Sebha University Research Articles

Causes and Patterns of Dental Extraction in Dental College of Sebha University

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the primary cause of permanent teeth extraction among patients attending the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) department of dental college, Sebha University, and its correlation with age, gender, and tooth type. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over ten months; and included 509 patients aged 16-90 years, who underwent tooth extraction. Variables studied were the patient's age, gender, tooth type, and extraction cause. SPSS was used for data analysis, and Chi-Square and ANOVA tests were used to evaluate variables associated with the cause of tooth loss. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall, 509 permanent teeth were extracted, males (62.1%) and females (37.9%). The primary reasons for tooth extraction were dental caries (76.62%), mobility (10.80%), prosthodontics (6.86%), orthodontics, and impaction (2.95%). The most common age group was 36-45 years (24.36%) and 26-35 years (23.38%). The highest percentage of tooth extraction was in the third and first molars (29.1% and 24.4%, respectively), and the lateral incisor (1.77%) was the lowest. There was an insignificant association between the cause of extraction and gender; a significant association between the cause of extraction and age p<0.001; and a significant association between (gender and age) with tooth type p< 0.001. Conclusion: dental caries was the main reason for tooth extraction in OMFS department, dental college, Sabha University.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Teledentistry in Periodontal Diagnosis Among Dental Interns at a College in Sebha, Libya: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Background Teledentistry, a subspecialty of telemedicine dedicated to dentistry, has shown promise in improving access to dental care, particularly in rural and isolated areas.It integrates digital and telecommunication technology with dentistry, allowing for the remote distance exchange of relevant clinical information and digital dental imaging for dental consultation and treatment planning. Periodontal disease diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of irreversible loss of periodontal structures. Early identification of periodontal disease can be pivotal in preventing periodontal tissue destruction and tooth loss and improving the overall quality of patients' lives. Sebha is a city located in the Fezzan region of southwestern Libya. It is the capital of the Sabha District and the Sabha Governorate. The city is situated in the Libyan part of the Sahara desert and is known for its strategic location as a gateway to the Sahara desert. However, there is a lack of information on the use of teledentistry in Libya in general and the use of teleperiodontics, especially in periodontal diagnosis. Hence, the aim of this questionnaire study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practice of teledentistry among dental interns at Sebha, Libya. Materials and methods A paper-based questionnaire consisting of 28 close‑ended Likert scale questions, including sections assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of teledentistry and teleperiodontics, was administered to dental interns at the Faculty of Dentistry, Sebha University, Sebha, Libya. Results The study surveyed 42 dental interns of the Faculty of Sebha, Libya, in total, with an 82.35% response rate among them. The majority of participants (59.5%) felt that teledentistry is reliable in arriving at periodontal diagnosis. The majority of participants (64.3%%) also had acceptable levels of trust in teledentistry equipment. However, over 45% percent of dental practitioners voiced their worries about patient privacy. Most of the participants suggested using teledentistry in some form in their future practice. Conclusion Teledentistry and its branch teleperiodontics are recent developments and its penetration among dental healthcare workers, and their knowledge, attitude, and practice remain to be thoroughly understood. The changing trends in attitudes and practice as a consequence of changes in Internet and technological awareness and the effects of the pandemic warrant closer observation and study.

Awareness Levels About Specialty Services Offered by the Faculty of Dentistry in Sebha, Libya.

Assessment of awareness levels about any hospital is critical to judge its current standings and plan for future development. Limited literature is available about dental health in Libya. This study aimed to study the awareness and perception of the various specialty services offered by the Faculty of Dentistry (SDC), Sebha University for their quality and preference. It was a performance monitoring research, and the data was collected by interview using a standardized questionnaire. Non-probability judgmental sampling was used. The offered services included all specialties in dentistry and oral cancer screening. Information relating to the awareness and perception of SDC specialty services was collected with few agree/disagree questions from 450 subjects. Data was collected, tabulated, and analyzed with descriptive statistics using SPSS v23.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). About 22.7% (n=102) were in the 45-54 years age group. Self-employed (n=108, 24%) and professional (n=108, 24%) were noted in occupation. Forty-eight (n=216) were graduates. Three hundred twenty-eight respondents (72.9%) were aware about the dental services. Four hundredtwenty-eight respondents (95.1%) have visited SDC. Three hundredsix respondents (68%) were satisfied, and 66 respondents (14.7%) were very much satisfied. Dental health checkups were predominantly known to the respondents (n=302, 67%). For all the other specialties, the awareness level was low. The identification of weak areas is crucial for the future planning and development of oral health care rendered by SDC.

Discover Frequent Patterns from Academic Data Of Student Information System

Numerous researchers have explored the realm of data mining in education. The primary goal is knowledge discovery, aiming to support staff in efficiently managing educational units, refining student activities, and ultimately elevating learning outcomes. In this study, we utilize association rules mining, implementing the Apriori algorithm to extract insights from academic datasets sourced from the student information system of Sebha University, Libya. Genuine data is sourced from the cloud server. The algorithm is then applied to unveil relationships among 11 attributes within students' academic records spanning four years. The resulting patterns undergo experimental evaluation, considering support and confidence values. These specific rules are subsequently categorised into four classes and scrutinised for further validation. The proposed method yields valuable patterns pertaining to students' academic progress and retains crucial insights for predicting decisions regarding course additions and drops.

A Novel Demulsifier Used to Separate Water from the Emulsion

Recently, there has been interest in using chemical demulsifiers to separate the water phase from crude oil emulsion. Separating the water from the emulsion is crucial before transportation and refining to avoid complications from the water phase. This research introduces a novel chemical demulsifier, Poly (AAc-co-AAm) hydrogel, synthesised at Sebha University. Its characteristics were examined using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy test (FTIR). Its efficiency was tested against commercial demulsifiers (Emulsotron and Dmo-66813) used in some Libyan oil fields. The chosen concentrations for Poly (AAc-co-AAm) were 0.5%, 1%, and 2%, while commercial demulsifiers were tested based on the standard method in the oil field. The results revealed that Poly (AAc-co-AAm) outperformed the commercial demulsifiers in terms of separation time, volume, and quality. Notably, the 0.5% concentration of Poly (AAc-co-AAm) provided the best separation results.

A Novel Demulsifier Used to Separate Water from the Emulsion

Recently, there has been interest in using chemical demulsifiers to separate the water phase from crude oil emulsion. Separating the water from the emulsion is crucial before transportation and refining to avoid complications from the water phase. This research introduces a novel chemical demulsifier, Poly (AAc-co-AAm) hydrogel, synthesised at Sebha University. Its characteristics were examined using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy test (FTIR). Its efficiency was tested against commercial demulsifiers (Emulsotron and Dmo-66813) used in some Libyan oil fields. The chosen concentrations for Poly (AAc-co-AAm) were 0.5%, 1%, and 2%, while commercial demulsifiers were tested based on the standard method in the oil field. The results revealed that Poly (AAc-co-AAm) outperformed the commercial demulsifiers in terms of separation time, volume, and quality. Notably, the 0.5% concentration of Poly (AAc-co-AAm) provided the best separation results.

Tooth Extraction using Vertical, Conventional, and Surgical Techniques in Sebha Dental College: A Descriptive “Cross-sectional Study”

Objective: This study aimed to describe different techniques (vertical, conventional, and surgical) used in routine exodontia as well as the most teeth extracted per procedure. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study using data collected at the Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, the Faculty of Dentistry, Sebha University, from March to December 2021, included 509 participants. The patient's age and gender, techniques of extraction, and tooth type were recorded. Results: The study included 509 participants aged 16 to 90. About 38.1% of the participants were male, and 61.9% were female. The conventional technique was the most performed (70.0%), followed by vertical (elevator) (26%), and then the surgical technique. The third molar was the most common tooth extracted by conventional technique. The vertical approach was the most successful for single and multirooted teeth. Conclusion: The result of this study suggests that the vertical extraction method may be used with a high success rate for the extraction of teeth unsuitable for conventional techniques. Therefore, the effectiveness of the exodontia technique is influenced by root morphology, position, and type of tooth.

Effect of Diet Supplemented with Graded Levels of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Powder on Growth Performance, Hematological Parameters, and Serum Lipids of Broiler Chickens.

The present study was conducted at the Poultry Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture; Sebha University, Libya. The feeding trial lasted 42 days in total. A local hatchery provided 240 unsexed one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308). The birds were randomly distributed into four groups, and each group was then divided into four replicates, with 15 birds in each group. The objective of the current study was to examine the impact of ginger powder as a natural feed supplement on broiler chickens' growth performance, hematological parameters, and serum lipids. Four dietary treatments were formulated and supplemented with ginger powder at levels 0%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%. The findings exhibited substantial differences in body weight and weight gain across the experimental groups. Birds fed ginger-enriched diets had higher feed conversion and lower feed intake than control birds (P<0.05). Birds fed a 0.6% ginger powder diet compared to the control group had considerably superior productive performance (P<0.05), while feed consumption was lowered. Dietary ginger powder supplementation improved hematological parameters; white blood cells, lymphocytes, heterophils, and the lymphocyte to heterophil ratio were improved with dietary ginger powder supplementation (P<0.05). Additionally, as compared to the control group, ginger powder groups significantly (P<0.05) lowered serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, and very low-density lipoprotein. While supplementation of dietary ginger powder significantly increased (P<0.05), the levels of high-density lipoprotein against the control group. In conclusion, ginger supplementation had a positive effect on the performance of chickens when supplemented on broiler ration and can be considered an alternative growth promoter in feeding broiler ration.

Identifying the Difficulties of Learning Programming for Non-English Speakers at CQUniversity and Sebha University

Since computers have become widely used, programming has become a critical skill. Programming languages are built upon English language words and phrases. It is possible that this could make learning an English-based programming language for non-English language speakers especially challenging. In actuality, the literature did not say much. While many focused on solutions to teaching programming, and some researchers focused on the problems that led to these solutions, very few researchers made any distinction between the language capabilities of novices. Based on the literature, this research study highlights issues that directly influence beginners learning programming, looking particularly at the difficulties faced by those that do not have English as a first language. The methodological approach used in this research is a mixed methods design, with the questionnaire method for data collection in both CQUniversity in Australia and Sebha University in Libya, with experienced programmers and novice programmers in various stages of their study. These data were categorized and analysed to identify areas of difficulty. It became clear that there was a difference. While Australian students identified issues with loop statements (Do...While) and other program logic, Libyan students identified the major problem to be error messages and their interpretation, with over 71% of students identifying this as a problem. However, error messages were mentioned by just 2% of participants at CQUniversity. It was clear that English was a problem.

The Role of Mobile Phones As Effective Tools For Language Learning By Libyan EFL Learners

The current technological era has witnessed a great advancement in the world of mobile technology. Mobiles gadgets have now turned out to be an integral element of the daily life. Given the fact that mobile devices can be used to serve a number of functions, EFL learners can utilize them regularly to enhance their process of learning and attain good learning outcome. This article intends to explore the effectiveness of using mobile phones in language learning by Libyan EFL learners. To further investigate this issue, questionnaires were administered to 151 Libyan EFL undergraduate students from the English department of Sebha University and focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out with 18 students. The results revealed that using mobile phones in learning was effective to a great extent. Besides, the majority of Libyan EFL learners utilized their mobile phones mostly to check meaning of words, to listen to English songs and to develop reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. The findings also demonstrated that Libyan EFL learners exhibited positive perceptions towards using mobile phones in learning English.

The Role of Mobile Phones As Effective Tools For Language Learning By Libyan EFL Learners

The current technological era has witnessed a great advancement in the world of mobile technology. Mobiles gadgets have now turned out to be an integral element of the daily life. Given the fact that mobile devices can be used to serve a number of functions, EFL learners can utilize them regularly to enhance their process of learning and attain good learning outcome. This article intends to explore the effectiveness of using mobile phones in language learning by Libyan EFL learners. To further investigate this issue, questionnaires were administered to 151 Libyan EFL undergraduate students from the English department of Sebha University and focus group discussions (FGDs) were carried out with 18 students. The results revealed that using mobile phones in learning was effective to a great extent. Besides, the majority of Libyan EFL learners utilized their mobile phones mostly to check meaning of words, to listen to English songs and to develop reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. The findings also demonstrated that Libyan EFL learners exhibited positive perceptions towards using mobile phones in learning English.

Microbial Pollution and Heavy Metals in the Work Environment of the College of Engineering and ‎Technology Sciences – Sebha University - Libya ‎ ‎(Computer Keyboard as a Case Study)‎

The paper aims to investigate the concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr and Ag element of as well as microbial contamination in computer keyboard within the work environment at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Sciences (FETS) at Sebha University, Libya. The results showed that the mean elemental concentrations (mg/g) in the samples were Pb (14.2±12.9), Ag (7.49±1.44), Cr (6.09±2.88) and Cd (4.43±1.48). The most commonly found heavy metals were Pb (44.1%), followed by (Ag 23.3), (Cr 18.9), and (Cd 13.8) %. The concentrations were higher than the limits allowed by EPA 2009. The concentration of Cd also exceeded the European standards for paint in plastic toys. The concentration of Cr element exceeded the limits allowed in all samples except the IBM brand keyboard. Pb concentration has not exceeded the limit except for the GLK-2010 gaming (16.5 mg/g), IBM (15.5 mg/g), and Discovery (46.4 mg/g) keyboards. Microbiologically, 16 (65%) positive Gram: Staphylococcus lactobacillus, mycobacterium, Bacillus, Actinomyces, Micrococcus, Clostridium, Erysprlothrix, Eubacterium and (35%) Gram-negative included Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Brucella, Aeromonas, Bordetella, Acinetobacter, Bacteroides were isolated. The most polluted sites were administrative offices followed by laboratories and secretarial offices. While the highest numbers of bacteria were isolated from laboratories due to the large daily use.

Paper title: A Study on English Speaking Skills among the University Students in South Libya

English is an international language and it has grabbed the status of a link language in the globalized scenario. This is the reason why, acquisition of English language skills, especially the speaking skills, has been considered one among the important skills to be obtained by the learners where English is not the learners' mother tongue. This paper studies the English language speaking skills among the university students in south Libya, particularly in and around Brack, Alshatti region. Studying the factors that hurdle the students' English speaking abilities has been the problem of the research. The objective of this paper is to present the level of the university students in English speaking skills in the region in their day to day communication and suggest effective ways to improve their skills thereby. This study is conducted at the Faculty of Education, Brack, Sebha University, Libya. The researcher, being an English lecturer at the same faculty for more than three years, assesses the English speaking skills of the students through thorough interactive observation on a regular basis while teaching in the class and lists out the beneficial ways that can boost the English oral skills of the students. Hence, the recommendations are made on the basis of the qualitative analysis of the researcher’s observations.

Evaluating the performance of teaching staff members, a step towards teaching performance development of higher education in Sebha University

This study aims to show the importance of evaluating the teaching performance level of the University teaching members. It also aims to provide the suggested mechanisms for evaluating the teaching performance of the teaching staff members of Sebha University. This study was based mainly on documents and analytic description to collect information about the importance and ways of evaluating teachers with reference to some of the international experiences on teaching performance development. This study concluded that the absence of an experienced entity that would develop the teaching performance of faculty members is one of the main reasons for the weak teaching performance at Sebha University. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that there should be a planned system based on measured standards and criteria for evaluating staff members to improve the quality of teaching in the higher education domain.

Evaluation of using Google Classroom as a Tool for Asynchronous E-learning at Sebha University

Recently, technology is anywhere and everywhere, and education systems are affected by technology at a rapid pace, that increasingly advance the career of students as well as the teachers. The current worldwide trend is to learn online since the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, whereby E-learning is not optional rather it is mandatory. This study has been carried out to assess the effectiveness of E-Learning facility mainly Google Classroom at Sebha University. Five aspects of Google Classroom usage are measured including the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness, Communication and interaction, benefit, student satisfaction. A set of questionnaires have been distributed to a sample of 94 students in different bachelor and master subjects. The results shows that all the ratio of the five measured aspects where all above averages, which prove that majority of the students satisfy with the Google Classroom’s tool that were introduced in the class.

INFLUENCE OF FARMYARD MANURE TYPE AND RATE ON TOMATO FRUIT YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION CONDITIONS

A field experiment was conducted at the Agriculture faculty farm of Sebha University, Sebha, Libya, during the winter season of 2017 to assess the impact of different rates of two farmyard manure (FYM) on the yield under drip irrigation. The two types of FYM were poultry and sheep manures at rates of 0, 20, and 30 tons h-1 were mixed with the soil before transplant versus the control. The results indicated that the fresh and dry weights, plant height, number and weight of fruits were significantly affected by different types and levels of FMY. The maximum values of the above mentioned traits were obtained using 30 tons ha-1 of sheep manure compared to the other treatments.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF THE FIRST LANGUAGE IN LIBYAN EFL CLASSROOMS

This article attempts to explore the use of first language (Arabic) in the Libyan EFL classrooms as well as teachers' and students' attitudes towards using it. To this end, 5 Libyan EFL teachers and 143 Libyan EFL undergraduate students from the English department of Sebha University took part in the study. Data were gathered through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that the Libyan EFL students had positive attitudes towards using Arabic in the classroom to some degree; however, they were in favor of using English more than Arabic. It was also found that the students employed Arabic frequently to translate words from English into Arabic. The results also reported that the Libyan EFL teachers used Arabic in their classrooms to accomplish many purposes such as helping students to understand, giving instructions, emphasizing information and giving the meaning of new and unfamiliar words. Additionally, teachers held positive attitudes towards the use of Arabic inside the classroom, but they were of the opinion that Arabic can be only used in certain cases and it should not be overused.

The Use of Grammar Learning Strategies by Libyan EFL Learners at Sebha University

&lt;em&gt;For most English language learners, grammar can be a very hard subject and some students tend to use different types of strategies to learn grammar. Using learning strategies is very beneficial as they facilitate the learning process and make it more controlled, enjoyable and effective for learners. This study explores the grammar learning strategies used by Libyan EFL undergraduate students at the English Department of Sebha University and the most frequents used strategies. The study also aims to find out if there is a significant difference between the students' use of learning strategies and gender. The population of the study were 121 Libyan EFL undergraduate students who are currently in their first and second years. Data was collected through questionnaire distributed to the participants in the class. The result of the study revealed that Libyan EFL learners used different types of grammar learning strategies which included memory strategies, metacognitive strategies, socio-affective strategies and cognitive strategies which were the least frequent used ones. It was found that the most frequent used strategies were memory strategies. The findings also showed that there is no significant difference between the use of grammar learning strategies and the participants' genders.&lt;/em&gt;

Hepatitis B: Knowledge and attitude of graduating dentists from faculty of dentistry, Sebha University, Libya

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major worldwide cause of acute and chronic liver infection. Dentists, dental students, and their paramedical staff are at a heightened risk of exposure to HBV. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of the graduating dentist from Faculty of Dentistry, Sebha University (Libya), toward hepatitis B infection. Subjects and Methods: Ninety-nine participants completed the self-administered, structured, pilot-tested close-ended 37-item questionnaire. Results: It was found that the graduating dental students from different study years have similar knowledge and attitude, except for the responses to questions on curriculum, contracting hepatitis B virus (HBV) from patient, vaccination schedule, perception, and treatment modality for HBV-infected patient, where statistically significant difference was noted. Conclusion: The results indicate that there is need to spread greater awareness about risk and seriousness of the HBV infection among the graduating dentists. We recommend that the dental policymaker considers modifying the dental curriculum to include a detailed session of training in areas of universal infection control procedures, handling high-risk patients, combating fear while treating patients, and teaching them to avoid discriminatory behavior beginning in the 3rd year itself.

Role of Faulty Instructional Methods in Libyan EFL Learners⿿ Speaking Difficulties

Abstract A body of research indicates that Arab EFL learners are incompetent in oral communication. This has been the case of the Libyan EFL learners who encounter great difficulties in speaking skills. Despite spending years in learning English, and building good linguistic knowledge, they fail to employ that knowledge in real communicative situations. This might be the outcome of inadequate teaching approaches that are employed by Libyan EFL teachers. Their overreliance on traditional methods that emphasize extensive linguistic input rather than communicative output result in what Wolff (2010) calls ⿿mute English learners⿿, who can only read and write but are unable to speak. This paper aimed to investigate the Libyan EFL learners⿿ speaking difficulties and the factors underlying this problem. Total 125 students, from Sebha University, Libya participated in the study. Questionnaires and interviews were deployed for gathering data. The questionnaires and interviews were designed to elicit information about the participants⿿ learning experience, the way they were taught English and speaking difficulties. Data were analysed using SPSS and content analysis. The study revealed that Libyan learners face difficulties in oral communication due to linguistic and psychological barriers. The results also showed that insufficient exposure to the target language and frequent use of Arabic, inside and outside the classroom, were the main factors contributing to the Libyan EFL learners⿿ speaking difficulties. Lack of speaking activities and overemphasis on accuracy at the expense of fluency by the teachers were other contributing factors.