Assessment of Knowledge, Qualification, Experience, and Medication Dispensing Practices in South Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Drug stores in Pakistan are run by dispensers with varied knowledge, qualification, and experience. The current study was sought to explore the knowledge, qualification, experience, and dispensing practices among dispensers working in drugstores in South Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out using a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from medical stores in South Karachi which were then categorized, coded, and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Relationship among different study variables with pharmacist’s availability and personal experience was assessed using statistical non-parametric Chi-square test. A total of 385 samples obtained using a simple random sampling method were included in the study. However, only 210 responses on questionnaire were complete which were then selected for study analysis between October and December 2018. Results: Of the 210 surveyed drugstores, 9% of their staff had studied only till primary school, 5.7% till the eighth grade, 25.2% up to secondary school level, 26.7% till higher secondary school level, 15.7% had non-professional education, and 8.1% were professional graduate. Only 9% of them had a degree in Pharm. D or B. Pharm, while 0.5% had a post-graduation qualification. Furthermore, 44.8% of pharmacies had a valid pharmacy license but the pharmacist was physically absent in 91% of the drugstores. Majority of pharmacies did not maintain appropriate temperature (refrigerator and/or room temperature). Majority of dispensers did not review prescription particulars before dispensing medications and also dispensed medications on older prescriptions as well as without prescription. Conclusion: In conclusion, the overall knowledge and practices of dispensers working in drugstores was poor. However, the presence of pharmacist was associated with good dispensing practices to a certain extent

Using Z-scan technique to measure the nonlinear optical properties of PMMA/ZnO nanocomposites

The study of nonlinear optical properties of polymer nanocomposites has been given increasing attention due its application in laser, communication and data storage technology. There is a need to enhance the understanding of all photonics technologies. In the current work, PMMA-ZnO nanocomposites as foils and as thin films have been successfully prepared. Casting method and spin coating were used to prepare them respectively. Nanocomposites were prepared by mixing ZnO nanoparticles with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as the polymer matrix. Different contents of ZnO nanoparticles were used as the filler in the nanocomposites. The absorbance spectra of the samples were obtained. The linear absorption coefficient was calculated. The nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient were investigated using a single beam Z-scan technique. A Q-switched Nd-YAG pulsed laser (532 nm, 7 ns, 5 Hz) was used as a light source. Both thin film’s and foil’s samples showed peak absorption at 375 nm and increasing absorption with ZnO nanoparticles concentration. The nonlinear refractive index was in the order of 10-11 cm2/W for thin film samples and 10-12 cm2 /W for foil’s samples with a negative sign. In contrast, the nonlinear absorption coefficient is in the order of 10-6 cm/W and 10-7 cm /W for thin film and foil respectively. The figures of merit W and T were calculated in order to evaluate the suitability of the samples as optical switching device .However; they unsatisfied the requirements of optical switching devices but they can be considered as an excellent candidate for optical limiting

Deep learning based classification of wrist cracks from X-ray imaging

Wrist cracks are the most common sort of cracks with an excessive occurrence rate. For the routine detection of wrist cracks, conventional radiography (X-ray medical imaging) is used but periodically issues are presented by crack depiction. Wrist cracks often appear in the human arbitrary bone due to accidental injuries such as slipping. Indeed, many hospitals lack experienced clinicians to diagnose wrist cracks. Therefore, an automated system is required to reduce the burden on clinicians and identify cracks. In this study, we have designed a novel residual network-based convolutional neural network (CNN) for the crack detection of the wrist. For the classification of wrist cracks medical imaging, the diagnostics accuracy of the RN-21CNN model is compared with four well-known transfer learning (TL) models such as Inception V3, Vgg16, ResNet-50, and Vgg19, to assist the medical imaging technologist in identifying the cracks that occur due to wrist fractures. The RN-21CNN model achieved an accuracy of 0.97 which is much better than its competitor`s approaches. The results reveal that implementing a correct generalization that a computer-aided recognition system precisely designed for the assistance of clinician would limit the number of incorrect diagnoses and also saves a lot of time

A Theoretical Model for Predicting Axial Compressive Strain of FRP-Confined Concrete

The axial compressive strength and strain of structural elements made of reinforced concrete are enhanced by the external confinement provided by fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets. There is still a need for more research into estimating axial compressive strain even though numerous studies have suggested analytical approaches to predict the axial compressive strength of concrete structural elements. This is a result of earlier strain models’ inadequate accuracy. Furthermore, rudimentary modelling techniques and small, noisy databases were used in the development of these models. To suggest a more realistic strain model and compare it with earlier models, a more rigorous methodology is therefore required. The goal of this study is to present a strain model for FRP-confined concrete members by analytical modeling based on a large database containing 570 sample points. When the models were assessed using statistical parameters, it was discovered that the estimations of the freshly proposed models were more accurate than those of the previous models. The estimations’ relative study provides significant support for the recommended analytical model’s applicability and accuracy in forecasting the axial-strain of CFRP-confined concrete compression members

Fossil Energy Demand and Economic Development in BRICS Countries

Energy is considered the oxygen of an economy fueling all economic activities. Energy utilization and its type have an intertemporal and size-based effect on economic development. Therefore, this study empirically analyzes the relationship of fossil energy consumption with economic development in the case of BRICS countries between 1990 and 2019. Fully modified ordinary least squares is used with the quadratic function of coal, oil, and gas consumption to assess the size-based effect across time. This study shows that coal and natural gas consumption follows the inverted U-shaped relationship with HDI, while coal consumption shows a negative relationship with HDI. Hence, coal and gas energy assists in development when its share is small, while over-consumption hampers development. The BRICS countries should optimize coal and gas consumption with respect to economic development. Reducing fossil energy should be substituted with alternative clean energy resources by using advanced technology such as the gasification process

Advanced Carbon Materials: Base of 21st Century Scientific Innovations in Chemical, Polymer, Sensing and Energy Engineering

Advance carbon material that includes graphene, fullerenes, hierarchical carbon, and CNTs are referred to as strength of revolution and advancement in the era of material science and technology. In general, 20th century corresponds to plastic meanwhile 21st century will be named as “Century of Graphene” owing to its exceptional physical properties. Graphene is now well-known and prominent 2D carbon allotrope that is considered as multipurpose material in comparison with any material discovered on earth. One of the interesting properties of graphene is strongest and lightest material that enables it to conduct electricity and heat as compared to any other material. Such features permit it to utilize in numerous applications including biosensors, electronic industry, environmental remediation, drug delivery, energy storage, and production as well. Owing to these capabilities, it can be stated that graphene can be utilized to improve effectiveness and performance of existing substances and materials. In the future, conjugation of graphene with other 2D material will be devolved to produce further remarkable compounds that make it appropriate for an extensive variety of applications. This chapter grants the utilization and applications of advanced carbons materials in chemical, polymer, sensing and energy enegineering

A nationwide virtual research education program for medical students in Pakistan: Methodological framework, feasibility testing, and outcomes

Introduction: Equipping young medical trainees with fundamental research skills can be a promising strategy to address the need for professionals who can understand and responsibly communicate evolving scientific evidence during a pandemic. Despite an ardent interest to partake in research, most educational institutions in Pakistan and other low-middle income countries have not yet adopted a comprehensive strategy for research skills education. The authors aimed to design and assess the feasibility of implementing the first nation-wide virtual research workshop for medical students in Pakistan. Methods: The course Beginners Guide to Research, designed as a nation-wide virtual research workshop series, was conducted for medical students across Pakistan in June 2020. Four interactive live workshops took place online on alternate days from June 22nd, 2020, to June 27th, 2020, each lasting 1-2 h. Outcomes included: (i) reach, (ii) efficacy as indexed by pre-post change in score pertaining to knowledge and application of research and (iii) self-rated perceptions about understanding of research on a Likert scale. Results: 3,862 participants enrolled from 41 cities and 123 institutions. Enrolled participants belonged to the following provinces: Sindh (n = 1,852, 48.0%), Punjab (n = 1,767, 45.8%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (n = 109, 2.8%), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (n = 84, 2.2%) Balochistan (n = 42, 1.1%). We also saw a few registrations from international students (n = 8, 0.2%). Mean (SD) age of enrolled medical students was 21.1 (2.1) years, 2,453 (63.5%) participants were female and 2,394 (62.0%) were from private-sector medical colleges. Two thousand ninety-three participants participants filled out all four pre-test and post-test forms. The total median knowledge score improved from 39.7 to 60.3% with the highest improvements in concepts of research bioethics and literature search (p \u3c 0.001) with greater change for females compared to males (+20.6 vs. +16.2%, p \u3c 0.001) and private institutions compared to public ones (+16.2 vs. +22.1%, p \u3c 0.001). Conclusion: The overwhelming enrollment and significant improvement in learning outcomes (\u3e50% of baseline) indicate feasibility of a medical student-led research course during a pandemic, highlighting its role in catering to the research needs in the LMICs

Long-term patient-reported outcome measures after injury: National trauma research action plan (NTRAP) scoping review protocol

Background: A significant proportion of patients who survive traumatic injury continue to suffer impaired functional status and increased mortality long after discharge. However, despite the need to improve long-term outcomes, trauma registries in the USA do not collect data on outcomes or care processes after discharge. One of the main barriers is the lack of consensus regarding the optimal outcome metrics.Objectives: To describe the methodology of a scoping review evaluating current evidence on the available measures for tracking functional and patient-reported outcomes after injury. The aim of the review was to identify and summarize measures that are being used to track long-term functional recovery and patient-reported outcomes among adults after injury.Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Embase will be performed using the search terms for the population (adult trauma patients), type of outcomes (long-term physical, mental, cognitive, and quality of life), and measures available to track them. Studies identified will be reviewed and assessed for relevance by at least two reviewers. Data will be extracted and summarized using descriptive statistics and a narrative synthesis of the results. This protocol is being reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.Dissemination: This scoping review will provide information regarding the currently available metrics for tracking functional and patient-reported outcomes after injury. The review will be presented to a multi-disciplinary stakeholder group that will evaluate these outcome metrics using an online Delphi approach to achieve consensus as part of the development of the National Trauma Research Action Plan (NTRAP). The results of this review will be presented at relevant national surgical conferences and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals