Challenges of E-Governance in Higher Education Institutions in Sudan

E-governance has brought significant advantages that enhance the delivery of public services, make the administration system more transparent and accountable as well as and encourage the participation of stakeholders in the decision-making process. Particularly in developing countries like Sudan, but due to many challenges that hinder its full application, e-governance is not yet fully applied. These challenges encompass social, political, and technological considerations; beset the successful implementation of e-governance. All of these need to be given due care and attention in order to be successfully developed. This study aims to examine these challenges as the 21st century has brought many significant advantages to higher education education through the technological advancements that facilitate the education services delivery as some universities have gone far by adopting e-governance in order to enable easy access to educational resources for students and creating educational platforms. The study adopted a quantitative approach, and the data was collected using structured questionnaires via random sampling. The data was analyzed using descriptive analysis (SPSS). The findings revealed that there is a need for good university governance practice, improving infrastructure, and allocating a good budget for higher education institutions

Effect of physical training on lung function and respiratory muscles strength in policewomen trainees

Background: Measurement of respiratory muscles strength has not been widely investigated in the context of physical training.Methods: This cross-sectional study has assessed pulmonary function and strength of respiratory muscles in two women groups: group I includes healthy policewomen (n=28) exposed to physical training 3 hours daily for at least 2 years and group II is a matched control group (n=31) of untrained apparently healthy second year medical students. Lung function tests including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) were performed using a digital spirometer and maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP) as indicators for respiratory muscle strength were measured using a digital respiratory pressure meter.Results: The mean FVC (L), FEV1 (L), PEF (L/min) values were significantly higher in the police-trained group (p=0.000, 0.000 and 0.003 respectively). Similarly, the mean MIP and MEP (cm/H2O) values were significantly higher among trained group (p=0.000 and 0.003 respectively).Conclusions: Long-term regular physical exercise improves lung function as well as respiratory muscle power and may delay the age-related decline in lung function.

A Rare Cutaneous Adnexal Tumor: Malignant Proliferating Trichilemmal Tumor

Proliferating trichilemmal tumors (PTTs) are neoplasms derived from the outer root sheath of the hair follicle. These tumors, which commonly affect the scalp of elderly women, rarely demonstrate malignant transformation. Although invasion of the tumors into neighboring tissues and being accompanied with anaplasia and necrosis are accepted as findings of malignancy, histological features may not always be sufficient to identify these tumors. The clinical behavior of the tumor may be incompatible with its histological characteristics. Squamous-cell carcinoma should certainly be considered in differential diagnosis because of its similarity in morphological appearance with PTT. Immunostaining for CD34, P53, and Ki-67 is a useful adjuvant diagnostic method that can be used in differential diagnosis aside from morphological findings. In this study, we aimed to present the case of a 52-year-old female patient with clinicopathological features. We reported a low-grade malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor in this patient and detected no relapse or metastasis in a 24-month period of follow-up

Comparison of α, β and total ODAP (β-N-oxalyl-L-ά,β- diamino propionic acid) contents in winter- and springsown grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) genotypes

There is a strong relationship between the consumption of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) and “lathyrism” disease caused by a neurotoxin, β-N-oxalyl-L-a,β-diaminopropionoc acid called ODAP or BOAA. The objective of this study was to compare α, β and total ODAP found in grasspea genotypes sown in winter and spring seasons during 2007/08 and grown under rainy conditions in semi-arid regions of Turkey. Biochemical compounds of α, β and total ODAP were found to be higher in springsown grass peas than those of winter-sown ones. Grasspea 452, 508 and 519 genotypes had lower β- ODAP levels in winter- and spring-sown.Key words: Grasspea, α-ODAP, β-ODAP: 3-(-N-oxalyl)-L-2,3-diamino propionic acid

Dynamic-Based Simulation for Humanoid Robot Walking Using Walking Support System

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PREVALENCE OF ANAEMIA AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN IN EASTERN SUDAN

Background: Anaemia in children is a health problem particularly in developing countries, such as Kassala area, eastern Sudan. Methods: A total of 401 children from four primary schools in kassala were random simple stratified selected during a period of two months and prevalence of anaemia was estimated, clinically and by measuring haemoglobin concentration. Results: Clinical examination revealed anaemia in 373 of the students and haemoglobin estimations proved anaemia in 93% of the students enrolled in the study (Hb. less than 13.5 g/dl). Conclusion: The study showed high prevalence of anaemia among schoolchildren in the study area, so we recommend that more studies must be done in this area and the heath authorities may interfere by heath education and other interventional methods (e.g. provision of iron and folate)

Effect of police training during the confinement period on some cardiopulmonary and hematological parameters in Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Pulmonary function tests (PFT) serve as a tool of health assessment and as a predictor of occupational fitness. Police officers must develop and maintain high levels of physical fitness for physical demanding tasks they perform. The training program starts with confinement of five to eight weeks according to the trainee. Previously it has been shown that the police students have better lung functions values compared to their civilian colleagues. In this study the effect of the confinement training on pulmonary function tests was investigated.Methods: Eighty one policemen trainee were randomly selected from a new batch in the faculty of police sciences and Law, the National Ribat University, Khartoum, Sudan at their starting confinement period. Subjects were medically fit with no history of Diabetes, Hypertension, Asthma or use of any long term medications. Pulmonary function tests (FVC, FEV1 and PEFR) were performed using a micro-plus spirometer. Blood pressure, pulse rate, and hemoglobin were measured. All these were repeated at the end of the confinement.Results: The age of participants ranged from 24 to 26 years. FVC, FEV1 and PEFR significantly increased after the confinement period. The blood pressure and the pulse significantly decreased. The weight of the participants decreased after the confinement but Hb significantly slightly increased.Conclusions: Regular police training during the confinement improved the pulmonary and cardiovascular reserve function

Effect of combination of Nigella sativa and Bee’s honey on lung function, respiratory muscle power, and asthma control in patients with persistent asthma

Background: Persistent asthma is a serious global medical problem, usually controlled by long term use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). However, ICS are expensive particularly in the developing countries and despite their use, a proportion of patients still suffer from uncontrolled symptoms and may progress into intractable airflow limitation. Nigella sativa and Bee’s honey are relatively cheap and safe natural products with anti- inflammatory and anti-allergic properties; they are used traditionally in treatment of so many diseases.Methods: In this study, we investigated the adjuvant effect of combination of Nigella Sativa and Bee’s honey on lung function, respiratory muscle power and asthma control in patients with persistent asthma. An oral dose of Nigella sativa (2 mg once daily), and bee’s honey (7.5 ml twice a day) were given to patients with uncontrolled persistent asthma (n=30, 14 females and 16 males with mean age of 43.91±5.8) for three months duration. Lung function tests (FEV1, FVC and PEFR) and respiratory muscle power indicators (MEP, MIP) were measured initially as baseline records and monthly for 3 months. The baseline score for asthma control test (ACT) was calculated for all patients and repeated after three months.Results: There was statistically significant improvement in lung function and respiratory muscle power. The need for asthma relieving β2 agonists was remarkably decreased and a significant improvement in asthma control test score in both asthma groups was observed.Conclusions: Combination of Nigella sativa and Bee's Honey as an adjuvant therapy with ICS decreases asthma severity grade and hence the need for both asthma controlling and relieving drugs and improves patient’s quality of life

DYNAMIC SOIL-STRUCTURE RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF AN IRAQI SOIL BASED ON GEOPHYSICAL TESTING

In this paper, soil – pore fluid behavior of a silo under an earthquake loading is investigated. To predict the response of the silo with the soil surrounding it, ‘the linear-elastic constitutive model’ is adopted with soil properties; shear modulus and damping ratio; are strains and cycle independent. A computer program using dynamic stiffness matrix analyses (DSMA) for predicting and analyzing the model was established using FORTRAN coding. The program is based on geophysical values (such as primary velocity (vp), shear velocity (vs), modulus of elasticity (E), mass density (), shear modulus (G),….etc). The values were obtained from field test results for the soil under a silo located in Kirkuk, Iraq. To check and compare the obtained results, the computer program (MSC/NASTRAN) is used also for predicting and analyzing the same problem. This second program uses input values such as shear modulus (G), modulus of elasticity (E), mass density () and damping ratio () obtained from conventional laboratory tests. From the two aforementioned analyses, comparisons between the results of the relevant two programs are made. Though program “MSC/NASTRAN” visualizes a realistic behavior of the silo under dynamic loading, due to full response results are expressed for each node, the dynamic stiffness matrix analyses program (DSMA) gives only the maximum value for the horizontal and vertical displacements at that node. Despite of that, program DSMA relies on realistic values of geophysical tests obtained from the field directly.As a conclusion from this study, the soil-structure interaction zone for the silo at Kirkuk under investigation using both analyses show excellent agreement between the results. The agreement in this study turns out to be more than 95% close between the two algorithms. The easiness through which geophysical field tests are conducted, the simplicity of carrying out the required calculations and the reliability of the results makes the dynamic stiffness matrix analysis method (DSMA) highly recommended. It can give an excellent directive about the response of structures resting on soils and subjected to dynamic loads