Students demonstrated positive attitudes toward UR activities. The relationships between participation in UR activities and male gender, increased number of years spent at medical college and higher GPA were directly proportional.
There is a rapidly increasing movement towards integrating scientific research training into undergraduate medical education. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived attitudes of female second-year undergraduate medical students towards research at the College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia, as well as to explore if any differences exist between students with and without previous research experiences. An online, anonymous, cross-sectional, self-rating survey was administered. A two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the mean 5-point Likert scale responses between students with and without previous research experiences. Sixty-one students (61/81) participated in the survey with a 75.3 % response rate. Nineteen participants (31.1 %) had previous research experiences. Overall, all students demonstrated positive attitudes towards undergraduate research. There were significant statistical differences in the means of attitudes towards undergraduate research between students with versus without previous research experiences in regards to the following statements: ‘my adequate possession of research knowledge and skills promotes participation in future research activities’ (3.4 vs. 2.9; p < 0.02), ‘I will participate in scientific research activities throughout my undergraduate medical education’ (3.7 vs. 3.1; p < 0.00), and ‘I have no interest at all in scientific research’ (1.6 vs. 2.4; p < 0.01). Previous exposure to scientific research experiences promotes more positive attitudes towards scientific research.
There are limited numbers of studies which comprehensively explored the research publications authored by medical students. To descriptively analyze the student-authored research publications originating from Alfaisal University—College of Medicine (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) over a 6-year period. All student-authored research publications were retrieved from PubMed® and the College’s publication database. Study inclusion criteria included: (1) at least one medical student author, (2) published and/or accepted in-press PubMed-indexed article from 10 September 2008 to 31 December 2014. Data was transferred to Microsoft Excel Software for descriptive statistical analysis of variable parameters. Seventy-three (n = 73) articles met the study inclusion criteria. They were published by 170 students; the majority were males (79.4 %) and clerkship students (65.9 %). There was a markedly steady increase in number of yearly publications from 1 publication in 2009 to 35 publications by the end of 2014. Fifty (68.5 %), twenty-nine (39.7 %) and thirty-seven (50.7 %) students were first, second and corresponding authors, respectively. The most frequent research areas were clinical science (43.8 %), basic science (23.3 %) and medical education (21.9 %). The most frequent research types were case reports (41.1 %), research articles (32.9 %) and correspondence letters (15.1 %). Fifty-seven (78.1 %) and sixteen (21.9 %) publications took place in local and abroad institutes, respectively. Most publications (71.2 %) had impact factors below 2. The mean ± SD of articles’ impact factors and citations were 3.9 ± 9.9 and 1.9 ± 4.1, respectively. Students demonstrated positive attitudes towards publishing and significantly contributed to the institution’s pool of research publications.
Introduction:Meningoencephalitis is the most common clinical manifestation of cryptococcal infection, as the organism has a propensity to invade the CNS. Patients often present with elevated intracranial pressure, focal motor deficits, altered mentation and internal hydrocephalus. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) has been reported as a notable cause of euvolemic hyponatremia in immunocompromised patients.Case Presentation:A 67-year-old male with liver transplantation due to hepatitis C (HCV) related liver cirrhosis developed severe hyponatremia four months after liver transplantation, which was discovered during routine clinic visit. Patient was referred to the emergency department, treated and discharged with normal serum sodium level. Few days later, he presented with dizziness, confusion, ataxia, abnormal muscle movements and leg pain. Laboratory investigations were consistent with SIADH and revealed a sodium level of 115 mmol/L. Brain MRI showed a leptomeningeal enhancement in the superior cerebellar sulci suspicious for infection. Lumbar puncture was performed and consistent with Cryptococcus neoformans infection; therefore, cryptococcal meningitis was diagnosed. Amphotericin B was started for the patient for six weeks followed by fluconazole for one year. His level of consciousness improved significantly, and his serum sodium level slowly returned to its normal baseline over three weeks after starting amphotericin B.Conclusions:Symptomatic hyponatremia secondary to SIADH remains a rare complication of cryptococcal meningitis.
HEHE is a rare neoplasm of vascular origin that occurs in the liver; UNOS reported a favorable outcome after liver transplantation in 110 patients with 1-year and 5-year survival of 80% and 64%. Case Report. A 40-year-old lady presented with a three-month history of right upper abdominal pain with nausea, vomiting, and significant loss of weight associated with scleral icterus and progressive abdominal distension. Examination revealed jaundice, hepatomegaly, and ascites. Serum bilirubin was 26.5 mg/dL and ALP was 552 CT. Abdomen and pelvis showed diffuse infiltrative neoplastic process of the liver with a mass effect and stretching of the hepatic and portal veins, in addition to bile duct dilatation. Viral hepatitis markers were negative and serum alpha fetoprotein was within reference range. Liver biopsy was consistent with HEHE, with positive endothelial markers (CD31, CD34, and factor VIII-related antigen). She underwent living related liver transplantation on June 2013 and was discharged after 20 days with normal liver enzymes. Four months later, she presented with diffuse disease recurrence. Liver biopsy confirmed disease recurrence; she received supportive treatment and unfortunately she died 2 weeks later. Conclusion. HEHE can have rapid and aggressive recurrence after liver transplantation.
Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an extremely uncommon, highly aggressive, and malignant mesenchymal neoplasm of undetermined histogenesis. Less than 200 case reports have been documented in literature so far. Herein, we report a 26-year-old otherwise healthy female patient who presented with a 1-month history of epigastric pain. On physical examination, a palpable, slightly mobile, and tender epigastric mass was detected. All laboratory tests were normal. A chest, abdominal, and pelvic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans showed a 3.8 × 7.2 × 8.7 cm ill-defined mass, involving gastric fundus and extending into gastric cardia and lower gastroesophageal junction. It was associated with multiple enlarged gastrohepatic lymph nodes; the largest measured 1.2 cm. There was no evidence of ascites or retroperitoneal or mesenteric lymphatic metastases. Patient underwent total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy, splenectomy, and antecolic Roux-en-Y esophagojejunal anastomosis. Histopathological examination revealed coexpression of mesenchymal, epithelial, and neural markers. The characteristic chromosomal translocation (t(11; 22)(p13; q12)) was demonstrated on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Diagnosis of DSRCT of stomach was confirmed. Patient received no postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy. A postoperative 3-month followup failed to show any recurrence. In addition, a literature review on DSRCT is included.
Primary mediastinal synovial sarcomas are exceedingly uncommon tumors. Herein, we present the case of primary mediastinal synovial sarcoma (monophasic spindle cell-shaped variant) fully occupying the right hemithorax in a 37-year-old woman who presented to clinic with a 2-month history of right-sided chest pain and shortness of breath. Although extremely rare, however, synovial sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all monophasic and biphasic spindle cell neoplasms of the mediastinum. Despite molecular testing for (t[x; 18] [p11.2; q11.2]) is characteristically positive in 90% of synovial sarcoma cases, it is not routinely done. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses can greatly confirm the diagnosis. Optimal surgical resection is the standard of care. Adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy) is indicated in inoperable advanced disease or unachieved surgical tumor-free surgical margins. Prognosis is poor with a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of 35.7%. Early diagnosis and prompt appropriate management yield better disease-free and OS rates.
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