Knowledge and Practices of Student Nurses towards Prevention and Management of Pressure ulcers in Allied Hospitals of Rawalpindi Medical University

Introduction: Pressure ulcer is a common preventable complication of prolonged hospitalisation. Although debilitating, but preventable through timely assessment and proper management. This study was conducted to access student nurse’s knowledge and practices towards the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Nursing Schools of Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Hospital Allied with Rawalpindi Medical University. A pre-tested self-designed questionnaire was filled by 264 students selected through the non-probability convenient sampling technique. Data were analysed using SPSS 21. P-value <0.01 was considered significant. Results: Mean percentage of Student nurse’s knowledge and practices were 58.7% 69.62% respectively. 21.7% of first-year students, 34.1% of second-year students, and 60.2% of third-year students had good knowledge. Correspondingly, 10.89% of first-year students, 32.9% of second-year students, and 56.2% of third-year students had good practice. There was a significant correlation between knowledge and practices i.e. r value is 0.92, the p-value is <0.000. Conclusion: Knowledge and Practices of Student Nurses towards the prevention and management of pressure ulcers was found to be average. The practices of students gradually improved as their knowledge improved throughout their years of education

Approach of MBBS Students receiving Modular vs Students receiving Conventional Mode of education towards Health Research: A Comparative Study

Introduction: Health research training is an important component of the medical curriculum. This study was conducted to compare the approach of medical students being taught through an integrated modular curriculum with the students receiving conventional mode of education towards health research. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 3rd-year MBBS students following Lecture Based Learning and Problem Based Learning (groups A and B respectively). A self-designed pretested questionnaire was filled by 153 students of each group (from group A in 2019 and group B in 2020) through a simple randomized sampling technique. Analysis was done using SPSS 21. P-value <0.05 was considered to be significant for all purposes. Results: Mean knowledge score of PBL students was 50% against a score of 55.5% of LBL students (p-value=0.114). However, the mean attitude score of PBL students was 79.2% against a score of 67.4% of LBL students (p-value< 0.000). Over 49.6% of LBL students and 41.8% of PBL students had satisfactory knowledge. 19.7% of LBL students and 82.3% of PBL students had a satisfactory attitude.  Conclusion: Significantly higher attitude of PBL students was found. However, the level of knowledge was found to be the same in both groups. PBL curriculum has a positive influence on students on their attitudes towards health research

Frequency, Etiology and Leading Causes of Pre-Senile Cataract: A Descriptive Study

Background: Cataract is generally caused due to physical aging, but in some cases, there are chances that it may develop in early ages (Pre-senile cataract). Pre-senile cataract is believed not to be primary in nature and some underlying ocular/systemic/environmental factor is causing the lens opacification at an early age. This study aim was to determine frequency and risk factors of pre-senile cataract in our populationMethods: this observational study at Outdoor Patient - Eye in Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi (BBH), for the period from December 2017 to June 2018. Cataract was diagnosed on slit lamp examination. Detail history, Ocular and systemic examination was done for all pre-senile cataract cases. Laboratory/radiological investigations were performed when and where required. Using the Excel spreadsheet, Statistical analysis of descriptive data was carried out.Results: A total of 11448 patients were examined, whereby cataract was found in 849 (7.41%) patients. Out of these 849, 165 (19.43%) cases were pre-senile cataract. Pre-senile cataract was most seen in age group 30-49 86 (52.13%) and among women 93 (56.36%). The identified causes were idiopathic 55 (33.3%), diabetes 45(27.3%) and Steroids and other drugs related 33 (20.0%). posterior sub-capsular cataract is 60(36.36%) was most identified type in the study among pre-senile cataract

Development and testing of zinc sulfate and zinc oxide nanoparticle-coated urea fertilizer to improve N and Zn use efficiency

Nitrogen (N) losses from conventional fertilizers in agricultural systems are very high, which can lead to serious environmental pollution with economic loss. In this study, innovative slow-release fertilizers were prepared using zinc (Zn) [nanoparticles (NPs) or in bulk], using molasses as an environmentally friendly coating. Several treatments were prepared using Zn in different concentrations (i.e., 0.25%, 0.5%, and 4% elemental Zn). The zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were prepared from zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO4·7H2O), and were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the Zn-loaded urea samples were tested for urea N release rate, leaching of water from soil, and crushing strength to assess the impact of coating on the final finished product. Pot experiments were conducted simultaneously to check the agronomic effects of Zn-coated slow-release urea on the growth and development of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The laboratory and pot results confirmed that the ZnO-NP treatments boost wheat growth and yield as a result of reduced N and Zn release. UZnNPs2 (urea coated with 0.5% ZnO-NPs and 5% molasses) demonstrated the best results among all the treatments in terms of slow nutrient release, N and Zn uptake, and grain yield. The UZnNPs2 treatment increased plant yield by 34% (i.e., 4,515 vs. 3,345 kg ha–1) relative to the uncoated prill-treated crop because of the slower release of Zn and N

Bioleaching of metals from electronic scrap by moderately thermophilic acidophilic bacteria

The present work was aimed at studying the bioleachability of metals from electronic scrap by the selected moderately thermophilic strains of acidophilic chemolithotrophic and acidophilic heterotrophic bacteria. These included Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans and an unidentified acidophilic heterotroph (code AITSB) isolated from local environments. Among the strategies adapted to obtain enhanced metal leaching rates from electronic scrap, a mixed consortium of the metal adapted cultures of the above-mentioned bacteria was found to exhibit the maximum metal leaching efficiency. In all the flasks where high metal leaching rates were observed, concomitantly biomass production rates were also high indicating high growth rates. It showed that the metal bioleaching capability of the bacteria was associated with their growth. At scrap concentration of 10 g/L, a mixed consortium of the metal adapted cultures was able to leach more than 81% of Ni, 89% of Cu, 79% of Al and 83% of Zn. Although Pb and Sri were also leached out, they were detected in the precipitates formed during bioleaching. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Selections from Modern Urdu Poetry

Translations of poems by 5 well-known Urdu poets

A Viable Passive Optical Network Design for Ultrahigh Definition TV Distribution

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recently standardized ultrahigh definition television (UHD-TV) with a resolution 16 times more than the current high definition TV. An increase in the efficiency of video source coding or in the capacity of transmission channels will be needed to deliver such programs by passive optical network (PON). In this paper, a high capacity integrated PON infrastructure is proposed to overlay ultrahigh definition television by a complete passive coexistence of 10G-PON (XG-PON) and single carrier directly modulated, duo-binary 40G-PON (XLG-PON) signal. The simulation results show error-free transmission performance and further distribution to 32 optical network units (ONUs) on broadcast basis with negligible power penalty over 20 km of bidirectional standard single mode fiber