65 research outputs found
Bone Age practices in infants and older children among practicing radiologists in Pakistan: Developing world perspective
Objective To investigate which bone age assessment techniques are utilized by radiologists in Pakistan to determine skeletal age in three defined age groups: less than one year, one to three years and three to 18 years. We also assessed the perceived confidence in skeletal age assessments made by respondents using their chosen bone age assessment technique, within each defined age group. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 practicing radiologists in Pakistan. A pre-validated survey form was adopted from a similar study conducted amongst members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology. The survey collected demographic information, choice of bone age assessment technique in each age group and confidence of bone age assessments in each age group. Results The hand-wrist method of Greulich and Pyle was used by 87.5% of respondents when assessing bone age in infants (less than one year), followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (7.3%). In children aged one to three years, Greulich and Pyle method was chosen by 85.7% of respondents, followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (6.1%) and the Hoerr, Pyle, Francis\u27 Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Foot and Ankle (3.1%). In children, older than three years, the Greulich and Pyle technique was used by 83.7% of respondents. This was followed by Gilsanz-Ratib hand bone age method (5.8%) and the Hoerr, Pyle, Francis\u27 Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Foot and Ankle (3.8%). 26.4% were very confident in bone age assessments conducted among infants. In children aged one to three years, 38.1% were very confident . In children, greater than three years, 48.6% were very confident in their chosen technique. Conclusion Greulich and Pyle is the dominant method for bone age assessments in all age groups, however, confidence in its application among infants and young children is low. It is recommended that clear recommendations be developed for bone age assessments in this age group alongside incorporation of indigenous standards of bone age assessments based on a representative sample of healthy native children
Leaf Protein and Mineral Concentrations across the “Miracle Tree” Genus Moringa
The moringa tree Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree cultivated across the lowland dry tropics worldwide for its nutritious leaves. Despite its nutritious reputation, there has been no systematic survey of the variation in leaf nutritional quality across M. oleifera grown worldwide, or of the other species of the genus. To guide informed use of moringa, we surveyed protein, macro-, and micro- nutrients across 67 common garden samples of 12 Moringa taxa, including 23 samples of M. oleifera. Moringa oleifera, M. concanensis, M. stenopetala, an M. concanensis X oleifera hybrid, and M. longituba were highest in protein, with M. ruspoliana having the highest calcium levels. A protein-dry leaf mass tradeoff may preclude certain breeding possibilities, e.g. maximally high protein with large leaflets. These findings identify clear priorities and limitations for improved moringa varieties with traits such as high protein, calcium, or ease of preparation
Exogenous application of gibberellic acid improves the maize crop productivity under scarce and sufficient soil moisture condition
Drought stress creates
imbalance or deficiency of some growth
regulators in plants, which leads toward
reduced crop yield. Gibberellic acid is one
of the most important growth regulators in
plants, which improve drought tolerance in
plants under optimum concentration. A field
experiment was conducted under exogenous
application of gibberellic acid under normal
or drought condition and with or without
gibberellic acid application. Crop growth
and yield parameters were assesses during
the experimentation. Study revealed that
crop reduced growth in term of leaf area
index (LAI), leaf area duration (LAD), crop
growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate
(NAR) and total dry matter (TDM) under
drought condition, while these parameters
were improved with gibberellic acid
application. Similary, improved growth rate
resulted in better performance of yield
attributes (cob length, cob diameter, grains
per cob, grain weight and yield). Gibberellic
acid application improved the crop
performance at optimum irrigation, as well
as under reduced irrigation. Although
highest crop yield was recorded with
gibberellic acid application under optimum
irrigation level, while its application under
drought stress improved crop tolerance and
resulted in better crop yield, similar to
optimum irrigation level. Exogenous
application of gibberellic acid not only
improved the drought tolerance in maize,
but also increased the crop yield under
normal condition
The Merging of Two Dynasties—Identification of an African Cotton Leaf Curl Disease-Associated Begomovirus with Cotton in Pakistan
Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) is a severe disease of cotton that occurs in Africa and Pakistan/northwestern India. The disease is caused by begomoviruses in association with specific betasatellites that differ between Africa and Asia. During survey of symptomatic cotton in Sindh (southern Pakistan) Cotton leaf curl Gezira virus (CLCuGV), the begomovirus associated with CLCuD in Africa, was identified. However, the cognate African betasatellite (Cotton leaf curl Gezira betasatellite) was not found. Instead, two Asian betasatellites, the CLCuD-associated Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMB) and Chilli leaf curl betasatellite (ChLCB) were identified. Inoculation of the experimental plant species Nicotiana benthamiana showed that CLCuGV was competent to maintain both CLCuMB and ChLCB. Interestingly, the enations typical of CLCuD were only induced by CLCuGV in the presence of CLCuMB. Also in infections involving both CLCuMB and ChLCB the enations typical of CLCuMB were less evident. This is the first time an African begomovirus has been identified on the Indian sub-continent, highlight the growing threat of begomoviruses and particularly the threat of CLCuD causing viruses to cotton cultivation in the rest of the world
VIDIIA Hunter: a low-cost, smartphone connected, artificial intelligence-assisted COVID-19 rapid diagnostic platform approved for medical use in the UK
Introduction: Accurate and rapid diagnostics paired with effective tracking and tracing systems are key to halting the spread of infectious diseases, limiting the emergence of new variants and to monitor vaccine efficacy. The current gold standard test (RT-qPCR) for COVID-19 is highly accurate and sensitive, but is time-consuming, and requires expensive specialised, lab-based equipment.Methods: Herein, we report on the development of a SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) rapid and inexpensive diagnostic platform that relies on a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay and a portable smart diagnostic device. Automated image acquisition and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) deep learning model embedded in the Virus Hunter 6 (VH6) device allow to remove any subjectivity in the interpretation of results. The VH6 device is also linked to a smartphone companion application that registers patients for swab collection and manages the entire process, thus ensuring tests are traced and data securely stored.Results: Our designed AI-implemented diagnostic platform recognises the nucleocapsid protein gene of SARS-CoV-2 with high analytical sensitivity and specificity. A total of 752 NHS patient samples, 367 confirmed positives for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and 385 negatives, were used for the development and validation of the test and the AI-assisted platform. The smart diagnostic platform was then used to test 150 positive clinical samples covering a dynamic range of clinically meaningful viral loads and 250 negative samples. When compared to RT-qPCR, our AI-assisted diagnostics platform was shown to be reliable, highly specific (100%) and sensitive (98–100% depending on viral load) with a limit of detection of 1.4 copies of RNA per µL in 30 min. Using this data, our CE-IVD and MHRA approved test and associated diagnostic platform has been approved for medical use in the United Kingdom under the UK Health Security Agency’s Medical Devices (Coronavirus Test Device Approvals, CTDA) Regulations 2022. Laboratory and in-silico data presented here also indicates that the VIDIIA diagnostic platform is able to detect the main variants of concern in the United Kingdom (September 2023).Discussion: This system could provide an efficient, time and cost-effective platform to diagnose SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases in resource-limited settings
Techno-economic analysis for the role of single end energy user in mitigating GHG emission
Background: Households, as end energy users, consume grid electricity to meet their energy demands. However, grids across the globe for energy production are majorly based on fossil fuel technology and make the highest contributions to global warming and climate change due to greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. This generic study aims to investigate the minute role of a single-end energy consumer in GHG mitigation by switching to a rooftop PV system to meet his energy demands and trading surplus energy to the grid through its techno-economic analysis. Method: For the study impact, NASA Meteorological Data are used to select an ideal single energy user equipped with a 10-kW PV system based on annual average daily solar radiation and ambient temperature through MATLAB/Simulink, for 11 populous cities in Pakistan. Helioscope software is used to select tilt and azimuthal angles to maximize the solar radiation intercept. Afterward, RETScreen software is used for cost, financial and GHG analysis. Result and conclusion: A single end energy user equipped with a 10-kW PV system switched to a green energy source from a fossil fuel-based grid has the potential to avoid the burning of 3570.6 L of gasoline by producing 16,832 kWh of green energy per annum, while financially recovering the 10-kW PV system’s 7337 stand-alone system over its 25-year life. This approach provides relief to end energy users from high priced grid electricity through environmental friendliness by mitigating 8.3 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per annum from energy production, while providing relief to the main grid by grid stabilization through peak shaving, in the broad sens
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Wild and domesticated Moringa oleifera differ in taste, glucosinolate composition, and antioxidant potential, but not myrosinase activity or protein content.
Taste drives consumption of foods. The tropical tree Moringa oleifera is grown worldwide as a protein-rich leafy vegetable and for the medicinal value of its phytochemicals, in particular its glucosinolates, which can lead to a pronounced harsh taste. All studies to date have examined only cultivated, domestic variants, meaning that potentially useful variation in wild type plants has been overlooked. We examine whether domesticated and wild type M. oleifera differ in myrosinase or glucosinolate levels, and whether these different levels impact taste in ways that could affect consumption. We assessed taste and measured levels of protein, glucosinolate, myrosinase content, and direct antioxidant activity of the leaves of 36 M. oleifera accessions grown in a common garden. Taste tests readily highlighted differences between wild type and domesticated M. oleifera. There were differences in direct antioxidant potential, but not in myrosinase activity or protein quantity. However, these two populations were readily separated based solely upon their proportions of the two predominant glucosinolates (glucomoringin and glucosoonjnain). This study demonstrates substantial variation in glucosinolate composition within M. oleifera. The domestication of M. oleifera appears to have involved increases in levels of glucomoringin and substantial reduction of glucosoonjnain, with marked changes in taste
Regional Changes in the Sequence of Cotton Leaf Curl Multan Betasatellite
Cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) in Pakistan and northwestern India is caused by monopartite begomoviruses in association with an essential, disease-specific satellite, Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMB). Following a recent upsurge in CLCuD problems in Sindh province (southern Pakistan), sequences of clones of CLCuMB were obtained from Sindh and Punjab province (central Pakistan), where CLCuD has been a problem since the mid-1980s. The sequences were compared to all sequences of CLCuMB available in the databases. Analysis of the sequences shows extensive sequence variation in CLCuMB, most likely resulting from recombination. The range of sequence variants differ between Sindh, the Punjab and northwestern India. The possible significance of the findings with respect to movement of the CLCuD between the three regions is discussed. Additionally, the lack of sequence variation within the only coding sequence of CLCuMB suggests that the betasatellite is not involved in resistance breaking which became a problem after 2001 in the Punjab and subsequently also in northwestern India
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