Abdulmalik Ahmad - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Abdulmalik Ahmad

Research paper thumbnail of General Anesthesia: Observing and Monitoring the Post-operative Complications

Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, Apr 1, 2022

The aim of this research was to analyze the post-operative complications of general anesthesia an... more The aim of this research was to analyze the post-operative complications of general anesthesia and by utilizing that information, to plan and produce a comprehensive detailed layout of the literature related to the subject investigated. More than 200 studies were surveyed, and the data collected was organized with a systematic layout of the observing and monitoring processes of the post-operative general anesthesia complications. The study concluded that post anaesthetic observations and monitoring are an essential requirement for patient assessment and the recognition of clinical deterioration in post-operative patients. There is disparity in the literature as to what constitutes 'standard' routine post anaesthesia orders, so in line with the observation and continuous monitoring guidelines Acknowledgement

Research paper thumbnail of Applying Best Practices for The Prevention of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) and Reducing Risk Factors for Patients: Meta-Analysis Theoretical Review

Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, 2017

This study aimed at providing a comprehensive range of evidence-based recommendations for interve... more This study aimed at providing a comprehensive range of evidence-based recommendations for interventions to be applied during the pre-, intra- and postoperative periods for the prevention of the surgical site infection SSI, while also considering aspects related to resource availability and values and preferences. An initial search identified more than 200 titles published in 2006-2017 as relevant for data extraction, the researchers dealt with the extracted information included study design and methodology, reported cumulative incidence and post-surgical time until onset of SSI, and odds ratios and associated variability for all factors considered in univariate and/or multivariable analyses. And then the study recommended the best producers for reducing the risk factors for patients by conducting the findings of the meta-analysis theoretical review. Keywords: Surgical Site Infection, Risk Factors, Best Practices, Patients

Research paper thumbnail of Towards Improving the Security of Low-Interaction Honeypots: Insights from a Comparative Analysis

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2017

Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.

Research paper thumbnail of Single-objective and multi-objective optimization using the HUMANT algorithm

Croatian Operational Research Review, 2015

When facing a real world, optimization problems mainly become multiobjective i.e. they have sever... more When facing a real world, optimization problems mainly become multiobjective i.e. they have several criteria of excellence. A multi-criteria problem submitted for multi-criteria evaluation is a complex problem, as usually there is no optimal solution, and no alternative is the best one according to all criteria. However, if a metaheuristic algorithm is combined with a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method then, instead of submitting all solutions, only near-optimal solutions are submitted for multi-criteria evaluation, i.e. compared and ranked using a priori decision-maker preferences. It is called an a priori approach to multi-objective optimization. This paper presents this approach using a specially designed HUMANT (HUManoid ANT) algorithm derived from Ant Colony Optimization and the PROMETHEE method. The preliminary results of this optimization algorithm are presented for the Single-Objective Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), Shortest Path Problem (SPP) and the Multi-Objective Partner Selection Problem (PSP). Additionally, the multi-objective approach of the HUMANT algorithm to single-objective optimization problems is presented using the Shortest Path Problem (SPP).

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 during first and second waves of the pandemic: A retrospective cohort study from an isolation center in Kano, Nigeria

PLOS ONE

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and ... more BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.The aim of this study is to identify the clinical predictors of mortality among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia during first and second waves in a treatment center in northwestern Nigeria.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 195 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 2020 to March 2021 at a designated COVID-19 isolation center in Kano State, Northwest Nigeria. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Unadjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals and p-values were obtained. To determine independent determinants of mortality, we performed a stepwise multivariate logistic regression model.ResultsOf 195 patients studied, 21(10.77%) patients died. Males comprised 158 (81.03%) of the study population. In the adjusted stepwise logistic regression analysis, age>64 years (OR = 9.476, 95% CI: 2.181–41.165), second wave of the pande...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating Cyber Security Awareness Among Preservice Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Information Systems, 2022

South African institutions of higher education suffered serious disruptions during the COVID-19 p... more South African institutions of higher education suffered serious disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic which, resulted in migrating most teaching and learning activities to various online platforms, of which many depended on the open web. This has the potential to expose lecturers and students to cyber security threats and risks. As such cyber security awareness (CSA) becomes important. This study investigated the CSA among preservice teachers pursuing a Bachelor of Education studies in Further Education and Training (FET) at a university in Cape Town, South Africa. The purpose of the study was to gain an insight into CSA among preservice teachers who had been using digital technologies to support learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. An electronic questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 300 preservice teachers. The findings show that preservice teachers were limited in their awareness of cyber security threats and risks likely to affect their use of various digital technologies for remote learning. Furthermore, preservice teachers implemented basic strategies to mitigate basic cyber security threats and attacks. These basic strategies were found not to be sufficient for advanced attacks. The study concluded that lack of proper CSA and knowledge among preservice teachers presented them with challenges in solving threat attacks associated with denial-of-service (DoS), data theft and phishing when using personal digital devices. © 2022, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Research paper thumbnail of The Efficacy of Employing Social Media for Educational Practice in the Unrest Regions of the World

In this contemporary time of ours, among the common characteristics of war regions of the world, ... more In this contemporary time of ours, among the common characteristics of war regions of the world, there is lack of education and this adversity is paving more chance for more illiterates in these regions. There exists no physically conducive learning environment in such regions, especially where the main targets are schools and other educational centres. In such regions, whenever dangers are foreseen during events like elections, schools must be closed no matter how long it might take. Fortunately, the vast majority of students are addicted to social networks though rarely for educational purposes. This paper explored the recent techniques via which social media will be patronized to achieve the best educational practice while restricting students and teachers to their homes during fear. This paper proposes exemplary websites that will distract students from misusing social media and to use it as a true educational tool with a lot of fun. RECEIVED 28 April 2018, REVISED 22 June 2018,...

Research paper thumbnail of Motives Behind Preference of Internet Communication Tools Among University Students

Researches on internet communication tool (ICT) patronage among university students are of paramo... more Researches on internet communication tool (ICT) patronage among university students are of paramount importance owing to the fact that ICT enriched students with communication skills and prepare them for future jobs as communication accounts for the major time spent at work by managers. The aim of the study is to determine factors that affect university students’ preference while choosing ICT. This research was conducted at Near East University, Cyprus during 2015 spring semester. 99 students voluntarily responded to the questionnaire that was developed by the authors. The data collected was analyzed based on mean, frequency, percentage and one-sample t-test techniques. It was found that students’ perceived usefulness, public influence, cost-effectiveness and ease of use are the key factors toward the preference of one ICT over another. To make this research significant to future studies, the finding was discussed in-line with previous researches.

Research paper thumbnail of A Hybrid Three-Phased Approach in Requirement Elicitation

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2017

Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.

Research paper thumbnail of An elevated 8-isoprostaglandin F2 alpha (8-iso-PGF2α) in COVID-19 subjects co-infected with malaria

Pan African Medical Journal, 2020

Introduction: the most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-... more Introduction: the most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) that causes COVID-19, subjected the entire world in turmoil health-wise and economically. With higher burden of malaria in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries coupled with fragile healthcare system and delivery, these may pose a threat in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria. Free radicals have been implicated in the progression and pathogenesis of malaria and COVID-19 through Fenton's reaction and cytokine storm respectively. Methods: the current research comprises of seventy-four (74) participants; 20 apparently healthy controls and 54 COVID-19 patients (34 among which were co-infected with malaria). Serum levels of 8-iso PGF2α and Alphatocopherol were determined among the study participants using ELISA technique and colorimetric assay, respectively. Results: results revealed statistically significant elevation of 8-iso PGF2α in COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients only, and this may be due to increase production of free radicals. Furthermore, a significant decrease of Alphatocopherol was observed in COVID-19 co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients due to increase utilization of antioxidants in counterbalancing the negative effect of free radicals generated. Conclusion: conclusively, SARS-COV-2 patients coinfected with malaria might be predisposed to oxidative stress and low Alphatocopherol. The increase in oxidative stress is proportional to malaria parasite density and inversely related to Alphatocopherol levels. This implies that oxidative stress is notably higher and such patients may have a severer form of the COVID-19. Increased 8-iso-PGF2α in co-infection and decreased alphatocopherol levels can reflect the severity and adverse outcomes compared to COVID-19 naïve because of their tremendous involvement in the pathogenesis and progression of diseases.

Research paper thumbnail of General Anesthesia: Observing and Monitoring the Post-operative Complications

Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, Apr 1, 2022

The aim of this research was to analyze the post-operative complications of general anesthesia an... more The aim of this research was to analyze the post-operative complications of general anesthesia and by utilizing that information, to plan and produce a comprehensive detailed layout of the literature related to the subject investigated. More than 200 studies were surveyed, and the data collected was organized with a systematic layout of the observing and monitoring processes of the post-operative general anesthesia complications. The study concluded that post anaesthetic observations and monitoring are an essential requirement for patient assessment and the recognition of clinical deterioration in post-operative patients. There is disparity in the literature as to what constitutes 'standard' routine post anaesthesia orders, so in line with the observation and continuous monitoring guidelines Acknowledgement

Research paper thumbnail of Applying Best Practices for The Prevention of Surgical Site Infection (SSI) and Reducing Risk Factors for Patients: Meta-Analysis Theoretical Review

Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, 2017

This study aimed at providing a comprehensive range of evidence-based recommendations for interve... more This study aimed at providing a comprehensive range of evidence-based recommendations for interventions to be applied during the pre-, intra- and postoperative periods for the prevention of the surgical site infection SSI, while also considering aspects related to resource availability and values and preferences. An initial search identified more than 200 titles published in 2006-2017 as relevant for data extraction, the researchers dealt with the extracted information included study design and methodology, reported cumulative incidence and post-surgical time until onset of SSI, and odds ratios and associated variability for all factors considered in univariate and/or multivariable analyses. And then the study recommended the best producers for reducing the risk factors for patients by conducting the findings of the meta-analysis theoretical review. Keywords: Surgical Site Infection, Risk Factors, Best Practices, Patients

Research paper thumbnail of Towards Improving the Security of Low-Interaction Honeypots: Insights from a Comparative Analysis

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2017

Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.

Research paper thumbnail of Single-objective and multi-objective optimization using the HUMANT algorithm

Croatian Operational Research Review, 2015

When facing a real world, optimization problems mainly become multiobjective i.e. they have sever... more When facing a real world, optimization problems mainly become multiobjective i.e. they have several criteria of excellence. A multi-criteria problem submitted for multi-criteria evaluation is a complex problem, as usually there is no optimal solution, and no alternative is the best one according to all criteria. However, if a metaheuristic algorithm is combined with a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method then, instead of submitting all solutions, only near-optimal solutions are submitted for multi-criteria evaluation, i.e. compared and ranked using a priori decision-maker preferences. It is called an a priori approach to multi-objective optimization. This paper presents this approach using a specially designed HUMANT (HUManoid ANT) algorithm derived from Ant Colony Optimization and the PROMETHEE method. The preliminary results of this optimization algorithm are presented for the Single-Objective Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), Shortest Path Problem (SPP) and the Multi-Objective Partner Selection Problem (PSP). Additionally, the multi-objective approach of the HUMANT algorithm to single-objective optimization problems is presented using the Shortest Path Problem (SPP).

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 during first and second waves of the pandemic: A retrospective cohort study from an isolation center in Kano, Nigeria

PLOS ONE

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and ... more BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.The aim of this study is to identify the clinical predictors of mortality among patients with COVID-19 pneumonia during first and second waves in a treatment center in northwestern Nigeria.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of 195 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between April 2020 to March 2021 at a designated COVID-19 isolation center in Kano State, Northwest Nigeria. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages. Unadjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals and p-values were obtained. To determine independent determinants of mortality, we performed a stepwise multivariate logistic regression model.ResultsOf 195 patients studied, 21(10.77%) patients died. Males comprised 158 (81.03%) of the study population. In the adjusted stepwise logistic regression analysis, age>64 years (OR = 9.476, 95% CI: 2.181–41.165), second wave of the pande...

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating Cyber Security Awareness Among Preservice Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Information Systems, 2022

South African institutions of higher education suffered serious disruptions during the COVID-19 p... more South African institutions of higher education suffered serious disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic which, resulted in migrating most teaching and learning activities to various online platforms, of which many depended on the open web. This has the potential to expose lecturers and students to cyber security threats and risks. As such cyber security awareness (CSA) becomes important. This study investigated the CSA among preservice teachers pursuing a Bachelor of Education studies in Further Education and Training (FET) at a university in Cape Town, South Africa. The purpose of the study was to gain an insight into CSA among preservice teachers who had been using digital technologies to support learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. An electronic questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 300 preservice teachers. The findings show that preservice teachers were limited in their awareness of cyber security threats and risks likely to affect their use of various digital technologies for remote learning. Furthermore, preservice teachers implemented basic strategies to mitigate basic cyber security threats and attacks. These basic strategies were found not to be sufficient for advanced attacks. The study concluded that lack of proper CSA and knowledge among preservice teachers presented them with challenges in solving threat attacks associated with denial-of-service (DoS), data theft and phishing when using personal digital devices. © 2022, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Research paper thumbnail of The Efficacy of Employing Social Media for Educational Practice in the Unrest Regions of the World

In this contemporary time of ours, among the common characteristics of war regions of the world, ... more In this contemporary time of ours, among the common characteristics of war regions of the world, there is lack of education and this adversity is paving more chance for more illiterates in these regions. There exists no physically conducive learning environment in such regions, especially where the main targets are schools and other educational centres. In such regions, whenever dangers are foreseen during events like elections, schools must be closed no matter how long it might take. Fortunately, the vast majority of students are addicted to social networks though rarely for educational purposes. This paper explored the recent techniques via which social media will be patronized to achieve the best educational practice while restricting students and teachers to their homes during fear. This paper proposes exemplary websites that will distract students from misusing social media and to use it as a true educational tool with a lot of fun. RECEIVED 28 April 2018, REVISED 22 June 2018,...

Research paper thumbnail of Motives Behind Preference of Internet Communication Tools Among University Students

Researches on internet communication tool (ICT) patronage among university students are of paramo... more Researches on internet communication tool (ICT) patronage among university students are of paramount importance owing to the fact that ICT enriched students with communication skills and prepare them for future jobs as communication accounts for the major time spent at work by managers. The aim of the study is to determine factors that affect university students’ preference while choosing ICT. This research was conducted at Near East University, Cyprus during 2015 spring semester. 99 students voluntarily responded to the questionnaire that was developed by the authors. The data collected was analyzed based on mean, frequency, percentage and one-sample t-test techniques. It was found that students’ perceived usefulness, public influence, cost-effectiveness and ease of use are the key factors toward the preference of one ICT over another. To make this research significant to future studies, the finding was discussed in-line with previous researches.

Research paper thumbnail of A Hybrid Three-Phased Approach in Requirement Elicitation

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2017

Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including ... more Full bibliographic details must be given when referring to, or quoting from full items including the author's name, the title of the work, publication details where relevant (place, publisher, date), pagination, and for theses or dissertations the awarding institution, the degree type awarded, and the date of the award.

Research paper thumbnail of An elevated 8-isoprostaglandin F2 alpha (8-iso-PGF2α) in COVID-19 subjects co-infected with malaria

Pan African Medical Journal, 2020

Introduction: the most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-... more Introduction: the most recently discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) that causes COVID-19, subjected the entire world in turmoil health-wise and economically. With higher burden of malaria in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries coupled with fragile healthcare system and delivery, these may pose a threat in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria. Free radicals have been implicated in the progression and pathogenesis of malaria and COVID-19 through Fenton's reaction and cytokine storm respectively. Methods: the current research comprises of seventy-four (74) participants; 20 apparently healthy controls and 54 COVID-19 patients (34 among which were co-infected with malaria). Serum levels of 8-iso PGF2α and Alphatocopherol were determined among the study participants using ELISA technique and colorimetric assay, respectively. Results: results revealed statistically significant elevation of 8-iso PGF2α in COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients only, and this may be due to increase production of free radicals. Furthermore, a significant decrease of Alphatocopherol was observed in COVID-19 co-infected with malaria compared to COVID-19 patients due to increase utilization of antioxidants in counterbalancing the negative effect of free radicals generated. Conclusion: conclusively, SARS-COV-2 patients coinfected with malaria might be predisposed to oxidative stress and low Alphatocopherol. The increase in oxidative stress is proportional to malaria parasite density and inversely related to Alphatocopherol levels. This implies that oxidative stress is notably higher and such patients may have a severer form of the COVID-19. Increased 8-iso-PGF2α in co-infection and decreased alphatocopherol levels can reflect the severity and adverse outcomes compared to COVID-19 naïve because of their tremendous involvement in the pathogenesis and progression of diseases.