Sleeping Duration, Bedtime and BMI and Their Rapport on Academic Performance among Adolescents

Aims: To evaluate the associations between bedtime initiations, sleeping sufficiency and objective academic performance in a large sample of second secondary students.Methods: Thestudy sample consisted of 900 adolescents; 450boysand 450 girls in the second secondary class at Hail city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Participants filled a questioner about their socioeconomic factors as bedtime, sleeping duration, mental games practicing, and physical activity.Weight and heightwere measured to assess body mass index (kg/m2). Data extracted from the questioner used to study the contribution of the concomitant factors on academic achievement.Results: The mean weight was 73.57±8.34kg IQR (44-126) while the mean height was (170.38±6.45) cm IQR (141-192). The mean BMI was 33.57±14.79(IQR 21.0–38.8). The overall prevalence of childhood obesity was 460 (49.6%; 95% CI: 55.3–66.8%) while the prevalence of overweight was 85 (9.04%; 95%CI: 7.3 –11.4%). The mean ministry academic score for the second secondary class was 70±9.99 IQR (44-99) while the school academic score was 88.07±7.44 IQR (60-99).51.6% of the students went to bed between 10-12 pm and only 17.6% slept between 8 and 10 hours.Conclusion: We can summarize, the independent variables as bedtime, sleeping duration, and obesity ameliorate academic achievement in a counteractive way; high BMI above 35 and prolonged sleeping duration more than 10 hours significantly curb the total academic score, whereas, healthy bedtime of 8-10 pm concomitantly augment the academic achievement

Knowledge and Perception of Risks and Use of E-Cigarettes (Vaping) Among Adults in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Introduction: In the last decade, electronic cigarettes have emerged and spread over the world. Different generations varying in designs and features were developed. Objectives: The main objective of this study is to examine the level of awareness, knowledge, and perception about e-cigarettes and their use among the adults in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia aged 18 and above. We also examined the reasons e-cigarettes are used and whether adults who use e-cigarette were at risk of smoking conventional tobacco or e-cigarettes helped them quit smoking or not. Procedure/ method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data was obtained through an online questionnaire. Targeted people were aged 18 and above and lived in the eastern province. Data collected included demographics such as age, sex, income, etc. The questions tested their knowledge and awareness on electronic cigarettes regarding safety, usage, and whether it led to conventional cigarette use, or quitting of the same. Results: The total number of participants was 1080. The prevalence of vaping among participants was 33.6%. The most common age group of participants who did vaping was 18-24 years. 53.8% of participants believed that electronic cigarettes were not safer than nicotine products. 34.3% thought that electronic cigarettes were safer than regular cigarettes and tobacco products, whereas 46.6% of them thought that they are not safer. 46% believed that electronic cigarettes contained dangerous chemicals while 18.4% thought the opposite. 11.6% reported that they had been pushed into using traditional tobacco. 26.8% reported that they quit tobacco products after switching to electronic cigarettes, whilst 16.8% reported that they reduced the usage of tobacco products after the switch. Yet, 17.9% kept using traditional tobacco products in the same quantities after switching to electronic cigarettes. Conclusion: Vaping is increasingly used among adults and a significant amount of people are unaware of its risks. Even though it may help some people quit traditional smoking, its risks have been established and hence, awareness should be raised.

Assessment of the Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students and Intern Practitioners about the Nanotechnology in Dentistry at KSA

Background: Nanotechnology can be defined as the science involved in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of materials and devices whose smallest functional organization in at least one dimension is on the nanometer scale. Aim: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of dental students and intern practitioners about the nanotechnology in dentistry at KSA. Materials and methods: An online questionnaire was distributed through the link shared to dental students and intern practitioners via social networking websites. A simple random sample comprised of 306 participants almost distributed across the five geographical regions of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was designed to obtain information about the basic knowledge and attitude about nanotechnology being used worldwide for better dental treatment. It consisted of two parts: Part A: Biographic and demographic data of the participants. Part B: Knowledge and Attitude towards nanotechnology in dentistry was focused. Statistical analysis of the data was performed. Frequency distribution and Chi-square analysis were used to determine if there were any relationships and statistically significant differences between knowledge and attitude of nanotechnology in dentistry with biographic and demographic factors. Ola M. Sakr and Alhablain, E.A. Assessment of the Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students and Intern Practitioners about the Nanotechnology in Dentistry at KSA. IAIM, 2018; 5(10): 87-94. Page 88 Results: Out of the 306 participants' response, 213 (69.3%) had heard about the nanotechnology and the main source of information about nanotechnology in dentistry was Internet (32.1%). Only (26.4%) of participates use nanomaterial in their university and (73.6 %) didn't use it. (52.1%) of them strongly disagree with nanotechnology will have a wide application in future. Conclusion: This study revealed that there is lack of awareness on Nanotechnology application in dentistry among the dental students and intern practitioners at Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections among patients in local public hospitals of Hail, Northwestern Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among patients in Hail, Northwestern Saudi Arabia.@*METHODS@#Stool samples were collected from 130 patients (69 females and 61 males) in Hail General Hospital. Each sample was examined by direct wet mount microscopic examination using both normal saline and Lugol's iodine preparation and concentration techniques using salt and formol-ether solutions. Permanent stained smears were performed for intestinal coccidian using modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique.@*RESULTS@#The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 45.38% (59 cases). Forty-four (33.84%) were found to be infected with one or more intestinal protozoa, 5 (3.84%) were infected with helminthes and 10 (7.69%) had mixed infection with both helminthes and protozoa. The most common intestinal helminth detected was Ancylostoma duodenale (n = 5, 3.84%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides, Taenia sp. and Trichuris trichiura (n = 2 for each species, 1.5%). For intestinal protozoa, the coccidian Cryptosporidium parvum (n = 25, 19.23%) was the most common followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (n = 21, 16.15%), Giardia lamblia (n = 15, 11.54%), Entamoeba coli (n = 5, 3.85%) and Blastocystis hominis (n = 3, 2.30%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in females was significantly higher than in males (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#This is the first study highlighting that intestinal parasites are still an important public health problem in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. Therefore, health education would be the best way to prevent from intestinal parasite infections which are mainly food borne diseases.

Prevalence of intestinal parasite infections among patients in local public hospitals of Hail, Northwestern Saudi Arabia

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among patients in Hail, Northwestern Saudi Arabia. Methods: Stool samples were collected from 130 patients (69 females and 61 males) in Hail General Hospital. Each sample was examined by direct wet mount microscopic examination using both normal saline and Lugol's iodine preparation and concentration techniques using salt and formol-ether solutions. Permanent stained smears were performed for intestinal coccidian using modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection was 45.38% (59 cases). Forty-four (33.84%) were found to be infected with one or more intestinal protozoa, 5 (3.84%) were infected with helminthes and 10 (7.69%) had mixed infection with both helminthes and protozoa. The most common intestinal helminth detected was Ancylostoma duodenale (n = 5, 3.84%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides, Taenia sp. and Trichuris trichiura (n = 2 for each species, 1.5%). For intestinal protozoa, the coccidian Cryptosporidium parvum (n = 25, 19.23%) was the most common followed by Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (n = 21, 16.15%), Giardia lamblia (n = 15, 11.54%), Entamoeba coli (n = 5, 3.85%) and Blastocystis hominis (n = 3, 2.30%). The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in females was significantly higher than in males (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This is the first study highlighting that intestinal parasites are still an important public health problem in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. Therefore, health education would be the best way to prevent from intestinal parasite infections which are mainly food borne diseases.