Introduction: Using English as the medium of instruction in science courses may hinder comprehension for students who lack sufficient English language proficiency. This challenge is particularly relevant in non-English speaking countries, where students may struggle to follow complex scientific content delivered exclusively in English. Methods: This study was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, where the majority of students are native Arabic speakers. To assess the impact of language on knowledge acquisition, two groups of first-year students enrolled in various health and medical science majors were compared. The test group attended a biology lecture delivered bilingually (Arabic and English), while the control group received the same lecture in English only. A pre- and post-test design was used to evaluate knowledge acquisition during the lecture session. Results: Both groups showed improvement in post-test scores; however, the test group demonstrated a statistically significant higher gain compared to the control group. Furthermore, 86% of students in the test group reported that the bilingual approach reduced distractions, and 98% reported improved understanding. In contrast, only 32% of the English-only group reported reduced distractions, and 56% felt it improved their understanding. Discussion: The findings suggest that bilingual instruction enhances comprehension and reduces cognitive load for students with limited English proficiency. This highlights the importance of adapting the medium of instruction to student language competencies in science education, especially for non-native English speakers, who lack sufficient English language skills.

To investigate the effect of the therapeutic treatment of the immunopeptide, peptide inhibitor of trans-endothelial migration (PEPITEM) on the severity of disease in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a model for human multiple sclerosis (MS), a series of experiments were conducted. Using C57BL/6 female mice, we dosed the PEPITEM in the EAE model via IP after observing the first sign of inflammation. The disease was induced using MOG35-55 and complete Freund’s adjuvants augmented with pertussis toxin. The EAE score was recorded daily until the end of the experiment (21 days). The histological and immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted on the spinal cord sections. A Western blot analysis was performed to measure the protein concentration of MBP, MAP-2, and N-Cadherin, and ELISA kits were used to measure IL-17 and FOXP3 in the serum and spinal cord lysate. The therapeutic treatment with PEPITEM reduced the CNS infiltration of T cells, and decreased levels of the protein concertations of MBP, MAP-2, and N-Cadherin were observed, in addition to reduced concertations of IL-17 and FOXP3. Using PEPITEM alleviated the severity of the symptoms in the EAE model. Our study revealed the potential of PEPITEM to control inflammation in MS patients and to reduce the harmful effects of synthetic drugs.

Objectives: To identify the genetic landscape of CMT in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 43 patients diagnosed with CMT between 2016 and 2022 at National Guard Health Affairs hospitals in three cities. All CMT cases with a genetic diagnosis were included. Results: Genetic testing was conducted in 23 out of 43 CMT cases (53%), and clinically relevant genetic variants associated with CMT were identified in 17 of 23 patients (73.9%). The most common genes in the cohort were MTMR2, PMP22, and FGD4, with notable intra-tribe mutations suggesting a strong influence of consanguinity. The predominant mode of inheritance was autosomal recessive CMT1, affecting 12 out of 17 cases (70.6%). Five novel variants associated with CMT were identified in MTMR2, PRX, SBF1, and HSPB8. Conclusion: This study reveals a distinct genetic profile of CMT in the Saudi population, with a higher prevalence of autosomal recessive forms of the disease compared to other populations. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating genetic testing into routine clinical practice, particularly in populations with high consanguinity rates.