Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Anxiety and Depression among Physicians in a Tertiary Referral Hospital

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic peaked, few studies have thereafter assessed the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers. Objectives: To determine the rate and predictors of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among physicians at a public tertiary care teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia about 2 years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to April 2022 and targeted all physicians working at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and General Anxiety Disorder-7 were used to elicit self-reported data regarding depression and anxiety, respectively. In addition, sociodemographic and job-related data were collected. Results: A total of 438 physicians responded, of which 200 (45.7%) reported symptoms of depression and 190 (43.4%) of anxiety. Being aged 25–30 years, female, resident, and reporting reduction in work quality were factors significantly associated with both anxiety and depression. Female gender (AOR = 3.570; 95% CI = 2.283–5.582; P < 0.001), working an average 9–11 hours/day (AOR = 2.130; 95% CI = 1.009–4.495; P < 0.047), and self-perceived reduction in work quality (AOR = 3.139; 95% CI = 2.047–4.813; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of anxiety. Female gender (AOR = 2.929; 95% CI = 1.845–4.649; P < 0.001) and self-perceived reduction in work quality (AOR = 3.141; 95% CI = 2.053–4.804; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of depression. Conclusions: About half of the physicians reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings are suggestive of the need for large-scale studies to determine the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia.
The Immediate Effect of Kinesio Tape on Hamstring Muscle Length and Strength in Female University Students: A Pre–post Experimental Study

Background: Kinesio tape has been proposed to improve the muscle extensibility. However, there are contradictory results in the literature. Objective: To investigate the effect of Kinesio tape on hamstring muscle lengthening and on hamstring and quadriceps muscle strengthening in university students with hamstring muscle tightness. Methods: In this pre–post experimental study, 96 female students with hamstring muscle tightness were recruited from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and randomly assigned to Kinesio tape, sham tape, or control groups (32 in each group). The inhibition technique was used for the Kinesio tape application, with the tape being applied from the muscle insertion to the origin. Measurements were taken before and 15 min after the intervention. Outcome measurements included active knee extension test to measure the hamstring muscle length, and isometric strength measurements of hamstring and quadriceps muscles using a handheld dynamometer. Results: A significant increase in the immediate hamstring muscle length was found in both the Kinesio (P = 0.001) and sham (P = 0.004) tape groups, while no difference was noted in the control group (P = 0.066). The muscle lengthening was significantly greater in the Kinesio tape group than the sham tape (P = 0.001) and control (P = 0.001) groups. There was no difference in the pre- and post-measurements in the quadriceps and hamstring muscle strengths in all three groups. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that applying Kinesio tape has an immediate effect on hamstring muscle extensibility, but has no effect on the quadriceps and hamstring muscle strengths. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT03076840.
Depression among Peri- and Post-Menopausal Women during COVID-19 Pandemic in Chandigarh, North India: A Study from Community

Background: Peri- and post-menopausal women are vulnerable to suffer from mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and stress, which might have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of depression and associated factors among peri- and post-menopausal women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chandigarh. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 urban peri- and post-menopausal women of age 40–60 years in Chandigarh, from May to June 2021. Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, and EuroQol-5D validated tools were used to screen depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL). Fear of COVID-19 scale was developed as part of this study was used to assess the fear related to COVID-19 infection. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Binary multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the predictors. Results: The prevalence of depression was 39% and anxiety 29.5% among peri-and post-menopausal women. The fear of COVID-19 infection (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 8.43, confidence interval [CI]: 1.99–35.64; aOR 10.54, CI: 2.76–40.24) and sleeplessness (aOR 13.29, CI: 3.22–54.82) were the significant (P < 0.005) predictors of depression and anxiety, respectively. Fearful peri- and post-menopausal women (aOR 5.94, CI: 2.68–13.13) and widow status (aOR 7.08, CI: 1.10–45.28) were the significant (P < 0.005) predictors of poor QOL. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression was high among peri- and post-menopausal women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fear of getting COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and poor QOL.
Factors Responsible for the Performance of Final-Year Dental Surgery Students in Their Professional Examinations in Nigeria

Background: Little is known about the factors responsible for the academic performance of clinical dentistry/dental surgery students, particularly those in their finals in Nigerian universities. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to identify the subjective factors that may affect the performance of dental surgery finalists at the undergraduate level in Nigerian dental schools and to proffer realistic suggestions to improve dental surgery education. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey of final-year dental surgery students in Nigeria was conducted using a well-structured validated online questionnaire distributed randomly through online platforms. Descriptive and inferential data analysis was done with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Chi-squares and Fischer’s exact values were calculated. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Consent was obtained from all participants. Results: Sixty-nine final-year dental surgery students completed and submitted the questionnaire. The hours spent on clinical hands-on-dental practice, dental surgery lectures/clinics attendance, and impact of particular course lecturers were the top three most agreed factors influencing the performance of dental surgery students in their examinations. A significant relationship (P = 0.027 [<0.05]; X2 = 4.873) exists between gender and the perception in that the greater cumulative number of study hours was alluded to significantly influencing performance in examinations. More females unlike males indicated that the total number of hours studied does not affect performance. A statistically significant association (P = 0.004 [<0.05]; X2 = 13.274) was also found between age grades and the influence of repeating an examination on performance. A majority of the respondents across all age grades indicated that repeating students do not always perform better or even pass the examinations. A majority of the respondents across all age grades indicated that those that have completed a degree before medical school do not always perform better in examinations. This finding also had a statistically significant association (P = 0.048 [<0.05]; X2 = 7.886). Conclusions: There is a need to coordinate efforts in the management of dental institutions to ensure that adequate attention is given to the dental surgery students at every stage of their training. Creation of dental surgery mentorship programmes may also help in the overall quality of the programme.
Clinicopathological Features and Treatment Outcome of Patients with Gastric Cancer in Lagos: Is the Outlook Getting Better?

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Significant advances in the management of GC in South-West Nigeria occurred in the last three decades. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study of patients with GC that presented at our tertiary hospital in the last three decades. Information on clinicopathological features and treatment outcome were analysed. Data of two consecutive periods; 1991–2004 (Group I) and 2005–2018 (Group II) were compared. Results: Ninety-one patients were studied; Group I (47 patients), Group II (44 patients). The mean age was 56.4 ± 12.7 years and male-to-female ratio was 1.8 to 1.0. The predominant symptoms were epigastric pain in 81(89.0%) (43 vs. 38) and weight loss in 63(69.2%) (32 vs. 31), whereas the signs were epigastric tenderness in 44(46.1%) (24 vs. 20) and epigastric mass in 42(46.1%) (26 vs. 16). The overall mean duration of symptom was 12.3 ± 16.9 months. Barium meal diagnosed GC in 29(61.7%) patients in Group I vs. 4(9.1%) patients in Group II. Conversely, endoscopy diagnosed GC in 23(48.9%) patients in Group I vs. 37(84.1%) patients in Group II. Operations undertaken included palliative subtotal gastrectomy 26(28.6%), potentially curative subtotal gastrectomy 15(16.5%) and non-resectional surgeries in 27(29.7%) patients. The overall incidence of major post-operative complications was 33%. Thirty-nine (42.8%) of the studied patients were lost to follow up. The median postoperative survival for Groups I and II patients was 22 weeks and 58 weeks, P = 0.012, respectively. Conclusion: The outcome of management of patients with GC at our tertiary hospital has improved modestly in the past three decades. Patients are still presenting late with very advanced disease.
Burnout, Stress, and Stimulant Abuse among Medical and Dental Students in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia: An Analytical Study

Background: High levels of burnout, stress, and stimulant abuse have been reported among medical and dental students worldwide, with country-specific factors being contributors. The association, risk factors, and predictors of these three variables have not sufficiently been reported from Saudi Arabia, especially from the Western region. Objective: To determine the prevalence, association, and predictors of burnout, stress, and stimulant abuse among medical and dental students in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all second to sixth year medical and dental students enrolled at Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, during the 2019–2020 academic year. A self-administered, closed online questionnaire was administered. Data regarding stress were elicited using Cohen's 10-item Self-Perceived Stress Scale and regarding burnout using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory Student Version questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression model to identify the risk of burnout was conducted, and univariate and multiple linear regression models were carried out to identify the predictors of stress. Results: Of 1016 eligible students, 732 responded (medical: 511; dental: 221). About half of the students experienced burnout (51.5%), with both high disengagement (49%) and exhaustion (45%). Most participants (90.3%) experienced moderate levels of stress. Eight (1.1%) respondents had experienced stimulant abuse; there was a no significant association between stimulant abuse and burnout in the multivariate analysis. Stress, age, gender, body mass index, GPA, study field, smoking, family income, and birth order were significant predictors of burnout, while burnout, age, gender, GPA, and physical exercise were significant predictors of stress. Conclusion: The findings in this study highlight the need for policymakers to devise strategies that target early identification as well as reduction of the high levels of burnout and stress.
In silico identification of natural compounds from virgin coconut oil as potential ligand peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma as preventive food leads against colitis: Is it really work?

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammation of the large intestine characterized by diarrhea with blood. UC has a more extensive manifestation in children. Current therapy has not given satisfactory results. This is the basis for the need for preventive therapy to reduce the morbidity and mortality of UC in children. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is a viable dietary supplement option due to its ability to act as a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ligand, inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to determine natural compounds from VCO that have the potential to prevent colitis using a docking-based virtual screening approach. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis was used to find out how similar the input compounds and the database were. Docking is done using AutoDockTools 1.5. 6. The algorithm used is the Lamarckian Genetic Algorithm (4.2). PPAR-gamma (PPAR-γ) was used as the target protein in a complex with rosiglitazone (ID PDB: 7AWC). PyMol 2.5. 1 was used to prepare and visualize three-dimensional data, and the amino acid interactions were visualized using Discovery Studio 2021 Clients. It was found that linoleic acid and oleic acid in VCO have anti-inflammatory effects with predictive values of 0.73 and 0.614, respectively, and that they stop tumor necrosis factor (TNF) expression with predictive values of 0.751 and 0.724. The result of molecular docking showed that the VCO compound was able to interact with the same residue as the control. VCO reduces inflammation by acting as a PPAR-γ and TNF expression inhibitor.
Differentiating Magnetic Resonance Images of Pyogenic Spondylitis and Spinal Modic Change Using a Convolutional Neural Network

Study Design. A retrospective analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Objective. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) to differentiate spinal pyogenic spondylitis from Modic change on MRI. We compared the performance of CNN to that of four clinicians. Summary of Background Data. Discrimination between pyogenic spondylitis and spinal Modic change is crucial in clinical practice. CNN deep-learning approaches for medical imaging are being increasingly utilized. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed MRIs from pyogenic spondylitis and spinal Modic change patients. There were 50 patients per group. Sagittal T1-weighted (T1WI), sagittal T2-weighted (T2WI), and short TI inversion recovery (STIR) MRIs were used for CNN training and validation. The deep learning framework Tensorflow was used to construct the CNN architecture. To evaluate CNN performance, we plotted the receiver operating characteristic curve and calculated the area under the curve. We compared the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CNN diagnosis to that of a radiologist, spine surgeon, and two orthopedic surgeons. Results. The CNN-based area under the curves of the receiver operating characteristic curve from the T1WI, T2WI, and STIR were 0.95, 0.94, and 0.95, respectively. The accuracy of the CNN was significantly greater than that of the four clinicians on T1WI and STIR (P<0.05), and better than a radiologist and one orthopedic surgeon on the T2WI (P<0.05). The sensitivity was significantly better than that of the four clincians on T1WI and STIR (P<0.05), and better than a radiologist and one orthopedic surgeon on the T2WI (P<0.05). The specificity was significantly better than one orthopedic surgeon on T1WI and T2WI (P<0.05) and better than both orthopedic surgeons on STIR (P<0.05). Conclusion. We differentiated between Modic changes and pyogenic spondylitis using a CNN that interprets MRI. The performance of the CNN was comparable to, or better than, that of the four clinicians.
Optimizing Compton camera performance

A more realistic simulation approach is used to study the behavior of the Compton camera in this thesis than previous studies to date. The Compton camera differs from gamma cameras in that the collimator is replaced by a detector known as the ‘scatterer’. Gamma rays may be Compton scattered in the scatterer and subsequently detected by an ‘absorber’ which is the equivalent of the detector in a gamma camera. By measuring the energies and the positions of the points on the scatterer and the absorber where the incident and scattered gamma rays interacted with the detectors, an image of the source can be reconstructed. Because there is no collimator present, the potential sensitivity of the Compton camera is much higher than the gamma camera, resulting in reduced acquisition times. Most of the work described in this thesis was done with the GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation software. GEANT4 has been proven to be very robust and efficient in modelling physics problems of radiation transport and interactions with matter in complex geometries. Four major studies are carried out to estimate and optimize the performance of this novel equipment. The first study takes a look at the scatterer’s imaging parameters with the aim of prescribing an optimal scatterer material and geometry. In the second study, the contribution of the absorber to the overall Compton camera performance is evaluated, considering detector material, interaction type and geometry. The third study explores the limitations imposed by the detector energy threshold and dead time on the Compton camera performance, using a simplified model of the general electronic architecture. An evaluation of Compton camera for scintimammography was performed in the fourth study. For this study, three dual-head Compton camera models (Si/CZT, Si/LaBr3:Ce and Si/NaI(Tl) Compton cameras) were simulated, and the effect of scintillation photons’ interactions with the photomultipliers was implemented. The results show that silicon of about 1 cm thickness would be adequate as the Compton camera scatterer. Analyses suggest however, that the choice of silicon is not completely flawless. Doppler broadening for this detector material contributes as much as 7.3 mm and 2.4 mm to full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) image resolution at 140.5 keV and 511 keV respectively. On the other hand, detector spatial resolution which accounts for the least image degradation at 140.5 keV is found to be the dominant degrading factor at 511 keV, suggesting that the absorber parameters play major roles in image resolution at higher diagnostic energies. Findings further suggest that cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) would be the most suitable detector as the absorber since the material demonstrated the high-
Magnetic Field Growth and Saturation in Plasmas with Large Magnetic Prandtl Number. I. The Two-dimensional Case

In turbulent plasmas, velocities at scales smaller than a scale lD are strongly damped by viscosity, ν, and magnetic fields below a scale lR are strongly dissipated by resistivity, η. In galaxies and protogalaxies, lD ≫ lR; i.e., the magnetic Prandtl number, PM = ν/η = l/l, is very large. The limit of high magnetic Prandtl number in two dimensions is the focus of this paper. In the kinematic phase of magnetic field growth, when the field is too weak to affect the flow, the field strength grows and the field scale length lB decreases. Much of the initial growth of the field happens at scales below lD. In this paper we examine numerically and analytically the growth and saturation of magnetic field on scales less than lD in two dimensions. If the initial seed field strength is very weak, the field grows and lB decreases down to the resistive scale lR before the Lorentz force can affect the magnetic field: once lB ~ lR it damps out rapidly. However, if the initial seed field is large enough the field grows until it saturates at a scale lB with lD > lB > lR. In saturation the field strength remains constant and lB decreases on the resistive time of the saturation scale (i.e., l/η). The small-scale velocities are insufficient to unwind the small-scale field and produce any kind of inverse cascade. When the scale of the saturation field reaches lR, the field strength begins to decay. In the initial phase of decay, coherent loops of magnetic field that are formed during saturation persist and act to limit the rate of decay of magnetic energy. Only after these loops have resistively decayed can the final, rapid, kinematic decay take place.
Topological Parameters of Networked Learning

This paper proposes a methodological linking of learning theories and social learning analytics, applicable in real-life settings. We view online discussions in learning communities as networks in which human agents and posts of content are the nodes, while the interactions between nodes are represented as edges. The collaborative learning process is thus viewed as the construction and growth of a network involving various types of interactions among learners and content items. We contend that online learning assessment should be grounded by a theoretical framework based on quantitative analysis of the collaborative learning process as reflected by learning communities' online discussions. This paper demonstrates our proposed framework through a case study of a single community's online discussion, which took place throughout one academic semester. We use social network analysis (SNA) and other log-based techniques to determine topological parameters or network characteristics, assessing both collective and individual learning process which took place as reflected by the community online discussion
Physico-Chemical and Bacteriological quality of some vended sachet water samples in Ilorin, Nigeria.

This study was conducted to investigate the portability of six (A to F) selected sachet water samples, prominently produced and vended on regular basis in Ilorin metropolis. They were procured from different manufacturers and vendors. The objective of this study was to find out the quality of such sachet vended water. Random sampling method was employed in the selection of the brands used for this study; they were subjected to physical, chemical and bacteriological analysis. For physical and chemical analysis, Hanna’s 100 spectrophotometer plus chemical reagents were used. Tube method was used to analyze the water samples for the presence of coliform and E. coli. The results showed that the physico-chemical parameters analyzed were within W. H. O. limits for drinking water quality guidelines except for total alkalinity, total hardness, carbon monoxide and silicon dioxides which were found to be slightly higher than the permissible levels in any categories of drinking water. Bacteriological analysis showed that the colony forming unit in all the water samples were found to be between 5 and 22 and they all have MPN values less than two (<2) which could be termed negligible with no presence of E. coli or faecal coliforms.
ADOPTION OF SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE: A FUZZY APPROACH TO RANKING THE DETERMINANTS

‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) holds various benefits for organisations; however, SaaS solutions are not enjoying widespread adoption in South Africa. Hence, to improve the competitiveness of South African organisations, this study ranked SaaS adoption factors according to their influence on a SaaS adoption decision. This novel approach from a South African perspective implemented an integrated adoption model with the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with linguistic preference relations (LinPreRa). The top five adoption factors were found to be trust, relative advantage, security risk, complexity, and trialability. Implications for researchers, vendors, and end-users are also discussed.