bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Early Results of a Distance Learning Paediatric Surgery Programme in Mozambique
Authors: Coelho Ana , Marinho Ana Sofia , Barbosa-Sequeira Joana , Nikutme André , Noya Leyani , Rêgo Carla , Carvalho Fátima , Moreira-Pinto João 
Published: June 2022

Introduction:
A pre-graduate training programme in paediatric surgery was applied to students in four medical schools of Mozambique. In this paper, we evaluate the early results of the programme.

Materials and Methods:
A pre-graduate training programme was developed and applied in two stages, theoretical education available at an online platform and a face-to-face session. To evaluate the programme, a diagnostic test was applied to all participants before the face-to-face session and, the same test, was applied again at the end of the session.

Results:
A total of 236 students participated in the programme. Forty-four per cent had a negative score on the diagnostic test. When the test was repeated, 91.9% had a positive score, and the difference between the scores in both tests reached statistical significance (P < 0.05). The participants who completed the first phase of the programme presented a higher median score in both tests (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:
The diagnostic tests allowed us to verify there was an increase in knowledge before and after the face-to-face session. There was also a significant difference between those participants who completed the online phase of the programme and those who did only the face-to-face session, which allows us to conclude that the online teaching programme was effective.
Epidemiological and Diagnostic Characteristics of Scoliosis in Children in a Single Tertiary Centre in Abidjan
Authors: Yaokreh Jean Baptiste , Kouamé Guy Serges Yapo , Ali Cissé , Odéhouri-Koudou Thierry-Hervé , Ouattara Ossénou 
Published: June 2022

Introduction:
Scoliosis is the most frequent spine deformity in children. Epidemiological data are available in Western countries due to the systematic screening policies implemented at school. Unfortunately, in our country, there are neither national data nor screening policy for scoliosis. Are the epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics of scoliosis in our practice similar to the data in the literature?

Patients and Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed 106 medical records of patients under 19 years old between 2010 and 2019 at the 'Vivre Debout' Centre for structural scoliosis confirmed by spine X-ray with a Cobb angle ≥10°. The epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics were noted. The data were treated with Excel 2010.

Results:
The mean frequency of scoliosis was 10 cases/year. The male-to-female sex ratio was 1:1.3. The mean age at diagnosis was 11.2 ± 2.13 years. There was a family history of scoliosis in two cases (1.8%). Twenty-four girls (39.3%) out of 61 had had menarche at the time of diagnosis. The mean time from noticing deformity to consultation was 17.9 ± 21.9 months. Lateral deviation of the spine (n = 77; 72.6%), hump (n = 12; 11.3%) and pain (n = 3; 2.8%) were the main complaints for consultation. In 14 cases (13.2%), the discovery was fortuitous during a medical examination for another complaint. The curvature was single in 88 cases (83%) and double in 18 (17%). The convexity was right in 69 cases (65.1%) and left in 37 (34.9%). Curvatures were thoracic (n = 57; 53.8%), lumbar (n = 10; 9.4%) and thoracolumbar (n = 39; 36.8%). The average Cobb angle was 35.2° ±10.71° (range: 11°–90°). Curvatures were moderate (20°–40°) in 49 cases (46.2) and severe (>40°) in 18 (17%). The aetiologies were predominated by idiopathic causes (n = 79; 74.5%), followed by congenital (n = 16; 15.1%) and neuromuscular (n = 11; 10.4%) causes.

Conclusion:
Scoliosis is uncommon in our practice. It is characterised by single curvature. The predominance of moderate and severe curvatures was due to delayed consultation.
Comparison of effectiveness and safety of epsilon-aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery
Authors: Singh Langpoklakpam Chaoba , Singh Sanjeev , Okyere Isaac , Annamalai Anbarasu , Singh Arti 
Published: June 2022

Objective:
The objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing bleeding, re-exploration, and blood transfusion in patients who underwent a cardiac surgical procedure for mitral valve replacement on cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods:
A single-center, prospective, randomized, and double-blind clinical comparison study was conducted after obtaining institutional ethical approval; sixty patients of either gender between 18 and 60 years of age were randomly divided into two batches: EACA batch (n = 30) given 100 mg/kg EACA as a bolus during induction of anesthesia and then infused at 20 mg/kg/h during surgery and 6 h after surgery and TXA batch (n = 30) given TXA 20 mg/kg/h as a bolus during induction of anesthesia and then infused at 2 mg/kg/h during surgery and 6 h after surgery. The patient parameters, blood loss, transfusion requirements in the first 24 h, and other complications were recorded.

Results:
Blood loss per hour through the chest tube drain was significantly lower for the first 6 postoperative hours in the TXA than in the EACA (P < 0.05). The total postoperative blood loss was 416 ± 47.74 ml and 489 ± 42.12 ml in 24 h (P = 0.0001), and the blood transfusion requirement was 0.45 ± 0.62 units and 0.86 ± 0.87 units (P = 0.0481) in the TXA and EACA, respectively. The re-exploration rate was 3.34% and 13.34% in TXA and EACA (P = 0.0629). Five percent of the patients reported seizures in the study (P > 0.05). The findings of this study suggested that prophylactic therapy with EACA or TXA was effective and safer in reducing perioperative blood loss in cardiac surgical procedures with mitral valve replacement. Furthermore, TXA was significantly more effective than EACA.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Ophthalmic Diseases at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Ikubor Joyce Ekeme , Abadom Ebele Gloria 
Published: June 2022

Background:
Ultrasonography (US) is one of the first-line imaging modalities of choice for evaluating ocular pathologies after clinical examination. The human lens being radiosensitive requires imaging modalities that do not utilize ionizing radiation.

Aim:
This study determined the indications for ocular ultrasound and the pattern of ocular pathologies in patients imaged with B-mode ocular US at the radiology department of a teaching hospital over a seven-year period. This study also determined the correlation between the provisional diagnosis of the referring ophthalmologist and the sonographic diagnosis.

Materials and Methods:
This was a retrospective descriptive study of the patients referred for ocular ultrasound scans from January 2012 to December 2018.

Results:
The records of 125 patients comprising 72 males (57.6%) and 53 females (42.4%) with a mean age of 32.9 (±23.12) years that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The most common indication was loss of vision/deterioration in vision. The most common provisional diagnosis was cataract seen in 20 (16%) patients, while the most common sonographic finding was retinal detachment seen in 44 (35.2%) patients. For the trauma cases, cataract, lens dislocation, retinal detachment, vitreous haemorrhage, and intraocular foreign body were diagnosed by US.

Conclusion:
Cataract was the most common clinical diagnosis, but retinal detachment was the most common sonographic diagnosis. This study highlights the use of US as a valuable tool in diagnosing and confirming clinical diagnosis, particularly valuable when the posterior segment cannot be adequately visualized as a result of opacities in the visual axis.
Awareness and COVID-19 Preventive Practices among Inpatients' Caregivers at a Mixed COVID -19 Treatment Hospital in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Okunlola Abiodun I. , Babalola Olakunle F. , Okunlola Cecilia K. , Ibijola Ajayi A. , Ayokunle Makanjuola D. , Salawu Adedayo I. 
Published: June 2022

Background:
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 was first reported by the World Health Organization in December 2019 and thereafter declared a pandemic. Its emergence affected all spheres of daily life including widespread lockdowns at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic. Several nonpharmacological preventive practices were adopted to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus amid the initial paucity of supporting scientific data.

Aim:
The study aimed to evaluate the level of awareness and preventive practices among the family caregivers of the patients admitted to a mixed hospital during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Methods to Materials:
This study was a self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey carried out in June 2020 during the lockdown for the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study participants were selected by the convenience sampling method. Participants consisted of one hundred family caregivers of the inpatients admitted for various ailments other than COVID-19 in our hospital. Data on demography, awareness of COVID-19, and preventive practices were obtained and analysed using IBM SPSS version 20. The results were presented using tables. Categorical data were summarised by frequencies and percentages, whereas continuous data were summarised using means and standard deviations (SDs).

Results:
The respondents were mainly married young adults (74%) with an age range between 15 and 66 years. The mean age was 37.7 ± 13.9 SD. Sixty-four percent of the respondents were female, 92% were of the Yoruba ethnic group, and 60% were university graduate. Most family caregivers were first-degree relatives (86%), and 14% were acquaintances or friend. The findings showed that 98% of the respondents were aware of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 56% never experienced fear of contracting the disease. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents observed physical distancing, whereas the remaining 42% practiced normal physical interaction despite the pandemic. Regular handwashing and the use of face masks were the most common nonpharmacological preventive practices. Cloth face masks were the most commonly used. Only 38% of the respondents were aware of the inhospital COVID-19-positive patients, and a majority of them got the information through the radio and from discussions among the patients' relatives.

Conclusion:
Family caregivers are an integral part of the health-care system, and females are more involved than males. Regular handwashing and the use of cloth face masks were the most common COVID-19 nonpharmacological preventive practices among the family caregivers.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Eye Care Services and Training in Nigeria
Authors: Olawoye Olusola , Monye Henrietta Ifechukwude , Ibukun Folahan A. , Onakpoya Oluwatoyin H. , Yeye-Agba Olabisi O. , Echieh Chigozie Ifeoma , Obuoforibo Boma R. , Bassey Chika Njideka , Abdullahi Maryam Idris , Tonye-Obene Diamond , Akinsola Folasade Bolanle 
Published: June 2022

Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected eye care globally in terms of service provision and training. It is important to recognize the challenges faced and the adaptations instituted to overcome them.

Aim:
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eye care services and training in eye institutions in Nigeria.

Materials and Methods:
This was a cross-sectional survey involving ophthalmologists and senior ophthalmology trainees selected purposively to ensure a varied representation in terms of location and type of practice. Data collection was done through a web-based questionnaire (Google Forms). The main outcome of interest was the impact of the pandemic on four major aspects of practice: outpatient care, surgical care, inpatient care, and residency training. Data on respondents' sociodemographic features and practice details were descriptively summarized with means and standard deviations (SDs) for the continuous variables and proportions for the categorical variables. Practice patterns before and at the height of the pandemic were compared for the four aspects of practice, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:
A total of 59 responses were received from eye institutions in 28 states in Nigeria. The mean age of respondents was 38.1 years (SD 6) and 36 (61%) were female. Forty-seven (81.4%) responses were from participants working in public institutions and 40 (67.8%) responses were from respondents whose institutions run ophthalmology residency training programs. Glaucoma was the most affected subspecialty during the pandemic (24, 40.7%). Respondents reported complete closures of clinics (21, 35.6%), theaters (40, 67.8%), and wards (18, 30.5%) at the height of the pandemic. Training activities requiring physical contact were negatively affected, while reports on the use of virtual seminars increased to 75% (n = 30) at the peak of the pandemic from 5% (n = 2) before the pandemic. Overall, all respondents affirmed that the pandemic negatively affected their practice, and 51 (86%) reported an extent of more than 25%.

Conclusion:
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted most aspects of ophthalmology practice. Adaptations are required to ensure the optimization of patient care and training experiences in the post-COVID era.
Relationship between Maxillary Midline Diastema Width and Labial Frenum Attachment in a Sample of Nigerian Adolescents
Authors: Adigun Abiola , Yemitan Tolulase , Uti Omolara 
Published: June 2022

Background:
The maxillary midline diastema is a space between both upper central incisors which is more than 0.5 mm in width, and there are varying factors attributed to its occurrence.

Aim:
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between maxillary midline diastema width and labial frenum attachment among secondary school students in a Nigerian rural community. The study also assessed the prevalence of maxillary midline diastema and the distribution of labial frenal morphology.

Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 adolescents in Southwestern Nigeria. Participants were selected using a three-stage stratified sampling technique, and structured questionnaires were employed. Intraoral examination was done to assess the presence of maxillary midline diastema, classify the morphology of the upper labial frenum and measure the width of the maxillary midline diastema.

Results:
The participants were aged between 10 and 17 years (mean age, 12.69 ± 2.1 standard deviation). The prevalence of maxillary midline diastema was 31.5% among participants with gingival attachment being the most prevalent frenal morphology. Participants with papillary frenal attachments had statistically significant wider maxillary midline diastema than those with gingival frenal attachments (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:
Among Nigerian adolescents, there was an association between the type of labial frenal attachment and width of maxillary midline diastema.
Association of Tibia Eminence Width Index and Intercondylar Notch Angle with Risk of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in an African Population
Authors: Babalola Oladimeji Ranti , Igwillo Ukamaka Jane , Egbekun Ijoukhumo Ethel , Oluwadiya Kehinde Sunday 
Published: June 2022

Background:
Certain modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors have been associated with the risk of suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between the intercondylar notch angle (INA) and the tibia eminence width index (TEWI), with the risk of ACL injury.

Materials and Methods:
Consecutive patients with ACL injury presenting over a 3-year period were recruited. A control group with no complaints related to cruciate and collateral knee ligament injuries was also recruited.

Results:
The mean values of each of these variables were compared between the groups. The body mass index, height, and weight were correlated with TEWI and INA in each group. A total of 30 each of ACL injured cases and controls were recruited for the study. The mean values of the TEWI for the ACL group were 0.20 and 0.19 for the control group (P = 0.553). The mean INA for ACL is 43.37° and 42.43° for control (P = 0.969).

Conclusion:
The INA and TEWI are not predictive of the risk of ACL injury.
Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines among Health Care Workers in Lokoja, Nigeria
Authors: Onuminya Dorcas Salime , Onuminya John Enekele 
Published: June 2022

Background:
Equitable access to safe and effective vaccines is focal to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many questions and myths to the acceptance and nonacceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among Nigerian populace including health workers.

Aim:
The aim of the study was to assess the acceptance rate and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines among the health workers of Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH), Lokoja.

Materials and Methods:
This was an institutional-based descriptive study conducted over a period of two months between April 9, 2021, and June 8, 2021. The study population included all the staff that participated in the first batch of available COVID-19 vaccines at KSSH, Lokoja. We distributed a self-administered questionnaire among the first 48 staff of the hospital to collect information on their sociodemographic characteristics, cadres, reasons for acceptance of the vaccine, and side effects. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software windows version 20.

Results:
Out of the 420 staff of the hospital, 48 accepted to be vaccinated accounting for 11.4%. All the respondents were aware of the COVID-19 pandemic, and prevention of the disease was their reasons for accepting the vaccine. The sociodemographic patterns revealed that 15 (31.2%) of the respondent were within 40–49 years of age. The majority of the respondents were males 29 (60.4%), Igalas 18 (37.5%), followed by Yorubas 16 (33.3%) while Ebiras were 6 (12.5%). Medical doctors were the majority 23 (47.9%) followed by nursing staff 19 (39.58%) and no pharmacist participated. Out of the 48 respondents, 24 (50%) had mild side effects which were generalized body weakness, headaches, and fever which resolved spontaneously and there was no fatality.

Conclusions:
COVID-19 vaccine acceptability rate among health workers in KSSH, Lokoja, was 11.4%. Preventive measure was the reason for taking the vaccine, and there was no fatality among respondents. The respondents were willing to tell others to accept the vaccine as means of preventing COVID-19 infection.
Singular boundary conditions for Sturm–Liouville operators via perturbation theory
Authors: Bush Michael , Frymark Dale , Liaw Constanze 
Published: June 2022

AbstractWe show that all self-adjoint extensions of semibounded Sturm–Liouville operators with limit-circle endpoint(s) can be obtained via an additive singular form-bounded self-adjoint perturbation of rank equal to the deficiency indices, say
$d\in \{1,2\}$
. This characterization generalizes the well-known analog for semibounded Sturm–Liouville operators with regular endpoints. Explicitly, every self-adjoint extension of the minimal operator can be written as
$$ \begin{align*} \boldsymbol{A}_{ {}_{\scriptstyle \Theta}}=\boldsymbol{A}_0+\mathbf{B}\Theta\mathbf{B}^*, \end{align*} $$
where
$\boldsymbol {A}_0$
is a distinguished self-adjoint extension and
$\Theta $
is a self-adjoint linear relation in
$\mathbb {C}^d$
. The perturbation is singular in the sense that it does not belong to the underlying Hilbert space but is form-bounded with respect to
$\boldsymbol {A}_0$
, i.e., it belongs to
$\mathcal {H}_{-1}(\boldsymbol {A}_0)$
, with possible “infinite coupling.” A boundary triple and compatible boundary pair for the symmetric operator are constructed to ensure that the perturbation is well defined and self-adjoint extensions are in a one-to-one correspondence with self-adjoint relations
$\Theta $
.The merging of boundary triples with perturbation theory provides a more holistic view of the operator’s matrix-valued spectral measures: identifying not just the location of the spectrum, but also certain directional information.As an example, self-adjoint extensions of the classical Jacobi differential equation (which has two limit-circle endpoints) are obtained, and their spectra are analyzed with tools both from the theory of boundary triples and perturbation theory.
Prevalence of Salmonella Typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and intestinal parasites among male food handlers in Laghouat Province, Algeria
Authors: Sebaa S. , Baroudi D. , Hakem A. 
Published: June 2022

Background: Food-borne diseases are a global public health problem, most especially in developing countries. Food handlers with a low level of personal hygiene may be colonized or infected by a wide range of enteric pathogenic micro-organisms including intestinal parasites and bacteria. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Salmonella Typhi, Staphylococcus aureus and intestinal parasites among male food handlers in Laghouat province, southern Algeria.
Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, stool samples and fingernail samples of both hands were collected from 155 randomly selected male food handlers. Stool specimens were examined by direct wet mount, formalinether concentration, xenic invitro culture and staining methods for parasitological identification. For bacterial isolation, standard culture media including Hektoen agar, Salmonella-Shigella (SS), Mannitol salt, and Blood agar plates were used. Conventional biochemical tests were used for identification of S. Typhi and S. aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) was performed for bacterial isolates by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Data analysis was done using Minitab version 19 software, and Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to determine association between categorical variables. P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The overall prevalence rate of intestinal parasites among the study subjects was 40% (62/155). Blastocystis spp was the most frequent parasite isolated (16.8%), followed by Giardia intestinalis (8.4%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (7.7%), Entamoeba coli (3.2%), Trichomonas intestinalis (2.6%) and Endolimax nana (1.3%). Stool cultures revealed 4 (2.6%) positive samples for S. Typhi, and S. aureus was isolated from fingernail contents of 23 (14.8%) subjects. All S. Typhi isolates were sensitive to imipenem and ciprofloxacin while S. aureus isolates show high sensitivity to pristinamycin. Hand washing with soap, finger nail status and clinical manifestations were significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections, while clinical manifestation was the only factor associated with S. aureus infection.
Conclusion: The present study indicates a high prevalence of pathogenic micro-organisms among male food handlers which highlight the important role of food handlers in the spread and transmission of foodborne infections, and thus requires more attention.
Double Sarmatianethnonyms on the Pevtinger map as a refl ection of the Sarmatization of the Caucasus
Authors: Вдовченков Е.В. 
Published: June 2022

В статье рассмотрена проблема интерпретации двойных названий Пев-тингеровой карты на примере сарматов-сванов и сарматов-сасонов. Анализируетсятрадиция использования двойных сарматских названий в этом источнике. Выдвинутопредположение о соответствии сарматов-сванов группе Подкумок-Хумара, существо-вавшей в районе Пятигорья и Верховьев Кубани в I в. до н. э. – конце IV в. н. э.
The article considers the problem of interpretation of the double names of the Pevtingermap on the example of Sarmatians-Svans and Sarmatians-Sasons. The tradition of usingdouble Sarmatian names in Pevtinger map is analyzed. The assumption is put forward aboutthe correspondence of the Sarmatians-Svans to the group of Podkumok-Humaralocated in thearea of Pyatigorsk and the Upper Reaches of the Kuban in the I century BC – the end of the IVcentury AD.