Consolidating Medical Education in Sudan During War

Background: Providing quality medical education in Sudan faces challenges due to armed conflicts. This short communication explores practical solutions for ensuring the continuity of medical education during the conflict in the Sudanese context. Methods: A comprehensive literature review covered relevant articles published from 1915 to 2023. Four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) were searched using keywords related to medical education, war, armed conflict, and affected countries. Data synthesis identified common themes, challenges, and trends and suggested solutions for medical education in conflict zones. Case studies from Ukraine, Liberia, and Iraq were included for a comprehensive understanding. Results: Collaborative alliances among medical schools facilitate resource sharing and support. Engaging the Sudanese diaspora through virtual collaborations, mentorship programs, and faculty exchanges enhance educational experiences. Stable regions as educational hubs ensure uninterrupted academic progress for students from conflict-affected areas. Online and remote education, including asynchronous learning and social media platforms, overcome access barriers and fosters knowledge sharing. Ambulatory teaching provides practical experience and adaptability. Prioritizing faculty well-being and professional development through training and support is crucial. Emphasizing resilience and adaptability in student education prepare them for healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings. Research and innovation contribute to evidence-based strategies. International collaboration and support offer opportunities for knowledge exchange and infrastructure improvement. Conclusion: Implementing collaborative strategies and innovative approaches helps Sudanese medical schools overcome challenges during armed conflicts and maintain quality medical education. These solutions empower students and faculty, enhance resilience, and contribute to improving healthcare systems in post-war Sudan

Inappropriate use of antibiotics in the treatment of pharyngo-tonsilitis in children in Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Pharyngo-tonsillitis represents a major public health problem all over the world. Recent studies in Sudan have revealed alarming results reporting antibiotics over prescription in the management of acute tonsillitis.Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Group A Beta hemolytic streptococci and document the appropriateness of using antibiotics in the treatment of acute tonsillo-pharyngitis in Jaafar Ibn Auf Pediatrics Hospital.Materials and Methods: A cross sectional hospital based study was conducted in the period January to August 2012 in Jaafar Ibn Auf Hospital, the largest tertiary pediatrics hospital in Sudan. The sample size was 100 including children aged 2-17 years and got antibiotics treatment for their current sore throat. A pharyngeal swab was collected at presentation from tonsils and posterior pharynx. Gram staining was done first, and then Group A Beta hemolytic streptococci were isolated and identified in the laboratory by their growth characteristics. All children included in the study were assessed clinically and subjected to a structural questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 19.Results: The estimated prevalence of Group A Beta hemolytic streptococci tonsillitis and/or pharyngitis was 22%, nevertheless the proportion of antibiotic prescription was 100%.Conclusion: Most children were treated inappropriately regarding the need for using antibiotics, the type of antibiotics used and the duration of management. As many studies suggested that increased using of antibiotics may be due to uncertainty of diagnosis, requesting scoring system or rapid diagnostic test can contribute to the reduction of the rate of antibiotics prescription.Keyword: Pharyngo-tonsillitis, inappropriate, children, antibiotics, Suda

Internet Use and Addiction Among Medical Students in Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT: Objectives: This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use and addiction and determine its association with gender, academic performance and health among medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2017 and April 2018 at the College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. The validated Internet Addiction Test questionnaire was distributed by simple random methods to medical students (N = 216) in the pre-clinical phase (first-, second- and third-years). A chi-square test was used to determine significant relationships between Internet use and addiction and gender, academic performance and health. Results: A total of 209 student completed the questionnaire (response rate: 96.8%) and the majority (57.9%) were male. In total, 12.4% were addicted to the Internet and 57.9 had the potential to become addicted. Females were more frequent Internet users than males (P = 0.006). Academic performance was affected in 63.1% of students and 71.8% lost sleep due to late-night Internet use, which affected their attendance to morning activities. The majority (59.7%) expressed feeling depressed, moody or nervous when they were offline. Conclusion: Internet addiction among medical students at Qassim University was very high, with addiction affecting academic performance and psychological well-being. Suitable interventional and preventive measures are needed for proper Internet use to protect students’ mental and physical health.Keywords: Internet; Addictive Behavior; Medical Students; Universities; Academic Performance; Saudi Arabia

Evaluation of the learning environment and the perceived weakness of the curriculum: student perspective

Background: Educational environment has been shown to have influence on learning outcome and affects student achievement, satisfaction, and success. The study was conducted to assess medical students’ perception of their learning environment and to explore areas of weakness within the educational environment.Methods: A mixed method of study, was performed using non-probability sampling at the Faculty of Medicine, Gezira University (FMUG), Sudan. An updated Arabic Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was developed and administered to 854 students during the academic year 2016-2017.Results: Seventy five percent of students completed the inventory (638/854) and Sixty four percent (546/854) responded to the open-ended question providing comments and suggestions. The overall reliability coefficient alpha in this study was 0.914. The global score for this study was found positive (122/200). Students were most satisfied with the learning aspects, academic environment, and academic self-perception. However, they were unsatisfied with their teaching and social atmosphere (inadequate social support for stressed students, substandard teaching, overemphasised factual learning, unpleasant accommodation). The qualitative content analysis was performed and emerged with four themes: the physical environment, a number of students, pedagogical approaches and faculty-student communication.Conclusions: The study suggested the overall students’ perceptions of the educational environment in the FMUG were on the positive side. However, certain specific elements of the learning environment and educational programme need to be critically investigated and remedied. The updated Arabic DREAM can be used reliably in the context of medical education in Arabic speaking countries

Nodulation and nitrogen fixation of some wild legumes from differing habitats in Egypt

This study was devoted to exploring the natural nodulation and nitrogen fixation of wild legumes grown in different Egyptian habitats. These habitats are representative to four phytogeographical regions. Sites that inhabited by Melilotus indicus, Medicago polymorpha, Trifolium resupinatum, Trigonella hamosa and Vicia sativa in each region were selected for study. High nodulation, nitrogen fixation and plant biomass were recorded in plants grown at Nile region and Oases compared with those at Mediterranean region and Sinai. The inhibition in nodulation and potential of nitrogen fixation in legumes at MR and S were attributed to drought and low soil fertility. Differences in species, regions or their interaction have significant effect on nodulation, legheamoglobin, nitroginase activity and biomass of nodules, shoots and roots; the magnitude of effect due to different species was the greatest. Five rhizobial isolates (Sinorhizobium fredii, Rhizobium mesosinicum, Rhizobium daejeonense, Rhizobium huautlense, Rhizobium alamii) recovered from root nodules of the five species were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence. The indigenous rhizobia of legumes grown at MR and S expected to be exhibit higher tolerance to the existing harsh environmental conditions. These rhizobia can be used as inoculants for crop legumes under unfavorable environmental conditions of agroecosystems or recently reclaimed desert. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22401

Inter-generational conflict and psychiatric symptoms

Secondary school pupils and their parents were investigated using the scaled version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–28) and by a questionnaire designed to study attitudes involved in inter-generational conflict in psychiatric patients. Parent-pupil and interparental conflict in answers to the attitude questionnaires were taken as measures of inter-generational and intra-generational conflicts respectively. The former significantly exceeded the latter. Parent-student conflict was higher when the students involved were females, Kuwaiti, or had less educated fathers. The tendency of the number of reported GHQ symptoms to be higher in members of families with higher inter-generational conflict did not reach statistical significance. There is an apparent discrepancy between this finding and the prominence of inter-generational conflict in clinical material

Design grammars as evaluation tools in the first year studio

This paper describes a teaching experience conducted and carried out as part of the coursework of first year students. The workshop is the third of three workshops planned to take place during the course of the first year studio, aimed at introducing new ways of thinking and introducing students to a new pattern of architectural education. The experiment was planned under the theme of “Evaluation” during the final stage. A grammatical approach was chosen to deliver the methodology in the design studio, based on shape grammars

Employing Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology to Enhance the Solubility of Cannabidiol (CBD)

Corresponding author (Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery): Iman Taha, [email protected]://egrove.olemiss.edu/pharm_annual_posters_2022/1020/thumbnail.jp

State-of-the-art technologies for separation of azeotropic mixtures

Azeotropic separation technologies have been classified broadly into two major categories, i.e., distillation and membrane processes. Because normal distillation has limitations for azeotropic mixtures, enhancements have been proposed that either introduce a third component serving as an entrainer in extractive and azeotropic distillation processes or apply a pressure swing distillation system. Among the membrane processes, pervaporation was reported to be most promising for azeotropic separations. More recently, an approach known as process intensification has been proposed for combining multiple processes into single units such as a dividing wall distillation column or exploiting sonication phenomena to break an azeotrope in an ultrasonic distillation system. This article reviews the state-of-the-art technologies covering all the separation techniques mentioned here. Existing techniques are appraised, and technology gaps are identified. Based on these insights, areas for further development are suggested, aiming at satisfying the process objectives by inherently safer, environmentally benign and economically more attractive techniques