Psychological and Social Factors Enhancing the Participation of Saudi Women in Entrepreneurship: A Field Study on Female Students of Jouf University

The current study aims at trying to identify the psychological and social factors that enhance the participation of Saudi women in the field of entrepreneurship. With the aim of proposing appropriate solutions to activate the role of Saudi women in the economic development of their country. The study questions crystallized in the following main question: What are the most important social and psychological factors (concern about the future - motivation for achievement - self- confidence) that are effective in enhancing the participation of Jouf University female students in entrepreneurial projects? Do these factors vary according to the social level of the family, specialization (scientific and literary), and the students social status (married and single)? The study adopted the descriptive analytical approach, using a questionnaire that included three axes (basic data - social factors - psychological factors (concern about the future - motivation for achievement - self- confidence)). The questionnaire was applied, after verifying the psychometric characteristics, on a sample of undergraduate students (393) students from the College of Science and Arts in Qurayyat, Al-Jouf University, in the second semester 1442/1443 AH - 2021/2022 AD. They were randomly selected. The study reached a set of results, the most important of which are: that the most important factors that enhance the participation of female students in womens leadership projects are the psychological factors represented, respectively, in (concern about the future, self-confidence, motivation for achievement), followed by social factors, respectively, the presence of previous work experience, and the number of hours Work, work-related specialization and the proximity of the workplace to the place of the population

Fertility awareness and oocyte cryopreservation among obstetrics and gynecology physicians

Background: Fertility awareness, including the natural decline in fertility with age and fertility preservation through oocyte cryopreservation, is vital for reproductive health. OB/GYN physicians play a crucial role in educating women on these topics, yet their knowledge and attitudes in Saudi Arabia are underexplored. This study assessed OB/GYN physicians’ perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes regarding fertility awareness and oocyte cryopreservation, focusing on their understanding of age-related fertility decline and integration into patient discussions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 100 OB/GYN physicians in Saudi Arabia was conducted from April to July 2024, using stratified random sampling. The survey evaluated their knowledge of fertility issues, attitudes towards preconception planning, and views on incorporating oocyte cryopreservation discussions in practice. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Results: Most physicians showed substantial knowledge of fertility decline, with 71% recognizing a slight decline at 35-39 years and 57% a marked decline at 45-49 years. Nearly all (96%) supported OB/GYN-initiated discussions on preconception planning, and 95% endorsed discussing age-related fertility decline. Additionally, 78% favoured discussing oocyte cryopreservation, with 63% supporting its inclusion in routine visits. Concerns about discussion frequency and potential emotional distress were noted by a minority. Conclusions: OB/GYN physicians in Saudi Arabia are generally aware of fertility issues, but knowledge gaps persist, particularly among less experienced physicians. While there is broad support for proactive fertility discussions, some reservations remain, highlighting the need for targeted educational initiatives

Integrative proteo-genomic profiling uncovers key biomarkers of lapatinib resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer

Introduction Drug resistance is a major obstacle to the long-term effectiveness of cancer therapies. Approximately 70% of breast cancer patients relapse after 5 years of treatment, and the lack of biomarkers associated with drug resistance translates to poor prognosis in the clinic. Previous research has utilised omics approaches to uncover biomarkers driving drug resistance, with a strong emphasis on genetic mutations. Methods Here, we identified a nine-marker signature associated with resistance to lapatinib in a HER2-positive breast cancer model using a target discovery approach by employing an integrative multi-omics strategy, combining ATAC-seq, RNA-seq and proteomics. Results We found that seven markers in the drug resistance-signature had not been previously found to be implicated in HER2-positive breast cancer, some of which we further validated using an additional lung cancer model. We counterintuitively found that drug-resistant cells have restrictive chromatin accessibility with reduced gene expression associated with limited total proteome changes. However, upon closer look, we identified that the drug resistance-signature had increased chromatin accessibility near the transcriptional start sites of those seven markers and was highly differentially expressed across the three datasets. Our data show that despite the overall transcriptional and proteomic landscape showing limited changes, there are several markers that are highly expressed, which correlate with increased anchorage-independent and invasive phenotype in vitro in lapatinib-resistant cells compared to cancer cells. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that disease aggressiveness can be related to reduced chromatin and gene expression dynamics. We anticipate that the resistant signature identified here using an integrative target discovery approach can be applied to complex, more representative models and validated before they can be targeted by suitable therapeutic agents

Adolescent male with anorexia nervosa: a case report from Iraq

This is the first reported case of an adolescent male with anorexia nervosa in Iraq. This disorder is believed to be rare in males across cultures and uncommon for both genders in Arab countries. The patient met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. He was hospitalized and received medical and psychiatric treatment at local facilities as discussed below and responded well to treatment

Experimental and computational assessment of Antiparkinson Medication effects on meiofauna: Case study of Benserazide and Trihexyphenidyl

Two concentrations (6.25 and 1.25 mg/L) were used for two Parkinson's disease medications, Benserazide, and Trihexyphenidyl, to test their effects on the meiobenthic nematofauna. It is predicted that these highly hydrosoluble drugs will end up in marine environments. The results showed that both medications when added alone, induced (i) important changes in the numbers and (ii) taxonomic composition. The impact of Benserazide and Trihexyphenidyl was also reflected in the (iii) functional traits of nematofauna, with the most affected categories following exposure being the trophic group 1B, the clavate tails, the circular amphids, the c-p2 life history, and the body length of 1-2 mm. These results were supported by the molecular interactions of the studied drugs with both GLD-3 and SDP proteins of Caenorhabditis elegans. (iv) The mixtures of both drugs did not show any changes in the nematode communities, suggesting that no synergistic or antagonistic interactions exist between them.Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) [IMSIU-RP23071]This work was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) (grant number IMSIU-RP23071)

The Saudi National Mental Health Survey: Survey instrument and field procedures

ObjectivesTo present an overview of the survey and field procedures developed for the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS).MethodsThe SNMHS is a face- to- face community epidemiological survey of DSM- IV mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of the household population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (n = 4,004). The SNMHS was implemented as part of the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative. WMH carries out coordinated psychiatric epidemiological surveys in countries throughout the world using standardized procedures designed to provide valid cross- national comparative data on prevalence and correlates of common mental disorders. However, these procedures need to be adapted to the unique experiences in each country. We focus here on the adaptations made for the SNMHS.ResultsModifications were needed to several interview sections and expansions were needed to address issues of special policy importance in KSA. Several special field implementation challenges also had to be addressed because of the need for female interviewers to travel with male escorts and for respondents to be interviewed by interviewers of the same gender.ConclusionsThoughtful revisions led to a high- quality field implementation in the SNMHS.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162792/2/mpr1830.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162792/1/mpr1830_am.pd

Postoperative administration of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil, interferes with bone healing and implant osseointegration in a rat model

Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor commonly used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Its use has been associated with increased bone mass in humans and animals. However, the effect of postoperative administration of donepezil on bone healing remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of postoperative injection of donepezil on bone healing, titanium-implant osseointegration, and soft tissue healing. Twenty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of either donepezil (0.6 mg/kg) or saline as a control. In each rat, a uni-cortical defect was created in the right tibia metaphysis and a custom-made titanium implant was placed in the left tibiae. After two weeks, rats were euthanized, and their bones were analysed by Micro-CT and histology. The healing of bone defect and implant osseointegration in the rats treated with donepezil were significantly reduced compared to the saline-treated rats. Histomorphometric analysis showed lower immune cell infiltration in bone defects treated with donepezil compared to the saline-treated defects. On the other hand, the healing time of soft tissue wounds was significantly shorter in donepezil-treated rats compared to the controls. In conclusion, short-term administration of donepezil hinders bone healing whereas enhancing soft tissue healing

Cumulative Prognostic Score Predicting Mortality in Patients Older Than 80 Years Admitted to the ICU.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a scoring system model that predicts mortality within 30 days of admission of patients older than 80 years admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A total of 306 ICUs from 24 European countries. PARTICIPANTS: Older adults admitted to European ICUs (N = 3730; median age = 84 years [interquartile range = 81-87 y]; 51.8% male). MEASUREMENTS: Overall, 24 variables available during ICU admission were included as potential predictive variables. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Model sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were evaluated with receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The 30-day-mortality was 1562 (41.9%). In multivariable analysis, these variables were selected as independent predictors of mortality: age, sex, ICU admission diagnosis, Clinical Frailty Scale, Sequential Organ Failure Score, invasive mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy. The discrimination, accuracy, and calibration of the model were good: the area under the curve for a score of 10 or higher was .80, and the Brier score was .18. At a cut point of 10 or higher (75% of all patients), the model predicts 30-day mortality in 91.1% of all patients who die. CONCLUSION: A predictive model of cumulative events predicts 30-day mortality in patients older than 80 years admitted to ICUs. Future studies should include other potential predictor variables including functional status, presence of advance care plans, and assessment of each patient's decision-making capacity