7 research outputs found
Self-reported Occupational-related Contact Dermatitis: Prevalence and Risk Factors among Health-care Workers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study
No full textBackground:
Occupational skin disease is the second-most common occupational disease according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accounting for 30%–45% of all occupational diseases worldwide, and out of which 95% is contact dermatitis. Health-care workers are at high risk of developing occupational contact dermatitis (OCD).
Purpose:
The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for OCD among health-care workers in Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2023 after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional review board of the Ministry of Health. We used a newly generated English questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (2002).
Results:
Overall, 592 health-care professionals were included; 141 had OCD on hands, wrists, or forearms. Most respondents with OCD (66.0%, n = 93) were women, whereas 48% (34.0) were men. Among health-care professionals, OCD was common in doctors; 81 out of 321 reported having the condition. The crude odds ratio for personal and family history of allergy were 3.88 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.62–5.82), and 2.63 (95% CI: 1.75–4.00), respectively, suggesting that participants with these comorbidities had a higher chance of developing OCD than patients without them did.
Conclusion:
OCD is common among health-care professionals in Saudi Arabia. Awareness of disease preventive measures may help improve outcomes
TiO2/MoS2-rGO composite Photoanodes: A Path to improved electron transport and photovoltaic efficiency in Dye-Sensitized solar cells
Get PDFImproving the efficiency and viability of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) depends largely on addressing the material limitations of key components. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is widely regarded as the best-performing semiconductor for DSSC photoanodes, yet its binary composition imposes constraints that prevent DSSCs from achieving their full potential. In this study, we demonstrate that incorporating two-dimensional (2D) materials into TiO2 in the form of a nanocomposite significantly enhances its performance. Specifically, we investigate the application of a TiO2/MoS2-rGO nanocomposite as a photoanode material in DSSCs. While this composite has previously shown promise as an electrode material for supercapacitors and batteries, we reveal its substantial potential for DSSCs, particularly in improving the charge transport properties of bare TiO2 through the addition of MoS2 nanosheets, and enhancing porosity by introducing rGO into its lattice. Our results show an impressive 41% increase in efficiency, from 6.6% for pure TiO2-based DSSCs to 9.3% for DSSCs incorporating the TiO2/ MoS2-rGO photoanode. Comprehensive studies and analyses were conducted to explore various aspects of the material and device, establishing TiO2/MoS2-rGO as a promising alternative to bare TiO2 in DSSCs.Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA)- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [13276-bisha-2023-BU-R-3-1-SE]The Corresponding author (Prof. Ashraf A. Ali; the idea owner and P. I. of University of Bisha Nanotechnology Center- UBNTC) would like to declare that; This paper is derived from a research grant funded by the Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA)- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia- with grant number (13276-bisha-2023-BU-R-3-1-SE
Patient Satisfaction as a Determinant of Patient Loyalty to the Dentist in Dental Clinics
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the impact of patient satisfaction with a dentist on their loyalty to that dentist in Saudi Ministry of Health dental clinics. Retrospective data were recruited from the patient experience program (Press Ganey Survey) during the first half of 2022. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient ( r ), and multiple linear regression models were used to assess the impact on loyalty to that dentist. Among the 964 respondents who submitted their responses to the survey, the highest mean satisfaction score was for the item concerning the good listening of the dentist to the patient (3.86 of 5; 77.2%). There was a highly significant correlation between each item related to the dentist and the likelihood of the patient to recommend a certain dentist to others “that is, patient loyalty” ( P < .001). The highest predictor of patient loyalty to his dentist was the dentist's explanation of the treatment options to his patient ( t : 8.632, P < .001). Dentists have a crucial role to play in boosting patient satisfaction and thereby patient loyalty
Chemical Characterization of Honey and Its Effect (Alone as well as with Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles) on Microbial Pathogens’ and Human Cancer Cell Lines’ Growth
No full textThe antibacterial, anticancer, and wound-healing effects of honey can vary according to the type, geographical region, honey bee species, and source of the flowers. Nanotechnology is an innovative and emerging field of science with an enormous potential role in medical, cosmetics, and industrial usages globally. Metal nanoparticles that derived from silver and range between 1 nm and 100 nm in size are called silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Much advanced research AgNPs has been conducted due to their potential antibacterial and anticancer activity, chemical stability, and ease of synthesis. The purpose of the present study was to explore the physicochemical properties of honey and the potential to use forest honey to synthesize AgNPs as well as to appraise the nanoparticles’ antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Here, we used three different percentages of forest honey (20%, 40%, and 80%) as biogenic mediators to synthesize AgNPs at room temperature. The development of AgNPs was confirmed by color change (to the naked eye) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy studies, respectively. The absorbance peak obtained between 464 to 4720 nm validated both the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band and the formation of AgNPs. Regarding the sugar profile, the contents of maltose and glucose were lower than the content of fructose. In addition, the results showed that the SPR band of AgNPs increased as the percentage of forest honey increased due to the elevation of the concentration of the bio-reducing agent. A bacterial growth kinetic assay indicated the strong antibacterial efficacy of honey with silver nanoparticles against each tested bacterial strain. Honey with nanotherapy was the most effective against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (HCT 116) cells, with IC50s of 23.9 and 27.4 µg/mL, respectively, while being less effective against breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), with an IC50 of 32.5 µg/mL
SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity are associated with genetic variants affecting gene expression in a variety of tissues
Get PDFVariability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and COVID-19 disease severity between individuals is partly due to genetic factors. Here, we identify 4 genomic loci with suggestive associations for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and 19 for COVID-19 disease severity. Four of these 23 loci likely have an ethnicity-specific component. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) signals in 11 loci colocalize with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with the expression of 20 genes in 62 tissues/cell types (range: 1:43 tissues/gene), including lung, brain, heart, muscle, and skin as well as the digestive system and immune system. We perform genetic fine mapping to compute 99% credible SNP sets, which identify 10 GWAS loci that have eight or fewer SNPs in the credible set, including three loci with one single likely causal SNP. Our study suggests that the diverse symptoms and disease severity of COVID-19 observed between individuals is associated with variants across the genome, affecting gene expression levels in a wide variety of tissue types. © 2021 The Author(s
The Association between Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS): A nationwide study from 25 medical schools
Get PDFBackground: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological condition that is characterized by obsessive thinking about a perceived flaw in one's appearance that may eventually cause significant distress and impairment in life.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2021 and August 2021 using a previously validated and published questionnaires — The Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (BIDQ) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS). Distributed to all medical students from 25 universities across all regions of Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 1,776 respondents completed the questionnaire. Females represented 57.1% of the study population.More than half of the respondents were concerned and preoccupied with their body appearance (59.4% and 52.8%, respectively). The average of the BIDQ and ACSS scores was significantly higher in females compared to males, while higher socioeconomic status and higher educational level were also significantly related with higher BIDQ and ACSS scores. Furthermore, a higher BIDQ score was associated with higher scores on the ACSS
Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy
Get PDFBackground
The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy.
Methods
In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation.
Results
Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89·6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60·6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0·17, 95 per cent c.i. 0·14 to 0·21, P < 0·001) or low (363 of 860, 42·2 per cent; OR 0·08, 0·07 to 0·10, P < 0·001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high‐HDI countries (risk difference −9·4 (95 per cent c.i. −11·9 to −6·9) per cent; P < 0·001), but the relationship was reversed in low‐HDI countries (+12·1 (+7·0 to +17·3) per cent; P < 0·001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30‐day perioperative mortality (OR 0·60, 0·50 to 0·73; P < 0·001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low‐ and middle‐HDI countries.
Conclusion
Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low‐HDI countries was half that in high‐HDI countries
