918 research outputs found

    Impact of Online Education on the Academic Motivation for University Rural Youth in Egypt

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    This research aimed to 1) describe some indicators related to distance education among university rural youth, 2) measure the academic motivation of respondents, 3) identify factors related to the academic motivation of respondents, and 4) identify the impact of distance education on the academic motivation of young rural university. Data were collected via an electronic questionnaire form distributed to the students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University via WhatsApp groups; the rural students were urged to complete it. The number of completed forms was 416 during the period from June and July 2021. Frequencies, percentages and average, range, standard deviation, as well as correlation coefficient were used for data analysis and presentation. The results showed that the majority of respondents use the WhatsApp application (80%), the mobile internet package (54.6%), and the majority (51.9%) use online education for 2-3 hours per day. The results also showed that the average overall academic motivation of respondents was 109.76 ((which is approximately 78.4% of the overall scale). The results showed that there are significant correlations between the overall level of the students’ academic motivation with the variables of the overall level of electronic applications and smart devices used by respondents to access online learning and the total number of hours spent in online learning.  The results also showed the positive effect of online learning on academic motivation, according to 72.8% of respondents, where the motivation of internal organization had the greatest impact on online education according to 80.3% of respondents

    The impact of acute lung injury, ECMO and transfusion on oxidative stress and plasma selenium levels in an ovine model

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    The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of smoke induced acute lung. injury (S-ALI), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and transfusion on oxidative stress and plasma selenium levels. Forty ewes were divided into (i) healthy control (n = 4), (ii) S-ALI control (n = 7), (iii) ECMO control (n = 7), (iv) S-ALI + ECMO (n = 8) and (v) S-ALI + ECM + packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion (n = 14). Plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), selenium and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were analysed at baseline, after smoke injury (or sham) and 0.25, 1, 2, 6, 7, 12 and 24 h after initiation of ECMO. Peak TBARS levels were similar across all groups. Plasma selenium decreased by 54% in S-ALI sheep (1.36 +/- 0.20 to 0.63 +/- 0.27 mu mol/L, p < 0.0001), and 72% in sheep with S-ALI + ECMO at 24 h (1.36 +/- 0.20 to 0.38 +/- 0.19, p < 0.0001). PRBC transfusion had no effect on TBARS, selenium levels or glutathione peroxidase activity in plasma. While ECMO independently increased TBARS in healthy sheep to levels which were similar to the S-ALI control, the addition of ECMO after S-ALI caused a negligible increase in TBARS. This suggests that the initial lung injury was the predominant feature in the TBARS response. In contrast, the addition of ECM in S-ALI sheep exacerbated reductions in plasma selenium beyond that of S-ALI or ECM alone. Clinical studies are needed to confirm the extent and duration of selenium loss associated with ECMO. Crown Copyright (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

    Prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in ulcerative colitis patients in Jordan and its relationship to patient-reported disease activity

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    Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to the general population. We aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with ulcerative colitis and correlation to disease activity. In this cross-sectional study, we collected data from 70 consecutive ulcerative colitis patients over one year at our inflammatory bowel disease outpatient clinic through an interview and a questionnaire containing patient demographics and disease characteristics. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were characterized using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively, with ulcerative colitis disease severity assessed by the Partial Mayo scoring system. The majority of our patients were females (68.6%) and the mean age was 39.3 years. Rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among ulcerative colitis patients were 65.7% and 58.6%, respectively. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with patient-reported disease activity (r = 0.361; p = 0.010). Significant percentages of ulcerative colitis patients were appreciated to have anxiety and depressive symptoms, and there was a correlation between patient-reported disease activity and depressive symptoms. At this high rate of prevalence, it is justified to screen patients for the presence of psychiatric comorbidities

    Use and outcomes of antihypertensive medication treatment in the US hypertensive population: A gender comparison

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    Background: Although effective antihypertensive medications have existed for decades, only about half of the hypertensive individuals are considered to have controlled blood pressure. Limited research studies have investigated gender disparity in the utilization and effectiveness of antihypertensive medications treatment. To examine the gender difference in antihypertensive medications’ use and the effect of using antihypertensive medication treatment on blood pressure control among the U.S. adult with hypertension. Methods: Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from (1999-2012) including individuals≥18 years old with hypertension. Study variables included gender, age, race/ethnicity, obesity, smoking, comorbidities, treatment medication type, and continuity of care. We used multivariate logistic regression in STATA V14. The data is presented as adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Of the 15719 participants, 52% were female. 49% of the antihypertensive medication users had their blood pressure under control (95% CI). In the adjusted logistic regression analysis, use of antihypertensive medications was found to be 12% greater in females as compared to males (OR=1.12; CI=1.02-1.22; P<0.05). No association between gender and blood pressure control was found. Blood pressure control was less likely achieved among 50 years or younger individuals, Blacks and Hispanics, obese, and those taking calcium channel blocker (CCB). Conclusion: Hypertensive females are more likely than males to use antihypertensive medications. The effectiveness of treatment to control blood pressure is equal across males and females. Our findings have implications for practitioners to account gender-specific approaches when discussing adherence to hypertension medication treatment with their patients

    Examination of Job Satisfaction, Achievements, and Employment Preparedness among College of Pharmacy Alumni: A Study From Qatar

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    Background: Job satisfaction in healthcare is of special interest as has a direct relation with the quality of care provided to patients. It is affected by several factors including the nature of the work, level of educational preparedness and achievements. Objectives: This study aims to explore College of Pharmacy - Qatar University (CPH-QU) alumni's satisfaction with employment and the profession, level of educational preparedness and achievements in the practice. Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-method designs was adopted. Seven Focus Group (FG) discussions were performed and a self-reported survey distributed to all alumni graduated between 2011-2020. Results: A total of 135 alumni answered the survey (response rate 63%). Majority of respondents were non-Qatari (97%) and 52% of them were recent graduates and obtained doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) as an additional degree (58%). The study findings suggest that CPH alumni are moderately satisfied with the practice and the profession, and Qatari alumni are more satisfied. However, majority of them (44.55%) are not satisfied with the available opportunities for professional development. The level of satisfaction about achievements was significantly high only in the field of research and presentation activities. A general agreement about the level of educational preparedness was dominant, especially in clinical knowledge and skills and experiential training they received. Conclusion: The overall satisfaction about workplace and the profession in CPH-QU alumni is moderate and higher among Qatari graduates. Alumni agreed that they were well prepared to meet the practice requirements and mostly satisfied in achieving research and presentation related activities

    Evaluating the Impact of a Collaborative Care Model in Diabetes Management in a Primary Healthcare Setting in Qatar Using Real-World Data

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    Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Collaborative Care Model (CCM) on diabetes-related outcomes among patients with diabetes attending a primary care setting. Methods: A multiple-time series, retrospective, observational study with a control group among patients with diabetes followed-up at Qatar Petroleum Diabetes Clinic. The impact of CCM on glycemic control, blood pressure, lipid profile, and anthropometrics was evaluated at baseline and up to 17 months of follow-up. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using SPSS. Results: CCM significantly improved (p<0.05) the mean values (baseline vs. 17 months) of glycated hemoglobin A1c (6.9% vs. 6.5%), random blood glucose (194.38 mg/dL vs. 141.23 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.7 mmol/L vs. 2.8 mmol/L), total cholesterol (5.43 mmol/L vs. 4.34 mmol/L), weight (78.52 Kg vs. 77.85 Kg), and body mass index (30.41 Kg/m2 vs. 30.17 Kg/m2) over 17-months within the intervention group; whereas, no significant changes occurred within the control group. Similarly, the between group comparisons demonstrated the superiority of CCM over usual care in improving several clinical outcomes. Conclusion: Inefficiencies in delivering diabetes care can be circumvented by the integration of CCM. The implementation of CCM in a primary healthcare setting improved several diabetes-related outcomes over 17-months

    MAU2 and NIPBL variants impair the heterodimerization of the cohesin loader subunits and cause Cornelia de Lange syndrome

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    The NIPBL/MAU2 heterodimer loads cohesin onto chromatin. Mutations inNIPBLaccount for most cases ofthe rare developmental disorder Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). Here we report aMAU2 variant causing CdLS, a deletion of seven amino acids that impairs the interaction between MAU2 and the NIPBL N terminus.Investigating this interaction, we discovered that MAU2 and the NIPBL N terminus are largely dispensable fornormal cohesin and NIPBL function in cells with a NIPBL early truncating mutation. Despite a predicted fataloutcome of an out-of-frame single nucleotide duplication inNIPBL, engineered in two different cell lines,alternative translation initiation yields a form of NIPBL missing N-terminal residues. This form cannot interactwith MAU2, but binds DNA and mediates cohesin loading. Altogether, our work reveals that cohesin loading can occur independently of functional NIPBL/MAU2 complexes and highlights a novel mechanism protectiveagainst out-of-frame mutations that is potentially relevant for other genetic conditions

    Pre-clinical study protocol: Blood transfusion in endotoxaemic shock

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    The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SCC) and the American College of Critical Care Medicine (ACCM) guidelines recommend blood transfusion in sepsis when the haemoglobin concentration drops below 7.0 g/dL and 10.0 g/dL respectively, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline recommends transfusion in septic shock ‘if intravenous (IV) fluids do not maintain adequate circulation’, as a supportive measure of last resort. Volume expansion using crystalloid and colloid fluid boluses for haemodynamic resuscitation in severe illness/sepsis, has been associated with adverse outcomes in recent literature. However, the volume expansion effect(s) following blood transfusion for haemodynamic circulatory support, in severe illness remain unclear with most previous studies having focused on evaluating effects of either different RBC storage durations (short versus long duration) or haemoglobin thresholds (low versus high threshold) pre-transfusion. We describe the protocol for a pre-clinical randomised controlled trial designed to examine haemodynamic effect(s) of early volume expansion using packed RBCs (PRBCs) transfusion (before any crystalloids or colloids) in a validated ovine-model of hyperdynamic endotoxaemic shock. Additional exploration of mechanisms underlying any physiological, haemodynamic, haematological, immunologic and tissue specific-effects of blood transfusion will be undertaken including comparison of effects of short (5 days) versus long ( 30 days) storage duration of PRBCs prior to transfusion.National Health and Medical Research Council, NHMRC, Australia (Grant ID APP1061382), Emergency Medicine Foundation, EMF, Australia (Grant ID EMPJ-358R25-2016), Australian Red Cross Blood Service. Nchafatso G. Obonyo is supported and funded through the DELTAS Africa Initiative [DEL-15-003]. The DELTAS Africa Initiative is an independent funding scheme of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS)’s Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) and supported by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency) with funding from the Wellcome Trust [107769/Z/10/Z] and the UK government
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