The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has recently received emergency approval from the US FDA. The mRNA technology was used to manufacture the Pfizer vaccine; however, as a pioneering technology that ...has never been used in the manufacture of vaccines, many people have concerns about the vaccine's side effects. Thus, the current study aimed to track the short-term side effects of the vaccine.
The information in this study was gathered by a Google Form-questionnaire (online survey). The results included the responses of 455 individuals, all of whom are Saudi Arabia inhabitants. Adverse effects of the vaccine were reported after the first and the second doses.
The most common symptoms were injection site pain, headaches, flu-like symptoms, fever, and tiredness. Less common side effects were a fast heartbeat, whole body aches, difficulty breathing, joint pain, chills, and drowsiness. Rare side effects include Bell's palsy and lymph nodes swelling and tenderness. Flu-like symptoms were more common among those under 60 years of age, while injection site pain was more frequent among recipients who were 60 years and older. The study revealed a significant increase in the number of females who suffered from the vaccine side effects compared to males. Difficulty of breathing was more reported among recipients who had been previously infected with the coronavirus compared to those who had not been previously infected.
Most of the side effects reported in this study were consistent with Pfizer's fact sheet for recipients and caregivers. Further studies are required to determine the long-term side effects.
In the present review, we focused on the fundamental concepts of hydrogels—classification, the polymers involved, synthesis methods, types of hydrogels, properties, and applications of the hydrogel. ...Hydrogels can be synthesized from natural polymers, synthetic polymers, polymerizable synthetic monomers, and a combination of natural and synthetic polymers. Synthesis of hydrogels involves physical, chemical, and hybrid bonding. The bonding is formed via different routes, such as solution casting, solution mixing, bulk polymerization, free radical mechanism, radiation method, and interpenetrating network formation. The synthesized hydrogels have significant properties, such as mechanical strength, biocompatibility, biodegradability, swellability, and stimuli sensitivity. These properties are substantial for electrochemical and biomedical applications. Furthermore, this review emphasizes flexible and self-healable hydrogels as electrolytes for energy storage and energy conversion applications. Insufficient adhesiveness (less interfacial interaction) between electrodes and electrolytes and mechanical strength pose serious challenges, such as delamination of the supercapacitors, batteries, and solar cells. Owing to smart and aqueous hydrogels, robust mechanical strength, adhesiveness, stretchability, strain sensitivity, and self-healability are the critical factors that can identify the reliability and robustness of the energy storage and conversion devices. These devices are highly efficient and convenient for smart, light-weight, foldable electronics and modern pollution-free transportation in the current decade.
The thermoelastic bending analysis of functionally graded ceramic–metal sandwich plates is studied. The governing equations of equilibrium are solved for a functionally graded sandwich plates under ...the effect of thermal loads. The sandwich plate faces are assumed to have isotropic, two-constituent material distribution through the thickness, and the modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio of the faces, and thermal expansion coefficients are assumed to vary according to a power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The core layer is still homogeneous and made of an isotropic ceramic material. Several kinds of sandwich plates are used taking into account the symmetry of the plate and the thickness of each layer. Field equations for functionally graded sandwich plates whose deformations are governed by either the shear deformation theories or the classical theory are derived. Displacement functions that identically satisfy boundary conditions are used to reduce the governing equations to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients. The influences played by the transverse normal strain, shear deformation, thermal load, plate aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratio, and volume fraction distribution are studied. Numerical results for deflections and stresses of functionally graded metal–ceramic plates are investigated.
Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is the presence of significant amounts of bacteria within the urinary tract in the absence of urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms, resulting in negative neonatal and ...pregnancy consequences. This study determined the prevalence, bacteriology patterns, and associated factors with ASB among pregnant women in both primary and hospital levels of care in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
This retrospective chart review study included pregnant women between 18 and 50 years who performed the screening urine culture test during their first antenatal visit between 2017 and 2021, without UTI symptoms. The collected data involved the demographic, medical, and obstetric characteristics, and urine culture results. T-tests and chi-squared tests were used for bivariate associations followed by binary logistic regression models.
ASB was positive among 03.42% of the 6471 pregnant women included in the study. Logistic regression revealed that the risk of positive ASB increased in pregnant women in the first and second trimesters (OR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.41-2.93 and OR= 1.50, 95% CI = 1.03-2.19, respectively), as well as pregnant women with a history of previous UTI (OR = 2.98, 95% CI = 2.14-4.15). The predominant organism isolates were
, followed by GBS,
, and
.
With limited data on ASB among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia, findings from the current study could help decision-makers in the country assess the epidemiological characteristics of the condition. Further study is recommended to investigate the susceptibility patterns of commonly prescribed antibiotics with different uropathogens to guide the clinicians who deal with these cases. Additionally, a large national study across the other regions in the kingdom is suggested to calculate the prevalence of ASB in Saudi Arabia.
Herein, highly efficient sorbent with chelating and ion-exchange properties was synthesized by assembling diethylenetriamine groups on the mesoporous hybrid magnetic-chitosan core–shell nanocomposite ...by heterogeneous nucleation. Different analytical methods were used to investigate the physicochemical and functional characteristics of the obtained material. The structural features were superparamagnetic (
M
S
: 30.73 emu g
−1
), specific surface area (~ 75.27 m
2
g
−1
) with a dominant mesopores sizes (~ 3–9 nm), high porosity (~ 0.57 cm
3
g
−1
) and amine content (~ 3.68 mmol g
−1
) and density (~ 7.36 1/nm
2
). Uranyl ions sorption and selectivity characteristics were exploited. Isotherm fitted by Langmuir equation: the maximal sorption capacity was reported ~ 0.75 mmol
U
g
−1
at optimum pH
0
3.5–5.0, and 298 K. Fast uptake kinetics (~ 40 min) were suited using a pseudo-second order rate equation. The sorption activation energy was 20.43 kJ mol
−1
. The half-sorption time (
t
0.5
) was duplicated from 2.1 min to 4.2 min at 298 K and 323 K, respectively, indicating exothermicity. FTIR and XPS examinations demonstrated that the binding of UO
2
2+
occurred at N- and O-functional groups via anion exchange, electrostatic attraction, chelation, and reduction mechanisms. Metal ions were recovered using acidified urea (0.25 M) with strong cycle performance and retention rate ~ 85.2% after eight sorption/desorption cycles. The sorbent was successfully evaluated for selective uranium sorption from multi-component acidic nuclear solution. Owing to such stability and reusability over multiple sorption cycles, the sorbent is promising in the field of uranium recovery. Finally, the sorption process was described using a new three-dimensional mathematical model for nonlinear quantitative description.
Background: Like other vaccines, Pfizer BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 virus infections begins to decline within a few months after the 2 (nd) dose. On August 12, 2021, the ...FDA allowed additional Pfizer BioNTch's COVID-19 vaccine dose (3 (rd) or booster dose) for individuals with weakened immunity. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term adverse reactions (ADRs) of the 2 (nd) and the 3 (rd) doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: Information for this study was collected by Google Form questionnaire (online survey). The results included responses from 442 people, the majority from Saudi Arabia. Results: The most common local ADRs following the 3 (rd) dose were injection site pain, injection site hypersensitivity, and axillary lymph node swelling. The most common systemic ADRs were fatigue, muscle pain, bone pain, headache, and fever less than 38degreesC. Less common systemic ADRs were shivering, fever more than 38degreesC, nasal congestion and rhinorrhea, arrhythmia, cough, abdominal pain, chest tightness, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and tachypnea. Rare systemic ADRs were constipation, dizziness and vertigo, lack of concentration, sore throat, excessive hair loss, dysmenorrhea and heavy menstruation, and Bell's palsy. Severe allergic reactions were reported by 2.6% of participants after the 2 (nd) dose, compared with none after the 3 (rd) dose. Nasal congestion and runny nose are more frequent after the 3 (rd) dose. The ADRs of the 2 (nd) and 3 (rd) doses were significantly more prevalent in females. 12% of participants reported ADRs lasting more than one week after the 3 (rd) dose compared to 5% after the 2 (nd) dose. People less than or equal to 60 years were more affected by the vaccine ADRs. Conclusion: Most of the ADRs reported after the 3 (rd) vaccine dose were consistent with the Pfizer vaccine information sheet and similar to the 2 (nd) dose ADRs. Keywords: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, adverse drug reactions, booster dose, second dose, injection site pain, fatigue, online questionnaire
•The structural, electronic, and optical features of Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 alloys are examined.•Kesterite structure is more favorable and sustainable for these materials than stannite one.•Absorption ...coefficient spectra are altered with the change of Te composition in these systems.•A birefringence occurred in Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 alloys with the variation of composition x.•CZTS and CZTS0.75Te0.25 could be promising materials as absorber layers of thin film solar cells.
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS), a quaternary material formed of Earth-abundant elements, is promising in thin-film solar cell devices, as absorbing layer. The high efficiency of solar energy conversion (>12%) recorded in chalcogen-doped Cu2ZnSnS4 renders it an attractive material for the analysis of the structural stability, electronic band structures, and optical characteristics of Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 alloys (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) by first-principles calculations. By employing full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) methodology, the acquired results indicate that CZTS and Cu2ZnSnTe4 (CZTTe) parent compounds possess wide and narrow direct band gaps, respectively. The optical characteristics of Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 alloys and their bulk counterparts were computed in terms of the complex dielectric function, which allows the examination of the optical absorption, reflectivity, and refractive index of these ultimate alloys. It is inferred that the S/Te compositional ratio in Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 has a significant influence on the optical absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the visible to the infrared (IR) regimes. Our results indicate that the increase of Te concentration leads to a red shift of the major feature peaks in the optical absorption spectra. Because of their direct band gap and remarkable optical absorption, Cu2ZnSn(SxTe1-x)4 alloys with S/Te compositional ratios under 0.5 could be useful materials in thin-film solar cell devices, as absorbing layers. This theoretical report is expected to provide relevant information for future experimental works involving the design of novel solar cell materials based on CZTST systems.
Preeclampsia is associated with the incidence of common fetal problems including intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR), premature delivery oligohydramnios, placental abruption, fetal discomfort, ...and intrauterine fetal death. Pregnant women are not well-informed about preeclampsia, including its symptoms, risk factors, and consequences. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the awareness of preeclampsia and its associated factors among women in the Al Baha region, Saudi Arabia.
An observational cross-sectional design was employed to assess the awareness of preeclampsia and its associated factors among women in the Al Baha region of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected from April 2023 to September 2023. A questionnaire was designed to gather information on participants' sociodemographic characteristics (such as age, educational level, and residency) and their awareness of preeclampsia, including knowledge about signs/symptoms, risk factors, and complications.
In the current study, we included 485 pregnant women. The majority of participants were aged 40 years or older (37.5%), followed by those aged 35-39 (20.4%). Among the participants, 70.9% confirmed that they had heard about pre-eclampsia before. The most common signs and symptoms were high blood pressure (47.4%), increased protein in urine (40.2%), continuous headache (39.2%), and vomiting/nausea (40.0%). Participants demonstrated awareness of obesity (29.7%), diabetes mellitus (35.5%), chronic hypertension (47.0%), and chronic kidney disease (31.3%) as major risk factors. Participants were aware of potential risks such as kidney disorders (34.6%), heart disorders (23.7%), and preterm delivery (50.9%). The analysis reveals that younger participants below 20 years old (3.3%) and lower educational levels (5.6%) had lower awareness of preeclampsia compared to older age groups.
The findings of this study highlight a reasonable level of preeclampsia awareness and knowledge among Saudi Arabian women residing in the Al Baha region. While the majority of participants were familiar with preeclampsia, there were significant knowledge gaps regarding the precise symptoms, risk factors, and consequences of the condition.
The reproductive pattern of the Libyan jird (Meriones libycus Lichtenstein, 1823) from central Saudi Arabia was investigated in the absence of rainfall. In this study, body mass, morphometry of the ...reproductive tract, the histology of the reproductive organs, and the hormone concentrations of males and females were studied over 12 consecutive months in a wild population of the Libyan jird from central Saudi Arabia. Previous studies have found the breeding season of the Libyan jird from the Sahara desert of Algeria to occur during the wet months of spring. In the absence of rainfall, temperature and photoperiod were found to be important activators of reproductive activity. The cooler temperatures and shorter days of winter triggered the onset of ovulation in females and increased testes size and seminiferous tubule diameter in males. Only two pregnancies were found during the sampling period, which occurred during the cooler winter and early spring and coincided with a rise in plasma progesterone concentration in females. The Libyan jird was found to shift its breeding to the cooler months of winter in the absence of rainfall. This study strengthens the findings that changes in rainfall and temperature in dry deserts are critical cues for the onset of reproduction in small mammals.
BackgroundGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global gastrointestinal disorder, and obesity is a particular risk factor. Symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and acid reflux, are caused by ...abnormal relaxation in the lower esophagus, causing gastric acid reflux. Persistent symptoms can affect the patient’s quality of life (QOL) and can cause complications, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma. Management of GERD includes lifestyle changes, antacids, and anti-reflux surgery. Even though GERD is a common disease, few research has been carried out on it in Saudi Arabia.AimThis study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GERD and its associated risk factors among obese individuals in the Al-Baha region population and the effect of GERD on their QOL.MethodsA cross-sectional study included 314 obese participants from the Al-Baha region. A questionnaire was filled out to measure the prevalence of GERD, risk factors, and effects on the QOL of the participants. Data were analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (released 2019, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test were applied. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the incidence of GERD. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 314 patients who met our inclusion criteria completed the survey; 42% of them were women, the mean age of all patients was 35.3 ± 12.9 years, and 38.2% of the patients were diagnosed with GERD. Epigastric pain and burning sensation were the most common symptoms (44.9%). Five out of six domains in the QOL questionnaire showed more effects among GERD participants than non-GERD participants, and the results were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that men are 1.8 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with GERD, and smokers have 2.6 times the risk of being diagnosed with GERD than non-smokers.ConclusionThe present study showed a high prevalence of GERD among obese patients in the Al-Baha region, negatively affecting their QOL. Major risk factors included gender, smoking, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Public health programs to raise awareness of these risk factors and lifestyle habits are necessary to improve QOL and prevent complications.
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