Search

Abstract Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major noncommunicable disease worldwide, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing. The Finish score helps in the prediction of the risk of future diabetes development, as well as in the identification of undiagnosed diabetes. The current study was conducted to identify people at risk of developing type II diabetes mellitus in River Nile State, Sudan. Methods: This cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in River Nile state between 2019 October and 2020 March. Data were collected using a questionnaire that included the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score variables from 400 participants after an informed consent. Chi-square test was used to test the associations, with the P-value considered significant when < 0.05. Results: The majority of participants (257 [64.3%]) were < 45 years old, and 229 (57.3%) were male. The risk of type II diabetes mellitus was found to be low in 187 (46.8%) people and high in 213 (53.2%). Moreover, 128 (32%) had a body mass index (BMI) between 25and 30 kg/m2, while 46 (11.5%) had > 30 kg/m2. Waist circumference of < 94 cm was found in 147 (36.8%) males, while only 63 females (15.8%) had a waist circumference < 80 cm. Age, gender, BMI, daily activity, history of hypertension, history of hyperglycemia, and family history of diabetes were all significantly associated with the risk of developing diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score was found to be useful in facilitating wider access to the risk of type II diabetes among the study population. More than half of the study population were at risk of developing diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition, commonly manifests during early childhood and has the potential to adversely affect an individual's social, academic, and occupational performance in multiple settings. Students with ADHD may struggle with attention, focus, listening, and completing schoolwork. Additionally, they may exhibit restless or disruptive behavior in class and may have learning disabilities that affect their academic performance. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of primary school teachers on ADHD in Alkadrow, Khartoum, Sudan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Alkadrow-Bahri locality, Sudan, over a period of three to six months in 2022. The study population included primary school teachers who had taught for at least one year and encountered at least one student with ADHD. A convenience sampling technique was used to select a minimum of 59 participants, and data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the data, including descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis. Results: The study had 59 participants, with the majority being female and in the age group of 41–45 years. The participants were mostly married and had obtained psychology courses, with a bachelor's degree being the most common level of education. Many participants had over 20 years of teaching experience. Regarding the attitude toward attention deficit hyperactivity, most participants strongly agreed that they did have a negative/positive attitude toward it, and a majority agreed or were neutral toward ADHD. However, in the case of attention deficit hyperactivity, a significant percentage of participants disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. Conclusion: The study found that most participants had a negative attitude toward student referrals for medical care and believed that most symptoms of ADHD can be lowered by aging. Additionally, more than half strongly disagreed that punishment has a positive effect on ADHD.

This retrospective study aimed to analyze antibiotic utilization and trends in urinary tract infection (UTI) patients without comorbidities at a Provincial Public Hospital in Indonesia. The data of 183 eligible patients who received antibiotics for UTI treatment from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed using the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification system. Antibiotic utilization was measured in Defined Daily Dose (DDD) per 100 patient-days and Drug Utilization 90% (DU 90%) index. The study revealed fluctuating utilization, with 2018 (51.32 DDD/100 patient-days) and 2017 (37.22 DDD/100 patient-days) showing the highest and lowest antibiotic utilization, respectively. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were ceftriaxone injection, cefixime oral, and levofloxacin injection, while ampicillin and amoxicillin oral were the least utilized. These findings provide valuable insights into antibiotic prescribing patterns for UTIs, highlighting fluctuating antibiotic utilization and the need for appropriate antibiotic stewardship strategies in primary care settings.

The metabolic needs of the human body and preventing infections require a diet with sufficient amounts of essential nutrients. This study aimed to investigate the importance of Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) dried leaves as a healthy food source by determining the content of macro and trace elements in different habitats and regions. This study was conducted in Sudan and covered three different habitats, wetland (W), plainland (P), and mountain (M), in two regions (Blue Nile and Kordofan). The dry matter (DM) of Baobab leaves was considered for analyzed menials, and the results showed that the mean values were significantly affected by habitats where Baobab trees grew. The highest contents of potassium K (1653 ± 34 mg/100 g) and sodium (Na) 7.67 ± 1.18 mg/100 g were found in the W zone, whereas the highest contents of calcium (Ca) 2903 ± 187 mg/100 g and magnesium (Mg) 529 ± 101 mg/100 g were detected in the M and P zones, respectively. In addition, the two regions showed significant differences in trace and macro elements, i.e., higher levels of iron (Fe) 17.17 ± 2.76 mg/100 g and magnesium (556 ± 55 mg/100 g) were found in the Kordofan region while higher levels of zinc (Zn) 2.548 ± 0.55 mg/100 g and calcium (2689 ± 305 mg/100) were in the Blue Nile region. These varying amounts of elements can be used in our daily diets because of their potentially healthy effects, especially in areas where access to nutrient-rich foods is limited.

In this quick study, we estimated the Weibull distribution’s parameters using wind data collected between March 2017 and January 2018 using a twelve-meter mast meteorological station on the grounds of the National Energy Research Center in Khartoum. In order to quantify these descriptors, we relied on analytical and stochastic methods, subsequently enabling specialists from researchers, engineers, decision-makers, and policymakers to apprehend the wind characteristics in the vicinity. Hence, the computed scale and shape parameters were provided, in which the Firefly algorithm (FA) resulted in the most accuracy in terms of the coefficient of determination, which equaled 0.999, which we considered logical due to the observed nonlinearity in the wind speed numbers. On the contrary, the energy pattern factor method had the worst prediction capability depending on several goodness-of-fit metrics. This concise work is unique because it is the first to use data from Sudan to forecast local wind speeds using artificial intelligence algorithms, particularly the FA technique, which is widely used in solar photovoltaic modeling. Additionally, since classic estimating approaches act differently spatially, evaluating their efficacy becomes innovative, which was accomplished here. On a similar note, a weighted-average wind speed was found to equal 4.98 m/s and the FA average wind speed was 3.73 m/s, while the rose diagram indicated that most winds with potential energy equivalent to 3 m/s or more blow from the north.

Men’s fertility depends on their bodies making normal sperm and delivering them. Semen analysis has been the test of choice for assessing the male partner in an infertile couple using a single threshold value to distinguish ‘abnormal’ and ‘normal’ parameters. In the semen analysis process, rA©gime issues might affect the semen morphology, quality, and spermatozoa, and also reduce the risks of fertility due to food regimen including glycemic content and limited intake of nutrients. Determination of the connotation between adjustable rA©gime and semen morphology is a complex task to determine fertility. The goal is this study is the prediction of men’s fertility rate to analyze the connection between spermatozoa and the level of lifeblood. Impaired semen parameters alone cannot be used to predict fertility more accurately. Some factors might affect the spermatozoa, like impairing sperm function, morphology, and sustainability, and can reduce the men’s fertility rate. In this article, deep learning on convolutional neural network (DLNN) is used to predict the men’s fertility rate more quickly, accurately, and consistently from different age spam of men between 18–50 years old. The convolutional neural network performs the segmentation of sperm heads, while the deep learning algorithm allows us to calculate the movement speed of sperm heads. After the application of DLNN, we have achieved semen prediction 80.952% and sperm concentration 85.714% accuracy of sperm head detection on human spermatozoa sperm samples. The results of the experiments presented below will show the applicability of the proposed method to be used in automated artificial insemination workflow.

يُعَالِجُ البَحثُ بَعْضَ أَمْثلةِ ابنِ مالك في ألفيَّتهِ المُتَضمِّنَة القواعد الأساسيَّة للأبواب النَّحويَّة الواردة فيها؛ لإثبات رؤوس القواعد النَّحويَّة ودراستها دلاليًّا، رابطًا ذلك بِمَا ورد في الكُتبِ النَّحويَّة، مع بيانِ إفادةِ شُرَّاح الألفيَّة من هذه الأمثلة في شُرُوْحِهِم، وقد أتتْ أهميَّةُ هذا الموضوع في كونهِ يُلقي الضّوء على موضوعٍ مُهِمّ، وهو: دراسة أمثلة ابن مالك في الألفيَّة نحويًّا ودلاليًّا، ومن أهدافِ البَحثِ التي سَعَى إلى تحقيقها: الوقوف على أمثلة ابن مالك في الألفيَّة لإثبات القاعدة النَّحويَّة، ولطبيعة البحث اُنتهج فيه المنهج الوصفي، وأُخذ من أدواته التَّحليل، وقد جُعِلَتْ حدوده الأمثلة المَالكيَّة في خلاصَتِهِ النَّحويَّة، ودراستها نَحويًّا، ودلاليًّا؛ وقد قًسِّمَ البحث إلى محورين، اهتمَّ الأوَّلُ منهما بالتَّعريف بابن مالك وألفيته، واختصَّ الآخر بالحديث عن مفهوم الأمثلة، ودراسة بعض أمثلة ابن مالك في ألفيَّته دراسة نحوية دلاليَّة، ثُمَّ خاتمة ذُكِرَ فيها أهمّ ما تَوَصَّلَ إليه البَحثُ من نتائج وتوصيات.

Abstract Background The currently used malaria vaccine, RTS,S, is designed based on the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). The pfcsp gene, besides having different polymorphic patterns, can vary between P. falciparum isolates due to geographical origin and host immune response. Such aspects are essential when considering the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in a certain region. Therefore, this study assessed the genetic diversity of P. falciparum in Sudan based on the pfcsp gene by investigating the diversity at the N-terminal, central repeat, and the C-terminal regions. Methods A cross-sectional molecular study was conducted; P. falciparum isolates were collected from different health centres in Khartoum State between January and December 2019. During the study period, a total of 261 febrile patients were recruited. Malaria diagnosis was made by expert microscopists using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. DNA samples were examined by the semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Single clonal infection of the confirmed P. falciparum cases, were used to amplify the pfcsp gene. The amplified amplicons of pfcsp have been sequenced using the Sanger dideoxy method. The obtained sequences of pfcsp nucleotide diversity parameters including the numbers of haplotypes (Hap), haplotypes diversity (Hapd), the average number of nucleotide differences between two sequences (p), and the numbers of segregating sites (S) were obtained. The haplotype networks were constructed using the online tcsBU software. Natural selection theory was also tested on pfcsp using Fuand Li’s D, Fuand Li’s F statistics, and Tajima’s D test using DnaSP. Results In comparison with the different pfcsp reference strains, the Sudanese isolates showed high similarity with other African isolates. The results of the N-terminal region showed the presence of 2 different haplotypes with a Hapd of 0.425 ± 0.00727. The presence of the unique insertion of NNNGDNGREGKDEDKRDGNN was reported. The KLKQP motif was conserved in all the studied isolates. At the central repeat region, 11 haplotypes were seen with a Hapd of 0.779 ± 0.00097. The analysis of the genetic diversity in the C-terminal region showed the presence of 10 haplotypes with a Hapd of 0.457 ± 0.073. Several non-synonymous amino acids changes were also seen at the Th2R and the Th3R T-cell epitope regions including T317K, E317K, Q318E, K321N, I322K, T322K, R322K, K324Q, I327L, G352N, S354P, R355K, N356D, Q357E, and E361A. Conclusions In this study, the results indicated a high conservation at the pfcsp gene. This may further contribute in understanding the genetic polymorphisms of P. falciparum prior to the deployment of the RTS,S vaccine in Sudan.

Background: Cardiac catheterization is the common procedure undertaken to assess and treat coronary heart diseases. After the procedure, the patient remains on bed rest.for at least 6-24 hours in order to reduce the chance of vascular complications at the groin site. Objectives: to investigate the effect of noncompliance and compliance patients on the outcome of Diagnostic Coronary Angiography in terms of hematoma or bleeding, and pain. Methodology: It was a descriptive prospective cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted at Ahmed Gasim Cardiac Center in Sudan. Data collected among 151 Sudanese adult patients presenting for diagnostic coronary angiography, Data relevant to the study were collected by questioners and observational checklist and analyzed using (SPSS). Result: Fortunately, the majority of the participants, 76.2%, were compliant with the routine bed rest post-procedure and only 23.8% were non-compliant, the compliance of patients was not shown to have an effect on patients 94.4% up to 100% did not experience back pain. Conclusion: altering a patient's position by elevating the head of the patient's bed and side-to-side positioning was safe. This will enhance patient comfort, reduce back pain, and enable them to meet self-care needs. No difference in the incidence of vascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer incidence increases with age, so some clinical guidelines include patient age as one of the criteria used to decide whether a patient should be referred through the urgent suspected cancer (USC) pathway. Little is known about how strictly GPs adhere to these age criteria and what factors might influence their referral decisions for younger patients. Aim: To understand GPs' clinical decision making for younger patients with concerning symptoms who do not meet the age criteria for USC referral. Design and setting: Qualitative study using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with GPs working in surgeries across England. Method: Participants (n = 23) were asked to recall consultations with younger patients with cancer symptoms, describe factors influencing their clinical decisions, and discuss their overall attitude to age thresholds in cancer referral guidelines. A thematic analysis guided by the Framework approach was used to identify recurring themes. Results: GPs' decision making regarding younger patients was influenced by several factors, including personal experiences, patients' views and behaviour, level of clinical concern, and ability to bypass system constraints. GPs weighted potential benefits and harms of a referral outside guidelines both on the patient and the health system. If clinical concern was high, GPs used their knowledge of local systems to ensure patients were investigated promptly even when not meeting the age criteria. Conclusion: While most GPs interpret age criteria flexibly and follow their own judgement and experience when making clinical decisions regarding younger patients, system constraints may be a barrier to timely investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]