Dimensioning of LTE Network.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is 3GPP enhancement to the current cellular system in use. The purpose of developing this system is to keep 3GPP systems competent enough for decades to come. LTE is designed to have wider channels up to 20MHz, with low latency and packet optimized radio access technology. The peak data rate envisaged for LTE is 100 Mbps in downlink and 50 Mbps in the uplink. With OFDM as the radio access technology, LTE has very promising features, like bandwidth scalability and both FDD and TDD duplexing methods. This thesis is related to the dimensioning of LTE radio access networks and the development of tool for dimensioning purpose. Different steps of the dimensioning process are listed and explained. Methods and models for coverage and capacity planning are developed for dimensioning of LTE radio access networks. Special emphasis is laid on radio link budget along with detailed coverage and capacity. The results are fabricated in an easy-to-use tool for dimensioning. The tool is made in Excel to serve the ease of working. Particular importance is given to clarity in the design of dimensioning tool, achieved by dividing the tool into clearly defined sections. Inputs and outputs are placed on separate sheets. The dimensioning tool calculates the number of cells needed to cover a given area with the user-provided parameters. Excel based tool covers all the basic aspects of the dimensioning process for LTE Access Networks

Rates of publication of FCPS dissertations in international and national peer-review journals among residents at AKUH; A cross sectional review of 15 years

Objective: To see the rate of publication of postgraduate residents\u27 dissertation. Methods: The single-centre retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised research publications from the residents of the departments of Surgery and Medicine who graduated between 2005 and 2020. The surgical subspecialties included Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Paediatric Surgery, Urology, Plastic Surgery and Cardiovascular Surgery. Data comprised demographics, current institution, current designation, information on dissertation/paper publication, topic of study, year of completion of dissertation, input from the research department, delay in exam due to incomplete dissertation and whether the paper got published in national or international journal. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 103 subjects, 70(68%) were males and 33(32%) were females, while 73(70.8%) belonged to surgical specialties and 30(29.2%) were from non-surgical specialties. Of the 22(22.9%) who were able to convert, 12(54.5%) publications were carried by national peer-reviewed journals, while 10(45.4%) were carried by international journals; 9(40.9%) unpaid peer review journals and 13(59.1%) paid journals. Delay in exam due to incomplete dissertation was faced by only 16(16.6%) candidates. Conclusions: The rate of publication for resident dissertation was found to be low

Purification and characterization of 60 kD lipase linked with chaperonin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa BN-1

An extracellular lipase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa BN-1 was purified to 42.99 fold. N-terminal sequence of purified enzyme was AAKEVKFGDS identical to sequence of a chaperonin and enzyme may be linked to it. It has an estimated molecular weight of 60 kD, while temperature and pH optima were 37°C and 8.0,  respectively. The enzyme obtained has considerable thermostability retaining 70% of activity at 50°C for 1 h. The enzyme was stable at pH 9.5 for 1 h having 70% of the residual activity. Long acyl chains were preferred as substrate and highest hydrolytic activity was observed against C-16 and C-18 4-nitrophenyl esters. Mustard oil was found to be the preferred substrate as lipolytic activity was 2.75 fold higher when compared with the activity with olive oil as the substrate. The enzymatic activity declined in the presence of Al3+, Hg2+, Co2+ and Mn2+, while Ca2+ and Ba2+ ions enhanced the activity. Non ionic detergents, Tween 80 and sodium deoxycholate, increased the activity by 1.2 and 2.5 fold, respectively. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 2-mercaptoethanol and 1,4-dithio-DL-threitol (DTT) had no effect on lipolytic activity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme activity by 90 and 98%, respectively. The lipase showed stability in organic solvents.Key words: Pseudomonas aeruginosa BN-1, chaperonin, mustard oil, organic solvent, phenyl methyl sulfonylfluoride, sodium deoxycholate, Swiss Prot Accession # P 30718

Training in temporal bone surgery: A review of current practices

The temporal bone consists of complex anatomy, and the presence of various vital structures in close proximity makes the surgery of temporal bone highly challenging. Such a surgery requires years of training under the direct observation of trainers. Over the course of history, different training models have been adopted by experts to help train the young surgeons in this complex procedure. Cadaveric dissections of the temporal bone remains the gold standard in training of residents as the cadavers present the actual anatomical details which the surgeons encounter while operating on patients. However, due to scarcity of available cadavers, their one-time-only usage and high cost of involved in such trainings, experts have developed newer techniques of training, including three-dimensional reconstruction models and virtual reality simulators. Most of the literature on simulation in training of residents focuses on anatomical understanding and development of the surgical technique. There has been significant improvement in these techniques over time. With the addition of haptic feedback in the newer virtual simulation models, simulation has edged closer to basic modules of temporal bone dissection. the current review article was planned to have an overview of the different techniques in detail that are currently being in used

A STUDY ON RATIONAL DRUG PRESCRIBING PATTERN IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS IN HYDERABAD METROPOLITAN

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe rational drug prescribing in general practice for elderly patients, using patients age, sex, encounters and the occurrence of some predefined inappropriate drug prescribing, according to Beer’s criteria, drug-drug interaction of common OTC drugs and WHO essential drug list. Design: A retrospective study on rational drug prescribing patterns in geriatric patient was carried out using prescriptions issued to the geriatric patients, 65 years and above, attending the outpatient and inpatient department of various hospitals and clinics of Hyderabad. Results: Of the 150 prescriptions consecutively selected, Anti diabetics (142, 15.58%) were the most commonly prescribed medicines with metformin being the most prescribed anti diabetic. The medications prescribed by generic names were 92 (10.08%). 40% of medicines were prescribed from the WHO essential drug list. 17 (11.3%) prescriptions had one or more potentially inappropriate medicines from Beer’s criteria and in 16 (10.6%) prescriptions drug – drug interactions were ascertained according to drug - drug interactions of common OTC drugs. Conclusions: The drug prescribing pattern among the elderly is still suboptimal. Appropriate interventions are needed for both health care providers and patients alike. Key words: Geriatric patient, Drug-drug interactions, Essential drug list, Rational drug use

Enhancement of the fruit quality and postharvest life expectancy of mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) applying ecofriendly bio-coatings

The higher losses of fruits and vegetables during post-harvest handling are a serious matter for any country whose economy is based on agriculture. The products of this plant are a significant source of horticultural produce storage used for the control of different post-harvest losses, which include diseases as well as microorganisms. Bio-coatings may be used as a better alternative to the synthetic chemicals. The impact of edible coating on the quality and storage life of mango (cv. ‘Anwar Rataul’) fruit was investigated by harvesting the fruits at a firm green stage of physiological maturity and coating them with corn oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, soya bean oil, and animal fat. The uncoated and coated fruits were stored at 25 °C and the relative humidity (RH) was 75%. The fruits were analyzed for physicochemical quality attributes during storage at 0 (harvest time), 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 days. The data showed that most of the parameters were affected significantly by the materials of coating and storage intervals (P ≤ 0.05). The fruits coated with animal fat had significantly superior fruit color, taste, aroma, firmness, total sugar content, and acidity of fruit juice, total soluble solids, and ascorbic acid content, as well as delayed ripening. Animal fat-coated fruits retained titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content (mg.100g-1) and fruit firmness (kg.cm-2) with minimal disease incidence, and weight loss (%), whereas uncoated fruits did not retain all quality attributes and deteriorated after 20 days of storage. In conclusion, mango fruits could be coated with animal fat and stored for up to 25 days without deterioration in quality

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

Agro-morphological and genetic diversity studies in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm using microsatellite markers

Background Knowledge of the genetic diversity and population structure of germplasm collections is an important foundation for crop improvement. Rice production across a broad range of rice-growing environments results in a diverse array of local rice varieties. Many rice varieties have been lost as a result of biodiversity loss and are now grown in Pakistan. Methods and results To protect the biodiversity of rice varieties, an experiment was carried out to check the genetic and morphological variations between 8 exotic and 7 local rice genotypes, using 5 different SSR markers, i.e., RM3, RM259, RM341, RM520, and RM11943. The analysis of morphological and quality traits of rice observed significant variation across genotypes. The results revealed that genotype Irri-Pak attained the highest plant height and primary branch plant-1, while genotype Mushkan produced a higher number of productive tillers and obtained a higher fertility factor (%). Similarly, the highest value for panicle length was observed for genotype Faker-e-Malakand, 1000-grains weight in genotype Calmochi, and maximum days to maturity was noticed in genotype Swati-2014. Moreover, the genotype Brio attained the highest value of stem diameter, while maximum seed length was noted in the genotype Sug Dasi. The highest number of primary branches plant(-1) in genotype Ibge-I and secondary branches plant(-1) in genotype Calmochi were noticed. A higher concentration of sodium and potassium was observed for the genotype Marte, while the genotype Muskan attained the maximum content of copper. Moreover, the highest concentration of iron in genotype Originario, zinc in genotype JP-5, and cadmium content were noticed in genotype Ibge. Similarly, the dendrogram analysis for quantitative parameters showed three clusters at 74.13% similarities. Whereas all the genotypes of European origin formed a separate cluster. A set of 5 simple sequence repeat primers, covering four chromosomes, amplified a total of 14 alleles and showed 100% polymorphism with an average PIC value ranging from 0.39 to 0.91. The UPGMA cluster analysis separated the 15 rice genotypes into 3 main groups based on 32.5% similarities and the highest genetic distance (45.1%) was observed between two genotypes (Fakher-e-malakand and Musa), having different geographical origins. There was no genetic distance between the genotypes Marte and Brio, irrespective of having the same origin. Conclusions The maximum genetic distances were noted for genotype, Fakhre-e-Malakand and Musa having a different origin, while the minimum genetic distance was shown by genotypes, Marte and Onice, from the same origin.Peer reviewe

Transformational Leadership Influence on Innovation Directly and Indirectly through Affective Commitment in Hotel Industry of Malaysia

In order to be innovative in hospitality industry the role of leadership style on employees is very crucial. Leaders are in direct contact with employees and their encouragement and support can trigger the employees to be innovative in delivering the service. In hospitality industry the front-line employees need utmost attention as this industry totally depends on the service of employees especially front-line employees who set the first impression of the hotels. Leadership styles have significant impact on employees' innovation.  The study aim was to examine the impact transformational leadership (TL) on innovation in hotel industry of Malaysia. This study filled the gap by examining the transformational leadership style impact on innovation in front line employees. Total 480 questionnaires were distributed among the employees of 5stars hotels which were located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. To examine the hypotheses, this study applied the SEM (AMOS). Findings revealed that transformational leadership had a significant positive effect on employees' innovation. Interesting finding came in mediation analysis, in which affective commitment mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and innovation. Findings of this study are beneficial for management of hotels to understand the role of transformational leadership style, affective commitment on employees in order to be innovative in delivering services. This study provided the in depth analysis for top management to better handle and incite the innovation in employees as the leaders are directly responsible to lead employees in innovative way to be innovative. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Innovation, Affective commitment, SEM. JEL Classifications: H12; A12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.1076

Influence of maturity stages on postharvest physico-chemical properties of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi var. ‘Shamber Tarnab’) under different storage durations

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of maturity stages on the physicochemical characteristics of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi cv. ‘Shamber Tarnab’) under storage conditions for 60 days at ambient temperature (16±1 °C with 55-60% relative humidity). Grapefruits were harvested at different maturity stages, namely mature green (MG) and full ripe (FR). The fruits of both stages were assessed for different physical quality parameters at 15 days interval. The experimental results showed that ascorbic acid content, titratable acidity, fruit firmness, percent disease incidence was higher at FR stage. In contrast, weight loss, percent juice content, total soluble solid (TSS), and TSS/acid ratio at MG (mature green) were lower than that of FR fruits. Regarding storage durations, the fruit firmness, titratable acidity, percent juice content, ascorbic acid content decreased significantly, whilst total soluble solid, TSS/Acid ratio, weight loss, and percent disease incidence increased significantly with the extension of storage duration from 0 to 60 days. As concerned to its interactive effects, the highest ascorbic acid content, titratable acidity, percent juice content, and maximum fruit firmness were observed in fresh grapefruit, harvested at (MG) mature green stages, whereas the maximum total soluble solid, percent disease incidence, and TSS/Acid ratio were recorded in fruit harvested at (FR) full ripe stage, stored for 60 days at room temperature. Similarly, the Pearson’s Correlation Analysis (p> 0.05) of grapefruit was positive effect for most of the quality traits of grapefruit at different storage durations and maturity stages. It was concluded that grapefruit could be harvested at the mature green stage (MG) for sustaining quality attributes up to 60 days of storage at room temperature