Association of chronic viral hepatitis with ABO blood groups and rhesus (Rh) factor

Background: Chronic viral hepatitis includes hepatitis B and hepatitis C and is responsible for causing the deaths of millions of people all across the world each year. Although there are small studies in literature about association between ABO blood groups and chronic viral hepatitis, only few studies found relation between them. The objective of this case control study is to establish a relation between the host factors and these viral infections.Methods: This is a case control study on patients diagnosed with CVHB and CVHC. The study was conducted on 508 patients reported to Nishtar Hospital, Multan and Sheikh Zayd Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan.709 healthy blood donors were selected as a control group from Nishtar Hospital blood bank during December 2016 and December 2017.The results were subjected to SPSS v.20 for analysis using the chi square test. The patients and blood donors were also asked about certain demographic factors like age, sex and blood transfusions.Results: Among CVHB patients,173(100%), the distribution of blood groups was following: Group A, 38 (21.96%), B, 57 (32.94%), AB, 11 (6.35%), O, 67 (38.72%). 158 (91.32%) were Rh positive and 15 (8.67%) Rh negative. In CVHC patients, 335 (100%), the distribution was following: Group A, 69 (20.59%), B, 123 (36.71%), AB, 24 (7.16%), O, 119 (35.52%). 303 (90.44%) were Rh positive while 32 (9.55%) were Rh negative. In healthy blood donors, 167 (23.55%) were group A, 225 (31.73%) group B, 41(5.78%) group AB, 276 (38.92%) group O.632 (89.13%) were Rh positive and 77 (10.86%) Rh negative.Conclusions: There was no significant difference between blood groups(p>0.5) and Rh(p>0.5) with chronic viral hepatitis. However, it was also observed that the infections of HCV increase among (26-45) years old patients while the HBV infections increase with progression of age. Association of chronic viral hepatitis infection with blood group types needs more studies to get more knowledge about this aspect

Protein-Based Detection Methods for Genetically Modified Crops

The generation of genetically modified (GM) crops is rapidly expanding each and every year around the world. The well-being and quality assessment of these harvests are vital issues with respect to buyers’ interests. This drove the administrative specialists to execute an arrangement of extremely strict strategies for the endorsement to develop and use GMOs and to produce an interest in scientific techniques equipped for identifying GM crops. The GM crops have been added to the effective fuse of various attributes by presenting transgenes, for example, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal qualities, in various crop species. GM crops give critical financial, natural, well-being and social advantages to both small and large agriculturists. The detection strategies incorporate either DNA-based or protein-based measures. Different immunoassays or catalyst connected immunosorbent tests are delicate and more affordable; however, they need experienced technicians. A very simple method, that is, immunochromatographic (ICS) test, is set up in the world, which is modest, compact and simple to utilize. The ICS is a semiquantitative method for indicative screening and semi-measurement of new remote proteins presented through hereditary change of plants. The strip is the easiest method for the assessment of several Bt crop plants for insecticidal quality

Macroeconomic Determinents of Crime in South Asian Countries: A Panal Data Approach

This research explores the economic determinants of crime in case of a panel of South Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). To empirically determine the relationship between crime and its determinants, data for the concerned variables are collected for the period of 2003 to 2017 from different sources like World Development Indicator (WDI), National Police Survey and UNESCO. In this study, education, economic growth, population and unemployment are used as the determinants of crime. To find out the relationship Random Effect Model (REM) and Fixed Effect Model (FEM) models are constructed. After applying diagnostic test, it is found that Fixed Effect Model is appropriate. But the FEM model violates the assumptions of classical linear regression model (CLRM) because there is hertoscedasticity and autocorrelation problem in the data. To robust these problems, feasible generalized least square (FGLS) model has been applied. The results of FGLS revealed that education has negative and significant impact on crime. Contrary, population, economic growth and unemployment have positive and significant impact on crime. The study recommends that government should give preference to education sector. On the other hand, government should control the population growth and unemployment rate

The descriptive study of anxiety levels among diabetics: insulin users versus non-insulin users

Background: Anxiety is an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of turmoil often accompanied by nervous behaviours such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints and rumination. Diabetes is the most metabolically active disease which can influence the psychological state. This study evaluates the anxiety levels among diabetics (Insulin users versus non-insulin users) along with its relation to certain demographic factors like age, sex, education, type of medication and medication compliance.Methods: Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) was used to test the anxiety levels in 187 diabetic patients visiting the diabetic clinic and research centre, Nishtar Hospital, Multan and other diabetic clinics in the area. 97 (51.87%) patients of the total sample are males and 90 (48.12%) patients are females.Results: In this study, 170 (91%) had type 2 diabetes while 17 (9%) suffered from Type 1 Diabetes. 66.66% of the patients in the sample were insulin users while 34.34% were non-insulin users. The overall mean anxiety level in insulin users is 24.55 and in non-insulin users is 23.92.Conclusions: Our study showed a high prevalence of anxiety levels in insulin users as compared to non-insulin users. Certain symptoms like anxious mood, tension, fears, depressed mood, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal symptoms appeared with mild anxiety levels while other symptoms like insomnia, somatic symptoms, autonomic symptoms, respiratory and genitourinary symptoms appeared with high severity levels. The presence of risk factors for anxiety among patients of diabetes predicts a causal relationship and deserves attention from clinicians

Vibration analysis approach to model incremental wear and associated sound in multi-contact sliding friction mechanisms

This paper proposes a simplistic approach toward estimating incremental wear in a multi-contact scenario using a vibrational analysis approach and in turn goes a step forward to model its associated sound. Predicted wear depth and frictional sound are compared to the experimental values obtained using a standardized pin-on-disc tribometer setup affixed with a free-field microphone to capture air-borne noise. The results show good conformity between the proposed analytical model values and the standardized experiments, hence ensuing that within certain limitations, the proposed model and the intended approach can effectively be used as a good estimator of wear and its sound in a multi-contact scenario

The descriptive study of imposter syndrome in medical students

Background: Imposter syndrome is characterized by chronic feelings of self-doubt and fear of being discovered as an intellectual fraud. Despite evidence of abilities, those suffering from imposter syndrome are unable to internalize a sense of accomplishment, competence, or skill. Overall, they believe themselves to be less intelligent and competent than others perceive them to be. IS has several potential implications for medical education. The current study was designed to find out the frequency of imposter syndrome among medical students college so that certain measures must be taken to improve the teaching and learning methodologies as well as the curriculum.Methods: A cross-sectional, psycho-social analysis was conducted from March to July, 2018 at Nishtar Medical College, Multan after taking informed consent from the students. Clance Imposter Phenomenon Sclae (CIPS) was used to assess the prevalence and degree of severity of Imposter syndrome among medical chosen on basis of random sampling. The data collected was entered and analysed on SPSS v.20.Results: Two hundred (200) students were selected for the study and were asked to return the completed 20 items questionnaire. One hundred and eighty-nine (189) students returned the questionnaires, so the response rate was 94.5%. Out of 189 students, 121(64.36%) were males and 68(35.97%) were females. According to Clance imposter phenomenon scoring, of the total 189 students the severity of imposter syndrome is as follows: mild, 5(2.64%), moderate,72(38.09%), severe,103(54.49%) and very severe, 09(4.76%). Moreover, third year students were found to have high prevalence and degree of severity of imposter syndrome.Conclusions: Imposter phenomenon exists in a significant percentage of medical students and appears to peak in the third year of medical school. Both genders are at equal risk of having imposter syndrome. It is associated with various psychological illnesses. Further discussion regarding medical education paradigms in light of high levels of imposter phenomenon is needed

Insomnia among medical students: a cross-sectional study

Background: Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of one or more of the following conditions: difficulty in falling asleep, frequent waking up during the night with difficulty for returning to sleep, waking up too early in the morning, or unrefreshing sleep. It is the most common sleep related complaint reported in the primary care setting. Medical students are specially at risk of developing insomnia and its consequences. This study evaluates the prevalence and severity of insomnia in medical students in relation to certain socio-demographic factors like age, sex and class of education.Methods: A questionnaire based study was done on 135 medical students of Nishtar Medical University, Multan chosen on basis of random sampling to test the prevalence of insomnia using Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Out of these students 75 were males and 60 were females. Students were interviewed to obtain information about age, sex and academic year of education.Results: According to Athens insomniac scale scoring, 55 (40.74%) students were found insomniac while 80 (59.25%) were non-insomniac. Out of 55 insomniac students, 23 (41.81%) were males while 32 (58.18%) were females. Likewise, out of 80 non-insomniac students, 52 (65%) were males while 28 (35%) were females. The prevalence of insomnia in medical students was found to be increased with the increasing age. It was found that the females have more insomnia prevalence as well as more severe signs and symptoms of insomnia. Moreover, final year students tend to show more prevalence and severity of insomnia than their juniors.Conclusions: According to this study, 2 out of every 5 students were insomniac. Demographic comparison showed that the prevalence and severity of insomnia was more in females and final year students. Also, it was increasing side by side with increasing age

Realizing surface amphiphobicity using 3D printing techniques: A critical move towards manufacturing low-cost reentrant geometries

Amphiphobic surfaces are obtained by lowering the surface energy through changes in surface geometry. These changes can be designed on the surface, thereby altering its wettability, and in turn rendering it amphiphobic. The main geometrical entities behind this phenomenon are reentrant geometries which prevent the solid-liquid interface tension from breaking, thereby resulting in contact angles greater than 90°. The science behind modelling and manufacturing of these reentrant geometries is well established apart from manufacturing them via extrusion-based 3-Dimensional printing processes. This review paper in identifying this gap summarizes various characterization parameters for surface wettability followed by identifying the role of surface reentrant geometries to introduce superamphiphobicity in polymers. The focus of the paper then moves towards achieving amphiphobicity using 3D printing processes where the current state of research is discussed in terms of reentrant profiles and achievement of high static contact angles. Role of the most common yet rarely reported Fused Deposition Modelling technique is discussed in more detail and a preliminary investigation based on characteristics flow and printing parameters used in Fused Deposition Modelling has been presented. The surface amphiphobicity is achieved in a one-step process characterized by high static contact angles with low and high surface tension liquids owing to air entrapment in characteristic layer-by-layer deposition features obtained in Fused Deposition Modelling

Morpho-physiological growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities of selected xerophyte grass species toward Cr and Pb stress

Being sessile organisms, plants cannot escape unwanted changes in the environment. The rapid human population explosion caused significant environmental problems. Heavy metals produced through various sources can cause severe damage to living organisms. The study was planned to evaluate four grass species’ morpho-physiological growth characteristics and phytoremediation capabilities under chromium (Cr) and lead stress (Pb) in the arid climate. Typha angustifolia, Tragus roxburghii, Aeluropus logopoides, and Cenchrus ciliaris grass species were used for the study. One-year-old stubbles from the Cholistan desert were used for the experiment. Cr treatments in the form of K2Cr2O7 were applied at 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg L–1, whereas Pb was applied as PbCl2 at 0, 50, 200, and 500 mg L–1 as control, low, moderate and high-stress, respectively. After 6 weeks of heavy metals treatments, plants were harvested and analyzed for growth performance and phytoremediation capabilities. Results depicted that, regarding morphological attributes, T. angustifolia performed better, followed by C. ciliaris; no clear pattern was observed for T. roxburghii and A. logopoides. The CO2 assimilation rate (Co2d) and water use efficiency (WUE) increased as the heavy metal stress increased in all species under both metals. In contrast, total chlorophyll content was higher under low stress. Other physiological parameters, such as relative humidity (RHd), net photosynthetic rate (A), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci) and membrane stability index (MSI) gradually decreased as the Cr, and Pb stress levels increased among all the species. Moreover, Cr and Pb absorption contents of T. angustifolia were higher than the other three species at each stress level. Overall, T. angustifolia thrived against heavy metals stress and showed higher biomass, maximum photosynthetic measurements, WUE and higher metal absorption among all the selected species. Results concluded that although all the selected species behaved fine under stress conditions, T. angustifolia performance was better; thus, it can be used to remediate the soil near industrial estates

Fault identification, classification, and localization in microgrids using superimposed components and Wigner distribution function

The integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) into distribution grids has become increasingly feasible and sustainable due to the development of microgrids. However, the development of an effective protection strategy remains a challenge in the implementation of microgrids. To address this challenge, this paper presents a simple and novel microgrid protection method based on superimposed components, Wigner distribution function (WDF) and alienation index-based. The proposed method develops a new fault detection index (FDI) by applying the alienation coefficient and WDF on a superimposed current signal to detect faulty events in the microgrid. The scheme is inherently phase segregated because the FDI is obtained for each phase individually. In addition, the proposed strategy introduces a new fault zone identification method based on the superimposed positive sequence reactive power (SPSQ). After obtaining the complete fault information, a relevant trip signal is generated to isolate the faulty section from the rest of the grid. The proposed methodology is evaluated through simulations using MATLAB/SIMULINK software. Various fault types, with varying parameters are simulated to validate the proposed approach. The results indicate that the proposed methodology is capable of recognizing, classifying, and locating all fault types in both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation