Prevalence of hepatitis A virus among migrant workers in Qatar: A national study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the predominant cause of acute viral hepatitis worldwide; however, data on HAV antibody prevalence (seroprevalence) among migrant populations are limited. This study aimed to investigate HAV seroprevalence among Qatar's migrant craft and manual workers (CMWs), constituting approximately 60% of the country's population. METHODS: HAV antibody testing was conducted on stored serum specimens obtained from CMWs during a nationwide severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) population-based cross-sectional survey between July 26 and September 9, 2020. Associations with HAV infection were investigated through regression analyses. RESULTS: Of the 2,607 specimens with HAV antibody test results, 2,393 were positive, and 214 were negative. The estimated HAV seroprevalence among CMWs was 92.0% (95% CI: 90.9-93.1%). HAV seroprevalence was generally high but exhibited some variation, ranging from 70.9% (95% CI: 62.4-78.2%) among Sri Lankans to 99.8% (95% CI: 98.2-99.9%) among Pakistanis. The multivariable regression analysis identified age, nationality, and educational attainment as statistically significant factors associated with HAV infection. Relative to CMWs aged ≤29 years, the adjusted relative risk (ARR) was 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03-1.10) in CMWs aged 30-39 years and reached 1.15 (95% CI: 1.10-1.19) in those aged ≥50 years. In comparison to Indians, the ARR was lower among Sri Lankans, assessed at 0.81 (95% CI: 0.72-0.91), but higher among Nepalese at 1.07 (95% CI: 1.04-1.11), Bangladeshis at 1.10 (95% CI: 1.07-1.13), Pakistanis at 1.12 (95% CI: 1.09-1.15), and Egyptians at 1.15 (95% CI: 1.08-1.23). No evidence for differences was found by geographic location or occupation. CONCLUSIONS: HAV seroprevalence among Qatar's CMW population is very high, with over nine out of every ten individuals having been exposed to this infection, likely during childhood.

Incorporation of artificial intelligence into nursing research: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across different sectors, notably healthcare, is on the rise. However, a thorough exploration of AI's incorporation into nursing research, as well as its advantages and obstacles, is still lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this scoping review was to map the roles, benefits, challenges, and potentials for the future development and use of AI in the context of nursing research. METHODS: An exhaustive search was conducted across seven databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. Articles were additionally identified through manual examination of reference lists of the articles that were included in the study. The search criteria were restricted to articles published in English between 2010 and 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) approach for scoping reviews and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines guided the processes of source selection, data extraction, and data presentation. RESULTS: Twenty articles met the inclusion criteria, covering topics from ethical considerations to methodological issues and AI's capabilities in data analysis and predictive modeling. CONCLUSION: The review identified both the potentials and complexities of integrating AI into nursing research. Ethical and legal considerations warrant a coordinated approach from multiple stakeholders. IMPLICATION: The findings emphasized AI's potential to revolutionize nursing research, underscoring the need for ethical guidelines, equitable access, and AI literacy training to ensure its responsible and inclusive use.

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses among migrant workers in Qatar.

Limited data exist on viral hepatitis among migrant populations. This study investigated the prevalence of current hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and lifetime hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among Qatar's migrant craft and manual workers (CMWs), constituting 60% of the country's population. Sera collected during a nationwide COVID-19 population-based cross-sectional survey on CMWs between July 26 and September 9, 2020, underwent testing for HBsAg and HCV antibodies. Reactive samples underwent confirmatory testing, and logistic regression analyses were employed to explore associations with HBV and HCV infections. Among 2528 specimens tested for HBV infection, 15 were reactive, with 8 subsequently confirmed positive. Three samples lacked sufficient sera for confirmatory testing but were included in the analysis through multiple imputations. Prevalence of current HBV infection was 0.4% (95% CI 0.2-0.7%). Educational attainment and occupation were significantly associated with current HBV infection. For HCV infection, out of 2607 specimens tested, 46 were reactive, and 23 were subsequently confirmed positive. Prevalence of lifetime HCV infection was 0.8% (95% CI 0.5-1.2%). Egyptians exhibited the highest prevalence at 6.5% (95% CI 3.1-13.1%), followed by Pakistanis at 3.1% (95% CI 1.1-8.0%). Nationality, geographic location, and occupation were significantly associated with lifetime HCV infection. HBV infection is relatively low among CMWs, while HCV infection falls within the intermediate range, both compared to global and regional levels.

Genomic insights into the diversity, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance of group B Streptococcus clinical isolates from Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Detailed assessment of the population structure of group B Streptococcus (GBS) among adults is still lacking in Saudi Arabia. Here we characterized a representative collection of isolates from colonized and infected adults. Methods: GBS isolates (n=89) were sequenced by Illumina and screened for virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants. Genetic diversity was assessed by single nucleotide polymorphisms and core-genome MLST analyses. Results: Genome sequences revealed 28 sequence types (STs) and nine distinct serotypes, including uncommon serotypes VII and VIII. Majority of these STs (n=76) belonged to the human-associated clonal complexes (CCs) CC1 (33.71%), CC19 (25.84%), CC17 (11.24%), CC10/CC12 (7.87%), and CC452 (6.74%). Major CCs exhibited intra-lineage serotype diversity, except for the hypervirulent CC17, which exclusively expressed serotype III. Virulence profiling revealed that nearly all isolates (94.38%) carried at least one of the four alpha family protein genes (i.e., alphaC, alp1, alp2/3, and rib), and 92.13% expressed one of the two serine-rich repeat surface proteins Srr1 or Srr2. In addition, most isolates harbored the pilus island (PI)-2a alone (15.73%) or in combination with PI-1 (62.92%), and those carrying PI-2b alone (10.11%) belonged to CC17. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the sequenced isolates according to CCs and further subdivided them along with their serotypes. Overall, isolates across all CC1 phylogenetic clusters expressed Srr1 and carried the PI-1 and PI-2a loci, but differed in genes encoding the alpha-like proteins. CC19 clusters were dominated by the III/rib/srr1/PI-1+PI-2a (43.48%, 10/23) and V/alp1/srr1/PI-1+PI-2a (34.78%, 8/23) lineages, whereas most CC17 isolates (90%, 9/10) had the same III/rib/srr2/P1-2b genetic background. Interestingly, genes encoding the CC17-specific adhesins HvgA and Srr2 were detected in phylogenetically distant isolates belonging to ST1212, suggesting that other highly virulent strains might be circulating within the species. Resistance to macrolides and/or lincosamides across all major CCs (n=48) was associated with the acquisition of erm(B) (62.5%, 30/48), erm(A) (27.1%, 13/48), lsa(C) (8.3%, 4/48), and mef(A) (2.1%, 1/48) genes, whereas resistance to tetracycline was mainly mediated by presence of tet(M) (64.18%, 43/67) and tet(O) (20.9%, 14/67) alone or in combination (13.43%, 9/67). Discussion: These findings underscore the necessity for more rigorous characterization of GBS isolates causing infections.

Enhancing Readability and Detection of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging: An AI Approach.

Artificial intelligence has been used effectively in medical diagnosis. The objective of this project is to examine the application of a collective AI model using weighted fusion of predicted probabilities from different AI architectures to diagnose various retinal conditions based on optical coherence tomography (OCT). A publicly available Noor dataset, comprising 16,822, images from 554 retinal OCT scans of 441 patients, was used to predict a diverse spectrum of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) stages: normal, drusen, or choroidal neovascularization. These predictions were compared with predictions from ResNet, EfficientNet, and Attention models, respectively, using precision, recall, F1 score, and confusion matric and receiver operating characteristics curves. Our collective model demonstrated superior accuracy in classifying AMD compared to individual ResNet, EfficientNet, and Attention models, showcasing the effectiveness of using trainable weights in the ensemble fusion process, where these weights dynamically adapt during training rather than being fixed values. Specifically, our ensemble model achieved an accuracy of 91.88%, precision of 92.54%, recall of 92.01%, and F1 score of 92.03%, outperforming individual models. Our model also highlights the refinement process undertaken through a thorough examination of initially misclassified cases, leading to significant improvements in the model's accuracy rate to 97%. This study also underscores the potential of AI as a valuable tool in ophthalmology. The proposed ensemble model, combining different mechanisms highlights the benefits of model fusion for complex medical image analysis.

Prevalence and Variation of Medical Comorbidities in Oral Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Study at Jazan University.

BACKGROUND An aged population is susceptible to chronic diseases, which impacts oral surgery treatment procedures. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence of medical comorbidities in 640 oral surgery patients treated at the College of Dentistry, Jazan University. MATERIAL AND METHODS This single-center observational study investigated medical records of outpatients who visited Jazan University Dental College Hospital in a 1-year period (2018-2019). Patients’ clinical and radiographic archives were screened to obtain relevant data. Categorical and continuous variables were expressed in terms of frequency and mean values, respectively. Differences in variables were statistically analyzed using the chi-square goodness of fit and proportional test, with a probability value P≤0.05 considered significant. RESULTS Analysis of 640 patient records included records of 300 men and 340 women who underwent oral surgery, of whom 176 patients (27.5%), including 97 men and 79 women, had medical comorbidities. The most common comorbidities were endocrine disease (7.03%), cardiovascular disease (6.71%), respiratory disease (4.53%), and hematological disorders (3.43%). Individual diseases that showed higher prevalence were diabetes mellitus (4.68%), hypertension (3.43%), bronchial asthma (2.65%), and anemia (1.4%). Differences by sex were observed in many individual disorders. CONCLUSIONS Outpatients in oral surgery clinics presented a significant variance in the incidence of medical comorbidities, among which diabetes and hypertension were most common. A proper case history is the best preventive measure that helps a surgeon avert medical emergencies and post-surgical complications.

Reported Variability in General Surgery Training Across Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Programs.

BACKGROUND: Since their development, integrated plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS) residency training programs have established diverse methods of incorporating general surgery training into graduate medical education. Programs have questioned the necessary duration and timing of such training. The aim of this study is to assess the landscape of general surgery exposure in integrated PRS residency programs. METHODS: Thirty-six integrated PRS residency programs were included based on the availability of postgraduate year (PGY)-level rotation data. Rotations were measured in units of weeks with descriptive titles maintained as advertised by the program. Individual general surgery rotations were also categorized as being either PRS-aligned, American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) Required Clinical (RC) or ABPS Strongly Suggested (SS). Statistical analyses were carried out on the relative proportions of each subcategory in the 2 parent groups. RESULTS: All 36 programs evaluated required general surgery rotations in years PGY- 1 to -2. By PGY-3, 69% of programs required general surgery, and by PGY-6, 25%, and these were limited to 4- to 6-week rotations in burn, breast, or trauma. Looking across all 6 years, with 312 weeks of training total, the minimum number of weeks spent in general surgery rotations was 32, and the maximum number was 119, with an average of 61 weeks (±21).Programs were subcategorized into 2 groups based on whether they spent more (n = 16) or less (n = 20) than the net average number of weeks in ABPS RC + SS rotations. No significant difference was found in the relative proportion of PRS-aligned general surgery across groups. Programs with <60 weeks of general surgery had a relatively greater proportion of ABPS RC and SS rotations. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that there exists significant variability in overall duration of general surgery training across integrated PRS training programs. When controlling overall general surgery exposure for variables of interest like PRS-aligned exposure or compatibility with ABPS requirements, we found no discernable educational model or patterns to explain the observed range in exposure. These results warrant reexamination of an ideal general surgery track within the integrated plastic surgery training model that optimizes training for the PRS resident.

Homestay Hosting Dynamics and Refugee Well-Being: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: The process of refugee resettlement and integration into new communities is a complex and multifaceted challenge, not only for the refugees themselves but also for the host families involved in homestay housing arrangements. While these homestay arrangements are designed to facilitate smoother transitions and enhance the well-being of refugees, the nuanced dynamics of these interactions and their overall impact on both refugees and their host families remain underexplored. Understanding the experiences of refugees and their host families is vital for effective refugee settlement, integration, and well-being. However, the intricacies of homestay refugee hosting, their interactions with host families, and the impact on their well-being are still unclear and ambiguous. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this scoping review is to examine the breadth of literature on the experiences of refugees living in homestay arrangements with their host families. This review seeks to understand how these dynamics influence refugee well-being, including their integration, social connections, and mental health. Additionally, this scoping review aims to synthesize existing literature on homestay hosting dynamics, focusing on the experiences of refugees and their host families, to identify gaps in knowledge and suggest areas for future research. METHODS: This scoping review follows Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and will search databases such as CINAHL, SOCIndex, MEDLINE through EBSCO; APA PsycInfo, Scopus through OVID; and Web of Science Core Collection, ProQuest Dissertations, and Theses, and SciELO Citation Index, focusing on literature from 2011 onward, in English, in relation to refugee groups in different host countries, including all types of literature. Literature will be screened by 2 independent reviewers, with disagreements resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. A custom data extraction tool will be created by the research team. RESULTS: The results will be organized in tables or diagrams, accompanied by a narrative overview, emphasizing the main synthesized findings related to the dynamics of homestay hosting with host families and refugee well-being. No critical appraisal will be conducted. This scoping review is expected to identify research gaps that will inform the development of homestay refugee hosting models, policies, and practices. It will also offer insights into best practices and policy recommendations to improve homestay hosting programs, ultimately contributing to more effective refugee settlement and integration strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the intricate dynamics of homestay hosting arrangements is crucial for developing policies and programs that support the well-being of refugees and the families that host them. This scoping review will shed light on the current knowledge landscape, identify research gaps, and suggest ways to enhance the homestay hosting experience for all parties involved. Through this work, we aim to contribute to the development of more inclusive, supportive, and effective approaches to refugee hosting, resettlement, and integration. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56242.

Exploration of the advanced preparation nurse-mother role in care of children with chronic disease: A narrative inquiry.

AIM: To explore the lived experience of advanced preparation nurses (APNs) who are mothers (APN-mothers) as they seek care in the Emergency Department for a child with a chronic disease. DESIGN: Qualitative, Narrative Inquiry. METHODS: Narrative Inquiry was used to examine critical self-reflections of four (n = 4) APN-mothers. Directed by a question guide, participants engaged in the Narrative Reflective Process through metaphoric and artistic means. RESULTS: Participants identified salient challenges associated with their experiences. Narrative threads that emerged include feelings around being discovered, unfair expectations by healthcare providers, feelings of guilt and the tension from competing roles: APN and mother. CONCLUSION: APN-mothers represent a unique population with enhanced knowledge, skills and judgement; however, they indicate that there is insufficient communication and interprofessional collaboration between parents and Emergency Department staff. Further research is needed to foster and improve therapeutic relationships between APN-mothers and healthcare providers. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Findings can inform the development of family centred care guidelines for healthcare professional parents and their children. IMPACT: This study explores the experiences of an understudied population. This research will impact APN-mothers, healthcare professionals in the Emergency Department as well as nursing students and researchers. REPORTING METHOD: EQUATOR guidelines and SRQR reporting method used. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: APN-mothers, caregivers and support persons of children with chronic disease enacted investigator-participant roles and were involved in each step of the study process. In addition, some patients (participants' children with chronic diseases) were included in data collected.

Molecular typing and antimicrobial resistance of group B Streptococcus clinical isolates in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) has emerged as an important cause of severe infections in adults. However, limited data are available regarding the epidemiology of GBS in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Isolates were collected over a period of eight months from colonized (n = 104) and infected adults (n = 95). Serotypes and virulence determinants were detected by polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Genetic relatedness was assessed using Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by disk diffusion. RESULTS: Serotypes III and V (25% each) were the most prevalent, followed by serotypes II (16.18%), Ia (13.24%), VI (9.31%), and Ib (8.82%), while five isolates remained non-typeable (2.45%). Hypervirulent serotype III/CC17 clone (n = 21) accounted for 41.18% of the serotype III isolates. Most isolates (53.92%) harboured pilus island (PI) 1 and 2a types, while PI-2b was predominantly detected in the hypervirulent clone. Isolates were variably resistant to tetracycline (76.47%), erythromycin (36.76%), clindamycin (25.49%), and levofloxacin (6.37%), but remained susceptible to penicillin. Macrolide resistant isolates exhibited constitutive (55.42%) and inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance phenotypes (33.74%), while a few had L (9.64%) or M (1.2%) phenotypes. MLVA patterns of dominant serotypes III and V revealed 40 different types divided into 12 clusters and 28 singletons. Interestingly, macrolide resistance was significantly associated with two major MLVA types. CONCLUSIONS: GBS isolates belonged predominantly to serotypes III and V, but there were no clear associations between serotypes and patient groups. The studied isolates exhibited high levels of resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin that need further surveillance.

Assessment of roadside pollution by heavy metals: A case study from the District of Bani Kinanah, Irbid, Northern Jordan.

The District of Bani Kenanah is home to natural reserves, forests, local agricultural practices, and a multitude of historical and cultural sites. The majority of the population in the study area is employed in the agricultural sector, which is dominated by olive tree cultivation and the production of premium olive oil. The current study aimed to assess the degree of roadside soil pollution and predict the potential ecological impacts of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni, Mn, Cu, Fe, and Co. Therefore, 30 soil samples were collected and analyzed with a Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer for the aforementioned metals. The spatial distribution maps of these metals were generated by inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation in ArcGIS 10.3. The values of heavy metals (HMs) in the study were lower than the international standards for soil quality. The soil was classified as moderately to substantially enriched with Cd, Pb, and Zn based on the EF values. However, the indices of geo-accumulation (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), and potential ecological risk (RI) generally revealed minor metallic contamination. The traffic and agricultural activities were the potential sources of Cd, Pb, and Zn in the study area. Incorporating HMs analysis with GIS maps was beneficial for assessing soil pollution.

Potential therapeutic applications of mesenchymal stem cells in the oral and maxillofacial tissues.

Over the past decades, we have noted that the study of stem cells is of interest to scientists because it offers great promise for the development of cell-based therapies and establishes basic models for studying the pathogenesis of diseases, overcoming all the challenges it encounters. The majority of craniofacial tissues are derived from mesenchymal tissues, so it makes the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) an attractive candidate for regenerating damaged or diseased craniofacial structures. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) do not have the same obstacles as embryonic stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells can be used to conduct research and treat diseases, as they do not require embryonic destruction. MSCs possess unique properties such as self-renewal, the ability to differentiate into different cell types, and the modulation of immune cells. The present review article provided an overview of MSCs isolated from both nondental and dental tissues and highlighted the available information regarding the significant progress in both experimental and clinical trials of MSCs and their potential therapeutic application in the oral and maxillofacial regions. This review sheds light on the experimental research and clinical applications that have led to the development of new MSCs therapies for a variety of diseases. Moreover, we have highlighted the experiments that proved that MSCs are an effective tool for tissue regeneration in the oral and craniofacial regions. This could pave the way for scientists to improve the surgical methods of oral and maxillofacial and treatment of craniofacial malformations.

Oral chemical ulceration due to iatrogenic hydraulic oil leakage from the dental unit of a surgical handpiece: A case report.

Oral chemical ulceration is a rare condition. The causes differ from misuse of dental material by dentists and over-the-counter drugs (OTC) to the herbal ingredients in our foods. Detailed patient history helps to explore the diagnosis and further management of such a lesion, which extend from no intervention in mild cases to surgical intervention in severe cases. This report represents a case of chemical ulceration of the mouth caused by hydraulic fluid oil leakage inside a dental chair in a 24-year-old female, leading to the patient developing multiple painful oral ulceration after surgical extraction. The purpose of the report is to increase awareness among health practitioners of unusual causes that could happen during dental interventions.

Risk factors predicting disease severity and mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 Saudi Arabian patients.

CONTEXT: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a global pandemic that may be associated with significant associated risk factors. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors predisposing risk to death in COVID-19 patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a retrospective study that presents the demographic, clinical presentation, and laboratory findings on our patients to determine risk factors contributing to their COVID-19 outcome. METHODS: We used logistic regression (odds ratios) to examine associations between clinical findings and risk of death in COVID-19 patients. All analyses were done using STATA 15. RESULTS: A total of 206 COVID-19 patients were investigated, 28 of them died, and 178 survived. Expired patients were older (74.04 ± 14.45 vs. 55.56 ± 18.41 in those who survived) and mainly of male gender (75% vs. 42% in those who survived). The following factors were strong predictors of death: hypertension (OR: 5.48, 95% CI: 2.10-13.59, P < 0.001), cardiac disease (OR: 5.08, 95% CI: 1.88-13.74, P = 0.001), and hospital admission (OR: 39.75, 95% CI: 5.28-299.12, P < 0.001). In addition, blood group B was more frequent in expired patients (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 0.78-5.95, P = 0.065). CONCLUSIONS: Our work adds to the current knowledge about the factors predisposing to death in COVID-19 patient. In our cohort, expired patients were of older age and male gender plus they were more likely to have hypertension, cardiac disease, and hospital severe disease. These factors might be used to evaluate risk of death in patients recently diagnosed of COVID-19.

Long-term effectiveness of a novel intra-oral electro-stimulator for the treatment of dry mouth in patients with Sjogren's syndrome: A randomised sham-controlled feasibility study (LEONIDAS-1).

BACKGROUND: Effective treatments for dry mouth of Sjogren's syndrome are limited and hampered by adverse effects. The aim of LEONIDAS-1 was to explore the feasibility of salivary electrostimulation in individuals with primary Sjogren's syndrome, as well as parameters required to inform the design of a future phase III trial. METHODS: Multicentre, parallel-group, double-blind, randomised sham-controlled trial in two UK centres. Participants were randomised (1:1, computer-generated) to active or sham electrostimulation. The feasibility outcomes included screening/eligibility ratio, consent, and recruitment and drop-out rates. Preliminary efficacy outcome included dry mouth visual analogue scale, Xerostomia Inventory, the EULAR Sjögren's syndrome patient reported index-Q1, and unstimulated sialometry. RESULTS: Forty-two individuals were screened, of whom 30 (71.4%) met the eligibility criteria. All eligible individuals consented to recruitment. Out of the 30 randomised participants (active n = 15, sham n = 15), 4 dropped out and 26 (13 vs. 13) completed all study visits as per protocol. Recruitment rate was 2.73 participants/month. At 6-month post-randomisation the difference in mean reduction in visual analogue scale, xerostomia inventory and EULAR Sjögren's syndrome patient reported index-Q1 scores between groups were 0.36 (95% CI: -0.84, 1.56), 3.31 (0.43, 6.18), and 0.23 (-1.17, 1.63), respectively; unstimulated salivary flow increased by a mean of 0.98 mL/15 min, all in favour of the active group. No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: LEONIDAS-1 results support progression to a phase III definitive randomised controlled trial of salivary electrostimulation in individuals with Sjogren's syndrome. Xerostomia inventory could be considered the primary patient-centred outcome measure and the corresponding observed treatment effect could inform the sample size of a future trial.

The Supervisees' Perspectives Concerning the Clinical Supervision of Radiologic Sciences Students at Clinical Sites: Implications and Future Directions.

Introduction: Clinical supervision (CS) is essential to practice-based learning in radiology. The assessment of the effectiveness of CS is essential to ensure the success of the process and to provide high-quality patient care. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the CS of both Diagnostic Radiography (DR) and Nuclear Medicine (NM) technology students studying at Kuwait University. Methods: The Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale-26 (MCSS-26©) was distributed electronically to 90 third and fourth year students from Radiologic Sciences department. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Ethical Committee and all the participants provided electronic informed consent. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Results: Seventy responses were collected from DR and NM (response rate 78%, DR: n= 51, NM: n=19). Overall, the mean CS score from the MCSS was 67.7±11.3, n=70. CS in NM scored more effective than that in DR with a p=0.037 (72.3±10.1, 66.0±11.3, respectively). Conclusion: The effectiveness of CS has been evaluated in third and fourth year students across the two divisions of RS the department at Kuwait University. This study showed that students value the impact of CS in their professional role and 70% reported being satisfied with the overall CS experience. Limited studies are available that focuses on students' perceptions about clinical supervision; therefore, more studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of CS among RS students. Implications for interprofessional education are presented.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Children and Adolescents With Cancer Infected With SARS-CoV-2 at a Tertiary Care Medical Center in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Our knowledge about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is still evolving; its effects on children with cancer need to be studied more. The aim of this study is to present our experience with SARS-CoV-2 infection in this population and to highlight specific complications and outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective and prospective observational study, which involved 21 cancer patients below the age of 18 years in north Jordan. Data regarding their age, sex, cancer type and progression, phase of treatment, and others were collected and reviewed. Patients were classified into confirmed, probable, and suspect according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2021 classification. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients with malignancy were included. Ten patients were males (48%). Mean age of 8.8 years (3 mo to 18 y). Two patients (9.5%) had died; one (4.7%) death was coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related and the other one (4.7%) was due to cancer progression. Two patients (9.5%) had multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Both disease progression and new malignancies were documented in 11 (52%) of our patients. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of COVID-19 should not distract physicians from investigating new malignancy or relapse as they may come together or may be related to COVID-19 infection. More studies are needed to identify the contribution of SARS-CoV-2 in the pathogenesis of cancer.