Medicina
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Background and Objectives: This study aims to determine smoking patterns, prevalence, and associated factors among medical students in Jeddah, focusing on experimentation, daily smoking, cessation efforts, awareness of health risks, and attitudes toward quitting. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from September to November 2023. It involved 213 medical students, from the second to sixth year, enrolled in various universities. ⋯ Conclusions: Smoking is prevalent among Saudi medical students, often starting in college due to stress, new experiences, and peer influence. Many consider quitting, probably supported by the educational environment and a sense of responsibility toward personal and public health. Strengthened educational frameworks, including stress management training, are crucial for fostering a health-focused professional identity.
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Background and Objectives: the mandibular foramen is an essential anatomic landmark in performing various dental and surgical procedures, including inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB). However, its position may vary based on the individual morpho-functional features of the skull and face. This study aims to conduct a personalized assessment of the location of the mandibular foramen in various shapes of skulls, faces, and mandibles. ⋯ Quantitative statistical data were obtained based on the location of the mandibular foramen, considering different shapes of skulls and faces. Results: there is a significant correlation between the location of the mandibular foramen, the high lengthy index (HLI) of the mandible, and the longitudinal latitude index (LLI) of the mandibular process. Conclusions: personalized assessment of the mandibular foramen based on a comprehensive analysis of craniometric characteristics can contribute to preventing unwanted dental and surgical complications, such as inferior alveolar nerve damage.
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Background and Objectives: Invasive breast cancer (BC) was traditionally investigated visually, and no technique could identify the key molecular drivers of patient survival. However, essential molecular drivers of invasive BC have now been discovered using innovative genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic methodologies. Nevertheless, few evaluations of the prognostic factors of BC in Saudi Arabia have been performed. ⋯ At the protein level, high DSCC1 expression was associated with high histological grade (p = 0.001), lymph node presence (p = 0.008), hormone receptor negativity (p = 0.005), high Ki67 expression (p = 0.036), and shorter survival (p = 0.008). Conclusions: This study confirmed the prognostic significance of DSCC1 in invasive BC patients. DSCC1 could be a therapeutic target in BC cases with poor outcomes.
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Background and Objectives: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common swallowing disorder, characterized by difficulties in moving food and liquids from the mouth to the esophagus; it is particularly prevalent among older adults with neurological conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term complex treatment protocol combining dietary modifications, swallowing exercises, and transcutaneous neuromuscular electrostimulation in reducing the oropharyngeal dysphagia severity and aspiration risk among geriatric patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 64 participants aged 60 and older, with oropharyngeal dysphagia, at LSMU Kaunas Hospital between May 2021 and April 2023, were included in the study after excluding those with significant comorbidities. ⋯ Results: The results indicated a statistically significant reduction in the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia, with 18.8% of patients showing improvements from moderate to mild dysphagia and 33.3% from severe to moderate. Additionally, the median PAS score was four points (IQR 3-6) before treatment and significantly decreased to three points (IQR 2-4) after treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that even a short-term multidisciplinary approach that lasts 10 days can effectively alleviate the symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia, enhance patient safety, and improve swallowing among geriatric patients suffering from this condition.
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Background and Objectives: Diabetes represents a major public health challenge due to its strong link to cardiovascular risk, therefore the aim was to explore the excessive cardiovascular risk attributed to diabetes. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on data from the European Health Interview Surveys in Hungary. ⋯ Furthermore, diabetes was significantly associated with higher prevalence rates of hypertension (by 23.4%), arrhythmia (by 3.85%), heart attack (by 3.42%), and coronary artery disease (by 6.92%) after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of managing cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with diabetes.