Showing papers by "University of Bahrain published in 2022"

Determinants of Behavioral Intentions to Use Islamic Financial Technology: An Empirical Assessment

Abstract: This study examines the antecedents/determinants of behavioral intentions toward the utilization of Islamic financial technology for Middle Eastern customers. The study applied structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). After robust research efforts were invested in the identification of factors, they and were converted into measures, and the results were analyzed. The results demonstrate that the independent variables shown in the UTAUT model have a significant impact on the behavior to adopt Islamic financial technology, which implies that the people are ready to use Islamic financial technology while making online transactions. The work in this study adds to the knowledge regarding the factors affecting behavioral intention to use Islamic fintech, as there is scarcity of studies in this domain, especially in the context of Middle Eastern online customers. Moreover, this study also considers the major categories of online payments.

Nano-porous C4N as a toxic pesticide's scavenger: A quantum chemical approach.

Abstract: The sensing affinity of C4N is the most fascinating topic of research due to its excellent chemical and electronic properties. Moreover, owing to the highly active porous cavity, C4N can easily accommodate foreign molecules. Herein, we studied the adsorption properties of carbamate insecticides (CMs) namely, Dimetalin (DMT), Carbanolate (CBT), Isolan (ISO) and Propoxur (PRO) using density functional theory calculations. All the results are calculated at widely accepted ωB97XD functional along with 6-31G(d, p) basis set. The calculated counterpoise corrected interaction energy of the reported complexes ranges between −20.05 and −27.04 kcal/mol, however, the interaction distances are found to be higher than 2.00 A. The values of interacting parameters depict that the carbamate molecules are physisorbed via noncovalent interactions that can easily be reversible. Moreover, the binding of selected insecticides notably changes the electronic structure of C4N. The electronic changes are characterized by the energies of HOMO & LUMO, their energy gaps and CHELPG charge transfer. The charge density difference between C4N surface and carbamate pesticides are characterized by EDD and CDA analysis. Moreover, the ab initio molecular dynamic study reveals that the complexes are stable even at 500 K. The photochemical sensing properties of C4N are estimated by time dependent UV–Vis calculations. The high sensitivity of C4N towards considered analytes enable it to act as a promising sensor for toxic pesticides.

Comparison of the global prevalence and trend of human intestinal carriage of ESBL-producing <i>Escherichia coli</i> between healthcare and community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: Abstract Objectives The widespread intestinal carriage of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL E. coli) among both patients and healthy individuals is alarming. However, the global prevalence and trend of this MDR bacterium in healthcare settings remains undetermined. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a comparative meta-analysis of the prevalence in community and healthcare settings. Methods Our systematic review included 133 articles published between 1 January 2000 and 22 April 2021 and indexed in PubMed, EMBASE or Google Scholar. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to obtain the global pooled prevalence (community and healthcare settings). Subgroup meta-analyses were performed by grouping studies using the WHO regions and 5 year intervals of the study period. Results We found that 21.1% (95% CI, 19.1%–23.2%) of inpatients in healthcare settings and 17.6% (95% CI, 15.3%–19.8%) of healthy individuals worldwide carried ESBL E. coli in their intestine. The global carriage rate in healthcare settings increased 3-fold from 7% (95% CI, 3.7%–10.3%) in 2001–05 to 25.7% (95% CI, 19.5%–32.0%) in 2016–20, whereas in community settings it increased 10-fold from 2.6% (95% CI, 1.2%–4.0%) to 26.4% (95% CI, 17.0%–35.9%) over the same period. Conclusions The global and regional human intestinal ESBL E. coli carriage is increasing in both community and healthcare settings. Carriage rates were generally higher in healthcare than in community settings. Key relevant health organizations should perform surveillance and implement preventive measures to address the spread of ESBL E. coli in both settings.

COVID-19 and its impact on educational environment in India

Abstract: The impact of COVID-19 has revamped all aspects of human life including education sector, and it has completely changed the educational environment across the globe. Due to the pandemic, the methodical functions of educational institutions have stopped, and new phases have started like online class, online evaluation, and indoor activities. Students are the vital players in education sector, and their opinions play an indispensable role while formulating the policies by the government. In the pandemic, students' perspective on education environment finds new dimension. Therefore, this paper has made an honest attempt to know the coastal Karnataka students' stance on college educational environment. In this study, six major components of education environment are considered, namely (1) online class, (2) teaching and learning, (3) evaluation, (4) college administration, (5) extracurricular activities, and (6) teachers. The study is descriptive in nature, and data was collected from 347 college students of Coastal Karnataka. To support the main objective, a hypothesis has been developed with the help of review of literature and is tested by using ANOVA and independent t-test. The path analysis is used to analyze the casual relationships among components of college educational environment, overall perception, and student performance. The result of the study found that the college students have positive perception towards online class (M=3.14), teaching and learning (M=3.704), evaluation (M=3.38), college and administration (M=3.83), extracurricular activities (M=3.87), and teachers (M=3.63). The result of the hypothesis testing revealed that there is no significant difference in the student perception towards various components of college education system. Path analysis results show that there is relation and effect between components of college education, overall perception, and students' performance. The study concludes that students agree with policies and actions taken by colleges to carry out classes during COVID-19 pandemic irrespective of demographic and educational difference.

Fabrication of novel microreactors in-house and their performance analysis via continuous production of biodiesel

Abstract: • Different novel microreactors with different designs and geometries were fabricated in-house: T-shaped Y-shaped, and Tesla-shaped microreactors. • Comprehensive analysis of the performances of the fabricated microreactors for the containuous production of biodiesel were performed . • A high level of volume biodiesel yield was achieved from the fabricated microreactors in short residence times, compared to several studies in literature. • The highest biodiesel yield was found to be 97.9% with the Tesla-shaped microreactor at a residence time of 4.85s only. It was found to be 93.3% with the T-shaped microreactor and 94.3% with the Y- shaped microreactors at a residence time of 3.28s each. • Precise inline monitoring of microchannel using optical imaging showed percentage mixings of 97.6%, 97.87%, and 99.52% with T-, Y-, and Tesla- shaped microreactors, respectively. Microreactors enhance biodiesel yields due to their more efficient mixing mechanisms and faster mass transfer rates than conventional batch processes. In this investigation, microreactors with different designs and geometries (four T-shaped with different lengths, one Y-shaped, and one Tesla-shaped) have been successfully fabricated at Fab Lab Bahrain using a high-resolution CO 2 laser cutting machine. Then, the performances of these microreactors for the continuous production of biodiesel were tested and compared. The transesterification of the 9:1 molar ratio of methanol to oil was operated at a temperature of 60°C, with a 1.0 wt% NaOH catalyst. The performance of each microreactor for biodiesel synthesis was experimentally studied. The highest biodiesel yield was found to be 97.9%, with the Tesla-shaped microreactor at a residence time of only 4.85s, while the T- and Y- shaped microreactors give the highest percentage yield of 93.3% and 94.3%, respectively, with a residence time of 3.28s each. Online monitoring of the microchannel using optical imaging showed a mixing percentage of 97.6%, 97.87%, and 99.52% with T-, Y-, and Tesla- shaped microreactors, respectively, which consolidates the mixing effect's on developing the percentage yield of biodiesel.

Drawing out experience: Arts-informed qualitative research exploring public perceptions of community pharmacy services

Abstract: In many countries around the world, people go to community pharmacies to receive primary health care services. Awareness of public views and experiences may help to identify opportunities for greater uptake of primary health care services provided by pharmacists and ways to improve care. Arts-informed research offers the possibility to provide additional insights into public perceptions of community pharmacy services. The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe the process and results of an arts-informed research project using an adapted version of the draw and write technique in combination with focus group interviews to explore public perceptions of community pharmacy services. The draw and write technique was introduced as an introductory activity to evoke a visual expression of participants' perceptions and experiences with community pharmacy services. Participants were invited to answer the question, "What do community pharmacy services mean to you?" in the form of a drawing and words. They were then prompted to discuss their drawings in a focus group interview. This approach resulted in rich visual and textual data. Analysis consisted of a combination of manual sorting of the visual data and examination of the focus group interview data that were transcribed verbatim, anonymized, and analyzed using an inductive comparative approach. NVIVO version 12 software was used to code and manage all data. Use of the draw and write technique elicited initial, fresh perspectives about community pharmacy services prior to discussions with participants in the focus group interviews. This approach allowed researchers to access a diverse range of experiences and perspectives.

Drawing out experience: Arts-informed qualitative research exploring public perceptions of community pharmacy services

Abstract: In many countries around the world, people go to community pharmacies to receive primary health care services. Awareness of public views and experiences may help to identify opportunities for greater uptake of primary health care services provided by pharmacists and ways to improve care. Arts-informed research offers the possibility to provide additional insights into public perceptions of community pharmacy services. The purpose of this exploratory study is to describe the process and results of an arts-informed research project using an adapted version of the draw and write technique in combination with focus group interviews to explore public perceptions of community pharmacy services. The draw and write technique was introduced as an introductory activity to evoke a visual expression of participants' perceptions and experiences with community pharmacy services. Participants were invited to answer the question, "What do community pharmacy services mean to you?" in the form of a drawing and words. They were then prompted to discuss their drawings in a focus group interview. This approach resulted in rich visual and textual data. Analysis consisted of a combination of manual sorting of the visual data and examination of the focus group interview data that were transcribed verbatim, anonymized, and analyzed using an inductive comparative approach. NVIVO version 12 software was used to code and manage all data. Use of the draw and write technique elicited initial, fresh perspectives about community pharmacy services prior to discussions with participants in the focus group interviews. This approach allowed researchers to access a diverse range of experiences and perspectives.

Emerging Mosquito Resistance to Piperonyl Butoxide-Synergized Pyrethroid Insecticide and Its Mechanism

Abstract: Abstract Piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-synergized pyrethroid products are widely available for the control of pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes. To date, no study has examined mosquito resistance after pre-exposure to PBO and subsequent enzymatic activity when exposed to PBO-synergized insecticides. We used Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), an important vector of arboviruses and lymphatic filariasis, as a model to examine the insecticide resistance mechanisms of mosquitoes to PBO-synergized pyrethroid using modified World Health Organization tube bioassays and biochemical analysis of metabolic enzyme expressions pre- and post-PBO exposure. Mosquito eggs and larvae were collected from three cities in Orange County in July 2020 and reared in insectary, and F0 adults were used in this study. A JHB susceptible strain was used as a control. Mosquito mortalities and metabolic enzyme expressions were examined in mosquitoes with/without pre-exposure to different PBO concentrations and exposure durations. Except for malathion, wild strain Cx quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were resistant to all insecticides tested, including PBO-synergized pyrethroids (mortality range 3.7 ± 4.7% to 66.7 ± 7.7%). Wild strain mosquitoes had elevated levels of carboxylesterase (COE, 3.8-fold) and monooxygenase (P450, 2.1-fold) but not glutathione S-transferase (GST) compared to susceptible mosquitoes. When wild strain mosquitoes were pre-exposed to 4% PBO, the 50% lethal concentration of deltamethrin was reduced from 0.22% to 0.10%, compared to 0.02% for a susceptible strain. The knockdown resistance gene mutation (L1014F) rate was 62% in wild strain mosquitoes. PBO pre-exposure suppressed P450 enzyme expression levels by 25~34% and GST by 11%, but had no impact on COE enzyme expression. Even with an optimal PBO concentration (7%) and exposure duration (3h), wild strain mosquitoes had significantly higher P450 enzyme expression levels after PBO exposure compared to the susceptible laboratory strain. These results further demonstrate other studies that PBO alone may not be enough to control highly pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes due to multiple resistance mechanisms. Mosquito resistance to PBO-synergized insecticide should be closely monitored through a routine resistance management program for effective control of mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit.

Hospital‐cardiologist integration often occurs without a practice acquisition

Abstract: To describe how much of the recent increase in hospital-cardiologist integration has come from acquisitions of physician practices compared to individual employment decisions. While the role of physician practice acquisitions has received considerable attention in the news, integration may also be driven by individual physicians accepting employment at hospital-based practices.American Medical Association Physician Masterfile and Medicare data.Analysis of changes in hospital-cardiologist integration from 2011 to 2018. We measured increases in integration and changes in the number of independent and hospital-owned practices.Not applicable.In 2011, 18% of cardiologists were integrated, rising to 25% in 2016. Of this rise, 48% occurred with no acquisitions. Physicians who had completed residencies in the past 5 years (early career physicians) had higher rates of integration that also increased over time: the percentage of early career physicians joining hospital systems rose from 25% to 32%, indicating rapid growth in the number of physicians who began their careers working in hospital-based sites.A large and growing portion of hospital-cardiologist integration came from hospital employment at the individual physician level. Future policies focused on preserving competition and affordability may benefit from better understanding this form of consolidation.

Entrepreneurial Competencies and SMEs’ Performance in a Developing Economy

Abstract: This paper aims to empirically test the impact of entrepreneurial competencies on the performances of SMEs in Bangladesh. The data are obtained from 115 entrepreneurs by a structured questionnaire. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method is applied to find the causal relationship between exogenous and endogenous variables. The results reveal that the organizing and leading, learning, relationship, and commitment competencies of entrepreneurs have a meaningful impact on SME performance. On the contrary, strategic and opportunity competencies have no effect on the performance of SMEs. The contribution of this study is to find out the relevant entrepreneurial competencies and to empirically test their impacts on the performance of SMEs in a developing country setting. This study gives insights into the policymakers regarding the entrepreneurship training and development program. Finally, the competency measurement of this study provides a unique scope for designing such training and development programs for entrepreneurs.

Intrauterine Vertical Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Confirmed Cases of Pregnant Women: “A Double Burden for the Pregnant Women”—A Systematic Review

Abstract: Introduction. The world health organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which is now known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Whereas, its quick global spread has resulted in a worldwide pandemic. The present review article was intended to evaluate intrauterine vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection among confirmed cases of pregnant women. Methods. Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, African Journals OnLine, Scopus, PsycINFO, HINARI, Cochrane Library, Wiley Online Library, and Google scholar were used for search. Result. A total of 43 articles were included in to this systematic review. A total of 1,300 neonates born from pregnant women confirmed for COVI-19 were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). From the 1,300 neonates tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 93 neonates were found positive for this infection by RT-PCR. From this systematic review finding, the vertical transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 7.15%. This pandemic has stressed the entire public, particularly pregnant women and healthcare providers, while it challenged antenatal care and postnatal care by far. Thus, even being under lockdown in the middle of a global pandemic is stressful enough. Therefore, imagine the added burden of being pregnant, which could be a double burden for these women. Conclusion. There is no concrete evidence of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, due to the limited number of clinical evidences, obstetricians, pediatricians, and other healthcare providers should continuously update their knowledge and be conscious about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 vertically during pregnancy.

Spiro heterocycles bearing piperidine moiety as potential scaffold for antileishmanial activity: synthesis, biological evaluation, and <i>in silico</i> studies

Abstract: New spiro-piperidine derivatives were synthesised via the eco-friendly ionic liquids in a one-pot fashion. The in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania major promastigote and amastigote forms highlighted promising antileishmanial activity for most of the derivatives, with superior activity compared to miltefosine. The most active compounds 8a and 9a exhibited sub-micromolar range of activity, with IC50 values of 0.89 µM and 0.50 µM, respectively, compared to 8.08 µM of miltefosine. Furthermore, the antileishmanial activity reversal of these compounds via folic and folinic acids displayed comparable results to the positive control trimethoprim. This emphasises that their antileishmanial activity is through the antifolate mechanism via targeting DHFR and PTR1. The most active compounds showed superior selectivity and safety profile compared to miltefosine against VERO cells. Moreover, the docking experiments of 8a and 9a against Lm-PTR1 rationalised the observed in vitro activities. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed a stable and high potential binding to Lm-PTR1.

Neuronal Cell Mechanisms of Pain.

Abstract: Pain is a distressful feeling that is frequently caused by intense or damaging chemical, thermal or mechanical stimuli. It can also occur without tissue damage or injury, although the patient makes reference to it. Pain is one of the body's most important communication tools, and a protective mechanism by which the body responds to noxious or harmful stimuli. The cascade of molecular events that culminate in the experience of pain in an individual is a complex neural phenomenon in which inordinate (excess) noxious peripheral stimuli are processed.The work discussed comprehensively the current knowledge and the mechanistic understanding that underlies pain and analgesia, as well as the clinical correlations.The strategy for the narrative review was carried out in works published in journals and other materials using original research articles, review articles, case reports, and standard pharmacology and pain text books. Electronic databases viz. scopus, science direct, pubmed, medline, and directory of open access journals were searched for relevant articles. Research works on the mechanisms of pain were identified for selection. Articles and works identified were those written in English and published between the period (1999 - 2020). Literature searches also included the scanning of references of journal articles.Over one hundred and seventy-five journal articles and other works were identified. Many of the studies had the same titles. Eleven materials consulted were non-journal articles and text books, while 22 articles were extracted and reviewed after screening of the titles and abstracts, and in consonance with the selection criteria.The multi-stage biochemical and physiological processes transform nociceptive information (excess energy) generated from the primary afferent nerve fibres (first order neurones) - nociceptors (C-fibres and Aδ-fibres) in the periphery into electrical energy or pain impulses. The electrical impulses are then conducted by the axons of the first order neurones and terminate (or synapse) with intrinsic dorsal horn neurones (the first relay station in the transmission of nociceptive signals from the periphery to the brain), and the upper part of the spinal cord (substantia gelatinosa), from where axons of the second order neurones in the Rexed laminae receive the primary afferent input, and further propagate the signals to the higher brain centres (e.g., sub-cortical and cortical structures) by crossing the midline at the anterior white commissure to the contralateral (opposite) side of the spinal cord via the spinothalamic tracts and other ascending pathways (e.g., spinoreticular and spinomesencephalic tracts). The second order neurones synapse in the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus, from where third order neurones arise and transmit the nociceptive signals to various anatomical regions of the cortex. The third order neurones project via the posterior limb of the internal capsule to terminate in the ipsilateral (on the same side) post-central gyrus (primary somatosensory cortex). The generation, transduction, transmission and ascent of these neuronal impulses to the higher centres are modulated by the descending control pain pathway (otherwise known as the efferent analgesic system), which is both inhibitory and facilitatory in function, and ultimately results in the experience of pain. Terminal nerve endings located at sites of tissue injury (or inflammation) exhibit exaggerated neuronal responses that cause increased cell membrane excitability, a condition referred to as peripheral sensitisation, as well as a heightened activity of the pain circuitry and pain signal processing in the central nervous system. These phenomena are responsible for the abnormal transmission of pain impulses and experience (e.g., hyperalgesia and allodynia) that accompany certain clinical conditions.Clinical pain is a serious public health concern, and has a multiplicity of causes. The mechanistic understanding of pain is a step-wise complex biological event, which has provided insight to explore better therapeutic options with a view to improving the quality of life and living in individuals with clinical pain conditions.La douleur est une sensation pénible qui est souvent causée par des stimuli chimiques, thermiques ou mécaniques intenses ou dommageables. Elle peut également survenir sans lésion ou dommage tissulaire, même si le patient y fait référence. La douleur est l'un des outils de communication les plus importants de l'organisme et un mécanisme de protection auquel le corps répond aux stimuli nocifs ou nuisibles. La cascade d'événements moléculaires qui aboutit à l'expérience de la douleur chez un individu est un phénomène neuronal complexe, dans lequel des stimuli périphériques nocifs excessifs sont traités.L'ouvrage examine de manière exhaustive les connaissances actuelles et la compréhension mécaniste qui sous-tendent la douleur et l'analgésie, ainsi que les corrélations cliniques.La stratégie de l'examen narratif a été menée dans des travaux publiés dans des revues et d'autres documents en utilisant des articles de recherche originaux, des articles de synthèse, des rapports de cas et des manuels standard de pharmacologie et de douleur. Des bases de données électroniques, à savoir scopus, science direct, pubmed, medline et le répertoire des revues à accès libre, ont été consultées pour trouver des articles pertinents. Les travaux de recherche sur les mécanismes de la douleur ont été identifiés pour être sélectionnés. Les articles et travaux identifiés étaient ceux écrits en anglais et publiés entre 1999 et 2020. La recherche documentaire comprenait également le balayage des références des articles de journaux.Plus de cent soixante-quinze articles de journaux et autres travaux ont été identifiés. Beaucoup d'études avaient les mêmes titres. Les processus biochimiques et physiologiques à plusieurs étapes transforment les informations nociceptives (excès d'énergie) générées par les fibres nerveuses afférentes primaires (neurones de premier ordre) - nocicepteurs (fibres C et fibres A?) dans la périphérie en énergie électrique ou en impulsions de douleur. Les impulsions électriques sont ensuite conduites par les axones des neurones de premier ordre et se terminent (ou font synapse) avec les neurones intrinsèques de la corne dorsale (la première station de relais dans la transmission des signaux nociceptifs de la périphérie au cerveau), et la partie supérieure de la moelle épinière (substantia gelatinosa), d'où les axones du neurone de second ordre dans les lamines Rexed reçoivent l'entrée afférente primaire, et propagent ensuite les signaux aux centres cérébraux supérieurs (par ex, structures sous-corticales et corticales) en traversant la ligne médiane au niveau de la commissure blanche antérieure jusqu'au côté contralatéral (opposé) de la moelle épinière via les voies spinothalamiques et d'autres voies ascendantes (par exemple, les voies spinoréticulaires et spinomésencéphaliques). Les neurones de deuxième ordre font synapse dans le noyau ventral postérolatéral du thalamus, d'où naissent les neurones de troisième ordre qui transmettent les signaux nociceptifs à diverses régions anatomiques du cortex. Les neurones de troisième ordre se projettent via le membre postérieur de la capsule interne pour se terminer dans le gyrus post-central ipsilatéral (du même côté) (cortex somatosensoriel primaire). La génération, la transduction, la transmission et la remontée de ces impulsions neuronales vers les centres supérieurs sont modulées par la voie descendante de contrôle de la douleur (également appelée système analgésique efférent), dont la fonction est à la fois inhibitrice et facilitatrice, et qui aboutit finalement à l'expérience de la douleur. Les terminaisons nerveuses situées sur les sites de lésions tissulaires (ou d'inflammation) présentent des réponses neuronales exagérées qui provoquent une augmentation de l'excitabilité de la membrane cellulaire, une condition appelée sensibilisation périphérique, ainsi qu'une activité accrue des circuits de la douleur et du traitement du signal de la douleur dans le système nerveux central. Ces phénomènes sont responsables de la transmission anormale des impulsions et de l'expérience de la douleur (par exemple, l'hyperalgésie et l'allodynie) qui accompagnent certaines conditions cliniques.La douleur clinique est un grave problème de santé publique, et ses causes sont multiples. La compréhension mécaniste de la douleur est un événement biologique complexe et progressif, qui a permis d'explorer de meilleures options thérapeutiques en vue d'améliorer la qualité de vie des personnes souffrant de douleurs cliniques.Circuit de la douleur, Perception de la douleur, Signal de la douleur, Nocicepteurs périphériques, Transmission de l'impulsion douloureuse.

Communicative Fluency and the Experience of Stuttering: A Viewpoint

Abstract: Despite ambiguity in meaning and usage, "fluency" has played a central role in the understanding and treatment of developmental stuttering. The appropriateness of the term fluency in association with so-called fluency disorders, such as stuttering, has recently been questioned. The purpose of this article is to propose that fluency is best conceptualized as the efficiency of goal-directed action through cybernetic function. Spoken utterances are examples of sequences of action for the fulfillment of a hierarchy of nested and increasingly abstract social goals, including behaviors (e.g., introducing oneself) and values (e.g., being a sociable person). In contrast, some moments of speech disfluency, such as stuttering disfluencies, are inefficiencies in goal-directed action that may or may not hinder the fulfillment of higher level communicative behaviors and values, described here as communicative fluency.The concept of communicative fluency refers to the continual, reliable, and upward fulfillment of increasingly abstract social goals in the form of communicative actions, behaviors, and values. This expanded conceptualization of fluency beyond simply speech production has the potential to be a useful indicator of psychosocial well-being for individuals who stutter.

Effect of Kinesio taping therapy for pain reduction in carpal tunnel syndrome patients

Abstract: Background: Carpal Tunel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve compression. Some cases of CTS have symptoms. The most common complaint felt by patients is "Nocturnal Acroparesthesia", which is tingling pain at night. Physiotherapy measures can be taken to relieve CTS complaints, one of which is the use of Kinesiotaping. This study aims to analyze the effect of Kinesiotaping on pain reduction in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome by summarizing several previous studies with RevMan 5.3. Subject and Method: This article is a systematic and meta-analytical study. The study used the PICO model as follows. Population = Patients with Carpal Tunel Syndrome, Intervention = Kinesiotaping therapy, Comparison = No Kinesiotaping therapy, and Outcome = Carpal Tunel Pain reduction. The articles used in this study were obtained from several databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Semantics, and Google Scholar. Articles are collected in a month. The keywords to search for the article were as follows: kinesiotaping OR "kinesio tape" OR pain OR "carpal tunnel syndrome" AND "Randomized controlled trial". The articles included in this study. Results: There are 8 articles included in the meta-analysis research.

Public Health Microbiological Quality and Safety Assessment of Addis Ababa City Drinking Water Sources, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Abstract Background: Water of poor quality can cause water borne diseases by bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasites. It has been frequently described responsible for millions morbidity and mortality. Therefore, quality and safety status of municipal drinking water of Addis Ababa should be regularly monitored in sustainable manner.Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the bacteriological and parasitological quality and safety status of treated and non-treated municipal drinking water sources in Addis Ababa city.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out on drinking water sources such as public taps, reservoirs, springs and wells managed by Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA). 125ml drinking water of each 2951 samples were collected from all water sources and analyzed for bacteriological by Presence/ Absence (P-A) culturing method and 11L drinking water of each were collected from 25 selected reservoirs for parasites identification by direct microscopy.Results: This study revealed that there were 10% of all samples were positive for bacteriological parameters done by presence-absence method. Consequently, 7% and 3% were positive for total coli forms and faecal coli forms respectively. On the other hand, all parasitological tested samples from selected reservoirs were free from intestinal parasites.Conclusion: It was concluded that most Addis Ababa city drinking water sources had acceptable quality and were safe to drink. Samples were contaminated with fecal coli forms & total coli forms during the study period. It needs continuous screening and treating water sources to utmost important for prevention and control of infectious diseases caused by water transmitted pathogens.

Assessment of the prevalence and associated risk factors of pediatric hydrocephalus in diagnostic centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract: Hydrocephalus (HCP) is a common disorder of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) physiology resulting in abnormal expansion of the cerebral ventricles. Infants commonly present with progressive macrocephaly whereas children older than 2 years generally present with signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension. Neither qualitatively nor quantitatively are there adequate data to determine the prevalence and incidence of HCP in the developing world. HCP is a treatable condition that when left untreated, has fatal consequences.The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of pediatric HCP and associated risk factors in diagnostic centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.This study was conducted using a cross-sectional facility-based study design over a two-time period, i.e. a 2-year retrospective data collection from January 2018 to January 2020 included 1101 patients and a prospective data collection from May 2019 to February 2020 included 99 patients. Children aged 5 years and below who came to the selected diagnostic centers for MRI/CT examination were studied. The collected data were analyzed using binary logistic regression.The retrospective study included 639(58%) males and 462 (42%) females. The mean age calculated was 22.3 months. Infants aged younger than 24 months 753 (68.4%) were significantly associated with HCP development (P < 0.05). In the retrospective study, HCP etiologies; Aqueductal stenosis (17.9%), Neural Tube defects (NTDs) (35.7%), post-infectious (10.1%) were identified. In the prospective study, the gender and age distribution was 57(57.6%) males, 42 (42.4%) females, 60.6% infants aged younger than 24 months with a mean age of 24.9 months. Inadequate consumption of folic acid and development of HCP was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). In the prospective study, HCP etiologies; Aqueductal stenosis (26.1%), Neural Tube defects (26.08%), and post-infectious (8.69%) were identified. The 3 years prevalence of HCP calculated in both studies was 22% (223 per 1000 live births).The results of this study suggest that the high prevalence of HCP was due to the high prevalence of aqueductal stenosis and neural tube defects; with a small contribution of post-infectious causes. The majority of infants who present with HCP were aged younger than 24 months.

Effects of hydrogen/halogen –edge termination on structural, electronic, and optical properties of planar silicene nanoribbons SiNRs

Abstract: The effects of (hydrogen/halogen)–edge termination on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of planar SiNRs with either zigzag (ZSiNRs) and armchair (ASiNRs) edges are investigated by means of DFT calculations . The obtained results show that X-edge termination is a new approach to tune and open the band gap in planar SiNRs, and exhibiting a metallic character. The density of states (DOS) analysis reveals a strong hybridization between halogen- p and edges Si-p states, which is not the case of H-s and edges Si-p states. The calculated charge density contours manifest the ionic nature of Si–X (X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I) bonds. However, the Si–Si bonds display a typical covalent bonding feature. The investigation of the optical properties for both polarizations indicates that 7-ASiNR-X and 5-ZSiNR-X exhibit strong optical anisotropy in infrared (IR), visible (VIS), and ultraviolet (UV) regions under both polarizations, making them promising candidates for optoelectronics and optical nanodevices such as polarization-sensitive photodetectors . Besides, for perfect planar ASiNR and ZSiNR, the strong absorbance peak of e 2 y y ( ω ) has been found to occur at 0.32 (0.36) eV, respectively, suggesting that these compounds may be candidates for IR optoelectronic devices . The most dominant absorption peaks centred at 5.17 and 4.5 eV for ASiNR-H and ZSiNR-H systems, respectively, indicate a high absorbance in the UV range, making them prospective nanomaterials for photovoltaic devices .

Late Initiation of Antenatal Care and Associated Factors Among Antenatal Care Attendees in governmental Health Centers of Harar Town, Ethiopia

Abstract: Abstract Introduction: Antenatal care is a type of care given for women during pregnancy and is a key strategy for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The goal of Antenatal care is to prevent health problems of pregnant women through detection of complications and treatment of pregnancy related illness. Objective: This study aims to Assessment late initiation of antenatal care and associated factors among antenatal care attendants in Governmental Health Centers of Harar Town, Ethiopia March 05 – 20/2020. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional institution based study was used to assess late initiation of antenatal care and factors associated with it in Governmental Health Centers of Harar Town. The sampling technique was Systematic random sampling method was used. Two hundred Seven pregnant women who attend ANC were included in this study. Data was entered, coded and analyzed using SPSS, version 20. Descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages was used to present the result. Result: Out of 207 pregnant mothers included in this study, 136 (65.7%) pregnant mothers started their first ANC visit early while the remaining 71 (34. %) pregnant mothers started ANC late. Multivariate analysis revealed that Age, Gravidity and Waiting time were associated with independent variable. Those women whose age group 20-25 years were 3 times more likely having early booking than those age group less than 20 years (AOR=3.374,95% CI=[1.117-10.189] women who had gave live birth were 2 times more likely having early booking than those women who had a history of child death(AOR=2.686,95% CI=[1.005-7.178] Those women had waited time of 1:30-2hours before having the service were 18% less likely having early booking than those women who had waited for less than 30minute (AOR=0.082,95%CI: 0.007-1.019) Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that two-third of the respondents had started their ANC within the recommended time (65.7%) and the rest one-third were booked late (34.3%). The Respondents educational level, knowledge on the importance of ANC service utilization, Source of the information which contributed to book timely for the current pregnancy and the advice given on the time of first ANC booking are significantly and positively influenced early initiation of ANC in Harar.