Experimental study of organic enrichment on meiofaunal diversity.

The organic enrichment effects on the meiofauna and nematofauna were assessed for field sediment and other experimental ones enriched with organic matters conducted in the laboratory for 4 weeks. Also, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH were monitored for each one. The abundance and diversity of meiofaunal groups and nematofauna varied. Strong significant correlations were found between DO and the studied items. Nematoda was the most abundant group in the field sediment and other experimental ones; their counts increased with the increase in organic enrichments and were dominated by deposit feeders. Amphipoda, Ostracoda and predator/omnivore nematodes disappeared in highly organic-enriched sediments. Changes in DO and organic enrichments might be the more attributable reasons for the alteration of the meiobenthic assemblages. The generic compositions of Nematoda provide a good indicator for environmental alterations.

Patterns and management outcome of paediatrics burn in a general surgical department: experience from a secondary referral hospital.

Burns are considered the fourth most common type of traumatic injury worldwide with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to disclose the incidence, etiological factors, treatment and outcome of paediatric burns in Sudan. This is a retrospective hospital-based study, conducted during 2016-2019. Patients who presented with burn injuries and managed in the hospital were included in the study. Flowchart sheets were used to collect the data. Then, it was entered and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21 statistical software (IBM Corporation, Chicago, IL). The total number of patients who fulfill our criteria is 85 with a median age of 4 years (7 months-15 years). Sixty-five percent of them were under 5 years with male predominance (55%). Most patients' burns occurred at home. The median percentage of burn is 18% (2%-90%) which is caused by scalding burn among 55.3% followed by the flame burn in 41.2% of patients. Regarding fluid management, 60% received fluid. Open dressing for burn wounds was done for 75% and close dressing among 15% of patients. More than 80% of the patients in this study were treated and discharged in a good condition while the mortality was 5.9%. This study showed the significant burden of paediatric burns management on general surgery units in a referral hospital. Therefore, equipping the hospital and founding these specialities will decrease this load and will improve the outcome.

Effectiveness of diabetes self-care education at primary health care centres in Saudi Arabia: A pragmatic randomized trial in Tabuk.

Objective: The present trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of the structured Information, Education, and Communication provided by trained health educators at primary care on the mean body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and the level of blood pressure, among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Research Methods: This was a 12-month pragmatic clustered randomized trial where 180 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in 2020. Five primary health care centres were randomly allocated to either the intervention or control arm. Results: There was a comparable significant reduction in the mean scores of waist circumference among participants in the intervention versus control arm over 12 months: I =108.7:C = 85.8 cm (P value = 0.001), I = 109.2:C = 86.02 cm (P value = 0.001), and I = 105.6:C = 87.2 cm (P value = 0.001) in the first, sixth, and twelfth months, respectively. A significant reduction in the mean scores of body mass index in the intervention versus control arm only in the first month: I =31.7:C = 26.5 cm (P value = 0.001). However, there was a comparable significant reduction in the mean scores of fasting blood glucose in the intervention versus control arm over 12 months: I =2016.5:C = 185.3 mmol/l (P value = 0.011), I = 207.4:C = 168.04 mmol/l (P value = 0.002), and I = 2012.7:C = 158.6 mmol/l (P value = 0.001) in the first, sixth, and twelfth months, respectively. Conclusions: The delivery of structured diabetes self-care education for diabetics by trained health educators at primary health care has a beneficiary effect on reducing the mean body mass index, waist circumference, and blood glucose. Similarly, it decreases high blood pressure.

The Effect of Curfew on the General Mental Well-Being of the Population in Saudi Arabia After the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Introduction Mental well-being is an essential aspect of general health. Assessing mental well-being is crucial to leading a healthy life. The global population is, presumptively, affected at a ratio of one out of four individuals with a mental or neurological disorder. This further emphasized the importance of the financial, social, and health implications that ensue. Methods and materials Data collection was performed using the symptoms checklist-90 (SCL-90) survey between March and April of 2021. The data collected included demographic data as well as nine domains that include some of the most common psychiatric symptoms. The collected questionnaires were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Non-parametric tests were utilized, as the SCL-90 dimensions and global index scores follow a non-normal distribution. Results The questionnaire yielded 387 responses. Females comprised the majority of the participants. The most prevalent symptom described as extremely common by females was waking up early in the morning. The most commonly described symptom described as not at all by females was hearing words that others do not hear. There was no statistical difference in mental well-being between males and females. Older participants (>40 years old) had better mental well-being in comparison to their younger counterparts. Conclusion During the fallout of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, much attention and resources were allocated toward the physical aspect of the pandemic, yet the psychological implications must not be understated. Multiple variables, such as age, marital status, and unemployment, may impact the mental well-being of the population and must be further assessed.

Overview of maternal and perinatal mortality in Sudan.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), agreed on by world leaders at a UN summit in 2000, set targets to achieve by 2015. MDGs 4 and 5 specifically focus on the health of women and children. Sudan is classified as having insufficient progress in achieving MDGs 4 and 5. Both local and international efforts are needed to improve maternal and perinatal mortality rates. Ultrasound is expected to have a positive impact on improving maternal and perinatal mortality.