Design and Testing of a solar Parabolic Trough System for Electricity Generation in Sudan

The performance characteristics of a parabolic trough collector system have been characterized using ASHRAE 93 standard. The standard includes collector efficiency test and the incident angle modifier test. The fabricated trough-receiver unit and its down stream system were installed in an open area at the roof of the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Khartoum. The test result shows that the obtained thermal efficiency is 32%. The output shows that it is possible to generate electricity using parabolic trough system with a considerable efficiency and competitively with the other conventional systems due to high local solar potential through the year and availability of site area

Cybersecurity Awareness in African Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study of Sudan

The crisis caused by the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has imposed a swift and profound change on teaching and learning methods. Consequently, most higher education institutions around the world, including African higher education institutions, have moved from face-to-face teaching to online learning and teaching, which has made the use of the internet by university students necessary and obligatory regardless of the risks associated with unsafe use. This quick move to online teaching and learning has exposed African universities to a greater risk of cybercrime. This prompted the researchers to investigate the cybersecurity awareness levels among undergraduate students at African higher education institutions based in the case country, Sudan. In an exploratory research approach, a survey was conducted on a convenience sample of 1,200 undergraduate students at six public universities in Sudan. The results show that most undergraduate students in Sudan higher educational institutions have low cybersecurity awareness levels. Further investigation using inferential statistics reveals that male students at the universities in Sudan have slightly higher levels of cybersecurity awareness than female students. Most of the participants believe that cybersecurity should be taught in schools; they are also willing to learn about cybersecurity. In addition, the results showed that students with advanced computer skills significantly differ from students with intermediate or basic computer skills in practicing cybersecurity

Effect of Sedimentation on Bovine Sperm Cells

Dairy Scienc

Perception, Practice, and Attitude Toward Prostate-specific Antigen Test Among Sudanese Urologists

Background: The introduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has revolutionized the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC). However, there is a wide variation in the daily practice of PSA testing with ongoing efforts to increase its sensitivity. This study aims to evaluate the attitude of Sudanese urologists toward the PSA test in their daily practice. Methods: An online questionnaire was formed and sent to the academic group of Sudanese urologists; it was left for two months with weekly reminders. The group contains 135 members. Data were then collected and analyzed. Results: Of the 135 members, 83 (61.5%) responded to the questionnaire, all were males, with 43% of them being consultants, and 37% having an experience between 5 and 10 years. Most participants (85%) use the test according to international guidelines, the majority (60%) counsel patients before the test, with 72% finding the test more than 50% reliable. In addition, >33% face problems when requesting PSA with >29% of them finding it unreliable. Moreover, in >13%, the test is unavailable. Nearly all participants (95%) think that there is a need for national guidelines to regulate the use of PSA tests. Conclusion: For the diversity of practice toward the PSA test and the unavailability of adjunct methods that increase its sensitivity, there is a need for national guidelines to regulate the use of the test in the context of other clinical factors

EVALUATION OF APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL PROSTATE SYMPTOMS SCORE IN SUDANESE PATIENTS WITH BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to assess the reliability and validity of IPSS in pre- and treatment of Sudanese patients with BPH. Material and methods: In a descriptive prospective study, 350 Sudanese patients with LUTS attended the Urology department of Gezira Hospital for Renal Diseases and Surgery from September 2003 to April 2006. They were interviewed by urologists and answered the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire. Clinical work up was done for all only patients with benign hyperplasia were included in the analysis .Europeans guideline was adopted in the management and the out come was also subjected to IPSS evaluation. Results: The most common voiding symptoms was a weak stream (93% of subjects), followed by intermittency (57%) and hesitancy (54%). The most prevalence of storage symptoms was nocturia (87% of subjects), followed by frequency (73%) and urgency (64%). 64% of the study subjects   presented with severe IPSS, 33% with moderate IPSS, while only 3% of the patients presented with mild IPSS. Digital rectal examination (DRE) was done to all study subjects. There was no significant correlation between DRE and IPSS reported. The postoperative IPSS post treatment follow up was mild in 87%, moderate in 4% and sever in 9% of the patients.   Conclusion: Our study indicates that IPSS is informative and reproducible in assessment of patients with BPH. &nbsp

Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis: A Paradigm of Paradoxical Immune Reconstitution Syndrome in Non-HIV/AIDS Patients

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease characterized by immune suppression. Successful treatment is usually followed by immune reconstitution and a dermatosis called post-Kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). Recently, PKDL was described as one of the immune reconstitution syndromes (IRISs) in HIV/VL patients on HAART. This study aimed to present PKDL as a typical example of paradoxical IRIS in non-HIV/AIDS individuals. Published and new data on the pathogenesis and healing of PKDL was reviewed and presented. The data suggested that PKDL is a typical example of paradoxical IRIS, being a new disease entity that follows VL successful treatment and immune recovery. PKDL lesions are immune inflammatory in nature with granuloma, adequate response to immunochemotherapy, and an ensuing hypersensitivity reaction, the leishmanin skin test (LST). The data also suggested that the cytokine patterns of PKDL pathogenesis and healing are probably as follows: an active disease state dominated by IL-10 followed by spontaneous/treatment-induced IL-12 priming, IL-2 stimulation, and INF-γ production. INF-γ-activated macrophages eliminate the Leishmania parasites/antigen to be followed by LST conversion and healing. In conclusion, PKDL is a typical example of paradoxical IRIS in non-HIV/AIDS individuals with anti-inflammatory cytokine patterns that are superseded by treatment-induced proinflammatory cytokines and lesions healing

Diagnostic predictive values of the hain genotype MTBDRsl assay in mycobacterial strains isolated from Sudan

Introduction: hain GenoType MTBDRsl is nucleic acid amplification assay based on reverse hybridization with specific oligonucleotide probes on nitrocellulose strips. MTBDRsl identifies M. tuberculosis complex and detects resistance to fluoroquinolone, second line injectable drugs and ethambutol evident as mutations of gyrA, rrs and embB genes respectively. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the Hain GenoType MTBDRsl Assay using 1% proportion method on LJ medium as gold standard. Methods: a total of 52 rifampicin resistant (RR) isolates were tested for second line drug sensitivity by 1% proportion method and by MTBDRsl assay. Results: two strains were identified as mycobacteria other than tuberculosis MOTT and the rest were Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex MTBC. Five of the MTBC isolates (5/50; 10%) showed resistance to at least one second line drug and one isolate (1/50; 2%) was XDR. XDR strain was concordantly detected by the two methods. One of two Kanamycin-resistant isolates showed discordant result. Ofloxacin showed one false positive and one false negative result. Most discrepancies were detected with Ethambutol. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were respectively as follows: Ethambutol (63.3.4%, 85.7%, 94.4% and 62%): for Kanamycin (67%, 100%, 100% and 97.9%): for Amikacin and Capreomycin (100%, 100%, 100% and 100%): for Ofloxacin (75%, 97.5%, 75% and 97.8%). For XDR isolate the values were (100%, 100%, 100% and 100%) respectively. Conclusion: MTBDRsl showed high specificity and negative predictive values making it acceptable and time-saving for early presumptive detection of resistance to second-line drugs in Sudan

Clinical and haematological Findings in Sudanese patients With sickle cell disease Attending the hospitals in Elobeid, Kordofan

Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the clinical features and haematological parameters in sickler Sudanese patients attending El Obeid Hospitals in North Kordofan, Sudan. Materials and Methods: Eighty five patients with homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease, (both sexes) were included in this study. Their age ranged between 6 months to 42 years. Forty persons were used as control. Clinical manifestations were recorded at examination. Freshly obtained blood samples from patients and control were used to estimate haematological parameters which included: haemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (E.S.R).                Results: The clinical investigations revealed that all patients presented with painful crisis, 96.5% had chronic anemia, 84.7% had recurrent malaria and 81.2% had different infections (76% was chest infection). 32.9% of the sickle cell disease (SCD) patients had no blood transfusion, while the rest had blood transfused once to five times. Haematological measurement indicate that all SCD patients in this study were reported anaemic, and their Hb, PCV and RBC count were significantly lower (P<0.001) compared with the control group, while WBC count and MCV were significantly higher (P<0.001, P<0.01). In this study the prevalence of SCD in Misseria tribe (24.7%) was highest compared to other tribes. Conclusion: This study affirmed the problem of sickle cell disease in Kordofan state, which should draw attention toward the need of further studies

The Effect of COVID-19 on Family Support for Home-Schooling in Urban Areas

The objective of the study is to clarify that the family participated in COVID-19 as a home-schooling family. The sample was selected according to the geographical distribution of schools in the eastern region of Khartoum. Data was collected through a questionnaire and interviews. The most important result is that there is an increasing interest from parents to support home-schooling despite the challenges of continuing learning, such as the widening digital divide in technology, previous experience, and poor network connectivity. This research paper focused on the point of view of parents in the city of Khartoum on supporting home-schooling according to social variables related to both mother and father, and the paper concluded that parents of students in private schools are more supportive of home education. Also, most of the parents of students who support home-schooling have reached their university level of education and post-university and belong to the youth age group. Although parents emphasize the importance of home-schooling during the COVID-19 infection, there are challenges associated with providing home-schooling for their children. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-05-021 Full Text: PD