An illustrated key to Malacostraca (Crustacea) of the Northern Arabian Sea part-V: Isopoda

The northern Arabian Sea Isopod fauna is keyed out, excluding the gulfs fauna. Some terrestrial species are also included. Previous accounts and recent collections from Pakistan mainly at Karachi have turned up 7 suborders, 18 families, 76 genera and 12 1 species. There 5 are new records from Pakistan. For each species, there is an illustration and information of its reporter from the area and on its host, if parastic. The source of illustration is also given

Fungal Urinary Tract Infection in Burn Patients‎

المقدمة: ان التهاب المسالك البولية هو اكثر انواع الالتهابات المكتسبة من المستشفيات شيوعأ. تعتبر الفطريات سبب غير تقليدي لحدوث التهاب المسالك البولية في الاشخاص الاصحاء, لكنها تكون سبب رئيسي لدى المرضى الراقدين في المستشفيات او في المرضى المصابين بامراض مهيئة للالتهاب او المصابين بالشذوذ الهيكلي للكلى والمسالك البولية. ان المرضى المصابين بالحروق يكونون عرضة للاصابة بعدوى المستشفيات بسبب نقص المناعة الناجم عن الحرق, اصابة الجلد والقناة التنفسية, طول فترة البقاء في وحدة العناية المركزة واستعمال المضادات الحيوية الواسعة الطيف. المواد والطرائق: تضمنت الدراسة عدد من المرضى البالغين من كلا الجنسين المصابين بدرجات مختلفة من حروق الجسم. تم تجميع الادرار لكل مريض في وقت الدخول الى المستشفى ومن ثم اسبوعيأ لمدة 6 اسابيع وارساله الى فحص تحليل الادرار العام وزرع الادرار لاختبار نمو الفطريات. تم اعتبار المرضى الذين اصيبوا بالتهاب المسالك البولية الفطري خلال فترة رقودهم في المستشفى والذين هم بالاصل غير مصابين بهذا الالتهاب وقت الدخول الى المستشفى على انهم العينة الاساسية التي استخلصت منها نتائج الدراسة الحالية. النتائج: 28 (18.6%) مريض ظهرت لديهم نتائج زرع الفطريات موجبة خلال فترة رقودهم في المستشفى, منهم 17 انثى و 11 ذكر. غالبية اعمار المرضى كانت تتراوح بين 41-50 سنة وكان معدل الاعمار ± الانحراف المعياري (44.4 ± 10.7 سنة). اكثر انواع الفطريات المسببة للالتهاب كان    Candida albicans بنسبة 64.3%, يليه  Candida glabrata بنسبة 21.4% ثم Candida tropicalis بنسبة 7.1%. حدث الالتهاب عند غالبية المرضى في الاسبوعين الثاني والثالث خلال فترة رقودهم, على الرغم من ذلك فان بعض المرضى الذين كانت لديهم نسبة حروق الجسم اكثر من 40% اصيبوا بالالتهاب في وقت مبكر وذلك خلال الاسبوع الاول من الرقود. في هذه الدراسة وجد أن الجنس الانثوي, قسطرة الاحليل و داء السكري هي اكثر عوامل الخطر المؤدية الى زيادة نسبة الالتهاب حيث كانت قيمة P 0.03, 0.005 و 0.004 على التوالي. الاستنتاج: ان التهاب المسالك البولية الفطري يحدث بنسبة 18.6% لدى المرضى المصابين بالحروق. اكثر انواع الفطريات المسببة للالتهاب هو candida species. يعتبر تقدم العمر, الجنس الانثوي, النسب العالية من حروق الجسم, قسطرة الاحليل و داء السكري اكثر عوامل الخطر المسببة لهذا الالتهاب.Background: Urinary tract infection is the most common hospital-acquired infection. Fungal species are unusual causes of urinary tract infection in healthy individuals, but common in the hospital setting or among patients with predisposing diseases and structural abnormalities of the kidney and collecting system. Burn patients are susceptible to nosocomial infections owing to the immunocompromising effects of burn injury, cutaneous and respiratory tract injury, prolonged intensive care unit stays and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. Objective: The study population includes adult patients of both genders who presented with different percentages of body burns. Urine sample was collected from each patient at the time of admission and weekly thereafter for 6 weeks and sent for general urine examination and urine culture to test for the possibility of fungal growth. Those who found to develop fungal UTI by urine culture during their hospitalization and had no infection at the time of admission were selected as subjects for our study. Results: 28 (18.6%) patients had positive fungal culture during their hospitalization, 11 of them were males and 17 were females, the most common age of presentation was 41-50 years and the mean age ± SD was (44.4 ± 10.7) years. The most common isolated fungi were Candida albicans (64.3%), followed by Candida glabrata (21.4%) and Candida tropicalis (7.1%). The majority of patients developed infection within the 2nd and 3rd weeks of hospitalization, however, those who presented with total body surface area burned > 40% developed an earlier infection within the 1st week. Female gender, urethral catheterization and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with higher risk of infection as the P values were 0.03, 0.005 and 0.004 respectively. Conclusion: Fungal urinary tract infection occurred in 18.6% of burn patients. The most common causative fungi are candida species. Advanced age, female gender, high percentage of body burn, urethral catheterization and diabetes mellitus were identified as the most common risk factors of such infectio

Changing histological spectrum of adult nephrotic syndrome in comparison to previous study: single centre analysis

Background: Glomerular diseases are an important cause of chronic renal failure in developing countries. The spectrum of diseases causing nephrotic syndrome is changing globally in the last few decades. Methods: Patients in the age group 18-60 years with nephrotic syndrome were consecutively included in the study. Renal biopsies were performed in all patients and were subjected to light microscopy, immunofluorescence (IF) and electron microscopy (EM). Results: 189 patients (67% males) were included in the study. The mean age was 43 years. Primary glomerular diseases accounted for 92.5% of cases while lupus nephritis was the most common secondary glomerular disease. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) accounted for 28.6% of primary glomerular diseases making it the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome. It was followed by membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) in 13.2%, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in 11.2%, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis in 10.6% and minimal change disease in 9.5%. Conclusions: The biopsy diagnosis of FSGS has increased considerably in last few decades and it is now the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults in North India. MGN is the most common lesion in patients over 40 years of age

Assessing the Impact of Service Quality on Consumers Satisfaction: a Comparative Study of Commercial Vs Islamic Banks in Pakistan

This study aims to show the path that Islamic banking follows of Sharia' h while on the other hand commercial banks obeys commercial regulations and rules for the purpose of banking. The main objective of the Islamic banking is to offer interest free services and products which obeys the path of Sharia' h and Islamic banking system makes transaction on the foundation of profit and loss, while on the other hand commercial banks are business oriented banks. The sampling method used in this research was convenience sampling with a sample size of 200 which were the customers of the banks and the research design of the questionnaire used was exploratory The questionnaire was distributed in 4 banks 2 commercial and 2 Islamic banks respectively. Dependent variables are ‘customer expectation and perception' while on the other hand independent variable that are used this research are ‘reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy and responsiveness. The results which are derived from this research shows a negative or less impact of two service quality dimensions on both banks which are Assurance and Empathy. The highest perceived service dimension is “Reliability,” that refers to the reliability of their products and promise to provide the best service quality to their customers. While the lowest perceived service was observed towards “Empathy,” the other two dimension with highest value are tangibility and responsiveness which means that customers' of both commercial and Islamic banks like tangible service and the quick responsiveness towards providing them the best service

Vasopressin for the management of catecholamine-resistant anaphylactic shock

Severe anaesthetic anaphylaxis is relatively uncommon. Oxygen, fluids and epinephrine are considered to be the mainstay for treatment of cardiovascular collapse and current guidelines for the management of anaphylaxis list only epinephrine as a vasopressor to use in the event of a cardiovascular collapse. Recently, evidence has emerged in the support of the use of vasopressin in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, it is also recommended for the treatment of ventricular fibrillation, septic shock and post-cardiopulmonary bypass distribution shock. Currently, there is no algorithm or guideline for the management of anaphylaxis that include the use of vasopressin. We report a 24-year-old woman who developed severe anaphylactic shock at induction of anaesthesia while undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Circulation shock was refractory to epinephrine and high doses of pure alpha-agonist phenylephrine and norepinephrine. Single intravenous dose of two units of vasopressin re-established normal circulation and blood pressure

Relationship of depth of invasion of tumour with neck node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma: a clinico pathological correlation

Background: Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity are relatively common among the head and neck cancers. The increasing depth of invasion (DOI) and the microvascular proliferation caused by neoplastic growth might determine proximity to blood vessels and lymphatics, thus facilitating the tumor’s ability to metastasize. The role of tumour DOI as a prognostic parameter for the development of nodal metastases and for the survival of patients with OSCC are important. Aim of the study was to determine the relationship of the DOI of tumor with the neck node metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.Methods: This study is conducted in the State cancer institute, Gauhati medical college over a period of 1 year from June 2021 to June 2022 among 100 patients. All patients underwent tumor resection with neck dissection, and the DOI is measured.Results: Out of 100 patients included in the study 66 were males and 34 were females. Maximum number of cases 30% were seen in the age group of 51-60 years. Gingivobuccal sulcus (32%) is the most commonly involved site. Maximum number of nodal meta-stasis present in tumours with DOI>11 mm and minimum nodal metastasis present in tumours with DOI<3 mm.   Conclusions: We conclude that tumor DOI is significantly related with neck nodal metastasis in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Studying of heart diseases prevalence, distribution and cofactors in Sudanese population

Background: the following study aimed to reveals the heart diseases (HD) prevalence, distribution and co-factors in Sudanese population during June 2014-June 2015 and to answer the questions related to, in Sudan.Methods: The data collected from different hospitals as gender, age, body mass index BMI, smoking habits, residential states, Pathologies, cardiothoracic ratio CCT, symptoms and breathing rate.Results: showed that HD were predominant among male with 56% and peaked among 65-77 year old, most of sample were either obese or overweight   representing 57% or 35% respectively. The common cofactors for HD were the socio-economic, smoking, hypertension and obesity which representing 90%, 75%, 60% and 57% respectively. The heart diseases HD incidence in Khartoum, Aljazeera, White Nile, Red Sea, and West of Sudan was 40%, 25%, 20%, 10% and 5% respectively. The common type of HD was Coronary Arteries, Valves, Myocardial infarction, and Congestive Heart Failure representing 45%, 17%, 23%, and 15% respectively. And signs were Hypertension, Diabetes mellitus, High Cholesterol, breathing rate, edema, palpitation with relative frequencies 9%, 11%, 6%, 12%, 8% and 10% respectively. Patients’ cardiothoracic ratio CTR exceeding normal level (0.5), A significant relationship between CTR and Breathing rate (BR) (R2 = 0.8) fits in CTR=0.02BR+0.2 as well between age and BR (R2) fits in BR=0.21age + 12.84. And all patients had BR exceeding the adult normal range (12-20).Conclusions: HD could be as endemic to increase mortality following the uneasy avoidable cofactors in the nearest future.

Perceptions of Assistant Principals’ and Principals’ of Bahrain Government Schools about the Impact of the Bahrain Teachers College Educational Leadership Program on Their Performance

This article examines the perceptions of school assistant principals and principals who completed the Bahrain Teachers College higher diploma of education leadership program about its impact on their performance. The study sample consisted of 141 program graduates from 9- cohorts. A multilevel concept in measuring the impact of the educational leadership program on the graduates’ performance was employed. The framework consisted of 4 levels: self-learning, changing others, embedding changes in school practices and sustainability of change and scaling up the school performance. The study questionnaire was designed on the basis of this framework. Results show that the Educational Leadership program positively affected its graduates’ performance in the 4 levels. The majority of the program graduates agreed that the program positively affected their personal qualities, leadership styles and practices to support school development, school staff, students’ performance and school ranking. The majority of the program graduates also agreed that the program positively affected their skills in dealing with curriculum innovations, professional development, research, strategic planning, staff appraisal, communication with community, using ICT, improving students’ learning and applying educational ethics.     Keywords: Education Leadership, School Principals’ Performance, Leadership Styles, School Practices, Leadership Skill

AfroLM: A Self-Active Learning-based Multilingual Pretrained Language Model for 23 African Languages

In recent years, multilingual pre-trained language models have gained prominence due to their remarkable performance on numerous downstream Natural Language Processing tasks (NLP). However, pre-training these large multilingual language models requires a lot of training data, which is not available for African Languages. Active learning is a semi-supervised learning algorithm, in which a model consistently and dynamically learns to identify the most beneficial samples to train itself on, in order to achieve better optimization and performance on downstream tasks. Furthermore, active learning effectively and practically addresses real-world data scarcity. Despite all its benefits, active learning, in the context of NLP and especially multilingual language models pretraining, has received little consideration. In this paper, we present AfroLM, a multilingual language model pretrained from scratch on 23 African languages (the largest effort to date) using our novel self-active learning framework. Pretrained on a dataset significantly (14x) smaller than existing baselines, AfroLM outperforms many multilingual pretrained language models (AfriBERTa, XLMR-base, mBERT) on various NLP downstream tasks (NER, text classification, and sentiment analysis). Additional out-of-domain sentiment analysis experiments show that \textbf{AfroLM} is able to generalize well across various domains. We release the code source, and our datasets used in our framework at https://github.com/bonaventuredossou/MLM_AL.Comment: Third Workshop on Simple and Efficient Natural Language Processing, EMNLP 202