Effectiveness of Nursing Intervention on Health Locus of Control and Self-Efficacy in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Contents: Gestational diabetes is associated with an increased risk of complications during delivery and problems for both the mother and the offspring in prenatal and postnatal periods and later life. Lack of self-care is the most important reason for mortality in diabetic patients. Self-efficacy has a significant role in enhancing successful adherence to healthy behaviors, lifestyle modifications, and diabetes control among gestational diabetes pregnant women. Aim: The current study aimed to evaluate the nursing intervention (NI) effectiveness on health locus of control (HELOC) and self-efficacy in women with gestational diabetes (GD).Methods: A quasi-experimental design (study and control group) was used. The researchers conducted this study at the Antenatal Outpatient Clinics of Shebin El-Kom Teaching Hospital, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. A purposive sample of 120 women with GD was carefully chosen from the nominated setting and dispersed accidentally into two identical groups (study and control group). Three tools were used for collecting the study data: A structured self-administered questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale-C Form, and the General Self-efficacy Scale. Results: There is a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in their internal health locus of control (HELOC) scores after the intervention, with a mean difference of 4.70 at CI 95% for the intervention group p<0.001. A non-statistically significant difference was found between the intervention group and the control group in the external health locus of control (HELOC) mean scores before and after the intervention, although there was a significant difference between the change in both groups p=0.032. Also, there is a highly statistically significant difference between the intervention group and the control group in the self-efficacy scores after the intervention in the intervention group, where p<0.001 compared to a non-significant difference between them before the intervention group intervention (p=0.555). Conclusion: The study concluded that the women with GD who attended NI sessions obtained higher HELOC scores (internal and external) and higher self-efficacy scores than those who do not. Educational nursing intervention should become a fundamental part of the total management of gestational diabetes in antenatal outpatient clinics

Students' Reluctance to Attend Office Hours: Reasons and Suggested Solutions

This paper focuses on investigating students’ reasons for their reluctance to attend faculty members’ office hours. Study participants included 500 male and female students from the Colleges of Engineering (n = 248) and Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) (n = 252) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The study followed a descriptive-analytical approach, and a questionnaire was utilized to collect people’s views. The results of the study indicate that the rates of SQU students’ attendance to office hours were low, and some students (11.2%) do not attend at all as they consider these office hours a waste of time. The main reasons behind the students’ lack of interest in office hours were busy student timetables, conflicts between faculty office hours and students’ timetables, and easier and faster ways of getting information than visiting faculty members. Additional reasons were related to faculty members’ personalities and their discouraging attitudes toward attending office hours. The researchers recommend that SQU adopt a new strategy for encouraging faculty members to hold office hours, familiarizing students with the importance of office hours and assigning part of a course’s grades to meeting with faculty members’ office hours

Role of Assistive Devices on Gait in Patients with Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Systematic Review

Background: People with incomplete spinal cord injury disabilities can be able to live a healthy, productive, and dignified life by using Assistive devices as their role in improving gait. Facilitate locomotion rehabilitation. And enable people with incomplete SCI to ambulate in an upright position. Objective: This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of the role of using assistive devices in gait rehabilitation in patients with incomplete SCI. Material and Methods: Studies were identified from 2000 to 2020 by electronic search using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Google Scholar, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (Pedro). They were reviewed if they were randomized control trials focused on the effectiveness of Assistive Devices on Gait in Patients in age more than 18 years with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury being published in English. Eight studies were selected according to inclusive and exclusive criteria and descriptive analysis was conducted due to heterogeneity. Results: Eight trials were identified with good quality methodology. Descriptive analysis was applied for three studies that supported the use of assistive devices for those patients and meta-analysis was applied for five studies. The mean difference across all the five studies is -0.69 (95% CI -0.93, -0.45). According to AACPDM, there is level II evidence that supports the use of the assistive device as a method to be able to live a healthy, productive, and dignified life. Conclusion: The current level of evidence supports the effectiveness of assistive devices in improving gait in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury

Foresight for sustainable energy policy in Egypt: results from a Delphi survey

International audienceThis paper presents energy opportunities, particular areas of high potential and reflections on energy challenges in Egypt by the year 2040. Energy foresight significantly contributes in the effective review and formulation of national energy policies and strategies. In this work, 350 experts participated in real-time Delphi survey and responded to a set of structured and cross-linked questionnaires that aim to assess and provide future dimension to the energy sector in Egypt. Priorities are presented across 14 energy cluster-areas with 180 identified topics. The two-round Delphi study with an iterative process was performed to determine and measure the expectations of the different stakeholders with specific emphasis on the prospects of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The designed cross-linkages between survey components allowed the systematic pooling and convergence of knowledge in addition to the technical insights and different perspectives. About 50% of Egypt's energy demand was foresighted to be met by renewable energies around 2030. The results showed that all types of energy would not only provide economic and environmental benefits but also improve living standards. This work demonstrates that involving large diversity of expertise and different stakeholders, comprising heterogeneous groups, in foresight studies would potentiate the forecasting power, reduce the polarization effect, and enhance the reliability of the foresight exercise

Développement d’une nouvelle saucisse de dromadaire : Effet de l’incorporation d’éleusine (Eleusine coracana L.) sur la qualité sensorielle et la stabilité

L’objectif de cette étude est de formuler une saucisse à base de viande de dromadaire qui s’aligne avec la tendance des « allégations santé » visant à réduire la consommation de viandes rouges conventionnelles et de graisses animales. Par ailleurs, l’effet de la substitution de la fécule de pomme de terre, couramment utilisé en tant qu’agent liant dans les produits charcutiers, par la farine intégrale d’éleusine (Eleusine coracana L.) sur la qualité de la saucisse a été étudié. L’éleusine est cultivée dans l’oasis de Chenini-Gabès, située dans le sud-est de la Tunisie. L’analyse de sa composition révèle une teneur 70,19% en carbohydrates, dont 11,5% sont des fibres alimentaires, 13,53% de protéines, 2,75% de cendres, 1,81% de lipides et 0,25% de composés phénoliques. Sa capacité de rétention d’eau atteint 150 g d’eau/100 g. Par ailleurs, l’activité anti-DPPH• de l’extrait eau/éthanol révèle une valeur de CI50 de 60 µg/ml. Ensuite, la stabilité de la saucisse de dromadaire a été suivie pendant 21 j de stockage réfrigéré. L’introduction de la farine d’éleusine n’a pas altéré la qualité sensorielle, et a réussi à maintenir les caractéristiques texturales, à stabiliser la couleur et les pigments héminiques, et à limiter l’oxydation des lipides. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que la farine d’éleusine se positionne comme un substitut prometteur de la fécule de pomme de terre dans la fabrication de saucisses. Il est intéressant d’approfondir les recherches dans ce domaine afin d’explorer davantage les applications potentielles de la farine d’éleusine dans l’industrie alimentaire

Nigeria's transition to a circular economy: challenges, opportunities and future perspectives

The concept of a circular economy (CE) is a sustainable development strategy aimed at minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency. This paper explores the transition towards a circular economy in Nigeria, providing an overview of the challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives. Nigeria is rich in natural resources and has significant economic potential. However, the country faces severe environmental, economic, and social challenges that could be met with a circular economy. Although Nigeria has abundant natural resources and great economic potential, it faces many significant environmental, economic, and social challenges that must be addressed to move to a circular economy as a viable solution. The methods used in research are based on a mixed-methods research approach; the study synthesises findings from a comprehensive literature review, case studies of Nigerian businesses adopting CE practices, and insights from a SWOT analysis conducted in consultation with experts. The conclusions of the SWOT analysis, enriched by discussions with experts, form the basis for a set of targeted recommendations. These recommendations are aimed at policymakers, business leaders, and practitioners, outlining strategic actions to overcome the identified barriers and harness the opportunities inherent in a circular economy. This paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on sustainability and serves as a practical guide for other developing countries navigating the transition to a circular economy. It underscores the urgency and feasibility of adopting circular economy principles in Nigeria, highlighting the path towards a more sustainable, efficient, and economically robust future. In the study, prospects for Nigeria to benefit from include increased resource efficiency, job creation, economic diversification, and environmental sustainability if the circular economy approach were applied

Circular bioeconomy in Egypt: the current state, challenges, and future directions

The concept of circular bioeconomy or bio-based circular economy is an integrated concept of circular economy and bioeconomy. In other words, it alludes to a systematic approach to economic growth that makes use of cascading biomass production from biological resources. In order to fulfil the objectives of sustainable development and the circular bioeconomy in Egypt, it is recommended that the bioeconomy be focused on as an economy of societal value in this article. It also discusses future directions and actions that can be used in this regard. This paper presents the current situation of the development of circular bioeconomy in Egypt and discuss future directions and measures that can be exploited and recommends focusing on the bioeconomy as an economy of societal value, enabling the achievement of the goals of sustainable development and the circular bioeconomy. Although there is no specific strategy for the bioeconomy, there are numerous government initiatives aiming to benefit from it in the future

Synchronous fluorescence spectrofluorimetric method for the simultaneous determination of metoprolol and felodipine in combined pharmaceutical preparation

A rapid, simple and sensitive synchronous specrtofluorimetric method has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of binary mixture of metoprolol (MTP) and felodipine (FDP). The method is based upon measurement of the synchronous fluorescence intensity of the two drugs at Δλ of 70 nm in aqueous solution. The different experimental parameters affecting the synchronous fluorescence intensities of the two drugs were carefully studied and optimized. The fluorescence intensity-concentration plots were rectilinear over the ranges of 0.5-10 μg/mL and 0.2-2 μg/mL for MTP and FDP, respectively. The limits of detection were 0.11 and 0.02 μg/mL and quantification limits were 0.32 and 0.06 μg/mL for MTP and FDP, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of the two compounds in their commercial tablets and the results obtained were favorably compared to those obtained with a comparison method

Future scenarios of green hydrogen in the MENA countries: the case of Egypt

Green hydrogen is a clean and renewable energy source that has the potential to play a major role in decarbonizing the global economy. Green hydrogen has become a promising decarbonization strategy for several industries, including transportation and manufacturing. The widespread use of green hydrogen technology still confronts several obstacles, such as high costs, a lack of infrastructure, and regulatory restrictions. The paper commences by examining the potential of green hydrogen production in MENA countries with a specific emphasis on Egypt as best practice example. It proceeds to identify the key drivers that will shape future scenarios of green hydrogen and outlines the best and worst-case scenarios for green hydrogen in MENA region by 2050. Through scenario analysis, the paper presents potential pathways for green hydrogen deployment in Egypt and the wider MENA countries, highlighting key drivers and potential barriers. According to the findings, Egypt emerges as pivotal player in driving the deployment of green hydrogen within the MENA region. The MENA region, rich in solar and wind resources and strategically located, emerges as a potent hub for green hydrogen production. Egypt, in particular, is at the forefront of this initiative, aiming to become a key exporter in the global hydrogen economy by leveraging its renewable resources, strategic projects, and conducive investment environment. The study employs a multifaceted methodology, integrating PEST analysis and identifying key drivers like renewable targets and technological advancements to assess green hydrogen’s potential in the MENA region, focusing on Egypt. It constructs best- and worst-case scenarios by 2050, utilizing these drivers to evaluate the implications of various influencing factors. In the best-case scenario, by 2050, Egypt aspires to be a pivotal player in the global green hydrogen economy, aiming for up to 8% market share. Through strategic investments, policy enhancements, and global partnerships, Egypt plans to become a major exporter, particularly to the European Union, aligning with global decarbonization goals. Comprehensive strategies are expected to drive economic prosperity, potentially increasing Egypt's GDP by $10-18 billion by 2025. Collaborations with global entities have fostered a robust infrastructure, enabling an integrated ecosystem for green hydrogen innovation and production