Does reading a book in bed make a difference to sleep in comparison to not reading a book in bed? The People’s Trial—an online, pragmatic, randomised trial

Background The best way of comparing healthcare treatments is through a randomised trial. In a randomised trial, we compare something (a treatment or intervention) to something else, often another treatment. Who gets what is decided at random, meaning everyone has an equal chance of getting any of the treatments. This means any differences found can be put down to the treatment received rather than other things, such as where people live, or health conditions they might have. The People’s Trial aimed to help the public better understand randomised trials by inviting them to design and carry out a trial. The question chosen by the public for The People’s Trial was: ‘Does reading a book in bed make a difference to sleep, in comparison to not reading a book in bed?’ This paper describes that trial, called ‘The Reading Trial’. Methods The Reading Trial was an online, randomised trial. Members of the public were invited to take part through social media campaigns. People were asked to either read a book in bed before going to sleep (intervention group) or not read a book in bed before going to sleep (control group). We asked everyone to do this for 7 days, after which they measured their sleep quality. Results During December 2019, a total of 991 people took part in The Reading Trial, half (496 (50%)) in the intervention group and half (495 (50%)) in the control group. Not everyone finished the trial: 127 (25.6%) people in the intervention group and 90 (18.18%) people in the control group. Of those providing data, 156/369 (42%) people in the intervention group felt their sleep improved, compared to 112/405 (28%) of those in the control group, a difference of 14%. When we consider how certain we are of this finding, we estimate that, in The Reading Trial, sleep improved for between 8 and 22% more people in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusions Reading a book in bed before going to sleep improved sleep quality, compared to not reading a book in bed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04185818. Registered on 4 December 2019.

THE ANTITHETICAL EFFECT OF CYBERCRIME ON SMALL MEDIUM ENTERPRISE SMES: PUBLIC ASSESSMENT

Notwithstanding the emergent indications and fears about the effect of cybercrime, only a few speculative studies have explored the topic to complement those published by consultancy firms, cybersecurity companies, and private institutions. The review of all these studies shows that there is no consensus on how to delineate and measure cybercrime or its effect on Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. Against this background, this research paper had four objectives namely to: determine the effect of Cybercrime on Small and Medium Scale Businesses; identify the real cost of Cybercrime to Ghana SMEs; identify the reasons for the increase of cybercrimes in Ghana SMEs and; identify the causes of cybercrime in Ghana SMEs. A cross-sectional study is used to assess the burden of cost or IT needs of a population and are particularly useful in informing the planning and allocation of IT resources. The study consists of forty-nine (49) participants. The target population is small and medium enterprises in Ghana. Simple random sampling was used to recruit and select the study respondents. As the name implies, simple random sampling means that, in this case, small and medium enterprises in Ghana will be chosen entirely by chance, and each of these enterprises in Ghana has an equal chance or probability of being selected. Furthermore, eight small and medium enterprises in Ghana were involved. And these SMEs include businesses that buy and sell, transportation companies, etc. The findings of the research confirmed the assumptions put forward since there were statistically significant variations in the proportion of people who participated in cybercrime activities based on their age and the size of the business in which they worked.

How Local Interactions Impact the Dynamics of an Epidemic

Susceptible–Infected–Recovered (SIR) models have long formed the basis for exploring epidemiological dynamics in a range of contexts, including infectious disease spread in human populations. Classic SIR models take a mean-field assumption, such that a susceptible individual has an equal chance of catching the disease from any infected individual in the population. In reality, spatial and social structure will drive most instances of disease transmission. Here we explore the impacts of including spatial structure in a simple SIR model. We combine an approximate mathematical model (using a pair approximation) and stochastic simulations to consider the impact of increasingly local interactions on the epidemic. Our key development is to allow not just extremes of ‘local’ (neighbour-to-neighbour) or ‘global’ (random) transmission, but all points in between. We find that even medium degrees of local interactions produce epidemics highly similar to those with entirely global interactions, and only once interactions are predominantly local do epidemics become substantially lower and later. We also show how intervention strategies to impose local interactions on a population must be introduced early if significant impacts are to be seen.

A multi-center, adaptive, randomized, platform trial to evaluate the effect of repurposed medicines in outpatients with early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and high-risk for complications: the TOGETHER master trial protocol

Background: There remains a need for an effective and affordable outpatient treatment for early COVID-19. Multiple repurposed drugs have shown promise in treating COVID-19. We describe a master protocol that will assess the efficacy of different repurposed drugs as treatments for early COVID-19 among outpatients at a high risk for severe complications. Methods: The TOGETHER Trial is a multi-center platform adaptive randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Patients are included if they are at least 18 years of age, have a positive antigen test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and have an indication for high risk of disease severity, including co-morbidities, older age, or high body mass index. Eligible patients are randomized with equal chance to an investigational product (IP) or to placebo.The primary endpoint is hospitalization defined as either retention in a COVID-19 emergency setting for greater than 6 hours or transfer to tertiary hospital due to COVID-19. Secondary outcomes include mortality, adverse events, adherence, and viral clearance. Scheduled interim analyses are conducted and reviewed by the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC), who make recommendations on continuing or stopping each IP. The platform adaptive design go-no-go decision rules are extended to dynamically incorporate external evidence on COVID-19 interventions from ongoing independent randomized clinical trials. Discussion: Results from this trial will assist in the identification of therapeutics for the treatment of early diagnosed COVID-19. The novel methodological extension of the platform adaptive design to dynamically incorporate external evidence is one of the first of its kind and may provide highly valuable information for all COVID-19 trials going forward. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT04727424 (27/01/2021)

The effect of motivation on employee engagement in public sectors: in the case of North Wollo zone

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on employee engagement in public sectors. To meet this purpose, a quantitative and qualitative study survey was conducted and the researcher used an explanatory survey research design. The study was used both primary and secondary sources of data. The target population for this study was selected four city administrative office employees including all kebeles office employees and as a sample size, 349 questionnaires were filled and collected from these employees. The study used proportionately stratified with simple random sampling because to collect the relevant data and to give equal chance for all employees. Later on, statistical package for social science (SPSS) was used to the required test of inferential statistics; including reliability analysis, bivariate correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and multiple regression analysis. The finding of the study revealed that extrinsic motivation was considered more significant than intrinsic and there was a positive significant relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations with employee engagement. From the results, it was also concluded that the relationship and effect of extrinsic motivation were stronger on employee engagement as compared to intrinsic motivation. As a recommendation, the organizations should find which ways are able to motivate employees, what drives them, then making sure they utilize appropriate motivational techniques with each employee. Managers should also endeavor to communicate the organization’s purpose to employees. Finally, the organizations should take steps to incorporate the vision of employees for the organization with its own vision.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ‘RIADHAH RUHIYYAH’ (SPIRITUALITY TRAINING) AMONG MUSLIM UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TOWARDS THE FULFILMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)

The National Education Philosophy forms the basis for the Higher Education Philosophy in Malaysia in adapting the concept of morality with continuous education goals towards the development of the potential of the individual in an integrated manner. The purpose of this is to create individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and physically balanced based on a belief in God. This aspiration is maintained in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025 (Higher Education) which among others aims to produce holistic graduates who are ethical, of high morals, and imbued with strong spirituality. This aspect requires university students to strengthen their spirituality and develop good morals and the ability apply their acquired knowledge and theory. Therefore, the implementation of ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ (spirituality training) is viewed as very practical in fulfilling the said requirement. This quantitative study was conducted to examine the implementation of ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ among university students and involved the participation of 111 Muslim university students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah. The selection of respondents was conducted by purposive sampling with the focus on the criteria that they should be Muslim university students. The probability sampling technique was adapted and all Muslim university students had an equal chance of being chosen as respondents. Findings showed the implementation of ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ among the respondents recording a 2.0811 mean value. This pointed to the likelihood that the items highlighted to measure ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ were seldom practised by the respondents. However, this was not a totally negative indicator since the ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ implementation did exist among university students. There is therefore significance in conducting this study on a more comprehensive scale on all Muslim university students in other Higher Education institutions with the focus on the relation or link between ‘Riadhah Ruhiyyah’ implementation and moral strengthening and practice of university students. This would result in producing holistic university students and fulfil the aspiration of quality education as defined in the aims of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).

Intralesional Zinc Sulfate 2% Vs Intralesional Vitamin D In The Treatment Of Planter Warts

Background verrucae are benign proliferations seen in skin and mucosae due to infection with papillomaviruses. Aim and Objectives the aim of this work is to compare the clinical efficacy of intra-lesional 2% zinc sulfate solution vs intralesional vitamin D in the treatment of planter warts, Subjects and Methods this is Three armed single blinded randomized clinical trial included 105 patients presented with planter warts, Patients were all recruited from the Dermatology outpatient clinic at Ain-Shams University Hospital and Almateria hospital during the period From July 2018 to July 2019, Patients included in the present study were divided into 3 groups, 35 patients per group by simple randomization process which could allocate patients to either of three arms randomly and each patient would have an equal chance to be allocated to either of the three arms, Results There was no statistically significant difference between the 3 studied groups as regard the response to treatment after 1st, 2nd and 4th session. While after the 3rd session, there was statistically significant increase in the numbers of partial responders in the 3 studied groups (P = 0.023), Conclusion the current study showed that intralesional injection of 2% zinc sulfate is a better therapeutic option in the treatment of planter warts in comparison with intralesional vit D,

Experiencial Learning; Learning Abilities That Enhance Problem Solving Ability

Problem solving is one of the most critical aspects of an organization and a well thought out approach to problem solving has a direct correlation to an organization performance. The study sought to establish the effect of the four Kolb learning abilities (Concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation) on problem solving ability of the administrators in a university setting in the academic registrar’s department. A cross sectional survey design was employed. The population consisted of all administrators in the Academic Registrar’s department registrar’s department in four Universities in Uganda. Using Kreicjie and Morgan Sample size determination table, out of the population of 191 administrators, a sample of 123 was drawn and 103 responded. Simple random sampling was employed to give equal chance to every administrator in the department .The findings indicate a significant association between all the Kolb learning abilities and problem solving while abstract conceptualization and active experimentation are predictors of problem solving. It is recommended that administrators in universities and similar organisations should be trained in abstract conceptualization and active conceptualization skills to enhance their problem solving ability. It is also recommended that further research be conducted in a larger sample of administrators.

Time-of-day changes in physician clinical decision making: A retrospective study

Background Time of day has been associated with variations in certain clinical practices such as cancer screening rates. In this study, we assessed how more general process measures of physician activity, particularly rates of diagnostic test ordering and diagnostic assessments, might be affected by time of day. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 3,342 appointments by 20 attending physicians at five outpatient clinics, matching appointments by physician and comparing the average diagnostic tests ordered and average diagnoses assessed per appointment in the first hour of the day versus the last hour of the day. Statistical analyses used sign tests, two-sample t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, Kruskal Wallis tests, and multivariate linear regression. Results Examining physicians individually, four and six physicians, respectively, had statistically significant first- versus last-hour differences in the number of diagnostic tests ordered and number of diagnoses assessed per patient visit (p ≤ 0.04). As a group, 16 of 20 physicians ordered more tests on average in the first versus last hour (p = 0.012 for equal chance to order more in each time period). Substantial intra-clinic heterogeneity was found in both outcomes for four of five clinics (p < 0.01). Conclusions There is some statistical evidence on an individual and group level to support the presence of time-of-day effects on the number of diagnostic tests ordered per patient visit. These findings suggest that time of day may be a factor influencing fundamental physician behavior and processes. Notably, many physicians exhibited significant variation in the primary outcomes compared to same-specialty peers. Additional work is necessary to clarify temporal and inter-physician variation in the outcomes of interest.