Graduate and postgraduate educational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic period: its impact and innovations-a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has transformed the global view of education, including graduate and postgraduate education making the development of an alternative approach in times of social isolation an academic imperative. The present review aims to investigate the challenges experienced among undergraduate and postgraduate education and the strategies adopted to address these challenges during the pandemic. METHOD: The preferred reporting items for the systematic review and meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were followed. The aim was to include journal articles published in the English language that discussed the influence of the pandemic on educational processes and applied innovative approaches as a solution to educational challenges. From January to August 2020, PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched for articles, yielding 10,019 articles. Two groups of authors examined the retrieved articles separately to avoid any risk of bias. The title and abstract of the articles were used for scrutiny, followed by full-text screening based on the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The facts and findings of the studies were also discussed based on per capita income, literacy rate, and Internet accessibility. RESULTS: Thirty of the obtained articles were included in the study. The selected articles were from North and South/Latin America, Asia & Pacific, South Africa, and Europe regions. Nineteen of the selected articles dealt with undergraduate education, ten with postgraduate, and one with both groups. The affordability of digital devices and the availability of Internet services were the major challenges for low- and middle-income economies. The ZOOM platform has been adopted by more than 90% of the education systems. CONCLUSION: Means of communication, including visual media, digitized content, and other web-based platforms, have been recognized as efficient learning and training tools, but have not been fully accessible for mass application and use due to the lack of availability of resources, their cost, and insufficient training among the users. In light of this review, it is suggested that harmonized and collaborative efforts should be made to develop cost-effective and user-friendly tools to overcome the current challenges and prevent future educational crises. SYSTEMIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: The review was not registered.

Factors Affecting Adaptability of Cryptocurrency: An Application of Technology Acceptance Model.

Cryptocurrency has revolutionized the economic system of the world. It provides a new and innovative means of exchange that has speedily invaded the financial market trends and changed the traditional cash world. However, consumers have low acceptability for blockchain-based cryptocurrency due to increasing online scams and the absence of a regulatory framework. There is also a misconception about its usage on many platforms, which has created a clear gap in the literature to address this issue. Therefore, the current study intends to investigate the effect of technology awareness on the behavioral intention of crypto users through perceived factors (usefulness, ease of use, risk). It also empirically examines the moderating role of government support on these indirect paths. The underlying framework is investigated by surveying 333 respondents from the Z generation. Results revealed that perceived factors (usefulness, ease of use, risk) mediate the relationship between technology awareness and behavioral intention. Furthermore, government support strengthens the indirect relationship of technology awareness on behavioral intention through technology acceptance determinants, such that the effect of technology awareness on behavioral intention through perceived factors (usefulness, ease of use, risk) is more assertive when government support is high. The findings will provide a new dimension to different financial bodies implementing monetary policy and highlight the need to adopt innovative digital technologies in Pakistan.

Eficacia del tratamiento con inyecciones intradérmicas de plasma rico en plaquetas para la alopecia androgenética en varones: estudio de «antes-después» / Efficacy of Platelet Rich Plasma Intradermal Injections for Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment in Males: A Before and After Study

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVOS: El plasma rico en plaquetas es una fuente de factores de crecimiento utilizada recientemente en el tratamiento de la alopecia androgenética (AGA); sin embargo, la eficacia de este tratamiento sigue siendo controversial. Los objetivos del presente estudio son evaluar la eficacia del plasma rico en plaquetas en el incremento de la densidad capilar en varones con AGA, así como, determinar si existe una correlación entre la respuesta favorable a dicho tratamiento, con la edad del paciente, con el tipo de AGA y con el tiempo de evolución de esta. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se diseñó un estudio de «antes/después» y se incluyeron 30 varones. Estos pacientes no habían recibido ningún tratamiento para la AGA al menos en los 3 meses previos al estudio. Cada paciente recibió 3 inyecciones en intervalos de un mes. La densidad capilar de cada sujeto se midió manualmente mediante un dermatoscopio antes de la primera intervención y también a los 2 y 6 meses. Para determinar la eficacia del tratamiento se realizó un análisis comparativo. RESULTADOS: La densidad capilar se incrementó en un 19,17% después de la intervención (172,46 ± 59,04 cabellos/cm2 antes del tratamiento a 205,53 ± 68,20 cabellos/cm2 después de los 6 meses); los efectos secundarios fueron mínimos en el seguimiento a corto plazo. El patrón de alopecia de tipo vertex III fue el patrón que presentó una menor respuesta. No se objetivó ninguna correlación entre la respuesta favorable al tratamiento y la edad del paciente o la duración de la AGA. CONCLUSIÓN: Las inyecciones de plasma rico en plaquetas en pacientes varones con AGA tendrán un efecto favorable sobre la densidad capilar

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Platelet rich plasma is a source of growth factors recently introduced to treat androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with conflicting results. Our aims are to assess the efficacy of platelet rich plasma in increasing hair density in males with AGA, and to investigate a correlation between positive response and each of patient's age and type and duration of AGA. MATERIALS & METHODS: This before and after study included 30 males with no history of hair treatments for at least 3 months prior to our study. Each patient received 3 injections at one-month intervals. Scalp hair density of each subject was measured manually by a dermatoscope before and following 2 and 6 months of the first intervention. Data were compared to evaluate efficacy. RESULTS: Hair density was increased by 19.17% following our intervention (172.46 ± 59.04 hairs/cm2 before treatment to 205.53 ± 68.20 hairs/cm2 after 6 months) with minimal short-term side effects. Type III vertex was the least responsive pattern and no correlation was observed between positive response and either patient's age or duration of AGA. CONCLUSION: Platelet rich plasma injections for men with AGA has a positive effect on hair density

Efficacy of Platelet Rich Plasma Intradermal Injections for Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment in Males: A Before and After Study. / Eficacia del tratamiento con inyecciones intradérmicas de plasma rico en plaquetas para la alopecia androgenética en varones: estudio de «antes-después¼.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Platelet rich plasma is a source of growth factors recently introduced to treat androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with conflicting results. Our aims are to assess the efficacy of platelet rich plasma in increasing hair density in males with AGA, and to investigate a correlation between positive response and each of patient's age and type and duration of AGA. MATERIALS & METHODS: This before and after study included 30 males with no history of hair treatments for at least 3 months prior to our study. Each patient received 3 injections at one-month intervals. Scalp hair density of each subject was measured manually by a dermatoscope before and following 2 and 6 months of the first intervention. Data were compared to evaluate efficacy. RESULTS: Hair density was increased by 19.17% following our intervention (172.46±59.04 hairs/cm2 before treatment to 205.53±68.20 hairs/cm2 after 6 months) with minimal short-term side effects. Type III vertex was the least responsive pattern and no correlation was observed between positive response and either patient's age or duration of AGA. CONCLUSION: Platelet rich plasma injections for men with AGA has a positive effect on hair density.

Characterization of lipid parameters in diabetic and non-diabetic atherosclerotic patients.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The relationship between lipid profile perturbation and diabetes associated complications has long been an area of interest. Dyslipidemia is a potent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The aim of present study was to investigate relationship between aging and lipid profiles in diabetic and non-diabetic atherosclerotic patients. METHODS: Five hundred and seventy six individuals (45-75 year age) participated in this study. Among these, 192 were having history of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Individuals are categorized on the base of health (normal, non-diabetic atherosclerosis, diabetic atherosclerosis) and age (45-55 years, 56-65 years, and 66-75 years). All the participants were subjected to the procedures like a detailed history, biochemical analysis for fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein-(LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). All these parameters were compared between diabetic and non-diabetic atherosclerotic patients of all three age groups. TC/HDL and LDL/HDL were also calculated. RESULTS: Diabetic atherosclerotic individuals (both males and females) had high level of TC, TG, LDL, VLDL and low level of HDL in comparison to non-diabetic atherosclerotic and normal control individuals. Among all three age groups, lipoprotein abnormality was observed to be more frequent in females than males. There was a significant increase in TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratio in diabetic atherosclerotic subjects compared to age and sex matched non-diabetic atherosclerotic and normal control. CONCLUSIONS: Degree of dyslipidemia increases with increase in age in both genders. Female are more prone to diabetic dyslipidemia and hence have more risk of developing atherosclerosis with increasing age.

Cervical laminoplasty for multilevel cervical myelopathy.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy can result from degenerative cervical spondylosis, herniated disk material, osteophytes, redundant ligamentum flavum, or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. Surgical intervention for multi-level myelopathy aims to decompress the spinal cord and maintain stability of the cervical spine. Laminoplasty was major surgical advancement as laminectomy resulted in kyphosis and unsatisfactory outcomes. Hirabayashi popularised the expansive open door laminoplasty which was later modified several surgeons. Laminoplasty has changed the way surgeons approach multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy.