Cognitive Impairment Among Collegiate African American Student-Athletes Who Have One Or More Concussions

The purpose of this research was to examine concussion induced cognitive impairment among collegiate athletes for a long term. This study attempted to determine if there was a significant decrease in cognitive function in student-athletes with a history of concussion after one year of concussion. Totally 46 student athletes who were qualified was included in this study. Of all the 46 student athletes, 14 are females, and 32 males from the following sports: Women’s Basketball (n=3), Men’s Basketball (n=2), Football (n=30), Softball (n=7), Women’s Tennis (n=2), and Women’s Volleyball (n=2) (Table 1). The age range was18-23 years old. Seven of them had two or more concussions Results of this study showed that while all the scores of the ImPACT test improved after one year of concussion for the student-athletes with one or more concussions, there was significant improvement only in the processing speed. For the student-athletes with two or more concussions, the processing speed score after one year of concussions was a little lower even than the score after initial concussion, but it is not statistically significant.

Randomised assessor-masked trial evaluating topical manuka honey (Optimel) in treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction

PurposeTo evaluate the effects of manuka honey eye-drops in the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction.MethodsThis is an assessor-masked (single-blind), randomised controlled trial comparing conventional treatment group with interventional group using Optimel 16% manuka honey topical eye-drops. 59 patients were recruited to the study and randomised into two groups: one given regular lubricants and the other given Optimel 16% manuka honey eye-drops. The Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) score was measured at baseline and on follow-up. 4 patients were lost to follow-up. Multiple ocular surface parameters were graded from slit lamp examination by a masked assessor. Results were compared from baseline to follow-up date 3 weeks later.ResultsPatients in the conventional treatment group demonstrated minimal difference in SPEED score at 3-week follow-up (mean difference 1.087, p=0.183), which was not statistically significant. However, measurements of tear film break-up time, corneal surface stain (Oxford), lid margin, conjunctival redness, as well as meibum quality and expressibility showed significant improvements at 3 weeks (p<0.01). Patients in the manuka honey eye-drops group showed significant difference after 3 weeks in SPEED score (mean difference 2.53, p=0.006), as well as in lid margin redness, conjunctival redness, corneal surface stain (Oxford), and meibum quality and expressibility (p=0.000).ConclusionsOptimel 16% manuka honey eye-drops showed significant improvement in symptoms and objective signs in meibomian gland dysfunction and are an effective alternative treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction.Trial registration numberNCT04457648.

Function and Morphology of the Meibomian Glands Using a LipiView Interferometer in Rotating Shift Medical Staff

Purpose. To investigate the function and morphology of meibomian glands (MG) in night shift medical staff (MS). Methods. Sixty-two eyes of 31 patients in the MS group and 59 eyes of 31 patients in the control group were consecutively enrolled. All participants completed Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Standard Patient Dry Eye Evaluation (SPEED) questionnaires for dry eye severity, as well as Schirmer I and tear break-up time (TBUT) tests. LipiView® II Ocular Surface Interferometer was used for lipid layer thickness (LLT), MG dropout, and partial blink (PB) rate tests. MG expression was measured with an MG evaluator. Results. The OSDI score in the MS group was 22.39 ± 13.42, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (9.87 ± 6.64 Z = −3.997, P=0.001). The SPEED score in the MS group was 7.94 ± 3.81, which was significantly higher than in the control group (3.65 ± 2.11, Z = −4.766, P=0.001). There was no significant difference in Schirmer I test between the MS group and control group (Z = −1.346, P=0.178). TBUT in MS group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (Z = −5.201, P=0.001). The mean LLT of the MS group was 55.02 ± 21.17 nm significantly thinner than that of the control group 72.76 ± 21.62 nm (Z = −4.482, P=0.001). MG loss occurred in 45.16% of affected eyes in the MS group and 16.13% of affected eyes in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 14.352, P=0.001). MG yielding liquid secretion and MG yielding secretion score were significantly lower in the MS group than in the control group (Z = −3.641, P=0.001; Z = −3.146, P=0.001, resp.). There was a negative correlation between mean LLT and SPEED score (Spearman r = −0.363, P=0.045). Conclusions. Night shift MS had a higher incidence of MGD compared to day workers.

Tablet vs book learning: Impact on memory, attention and learning skills

Objectives : Textbooks are the major source of instruction, yet many Lebanese schools have partially introduced electronic devices, and have discreetly started to rely on them. Given the reported discrepancies between textbooks and tablets learning in international literature, it is essential to conduct a Lebanese study that compares both entities. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to assess the impact of tablet use at school on memory, attention and learning abilities among Lebanese children. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted between January and May 2019, enrolled 566 students aged of 11-13 years. Three schools were chosen conveniently for this study, one of them uses the Tablet and text books for students’ learning whereas the second one uses text books exclusively. Students were randomly chosen from the list given by the school administration. Results : Textbook learning was significantly associated with lower episodic memory score (better episodic memory) and lower visual memory score (better visual memory), lower attention score (better attention), lower processing speed score (better processing speed), lower mathematic skills score (better mathematic skills) compared to tablets and textbook learning. Conclusion : Learning is evolving to another level and forever changing. Many studies should be conducted in order to understand the importance of merging new and old techniques to ensure that the next generations are receiving what can positively affect their cognitive skills and their performance.

Analisis Performa Website Universitas Teuku Umar Dan Universitas Samudera Menggunakan Pingdom Tools Dan Gtmetrix

Waktu loading dan kecepatan akses sebuah website memang perlu untuk diperhatikan, web developer sebisa mungkin harus berupaya untuk selalu meningkatkan kecepatan websitenya demi kenyamanan pengunjung. Terlebih dalam dunia pendidikan, website perguruan tinggi menjadi sangat penting mengingat kebutuhan mahasiswa dalam bertransaksi akademik. Maka dari itu performa website pada perguruan tinggi harus menjadi perhatian masing-masing perguruan tinggi dikarenakan salah satu peranan penting website dalam menunjang kegiatan akademiknya di perguruan tinggi. Evaluasi kualitas website dilakukan untuk mengetahui kualitas kecepatan performance website menggunakan Gtmetrix dan Pingdom Tools. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui dan menyajikan perbandingan performa website Universitas Teuku Umar dan Universitas Samudera. Berdasarkan hasil pengujian website menggunakan Gtmatrix pada Universitas Teuku Umar diperoleh rata-rata Page Speed Score 27% atau di grade E. dan rata-rata YSlow Score 60% atau di grade D. Sedangkan hasil pengujian website Universitas Samudera diperoleh rata-rata Page Speed Score 54% atau di grade E. dan rata-rata YSlow Score 65% atau di grade D. Perbandingan pengukuran menggunakan Pingdom tools pada Universitas Teuku Umar hasil performance grade 69 atau di grade D dengan page size 29.0 MB sedangkan pada Universitas Samudera performance grade 67 atau di grade D dengan page size 5.0 MB.

Pencil Grip Patterns of Students and Skilled Workers

Background: Pencil grip can be defined via detailed descriptions of the variables constituting the grip and it commences in the preschool years with writing instruments and therefore relevant to graphologists, forensic medicine and anthropology. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the diversity of pencil grip patterns among students and skilled workers in Delta State, Nigeria. The research also aimed at determining the effects of sociodemographic factors, handedness,and handwriting speed on pencil grip patters. Methods: Stratified random sampling was employed in this cross sectional observational study. Five hundred and fourty three volunteers between the ages of 11-77 years were investigated. Students were observed while writing from their textbooks and skilled workers were observed writing from any available news paper. Photograph of the writing hand was captured with the digital canon camera. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20. Kruska wallis test was used to establish relationship between pencil grip patterns and sociodemographic factors. Handwriting speed was determined by a speed score (letters per minute) and timed for 60 secounds for each participant. A self administered questionnaire was used to obtain data on sociodemographic factors. Results: This investigation demonstrates that gender had a significant effect on pencil grip patterns among secondary students (p<0.05)(K.W=7.54. df=1. p=0.01). Further observation showed that age and profession had a significant effect on pencil grip patterns among skilled workers at p<0.05 (K.W= 43.09,134.69 ,df=3,3, p=0.00,0.00). Conclusions: Findings from this investigation present the dynamic tripod grip as the most predominant grip pattern in the studied population.

The Effects of Diabetic Duration on Lacrimal Functional Unit in Patients with Type II Diabetes

Purpose. To observe ocular surface changes in Type II diabetic patients with different disease durations and to understand the correlations between clinical parameters and diabetic durations. Methods. In this cross-sectional, prospective study, 51 healthy controls and 91 patients with Type II diabetes were enrolled. The diabetics were divided into 3 subgroups according to the disease duration, including duration <10 y group, 10 to 20 y group, and ≥21 y group. All subjects underwent clinical ocular examinations, including lipid layer thickness (LLT), blinking rate, tear meniscus height (TMH), noninvasive tear film break-up time (NI-BUT), meibography, superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK) scoring, corneal sensitivity, and Schirmer I test. They were also evaluated using the standard patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) questionnaire. Results. SPEED score, meiboscore, SPK score, LLT, Schirmer I test, and corneal sensitivity differed significantly between the diabetic and healthy control groups. Further, SPEED score, Schirmer I test, corneal sensitivity, meiboscore, and blink rate significantly differed among the 3 diabetic subgroups and the control group. In diabetics, the SPEED score correlated with the SPK score, blink rate, TMH, and LLT; NI-BUT with TMH, LLT, and blink rate; TMH with the SPK score; Schirmer I test with the SPK score; and corneal sensitivity with the meiboscore. More importantly, the Schirmer I test, corneal sensitivity, and SPEED score negatively correlated with diabetic duration. Conclusion. Diabetic duration is an important factor that affects functions of the lacrimal functional unit in patients with Type II diabetes. The trends of changes in the ocular parameters vary along the course of diabetes.