Effectiveness of neck stabilization and Contrology training in comparison to conventional therapy amongst individuals with text neck syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Cell phones are carried by 79% of people between 18 and 44 years of age for nearly the entire day. Smartphone users spend an average of three hours/per day on their devices, whereas heavy smartphone users spend 8-10 hours/per day on their devices. Text neck is a dangerous disorder that can accelerate the degeneration of the spine. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of neck stabilization training vs. Contrology or Pilates training in individuals with Text Neck Syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants (n=75) with a history of recurrent neck pain in the previous four months, having moderate pain (at least 4/10 on the numeric pain rating scale, NPRS), and constantly using mobile phones (>4 hours/day) were randomly allocated to one of three groups: a control group (neck isometric training) and two intervention groups (neck stabilization training and Contrology). They were assessed for craniovertebral angle (CVA), NPRS, and neck disability index (NDI) at baseline and at 4 weeks post-intervention. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the CVA, NPRS, and NDI among individuals with Text Neck Syndrome following intervention as compared to the control. Both the neck stabilization and Contrology training increased CVA and reduced neck pain and neck disability in individuals with Text Neck Syndrome. The two intervention groups showed similar effects in all the clinical outcome measures, suggesting almost equivalent effectiveness in the individuals with Text Neck Syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Neck stabilization seems to work better than Contrology training when it comes to increasing the craniovertebral angle, reducing pain intensity, and making it easier for individuals with Text Neck Syndrome to move their necks.

Identification of epilepsy concomitant candidate genes recognized in Saudi epileptic patients.

Saudi Genome program is a revolutionary nationwide transformation initiative of Saudi Vision 2030. The program goals are to recognize and reduce the incidence of genetic diseases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Accordingly, the program will establish the foundation for personalized and genomic medicine in the KSA. Epilepsy has a high prevalence in KSA reaching around 6.54 of 1000 individuals with a subsequent massive financial burden. One of the main risk factors for this high prevalence and associated with increased risk of epilepsy development is consanguinity marriage, which is traditional in KSA. In this review, we executed a comprehensive state-of-art literature review regarding epilepsy genetics to offer a perception into the genes associated with epilepsy recognized in Saudi epileptic patients. Several genes' mutations were incorporated in this review including AFG3L2, ASPM, ATN1, ATP1A2, BMP5, CCDC88A, C12orf57, DNAJA1, EML1, ERLIN2, FRRS1L, GABRG3, NRXN3, MDH1, KCNJ10, KCNMA1, KCNT1, KIAA0226, OPHN1, PCCA, PCCB, PEX, PGAP2, PI4K2A, PODXL, PRICKLE1, PNKP, RELN, SCN2A, SCN1B, SLC2A1, SLC19A3, SLC25, SIAH1, SYNJ1, SZT2, TBCK, TMX2, TSC1, TSC2, TSEN, WDR45B, WWOX, UBR, UGDH, and YIF1B. For each of these genes, we tried to explain a little about the gene associated proteins and their roles in epilepsy development.

Toward establishing telepsychology guideline. Turning the challenges of COVID-19 into opportunity.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has obstructed the classical practices of psychological assessment and intervention via face-to-face interaction. Patients and all health professionals have been forced to isolate and become innovative to continue receiving and providing exceptional healthcare services while minimizing the risk of exposure to, or transmission of, COVID-19. AIM: This document is proposed initially as a guide to the extraordinary implementation of telepsychology in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to extend its implementation to use fundamentally as the main guideline for telepsychology services in Saudi Arabia and other Arabic communities. METHOD: A professional task force representing different areas of professional psychology reviewed, summarized, and documented methods, policies, procedures, and other resources to ensure that the recommendations and evidence reviews were valid and consistent with best practices. RESULTS: The practice of telepsychology involves the consideration of legal and professional requirements. This paper provides a guideline and recommendations for procedural changes that are necessary to address psychological services as we transition to telepsychology, as well as elucidates and demonstrates practical telepsychology frameworks, procedures, and proper recommendations for the provision of services during COVID-19. It adds a focused examination and discussion related to factors that could influence the telemedicine guideline, such as culture, religion, legal matters, and how clinical psychologists could expand their telepsychology practice during COVID-19 and after, seeking to produce broadly applicable guidelines for the practice of telepsychology. Professional steps in practical telemedicine were illustrated in tables and examples. CONCLUSION: Telepsychology is not a luxury or a temporary response. Rather, it should be considered part of a proactive governance model to secure a continuity of mental health care services. Arabic communities could benefit from this guideline to telepsychology as an essential protocol for providing mental health services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: La pandémie COVID-19 fait obstacle aux pratiques classiques d'évaluation et d'intervention psychologiques par le biais d'une interaction en face à face. Les patients et tous les professionnels de la santé ont été contraints de s'isoler et d'innover pour continuer à recevoir et à fournir des services de santé exceptionnels tout en minimisant le risque d'exposition à la COVID-19 ou de transmission de cette maladie. OBJECTIF: Ce document se propose dans un premier temps comme un guide pour la mise en œuvre extraordinaire de la télépsychologie dans le contexte de la pandémie COVID-19 et ensuite pour étendre sa mise en œuvre afin de l'utiliser comme principale ligne directrice pour les services de télépsychologie en Arabie Saoudite et dans d'autres communautés arabes. MÉTHODE: Un groupe de travail professionnel représentant différents domaines de la psychologie professionnelle a examiné, résumé et documenté les méthodes, politiques, procédures et autres ressources afin de s'assurer que les recommandations et les examens des preuves étaient valides et conformes aux meilleures pratiques. RÉSULTATS: La pratique de la télépsychologie implique la prise en compte des exigences légales et professionnelles. Ce document fournit une ligne directrice et des recommandations pour les changements de procédure qui sont nécessaires pour traiter les services psychologiques lors de la transition vers la télépsychologie, ainsi qu'il élucide et démontre les cadres pratiques de la télépsychologie, les procédures et les recommandations appropriées pour la fourniture de services pendant la COVID-19. Il ajoute un examen et une discussion ciblés liés aux facteurs qui pourraient influencer la directive sur la télémédecine, tels que la culture, la religion, les questions juridiques, et la façon dont les psychologues cliniques pourraient étendre leur pratique de la télépsychologie pendant COVID-19 et après, en cherchant à produire des directives largement applicables pour la pratique de la télépsychologie. Les étapes professionnelles de la télémédecine pratique ont été illustrées dans des tableaux et des exemples. CONCLUSION: La télépsychologie n'est pas un luxe ni une réponse temporaire. Elle doit plutôt être considérée comme faisant partie d'un modèle de gouvernance proactive visant à assurer la continuité des services de soins de santé mentale. Les communautés arabes pourraient tirer profit de cette directive sur la télépsychologie en tant que protocole essentiel pour la fourniture de services de santé mentale pendant et après la pandémie COVID-19.

Diagnostic performance of whole-body SPECT/CT in bone metastasis detection using 99mTc-labelled diphosphate: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of whole-body (WB) integrated single photon emission tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) in detecting bone metastasis (BM) and to investigate whether WB-SPECT/CT offered any additional benefit value compared to planar bone scintigraphy (PBS) with 99mTc-hydroxy-methylene diphosphonate or 99mTc methylene diphosphonate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medline, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched systematically up to 28 August 2019. All studies using histopathological analysis and/or follow-up imaging and clinical data as the reference standard were eligible for inclusion. RESULTS: Eleven studies (1,611 patients) were analysed. Based on patient analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of WB-SPECT/CT were 92% (92% confidence interval [CI], 89-95%), 95% (95% CI, 94-96%), and 0.9835, respectively, in the case of negative equivocal findings for BM, and 94% (95% CI, 91-96%), 94% (95% CI, 92-95%), and 0.9790, respectively, when regarded positive. On a lesion basis, these parameters were 91% (95% CI, 89-94%), 96% (95% CI, 94-97%), and 0.9906, respectively, in the case negative equivocal findings, and 92% (95% CI, 89-94%), 95% (95% CI, 94-97%), and 0.9898, respectively, when regarded positive. Comparing 1,265 patients from eight studies, higher sensitivity (92% versus 74%, p=0.04) and specificity for WB-SPECT/CT against PBS (93% versus 80%, p=0.01) in the case of positive equivocal findings; however, when regarded negative, WB-SPECT/CT demonstrated higher sensitivity (91% versus 70%, p=0.01), but no significant difference was apparent in specificity (94% versus 89%, p=0.07). CONCLUSION: Compared to PBS, WB-SPECT/CT had superior diagnostic accuracy in BM detection and exhibited a more reliable performance with less equivocal results.