Knowledge and attitude of patients and their relatives towards electro-convulsive therapy: a study from a tertiary care centre in Northern India

Background: Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) has been effective in various psychiatric disorders and is life-saving in some conditions. Despite its effectiveness and lack of serious side-effects, its use is restricted due to negative attitude of patients and their relatives towards ECT. The objective of the study was to study the attitude of patients and their attendants towards ECT. Also, we studied their knowledge regarding ECT prior to the administration of ECT.Methods: A 16 item questionnaire was formulated to be used for assessing the attitude and knowledge about ECT and was administered after translating it into Urdu language for better understanding. Patients planned for ECT were administered the questionnaire after taking consent. A total of 60 patients and 60 attendants were taken up for the study.Results: About 60-70% of patients gave correct (right) responses to questions like ECT being life-saving procedure, need of investigations before ECT and other questions like question numbers 1,5,6,7,11,14,15. There was little knowledge regarding other areas like use of ECT in pregnant females and elderly (question numbers 2, 4, 10, 12). The patients as well as their attendants did not differ significantly in the responses given to the queries. Maximum number of patients received knowledge regarding ECT from doctors; few had attained it from other sources like internet.Conclusions: The study is a preliminary one and emphasizes the need for better standardized questionnaire for proper assessment. It also gives us an insight into lack of knowledge among patients and their attendants regarding ECT

Pemeliharaan maslahah di sebalik pensyariatan konsep berpakaian wanita menurut Islam

Tulisan ini cuba menghuraikan berkenaan konsep pemeliharaan maslahah yang diutarakan Islam dalam pensyariatan hukum-hakam Syariah. Walaupun begitu, tulisan ini hanya akan memfokuskan dalam aspek konsep pakaian wanita di hadapan lelaki bukan mahram sahaja dengan bersandarkan kepada rujukan-rujukan perpustakaan meliputi kajian terhadap teks-teks seperti tafsir al-Quran, fiqh dan sebagainya. Pemilihan fokus ini disebabkan terdapat pelbagai pandangan negatif yang dilemparkan oleh sesetengah ahli masyarakat terhadap konsep ini. Sehubungan itu, tulisan ini akan cuba mengutarakan hukum-hakam berkaitan pakaian wanita termasuk keadaan-keadaan yang diberikan kelonggaran syarak (rukhsah) beserta penjelasan berkenaan maslahah di sebaliknya. Secara umumnya, tulisan ini merumuskan bahawa pensyariatan konsep pakaian ini antara lainnya bertujuan menutup jalan yang boleh membawa kepada jenayah seksual terhadap wanita dan secara tidak langsung menyumbang kepada keharmonian hidup masyarakat. Tulisan ini diharapkan dapat memberikan manfaat yang besar kepada sumbangan ilmiah berkaitan cara hidup Isla

Gastrointestinal Beriberi as a prodrome of non-alcoholic Wernicke’s encephalopathy: a study of an emerging nutritional deficiency disorder from Kashmir, India

Background: Gastrointestinal manifestations of thiamine deficiency have not been well described in literature. Authors aimed to study the symptoms of gastrointestinal beriberi in a cohort of patients of non-alcoholic Wernicke’s encephalopathy and review the relevant literature.Methods: In a retrospective analysis, case records of 52 patients diagnosed with non-alcoholic Wernicke’s encephalopathy were analyzed for the nature of gastrointestinal symptoms, their duration, severity and associated findings, investigations and response to treatment. The available literature on gastrointestinal symptoms in thiamine deficiency disorders and gastrointestinal beriberi was reviewed.Results: Gastrointestinal symptoms were found in 46 of the 52 patients. The most common gastrointestinal symptom in our patients was recurrent vomiting in 42 patients. Eight patients had water brash. Ten patients had epigastric pain and 10 patients had anorexia. Based on the nature and severity of symptoms, patients were evaluated for their symptoms using endoscopy, ultrasonography, amylase and lactate levels, and routine laboratory studies and the results were normal in the majority of patients.  Gastrointestinal symptoms settled in all the patients after receiving intravenous thiamine. On reviewing the literature multiple studies were found to have reported prominent gastrointestinal symptoms in patients of Wernickes encephalopathy and other thiamine deficiency related disorders. However, the definition of gastrointestinal beriberi is not clearly stated.Conclusions: Gastrointestinal symptoms were prominent prodromal manifestations in our cohort of Wernicke’s encephalopathy and have also been amply reported in literature. Presence of gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals predisposed to thiamine deficiency without alternative explanation should be enough to label a patient as gastrointestinal beriberi. The study highlights the importance of recognizing gastrointestinal beriberi as a distinct syndrome that may precede the development of Wernicke’s encephalopathy

Adaptive Backstepping Integral Sliding Mode Control for 5DOF Barge-Type OFWT under Output Constraint

This article presents a new control solution for a dynamical model of a translational oscillator with a rotational actuator (TORA) based on multi-body dynamics for a barge-type offshore floating wind turbine (OFWT). TORA has been employed as an active structural control strategy. The solution of bounding the output movements of platform pitch and tower bending angle to a certain limit, along with mitigating the OFWT vibrations due to environmental disturbances and uncertainties, is presented in this novel control framework. This new control algorithm consists of a high-gain observer (HGO)-based adaptive backstepping integral sliding mode control (ISMC) and a barrier Lyapunov function (BLF). This guarantees satisfying the constraints on the states and effectively resolves the problem of the unavailability of the system states. The proposed control law based on the BLF has been compared with an adaptive backstepping ISMC to show the efficiency of the output-constraint control scheme. Through MATLAB/SIMULINK numerical simulations and their numeric error table, the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme has been examined. The results confirm the validity and efficiency of the proposed control approaches

Mandibular Reconstruction with Free Fibula Flap: Experience at Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar

Background: Mandibular defects may result from trauma, infections, cancer ablation or radiation necrosis. These defects may vary according to the content and nature of the tissues that require reconstruction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of vascularised free fibula flap for mandibular reconstruction in terms of flap success rate and complications.Material and Methods: This prospective clinical study was carried out at Department of Plastic Surgery, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from January 2014 to December 2018. The study included patients of either gender who underwent mandibular reconstruction with free fibula oseteocutaneous flap during the study period. Diabetic patients with underlying vascular pathologies and cachectic patients were excluded from the study.Results: There were 56 patients with 38 males and 18 females. Their age ranged from 24-66 years with a mean age of 36 years. The mandibular defects resulted from various etiologies and included: Squamous cell carcinoma (n=27, 48.21%), Giant cell granuloma (n=3; 5.35%), Ameloblastoma (n=2; 3.57%), Road traffic accidents (n=10; 17.85%), Firearm injury (n=9; 16%), Bomb blast injury (n=3; 5.35%) and osteoradionecrosis (n=2; 3.57%). Primary reconstruction of the mandibular defects was performed in 44 patients, whereas delayed reconstruction was performed in 12 patients. Out of the 56 flaps, 49 flaps survived completely. Our share of complications was as follows: Wound infections (n=13; 23.21%), Skin graft loss at donor site (n=5; 8.95%), Complete flap loss (n=4; 7.14%), Orocutaneous fistulae (n=3; 5.35%), Ankle instability (n=2; 3.57%), Skin paddle necrosis (n=1; 1.78%) and sensory deficit distal to donor site (n=1; 1.78%).Conclusions: Microvascular free fibula is a reliable tool for mandibular reconstruction following tumor resection or trauma. The flap has a high success rate and relatively fewer complications

Prevalence, serodiversity and antibiogram of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in diarrhoeic calves and lambs of Kashmir valley (J&K), India

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is the major cause of diarrhoea in neonatal animals. This study determined the prevalence, serological diversity, virulence gene profile and in-vitro antibiogram of ETEC isolates from diarrhoeic faeces of calves and lambs. The prevalence rate of ETEC in lambs was recorded 18.46 % with O8 as predominant serotype. However, in calves the prevalence rate was recorded 8.57 % with O15 and O26 as predominant serotypes. The antibiogram screening showed differential susceptibility pattern among ETEC isolates with highest resistance to ampicillin and highest sensitivity to enrofloxacin. In the present study, for the first time it was reported that the diarrhoea in calves and lambs occur due to virulent gene est not due to elt gene, which was absent in all the isolates

Maslahah di sebalik keharusan prosedur-prosedur rawatan IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation): suatu kupasan / Mansor Sulaiman … [et al.]

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan kedudukan maslahah di sebalik keharusan pelaksanaan prosedur-prosedur rawatan kesuburan dalam kategori IVF (in-Vitro Fertilisation). Sebagai penentuan kepada batasan kajian, tulisan ini hanya merujuk kepada garis panduan syariah rawatan kesuburan yang telah dibangunkan oleh penyelidik UMP menerusi geran FRGS yang tamat pada 2015. Menerusi rujukan ini, tulisan ini memfokuskan penelitian terhadap maslahah di sebalik keharusan prosedur-prosedur yang berkenaan sahaja. Penelitian yang dijalankan adalah berkisar kepada dalil-dalil dan kaedah-kaedah yang dirujuk dalam penentuan keharusan prosedur-prosedur tersebut. Dalil-dalil dan kaedah-kaedah ini akan dikaji perkaitannya dengan maslahah dan seterusnya dikemukakan kesimpulan berbentuk kedudukan maslahah di sebalik keharusan prosedur-prosedur yang berkenaan. Akhirnya diharapkan tulisan ini akan dapat dijadikan rujukan dalam isu-isu baru khususnya yang memerlukan kepada penjelasan syariah terhadapnya

Empirical Assessment of Machine Learning Techniques for Software Requirements Risk Prediction

[EN] Software risk prediction is the most sensitive and crucial activity of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). It may lead to success or failure of a project. The risk should be predicted earlier to make a software project successful. A Model is proposed for the prediction of software requirement risks using requirement risk dataset and machine learning techniques. Also, a comparison is done between multiple classifiers that are K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), Average One Dependency Estimator (A1DE), Naïve Bayes (NB), Composite Hypercube on Iterated Random Projection (CHIRP), Decision Table (DT), Decision Table/ Naïve Bayes Hybrid Classifier (DTNB), Credal Decision Trees (CDT), Cost-Sensitive Decision Forest (CS-Forest), J48 Decision Tree (J48), and Random Forest (RF) to achieve best suited technique for the model according to the nature of dataset. These techniques are evaluated using various evaluation metrics including CCI (correctly Classified Instances), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Relative Absolute Error (RAE), Root Relative Squared Error (RRSE), precision, recall, F-measure, Matthew¿s Correlation Coefficient (MCC), Receiver Operating Characteristic Area (ROC area), Precision-Recall Curves area (PRC area), and accuracy. The inclusive outcome of this study shows that in terms of reducing error rates, CDT outperforms other techniques achieving 0.013 for MAE, 0.089 for RMSE, 4.498% for RAE, and 23.741% for RRSE. However, in terms of increasing accuracy, DT, DTNB and CDT achieve better results.This work was supported by by Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria de Innovacion, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, (project AICO/019/224)Naseem, R.; Shaukat, Z.; Irfan, M.; Shah, MA.; Ahmad, A.; Muhammad, F.; Glowacz, A.... (2021). Empirical Assessment of Machine Learning Techniques for Software Requirements Risk Prediction. Electronics. 10(2):1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics1002016811910

Effect of laser process loops on the hole diameter and hole formation of laser micro drilling on tc4

Laser micro drilling stands as a precise manufacturing method that employs a focused laser beam to craft accurate, small holes within a diverse array of materials. Its applications span across vital industries like aerospace, medical, and electronics, playing a pivotal role in creating components like fuel injectors, medical implants, and microelectronics. Within this context, a notable challenge emerges in obtaining a refined surface finish during laser micro drilling. This study delves into the impact of a laser loop, a crucial parameter, on the surface quality of TC4, also known as Ti6Al4V - an aerospace staple. Employing a Conventional Fiber Laser with a peak output of 30 W, the experiment meticulously directs the laser beam onto the TC4 surface via a microscope objective lens. The drilling process unfolds in controlled conditions, mitigating external variables such as temperature and humidity. Assessment of drilled hole surfaces transpires through both light and 3D microscopes. Interestingly, holes subjected to higher laser power and increased laser loop rates demonstrate enhanced surface smoothness. In essence, this inquiry demonstrates the substantial influence of laser loop on TC4's surface finish during laser micro drilling. Elevating the laser loop factor leads to heightened surface refinement and diminished roughness in drilled holes. It was found that the diameter entry of the micro-holes was increased by 61% - 89.35% and the diameter exit of the micro-holes also increased by 55.55% - 62.79%. The outcomes of this investigation offer valuable insights for refining the laser micro drilling process to achieve premium surface quality on TC4 and comparable materials. As such, these findings extend guidance for optimal laser loop settings in the realm of laser micro drilling across various materials, benefiting future manufacturing endeavors

Morphological Identification and Resistance Profile of Antibiotic and Heavy Metals-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital Sewage of Peshawar

Background: Increased resistance of microorganisms to commonly prescribed antibiotics has emerged as a significant hurdle in contemporary medical practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared antibiotic resistance as a " major threat to public health.". In the present study, bacterial isolates were selected based on high antibiotic and heavy metal tolerance from a water sample taken from hospital sewage.Methods: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were isolated through the disk diffusion method. Gram staining was done for morphological identification. For molecular identification, the 16s rDNA PCR amplification was done with universal primers. Results: The strain BC1 was found resistant to ampicillin (10μg/ml), and cefixime (5μg/ml). While, susceptible to kanamycin (30μg/ml), azithromycin (15μg/ml) and intermediate in response to amoxicillin (30μg/ml). The strain BC2 was resistant to ampicillin (10μg/ml), cefixime (5μg/ml) and kanamycin (30μg/ml). While, Susceptible to amoxicillin (30μg/ml), and intermediate in response to azithromycin (15μg/ml). The strains were also found resistant to heavy metals.Conclusion: The recent investigation on bacterial strains from hospital effluent found interesting candidates for understanding the AMR bacteria and developing novel active biomolecules to combat the antibiotics problem. The isolated strains could be a source of novel resistant genes however; a comprehensive molecular analysis is needed for advanced studies