Methodology and algorithms for Urdu language processing in a conversational agent

This thesis presents the research and development of a novel text based goal-orientated conversational agent (CA) for the Urdu language called UMAIR (Urdu Machine for Artificially Intelligent Recourse). A CA is a computer program that emulates a human in order to facilitate a conversation with the user. The aim is investigate the Urdu language and its lexical and grammatical features in order to, design a novel engine to handle the language unique features of Urdu. The weakness in current Conversational Agent (CA) engines is that they are not suited to be implemented in other languages which have grammar rules and structure totally different to English. From a historical perspective CA’s including the design of scripting engines, scripting methodologies, resources and implementation procedures have been implemented for the most part in English and other Western languages (i.e. German and Spanish). The development of an Urdu conversational agent has required the research and development of new CA framework which incorporates methodologies and components in order overcome the language unique features of Urdu such as free word order, inconsistent use of space, diacritical marks and spelling. The new CA framework was utilised to implement UMAIR. UMAIR is a customer service agent for National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) designed to answer user queries related to ID card and Passport applications. UMAIR is able to answer user queries related to the domain through discourse with the user by leading the conversation using questions and offering appropriate advice with the intention of leading the discourse to a pre-determined goal. The research and development of UMAIR led to the creation of several novel CA components, namely a new rule based Urdu CA engine which combines pattern matching and sentence/string similarity techniques along with new algorithms to process user utterances. Furthermore, a CA evaluation framework has been researched and tested which addresses the gap in research to develop the evaluation of natural language systems in general. Empirical end user evaluation has validated the new algorithms and components implemented in UMAIR. The results show that UMAIR is effective as an Urdu CA, with the majority of conversations leading to the goal of the conversation. Moreover the results also revealed that the components of the framework work well to mitigate the challenges of free word order and inconsistent word segmentation

E-Classroom for an Underserved Institution

The E-Class Room system is a web based project. An educational institution in India is understaffed and has limited interaction among faculty, student and industry experts. The project is to provide an online platform for the students and faculty of the institution to enhance their educational needs and to share their learning with their fellow students, faculty or industrial experts. It aims to provide a platform for mutual cooperation between different kinds of learning. The new system will provide directional way for online learning between faculty, student and industrial experts

PREVALENCE OF HELMINTH PARASITE OF DOMESTIC CHICKEN (Gallus domesticus) IN DISTRICT KHAIRPUR, SINDH, PAKISTAN

Poultry is an important sub sector of agriculture and has contributed enormously to food production by playing a vital role in the national economy by contributing towards food security of the country reducing pressure on demand for mutton and beef and earning of foreign exchange. Birds in a traditional and open environment carry a huge risk of parasitic infections. A survey was made to determine the prevalence of helminth parasite of Gallus domesticus in district Khairpur. A total of 46 domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus) were randomly collected from different villages of district Khairpur, were examined for the prevalence of helminth parasite. Seven species of helminth parasites identified, out of which four species of cestodes and three species of nematodes. Cestodes comprises Cotugonia dignopora 44 (91.6%) Raillietina tarquata 40 (86.9%), Raillietina tetragona 20 (43.4%) Choanotaenia infundibulum 6 (13%). Among nematodes 33 (71.7%)  Ascaridia galli were observed. The results of present study revealed that sub-standard poultry farming is a major factor for parasitic infection in local chicken which ultimately cause heavy loss

Composition and diversity of plants in Sibuti Mangrove Forest, Sarawak, Malaysia

Sarawak is endowed with numerous pristine and estuarine mangroves. However, information pertaining to the species composition and diversity of pristine mangroves of Sarawak is scanty. Hence, this study was carried out to assess the plant composition and diversity of Sibuti mangrove forest, Miri, Sarawak to investigate the current status and diversity of vegetation. Nine mangrove plant species were recorded employing the line transect (100–240 m) survey method. Major mangrove species were Rhizophora apiculata, Xylocarpus granatum, and Nypa fruticans. The stand density was recorded as 1938.46 ± 482.24 trees ha−1, 1722.22 ± 254.58 saplings ha−1, and 6222.22 ± 384.90 seedlings ha−1. The mean diameter, height, and basal area for the whole forest stand were 20.83 ± 13.79 cm, 13.53 ± 5.55 m, and 201.83 ± 12.68 m2 ha−1, respectively. The mean diameter of the dominant species R. apiculata was 24.10 ± 13.90 cm, height 15.18 ± 5.09 m, and basal area 176.13 ± 12.73 m2 ha−1. The importance value index (IVI) of R. apiculata was 202.24 followed by 63.85 for X. granatum. Shannon diversity indices (H′), Margalef richness (D), and Peilou evenness (J′) of the forest stand were 1.18, 1.41, and 0.54, respectively. Similarity of species composition showed two major clusters for the whole forest stand. The findings of this study suggest that Sibuti mangrove forest stand is undisturbed and healthy. This forest could be managed and conserved for multi-sectoral uses such as ecotourism, biodiversity, research, and education rather than solely as a wildlife sanctuary

INVESTIGATION ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBIOTIC MICROBIOTA ON CANCER

Cancer is the one of the deadly menace diseases with high medical significance which remains one of the keys that causes ailments and death, the security and firmness of the typical chemotherapeutics drugs and artificial agents used to accomplish cancer are doubtful now a days. These mediators affect the quality of life or sometimes they causative for progress of drug resistance and are not judicious to the majority of the patients So the clinical management of the cancer with high efficiency can done with the probiotic microbiota. An imbalance in the gut microbiota promotes the progress of carcinogenesis through several mechanisms, including inflammation, initiation of carcinogens, and tumorigenic pathways as well. In vivo and molecular studies have exhibited the support to role of probiotics in cancer. Probiotic agents are live microbes or components of microbes that have a positive effect on the host. They exert their action through interaction with the immune system of the host. Some of this effect is localized and some is in improvement in total body system. The Probiotic bacteria are the live microorganisms that, when directed in acceptable amounts, deliberate a healthy benefit on the host, and they have been considered for their protective anti-tumour effects. This review emphases on the role of probiotic microbiota as substitute for the prevention and treatment of cancer in the relation between gut microbiota and the progress of cancer

Hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia: challenge to public health, effective management and future considerations

Background: Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) refers to a group of febrile illnesses caused by different viruses that result in high mortality in animals and humans. Many risk factors like increased human-animal interactions, climate change, increased mobility of people and limited diagnostic facility have contributed to the rapid spread of VHF. Materials: The history of VHFs in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula has been documented since the 19th century, in which many outbreaks have been reported from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Despite presence of regional network of experts and technical organizations, which expedite support and respond during outbreaks, there are some more challenges that need to be addressed immediately. Gaps in funding, exhaustive and inclusive response plans and improved surveillance systems are some areas of concern in the region which can be dealt productively. This review primarily focusses on the hemorrhagic fevers that are caused by three most common viruses namely, the Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus, Rift valley fever virus, and Dengue fever virus. Conclusion: In summary, effective vector control, health education, possible use of vaccine and concerted synchronized efforts between different government organizations and private research institutions will help in planning effective outbreak-prevention and response strategies in future

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Trends in the Bacterial Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in the Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Hospitalized Patients in South India

Exacerbation due to antimicrobial-drug-resistant bacteria among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients contributes to mortality and morbidity. We examined the prevalence of the bacterial organisms and trends in drug resistance in AECOPD. In this retrospective study, between January 2016 to December 2020, among 3027 AECOPD patients, 432 (14.3%) had bacteria isolated. The regression and generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used for trends in the resistance patterns over five years, adjusting for age, gender, and comorbidities. Klebsiella pneumoniae (32.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17.8%), Acinetobacter baumannii (14.4%), Escherichia coli (10.4%), and Staphylococcus aureus (2.5%) were common. We observed high levels of drug resistance in AECOPD patients admitted to ICU (87.8%) and non-ICU (86.5%). A Cox proportional hazard analysis, observed infection with Acinetobacter baumannii and female sex as independent predictors of mortality. Acinetobacter baumannii had 2.64 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–6.43) higher odds of death, compared to Klebsiella pneumoniae. Females had 2.89 (95% CI: 1.47–5.70) higher odds of death, compared to males. A high proportion of bacterial AECOPD was due to drug-resistant bacteria. An increasing trend in drug resistance was observed among females

Have biomarkers made their mark? A brief review of dental biomarkers

Biomarkers are substances that are released into the human body by tumor cells or by other cells in response to tumor. A high level of a tumor marker is considered a sign of certain cancer, which makes biomarker the subject of many testing methods for the diagnosis of cancers. In recent times, these biomarkers have been successfully isolated to diagnose dental-related tumors, benign and malignant conditions. This article is a brief review of literature for various biomarkers used in the field of dentistry