to develop and be further integrated into the respiratory care multidisciplinary team.

A retrospective observational study of functional outcomes, length of stay, and discharge disposition after an inpatient stroke rehabilitation program in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bindawas, Saad M; Mawajdeh, Hussam; Vennu, Vishal; Alhaidary, Hisham

2016-08-01

Functional outcomes, length of stay (LOS), and discharge disposition have become frequent outcome measures among stroke patients after rehabilitation programs. To examine the trends of changes in functional outcomes, LOS, and discharge disposition in stroke patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation facility.All patients (n = 432) were admitted to a tertiary inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with stroke diagnoses from November 2008 to December 2014. The functional independence measure (FIM) instrument used to assess the patient's functional status. The LOS was measured as the number of days the patients spent in the hospital from the day of admission to the day of discharge. The FIM efficiency was used to measure the patient's rehabilitation progress. All of the variables of the prospectively collected data were retrospectively analyzed.There were significant changes by years in the total FIM ranging from 23 to 29 (P stroke have improved after an inpatient stroke rehabilitation program between 2008 and 2014 even with a constant LOS. Discharge disposition has remained unstable over this period. To improve the efficiency of the stroke rehabilitation program in Saudi Arabia, there is a need to decrease the LOS and emphasize a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach.

Predictors of smoking among male college students in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Almogbel, Y S; Abughosh, S M; Almogbel, F S; Alhaidar, I A; Sansgiry, S S

2013-11-01

Identifying the predictors of smoking in one of the top cigarette-consuming countries in the world is a vital step in smoking prevention. A cross-sectional study assessed the predictors of smoking in a cohort of male students in 3 universities in Saudi Arabia. A pre-tested, validated questionnaire was used to determine sociodemographic characteristics, academic performance, peers' smoking, and presence of a smoker within the family. Of the 337 participants, 30.9% were current smokers (smoked 1 or more cigarettes within the last 30 days). Lower academic performance (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.02-5.17), peer smoking (OR = 4.14, 95% CI: 1.53-11.3) and presence of other smokers in the family (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.37-5.64) were the significant predictors of smoking status identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. These findings highlight the influence of family and peer pressure in initiating cigarette use among the youth of Saudi Arabia.

Optimizing coffee cultivation and its impact on economic growth and export earnings of the producing countries: The case of Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed M. Al-Abdulkader

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Coffee is one of the historical socioeconomic crops. It has received an increasing attention at the global level, due to its positive interlinkage with the economic growth and on the gross domestic product for most of the producing countries, particularly, developing and least developed countries. Saudi Arabia is one of the coffee producing countries that has a relative comparative advantage of coffee cultivation. Yet, coffee cultivation has not received as much attention in Saudi Arabia as that of producing countries around the world. This study aims to assess the current state of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the potential to optimize coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia that maximizes the net national economic return and export earnings, given limitation of cultivated areas, local market activities, and international trade activities. The study statistically analyzed primary data collected from around (65 coffee farms and traders in the study regions at the south and southwest Saudi Arabia, and optimized coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia using LINGO optimization software. Empirical results of the study revealed the great potential of Saudi Arabia to expand coffee cultivation at south and southwest regions to meet the escalating local demand and to increase its share at the world market up to 2%. Optimization of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia showed a high potential to meet the local demand for coffee by producing 80.07 thousand tons grown over 2861.78 hectares and to generate a net return equivalent to $395.72 million a year, which is equivalent to $138.28 thousand per hectare and $4.94 thousand per ton of coffee. Optimizing coffee cultivation will play a substantial role to increase market share of Saudi Arabia to about 1–2% of the world market by increasing its export volume, respectively, to about 69.66 and 112.56 thousand tons, the national net economic return by about $395.86 and $395.95 million a year, and

Radiation monitoring of imported food to Saudi Arabia after Chernobyl accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul-Majid, S.; Abulfaraj, W.; Al-Johani, M.S.; Mamoon, A.M.; Abdulfattah, A.F.; Abubakar, K.M.

1988-01-01

Following Chernobyl reactor accident, King Abdulaziz University (KAU) was assigned the responsibility of monitoring food imports reaching the western ports of Saudi Arabia. This includes the three western seaports of Jeddah, Yanbu and Jizan and the airport of Jeddah. Through the seaport of Jeddah, the largest in Saudi Arabia, essentially all kinds of foodstuffs are entering. Chilled meat, fresh vegetables and other items that can not be stored for long time are coming through Jeddah airport, while Jizan and Yanbu handle mainly barley and animal feed. The monitoring program started in the middle of June. This is the time when pilgrimage season starts and about one million persons come from different parts of the world to the city of Mecca. Food imports drastically increases during this time and large number of live sheep and cows are imported for religious sacrifice

iPad Acceptance by English Learners in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Barry A. M.

2016-01-01

This study used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT; Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis, 2003) model to investigate factors predicting the acceptance of iPad tablets by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at a technical vocational college in Saudi Arabia. An online survey was conducted on 199 male learners,…

Factors influencing Patients' Utilization of Dental Health Services in Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Quadri, Faeq A; Jafari, Fatimahi Am; Albeshri, Alanood Ts; Zailai, Abdulaziz M

2018-01-01

One way of prevention and early detection of oral diseases is by utilizing the dental health care services on a regular basis. The current study aims to know the factors that play a role in influencing the dental service utilization in Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was designed and implemented. Study subjects comprised of patients visiting the dental clinics at Jazan University and the primary dental centers of five different suburbs in Jazan region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Items in the questionnaire were grouped into three sections; "demographic details," "self-reported dental visits," and "potential factors" contributing to dental visits. Chi-square p-value of 0.05 or less was considered as significant and logistic regression with 95% confidence interval (CI) was performed to get more precise results. The sample size was 395 (N) of which 44.8% were males and 53.4% were females. Less than half (45.8%) of the studied sample reported that their last visit to a dentist was within a span of one year and 33% of them think that a dentist should only be visited if they experience pain. Patients following instructions given by a dentist were 7 times [odds ratio (OR) = 0.13; CI = 0.04, 0.40] less likely to miss their regular dental appointments. Following this, patients receiving knowledge on their dental problems were seen to be twice (OR = 0.50; CI = 0.25, 0.98) less likely to be irregular with their dental visits. Finally, the patients who are better educated and literate were also 2 times (OR = 2.21; CI = 1.14, 4.28) more likely to be regular with their dental appointments in comparison with the patients who completed just their primary level education. Findings of this study will facilitate future oral health prevention programs to be more focused, thereby reducing the gap between high and low educated sectors of the population residing in Jazan. How to cite this article: Quadri FA, Jafari FAM

Subacute thyroiditis in Western Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qari, Faiza A.; Maimani, Abdulroaf A.

2005-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess the clinical presentation of 23 patients with subacute thyroiditis (SAT) and the diagnostic value of radionuclear scan. This is a cohort study, which consists of 23 patients with a suspected diagnosis of subacute thyroiditis. The study was carried out in the Endocrinology Clinic, King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between July 2002 and July 2004. Medical charts including age, gender, clinical presentation, systemic symptoms and clinical examination of the thyroid gland were reviewed. Laboratory data included white blood count and its differential count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), thyroid function test and thyroid antibodies. The radionuclear scan results were also noted. The mode of therapy provided to patients and the outcome of the treatment during a follow up period of 2 years was reported. Twenty-three adult patients with subacute thyroiditis (15 females and 8 males with a female to male ratio of 1.9:1) were reviewed over a 2-year period. The mean age was 35.8+9.2 years. Eighteen patients (78%) had an upper respiratory tract infection at the initial clinical presentation. Twenty patients (87%) visited an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist for sore throat and abnormal sensation in the throat at least 2 weeks before presentation to the endocrinologist. Two patients were admitted to a medical unit with a diagnosis of fever of unknown origin for 4 weeks. All patients had an elevated free thyroxine (35.7+19.8 pmol/L) and suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (0.043+0.065IU). The radionuclear scan showed either no uptake at all in 12 patients or minimal uptake in 11 patients (0.32+0.55%). Eight patients (35%) received prednisolone therapy alone with an average dose of 30-40 mg daily for 7-8 days; 7 patients (30%) were treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) only. Eight (35%) patients were treated with both NSAIDs and corticosteroids. Hypothyroidism, with elevated

Nuptiality pattern in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Farag, M K; al-Mazrou, Y Y; Baldo, M H; Aziz, K M; al-Shehri, S N

1995-01-01

The data of this work are based on the 'Saudi Maternal and Child Health Survey' conducted in 1991. This was a nationwide house to house field survey. The study included 6294 ever-married Saudi female in the childbearing age who represent the target population. They were randomly selected from both urban and rural settings of the five geographical areas of Saudi Arabia. The mean current age of the sample of ever-married women was 31 years and the mean age at first marriage was 17 and 16 years for urban and rural females, respectively. Education was associated with upward shift of the age at first marriage. About 20 per cent of the sampled ever-married Saudi females got married before their 15th birthday and 83 per cent before reaching 20 years of age. These percentages are even higher in rural than urban settings. The overall percentage of women who were currently married at the time of the survey was 96 per cent. The divorced and widowed women of childbearing age were 2 and 3 per cent, respectively, of the total. Husband's educational level had positive impact on the frequency of divorce. The latter was highest among women married to illiterate husbands with a dose response pattern. Comparison has been made with the situation 4 years ago. An increase in literacy rates among Saudi ever-married women and their husbands was observed, however, a significant (P < 0.05) difference still exists between female and male literacy rates (38 and 71 per cent, respectively). The events of early marriage, before the age of 15 years, became less frequent. There is an overall decline in teenage marriages which explains a large part of the recent changes observed in nuptiality and pattern of birth in Saudi Arabia.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility gene TCF7L2 is strongly associated with hyperglycemia in the Saudi Arabia Population of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Acharya, S; Al-Elq, A; Al-Nafaie, A; Muzaheed, M; Al-Ali, A

2015-08-01

We studied the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7903146, rs12255372 and rs4506565 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility gene, transcription factor 7 like 2 (TCF7L2) with T2DM among the population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In a case-control study, blood samples were collected from 359 T2DM patients and 351 age and sex-matched normoglycemic controls. Genotyping was done by allele specific PCR assay. Our results revealed a strong association between risk T alleles in variants rs12255372 (OR: G/T=1.4233; T/T=2.0395) and rs4506565 (OR: A/T=1.6066; T/T=3.1301) and T2DM among the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This is the first time that this association has been identified in a Saudi population. However, a common variant, rs7903146, often found to be associated with T2DM in other populations failed to demonstrate any association to T2DM with the present population. These data further strengthens the hypothesis that Saudi populations might carry a distinct risk allele in T2DM susceptibility gene TCF7L2. The present results confirm that rs12255372 and rs4506565 variants of TCF7L2 show an association, but not rs7903146, with T2DM for the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Measuring Job Satisfaction Patterns in Saudi ArabiaÕs Southern Regions Hospitals: Implications for Hospital Staff Retention

OpenAIRE

Alshahrani Bander Sayaf

2015-01-01

Saudi Arabia Southern Region hospitals have shortage of health professionals especially doctors. Retention of quality doctors and minimizing staff turnover has, therefore, become a major priority for hospitals. Job satisfaction is recognized as key factor influencing retention of doctors. In our paper special emphasis is put on doctors working is Southern Region hospitals of Saudi Arabia. By conducting correlation analysis we determine the most important factors conducive to job satisfaction....

Firearm fatalities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Madni, Osama; Kharosha, Magdy Abdel Azim; Shotar, Ali M

2008-07-01

This paper provides a database representing injury mortality in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, with the aim of establishing a system which will record information about the incidence of such deaths, identify new trends and give priority to violence prevention. The retrospective study was carried out on 64 fatalities from gunfire injuries at the Forensic Medicine Centre in Dammam, Saudi Arabia during the period from January 2002 - December 2006. The deaths included 55 cases of homicide, seven cases of suicide and two accidental shootings. Twenty-six victims were aged between 16-30 years and 24 victims were between 31-45 years. Fifty-nine of the cases were male. A handgun was the weapon used in 49 cases. The most common sites for the firearm entrance wounds were the head (45 cases) and the chest (35 cases). In the majority of cases (56.3%) a single shot was fired while in 15.6% of cases there were two shots. In 51.5% of cases no bullet was recovered from the body while a single bullet was recovered in 31.5% and two bullets in 6.2% of the cases. Distant range fire was observed in 65.6% of cases. Exit wounds were found on the head in 36.7% and on the chest in 28.7% of cases. The majority of victims were young males living in urban areas. This result should help in forming a strategy to improve the livelihoods of this group. The low incidence of alcohol abuse (one case, 1.56%) and only three cases (4.68%) of amphetamine abuse is significant.

A Retrospective Study of Causes of Low Vision in Saud Arabia, A Case of Eye World Medical Complex in Riyadh.

Science.gov (United States)

Z Alotaibi, Abdullah

2015-10-20

Vision is the ability of seeing with a definite understanding of features, color and contrast, and to distinguish between objects visually. In the year 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness formulated a worldwide project for the eradication of preventable loss of sight with the subject of "Vision 2020: the Right to Sight". This global program aims to eradicate preventable loss of sight by the year 2020. This study was conducted to determine the main causes of low vision in Saudi Arabia and also to assess their visual improvement after using low vision aids (LVD).The study is a retrospective study and was conducted in low vision clinic at Eye World Medical Complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The file medical record of 280 patients attending low vision clinics from February 2008 to June 2010 was included. A data sheet was filled which include: age, gender, cause of low vision, unassisted visual acuity for long distances and short distances, low vision devices needed for long distances and short distances that provides best visual acuity. The result shows that the main cause of low vision was Optic atrophy (28.9%). Retinitis pigmentosa was the second cause of low vision, accounting for 73 patients (26%) followed by Diabetic retinopathy and Macular degeneration with 44 patients (15.7%) and 16 patients (5.7%) respectively. Inter family marriage could be one of the main causes of low vision. Public awareness should be embarked on for enlightenment on ocular diseases result in consanguineous marriage. Also, it is an important issue to start establishing low vision clinics in order to improve the situation.

Perspectives of interns and residents toward do-not-resuscitate policies in Saudi Arabia

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Amoudi AS

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abdullah S Amoudi,1 Mohammed H Albar,2 Amjed M Bokhari,3 Sultan H Yahya,4 Anas A Merdad1 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, 4Department of Radiology, King Saud University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Objective: Do-not-resuscitate (DNR orders in Saudi Arabia were first regulated by a fatwa on a national level in 1988, one that excludes the patient and their families from decision making. Although the core of this policy is taken up by all hospitals in Saudi Arabia, there is no homogeneity in implementation. Here, we appraise what interns and residents know of these policies and their attitudes toward DNR. Methods: Interns and residents in four major hospitals in Jeddah, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, National Guard Hospital, King Fahad General Hospital, and King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, were given a questionnaire in English with four blocks of questions. Results: A total of 140 questionnaires were included in our study. From these questionnaires, we conclude a lack of familiarity with DNR's policies and the fatwa and also a lack of understanding when it comes to treating DNR-labeled patients. The majority opinion was to include the patient in the decision-making process who is excluded according to the fatwa. Participants considered patients' dignity, religious concerns, and legal concerns to be important in considering resuscitation. Conclusion: We conclude a need to emphasize the issue of DNR and treatment of DNR patients in medical ethics classes in Saudi Arabia and put more effort to enact national DNR laws that include the patient in the decision-making process. Keywords: passive euthanasia, Middle East, cross-sectional study

Television watching, diet and body mass index of school children in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alghadir, Ahmad H; Gabr, Sami A; Iqbal, Zaheen A

2016-04-01

Watching television has been widely associated with various health and psychological outcomes in children. Excessive intake of carbonated, sweetened beverages and fast foods, inadequate intake of fruit and dairy products; and reduced levels of physical activity also pose a risk to healthy lifestyle among youth. Limited literature is available, however, on the cross-cultural aspects of duration of television viewing, diet preferences and their effect on weight in school children in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia. We conducted an online survey in school children in Saudi Arabia (age 12-16 years) to determine whether there is any association between duration of daily television watching, body mass index (BMI), eating habits and diet preferences. A self-administered questionnaire was uploaded online and the link was sent to school children, inviting them to participate in the study. It included questions on demographic data; family medical status; daily routine in and after school; number of hours of daily TV watching, self-perception of health and daily diet habits and preferences. A total of 220 children aged between 12 and 16 years participated in the present study. There was a higher duration of television viewing, and higher consumption of high-fat fast foods and high-sugar drinks, and this was significantly associated with BMI (P Saudi Arabia seems to be the major cause of the association between sedentary lifestyle and dietary habits, which needs to be checked and limited. Parents and teachers need to be trained because they can play a major role in its prevention. Saudi Arabia is a growing country banking on its youth. Their awareness can prevent the incidence and lower the prevalence of such ill health habits among them. © 2015 Japan Pediatric Society.

Nursing in Saudi Arabia: Reflections on the experiences of South ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of the study was to describe and reflect on the lived experiences of the South African nurses residing and working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design with a phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected by means of individual ...

75 FR 21598 - Energy and Infrastructure Mission to Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-26

... Riyadh and Dhahran; and Networking receptions in two cities of the trade mission. Proposed Mission... (Sipchem) complex, which will produce synthetic fibers. The planned expansion at Jubail Industrial City II.... Among Saudi Arabia's super-projects are as many as six ``economic cities,'' to be completed by the year...

Factors Associated with the Early Introduction of Complementary Feeding in Saudi Arabia

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Riyadh A. Alzaheb

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Mothers’ instigation of complementary feeding before their infant reaches 6 months old risks shortening their breastfeeding duration, and high morbidity and mortality for their child. Complementary feeding practices require further investigation in Saudi Arabia. The present study aims to evaluate complementary feeding practices, and to establish which factors are associated with the early introduction of complementary feeding in the Saudi Arabian context. Cross-sectional research was conducted with 632 mothers of infants aged between 4 and 24 months attending five primary health care centers (PHCCs between July and December 2015 in Saudi Arabia. Data on participants’ socio-demographic characteristics and complementary feeding practices were collected via structured questionnaires. A regression analysis identified the factors associated with the early introduction of solid foods, defined as before 17 weeks. 62.5% of the study’s infants received solid foods before reaching 17 weeks old. The maternal factors at higher risk of early introduction of solids were: younger age; Saudi nationality; shorter education; employment within 6 months post-birth; caesareans; not breastfeeding fully for six weeks post-birth, and living in low-income households. Complementary feeding prior to 6 months postpartum was common in Saudi Arabia. Public health interventions are needed to reduce early complementary feeding, focusing on mothers at highest risk of giving solids too early.

Episiotomy and its relationship to various clinical variables that influence its performance

Science.gov (United States)

Ballesteros-Meseguer, Carmen; Carrillo-García, César; Meseguer-de-Pedro, Mariano; Canteras-Jordana, Manuel; Martínez-Roche, Mª Emilia

2016-01-01

Objective: to understand the episiotomy rate and its relationship with various clinical variables. Method: a descriptive, cross-sectional, analytic study of 12,093 births in a tertiary hospital. Variables: Parity, gestational age, start of labor, use of epidural analgesia, oxytocin usage, position during fetal explusion, weight of neonate, and completion of birth. The analysis was performed with SPSS 19.0. Results: the global percentage of episiotomies was 50%. The clinical variables that presented a significant association were primiparity (RR=2.98), gestational age >41 weeks (RR=1.2), augmented or induced labor (RR=1.33), epidural analgesia use (RR=1,95), oxytocin use (RR=1.58), lithotomy position during fetal expulsion (RR=6.4), and instrumentation (RR=1.84). Furthermore, maternal age ≥35 years (RR=0.85) and neonatal weight <2500 g (RR=0.8) were associated with a lower incidence of episiotomy. Conclusions: episiotomy is dependent on obstetric interventions performed during labor. If we wish to reduce the episiotomy rate, it will be necessary to bear in mind these risk factors when establishing policies for reducing this procedure. PMID:27224064

Outcome of corneal transplantation in a private institution in Saudi Arabia

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Omar N

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Nazri Omar,1,2 Charbel T Bou Chacra,1 Khalid F Tabbara1,3,4 1The Eye Center and The Eye Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia; 3Department of Ophthalmology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Background: The aim of this work was to describe the indications, complications, and outcomes of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP in Saudi Arabia. Methods: In a retrospective, noncomparative interventional case series, the medical records of patients who underwent PKP from January 2000 to December 2008 and had a minimum follow-up of 6 months were reviewed. All corneas were obtained from eye banks in the US. Indications, complications, and outcomes of surgery were recorded. This study was approved by the institutional review board. Results: Eighty-five consecutive eyes were included in this study. There were 52 (61.2% males and 33 (38.8% females. The median age was 35.0 years (range 3–85 years, and the median follow-up period was 24 months (range 6–108 months. The indications for PKP were keratoconus, bullous keratopathy, corneal scars, corneal dystrophy, and corneal regraft. The overall graft survival time was 88.9 months ± 4.9 months (mean ± standard error of mean, 95% confidence interval [CI] 79.4 months -98.4 months while the 3-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 90.7% and 84.3%, respectively. Surgical indication (P = 0.038, immune rejection (P < 0.001, preoperative corneal vascularization (P = 0.022, and perioperative high intraocular pressure (P = 0.032 were associated significantly with corneal graft failure in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis reduced these significant associations to rejection (P < 0.001 and vascularization (P = 0.009. Relative risk for failure in rejected cornea was 16.22 (95% CI 4.99–52.69 and

Screening for urine abnormalities among preschool children in western Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alharthi, Abdulla A.; Taha, Azza A.; Edrees, Awatif E.; Elnawawy, Ali N.; Abdelrahman, Azza H.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To estimate the frequency of urinary problems among preschool children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1000 preschool asymptomatic children attending the outpatient clinics of the Children’s Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between August 2013 and December 2013 were subjected to dipstick urine analysis. Microscopic examination was performed for the abnormal dipstick samples, and children with hematuria were investigated for kidney function. Results: Dipstick urine analysis revealed abnormal findings in 25.1% of the screened children. The most common dipstick abnormalities were positive nitrite test in 18.1%, hematuria in 16.9%, and positive leukocyte esterase test in 14.3% of the cases. The most common abnormality in microscopic urine examination was crystals in 13% of the cases. Pyuria were evident in 5% of cases and hematuria in 2.5%. The most common bacteria in positive urine culture samples was Escherichia coli in 62.6%. Conclusion: In view of these important findings, dipstick screening should be implemented in preschool children. PMID:25491212

The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to faith healers in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alosaimi, Fahad D; Alshehri, Youssef; Alfraih, Ibrahim; Alghamdi, Ayedh; Aldahash, Saleh; Alkhuzayem, Haifa; Albeeeshi, Haneen

2014-09-01

We investigated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among visitors to Faith Healers (FHs) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We also studied the sociodemographic profiles for these visitors, in addition to their past psychiatric history, reason(s) for seeking FH help, and past and current treatment experience with FHs. We conducted a cross-sectional study among the visitors (n=321) to a number of faith healing settings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a specially designed questionnaire and validated Arabic version of The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Most of the participants were young adults (35.1±10.8 years) and males with intermediate and secondary levels of education who had not sought medical help prior to their visits. A high proportion of the FH visitors have diagnosable mental illnesses. Depressive and anxiety disorders were the most prevalent among the study participants; few visitors were affected by psychotic or bipolar disorders. The present study provides insight for understanding the type of patients with psychiatric disorders who visit Faith Healers.(FHs). The study highlights the tendency of psychiatric patients in Saudi Arabia to visit FHs, which could reflect the importance of further studies to clarify the impact of FHs on the management of those patients.

Assessing local water quality in Saudi Arabia and its impact on food safety

KAUST Repository

Alsalah, Dhafer

2014-12-01

Saudi Arabia produces a majority of its fruits and vegetables locally in small-scale production farms. These farms utilize groundwater as the main source of irrigation water. The water-regulating authorities in Saudi Arabia rely on traditional culturing methods to monitor coliforms as indicators of microbial contamination. These methods are time-consuming, do not address the sources of contamination, and do not permit assessment on the associated health risk. To address these knowledge gaps, the study investigates the sources of contamination in eight wells northeast of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The study focuses on the potential impact on groundwater quality due to a nearby chicken farm and urban runoffs from human residential areas. Besides performing conventional methods to determine nutrient content and to enumerate coliforms, quantitative PCR using four host-associated primer sets were used to distinguish microbial contamination from humans and livestock. High-throughput sequencing was also performed to determine the relative abundance of several genera associated with opportunistic pathogens. Bacterial isolates were cultivated from the vegetable samples harvested from these farms, and were characterized for their phylogenetic identities. Lastly, the study collates the information to perform quantitative microbial risk assessment due to ingesting antibiotic-resistant Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis in these vegetable samples.

The Challenges Faced by New Science Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alsharari, Salman

2016-01-01

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions…

A multi-decadal assessment of the performance of gauge- and model-based rainfall products over Saudi Arabia: Climatology, anomalies and trends

KAUST Repository

El Kenawy, Ahmed M.

2015-05-15

Many arid and semi-arid regions have sparse precipitation observing networks, which limits the capacity for detailed hydrological modelling, water resources management and flood forecasting efforts. The objective of this work is to evaluate the utility of relatively high-spatial resolution rainfall products to reproduce observed multi-decadal rainfall characteristics such as climatologies, anomalies and trends over Saudi Arabia. Our study compares the statistical characteristics of rainfall from 53 observatories over the reference period 1965-2005, with rainfall data from six widely used gauge-based products, including APHRODITE, GPCC, PRINCETON, UDEL, CRU and PREC/L. In addition, the performance of three global climate models (GCMs), including CCSM4, EC-EARTH and MRI-I-CGCM3, integrated as part of the Fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), was also evaluated. Results indicate that the gauge-based products were generally skillful in reproducing rainfall characteristics in Saudi Arabia. In most cases, the gauge-based products were also able to capture the annual cycle, anomalies and climatologies of observed data, although significant inter-product variability was observed, depending on the assessment metric being used. In comparison, the GCM-based products generally exhibited poor performance, with larger biases and very weak correlations, particularly during the summertime. Importantly, all products generally failed to reproduce the observed long-term seasonal and annual trends in the region, particularly during the dry seasons (summer and autumn). Overall, this work suggests that selected gauge-based products with daily (APHRODITE and PRINCETON) and monthly (GPCC and CRU) resolutions show superior performance relative to other products, implying that they may be the most appropriate data source from which multi-decadal variations of rainfall can be investigated at the regional scale over Saudi Arabia. Discriminating these skillful products is

An Increase of Intelligence in Saudi Arabia, 1977-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Batterjee, Adel A.; Khaleefa, Omar; Ali, Khalil; Lynn, Richard

2013-01-01

Normative data for 8-15 year olds for the Standard Progressive Matrices in Saudi Arabia were obtained in 1977 and 2010. The 2010 sample obtained higher average scores than the 1977 sample by 0.78d, equivalent to 11.7 IQ points. This represents a gain of 3.55 IQ points a decade over the 33 year period. (Contains 1 table.)

Energy expenditure and water flux of Ruppell's foxes in Saudi Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Williams, J.B.; Lenain, D; Ostrowski, S; Tieleman, B.I.; Seddon, P

2002-01-01

Scattered populations of Ruppell's foxes (Vulpes rueppelli) occur across the deserts of northern Africa and Arabia. Little is known about the biology of these canids, especially the physiological mechanisms that contribute to their ability to live in such harsh environments. For individuals from

The Transfer of HRM Policies and Practices in American Multinational Hotels in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Hatem Alkhaldi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Global competition in the international business environment has pushed companies to achieve competitive advantage through mergers, acquisitions and through locating their subsidiaries in less developed counties for cost effectiveness. Consequently, the competitive pressure has increased the significance of human resource management (HRM in multinational companies (MNCs, and MNCs have recognised the significance of the transfer HRM process across borders. This study examines the transfer of HRM policies and practices of US MNCs to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study is to determine the extent to which US MNCs transfer HRM policies and practices from their Headquarters to their subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia; and identify the factors that facilitate and inhibit HRM transfer. The paper is based on an investigation of the interaction between home-country and host-country effects in determining HRM policies and practices in MNCs in the context of the Middle East. The study adopts a mixed methods approach of documentary analysis, focus group interviews of employees and in depth interviews of key informants in four subsidiaries of US owned international hotel chains located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Awareness and Knowledge Towards Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Risk Factors in Northern Saudi Arabia

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Ibrahim Bin Ahmed

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM is a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia and it is a risk factor for many comorbid diseases. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the awareness and knowledge towards type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM risk factors in Northern Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This is a crosssectional survey conducted in the city of Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia. Data of T2DM awareness was obtained from 1530 Saudi volunteers living in the city of Hail. Results: Out of the 1530 participants, around 59% were males and 41% were females. Out of 1530 participants 60.8% know nothing about DM and about 48% were not sure whether they know something about symptoms of DM. The lack of knowledge about the relationship between obesity and DM was statistically significant among this study group, p<0.001. Conclusion: There is low awareness and knowledge levels toward baseline DM related information among Northern Saudi Arabian population, which necessitates the need for comprehensive awareness program. Women are more in need to be targeted by DM prevention and control programs

Saudi Arabia: Petroleum and new economic trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarkis, N.

1996-01-01

The new economic trends of Saudi Arabia are detailed in this article. This country can take an important place on the world petroleum market in the future; he has the quarter of world petroleum reserves, and is determined to keep its place of first petroleum exporter. New developments projects are arising: electric power, telecommunications, civil aviation, seawater desalination. In terms of financing, as the state cannot finance all these new projects, new means are used: privatisation, BOT (build-operate-transfer) contracts, and offset programs. (N.C.)

Cross-infection and infection control in dentistry: Knowledge, attitude and practice of patients attended dental clinics in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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Nahla K. Ibrahim

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP of patients attended dental clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH regarding cross infections and infection control in dentistry. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 225 patients who attended the dental clinics of KAUH, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2014. A standardized, confidential, anonymous, interviewing questionnaire was used. Knowledge about dental infections was assessed by 12 MCQs. The attitudes were assessed through answering seven statements on a three- point Likert scale. Patients’ self reported practices were also evaluated. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done.Results of the study revealed that 39.5%, 38.7% and 21.8% of the participants obtained poor, fair and satisfactory level of knowledge about infections and infection control in dentistry, respectively. Social media was the commonest source of information about dental infection. Participant's educational level was significantly associated with the level of knowledge about dental infection. Patients had positive attitudes towards infection control in dentistry. Regarding self-reported practice, only few participants would ask dentists about sterilization of dental instruments (9.3%, wearing face mask (13.3% and gloves (16.4% if they don’t do so. In conclusion, our participants had good attitudes towards infection control in dentistry. However, their knowledge and practice need improvements. Conduction of educational programs is needed through social media, mass media, schools and public places. These programs involve both patients and providers. Keywords: Patient safety, Cross infection, Dental infection, Infection control, Emerging diseases, KAP

Assessing Patients' Preference for Integrating Herbal Medicine Within Primary Care Services in Saudi Arabia.

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Allam, Safaa; Moharam, Maha; Alarfaj, Gada

2014-07-01

Family physician advice and follow-up may be important to reduce the negative aspects of locally marketed herbal remedies and improve the patient outcome. There is a lack of studies assessing the preference of Saudi patients for the integration of herbal medicine into primary care services. To examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of Saudi patients toward herbal medicine and its integration into primary care services. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2013 among adult patients attending the family medicine clinics at a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire (27 items) was developed and administered to all patients. A total of 240 patients were included in the current analysis. The average age was 33.5 ± 9.9 years, and 61% of the patients were women. Approximately 60% of the patients were aware of herbal medicine use and its possible side effects. More than 85% of the patients believed that herbal containers should be labeled with safety information. Approximately 71% of the patients had a favorable attitude toward integrated services. Approximately 65% of the patients used herbal remedies for themselves, and 42% used them for their children. Preference for integrated services was significantly associated with female sex, better knowledge, positive attitudes toward safety and regulations, and higher level of practice. A good knowledge and a very favorable attitude toward integrating herbal medicine into primary care services were found among a group of patients attending a primary care center in Saudi Arabia. © The Author(s) 2014.

Relation between Dental Caries and Body Mass Index-for-age among Schoolchildren of Jazan City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Quadri, Mir Fa; Hakami, Bassam M; Hezam, Asma Aa; Hakami, Raed Y; Saadi, Fadwa A; Ageeli, Layla M; Alsagoor, Wafqah H; Faqeeh, Mohammad A; Dhae, Mohammed A

2017-04-01

To analyze and report the type of relation present between dental caries and body mass index (BMI)-for-age among schoolchildren in Jazan region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study with multi-staged random sampling technique was designed to recruit the sample of schoolchildren. Caries was examined using the World Health Organization recommended "decayed and filled teeth"/"decayed missing and filled teeth (dft/DMFT)" method. The BMI-for-age was calculated using the value obtained from body weight and height (kg/m 2 ) of each child. The obtained results were plotted on age- and gender-specific percentile curves by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and categorized accordingly. Chi-squared test was conducted to analyze the relation between BMI-for-age and dental caries. Logistic regression was performed to judge the predictor variables. The p-value Dental caries, fast food, and snacks between meals were significant independent predictor variables for BMI (p Dental caries was a strong predictor, and the analysis showed that children with untreated caries had 81% (odds ratio = 0.19; confidence interval = 0.65, 0.58) higher chance of suffering from low BMI. To conclude, this is the first study attempted to see the relationship between BMI-for-age and dental caries among schoolchildren in Jazan city of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Negative relation between dental caries and BMI should warrant health promoters about dental caries as a reason for low BMI in a subset of children. High and alarming percentage of untreated dental caries demonstrates the oral health needs among the schoolgoing children in Jazan region. Public health dentists should develop and implement prevention programs so that the oral health issues among schoolchildren are addressed.

Pharmacy Education in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait

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Al-Wazaify, Mayyada; Matowe, Lloyd; Albsoul-Younes, Abla; Al-Omran, Ola A.

2006-01-01

The practice of pharmacy, as well as pharmacy education, varies significantly throughout the world. In Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, the profession of pharmacy appears to be on the ascendance. This is demonstrated by an increase in the number of pharmacy schools and the number of pharmacy graduates from pharmacy programs. One of the reasons pharmacy is on the ascendance in these countries is government commitment to fund and support competitive, well-run pharmacy programs.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-09-01

Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula and has an area of 872,722 sq miles, or 2,260,350 sq km. The ancient Arabian Shield of igneous and metamorphic rocks comprises most of the western third of the country. The shield contains many extinct volcanoes surrounded by lava beds. Sloping eastwards are the newer sedimentary areas in which rich oil fields are found. In Saudi Arabia oil is paramount and less effort has been put into searching for mineral deposits than in other countries of similar size and geology. Pour aerial radiometric surveys have been undertaken and some of the anomalies discovered in the earlier ones were ground checked by an IAEA expert in 1963-64. Two anomalies warranted more detailed work, these were the Jabal Said anomaly in the Central Shield area and the Al Ghrayyat in Wadi Sawawin about 70 miles from the Jordan border. The Jabal Said anomaly consists of a zone of altered rocks consisting largely of pegmatite and pegmatite granite= Allanite, pyrochlore, cyrtolite, xenotime and monazite are the ore minerals,, The deposit was estimated to have 2.2 million tons of ore grading 0.2 - 0.3 percent Nb 2 O 5 and 0.03 - 0,05% U 3 O 8 . The other occurrence at Al Ghrayyat is similar but with much lower grade uranium content. In view of the huge size of Saudi Arabia, the existence of many geologically favourable rock types and the poor coverage by sophisticated uranium exploration techniques, the Speculative Potential is placed between 10,000 and 50,000 Tonnes uranium. (author)

Study of Stroke Incidence in the Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

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Alhazzani, Adel A; Mahfouz, Ahmed A; Abolyazid, Ahmed Y; Awadalla, Nabil J; Aftab, Razia; Faraheen, Aesha; Khalil, Shamsun Nahar

2018-01-26

Recent data regarding first-stroke incidence in Saudi Arabia in general and in the Aseer region in particular are scarce and even lacking. The aim of this work was to study the first-time stroke incidence in the Aseer region, southwestern Saudi Arabia. All first-stroke patients admitted to all hospitals in the Aseer region over a one-year period (January through December 2016) were included. Stroke patients outside the Aseer region were excluded from the study. The incidence per 100,000 patients and the concomitant 95% CI (Confidence Intervals) were computed. The present study included 1249 first-time stroke patients and calculated an overall minimal incidence rate of hospitalized first-time stroke of 57.64 per 100,000 persons per year (95% CI: 57.57-57.70). A steady increase was noticed depending on the patients' age, reaching a figure of 851.81 (95% CI: 849.2-854.5) for those patients aged 70 years and more. Overall, the incidence rate for females (48.14; 95% CI: 48.04-48.24) was lower compared to males (65.52; 95% CI: 65.1-66.0). Taking into consideration the expected rise of the elderly because of the prominent medical services provided by the Saudi government, leading to a subsequent change in the horizontal and vertical age distribution structure of the population, an increase in the number of stroke patients is expected. It is suggested to establish a nationwide stroke surveillance system in the Kingdom, with the objective to report, analyze, and maintain an updated overview of the stroke status in Saudi Arabia.

Cultural competence among nursing students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

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Cruz, J P; Alquwez, N; Cruz, C P; Felicilda-Reynaldo, R F D; Vitorino, L M; Islam, S M S

2017-06-01

This study assessed the cultural competence of nursing students in a Saudi University. With the current situation of immigration in Saudi Arabia, the cultural diversity in healthcare facilities is anticipated to grow. This presents a great challenge to the members of the healthcare team. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 272 nursing students in a Saudi university using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of two parts, namely the respondents' demographics and cultural background information sheet and the Cultural Capacity Scale Arabic version. The respondents showed the highest competence in their ability to demonstrate communication skills with culturally diverse patients and lowest in the familiarity with health- or illness-related cultural knowledge or theory. Gender, academic level, clinical exposure, prior diversity training, the experience of taking care of culturally diverse patients and patients belonging to special population groups were significant factors that could likely to influence cultural competence. The findings suggest that the Saudi nursing students possess the ability to provide culturally appropriate nursing care to patients with a diverse cultural background. Despite the good cultural competence reflected in this study, some aspects in ensuring a culturally competent care rendered by Saudi nursing students need to be improved. With the country's Saudization policy in health care (replacing foreign nurses with Saudi nurses), the findings can be used in designing training and interventions to meet the needs of Saudi nursing students regarding cultural competence development, which is integral in their preparation to assume their future roles as nurses. Policy guidelines, such as including cultural competency training and foreign languages training as mandatory continuing education for nurses, as well as integrating cultural competency and foreign languages in the prelicensure curriculum, should be developed and implemented in

Low heart rate variability in patients with clinical burnout.

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Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg; Sjörs, Anna

2016-12-01

Several studies have shown that acute psychosocial stress and chronic psychosocial stress reduce heart rate variability (HRV). It is likely that individuals suffering from burnout have reduced HRV, as a consequence of the long-term stress exposure. This study investigated HRV in 54 patients with clinical burnout (40 women and 14 men) and in 55 individuals reporting low burnout scores (healthy; 24 women and 31 men) and 52 individuals reporting high burnout scores (non-clinical burnout; 33 women and 19 men). The participants underwent a 300s ECG recording in the supine position. Standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN) and the root mean square of successive normal interval differences (RMSSD) were derived from time domain HRV analysis. Frequency domain HRV measures; total power (TP), low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), and LF/HF ratio were calculated. All HRV measures, except LF/HF ratio, were lower in the clinical burnout patients compared to both the non-clinical burnout group and the healthy group. The difference was larger between the patients and the healthy group than between the patients and the non-clinical burnout group. HRV did not differ significantly between the non-clinical burnout group and the healthy group. Low HRV in burnout patients may constitute one of the links to associated adverse health, since low HRV reflects low parasympathetic activity - and accordingly low anabolic/regenerative activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainability Assessment of Higher Education Institutions in Saudi Arabia

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Habib M. Alshuwaikhat

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Universities are paramount change drivers in bringing about a culture of sustainability in society by setting themselves up as models and nurseries for sustainable development. Thus, assessment of sustainability integration within universities is key to their impact on sustainable development. This study conducted an assessment of different public sector universities of Saudi Arabia based on five components: (i Teaching and Curriculum; (ii Research and Scholarship; (iii Campus Operations; (iv Management and Community; and (v Financial Management. The sustainability assessment questionnaire (SAQ was utilized as a tool to discern the component-wise sustainability assessment for Saudi universities. The outcomes of the survey reveal that, in stark contrast with the universities of the developed world, offerings of sustainability relevant academic courses in Saudi Arabia are still lacking. Most Saudi universities still need to integrate research and scholarship in the area of sustainability; sustainable-campus operations in the current scenario are not sufficient. The results also reveal that sustainability-related projects are not prioritized within universities and sustainable financial management practices are not significant. This article concludes by proposing some recommendations emphasizing the importance of adopting sustainability practices in Saudi universities.

Patterns of failure and survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy in Saudi Arabia

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Maklad AM

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Ahmed Marzouk Maklad,1,2 Yasser Bayoumi,2,3 Mohamed Abdalazez Senosy Hassan,2,4 AbuSaleh A Elawadi,5,6 Hussain AlHussain,2 Ashraf Elyamany,7,8 Saleh F Aldhahri,9 Khalid Hussain Al-Qahtani,10 Mubarak AlQahtani,11 Mutahir A Tunio12 1Clinical Oncology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt; 2Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Radiation Oncology, NCI, Cairo University, Cairo, 4Radiation Oncology, Minia Oncology Center, Minia, 5Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; 6Medical Physics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7Medical Oncology, SECI-Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; 8Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, King Fahad Medical City, 9Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Saud University, 10Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, King Saud University, 11Department of ENT, King Fahad Medical City, 12Radiation Oncology, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: We aimed to investigate the patterns of failure (locoregional and distant metastasis, associated factors, and treatment outcomes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT combined with chemotherapy. Patients and methods: From April 2006 to December 2011, 68 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients were treated with IMRT and chemotherapy at our hospital. Median radiation doses delivered to gross tumor volume and positive neck nodes were 66–70 Gy, 63 Gy to clinical target volume, and 50.4–56 Gy to clinically negative neck. The clinical toxicities, patterns of failures, locoregional control, distant metastasis control, disease-free survival, and overall survival were observed. Results: The median follow-up time was 52.2 months (range: 11–87 months. Epstein–Barr virus infection was positive in 63.2% of

Stress among dentists in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamjoom, Hana M

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to identify various stress factors affecting dentists and to evaluate their stress manifestations and stress management. A questionnaire was distributed among dentists residing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire classified stress factors into professional, patient-related, dental procedure-related, and office management factors. Sign and symptoms of stress manifestations and management were also evaluated. The sample included 80 females and 75 males, with 47% of them below the age of 30 years. Out of the total sample, the largest percentage (60.6%) were general practitioners, 47.7% had experience of less than 5 years and 32.2% had 11 years of experience. The highest mean scores of stress were related to professional factors and dental procedure-related factors. Among those, the main significant factors that caused stress in the surveyed sample were lack of time in relation to workload (76.1%), limited visibility and accessibility (67.7%). The most common manifestations of stress were nervousness (95%), musculoskeletal fatigue (72%) and anger (58%). Dentists predominantly managed their stress by praying and reading holy books (80%) and by spending time alone (75%) or with family and friends (70%). The most prevalent and significant causes of stress among dentists working in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were professional in nature. Stress has been manifested by nervousness and musculoskeletal problem and was mainly managed by praying and spending time alone or with family and friends. (author)

Medication administration errors in Eastern Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mir Sadat-Ali

2010-01-01

To assess the prevalence and characteristics of medication errors (ME) in patients admitted to King Fahd University Hospital, Alkhobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Medication errors are documented by the nurses and physicians standard reporting forms (Hospital Based Incident Report). The study was carried out in King Fahd University Hospital, Alkhobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and all the incident reports were collected during the period from January 2008 to December 2009. The incident reports were analyzed for age, gender, nationality, nursing unit, and time where ME was reported. The data were analyzed and the statistical significance differences between groups were determined by Student's t-test, and p-values of <0.05 using confidence interval of 95% were considered significant. There were 38 ME reported for the study period. The youngest patient was 5 days and the oldest 70 years. There were 31 Saudis, and 7 non-Saudi patients involved. The most common error was missed medication, which was seen in 15 (39.5%) patients. Over 15 (39.5%) of errors occurred in 2 units (pediatric medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology). Nineteen (50%) of the errors occurred during the 3-11 pm shift. Our study shows that the prevalence of ME in our institution is low, in comparison with the world literature. This could be due to under reporting of the errors, and we believe that ME reporting should be made less punitive so that ME can be studied and preventive measures implemented (Author).

Cryptosporidiosis in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Areeshi, Mohammed Y.; Hart, C.A.; Beeching, N.J.

2007-01-01

Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoan parasite of the intestinal tract that causes severe and sometimes fatal watery diarrhea in immunocompromised patients and self-limiting but prolonged diarrheal disease in immunocompetent individuals. It exists naturally in animals and can be zoonotic. Although cryptosporidiosis is a significant cause of diarrheal disease in both developing and developed countries, it is more prevalent in developing countries and in tropical environments. We examined the epidemiology and disease burden of Cryptosporidium in Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries by reviewing 23 published studies of Cryptosporidium and etiology of diarrhea in between 1986 and 2006. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in human's ranged from 1% to 37% with a median of 4%, while in animals it was for different species of animals and geographic locations of the studies. Most cases of cryptosporidiosis occurred among children less than 7 years of age and particularly in the first two years of life. The seasonality of Cryptosporidium varied depending on the geographic locations of the studies but it generally most prevalent in the rainy season. The most commonly identified species was Cryptosporidium parvum while C.hominis was detected only in one study from Kuwait. The cumulative experience from Saudi Arabia and four neighboring countries (Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Iraq) suggest that Cryptosporidium is an important cause of diarrhea in human and cattle. However, the findings of this review also demonstrate the limitations of the available data regarding Cryptosporidium species and strains in circulation in these countries. (author)

Characteristics of Neonatal Pneumothorax in Saudi Arabia: Three Years’ Experience

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Abdulrahman Al Matary

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify the incidence, clinical characteristics, predisposing factors, morbidity, and mortality among hospitalized neonates with pneumothorax. Methods: The records of 2 204 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at King Fahad Medical City, Saudi Arabia, between 2011 and 2014 were reviewed. All newborns hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit with pneumothorax were included in the study. Participants were evaluated for baseline characteristics, predisposing factors of neonatal pneumothorax (NP, accompanying disorders, and mortality. Results: Pneumothorax was diagnosed in 86 patients, with an incidence of 3.9%. The most common predisposing factors of NP were bag mask ventilation, followed by hypoplastic lung disease, and mechanical ventilation. Twenty-five (29.1% newborns with pneumothorax died. The most common accompanying disorder was premature rupture of membrane. On multivariate analysis, pulmonary hemorrhage, a birth weight < 2 500 g, and low Apgar score (< 7 at one minute were independently associated with mortality. Conclusions: This study highlights the extent of NP problems among hospitalized neonates and the most common predisposing factors of NP.

Selection of Liner Materials and Design of Hazardous Water Facilities in Saudi Arabia

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Sahel N. Abduljauwad

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Rapid development in Saudi Arabia has produced a broad spectrum of wastes.  In the last two decades, several refineries and petrochemical industries have been established. These industries have produced sludges and other toxic wastes which need proper planning for their handling and disposal. This paper covers design and selection of liner materials for two hazardous waste disposal sites. One of them is located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, while the second one is located in the Western part. The paper will present complete design details of the natural compacted and geosynthetic soil liners and the leachate collection and removal system for primary liners and leak detection/leachate collection and removal system for secondary liners.

New Records of some Filth Flies Species (Diptera: Milichiidae) in Southwest Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawah, H.A; Abdullah, M.A

2007-01-01

A Malaise trap was used during different time periods between 2002 and 2006, in the Asir province of Saudi Arabia at different localities. Nine known species of Milichiidae (some of them of medical importance) have been identified. These are: Desmometopa m-nigrum (Zetterstedt, 1848); D. varipalpis Malloch 1927; D. singaporensis Kertesz 1899; Leptometopa rufifrons Becker 1903; L. latipes (Meigen 1830); L. nilssoni Sabrosky, 1987; Milichia pubescens Becker 1907; Milichiella lacteipennis (Loew 1866); Enigmilichia dimorphica Deeming, 1981, from South-Western Saudi Arabia, the last seven species of the above are recorded for the first time. Biological information and distribution of these species are included. The fauna of Milichiidae found in this study is much more of Afrotropical than Palaearctic origin. (author)

Dentists awareness and action towards domestic violence patients. A cross-sectional study among dentists in Western Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

AlAlyani, Wafa S; Alshouibi, Ehab N

2017-01-01

To identify the potential factors that would predict a dentist's awareness of domestic violence (DV), as well as the factors that influence the probability of dentists to take the required action. Also, to list the common barriers that dentists face when managing DV victims. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a self-administered, structured questionnaire was sent randomly to dentists practicing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The online survey link was emailed with a cover message that illustrated the study context. Responses were accepted from January 2016 until the end of February 2016. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analysis carried out to identify significant variables at p less than 0.05 level of significance.  Results: A sample size of 151 responses were recruited. The result of multivariate models indicated that the odds of dentists' awareness and taking actions towards DV victims were influenced by their education, clinical experience, gender, practicing sector, and qualification. Lack of training in identifying DV and embarrassment to bring up DV with patients were the most common barriers for the respondents when treating DV victims. Conclusion: Continuing education with regards to DV was found to be the most relevant predictor. More educational courses in this regard would empower dentists to support DV victims.

Dentists awareness and action towards domestic violence patients. A cross-sectional study among dentists in Western Saudi Arabia

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Wafa S. AlAlyani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify the potential factors that would predict a dentist’s awareness of domestic violence (DV, as well as the factors that influence the probability of dentists to take the required action. Also, to list the common barriers that dentists face when managing DV victims. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a self-administered, structured questionnaire was sent randomly to dentists practicing in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The online survey link was emailed with a cover message that illustrated the study context. Responses were accepted from January 2016 until the end of February 2016. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analysis carried out to identify significant variables at p<0.05 level of significance. Results: A sample size of 151 responses were recruited. The result of multivariate models indicated that the odds of dentists’ awareness and taking actions towards DV victims were influenced by their education, clinical experience, gender, practicing sector, and qualification. Lack of training in identifying DV and embarrassment to bring up DV with patients were the most common barriers for the respondents when treating DV victims. Conclusion: Continuing education with regards to DV was found to be the most relevant predictor. More educational courses in this regard would empower dentists to support DV victims.

Prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy in Southern Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajar, Saad; Al Hazmi, Ali; Wasli, Mustafa; Mousa, Ahmed; Rabiu, Mansour

2015-04-01

To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Jazan district, Southern Saudi Arabia. Using the standardized Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) and DR cross-sectional methodology, 3800 subjects were randomly selected from the population of ≥50 years of age in Jazan, Saudi Arabia between November 2011 and January 2012. Participants underwent screening comprised of interview, random blood glucose test, and ophthalmic assessment including visual acuity (VA) and fundus examination. Among participants with VA less than 6/18 in either eye, the cause(s) of visual impairment was determined. Participants were classified as diabetic if they had previous diagnoses of diabetes, or random blood glucose more than 200 mg/dl. Diabetic participants were assessed for DR using dilated fundus examination. All data were recorded using the RAAB + DR standardized forms. The prevalence of bilateral blindness less than 3/60 was 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.74 - 3.90). Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (58.6%); followed by posterior segment diseases (20%), which included DR (7; 3.3%). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) was 22.4%, (95% CI: 21.09 - 23.79]), among them; 27.8% had DR. The prevalence of sight-threatening DR was 5.7%. The prevalence of DM and the corresponding proportion of DR in this region is lower than that reported in other regions of Saudi Arabia. However, the prevalence of blindness not related to DR is relatively higher than the other studies.

Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture in Three Hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alquwez, Nahed; Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Almoghairi, Ahmed Mohammed; Al-Otaibi, Raid Salman; Almutairi, Khalid Obaid; Alicante, Jerico G; Colet, Paolo C

2018-05-14

To assess the present patient safety culture of three general hospitals in Saudi Arabia, as perceived by nurses. This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 351 nurses working in three general hospitals in the central region of Saudi Arabia was surveyed in this study using the Hospital Survey of Patients' Safety Culture (HSOPSC) from October 2016 to April 2017. From the 12 composites of the HSOPSC, the nurses perceived only the following two patient safety areas as strengths: teamwork within units and organizational learning-continuous improvement. Six areas of patient safety were identified as weaknesses, namely overall perception of patient safety, handoffs and transitions, communication openness, staffing, frequency of events reported, and nonpunitive response to errors. Nationality, educational attainment, hospital, length of service in the hospital, work area or unit, length of service in the current work area or unit, current position, and direct patient contact or interaction were significant predictors of the nurses' perceived patient safety culture. The findings in this study clarify the current status of patient safety culture in three hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The present findings should be considered by policymakers, hospital leaders, and nurse executives in creating interventions aimed at improving the patient safety culture in hospitals. A multidimensional network intervention targeting the different dimensions of patient safety culture and involving different organizational levels should be implemented to improve patient safety. © 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.

76 FR 7152 - ICT Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia; Application Deadline Extended

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration ICT Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia; Application Deadline Extended AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and...

Radon concentration measurements in the desert caves of Saudi Arabia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Mustafa, Hanan [Women College, P. O. Box 838, Dammam 31113 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Jarallah, M.I. [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)]. E-mail: mibrahim@kfupm.edu.sa; Fazal-ur-Rehman [Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Abu-Jarad, F. [Radiation Protection Unit, Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco P.O. Box 13027, Dhahran 31311 (Saudi Arabia)

2005-11-15

Beneath the harsh deserts of Saudi Arabia lie dark chambers and complex mazes filled with strange shapes and wondrous beauty. Radon concentration measurements have been carried out in the desert caves of Al-Somman Plateau in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Passive radon dosimeters, based on alpha particle etch track detectors with an inlet filter, were used in this study. A total of 59 dosimeters were placed in five caves for a period of six months. Out of 59 dosimeters, 37 could be collected for analysis. Measurements showed significant variations in radon concentrations in caves depending upon their natural ventilation. The results of the study show that the average radon concentration in the different caves ranges from 74 up to 451Bqm{sup -3}. The average radon concentration in four of the caves was low in the range 74-114Bqm{sup -3}. However, one cave showed an average radon concentration of 451Bqm{sup -3}. Radon is not a problem for tourists in the majority of caves. However, sometimes it may imply some limitation to the working time of guides.

Radon concentration measurements in the desert caves of Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mustafa, Hanan; Al-Jarallah, M.I.; Fazal-ur-Rehman; Abu-Jarad, F.

2005-01-01

Beneath the harsh deserts of Saudi Arabia lie dark chambers and complex mazes filled with strange shapes and wondrous beauty. Radon concentration measurements have been carried out in the desert caves of Al-Somman Plateau in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Passive radon dosimeters, based on alpha particle etch track detectors with an inlet filter, were used in this study. A total of 59 dosimeters were placed in five caves for a period of six months. Out of 59 dosimeters, 37 could be collected for analysis. Measurements showed significant variations in radon concentrations in caves depending upon their natural ventilation. The results of the study show that the average radon concentration in the different caves ranges from 74 up to 451Bqm -3 . The average radon concentration in four of the caves was low in the range 74-114Bqm -3 . However, one cave showed an average radon concentration of 451Bqm -3 . Radon is not a problem for tourists in the majority of caves. However, sometimes it may imply some limitation to the working time of guides

Curriculum Change in the Developing Country: The Case of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaker, Paul

Based on current thought in multicultural education, this paper discusses the need for Americans to help Saudi Arabia integrate western technology into education without subjecting the country to cultural imperialism. The paper is purported to rest on the "reconceptualist" theories of curriculum development. The author cites four…

Osteoarthritis of knees and obesity in Eastern Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, Abdullah I.; Al-Abdulwahab, Ahmed H.; Al-Mulhim, Abdulrahman S.

2006-01-01

Objective was to find out the prevalence and relation between osteoarthritis of knees and obesity in Al-Ahsa region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study included 243 male and female patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis of knees of knees in between June 2001 to March 2003. All patients were recruited from the Physical Therapy Department, King Fahd Hofuf Hospital, Hofuf, KSA. The clinical diagnosis was supported plain x-rays of knees, and of other joint if needed. The weight and height of all patients were taken using one standard weight and height scale, and body mass index was also calculated and recorded. More than 90.53% of the patients referred with osteoarthritis of knees were obese or overweight. The mean body weight of all patients was 84.61 kg and the mean weight was 1.59 meters. Osteoarthritis of the knees was more in obese female than male patients with a female to male ratio of 2.37:1. Obesity is a disease. The aim of all health professionals and others in the community should be directed to the prevention of this disease and its risk to develop multiple complications. (author)

The role of nuclear desalination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aljohani, M.S.; Abdul-Rahman A.F.; Almarshad, A.I.

2004-01-01

In this study, the role of nuclear desalination in Saudi Arabia is investigated. A water demand forecast between the years 2000 and 2025 was established for the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia as part of the collected input data for the DEEP computer code. The DEEP computer code was run for several options of energy sources such as PWR (600 MWe), SPWR (160 MWth), PHWR (450 MWe), HR (200 MWth) and GT (125 MWe or 175 MWe). These energy sources were investigated for different desalination plants such as RO, MSF, MED and the hybrid MED-RO. The levelised power cost, average daily water production, net saleable power and levelised water cost are presented for all cases. Two scenarios were investigated, the first assumes no interest and discount rates and the second assumes interest and discount rates equal to 8%. The first scenario assumes that the water utility will continue under the control of the government and the second assumes that the water utility will be privatised. (author)

Siting of nuclear desalination plants in Saudi Arabia: A seismic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aljohani, M.S.; Abdul-Fattah, A.F.; Almarshad, A.I.

2005-01-01

This paper presents the selection criteria generally and seismic criteria specifically to select a suitable site in Saudi Arabia for a nuclear desalination plant. These criteria include geological, meteorological, cooling water supply discharge, transport infrastructure, population, electric grid, water network capacity, environmental impact and airport movement. The seismicity of the Arabian peninsula for the locations of seismic activity along the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf coastlines from 1973 to 2000 was studied carefully. This study included towns and locations along the east and west coastlines and their distances from the seismic event site. The results showed that Rabigh City along the west coast of Saudi Arabia is a good site to build a nuclear desalination plant. This is because of the following reasons: good seismic stability; good weather statistics; no flooding; mild wave conditions; good supply and discharge; good transportation infrastructure; low population area; very close to the huge electric grid. (author)

The relationships between clinical variables and renal parenchymal disease in pediatric clinically suspected urinary tract infection

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Jung Lim Byun

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose : To evaluate the significance of clinical signs and laboratory findings as predictors of renal parenchymal lesions and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR in childhood urinary tract infection (UTI. Methods : From July 2005 to July 2008, 180 patients admitted with a first febrile UTI at the Pediatric Department of Konkuk University Hospital were included in this study. The following were the clinical variables: leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP, positive urine nitrite, positive urine culture, and fever duration both before and after treatment. We evaluated the relationships between clinical variables and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA scan and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG results. Results : VCUG was performed in 148 patients; of them, 37 (25.0% had VUR: 18 (12.2% had low-grade (I-II VUR, and 19 (10.5% had high-grade (III-V VUR. Of the 95 patients who underwent DMSA scanning, 29 (30.5% had cortical defects, of which 21 (63.6% had VUR: 10 (30.3%, low-grade (I-II VUR; and 11 (33.3%, high-grade VUR. Of the 57 patients who were normal on DMSA scan, 8 (14.0% had low-grade VUR and 6 (10.5% had high-grade VUR. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the DMSA scan in predicting high-grade VUR were 64.7%, 69.9%, 33.3%, and 89.5%, respectively. Leukocytosis, elevated CRP, and prolonged fever (?#243;6 hours after treatment were significantly correlated with the cortical defects on DMSA scans and high-grade VUR. Conclusion : Clinical signs, including prolonged fever after treatment, elevated CRP, and leukocytosis, are positive predictors of acute pyelonephritis and high-grade VUR.

Exploring Pedagogical Leadership in Early Years Education in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alameen, Lubna; Male, Trevor; Palaiologou, Ioanna

2015-01-01

The empirical research for this paper was undertaken with leaders of early years setting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The investigation sought to establish to what extent it was possible to behave in line with the concept of pedagogical leadership in the twenty-first century in an Arab Muslim monarchy, dominated by Islam, where directive…

Vitamin D status correction in Saudi Arabia: an experts' consensus under the auspices of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO).

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Al-Daghri, Nasser M; Al-Saleh, Yousef; Aljohani, Naji; Sulimani, Riad; Al-Othman, Abdulaziz M; Alfawaz, Hanan; Fouda, Mona; Al-Amri, Fahad; Shahrani, Awad; Alharbi, Mohammed; Alshahrani, Fahad; Tamimi, Waleed; Sabico, Shaun; Rizzoli, Rene; Reginster, Jean-Yves

2017-12-01

Vitamin D deficiency is common in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia, in particular. While several international recommendations on the management of vitamin D deficiency have been documented and practiced globally, these recommendations should be adapted to the conditions of the Middle Eastern region. To address this challenge, the Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis (PMCO) in King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, KSA, together with local experts and in cooperation with the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO), organized a panel that formulated unified recommendations in the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in the region. The selection of local and international experts commenced during the 2nd International Vitamin D Symposium conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last January 20--21, 2016. Reviews of the most recent literature were done, and face-to-face meetings were conducted for revisions and final recommendations. Vitamin D sufficiency is defined as circulating serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol (≥20 ng/ml) for the general population and vitamin D adequacy as serum 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L l (>30 ng/ml) for the frail and osteoporotic elderly. Despite overwhelming prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, universal screening is not recommended. Recommendations for the general population, children, pregnant/lactating women, post-menopausal women, the elderly, and those with subsequent metabolic diseases were provided. Vitamin D sufficiency is defined as circulating serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol (≥20 ng/ml) for the general population and vitamin D adequacy as serum 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L l (>30 ng/ml) for the frail and osteoporotic elderly. Despite overwhelming prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, universal screening is not recommended. Recommendations for the general population, children, pregnant/lactating women, post-menopausal women, the elderly, and those with subsequent metabolic diseases were

Birth prevalence of non-syndromic orofacial clefts in Saudi Arabia and the effects of parental consanguinity

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Sabbagh, Heba J.; Innes, Nicola P.; Sallout, Bahauddin I.; Alamoudi, Najlaa M.; Hamdan, Mustafa A.; Alhamlan, Nasir; Al-Khozami, Amaal I.; Abdulhameed, Fatma D.; Al-Aama, Jumana Y.; Mossey, Peter A.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To describe the characteristics and prevalence of non-syndromic orofacial clefting (NSOFC) and assess the effects of parental consanguinity on NSOFC phenotypes in the 3 main cities of Saudi Arabia. Methods: All infants (114,035) born at 3 referral centers in Riyadh, and 6 hospitals in Jeddah and Madinah between January 2010 and December 2011 were screened. The NSOFC cases (n=133) were identified and data was collected through clinical examination and records, and information on consanguinity through parent interviews. The diagnosis was confirmed by reviewing medical records and contacting the infants’ pediatricians. Control infants (n=233) matched for gender and born in the same hospitals during the same period, were selected. Results: The prevalence of NSOFC was 1.07/1000 births in Riyadh, and 1.17/1000 births overall; cleft lip (CL) was 0.47/1000 births, cleft lip and palate (CLP) was 0.42/1000 births, and cleft palate (CP) was 0.28/1000 births. Cleft palate was significantly associated with consanguinity (p=0.047, odds ratio: 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1 to 6.46), particularly for first cousin marriages. Conclusion: The birth prevalence of NSOFC in Riyadh alone, and in the 3 main cities of Saudi Arabia were marginally lower than the mean global prevalence. While birth prevalence for CLP was comparable to global figures, the CL:CLP ratio was high, and only CP was significantly associated with consanguinity. PMID:26318465

Birth prevalence of non-syndromic orofacial clefts in Saudi Arabia and the effects of parental consanguinity

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Heba J. Sabbagh

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To describe the characteristics and prevalence of non-syndromic orofacial clefting (NSOFC and assess the effects of parental consanguinity on NSOFC phenotypes in the 3 main cities of Saudi Arabia. Methods: All infants (114,035 born at 3 referral centers in Riyadh, and 6 hospitals in Jeddah and Madinah between January 2010 and December 2011 were screened. The NSOFC cases (n=133 were identified and data was collected through clinical examination and records, and information on consanguinity through parent interviews. The diagnosis was confirmed by reviewing medical records and contacting the infants’ pediatricians. Control infants (n=233 matched for gender and born in the same hospitals during the same period, were selected. Results: The prevalence of NSOFC was 1.07/1000 births in Riyadh, and 1.17/1000 births overall; cleft lip (CL was 0.47/1000 births, cleft lip and palate (CLP was 0.42/1000 births, and cleft palate (CP was 0.28/1000 births. Cleft palate was significantly associated with consanguinity (p=0.047, odds ratio: 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1 to 6.46, particularly for first cousin marriages. Conclusion: The birth prevalence of NSOFC in Riyadh alone, and in the 3 main cities of Saudi Arabia were marginally lower than the mean global prevalence. While birth prevalence for CLP was comparable to global figures, the CL:CLP ratio was high, and only CP was significantly associated with consanguinity.

A country on the verge of malaria elimination--the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Michael Coleman

Full Text Available Significant headway has been made in the global fight against malaria in the past decade and as more countries enter the elimination phase, attention is now focused on identifying effective strategies to shrink the malaria map. Saudi Arabia experienced an outbreak of malaria in 1998, but is now on the brink of malaria elimination, with just 82 autochthonous cases reported in 2012. A review of published and grey literature was performed to identify the control strategies that have contributed to this achievement. The number of autochthonous malaria cases in Saudi Arabia decreased by 99.8% between 1998 and 2012. The initial steep decline in malaria cases coincided with a rapid scaling up of vector control measures. Incidence continued to be reported at low levels (between 0.01 and 0.1 per 1,000 of the population until the adoption of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as first line treatment and the establishment of a regional partnership for a malaria-free Arabian Peninsula, both of which occurred in 2007. Since 2007, incidence has decreased by nearly an order of magnitude. Malaria incidence is now very low, but a high proportion of imported cases, continued potential for autochthonous transmission, and an increased proportion of cases attributable to Plasmodium vivax all present challenges to Saudi Arabia as they work toward elimination by 2015.

Sources and Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Fine Particles in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Nayebare, S. R.; Aburizaiza, O. S.; Siddique, A.; Hussain, M. M.; Zeb, J.; Khwaja, H. A.

2014-12-01

Air pollution research in Saudi Arabia and the whole of Middle East is at its inception, making air pollution in the region a significant problem. This study presents the first detailed data on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations of Black Carbon (BC), ions, and trace metals at Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, and assesses their sources. Results showed several characteristic aspects of air pollution at Rabigh. Daily levels of PM2.5 and BC showed significant temporal variability ranging from 12.2 - 75.9 µg/m3 and 0.39 - 1.31 µg/m3, respectively. More than 90% of the time, the daily PM2.5 exceeded the 24 h WHO guideline of 20 µg/m3. Sulfate, NO3-, and NH4+ dominated the identifiable components. Trace metals with significantly higher concentrations included Si, S, Ca, Al, Fe, Na, Cl, Mg, K, and Ti, with average concentrations of 3.1, 2.2, 1.6, 1.2, 1.1, 0.7, 0.7, 0.5, 0.4 and 0.1 µg/m3, respectively. Based on the Air Quality Index (AQI), there were 44% days of moderate air quality, 33% days of unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, and 23% days of unhealthy air quality throughout the study period. Two categories of aerosol trace metal sources were defined: anthropogenic (S, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Cd, Sb, and Pb) and naturally derived elements (Si, Al, and Fe). The extent of anthropogenic contribution was estimated by the degree of enrichment of these elements compared to the crustal composition. Soil resuspension and/or mobilization is an important source of "natural" elements, while "anthropogenic" elements originate primarily from fossil fuel combustion and industries. Ni and V correlated strongly pointing to combustion of heavy fuel oil as the likely source. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) was used to obtain information about possible sources. Our study highlights the need for stringent laws on PM2.5 emission control to protect human health and the environment.

Inflammatory bowel disease in the Western Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khawaja, Azhar Q; Sawan Ali S

2009-01-01

To observe the pattern of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) among the people of Western region of Saudi Arabia, and to correlate the findings with published data. This is a retrospective study. All colonic biopsies were reviewed which were received, and processed at the Histopathology Department of King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January 2002 to July 2007. Ethical approval was obtained from the Bioethical and Research Committee. There were 711 colonic biopsies received during this period. One hundred and twenty-two patients were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC). There were 65 males and 57 females. The age ranged between 4-73 years. Most of the UC patients presented in adolescence, and in the adult age. Crohn's disease (CD) was diagnosed in 15 patients, 7 males and 8 females. The age ranged from 1-40 years. Most of the cases were seen in the adult age group. We conclude that IBD is certainly one of the major serious colonic lesions in our society, which should be thoroughly investigated by the combined efforts of clinicians and pathologists. We also conclude that gastrointestinal tuberculosis and infective colitis should always be investigated before suggesting the specific diagnosis of IBD. We recommend a broad based epidemiological study, simultaneously involving clinicians, and pathologists, to document the characteristics of this disease in our society. (author)

Puberty Onset among Boys in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Ibrahim Al Alwan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background The ages of onset of pubertal characteristics are influenced by genetic, geographic, dietary and socioeconomic factors; however, due to lack of country-specific norms, clinicians in Saudi Arabia use Western estimates as standards of reference for local children. Aims The aim of the Riyadh Puberty Study was to provide data on pubertal development to determine the average age of onset of pubertal characteristics among Saudi boys. Methods Cross-sectional study among male school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2006, 542 schoolboys, aged 6 to 16 years old, from diverse socioeconomic levels were selected into the sample using a cluster sample design. Tanner stages were ascertained during physical examination by pediatric endocrine consultants, and also trained pediatric residents and fellows. Results The mean age (standard deviation at Tanner Stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 for pubic hair development of Saudi boys was 11.4 (1.6, 13.3 (1.3, 14.4 (1.0 and 15.1 (0.8 years old, respectively. For gonadal development, the mean age (standard deviation at stages 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 11.4 (1.5, 13.3 (1.2, 14.3 (1.1 and 15.0 (0.9 years old, respectively. Conclusion The ages of onset of pubertal characteristics, based on gonadal development, among Saudi boys are comparable to those reported in Western populations.

The occurrence of emerging trace organic chemicals in wastewater effluents in Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Alidina, Mazahirali

2014-04-01

Emerging trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) released into the environment via discharge of wastewater effluents have been detected in rivers and lakes worldwide, raising concerns due to their potential persistence, toxicity and bioaccumulation. This study provides the first reconnaissance of TOrC occurrence in wastewater effluents within Saudi Arabia. Four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs 1-4) located in Western Saudi Arabia were sampled hourly over twelve-hour periods, for a total of six sampling events. All samples were analyzed for a wide range of TOrC encompassing pharmaceuticals, personal care products and household chemicals. Treatment and capacities of the plants varied from non-nitrifying to full biological nutrient removal providing a representative cross section of different types of plants operational within the country. A comparison of TOrC occurrence in effluents in Saudi Arabia with respective effluent qualities in the United States revealed similar levels for most TOrC. Overall, the occurrence of TOrC was higher at two of the plants. The higher TOrC concentrations at WWTP 1 are likely due to the non-nitrifying biological treatment process. The unique TOrC occurrence observed in the WWTP 3 effluent was unlike any other plant and was attributed to the influence of a large number of international visitors in its sewershed. The occurrence of TOrC in this plant was not expected to be representative of the occurrence elsewhere in the country. Bimodal diurnal variation expected for a range of TOrC was not observed, though some hourly variation in TOrC loading was noted for WWTP 3. Since water reclamation and reuse have received increasing interest in Saudi Arabia within the last few years, results from this study provide a good foundation in deciding whether advanced treatment is necessary to attenuate TOrC deemed to be of concern in effluents, or if natural treatment such as managed aquifer recharge provides sufficient protection to public health. © 2014

Correlation between measured energy expenditure and clinically obtained variables in trauma and sepsis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Frankenfield, D C; Omert, L A; Badellino, M M; Wiles, C E; Bagley, S M; Goodarzi, S; Siegel, J H

1994-01-01

Indirect calorimetry is the preferred method for determining caloric requirements of patients, but availability of the device is limited by high cost. A study was therefore conducted to determine whether clinically obtainable variables could be used to predict metabolic rate. Patients with severe trauma or sepsis who required mechanical ventilation were measured by an open-circuit indirect calorimeter. Several clinical variables were obtained simultaneously. Measurements were repeated every 12 hours for up to 10 days. Twenty-six trauma and 30 sepsis patients were measured 423 times. Mean resting energy expenditure was 36 +/- 7 kcal/kg (trauma) vs 45 +/- 8 kcal/kg (sepsis) (p types.

Is the epidemiology of alkhurma hemorrhagic fever changing?: A three-year overview in Saudi Arabia.

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Ziad A Memish

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever disease is yet to be fully understood since the virus was isolated in 1994 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. SETTING: Preventive Medicine department, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of all laboratory confirmed cases of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever disease collected through active and passive surveillance from 1(st-January 2009 to December, 31, 2011. RESULTS: Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever (AHFV disease increased from 59 cases in 2009 to 93 cases in 2011. Cases are being discovered outside of the region where it was initially diagnosed in Saudi Arabia. About a third of cases had no direct contact with animals or its products. Almost all cases had gastro-intestinal symptoms. Case fatality rate was less than 1%. CONCLUSIONS: Findings in this study showed the mode of transmission of AHFV virus may not be limited to direct contact with animals or its products. Gastro-intestinal symptoms were not previously documented. Observed low case fatality rate contradicted earlier reports. Close monitoring of the epidemiology of AHFV is recommended to aid appropriate diagnosis. Housewives are advised to wear gloves when handling animals and animal products as a preventive measure.

Sustainability Assessment of Higher Education Institutions in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Habib M. Alshuwaikhat; Yusuf A. Adenle; Bilal Saghir

2016-01-01

Universities are paramount change drivers in bringing about a culture of sustainability in society by setting themselves up as models and nurseries for sustainable development. Thus, assessment of sustainability integration within universities is key to their impact on sustainable development. This study conducted an assessment of different public sector universities of Saudi Arabia based on five components: (i) Teaching and Curriculum; (ii) Research and Scholarship; (iii) Campus Operations; ...

Triangular model integrating clinical teaching and assessment

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Abdelaziz A

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Adel Abdelaziz,1,2 Emad Koshak3 1Medical Education Development Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia; 2Medical Education Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt; 3Dean and Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia Abstract: Structuring clinical teaching is a challenge facing medical education curriculum designers. A variety of instructional methods on different domains of learning are indicated to accommodate different learning styles. Conventional methods of clinical teaching, like training in ambulatory care settings, are prone to the factor of coincidence in having varieties of patient presentations. Accordingly, alternative methods of instruction are indicated to compensate for the deficiencies of these conventional methods. This paper presents an initiative that can be used to design a checklist as a blueprint to guide appropriate selection and implementation of teaching/learning and assessment methods in each of the educational courses and modules based on educational objectives. Three categories of instructional methods were identified, and within each a variety of methods were included. These categories are classroom-type settings, health services-based settings, and community service-based settings. Such categories have framed our triangular model of clinical teaching and assessment. Keywords: curriculum development, teaching, learning, assessment, apprenticeship, community-based settings, health service-based settings

Screening program for prostate cancer at a university hospital in eastern Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taha, Saud A.; Kamal, Baher A.

2005-01-01

Implementation of a pilot screening program for prostate cancer among Saudi patients that would serve as a nucleus for a Kingdom-wide screening program. A prospective study on 1,213 Saudi males between 50-80 years of age who attended the Outpatient Department at King Fahd Hospital of King Faisal University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a period of 18 months (April 2001-October 2002). They were included at random from different clinics including the urology clinic. Free and total prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) of the prostate were performed in all patients. Patients with abnormal DRE or PSA were scheduled for transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate. Abnormal DRE or PSA were present in 84 out of 1,213 patients. Only 63 patients agreed to have TRUS and ultrasound guided biopsies. Prostate cancer was confirmed in 14 out of 1,192 patients who completed the study (1.17%). The incidence of prostate cancer among Saudi men in this hospital based study is low. A population based screening for prostate cancer may reveal the incidence of this disease. (author)

Undergraduate Nurse Variables that Predict Academic Achievement and Clinical Competence in Nursing

Science.gov (United States)

Blackman, Ian; Hall, Margaret; Darmawan, I Gusti Ngurah.

2007-01-01

A hypothetical model was formulated to explore factors that influenced academic and clinical achievement for undergraduate nursing students. Sixteen latent variables were considered including the students' background, gender, type of first language, age, their previous successes with their undergraduate nursing studies and status given for…

Personal networks in Saudi Arabia : The role of ascribed and achieved characteristics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Tubergen, Frank|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/271429534; Ali Al-Modaf, Obaid; Almosaed, Nora F.; Said Al-Ghamdi, Mohammed Ben

2016-01-01

This study examines how ascribed characteristics (gender and nationality) and achieved characteristics (SES) are related to the extensity and occupational resources of personal networks in Saudi Arabia. Using large-scale survey data from Jeddah, results show that networks of women are smaller and

Entrepreneurship ecosystem evolution strategy of Saudi Arabia

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Muhammad Rahatullah Khan

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In majority of times when a potential start-up strikes a brilliant business idea, he/she has little knowledge of ‘how to move from there’. They lack information on the stakeholders of entrepreneurship ecosystem who can help and assist these startups in numerous ways and help them materialize their concepts. Availability of this information will help the ecosystem stakeholders to avoid replication and duplication of efforts. Similarly, knowledge of status quo helps identify opportunities and supports plan development to endeavor through right strategy for the start-up. Critical review of existing initiatives of Saudi Arabia for entrepreneurship growth and identification of the existing stakeholders of the entrepreneurship in the country is conducted. Similarly their work and potential for practicable interventions to further entrepreneurship reflecting country’s economic development process is examined. This paper benefits from a cross sectional basic study of Saudi Arabia that utilized primary and secondary sources to discover the initiatives, understand entrepreneurship growth and then map the national entrepreneurship ecosystem. A number of interviews from CEO’s, General Managers and other senior executives were carried out to know the role of the different organizations in entrepreneurship growth. It was coupled with a detailed secondary research from existing resources. It has been identified that the ecosystem is swiftly expanding but yet under development and infancy stage where the institutions are prospering. The research is based on country analysis. The paper also shows that the Saudi Arabian government has taken proactive stance in developing the entrepreneurship ecosystem and startup landscape and highlights the transformation of the ecosystem strategy.

Epidemiology of road traffic injuries in qassim region, saudi arabia: consistency of police and health data.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrimah, Issam; Midhet, Farid; Sharaf, Fawzi

2012-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, road traffic accidents (RTA) are becoming a serious public health problem. Police reports are designed for legal purposes with very little information on the health consequences. Also, health system data include detailed health information, but not related or linked to the data obtained police reports. Examining the consistency of these sources is vital to build an accurate surveillance system that can track the risk factors and the health consequences, as well as establishing and evaluating prevention interventions. This study is intended to: ▪ Examine the consistency of health -registration data with the data gathered by the traffic police department.▪ Elucidate the magnitude, risk factors and outcome of RTI in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia,▪ Compare the pattern of accidents in Qassim with those at different regions of the Kingdom. Health care information was collected on visits of victims of road traffic accidents to emergency and outpatients' departments of the major hospitals in Qassim region during the year 2010. The information included the patients' demographics, and clinical characteristics. Traffic Police Department information was also collected on all accidents that occurred in the study region. A Questionnaire was also developed and pilot tested to collect data from a random sample of population attending hospital outpatient and Primary Health Care clinics. Data included previous involvement in road traffic accident, and information about any injury; fatality or disability due to these RTI. During the study period, road traffic death rate based on death registration data was almost twice as high as the rate reported by the police (P police-reported data during the study period, as opposed to a non-significant increase of 8% according to health registration data during the same period. Population Survey Information showed the overall age-sex-adjusted rate for non-fatal RTI was 20.7 (95% CI, 20.0 - 21.3)/100 persons/year. The rate

Caring for patients of Islamic denomination: Critical care nurses' experiences in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Halligan, Phil

2006-12-01

To describe the critical care nurses' experiences in caring for patients of Muslim denomination in Saudi Arabia. Caring is known to be the essence of nursing but many health-care settings have become more culturally diverse. Caring has been examined mainly in the context of Western cultures. Muslims form one of the largest ethnic minority communities in Britain but to date, empirical studies relating to caring from an Islamic perspective is not well documented. Research conducted within the home of Islam would provide essential truths about the reality of caring for Muslim patients. Phenomenological descriptive. Methods. Six critical care nurses were interviewed from a hospital in Saudi Arabia. The narratives were analysed using Colaizzi's framework. The meaning of the nurses' experiences emerged as three themes: family and kinship ties, cultural and religious influences and nurse-patient relationship. The results indicated the importance of the role of the family and religion in providing care. In the process of caring, the participants felt stressed and frustrated and they all experienced emotional labour. Communicating with the patients and the families was a constant battle and this acted as a further stressor in meeting the needs of their patients. The concept of the family and the importance and meaning of religion and culture were central in the provision of caring. The beliefs and practices of patients who follow Islam, as perceived by expatriate nurses, may have an effect on the patient's health care in ways that are not apparent to many health-care professionals and policy makers internationally. Readers should be prompted to reflect on their clinical practice and to understand the impact of religious and cultural differences in their encounters with patients of Islam denomination. Policy and all actions, decisions and judgments should be culturally derived.

Special Education Teacher Transition-Related Competencies and Preparation in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alnahdi, Ghaleb

2014-01-01

Preparing special education teachers to engage in transition services is a critical part of their preparation. This study examined how special education teachers perceive their preparation for transition services in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 350 teachers participated in this study. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. The findings…

Saudi Arabia exporting Salafi education and radicalizing Indonesia's Muslims

OpenAIRE

Kovacs, Amanda

2014-01-01

Salafis, who defend a very conservative, literal interpretation of Islam and treat Shia Muslims with hostility, are not just a phenomenon in the Middle East. They are increasingly pressuring Shias and other religious minorities in Indonesia, too. Saudi Arabia is the world’s main provider of Islamic education. In addition to promoting Salafism and maligning other religious communities, Saudi educational materials present the kingdom in a favorable light and can also exacerba...

Stratigraphy and macrofauna of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation, central Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sorogy, Abdelbaset S.; Gameil, Mohamed; Youssef, Mohamed; Al-Kahtany, Khaled M.

2017-10-01

The stratigraphy and macrofaunal content of the Lower Jurassic (Toarcian) Marrat Formation was studied at Khashm adh Dhibi, central Saudi Arabia. The studied succession is dominated by limestones and dolomites, with subordinate occurrences of sandstones, siltstones and claystones. The formation is highly fossiliferous with brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves, ammonites and echinoids, particularly the lower and upper members. Twenty nine species are identified, they include 7 species of brachiopods, 8 gastropods, 8 bivalves, 4 ammonites and 2 echinoids. Many of the identified fauna are correlated with Jurassic equivalents in Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Egypt and India. Three gastropod species: Globularia subumbilicata, Ampullospira sp., Purpuroidea peristriata and seven bivalve species: Palaeonucula lateralis, Chlamys (Radulopecten) fibrosa, Eligmus weiri, E.integer, E. asiaticus, Musculus somaliensis and Pholadomya orientalis were recognized for the first time in the Lower Jurassic deposits of Saudi Arabia.

Hysterectomy for benign conditions in a university hospital in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sait, K.; Al-Khattabi, M.; Boker, A.; Al-Hashemi, J.

2008-01-01

Hysterectomy is a common surgical procedure among women with a lifetime prevalence of 10%. The indications and complications of this procedure have not been previously reported from a teaching institution in Saudi Arabia. We examined the indications for hysterectomy and the surgical morbidity for women undergoing hysterectomy at a university hospital in Saudi Arabia. We reviewed the records of women who underwent hysterectomies for benign gynecological conditions between January 1990 and December 2002, at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, comparing patient characteristics, indications for hysterectomy and the rate of complications in women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy (AH) versus vaginal hysterectomy (VH). Of 251 women 199 (79%) underwent AH and 52 (21%) underwent VH. An estimated blood loss of >=500 mL occurred in 104 patients (52.3%) in the AH group and in 20 patients (38.5%) in the VH group (difference not statistically significant). The most common indications for hysterectomy were uterine fibroids (n=107, 41.6%) and dysfunctional uterine bleeding (n=68, 27.1%). The most common indication for VH was uterine prolapsed (n=45, 86.5%). The overall complication rates were 33.5%, 15.4% and 30.4% in women who underwent the AH group and in 51 patients in the VH group (20.3%). Postoperative infection occurred in 42/199 (21.6%) in the AH group and 5/52 (9.6%) in the VH group (difference not statistically significant). We describe a large series of hysterectomies, which provides information for surgeons on the expected of complications following hysterectomy for benign conditions. We describe a large series of hysterectomies, which provides information for surgeons on the expected rate of complications following hysterectomy for benign conditions. We found that the rate of complications was not significantly higher than other centers internationally. (author)

Violence against Primary Health Care Workers in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

El-Gilany, Abdel-Hady; El-Wehady, Adel; Amr, Mostafa

2010-01-01

This self-report questionnaire study was carried out in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia to highlight the magnitude, predictors, and circumstances of workplace violence against primary health care (PHC) workers. A total of 1,091 workers completed a self-administered questionnaire. About 28% were exposed to at least one violent event during the past year.…

Salient Key Features of Actual English Instructional Practices in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Seghayer, Khalid

2015-01-01

This is a comprehensive review of the salient key features of the actual English instructional practices in Saudi Arabia. The goal of this work is to gain insights into the practices and pedagogic approaches to English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching currently employed in this country. In particular, we identify the following central features…

POST “ARAB SPRING” SAUDI ARABIA: INTERNAL POLITICAL PROCESS AND POSSIBLE REFORMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. A. Gasymov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article attempts to systematize analytical information on the “Arab Spring” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The author specifies causes of the public outcry, goals of the opposition groups along with the consequences of the “Arab Spring” for domestic politics.

Clinical Audit of the Radiotherapy Process in Rectal Cancer: Clinical Practice Guidelines and Quality Certification Do Not Avert Variability in Clinical Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Torras, M G; Canals, E; Jurado-Bruggeman, D; Marín-Borras, S; Macià, M; Jové, J; Boladeras, A M; Muñoz-Montplet, C; Molero, J; Picón, C; Puigdemont, M; Aliste, L; Torrents, A; Guedea, F; Borras, J M

2018-06-01

The therapeutic approach to cancer is complex and multidisciplinary. Radiotherapy is among the essential treatments, whether used alone or in conjunction with other therapies. This study reports a clinical audit of the radiotherapy process to assess the process of care, evaluate adherence to agreed protocols and measure the variability to improve therapeutic quality for rectal cancer. Multicentre retrospective cohort study in a representative sample of patients diagnosed with rectal cancer in the Institut Català d'Oncologia, a comprehensive cancer centre with three different settings. We developed a set of indicators to assess the key areas of the radiotherapy process. The clinical audit consisted of a review of a random sample of 40 clinical histories for each centre. The demographic profile, histology and staging of patients were similar between centres. The MRI reports did not include the distance from tumour to mesorectal fascia (rCRM) in 38.3% of the cases. 96.7% of patients received the planned dose, and 57.4% received it at the planned time. Surgery followed neoadjuvant treatment in 96.7% of the patients. Among this group, postoperative CRM was recorded in 65.5% of the cases and was negative in 93.4% of these. With regard to the 34.5% (n = 40) of cases where no CRM value was stated, there were differences between the centres. Mean follow-up was 3.4 (SD 0.6) years, and overall survival at four years was 81.7%. The audit revealed a suboptimal degree of adherence to clinical practice guidelines. Significant variability between centres exists from a clinical perspective but especially with regard to organization and process. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of GIS-based Wind Potential Map of Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Nayyar, Z. A.; Zaigham, N. A.; Aburizaiza, O. S.; Mahar, G. A.; Eusufi, S. N.

2011-12-01

Global energy scenario is changing drastically toward decline, as new major discoveries of fossil fuel are not coming up significantly on regional basis. In case of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest fossil fuel producers, the major oil fields have started exhausting significantly as revealed from the literature research study. Considering the future energy crisis, different other renewable options presently have became imperative to be consider anticipating for the national development. Wind energy in one of them. The development of wind energy technology requires the baseline data relevant to the wind trends and their potentials. Under the present study, an attempt has been made to develop wind power density map of the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia based on the meteorological data collected at different sparsely located weather stations. GIS application has provided a good option to interpolate the gap areas between the sparsely located weather recording stations. This paper describe the methodology and results of the present study.

Analysis of Saudi Arabia's behavior within OPEC and the world oil market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkhathlan, Khalid; Gately, Dermot; Javid, Muhammad

2014-01-01

We analyze oil export behavior by Saudi Arabia and the Rest of OPEC since 1973. In the literature there has been a wide range of estimates of their correlation: from positive, to zero, to negative. We find that the correlation has varied over time, from moderately high (0.7) in normal periods, to negative during each of five interruptions; the average correlation has been 0.19. Saudi Arabia's oil market behavior depends upon circumstances, but its primary goal is the stability of OPEC and the world oil market. It will coordinate export reductions with the Rest of OPEC when faced with declining demand, but it will increase exports when faced with interruptions elsewhere in OPEC. Allowing for such differences provides evidence of intelligent, context-dependent consistency. But ignoring context – by wrongly assuming the same Saudi response in Normal periods and Interruptions – can lead to a conclusion of Saudi “inconsistency” because the difference in the responses has been obscured

Status of medical liability claims in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samarkandi, A.

2006-01-01

With the evolution of health services in Saudi Arabia, there has been increase in the number of medical practice litigations. The author analyzed the medical malpractice litigation that was referred to the National Medico-Legal Committee (MLC) in order to evaluate the magnitude and underlying factors of the problem in Saudi Arabia. A retrospective analysis of the official records of Medico-Legal malpractice over the period 1420H-1424H (199-2003) was performed. The incidence among different medical specialties, location, and final resolution of each claim were identified. Data analysis revealed an increasing trend in the total number of claims over the study period, with a sharp increase in the transition between 1422H and 1423H (2001-200). The distribution of claims over different medical specialties showed that obstetrical practice took the lead with 27%, followed by general surgery and subspecialties, represented by 17% each, internal medicine 13%, while pediatrics contributed 10% of claims: the fewest claims were in dentistry with 2.5%. The majority of claims were referred to the Ministry of Health and private sectors medical facilities. Most claims were from the Riyadh region over the period between 1420H to 1422H (1999-2001), while thereafter, during 1423 and 1424H (2002 and 2003), the Holy Capital had the highest number of claims referred to the MLC. Adherence to standards of medical practice is by far the best approach to avoid or reduce the incidence of litigation. (author)

Time series from hyperion to track productivity in pivot agriculture in saudi arabia

KAUST Repository

Houborg, Rasmus

2017-12-13

The hyperspectral satellite sensing capacity is expected to increase substantially in the near future with the planned deployment of hyperspectral systems by both space agencies and commercial companies. These enhanced observational resources will offer new and improved ways to monitor the dynamics and characteristics of terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigates the utility of time series of hyperspectral imagery, acquired by Hyperion onboard EO-1, for quantifying variations in canopy chlorophyll (Chl_c), plant productivity, and yield over an intensive farming area in the desert of Saudi Arabia. Chl_c is estimated on the basis of predictive multi-variate empirical models established via a machine learning approach using a training dataset of in-situ measured target variables and explanatory hyperspectral indices. Resulting time series of Chl_c are translated into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Yield based on semi-empirical relationships, and evaluated against ground-based observations. Results indicate significant benefit in utilizing the full suite of hyperspectral indices over multi-spectral indices constructible from Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2.

Time series from hyperion to track productivity in pivot agriculture in saudi arabia

KAUST Repository

Houborg, Rasmus; McCabe, Matthew; Angel, Yoseline; Middleton, Elizabeth M.

2017-01-01

The hyperspectral satellite sensing capacity is expected to increase substantially in the near future with the planned deployment of hyperspectral systems by both space agencies and commercial companies. These enhanced observational resources will offer new and improved ways to monitor the dynamics and characteristics of terrestrial ecosystems. This study investigates the utility of time series of hyperspectral imagery, acquired by Hyperion onboard EO-1, for quantifying variations in canopy chlorophyll (Chl_c), plant productivity, and yield over an intensive farming area in the desert of Saudi Arabia. Chl_c is estimated on the basis of predictive multi-variate empirical models established via a machine learning approach using a training dataset of in-situ measured target variables and explanatory hyperspectral indices. Resulting time series of Chl_c are translated into Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Yield based on semi-empirical relationships, and evaluated against ground-based observations. Results indicate significant benefit in utilizing the full suite of hyperspectral indices over multi-spectral indices constructible from Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2.

Pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia: A vision of the future.

Science.gov (United States)

Aljadhey, Hisham; Asiri, Yousef; Albogami, Yaser; Spratto, George; Alshehri, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Background: Pharmacy education in developing countries faces many challenges. An assessment of the challenges and opportunities for the future of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia has not been conducted. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to ascertain the views and opinions of pharmacy education stakeholders regarding the current issues challenging pharmacy education, and to discuss the future of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A total of 48 participants attended a one-day meeting in October 2011, designed especially for the purpose of this study. The participants were divided into six round-table discussion sessions with eight persons in each group. Six major themes were explored in these sessions, including the need to improve pharmacy education, program educational outcomes, adoption of an integrated curriculum, the use of advanced teaching methodologies, the need to review assessment methods, and challenges and opportunities to improve pharmacy experiential training. The round-table discussion sessions were videotaped and transcribed verbatim and analyzed by two independent researchers. Results: Participants agreed that pharmacy education in the country needs improvement. Participants agreed on the need for clear, measureable, and national educational outcomes for pharmacy programs in the Kingdom. Participants raised the importance of collaboration between faculty members and departments to design and implement an integrated curriculum. They also emphasized the use of new teaching methodologies focusing on student self-learning and active learning. Assessments were discussed with a focus on the use of new tools, confidentiality of examinations, and providing feedback to students. Several points were raised regarding the opportunities to improve pharmacy experiential training, including the need for more experiential sites and qualified preceptors, addressing variations in training quality between experiential sites, the need for

Challenges to and the future of medication safety in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

Science.gov (United States)

Aljadhey, Hisham; Mahmoud, Mansour Adam; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Alrasheedy, Alian; Alahmad, Amjad; Saleem, Fahad; Sheikh, Aziz; Murray, Michael; Bates, David W.

2013-01-01

Background Medication safety is a global concern among healthcare providers. However, the challenges to and the future of medication safety in Saudi Arabia have not been explored. Objectives We explored the perspectives of healthcare practitioners on current issues about medication safety in hospitals and community settings in Saudi Arabia in order to identify challenges to improving it and explore the future of medication safety practice. Methods A total of 65 physicians, pharmacists, academics and nurses attended a one-day meeting in March 2010, designed especially for the purpose of this study. The participants were divided into nine round-table discussion sessions. Three major themes were explored in these sessions, including: major factors contributing to medication safety problems, challenges to improving medication safety practice, and participants’ suggestions for improving medication safety. The round-table discussion sessions were videotaped and transcribed verbatim and analyzed by two independent researchers. Results The round-table discussions revealed that major factors contributing to medication safety problems included unrestricted public access to medications from various hospitals and community pharmacies, communication gaps between healthcare institutions, limited use of important technologies such as computerized provider order entry, and the lack of medication safety programs in hospitals. Challenges to current medication safety practice identified by participants included underreporting of medication errors and adverse drug reactions, multilingualism and differing backgrounds of healthcare professionals, lack of communication between healthcare providers and patients, and high workloads. Suggestions for improving medication safety practices in Saudi Arabia included continuous education for healthcare professionals and competency assessment focusing on medication safety, development of a culture that encourages medication error and adverse

Pediatric retinal detachment in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: experience of a tertiary care hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheema, Rizwan A; Al-Khars, Wajeeha; Al-Askar, Essam; Amin, Yasir M

2009-01-01

Because no previous studies have addressed the issue, we describe clinical characteristics and surgical outcome of patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in a pediatric population of the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. We conducted a retrospective review of all consecutive cases of pediatric RRD (0-18 years) patients presenting at Dhahran Eye Specialist Hospital, a tertiary care hospital, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia over a period of 3 years. Twenty patients were included in the study, accounting for 9.4% of all retinal detachment surgery cases performed over a period of 3 years (January 2006 to December 2008). The median age was 11.0 years, (range, birth to 18 years). Trauma, (45%) myopia/vitreoretinal degeneration (10%) and prior ocular surgery (25%) were significant risk factors for RRD. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) more than grade C was present in 14/20 (70%) of cases. Most patients (15/20, 75%) were treated with pars plana vitrectomy and placement of an encircling buckle, while silicone oil or gas was used as tamponade in 13/20 (65%) patients. Surgery was successful in 17/20 (85%) cases in achieving retinal re-attachment. Visual acuity improved significantly following surgery (Mean preop 2.146 LogMAR, Mean postop 1.497 LogMAR) ( P= .014). Longer duration of RRD ( P =.007) and macular involvement ( P =.05) were associated with worse anatomical outcomes following surgery. Pediatric RRD in the Eastern province is often associated with predisposing pathology. Surgery is successful in achieving anatomical reattachment of the retina in a majority of cases with improvement of visual acuity.

Pharmacy Malpractice: The rate and prevalence of dispensing high-risk prescription-only medications at community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshammari, Thamir M; Alhindi, Salman A; Alrashdi, Ahmed M; Benmerzouga, Imaan; Aljofan, Mohamad

2017-07-01

To assess the compliance of community pharmacies with the regulations that prohibit the dispensing of prescription-only medications in the absence of a physician prescription in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the period between October 2014 and January 2015. A list of 10 prescription-only medications were selected to be studied. 150 community pharmacies were visited across 6 major regions in Saudi Arabia to assess the prevalence of non-compliance among community pharmacies. Pharmacies were selected in random and researchers (disguised as patients) requested to purchase prescription-only medications in the absence of a prescription. Not all medications were purchased at once. Data were recorded per pharmacy, where pharmacies that approved dispense of the selected drug were scored as non-compliant and the pharmacies that rejected dispense of the selected drug were scored as compliant. Compliance rate was calculated per region per drug. Pharmacies based in governmental hospitals were visited in parallel. A total of 20 were visited. Data and statistical analysis were performed using Statistical Analyses Software (SAS 9.3). A total of 150 pharmacies were visited over a period of 3 months. On average, the percent approved dispense of prescription-only drugs across 6 regions in Saudi Arabia is 63% and the percent rejected dispense is 37% representing a significant non-compliance rate regarding the selected list of medications in this study. The frequency of dispense per medication across 6 major regions in Saudi Arabia is as follows: Isosorbide dinitrate (86%), Enoxaparin (82%), nitroglycerin (74%), Propranolol (73%), Verapamil (70%), Warfarin (65%), Methyldopa (64%), Ciprofloxacin (57%) and Codeine (4%). Non-compliance of community pharmacies with the law of pharmaceutical practice is at an alarming rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and authoritative figures must intervene to impede and combat such activities .

Saudi Arabia's oil policy after 1. oil crisis explained with the help of a cartel model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linderoth, H.

1992-01-01

Saudi Arabian oil policy is analyzed by using a cartel model where Saudi Arabia's oil production is a function of oil price and oil production in other OPEC countries. Elasticities for oil production and oil price are estimated covering oil crises and 3 intercrises periods. During all intercrises periods, production elasticity is not significantly different from 1 which, to a considerable extent, shows that the oil production in Saudi Arabia followed that of the other OPEC countries. During oil crisis periods, production elasticities were either significantly negative or not significantly different from zero. In most cases, the price elasticity was not significantly different from zero. (au)

Cracking the walls of leadership : women in Saudi Arabia.

OpenAIRE

Hodges, J.

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the obstacles to women's advancement in Saudi Arabia. The paper addresses the question ‘what are women’s experiences of becoming leaders and what influences their leadership practice ?’ It does this by drawing on gender and Middle Eastern literature, as well as empirical evidence of the perceptions, experience and challenges of women in Saudi. Design/methodology/approach The study contributes a consideration of the academic literature,...

Lessons learned from solar energy projects in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huraib, F.S.; Hasnain, S.M.; Alawaji, S.H.

1996-01-01

This paper describes the lessons learned from the major RD and D activities at Energy Research Institute (ERI), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in the field of solar energy. Photovoltaic, solar thermal dishes, solar water heating, solar water pumping and desalination, solar hydrogen production and utilization are some of the areas studied for solar energy applications. Recommendations and guidelines for future solar energy research, development, demonstration and dissemination in Saudi Arabia are also given. (Author)

Neurogenic bladder evaluation and management after spinal cord injury: Current practice among urologists working in Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waleed Al Taweel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the current trends in the management and surveillance of the NB population secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI or myelomeningocele by certified urologist working in Saudi Arabia and to compare it to the current guidelines. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 12-points questionnaire distributed to urologists working in Saudi Arabia and registered at the Saudi medical association. The assessment and follow-up of upper and lower urinary tract function in neurogenic bladder patients, their optimal frequency and management of related infections were the topics of inquiry. Results: Of the 272 urologists surveyed, 105 responded, yielding a response rate of 38%. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said that ultrasound was their diagnostic tool of choice for upper tract evaluation. Sixty-one percent of respondents said that they would follow their patients with a multichannel urodynamic study. Forty percent of urologists stated that they would treat asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC was the most common modality chosen for the management of neurogenic bladder in patients with emptying difficulties. Conclusion: This study confirms that most urologists in Saudi Arabia involved with neurogenic bladder management. However, more than one third of the urologists do not have urodynamic machine and only two of the reporting practitioners has a videourodynamic machine. The results emphasize the need for clear guidelines in this field of urology in Saudi Arabia. Highly specialized rehabilitation centers for neurogenic bladder secondary to SCI are required for optimal care and urologist teaching.

Neurogenic bladder evaluation and management after spinal cord injury: Current practice among urologists working in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Taweel, Waleed; Alkhayal, Abdullah

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the current trends in the management and surveillance of the NB population secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI) or myelomeningocele by certified urologist working in Saudi Arabia and to compare it to the current guidelines. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 12-points questionnaire distributed to urologists working in Saudi Arabia and registered at the Saudi medical association. The assessment and follow-up of upper and lower urinary tract function in neurogenic bladder patients, their optimal frequency and management of related infections were the topics of inquiry. Of the 272 urologists surveyed, 105 responded, yielding a response rate of 38%. Eighty-nine percent of respondents said that ultrasound was their diagnostic tool of choice for upper tract evaluation. Sixty-one percent of respondents said that they would follow their patients with a multichannel urodynamic study. Forty percent of urologists stated that they would treat asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) was the most common modality chosen for the management of neurogenic bladder in patients with emptying difficulties. This study confirms that most urologists in Saudi Arabia involved with neurogenic bladder management. However, more than one third of the urologists do not have urodynamic machine and only two of the reporting practitioners has a videourodynamic machine. The results emphasize the need for clear guidelines in this field of urology in Saudi Arabia. Highly specialized rehabilitation centers for neurogenic bladder secondary to SCI are required for optimal care and urologist teaching.

Special Education in Saudi Arabia: A Synthesis of Literature Written in English

Science.gov (United States)

Altamimi, Ahmed A.; Lee, Lay Wah; Sayed-Ahmed, Al-sayed A.; Kassem, Mostafa M.

2015-01-01

Special education in Saudi Arabia was formally established in 1962. The earliest cited literature on special education written in English was a 1970 government report. This article presents results from the first synthesis of internationally published Saudi special education literature over a 44-year period. This synthesis yielded information…

The Challenges Faced by New Science Teachers in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alsharari, Salman

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions as teachers to educating children in a science classroom. Nevertheless, teachers, over their early years of practice, encounter numerous challenges to provide the most effective science instruction. Therefore, the current study was aimed to identify academic and behavioral classroom challenges faced by science teachers in their first three years of teaching in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, new science teacher gender, school level and years of teaching experience differences in perceptions of the challenges that they encountered at work were analyzed. The present study also investigated various types of support that new science teachers may need to overcome academic and behavioral classroom challenges. In order to gain insights about ways to adequately support novice science teachers, it was important to examine new science teachers' beliefs, ideas and perceptions about effective science teaching. Three survey questionnaires were developed and distributed to teachers of both sexes who have been teaching science subjects, for less than three years, to elementary, middle and high school students in Al Jouf public schools. A total of 49 novice science teachers responded to the survey and 9 of them agreed to participate voluntarily in a face-to-face interview. Different statistical procedures and multiple qualitative methodologies were used to analyze the collected data. Findings suggested that the top three academic challenges faced by new science teachers were: poor quality of teacher preparation programs, absence of appropriate school equipment and facilities and lack of classroom materials and instructional

The impact of the joining of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for World Trade Organization (WTO on local marketing of national products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Najah Hassan Salamah

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Saudi Arabia is one of the wealthiest nations per capita in the world, as well as an economic power through possession of a large share of global oil resources. This study has been carried out to identify the benefits, which are likely to be enjoyed by Saudi Arabia after its accession into World Trade Organization. A total of 15 entrepreneurs filled out the questionnaires, which were designed on the basis of Likert scale. In order to analyze the outcomes, descriptive statistics technique has been applied after data collection from the respondents. Most of the participants consider the joining of Saudi Arabia into World Trade Organization as a beneficial decision for the Saudi market. This accession is advantageous as it helps to enhance the marketing and investment opportunities, as a consequence of which the economy of Saudi Arabia flourishes and the population rises. The marketing techniques are required to be established and adopted to manufacture high-quality products. The study outcomes are helpful for the policymakers and Saudi companies to emphasize on the production of high-quality products, as well as to implement the strategies for better marketing of their products in local market.

Species on the rocks: Systematics and biogeography of the rock-dwelling Ptyodactylus geckos (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae) in North Africa and Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Metallinou, Margarita; Červenka, Jan; Crochet, Pierre-André; Kratochvíl, Lukáš; Wilms, Thomas; Geniez, Philippe; Shobrak, Mohammed Y; Brito, José C; Carranza, Salvador

2015-04-01

The understanding of the diversity of species in the Palearctic and the processes that have generated it is still weak for large parts of the arid areas of North Africa and Arabia. Reptiles are among their most remarkable representatives, with numerous groups well adapted to the diverse environments. The Ptyodactylus geckos are a strictly rock-dwelling genus with homogeneous morphology distributed across mountain formations and rocky plateaus from the western African ranges in Mauritania and the Maghreb to the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, with an isolated species in southern Pakistan. Here, we use a broad sampling of 378 specimens, two mitochondrial (12S and cytb) and four nuclear (c-mos, MC1R, ACM4, RAG2) markers in order to obtain the first time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the genus and place its diversification in a temporal framework. The results reveal high levels of intraspecific variability, indicative of undescribed diversity, and they do not support the monophyly of one species (P. ragazzii). Ptyodactylus species are allopatric across most of their range, which may relate to their high preference for the same type of structural habitat. The onset of their diversification is estimated to have occurred in the Late Oligocene, while that of several deep clades in the phylogeny took place during the Late Miocene, a period when an increase in aridification in North Africa and Arabia initiated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and clinical presentation at the onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus among children and adolescents in AL-Baha region, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed Hassan; Fureeh, Abdelhameed Ahmed

2018-03-28

The objectives were to describe the frequency of clinical presentation at the onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to estimate the prevalence of T1DM among children and adolescents in the AL-Baha region, Saudi Arabia, aiming for early diagnosis of T1DM. The clinical and laboratory data of 471 children and adolescents who presented with T1DM and received medical care at an AL-Baha diabetic center during the period from 2007 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed based on the records. The prevalence of T1DM in the AL-Baha region was 355 per 100,000 population in participants aged from 0 to 19 years. T1DM was more common among girls than boys (57.5% vs. 42.5%, respectively; p=0.3), and the female/male ratio was 1.36 in favor of girls. Hyperglycemic symptoms were the most frequent symptoms at presentation [59.2% vs. 40.8% with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)], and 37% of them presented with loss of weight. Most of the ketoacidosis was mild to moderate (80.2%), while only 19.8% of children had the severe type and DKA was more common (55.2%) among females. The mean age at diagnosis of T1DM was 8.2±3.5 years for all patients, and 8.3±3.9 and 8.9±3.6 years for boys and girls, respectively (p=0.06). Hyperglycemic symptoms were more common in spring (15.9%). The prevalence of type 1 diabetes in the AL-Baha region was 355 per 100,000 population, which is one of the highest reported prevalences in this age group. Hyperglycemic symptoms were the most encountered symptoms at the onset of the presentation of T1DM and this may help in early detection of diabetic symptoms by patients and physicians to avoid the more severe types of presentation.

Sarcoidosis in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia

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Al-Khouzaie Thamer

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To review a general hospital′s experience with sarcoidosis and the clinical pattern of the disease among Saudis. Methods: A retrospective file review was carried out on all patients with a proven diagnosis of sarcoidosis in a general hospital in Eastern Saudi Arabia over a period of 11 years (1998-2008. Results: Sixty-nine patients, of whom 33 cases were included in the analyses, were diagnosed to have sarcoidosis during the study period. There were 18 females and 15 males. The mean age was 44.5 years (SD 17. The most common presentations were cough (48%, dyspnea (21%, joint pain (18%, splenomegaly (12%, hepatomegaly (9%, and lymphadenopathy (5%. The biochemical analysis showed elevated calcium levels in 6% and elevated angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE in 14 (46.7%. The tuberculin skin test was negative in all tested patients (n = 29 except one patient. The patients were classified using the modified Scadding classification system. None of the patients was in stage 0, 39.4% were in stage 1, 45% were in stage 2 and 15% were in stage 3.. The diagnosis in all patients was proven histologically. The outcome was favorable in most patients (85%, and in 6% of the patients, the course was chronic and progressive, although 66% received active treatment. Conclusion: Sarcoidosis does occur in native Saudis. The clinical presentation of these patients was similar to the western pattern of disease with some differences such as relative lack of cardiac, eye, parotid, and central nervous system involvement. The rarity of cardiac and central nervous system involvement was comparable with other Middle Eastern studies. Sarcoidosis, though rare in our community, should still be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with the typical presentation after excluding tuberculosis.

Financial Analysis for Replacement of Construction Equipment in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Ali Shash

2012-01-01

This study report results of a survey conducted in the EasternProvince of Saudi Arabia to explore the procedures and financialtechniques that large-size contractors utilise in replacingequipment. The results indicated that contractors set severalreplacement alternatives that they evaluate by using a set ofvarious qualitative and quantitative factors. The contractors’business objectives, employee safety and morale, and, contractors’image in the industry were found to be the most influentialqua...

Multi-decadal classification of synoptic weather types, observed trends and links to rainfall characteristics over Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

El Kenawy, Ahmed M.

2014-09-15

An automated version of the Lamb weather type classification scheme was employed to characterize daily circulation conditions in Saudi Arabia from 1960 to 2005. Daily gridded fields of sea level pressure (SLP) from both the NCEP/NCAR and the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) reanalysis data (ERA40) were used as input data for this classification. The output catalog included 10 basic types, which describe the direction and vorticity of airflow in the region (i.e., cyclonic, anti-cyclonic, and directional). In general, our findings indicate that cyclonic (C) days represent the most frequent type among all days, with 69.2% of the annual count of days from 1960 to 2005, followed by SE directional flows (21%). It was also determined that airflows originating from the Indian Ocean (i.e., S, SE, and E) are more frequent than those from the Mediterranean and Red Seas (i.e., W, NW, and SW). The defined weather types were assessed for the presence of inter-annual and intra-annual trends using the Mann–Kendall tau statistic. The trend analysis suggests statistically significant changes in the frequencies of a majority of the weather types from 1960 to 2005. The relationship between the daily occurrence of rainfall and the frequency of individual weather types was also described using daily rainfall data from a network of 87 weather observatories. Results demonstrate that increasing frequencies of weather types connected to easterly inflows support higher precipitation amounts over the study domain. Characterizing the association between atmospheric circulation patterns and rainfall in Saudi Arabia is important for understanding potential impacts related to climate variability and also for developing circulation-based downscaling methods.

Sleep habits in adolescents of Saudi Arabia; distinct patterns and extreme sleep schedules.

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Merdad, Roah A; Merdad, Leena A; Nassif, Rawan A; El-Derwi, Douaa; Wali, Siraj O

2014-11-01

There is a need for comprehensive studies on adolescents' sleep habits in the Middle Eastern region. The aim of this study was to investigate the sleep-wake patterns, prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and disturbed sleep among adolescents in Saudi Arabia and to identify the associated factors. The study was a cross-sectional survey done on a random sample of 1035 high school students, ages 14-23 years, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The response rate was 91%. Students filled a self-reported questionnaire that included sleep-wake questions, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, academic performance, and personal data. Students slept an average of 7.0 hours on school nights, with an average delay of 2.8 and 6.0 hours in weekend sleep and rise times, respectively. Around 1 in 10 students stayed up all night and slept after returning from school (exhibiting a reversed sleep cycle) on weeknights. This pattern was more prevalent among boys and students with lower grade point averages. The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 65%, and EDS was found in 37% of the students. Predictors of EDS were school type, stress, napping and caffeine use, while gender was a predictor of disturbed sleep. Adolescents in Saudi Arabia showed a high percentage of poor sleep quality. Compared with adolescents from other countries, they had a larger delay in weekend sleep and rise times. An alarming reversed sleep cycle on weekdays is present and highlights the need for further assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the environmental and genetic factors influencing prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Saudi Arabia

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Ibrahim M. Gosadi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome (MS is a combination of factors that increases the risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases including diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the adult Saudi population where the increase in cardiovascular-related mortality is augmented by the rise in the prevalence of MS. Metabolic syndrome is a multi-factorial disorder influenced by interactions between genetic and environmental components. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of studied environmental and genetic factors explaining the prevalence of MS in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, this review aims to illustrate factors related to the population genetics of Saudi Arabia, which might explain a proportion of the prevalence of MS.

Assessment of the environmental and genetic factors influencing prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Saudi Arabia

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Gosadi, Ibrahim M.

2016-01-01

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a combination of factors that increases the risk of cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases including diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and high blood pressure. Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the adult Saudi population where the increase in cardiovascular-related mortality is augmented by the rise in the prevalence of MS. Metabolic syndrome is a multi-factorial disorder influenced by interactions between genetic and environmental components. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of studied environmental and genetic factors explaining the prevalence of MS in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Additionally, this review aims to illustrate factors related to the population genetics of Saudi Arabia, which might explain a proportion of the prevalence of MS. PMID:26739969

A field study on the anthelmintic resistance of Parascaris spp. in Arab foals in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia.

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Alanazi, Abdullah D; Mukbel, Rami M; Alyousif, Mohamed S; AlShehri, Zafer S; Alanazi, Ibrahim O; Al-Mohammed, Hamdan I

2017-12-01

In the last decade, Parascaris spp. resistance to anthelmintics has been recorded in many countries. In Saudi Arabia, there are limited data available on Parascaris spp. resistance to anthelmintics. To determine the current status of ivermectin, abamectin and praziquantel combined, and fenbendazole resistance to Parascaris spp. in horses in Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and forty-one foals from eleven different farms were examined by faecal egg count (FEC). The foals were all Arab horses aged 17.2 ± 4.5 (SD) months. Ivermectin (n = 46 foals), abamectin and praziquantel combined (n = 46), and fenbendazole (n = 46) were administered on day 0 and faeces were collected on day 14. The study comprised 41 untreated foals as controls. Animals that have FEC of ≥100 eggs per gram (EPG) were used to measure anthelmintic efficacy. Parascaris spp. populations were considered susceptible when faecal egg count reduction (FECR) was ≥95% associated with a lower 95% confidence limit (LCL) >90%, suspected resistant when FECR ≤90% or LCL Saudi Arabia.

Evaluating measurement models in clinical research: covariance structure analysis of latent variable models of self-conception.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyle, R H

1991-02-01

Indirect measures of psychological constructs are vital to clinical research. On occasion, however, the meaning of indirect measures of psychological constructs is obfuscated by statistical procedures that do not account for the complex relations between items and latent variables and among latent variables. Covariance structure analysis (CSA) is a statistical procedure for testing hypotheses about the relations among items that indirectly measure a psychological construct and relations among psychological constructs. This article introduces clinical researchers to the strengths and limitations of CSA as a statistical procedure for conceiving and testing structural hypotheses that are not tested adequately with other statistical procedures. The article is organized around two empirical examples that illustrate the use of CSA for evaluating measurement models with correlated error terms, higher-order factors, and measured and latent variables.

Road safety and road traffic accidents in Saudi Arabia

OpenAIRE

Mansuri, Farah A.; Al-Zalabani, Abdulmohsen H.; Zalat, Marwa M.; Qabshawi, Reem I.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To identify the changing trends and crucial preventive approaches to road traffic accidents (RTAs) adopted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the last 2.5 decades, and to analyze aspects previously overlooked. Methods: This systematic review was based on evidence of RTAs in KSA. All articles published during the last 25 years on road traffic accident in KSA were analyzed. This study was carried out from December 2013 to May 2014 in the Department of Family and Community Med...

Rheumatoid arthritis in Saudi Arabia

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Almoallim, Hani M.; Alharbi, Laila A.

2014-01-01

The status of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Saudi Arabia (SA) was examined from various perspectives based on a systematic literature review and the authors’ personal experiences. In this regard, database and journal search were conducted to identify studies on RA in SA, yielding a total of 43 articles. Although efforts have been made to promote RA research in SA, current studies mostly represent only a few centers and may not accurately portray the national status of RA care. Notably, biological therapies were introduced early for almost all practicing rheumatologists in SA (government and private). However, no national guidelines regarding the management of RA have been developed based on local needs and regulations. Also, while efforts were made to establish RA data registries, they have not been successful. Taken together, this analysis can contribute to the planning of future guidelines and directives for RA care in SA. PMID:25491208

A multi-dataset time-reversal approach to clinical trial placebo response and the relationship to natural variability in epilepsy.

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Goldenholz, Daniel M; Strashny, Alex; Cook, Mark; Moss, Robert; Theodore, William H

2017-12-01

Clinical epilepsy drug trials have been measuring increasingly high placebo response rates, up to 40%. This study was designed to examine the relationship between the natural variability in epilepsy, and the placebo response seen in trials. We tested the hypothesis that 'reversing' trial direction, with the baseline period as the treatment observation phase, would reveal effects of natural variability. Clinical trial simulations were run with time running forward and in reverse. Data sources were: SeizureTracker.com (patient reported diaries), a randomized sham-controlled TMS trial, and chronically implanted intracranial EEG electrodes. Outcomes were 50%-responder rates (RR50) and median percentage change (MPC). The RR50 results showed evidence that temporal reversal does not prevent large responder rates across datasets. The MPC results negative in the TMS dataset, and positive in the other two. Typical RR50s of clinical trials can be reproduced using the natural variability of epilepsy as a substrate across multiple datasets. Therefore, the placebo response in epilepsy clinical trials may be attributable almost entirely to this variability, rather than the "placebo effect". Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Study of the Inter-Cultural Sensitivity among the Faculty of English Language Centre of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia

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Saeed Ahmad

2016-11-01

Full Text Available study explored intercultural sensitivity of 103 faculty members of the English Language Centre (ELC of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. A quantitative and non-experimental design was adopted for this study in which intercultural sensitivity of the English language teachers was evaluated on five demographic variables (e.g. gender, education, religion, total teaching experience, and experience of teaching in intercultural context. The results revealed that the international faculty of ELC abreast the basic canons of Intercultural adjustments. This suggests that the teachers are not only familiar with different cultural patterns (like beliefs, values and communication styles they are willing to minimize these differences and adopt universal set of values for effective educational practices. The results indicate the participants’ higher level of empathy, respect for others’ culture, tolerance on differences and high willingness to integrate with other cultures. The data reveals no statistically significant difference between the two groups in three variables, i.e. gender (Male & Female, qualification (Masters' & Ph.D and religion (Muslims & Non-Muslims. However, there was found a statistically significant difference in the two groups (Less than ten years & More than ten years in two variables, i.e. total teaching experience and teaching experience in intercultural context.

Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain in Construction Workers in Saudi Arabia

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Ahmad Alghadir

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence, characteristics, and distribution of musculoskeletal pain among construction workers in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire about musculoskeletal pain in different parts of the body was completed by 165 construction workers from the construction industries in Dammam and Riyadh cities. The descriptive data were analyzed using chi-square test. The level of statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Eighty (48.5% of the responding workers had pain in neck, shoulders, lower back, hand, knee, or ankle. The majority of respondents had low back pain (50% followed by knee pain (20%. The average intensity of pain at all sites during activity and rest was 6.65 and 3.59, respectively. Thirty-four (42.5% respondents had dull aching pain and 24 (30% had cramping pain. There was an association between years of experience, duration of break during work, and use of protective equipment with the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in construction workers (P<0.05. Most of the workers complaining of pain got medical treatment (62.5% and only 25% received physical therapy. It can be concluded from this study that the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among construction workers in Saudi Arabia is high.

Gaped deficiency distribution and variants in Saudi Arabia: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Hazmi, Mohsen A.F.; Warsy, Arjumand S.

2001-01-01

The first report of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in Saudi population of the Eastern Province paved the way for extensive investigations to determine the distribution and molecular pathogenesis of G6PD deficiency in Saudis in different parts of the country. During a national study lasting from 1980 to 1993, 24,407 Saudi in 31 different areas of Saudi Arabia screened for G6PD deficiency using spectrophoretic estimation of enzyme activity and electrophoretic separation of the phenotypes. The results in the males and females were separately analyzed and showed a statistically significant difference in the frequency in the male (0.0905) and female (0.041) population (P<0.05). The frequency in the male varied from 0 to 0.398 and in the female from 0 to 0.214. The phenotypes identified included G6PD-A, G6PD-Mediterranean and G6PD-Med-Like with G6PD-B as the normal phenotype in all areas. This study shows that G6PD deficiency is a frequently identified single-gene disorder in Saudi Arabia and G6PD-Mediterranean is the major variant producing the severe deficiency state in this population. (author)

Cylindropuntia rosea (DC. Backeb, (Cactaceae: a new generic alien record in the flora of Saudi Arabia

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Sami Asir Al-Robai

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Cylindropuntia rosea (DC. Backeb. (Cactaceae is a cactus and invasive species native to Mexico. This is the first record of the genus in Saudi Arabia. The alien species was found near Jebel Hizna, Baljurashi region, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Information about the species' habitat, distribution, and morphological description and its illustration are presented. The presence of Cylindropuntia rosea increased the probability of finding other species belonging to the genus Cylindropuntia in the country. However, if this species gets established in different areas of the Kingdom, it could become a serious invasive plant that has negative impacts on livestock and human. Therefore, tracking and controlling the invasion of this species is recommended.

Effect of Socio-Demographic and Clinical Characteristics on Physical Activity of Pregnant Women at Referral Hospital in Riyadh, KSA

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Shaffi Ahamed Shaik

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of socio demographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women on their physical activity. Methods: An observational quantitative cross sectional design was carried out in the delivery ward and paediatrics clinic of king Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study subjects included all women who had delivered in the last three months, during the study period between 2013- 2014. The sample size was 336. Data collection included socio-demographic variables, pregnancy related variables and the physical activity by using validated pregnancy physical activity questionnaire. Results: The mean (standard deviation total physical activity score of all the study subjects was 197.39(72.1. The physical activity scores are statistically significantly higher in younger women, graduation education level, and among those who were employed. The physical activity scores were statistically significantly higher in women who had normal delivery, did not have any illness and those who had followed the advice to perform physical activity. Conclusion: The levels of physical activity along with their socio demographic and clinical characteristic were assessed among the pregnant women. The study found low pursuance of physical activity during pregnancy. Any kind of illness suffered during pregnancy further reduced the physical activity levels. It was only the young and educated pregnant women who held onto regular physical activity as advised during their pregnancy.

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing OXA-48 and NDM in the Southern (Asir) province, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Zahrani, Ibrahim A; Alsiri, Bander A

2018-01-01

To identify the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and the most common types of cabapenemases among CRKP in the Southern (Asir) province hospitals, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted between late April and September in 2015. A total of 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) isolates with reduced sensitivity to carbapenems were obtained from various clinical specimens of the 2 largest hospitals in the Southern province. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of carbapenems were confirmed using E-test. Molecular detection of the most common carbapenemase genes (blaIMP, bla-carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase [OXA-48], blaVIM, bla-New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas [NDM], and blaKPC) was performed using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. Results: The current study found that increasing age and intensive care unit admission were associated with CRKP isolation. The major type of carbapenemases was OXA-48 with 81.5% (n=44) and it seems to reach an endemic level. New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas (NDM) was the second most frequent carbapenemase by 7.4% (n=4) of isolates while Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM) was reported only in one isolate. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia receives large numbers of visitors and migrant workers from OXA-48 and NDM endemic countries such as Turkey, India, and Pakistan every year.

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates producing OXA-48 and NDM in the Southern (Asir province, Saudi Arabia

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Ibrahim A. Al-Zahrani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To identify the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP and the most common types of cabapenemases among CRKP in the Southern (Asir province hospitals, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted between late April and September in 2015. A total of 54 Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae isolates with reduced sensitivity to carbapenems were obtained from various clinical specimens of the 2 largest hospitals in the Southern province. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs of carbapenems were confirmed using E-test. Molecular detection of the most common carbapenemase genes (blaIMP, bla-carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase [OXA-48], blaVIM, bla-New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas [NDM], and blaKPC was performed using multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. Results: The current study found that increasing age and intensive care unit admission were associated with CRKP isolation. The major type of carbapenemases was OXA-48 with 81.5% (n=44 and it seems to reach an endemic level. New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamas (NDM was the second most frequent carbapenemase by 7.4% (n=4 of isolates while Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM was reported only in one isolate. Conclusion: Saudi Arabia receives large numbers of visitors and migrant workers from OXA-48 and NDM endemic countries such as Turkey, India, and Pakistan every year.

Use of Vitamins and Minerals in the Treatment of Hair Loss: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Dermatologists in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mubki, Thamer

2014-11-01

Several controversies exist regarding the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in treating hair loss. To explore practices, knowledge, and attitudes for using vitamins and minerals in treating hair loss among dermatologists in Saudi Arabia. A self-administrated questionnaire containing 33 questions was distributed to 177 dermatologists attending a national dermatology conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2012. Of the 177 attending dermatologists, 144 responded to the questionnaire (81% response rate). Vitamins and minerals were recommended for treating at least one type of hair loss by 60%. Vitamins and minerals were most commonly used for acute telogen effluvium (62%). The majority (72%) reported a good knowledge of vitamins and minerals toxicity. Although dermatologists in Saudi Arabia displayed positive believes in the usefulness of vitamins and minerals in treating hair loss, further research is needed to prove their role in the management of different hair loss disorders.

The indigenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner): Their natural history and role in beekeeping

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Alqarni, Abdulaziz S.; Hannan, Mohammed A.; Owayss, Ayman A.; Engel, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Abstract Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner (= yemenitica auctorum: vide Engel 1999) has been used in apiculture throughout the Arabian Peninsula since at least 2000 BC. Existing literature demonstrates that these populations are well adapted for the harsh extremes of the region. Populations of Apis mellifera jemenitica native to Saudi Arabia are far more heat tolerant than the standard races often imported from Europe. Central Saudi Arabia has the highest summer temperatures for the Arabian Peninsula, and it is in this region where only Apis mellifera jemenitica survives, while other subspecies fail to persist. The indigenous race of Saudi Arabia differs from other subspecies in the region in some morphological, biological, and behavioral characteristics. Further taxonomic investigation, as well as molecular studies, is needed in order to confirm whether the Saudi indigenous bee populations represent a race distinct from Apis mellifera jemenitica, or merely an ecotype of this subspecies. PMID:22140343

The indigenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner: Their natural history and role in beekeeping

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Abdulaziz Alqarni

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner (= yemenitica auctorum: vide Engel 1999 has been used in apiculture throughout the Arabian Peninsula since at least 2000 BC. Existing literature demonstrates that these populations are well adapted for the harsh extremes of the region. Populations of A. m. jemenitica native to Saudi Arabia are far more heat tolerant than the standard races often imported from Europe. Central Saudi Arabia has the highest summer temperatures for the Arabian Peninsula, and it is in this region where only A. m. jemenitica survives, while other subspecies fail to persist. The indigenous race of Saudi Arabia differs from other subspecies in the region in some morphological, biological, and behavioral characteristics. Further taxonomic investigation, as well as molecular studies, is needed in order to confirm whether the Saudi indigenous bee populations represent a race distinct from A. m. jemenitica, or merely an ecotype of this subspecies.

Biogenic silica microfossils in sediments of the Permian - Carboniferous Unayzah Formation, Saudi Arabia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Garming, J.F.L.; Franks, S.G.; Cremer, H.; Abbink, O.A.

2010-01-01

Biogenic silica particles (BSPs) have been discovered in sediments of the Permian - Carboniferous Unayzah Formation of Saudi Arabia. The BSPs are extracted from sediments that are generally barren of macro- or microfossils. BSPs have been found in the Basal Khuff Clastics (BKC), and the Unayzah A,

Deficiencies Under Plenty of Sun: Vitamin D Status among Adults in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuffaha, Marwa; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Daoud, Farah; Al Hussaini, Hessah Abdulla; Alamri, Fahad; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Memish, Ziad A; AlMazroa, Mohammad A; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2015-10-01

Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with several diseases and injuries including diabetes, osteoporosis, fractures, and falls. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), current data on vitamin D status are lacking. To inform Saudi public health authorities on the current status of blood levels vitamin D deficiency, we analyzed data from the Saudi Health Interview Survey. The Saudi Health Interview Survey (SHIS) is a cross-sectional national multistage survey of individuals aged 15 years and above on sociodemographic characteristics, tobacco consumption, diet, physical activity, health care utilization, different health-related behaviors, and self-reported chronic conditions. A total of 10,735 participants completed a health questionnaire and were invited to the local health clinics for biomedical exams. 62.65% of female Saudis and 40.6% of male Saudis aged 15 years and above are deficient in vitamin D. Out of them, less than 1% males and less than 2% females consume vitamin D supplements. Women who have never married and obese individuals are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, compared to men who were currently married and nonobese individuals. Those consuming vitamin D supplements are less likely to be deficient in vitamin D. Our study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Saudi men and women, and the results call for an increased awareness to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D for better health in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, our findings are certainly relevant for other countries in the Gulf region or countries with similar cultures, clothing, and religions.

Desert Wadis and Smoke from Kuwait Oil Fires, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

Smoke from the Kuwait Oil Fires obscures the view of the desert wadis, Saudi Arabia (29.5N, 42.5E). During the brief Gulf war between Iraq and the Allied forces, many of the oil wells in Kuwait were destroyed and set afire. For several months, those fires burned out of control, spewing smoke and ash for hundreds of miles in many directions depending on the altitude, time of year and the prevailing winds.

Saudi Arabia: Modernity, Stability, and the Twenty-First Century Monarchy

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

author, Dr. Barrett’s works range from books to articles on the Arab League and digital research techniques: The Greater Middle East and the Cold...states can be viewed as examples of periodic nomadic explosions crushed by Egyptian and Ottoman military, it was the political acumen of Ibn Saud, who...their nomadic lives interrupted. And, finally, 37 Barrett: Saudi Arabia it was accompanied by a decree from Ibn Saud that abolished the tradition

Exploring the cultural competence of undergraduate nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Halabi, Jehad O; de Beer, Jennifer

2018-03-01

To explore the cultural competence of undergraduate nursing students at a college of nursing, Saudi Arabia. A descriptive exploratory design was used to explore the Saudi undergraduate nursing students' level of cultural competency. The convenience sample included 205 nursing students affiliated with a college of nursing at a health science university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence-Revised (IAPCC-R) consisting of 25 items. The tool reported acceptable reliability of Cronbach alpha 0.89. The majority of students were culturally aware and dealt with people from different cultures. One-third preferred to have training on culture over a period of time. Half the students preferred studying a special course related to working with people from different cultures. Cultural desire reported the highest mean while cultural knowledge scored the lowest among the cultural competence subscales despite students being exposed to some cultural knowledge content in their training. Implementing the guidelines for culturally competent care assure covering all aspects of care with consideration of cultural heritage as a main concept. Comparative study of nurses' and students' perception is further recommended. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SCIENTIFIC POLICY OF SAUDI ARABIA: INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AS A BASIS FOR DEVELOPMENT

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T. I. Tyukaeva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In less than a century of its existence Saudi Arabia has developed from mass illiteracy and lack of education of its population into the current state of complex structure of educational and research institutions and organizations equipped with most modern and advanced technologies and top world specialists in accordance with the highest international standards. It is especially important that the Kingdom has managed to achieve such success in no time. Until lately scientifi c development in Saudi Arabia was mostly concentrated on applied research, especially in the Kingdom’s key economic sphere – energy. Despite the country’s abundant financial resources, science was considerably underfunded and lacked any development strategy. Meanwhile, in the last 15 years the Saudi Kingdom has made a huge leap in scientifi c development with a clear action plan worked out, a solid structure of scientifi c institutes formed and the world experience effi ciently used. The success came with the Saudi authorities’ realization of the importance of scientifi c and technical progress both for the national economy and political positions of the state in the region and in the world. The article aims to analyze the scientifi c policy of Saudi Arabia on the stage of its birth and in the current state by means of studying offi cial documents, statistics and the existing institutes in the scientifi c system of the Kingdom. The author concludes that the key features of the Saudi scientifi c policy are prevailing role of the state, priority of applied over fundamental research and internalization with serious dependency on foreign support in the absence of a national scientifi c tradition.

Aerosol and Cloud Microphysical Properties in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Axisa, Duncan; Kucera, Paul; Burger, Roelof; Li, Runjun; Collins, Don; Freney, Evelyn; Posada, Rafael; Buseck, Peter

2010-05-01

In recent advertent and inadvertent weather modification studies, a considerable effort has been made to understand the impact of varying aerosol properties and concentration on cloud properties. Significant uncertainties exist with aerosol-cloud interactions for which complex microphysical processes link the aerosol and cloud properties. Under almost all environmental conditions, increased aerosol concentrations within polluted air masses will enhance cloud droplet concentration relative to that in unperturbed regions. The interaction between dust particles and clouds are significant, yet the conditions in which dust particles become cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) are uncertain. In order to quantify this aerosol effect on clouds and precipitation, a field campaign was launched in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia as part of a Precipitation Enhancement Feasibility Study. Ground measurements of aerosol size distributions, hygroscopic growth factor, CCN concentrations as well as aircraft measurements of cloud hydrometeor size distributions were done in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia in August 2009. Research aircraft operations focused primarily on conducting measurements in clouds that are targeted for cloud top-seeding, on their microphysical characterization, especially the preconditions necessary for precipitation; understanding the evolution of droplet coalescence, supercooled liquid water, cloud ice and precipitation hydrometeors is necessary if advances are to be made in the study of cloud modification by cloud seeding. Non-precipitating mixed-phase clouds less than 3km in diameter that developed on top of the stable inversion were characterized by flying at the convective cloud top just above the inversion. Aerosol measurements were also done during the climb to cloud base height. The presentation will include a summary of the analysis and results with a focus on the unique features of the Asir region in producing convective clouds, characterization of the

Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia: 2012 Data from the Saudi Cancer Registry

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Bazarbashi, Shouki; Al Eid, Haya; Minguet, Joan

2017-09-27

Background: In order to most appropriately allocate healthcare and research funding for cancer, it is important to have accurate population-based incidence data. The Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) provides such information, covering the time period from 1994 to the present day. The current report concerns an overview of cancer incidence statistics for Saudi Arabia in 2012. Methods: The SCR collects data from healthcare facilities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All newly diagnosed cases of cancer are recorded, with information on site and histology. For the present report, age-standardised and age-specific incidence rates (ASR, AIR, respectively) were calculated, with attention to gender-specific and regional differences. Results: The total number of incident cases of cancer identified by the SCR in 2012 was 14,336, with 6,791 (47.5%) among males and 7,545 (52.6%) among females. Of this total, 11,034 cases (76.9%) occurred in patients of Saudi origin. For Saudi males, the overall ASR (inc. all cancer sites) was 78.1 per 100,000 people, while that for females was 86.7. Incidence varied by region, with the Eastern region and Riyadh displaying the highest ASRs for both males and females, and Hail and Jazan displaying the lowest. Incidence varied by gender, with colorectal cancer (13.3%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; 8.4%), and leukaemia (8.2%) being the most common types in males, and breast (25.8%), thyroid (11.7%), and colorectal cancers (9.3%) being the most common in females. Conclusions: This analysis of cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia demonstrated significant differences according to gender, age, and region of the Kingdom. The data should help ensure the most appropriate allocation of resources, with the aim of minimising the healthcare burden associated with cancer. Creative Commons Attribution License

Tracing the epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Saudi Arabia.

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Khan, Anis; Al Balwi, Mohammed; AlAyyar, Latifah; AlAbdulkareem, Ibrahim; Albekairy, Abdulkareem; Aljumah, Abdulrahman

2017-08-01

HCV genotype 4 is highly prevalent in many Middle Eastern countries, yet little is known about the genotype's epidemic history at the subtype-level in this region. To address the dearth of data from Saudi Arabia (SA) we genotyped 230 HCV isolates in the core/E- and NS5B-region and analyzed using Bayesian phylogenetic approaches. HCV genotype 4 (HCV/4) was positive in 61.7% (142/230) of isolates belonging to 7 different subtypes with the predominance of 4d (73/142; 51.4%) followed by 4a (51/142; 35.9%). Phylogenetic analysis also revealed a distinct epidemiological cluster of HCV/4d for Saudi Arabia. HCV/1 appeared as the second most prevalent genotype positive in 31.3% (72/230) of isolates with the predominance of 1b (53/72; 73.6%) followed by 1a (16/72; 22.2%), and 1g (3/72; 4.1%). A small proportion of isolates belonged to HCV/3a (12/230; 5.2%), and HCV/2a (4/230; 1.7%). We estimate that the genotype 4 common ancestor existed around 1935 (1850-1985). Genotype 4 originated plausibly in Central Africa and multiple subtypes disseminated across African borders since ~1970, including subtype 4d which dominates current HCV infections in Saudi Arabia. The Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analysis showed that genotype 4d entered the Saudi population in 1900. The effective number of HCV infections grew gradually until the second half of the 1950s and more rapidly until the early-80s through the use of imported blood units and blood products. Subsequently, the rate of HCV infection in the Saudi Arabian population was stabilized through effective screening of blood and infection control measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using a digital marketing platform for the promotion of an internet based health encyclopedia in saudi arabia.

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Al Ateeq, Asma; Al Moamary, Eman; Daghestani, Tahani; Al Muallem, Yahya; Al Dogether, Majed; Alsughayr, Abdulrahman; Altuwaijri, Majid; Househ, Mowafa

2015-01-01

The objective of this paper is to investigate the experiences of using a digital marketing platform to promote the use of an internet based health encyclopedia in Saudi Arabia. Key informant interviews, meeting documentation, and Google Analytics were the data collection sources used in the study. Findings show that using a digital marketing platform led to a significant increase in the number of visitors to the health encyclopedia. The results demonstrate that digital marketing platforms are effective tools to be used for promoting internet based health education interventions. Future work will examine long-term educational impacts and costs in using digital marketing platforms to promote online healthcare sites in Saudi Arabia.

ARAMCO Education: Teaching Speech Communication to a Sub-Culture in Saudi Arabia.

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Dick, Robert C.

Based on experiences gained by an educator from Indiana University who taught a speech communication course in Saudi Arabia, this paper details the adaptations the educator had to make in order to teach Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) employees and their spouses in the politically difficult period of 1981-82. Following a brief background…

Cytological pattern of cervical papanicolaou smear in eastern region of Saudi Arabia

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Magdy Hassan Balaha

2011-01-01

Conclusion: The study has shown a relatively high prevalence of epithelial abnormalities in cervical smears in the studied population. The squamous cell carcinoma represented a higher than the overall prevalence compared to World Health Organization (WHO factsheets about Saudi Arabia. The mean age of epithelial abnormalities and squamous cell carcinoma was in the reproductive years.

Incidence rate of ovarian cancer cases in Saudi Arabia: an observational descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from Saudi Cancer Registry 2001–2008

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Alghamdi IG

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Ibrahim G Alghamdi,1,2 Issam I Hussain,1 Mohamed S Alghamdi,3 Mansour M Alghamdi,4 Ahlam A Dohal,4 Mohammed A El-Sheemy51School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, UK; 2Al-Baha University, Kingdom of Saudia Arabia; 3Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Health Affairs, Al-Baha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4King Fahad Specialist Hospital–Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Research and Development, Lincoln Hospital, United Lincolnshire Hospitals, National Health Service Trust, Lincoln, UKPurpose: This study provides descriptive epidemiological data, such as the percentage of cases diagnosed, crude incidence rate (CIR, and age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR of ovarian cancer in Saudi Arabia from 2001–2008. Patients and methods: A retrospective descriptive epidemiological analysis of all ovarian cancer cases recorded in the Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR from January 2001–December 2008 was performed. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance tests, Poisson regression, and simple linear modeling.Results: A total of 991 ovarian cancer cases were recorded in the SCR from January 2001–December 2008. The region of Riyadh had the highest overall ASIR at 3.3 cases per 100,000 women, followed by the Jouf and Asir regions at 3.13 and 2.96 cases per 100,000 women. However, Hail and Jazan had the lowest rates at 1.4 and 0.6 cases per 100,000 women, respectively. Compared to Jazan, the incidence rate ratio for the number of ovarian cancer cases was significantly higher (P<0.001 in the Makkah region at 6.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.13–9.83, followed by Riyadh at 6.3 (95% CI: 4.10–9.82, and the eastern region of Saudi Arabia at 4.52 (95% CI: 2.93–6.98. The predicted annual CIR and ASIR for ovarian cancer in Saudi Arabia could be defined by the equations 0.9 + (0.07× years and 1.71 + (0.09× years, respectively.Conclusion: We observed a slight increase in the CIRs and

Factorial's composition of Lake Abha, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Beheiry, M.A.H

2007-01-01

The study analyzes the vegetation along Lake Abha in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. A total of 42 plant species were recorded. The annuals decrease and the biennials and perennials increase along the moisture gradient form the terraces to the free-water zone. Six vegetation clusters were identified. The most important are clusters which were identified by the presence of the following species: Phragmites australis, Juncus punctorius, Typha domingensis, Cyperus rotundus, Datura innoxia, Cynodon dactylon, Cornulaca monacantha and Potamogeton nododsus. Each of these communities has been analyzed by classification and ordination techniques and its habitat described and discussed. (author)

[Phenotypic variability in 47, XXX patients: Clinical report of four new cases].

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Goldschmidt, Ernesto; Márquez, Marisa; Solari, Andrea; Ziembar, María I; Laudicina, Alejandro

2010-08-01

The 47, XXX karyotype has a frequency of 1 in 1000 female newborns. However, this karyotype is not usually suspected at birth or childhood. These patients are usually diagnosed during adulthood when they develop premature ovarian failure or infertility, because the early phenotype doesn t have any specific features. The study describes four cases and the clinical variability of the 47, XXX karyotype.

Students’ Assessment of Campus Sustainability at the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia

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Ismaila R. Abubakar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Higher education institutions are major drivers of change in achieving environmental sustainability both within college campuses and beyond campuses in communities at large. However, achieving campus sustainability is not possible without the involvement of students as one of the major stakeholders of a university. Based on survey of 152 students of the College of Architecture and Planning, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, this study explores students’ assessment of campus sustainability components: curriculum and research; campus operations; and community involvement. The results show that even though the students indicate a great deal of awareness and concern about campus environmental sustainability, they lack interest and willingness to participate in initiatives towards achieving sustainability. Apart from some sustainable landscaping and waste recycling practices, there are few sustainability initiatives in transportation and energy and water conservation on the campus. Offered courses and student projects have also been reported to have modest focus on sustainability. The article concludes by highlighting the roles of incorporating sustainability into campus operations, and training university students in promoting environmental sustainability in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward energy drinks among adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

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Musaiger, Abdulrahman; Zagzoog, Nisreen

2013-11-27

The objective of this study is to explore the knowledge, attitudes and intake of energy drinks among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. A multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was carried out to select 1061 school children aged 12-19 years, from Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. A short self-reported questionnaire was administrated in order to collect the data. Of adolescents in the study, 45% drank energy drinks (71.3% males and 35.9% females; Penergy drinks (43%). The major reasons for consuming energy drinks were taste and flavour (58%), to 'try them' (51.9%) and 'to get energy' (43%), albeit with significant differences between genders (Pdrinks, and 49% did not know that they contain caffeine (P-values energy drinks to be soft drinks. The study indicates the need for Saudi adolescents to be warned on the over-consumption of energy drinks. The study brings to attention the need for educational programmes related to increasing awareness in the community of the health effects related to high consumption of energy drinks.

Interspecific and locational differences in metal levels in edible fish tissue from Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Batang, Zenon B.; Mannalamkunnath Alikunhi, Nabeel; Aljahdali, Ramzi; Al-Jebreen, Dalal; Aziz, Mohammed A. M.; Al-Suwailem, Abdulaziz M.

2014-01-01

species collected from three fishing sites and a local fish market in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We tested the following null hypotheses: (1) there are no interspecific differences in metal levels, (2) there are no differences in metal levels in fishes between

A case cluster of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease linked to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Coulthart, Michael B; Geschwind, Michael D; Qureshi, Shireen; Phielipp, Nicolas; Demarsh, Alex; Abrams, Joseph Y; Belay, Ermias; Gambetti, Pierluigi; Jansen, Gerard H; Lang, Anthony E; Schonberger, Lawrence B

2016-10-01

As of mid-2016, 231 cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease-the human form of a prion disease of cattle, bovine spongiform encephalopathy-have been reported from 12 countries. With few exceptions, the affected individuals had histories of extended residence in the UK or other Western European countries during the period (1980-96) of maximum global risk for human exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy. However, the possibility remains that other geographic foci of human infection exist, identification of which may help to foreshadow the future of the epidemic. We report results of a quantitative analysis of country-specific relative risks of infection for three individuals diagnosed with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the USA and Canada. All were born and raised in Saudi Arabia, but had histories of residence and travel in other countries. To calculate country-specific relative probabilities of infection, we aligned each patient's life history with published estimates of probability distributions of incubation period and age at infection parameters from a UK cohort of 171 variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases. The distributions were then partitioned into probability density fractions according to time intervals of the patient's residence and travel history, and the density fractions were combined by country. This calculation was performed for incubation period alone, age at infection alone, and jointly for incubation and age at infection. Country-specific fractions were normalized either to the total density between the individual's dates of birth and symptom onset ('lifetime'), or to that between 1980 and 1996, for a total of six combinations of parameter and interval. The country-specific relative probability of infection for Saudi Arabia clearly ranked highest under each of the six combinations of parameter × interval for Patients 1 and 2, with values ranging from 0.572 to 0.998, respectively, for Patient 2 (age at infection × lifetime) and

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachments associated to Stickler syndrome in a tertiary eye care center in Saudi Arabia

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Alshahrani ST

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Saeed T Alshahrani,1 Nicola G Ghazi,2 Saba Al-Rashaed2 1Ophthalmology Department, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam, 2Vitreoretinal Department, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Purpose: To investigate the clinical findings and outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD in Stickler syndrome on affected and fellow eyes that underwent prophylactic retinopexy.Patients and methods: Chart review of 70 eyes (62 patients. Incidence of RRD, postoperative visual acuity, and risk factors were evaluated.Results: Twenty-two patients (35% had RRD in the fellow eye, 37% of the eyes had cataract, 93% had macular detachment, 50% had proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and 41% had posterior vitreous detachment. Success rates were: 60% of patients after scleral buckling; 57.1% after pars plana vitrectomy; and 75% after combined scleral buckling and pars plana vitrectomy. Sixty-one (93.8% of patients had successful surgery (including second surgery. Silicone oil tamponade was significantly associated with final anatomic outcome, with a protective odds ratio of 0.11 (P=0.027. Visual acuity improved in 54% of eyes and decreased in 5%. Statistically significant associations were present for eyes with final visual acuity ≥20/200, and total retinal detachment (P<0.001; preoperative cataract (P=0.023; and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (P<0.001. RRD developed in 16/44 eyes despite laser prophylaxis.Conclusion: Prophylactic retinopexy was not beneficial for Stickler syndrome patients. Success of primary surgery for RRD remains low. The primary surgery should be vitrectomy combined with scleral buckling and silicone oil tamponade. Keywords: Stickler syndrome, retinopexy, Gulf States, Saudi Arabia, ocular genetics, arthro-ophthalmopathy, collagen disorder

Iron deficiency anaemia in reproductive age women attending obstetrics and gynecology outpatient of university health centre in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

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Taha, Asia; Azhar, Saira; Lone, Talib; Murtaza, Ghulam; Khan, Shujaat Ali; Mumtaz, Amara; Asad, Muhammad Hassham Hassan Bin; Kousar, Rozina; Karim, Sabiha; Tariq, Imran; Ul Hassan, Syed Saeed; Hussain, Izhar

2014-01-01

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. The aim of this questionnaire based survey study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in reproductive age women, and their relation to variables such as age, marital status, education with those attending obstetrics and gynecology outpatient of King Faisal University Health Centre in Al-Ahsa in eastern region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted for the period of 6 month staring from September 2012 to February 2013. The questionnaire had three sections on personal information: their educational indicators, gynecological clinical history, and hematological indices. The average age was 25.97±7.17 years. According to the gynecological clinical history of the respondents, 15 (48.4%) respondents were pregnant while 16 (51.6%) were not pregnant. There was significant effect of pregnancy status on Hb level. Majority of the anemic respondents 15/17 were married. Moreover 14/17 anemic women were experiencing severe menstrual bleeding, 11/17 respondents were pregnant. 54.8% of respondents were hemoglobin deficient while 77.4% were found to have low Hct. In 87.1 % of the respondents, transferrin saturation was found to be abnormal. In this study iron deficiency anemia is quite prevalent in the university community especially among pregnant women. The fetus's and newborn infant's iron status depends on the iron status of the pregnant woman and therefore, iron deficiency in the mother-to-be means that growing fetus probably will be iron deficient as well. Thus iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy in well-educated set up needs more attention by the concerned authorities.

Prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic bronchiectasis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis at a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia

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Suzan Mansour Attar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction and Objectives: Bronchiectasis is a pulmonary manifestation that often occurs in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Nevertheless, the prevalence of bronchiectasis in RA patients and predictors of its development/progression remain ill-defined. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of bronchiectasis in a group of RA patients and examine possible clinical or biochemical risk factors that might contribute to its development. Methods: This was an observational study analyzing 100 RA patients with no pulmonary symptoms selected from King Abdulaziz University Hospital in the Western region of Saudi Arabia from October 2013 to 2014. Demographic, clinical and laboratory information were collected for all patients. Diagnosis was based on the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR classification system, and disease activity was assessed using the 28-Joint Disease Activity Score Index with C-reactive protein; high-resolution computed tomography chest scans were performed. The prevalence of bronchiectasis was recorded and its association with different risk factors was examined using standard statistical methods. Results: All 100 patients fulfilled the ACR and EULAR classification criteria for RA diagnosis. Their mean age was 51.05 ± 13.5 years, disease duration was 6.19 ± 6.4 years and disease activity index was 4 ± 1.3 (moderate activity. A total of 35 (35% patients developed bronchiectasis. Notably, we observed significant positive associations of bronchiectasis with age, disease duration and male gender (P < 0.001, P = 0.006, P = 0.028, respectively. Conclusions: Asymptomatic bronchiectasis represents a common complication in moderately active RA patients within the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, several predictors of bronchiectasis development were identified, which can contribute to effective risk stratification in RA patients. Further prospective studies are

Predictive value of clinical and laboratory variables for vesicoureteral reflux in children.

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Soylu, Alper; Kasap, Belde; Demir, Korcan; Türkmen, Mehmet; Kavukçu, Salih

2007-06-01

We aimed to determine the predictability of clinical and laboratory variables for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children with urinary tract infection (UTI). Data of children with febrile UTI who underwent voiding cystoureterography between 2002 and 2005 were evaluated retrospectively for clinical (age, gender, fever > or = 38.5 degrees C, recurrent UTI), laboratory [leukocytosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), pyuria, serum creatinine (S(Cr))] and imaging (renal ultrasonography) variables. Children with VUR (group 1) vs. no VUR (group 2) and children with high-grade (III-V) VUR (group 3) vs. no or low-grade (I-II) VUR (group 4) were compared. Among 88 patients (24 male), 38 had VUR and 21 high-grade VUR. Fever > or = 38.5 degrees C was associated with VUR [odds ratio (OR): 7.5]. CRP level of 50 mg/l was the best cut-off level for predicting high-grade VUR (OR 15.5; discriminative ability 0.89 +/- 0.05). Performing voiding cystourethrography based on this CRP level would result in failure to notice 9% of patients with high-grade VUR, whereas 69% of children with no/low-grade VUR would be spared from this invasive test. In conclusion, fever > or = 38 degrees C and CRP > 50 mg/l seem to be potentially useful clinical predictors of VUR and high-grade VUR, respectively, in pediatric patients with UTI. Further validation of these findings could limit unnecessary voiding cystourethrography.

Efficient industrial energy use: The first step in transitioning Saudi Arabia's energy mix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matar, Walid; Murphy, Frederic; Pierru, Axel; Rioux, Bertrand; Wogan, David

2017-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, industrial fuel prices are administered below international prices and firms make decisions based on low energy prices, increasing domestic energy demand. This analysis explores alternative policies designed to induce a transition to a more efficient energy system by immediately deregulating industrial fuel prices, gradually deregulating fuel prices, and introducing investment credits or feed-in tariffs. It uses a dynamic multi-sector, mixed-complementarity model. Continuing existing policies results in a power system still fueled completely by hydrocarbons. The alternative policies result in a transition to a more efficient energy system where nuclear and renewable technologies become cost-effective and produce 70% of the electricity in 2032. Introducing the alternative policies can reduce the consumption of oil and natural gas by up to 2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2032, with cumulative savings between 6.3 and 9.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent. The energy system sees a net economic gain up to half a trillion 2014 USD from increased oil exports, even with investments in nuclear and renewables. The results are robust to alternative assumptions regarding the value of oil saved and the growth in end-use energy demand. - Highlights: • We model the effect of reforming fuel prices to industrial sectors in Saudi Arabia. • Alternate policies can lower oil and gas use by up to two million boe/day in 2032. • Large economic gains could be achieved by reforming industrial fuel prices. • Some pricing policies manage transition without compromising the economic gain. • Saudi Arabia can maintain large crude oil export capacity by 2032.

Conflict and professionalism: perceptions among nurses in Saudi Arabia.

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Zakari, N M; Al Khamis, N I; Hamadi, H Y

2010-09-01

To examine the relationship between nurses' perceptions of conflict and professionalism. In Saudi Arabia, health-care sectors are constantly undergoing major changes because of social, consumer-related, governmental, technological and economic pressures. These changes will influence the nature of health-care organizations, such as hospitals' work environment. The ability of nurses to practise in a professional manner may be influenced by their work environment and conflict level. A cross-sectional design was conducted in this study. A simple random selection of three health-care sectors in Saudi Arabia was performed and 346 nurse managers, as well as bedside nurses participated to provide information about conflict levels and professionalism. The Perceived Conflict Scale was used to assess the level of conflict, and the Valiga Concept of Nursing Scale was used to assess the professionalism perception among nurses. The intragroup/other department type of conflict had a statistically significant correlation with the perception of professionalism. In addition, the findings point to a low perception among the participating nurses regarding their professionalism. A number of factors might explain the low level of perception of professionalism. These relate to the workplace itself, as well as to the personal background of the nurses, which includes the personal interest in the nursing profession, as well as the family's, society's and the consumers' views of the profession. Given the findings of this study, nurse managers are encouraged to create a work environment that supports professionalism and minimizes conflict.

Assessment of nutritional rickets in Western Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fida, Nadia M.

2003-01-01

To explore the role of radiological examination and certain biochemichal values in diagnosing and assessing severity of nutritional rickets. There were cases of nutritional rickets (age range between 3-36 months) seen at King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the period 1997-1999 were studied. Determinatin of calcium (Ca), phosphate(PO4),alkaline phosphate(ALP),hand and wrist x-rays,were performed for all cases. 60 cases of nutritional rickets were dignosed within 2 years,38.3% of the patients presented with swollen wristand 28.3% with bowleg.The bone profile at the time of diagnosis: Ca=2.33+-0.23,PO4=1.47+-0.40 and ALP=925+-418. Approximately 81.7% of the patients had a normal of Ca level, 18.3% had low serum PO4 level, 98.3%high value of ALP. X-ray studies indicated that,58.3% of patients have active rickets, 35% had minimal changes, and 6.7% showed healed rickets. Among those having active rickets 20% had low PO4 level ,83% had normal Ca vlaue , and 100% had high ALP.The mean value +- Sd of biochemical values in this group : Ca=2.34+-0.24, PO4= 1.45+-0.42,ALP=1067+-452. The later was significantly higher compared to other groups (P=0.004). Radiological examination and ALP remains essential to confirm clinical diagnosis of rickets and assessment of severity. (author)

Health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary care in Saudi Arabia

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Alamri, Badrya H.; Xiao, Lily D.

2017-01-01

Previous international studies have indicated that a range of factors influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people were education, past work experiences, and social contact with healthy older people. This article reports on the findings of a literature review in relation to attitudes toward older people among health professionals working in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this narrative literature are reported through 5 themes: the instruments used in the selected studies to measure attitudes toward older people; the instruments used to measure knowledge on ageing; attitudes toward older people; knowledge of the care of older people; and factors that influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Further investigation is needed to identify the level of knowledge on ageing, attitudes toward older people, and the factors which affect health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. PMID:28251216

Health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary care in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alamri, Badrya H; Xiao, Lily D

2017-03-01

Previous international studies have indicated that a range of factors influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people were education, past work experiences, and social contact with healthy older people. This article reports on the findings of a literature review in relation to attitudes toward older people among health professionals working in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this narrative literature are reported through 5 themes: the instruments used in the selected studies to measure attitudes toward older people; the instruments used to measure knowledge on ageing; attitudes toward older people; knowledge of the care of older people; and factors that influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Further investigation is needed to identify the level of knowledge on ageing, attitudes toward older people, and the factors which affect health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia.

First detection of Nosema sp., microsporidian parasites of honeybees (Apis mellifera in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia

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Abdel-Azeem S. Abdel-Baki

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Nosema sp. is recorded in Saudi Arabia for the first time, in adult Apis mellifera collected from apiaries in Riyadh city. Samples of 100 workers were collected and examined for the infection with Nosema sp. 5% of the bees were found positively infected with Nosema sp. Spores were oval to elliptical shaped and measuring 6.4 (5.0–7.0 μm in length, 3.4 (3.0–4.5 μm in width. The conclusive identification of the present Nosema species will preclude until further ultrastructure and molecular studies. The present study concluded that intensive surveys are prerequisite to identify the species of Nosema and to estimate their distribution and prevalence in different regions of Saudi Arabia.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Children from Western Saudi Arabia: Relative Frequency, Clinical, Pathological, Endoscopic, and Immunological Study

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Omar I. Saadah

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EE is an evolving allergic disease with an accelerated incidence. The purpose of this study was to delineate the relative frequency and clinicopathological characteristics of EE in children from western Saudi Arabia. Methods. Children with EE were studied retrospectively between October 2002 and December 2011 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital and International Medical Center. Results. The relative frequency of EE was 0.85% of 2127 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies performed during the study period. Eighteen patients were identified with EE. The median age was 8.6 years (range, 1.5–18 years. Thirteen (72.2% were males. Dysphagia and vomiting were the most common symptoms. Ten (55.6% children had history of atopy. Testing for food allergy by skin prick test was positive in 11 (61.1%. The most common endoscopic abnormalities were mucosal longitudinal furrow and loss of vascular pattern followed by patchy specks and strictures. The histopathological findings included increased intraepithelial eosinophils, eosinophilic degranulation, lamina propria fibrosis, and eosinophilic microabscesses. Treatment was initiated by swallowed topical corticosteroids in 12 (66.7% and oral prednisolone in 6 (33% patients, followed by low dose of topical corticosteroids and dietary elimination. Conclusions. Eosinophilic esophagitis is an uncommon but evolving problem. A high index of suspicion is required for early identifications and intervention to avoid possible complications.

UL146 variability among clinical isolates of Human Cytomegalovirus from Japan

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Francisco Aguayo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV is a herpesvirus associated with serious diseases in immunocompromised subjects. The region between ORF UL133 and UL151 from HCMV, named ULb' is frequently deleted in attenuated AD169 and in highly passaged laboratory strains. However, this region is conserved in low-passaged and more virulent HCMV, like the Toledo strain. The UL146 gene, which is located in the ULb' region, encodes a CXC-chemokine analogue. The diversity of UL146 gene was evaluated among fifty-six clinical isolates of HCMV from Japan. Results show that UL146 gene was successfully amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR in only 17/56 strains (30%, while the success rate for UL145/UL147 gene was 18/56 strains (32%. After DNA sequencing, the 35 amplified strains were classified into 8 groups. When compared, variability of UL146 ranged from 25.1% to 52.9% at the DNA level and from 34.5% to 67% at the amino acid level. Seven groups had the interleukin-8 (IL-8 motif ERL (Glu-Leu-Arg CXC and one group had only the CXC motif, suggesting the absence of the IL-8 function of UL146. In conclusion, we found that UL146 gene of HCMV is hyper-variable in clinical strains from Japan suggesting the possibility of a different function in each sequence group.

Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, America and the World: September 11th from Another Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Christodoulou, Niki

This paper employs an autobiographical method using biographical elements from narrated experiences from Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, where she has come to study. The paper offers perspectives on the September 11, 2001 tragedy and other acts of terrorism, violence, and mass destruction. It describes how the author's Cyprus…

Prevalence of somatization and minor psychiatric morbidity in primary healthcare in Saudi Arabia: A preliminary study in Asir region

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Mohammed M Alqahtani

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Objective : To determine the prevalence of psychological disorders and somatization among primary care patients from a semi-urban area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Design : Screening of consecutive patients with the 12-item and 28-item versions of the General Health Questionnaires and assessments of physical symptoms associated with somatization, using the HSCL-12. Eight primary care health centres in Assir, Saudi Arabia. Results : About half of the sample had one or more psychological disorders. The prevalence of somatization detected by the GHQ-28 was 16%. The prevalence of somatization indicated by GPs′ identification of medically unexplained symptoms was 14%. Women displayed higher levels of somatization than men. Conclusion : This study reported prevalence of psychological disorders that was as high as found in the more modern areas of Saudi Arabia such as Riyadh. The view that individuals in less open areas are protected from psychological disorders associated with stress and lifestyle pressure seems to be unsubstantiated. The results highlight the potential value of screening for psychological disorders using such simple instruments as the GHQ

Prevalence of somatization and minor psychiatric morbidity in primary healthcare in saudi arabia: a preliminary study in asir region.

Science.gov (United States)

Alqahtani, Mohammed M; Salmon, Peter

2008-01-01

To determine the prevalence of psychological disorders and somatization among primary care patients from a semi-urban area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Screening of consecutive patients with the 12-item and 28-item versions of the General Health Questionnaires and assessments of physical symptoms associated with somatization, using the HSCL-12. Eight primary care health centres in Assir, Saudi Arabia. About half of the sample had one or more psychological disorders. The prevalence of somatization detected by the GHQ-28 was 16%. The prevalence of somatization indicated by GPs' identification of medically unexplained symptoms was 14%. Women displayed higher levels of somatization than men. This study reported prevalence of psychological disorders that was as high as found in the more modern areas of Saudi Arabia such as Riyadh. The view that individuals in less open areas are protected from psychological disorders associated with stress and lifestyle pressure seems to be unsubstantiated. The results highlight the potential value of screening for psychological disorders using such simple instruments as the GHQ.

Children with language problems in a speech and hearing clinic : Background variables and extent of language problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keegstra, A.L.; Knijff, W.A.; Post, W.J.; Goorhuis-Brouwer, S.M.

Objective: Analysis of a clinical population referred for language analysis in terms of background variables and extent of language problems. Design: Descriptive study. Materials and methods: Children referred to a speech and hearing clinic because of assumed language problems were analyzed with

Psychological well-being status among medical and dental students in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboalshamat, Khalid; Hou, Xiang-Yu; Strodl, Esben

2015-04-01

Medical and dental students experience poor psychological well-being relative to their peers. This study aimed to assess the psychological well-being among medical and dental students in Saudi Arabia, identify the high-risk groups and assess the association between the psychological well-being and the academic performance. In this cross-sectional study, 422 preclinical medical and dental students at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia, were recruited to assess their depression, anxiety, stress, self-efficacy and satisfaction with life levels using 21-items Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), General Self-Efficacy (GSE) scale and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Students' academic weighted grades were obtained later. Descriptive statistics and univariate general linear model were used to analyse data. High levels of depression (69.9%), anxiety (66.4%) and stress (70.9%) were indicated, whereas self-efficacy (mean = 27.22, sd = 4.85) and life satisfaction (mean = 23.60, sd = 6.37) were within the normal range. Female medical students had higher psychological distress in contrast to dental students. In general, third-year students were more depressed and stressed in comparison with second-year students, except for stress among dental students. Moreover, all females had higher self-efficacy than males. Life satisfaction was higher within the second-year and high family income students. Depression was the only psychological variable correlated with the academic performance. High levels of psychological distress were found. Female medical students had higher psychological distress than males, whereas male dental students had higher distress than female. Medical students at third year were more depressed and stressed. Dental students were more depressed in the third year, but more stressed in the second year. Attention should be directed towards reducing the alarming levels of depression, anxiety and stress among medical and dental students.

Identifying Pathways toward Sustainable Electricity Supply and Demand Using an Integrated Resource Strategic Planning Model for Saudi Arabia

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Alabbas, Nabeel H.

Despite holding 16% of proved oil reserves in the world, Saudi Arabia might be on an unsustainable path to become a net oil importer by the 2030s. Decades of domestic energy subsidies accompanied by a high population growth rate have encouraged inefficient production and high domestic consumption of fossil fuel energy, which has resulted in environmental degradation, and significant social and economic consequences. In addition, the government's dependence on oil as a main source of revenue (89%) to finance its development programs cannot be sustained due to oil's exhaustible nature and rapidly increasing domestic consumption. The electricity and water sectors consume more energy than other sectors. The literature review revealed that electricity use in Saudi Arabia is following an unsustainable path (7-8% annual growth over the last decade). The water sector is another major energy consumer due to an unprecedented demand for water in the Kingdom (18% of world's total desalinated water output with per capita consumption is twice the world average). Multiple entities have been involved in fragmented planning activities on the supply-side as well as to a certain extent on the demand-side; moreover, comprehensive integrated resource strategic plans have been lacking at the national level. This dissertation established an integrated resource strategic planning (IRSP) model for Saudi Arabia's electricity and water sectors. The IRSP can clearly determine the Kingdom's future vision of its utility sector, including goals, policies, programs, and an execution timetable, taking into consideration economic, environmental and social benefits. Also, a weather-based hybrid end-use econometric demand forecasting model was developed to project electricity demand until 2040. The analytical economic efficiency and technical assessments reveal that Saudi Arabia can supply almost 75% of its electricity from renewable energy sources with a significant achievable potential for saving

Influence of clinical and lipid variables on the magnitude of postprandial lipemia in subjects with and without hipertriglyceridemia

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Clara Eugenia Pérez G.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The postprandial lipemia is characterized by some prolonged increase in circulation of triglycerides rich lipoproteins that can produce atherosclerosis, which is an important cause of death in our population. Objective. To evaluate the effect of lipidic and clinical variables on the values of postprandial lipemia in subjects with and without hipertriglyceridemia. Materials and methods. Forty-eight subjects of both sexes were studied, half of them, with basal triglycerides above 200mg/dl, who ingested a standardized lipidic load (breakfast with 30g of fat and then they were followed during seven hours gathering total blood every hour to determine the level of postprandial triglycerides and the postprandial lipemia values. The later data was correlated with clinical variables as age, body mass index, waist circumference, among other; and with lipidic variable as total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and basal triglycerides. Results. There was alteration in the clearence of postprandial triglycerides in those subjects with a basal concentration of triglycerides above 186 mg/dl. The clinical variables most related tothe magnitude of postprandial lipemia were age (p=0.009 and waist perimeter, while the lipidic variables that were strongly related with the postprandial lipemia were the basal triglycerides concentration (p=<0.001, the VLDL cholesterol (p=<0.001 and the HDL cholesterol(p=0.041. Conclusion. The variables that could predict the behavior of postprandial triglycerides in the individuals of this study are age, waist perimeter, VLDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and the basal triglycerides concentration.

Perception of self-medication among university students in Saudi Arabia

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Mustafa S Saeed

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to assess self-medication practice among university students in the Al-Qassim Province of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted by distributing a self-administered 18-item questionnaire among university students in the Al-Qassim Province of Saudi Arabia in the period between October and December 2012. The participants were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected from the questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 19. A total of 354 male students with an average age of 21.95 (SD ± 3.43 participated in this study. Our study showed that self-medication among male students was high (86.6% compared to results shown in other studies in the same region. Headache (59.9%, cough/cold (41% and fever (24.6% were the most common symptoms associated with self-medication. Congruent with the medical conditions reported, the most widely used medications without prescriptions were paracetamol (34.7%, followed by antibiotics (31.4% and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (28.7%. Our study shows that antibiotics were sometimes irrationally used for self-treatment of cough and fever. Self-medication was highly frequent among the students. Influence of TV advertisements, high accessibility of pharmacies and convenience stores, as well as good buying power were found to be leading factors for self-medication among male university students.

Identifying Twitter influencer profiles for health promotion in Saudi Arabia.

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Albalawi, Yousef; Sixsmith, Jane

2017-06-01

New media platforms, such as Twitter, provide the ideal opportunity to positively influence the health of large audiences. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest number of Twitter users of any country, some of whom are very influential in setting agendas and contributing to the dissemination of ideas. Those opinion leaders, both individuals and organizations, influential in the new media environment have the potential to raise awareness of health issues, advocate for health and potentially instigate change at a social level. To realize the potential of the new media platforms for public health, the function of opinion leaders is key. This study aims to identify and profile the most influential Twitter accounts in Saudi Arabia. Multiple measures, including: number of followers and four influence scores, were used to evaluate Twitter accounts. The data were then filtered and analysed using ratio and percentage calculations to identify the most influential users. In total, 99 Saudi Twitter accounts were classified, resulting in the identification of 25 religious men/women, 16 traditional media, 14 sports related, 10 new media, 6 political, 6 company and 4 health accounts. The methods used to identify the key influential Saudi accounts can be applied to inform profile development of Twitter users in other countries. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coupled variable selection for regression modeling of complex treatment patterns in a clinical cancer registry.

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Schmidtmann, I; Elsäßer, A; Weinmann, A; Binder, H

2014-12-30

For determining a manageable set of covariates potentially influential with respect to a time-to-event endpoint, Cox proportional hazards models can be combined with variable selection techniques, such as stepwise forward selection or backward elimination based on p-values, or regularized regression techniques such as component-wise boosting. Cox regression models have also been adapted for dealing with more complex event patterns, for example, for competing risks settings with separate, cause-specific hazard models for each event type, or for determining the prognostic effect pattern of a variable over different landmark times, with one conditional survival model for each landmark. Motivated by a clinical cancer registry application, where complex event patterns have to be dealt with and variable selection is needed at the same time, we propose a general approach for linking variable selection between several Cox models. Specifically, we combine score statistics for each covariate across models by Fisher's method as a basis for variable selection. This principle is implemented for a stepwise forward selection approach as well as for a regularized regression technique. In an application to data from hepatocellular carcinoma patients, the coupled stepwise approach is seen to facilitate joint interpretation of the different cause-specific Cox models. In conditional survival models at landmark times, which address updates of prediction as time progresses and both treatment and other potential explanatory variables may change, the coupled regularized regression approach identifies potentially important, stably selected covariates together with their effect time pattern, despite having only a small number of events. These results highlight the promise of the proposed approach for coupling variable selection between Cox models, which is particularly relevant for modeling for clinical cancer registries with their complex event patterns. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons

Life Style Related Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Increased Prevalence in Saudi Arabia: A Brief Review

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Mohammad Fareed

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Aims: Role of life style related risk factors is very important in the pathogenesis and progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. The aim of this article is to review the disease burden of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM among the population of Saudi Arabia due to unhealthy life style. Methods: In this review, the information was collected from published literatures related to risk factors like unhealthy dietary pattern and sedentary life style leading to T2DM. Additionally, some epidemiological information for the prevalence of T2DM in Saudi Arabia was also collected. Results: Earlier studies have depicted that unhealthy life style and dietary patterns are risk factors involved in the development of insulin resistance in the body cells. In Saudi Arabia, rapid economic growth has provided a luxurious life style to the masses eventually leading to decrease in the physical activities and adoption of unhealthy dietary patterns. The increased prevalence of T2DM in Saudi Arabia is very much implicated to the life style related risk factors which needs to be improvise for the prevention of this disease. Conclusion: Since the increased prevalence of T2DM is associated with the sedentary life style and unhealthy dietary pattern, so it is recommended that creating awareness about the life style related risk factors for T2DM among general population and patients, will effectively contribute in lowering its incidence rate.

Content Analysis of Science Books for Upper Primary Stage in Jordan and Intermediate Stage in Saudi Arabia from an Islamic Perspective: Analytical Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Aldossari, Ali Tarad; Al Khaldi, Jamal Khalil; Altarawneh, Mohammad Hasan

2016-01-01

This study aims to identify the current situation of science books in Jordan and Saudi Arabia from an Islamic perspective. For this end, the content analysis approach has been used through the analysis of the unit concept in the science books for the seventh, eighth and ninth grades in the academic year (2015/2016) in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The…

Radiation monitoring of imported food to Saudi Arabia after Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abulfaraj, W.H.; Abdul-Majid, S.; Abdul-Fattah, A.F.

1987-01-01

Saudi Arabia has been indirectly affected by the Chernobyl accident. Large amounts of food or products that may enter the food chain are daily imported from European countries. After April 27, the Saudi government assigned the responsibilities of radiation monitoring of imported food to some universities and governmental sectors. The nuclear engineering department at King Abdulaziz Univ. (KAU) has undertaken the monitoring duties for products coming to western and southern provinces of the country. The sampling and monitoring procedures and results are described

Association between body mass index, diet and dental caries in Grade 6 boys in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhayat, A; Ahmad, M S; Fadel, H T

2016-12-12

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in Saudi Arabia and although caries is associated with obesity, this association has not been investigated in Medina. This study aimed to determine the association between dental caries, body mass index (BMI) and dietary habits of 12-year-old boys from four geographically distinct schools in Medina. Mean BMI was 22.17 kg/m² (± 5.15); 41% had normal BMI, 25% were overweight and 30% were obese. The mean Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) score was 1.46 (± 2.04). Those in the normal BMI range had a significantly higher prevalence of caries (57%) and DMFT score (1.92) compared with the overweight and obese groups (P caries. Normal and underweight participants had an almost 2 times greater risk of developing caries compared with their overweight and obese counterparts. The children had poor dietary habits and there were no significant associations between dietary variables and caries.

Screening program for Waardenburg syndrome in Colombia: clinical definition and phenotypic variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamayo, Marta L; Gelvez, Nancy; Rodriguez, Marcela; Florez, Silvia; Varon, Clara; Medina, David; Bernal, Jaime E

2008-04-15

A screening program to detect Waardenburg syndrome (WS) conducted between 2002 and 2005, among 1,763 deaf individuals throughout Columbia identified 95 affected individuals belonging to 95 families, giving a frequency of 5.38% of WS among the institutionalized deaf population. We confirmed the clinical diagnosis of WS in the 95 propositi and, through the family evaluation, we also identified 45 non-institutionalized affected relatives. Audiologic, ophthalmologic, and genetic studies were performed to confirm the diagnosis. Following the classification of the WS consortium, based on the Waardenburg Index (WI), to define the type of WS. We classified 62.1% of the propositi as WS2 and 37.9% as WS1. We present here the results of the study of clinical manifestations, analyzing the presence, severity, and symmetry of clinical findings among this affected population. Overall, among the 95 propositi, in addition to sensorineural deafness in all, the most frequent features were broad nasal root (58.9%), a first degree relative affected (37.9%), heterochromia irides (36.8%), skin hypopigmentation (31.6%), white forelock (28.0%), intense blue iris (27.4%), synophrys (12.6%), premature graying (10.5%), ptosis of the eyelids (9.5%), and hypoplasia alae nasi (1.1%). The majority of individuals had normal psychomotor development (87%), while the remaining 13% had developmental delay. Among the latter, 9.4% corresponded to WS2 and 3.6% to WS1. Our data confirm an interesting inter- and intrafamilial variability in the phenotypic manifestations as well as extremely variable expression. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A new case for promoting wastewater reuse in Saudi Arabia: bringing energy into the water equation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kajenthira, Arani; Siddiqi, Afreen; Anadon, Laura Diaz

2012-07-15

Saudi Arabia is the third-largest per capita water user worldwide and has addressed the disparity between its renewable water resources and domestic demand primarily through desalination and the abstraction of non-renewable groundwater. This study evaluates the potential costs of this approach in the industrial and municipal sectors, exploring economic, energy, and environmental costs (including CO2 emissions and possible coastal impacts). Although the energy intensity of desalination is a global concern, it is particularly urgent to rethink water supply options in Saudi Arabia because the entirety of its natural gas production is consumed domestically, primarily in petrochemical and desalination plants. This burgeoning demand is necessitating the development of more expensive high-sulfur gas resources that could make desalination even pricier. The evolving necessity to conserve non-renewable water and energy resources and mitigate GHG emissions in the region also requires policy makers to weigh in much more considerably the energy and environmental costs of desalination. This paper suggests that in Saudi Arabia, the implementation of increased water conservation and reuse across the oil and natural gas sectors could conserve up to 29% of total industrial water withdrawals at costs recovered over 0-30 years, depending on the specific improvement. This work also indicates that increasing wastewater treatment and reuse in six high-altitude inland cities could save a further $225 million (2009 dollars) and conserve 2% of Saudi Arabia's annual electricity consumption. By these estimates, some anticipated investments in desalination projects could be deferred by improving water efficiency in industry and prioritizing investment in sewage and water distribution networks that would ensure more effective water reclamation and reuse. Simultaneously, such initiatives would conserve non-renewable natural gas resources and could help prevent the lock-in of potentially

Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive trees in Al-Jouf region, north Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

A preliminary survey of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive was performed in Al-Jouf region, north Saudi Arabia. Olive is a newly introduced crop in this region, and is cultivated in the agricultural enterprises of some of the biggest Saudi agricultural companies. Seedlings are mostly im...

75 FR 67433 - Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Government of Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-02

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 7220] Waiver of Restriction on Assistance to the Government of Saudi Arabia Pursuant to Section 7041 of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2010 (Division F, Pub. L. 111-117) (``the Act''), I hereby determine that it...

Feasibility of using a subsurface intake for SWRO facility, south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Almashharawi, Samir; Dehwah, Abdullah; Bin Bandar, Khaled; Missimer, Thomas M.

2014-01-01

of these desalination plants is located south of Jeddah city which is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia. The plant shifted from an open-ocean intake to beach wells to improve the water quality at the site. Currently, the plant employs 10 vertical wells to extract

Social Determinants of Domestic Violence Among Saudi Married Women in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Alquaiz, ALJohara M; Almuneef, Maha; Kazi, Ambreen; Almeneessier, Aljohara

2017-12-01

Intimate partner violence is a worldwide public health problem. The objectives of this study were to measure the prevalence and types of domestic violence, and to explore the association between social determinants (sociodemographic factors, husband-related factors, and social support) and violence against women by their intimate partner (husband). We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 randomly selected primary health care centers and 13 private institutions (teaching institutes, government offices, social welfare organizations) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Female data collectors took interview from 1,883 married Saudi females aged 30 to 75 years. Interviews included sociodemographic information, reproductive health variables, and social support questionnaire. Violence was measured using modified Intimate Partner Violence Against Women questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The lifetime prevalence for any type of violence was 43.0% ( n = 810). The most frequent type was controlling behavior (36.8%), followed by emotional violence (22%), sexual violence (12.7%), and physical violence (9.0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the following were associated with greater odds of reporting domestic violence: younger age 30 to 40 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.3, 3.0]), 41 to 50 years (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI = [1.1, 2.5]); lack of emotional support (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = [1.2, 2.5]); lack of tangible support (aOR = 1.4, 95% CI = [1.1, 1.9]); and perceived poor self-health (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = [1.0, 3.0]), husbands' poor health (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI = [1.2, 2.0]), and polygamy (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI = [1.5, 2.6]). Domestic violence occurs frequently in Saudi Arabia. Both social conditions and social relations are significantly associated with domestic violence against Saudi women. Furthermore, improvement in implementation of the local policies

Review of Green Arabia: Human Prehistory at the Crossroads of Continents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joe Roe

2014-04-01

Full Text Available ‘Green Arabia’ was a lively and smoothly run conference held at St John’s College, University of Oxford between the 2nd and 4th of April 2014. The facilities and organisation were excellent, and an opening address from HRH Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul-aziz Al-Saud set the stage for a densely packed programme of world class research in Arabian archaeology. Papers arising from the organisers’ ongoing ERC-funded Palaeodeserts Project formed the backbone of four sessions on the environment and human landscape of early prehistoric Arabia. Michael Petraglia introduced this project in his keynote. The project targets an area largely neglected since systematic archaeological research began in Saudi Arabia in the 1970s, but which, as highlighted by Abdullah Alsharekh and Ali bin Ibrahim Al Ghabban, has recently been thrust onto the international research agenda. The central message that emerged over the two days was neatly summed up by Huw Groucutt: we can no longer ‘draw lines through Arabia’ when considering the dispersal of modern humans. The peninsula, linking Africa to Europe and Asia, was a critical nexus in early prehistory and demands the close attention of archaeologists in years to come.

Geophysical Imaging of Fault Structures Over the Qadimah Fault, Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

AlTawash, Feras

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study is to use geophysical imaging methods to identify the conjectured location of the ‘Qadimah fault’ near the ‘King Abdullah Economic City’, Saudi Arabia. Towards this goal, 2-D resistivity and seismic surveys were conducted at two different locations, site 1 and site 2, along the proposed trace of the ‘Qadimah fault’. Three processing techniques were used to validate the fault (i) 2-D travel time tomography, (ii) resistivity imaging, and (iii) reflection trim stacking. The refraction traveltime tomograms at site 1 and site 2 both show low-velocity zones (LVZ’s) next to the conjectured fault trace. These LVZ’s are interpreted as colluvial wedges that are often observed on the downthrown side of normal faults. The resistivity tomograms are consistent with this interpretation in that there is a significant change in resistivity values along the conjectured fault trace. Processing the reflection data did not clearly reveal the existence of a fault, and is partly due to the sub-optimal design of the reflection experiment. Overall, the results of this study strongly, but not definitively, suggest the existence of the Qadimah fault in the ‘King Abdullah Economic City’ region of Saudi Arabia.

Optimization of Broadband Seismic Network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

KAUST Repository

Alshuhail, Abdulrahman

2011-05-01

Saudi Arabia covers a large portion of the Arabian plate, a region characterized by seismic activity, along complex divergent and convergent plate boundaries. In order to understand these plate boundaries it is essential to optimize the design of the broadband seismic station network to accurately locate earthquakes. In my study, I apply an optimization method to design the broadband station distribution in Saudi Arabia. This method is based on so called D-optimal planning criterion that optimizes the station distribution for locating the hypocenters of earthquakes. Two additional adjustments were implemented: to preferentially acquire direct and refracted wave, and to account for geometric spreading of seismic waves (and thus increases the signal to noise ratio). The method developed in this study for optimizing the geographical location of broadband stations uses the probability of earthquake occurrence and a 1-D velocity model of the region, and minimizes the ellipsoid volume of the earthquake location errors. The algorithm was applied to the current seismic network, operated by the Saudi Geologic Survey (SGS). Based on the results, I am able to make recommendations on, how to expand the existing network. Furthermore, I quantify the efficiency of our method by computing the standard error of epicenter and depth before and after adding the proposed stations.

Variable mechanical ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontela, Paula Caitano; Prestes, Renata Bernardy; Forgiarini, Luiz Alberto; Friedman, Gilberto

2017-01-01

To review the literature on the use of variable mechanical ventilation and the main outcomes of this technique. Search, selection, and analysis of all original articles on variable ventilation, without restriction on the period of publication and language, available in the electronic databases LILACS, MEDLINE®, and PubMed, by searching the terms "variable ventilation" OR "noisy ventilation" OR "biologically variable ventilation". A total of 36 studies were selected. Of these, 24 were original studies, including 21 experimental studies and three clinical studies. Several experimental studies reported the beneficial effects of distinct variable ventilation strategies on lung function using different models of lung injury and healthy lungs. Variable ventilation seems to be a viable strategy for improving gas exchange and respiratory mechanics and preventing lung injury associated with mechanical ventilation. However, further clinical studies are necessary to assess the potential of variable ventilation strategies for the clinical improvement of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.