Epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in culture-positive hospitalized patients in selected hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan

Objective: To study the prevelence of antibiotic resistance and the prevalent bacterial isolates in hospitalized patients in Khartoum hospitals. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional prevalence study was carried out during the period of April–November 2015 in Khartoum; 226 bacterial cultures were included. Identification of isolates using standard biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibilities were determined using disc diffusion method. Results were interpreted according to the standards of the British society of antimicrobial chemotherapy. Results: Eight bacterial species were isolated: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., and Acinetobacter spp. S. aureus was the most prevalent, the majority of which were resistant to methicillin/oxacillin (MRSA). Cultures in our study were mainly from urine (36.7%), blood samples (37.2%), and wound cultures (19%). More than 90% of the tested isolates were resistant to cefuroxime; 54% and 73.8% of Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates, respectively, were resistant to ceftazidime. Furthermore, there was a high meropenem resistance among Gram-negative isolates tested. Multi-resistant Acinetobacter spp. as well as vancomycin-resistant S. aureus was isolated. Gram-negative isolates showed good susceptibilities to aminoglycosides as well as ciprofloxacin. However, the high resistance rate to these antibiotics was observed in Gram-positive isolates in these hospitals. Conclusion: Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was the most prevalent organism. Gramnegative isolates showed good susceptibilities to aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin. There were high resistance rates to cefuroxime, ceftazidime, and meropenem. Five vancomycin-resistant S. aureus were identified

A Model of Jordanian Firm’s Trainees’ Acceptance of A Web-Based Training

This study investigates E-learning technologies such as web based training “WBT” as a one of many products which wide used in all corporate training for delivering educational content to their employees. In order to achieve a better view and validate the study, researcher attempts to give details of how technology acceptance models help Jordanian trainees firms in accepting e- learning technology, and how if applied will result more attention to usage behavior. The empirical examination of study model which developed based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology ”UTAUT” which indicates that the Jordanian trainees’ firms’ usage behavior of WBT is determined directly by performance expectancy; effort expectancy; web- based training infrastructure; trust; culture; and behavioral intention. This model gives trainee a new tool to forecast the success of WBT deployment in training courses. The findings conclude that there are significant relationships between only two variables of UTAUT model for “WBT”effort expectancy and culture”

Wind reduction patterns around isolated biomass for wind erosion control in a desertified area of Central Sudan

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of sparse vegetation, feature common in arid zone, to reduce wind force (velocity) and hence protect the surface and regions downwind from drifting sand and their consequences. Respectively 4 (with heights h of 4, 3.2, 2 and 1.66 m), 2 (with h of 3 and 2.5 m) and 3 (with h of 1.04, 0.9 and 0.8 m ) well established single biomass configurations of Leptadenia pyrotechnica trees, Prosopis juliflora trees and Panicum turgidum grass, were selected in the field. Solar powered cup anemometer wind measurements with a data logger system were taken at heights of 0.25 and 0.5 h, at distances 0.5 and 1 h, at four sides of the tree in the prevailing wind direction and perpendicular to it, and additionally at 2, 4 and 6 h windward and leeward. The protection effectiveness of the biomass was calculated as a wind reduction ratio and in terms of objects protection, which was evaluated using the dimensionless protection index (É). The study showed that windward protection provided by Leptadenia and Prosopis at level 0.25h and distance 0.5 h was similar, w ith a wind reduction ratio R0.8, while Panicum showed comparably higher R-values. Even at the 0.5 h level, Panicum showed an R of 0.65 at 0.5 h distance. Leew ard, at 0.25 h level differences were small, R increasing from 0.6/0.7 to 0.8/1 with distance, Leptadenia protecting best. At higher level (0.5 h) at distances 0.5 and 1 h Prosopis gave better protection than the other two at distances 0.5, 1 and 2 h. The research is an exam ple of simple experimental work under difficult environmental conditions in Africa. It was part of studies in which additional attention was paid to quantification aspects under such conditions as well as to the problems it helped solve in the African societies concerned as agrometeorological service

Hubungan Status Gizi dengan Hasil Belajar Penjasorkes Siswa SD Negeri 006 Sungai Segajah Kecamatan Kubu

, Background problem in this research is the low penjasorkes learning outcomes result on students SDN 006 Segajah Sungai Kubu district. From some students found scores did not reach KKM. This problem is evident from observations of researchers during the learning and exams, it is suspected because of the nutritional status held by students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the corelation between nutrition status with the penjasorkes learning outcomes of students of SDN 006 Sungai Segajah. This type of research is correlational comparing the measurement results of two different variables in order to determine the degree of correlation between these variables. As the independent variable (X) is the nutrition status, while the dependent variable (Y) is the penjasorkes learning outcomes result. The research data was obtained from measurements of height and weight of students, and the value of MID Penjasorkes. The sample in this study were students siswa-siswi class V SDN 006 Sungai Segajah totaling 34 (purposive sampling). Based on the research results can be concluded as follows: From the results obtained the nutritional status of 34 students of SD Negeri 006 Sungai Segajah District of Kubu shows that the nutritional status of 14 people or 41% of students have a normal nutritional status in the category. Penjasorkes learning outcomes of 34 students of SD Negeri 006 Segajah Sungai Kubu district that 10 people or 29% showing in the category enough. From the results obtained nutritional status are significant corealtion with penjasorkes learning outcomes SDN 006 Segajah Sungai Kubu district students, characterized by the results obtained by the rhitung 0.54> ttabel 0,339

Simvastatin Ameliorates Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Rats

Simvastatin is a lipid-lowering agent used to treat hypercholesterolemia and to reduce the risk of heart disease. This study scrutinized the beneficial effects of simvastatin on experimental diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), pointing to the role of hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and both control and diabetic rats received simvastatin for 90 days. Diabetic rats showed significant cardiac hypertrophy, body weight loss, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. Serum creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and troponin I showed a significant increase in diabetic rats. Simvastatin significantly improved body weight, attenuated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, and ameliorated CK-MB and troponin I. Simvastatin prevented histological alterations and deposition of collagen in the heart of diabetic animals. Lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide were increased in the heart of diabetic rats whereas antioxidant defenses were decreased. These alterations were significantly reversed by simvastatin. In addition, simvastatin decreased serum inflammatory mediators and expression of NF-κB in the diabetic heart. Cardiac caspase-3 was increased in the diabetic heart and decreased following treatment with simvastatin. In conclusion, our results suggest that simvastatin alleviates DCM by attenuating hyperglycemia /hyperlipidemia-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis

Analisis Kandungan Minyak dalam Air dan Sedimen di Perairan Pantai Rupat Utara dan Selatan

A study on oil content in water and sediment was conducted in December 2015. The purpose of the study was to provide baseline data on environmental quality of Northen and Southern parts of Rupat Island Coastal Waters. The results of this study showed that average oil content in water North Rupat is 0.1403 ppm and average oil content in the sediment is 5402.5833 ppm. Meanwhile the average oil content in the of South Rupat is 0.0599 ppm and average oil content in the sediment is 6540.3333 ppm. According to standart value of sea water quality, oil content in the water has not exceeded the threshold value ( 100 ppm )

Risk Analysis of Prostate Cancer in PRACTICAL Consortium--Response.

D.F. Easton was recipient of the CR-UK grant C1287/A10118. R.A. Eeles was recipient of the CR-UK grant C5047/A10692.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Association for Cancer Research via http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-100

Development of a double-pole double-throw radio frequency micro electro-mechanical systems switch using an ‘S’ shaped pivot

This paper investigates the design of a novel pivot for a seesaw, RF MEMS, double-pole double-throw (DPDT) switch, which has been developed to operate within mobile communication systems and devices. The pivot employs a unique ‘S’ structure at the nano scale, in the form of a, which helps to keep von-Mises stresses below 21 MPa. The pivot requires less pulling force than similar designs due to its flexibility which allows the beam and contacts a greater space of separation while the switch is off. This in turn results in improved contact isolation of greater than −77 dB at 5 GHz. The RF MEMS switch is an improvement over the previously published paper (Al-Amin et al. in International symposium on microelectronics, vol 2013, no 1, pp 000831–000835, 2013. doi:10.1109/ECS.2014.6892558), since the pulling force of the electrostatic plates can be generated with a voltage which is greatly reduced from 14 to 8 V using the same electrostatic plate area size. The switch is a progression from SPST and DPDT seesaw switching since it provides improved flexibility over the previously described devices. With the redesign of the pivot the switch attains a greater ‘air-gap’ between the contacts when open-circuited which therefore allows for improved isolation during the off-state