Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

(First paragraph) Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have recently been proposed as one of the promising ad hoc networking techniques that can provide both drivers and passengers with a safe and enjoyable driving experience. VANETs can be used for many applications with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications. In the United States, motor vehicle traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for all motorists between two and thirty-four years of age. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 33,808 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. The US Department of Transportation (US-DOT) estimates that over half of all congestion events are caused by highway incidents rather than by rush-hour traffic in big cities. The US-DOT also notes that in a single year, congested highways due to traffic incidents cost over $75 billion in lost worker productivity and over 8.4 billion gallons of fuel. Some of the significant applications of VANETs are road safety applications including collision and other safety warning systems, driver convenience and information systems, and, in the future, intelligent traffic management systems

Reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment in Lahore population: A cross-sectional survey in a low-income country

ABSTRACT Introduction: Poor esthetics, dysfunction and discomfort are the key reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment across the world as reported by many researchers. This paper presents the causative factor for seeking orthodontic treatment in the patients who are visiting Punjab Dental Hospital of a populous city Lahore (de\u27 Montmorency College of Dentistry) in local settings and associating these reasons with demographic characteristics. Objective: Aim of this cross-sectional survey was to explore the reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment among individuals who are visiting PDH. Materials and methods: This study was carried out in Punjab Dental Hospital (PDH) after the approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) on a sample of 98 individuals having malocclusion assessed with Angle\u27s classification of the malocclusion. We chose simple random sampling. A self-structure questionnaire was designed to get data by the principal investigator after taking verbal and written consent. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS 21. Chi-square test of association was applied to associate reasons with different demographic variables. P-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Female respondents were more in number than males. Around one-third of respondents (30.6 %) had a monthly income of less than 25000 PKR ($ 170). Esthetics was the primary reason for seeking orthodontic treatment. The most common type of malocclusion was the Class II malocclusion. Statistically significant factors that emerged in this study that turned into reasons for seeking orthodontic treatment were hurdles in marriage, referral by a general dentist, motivation by parents, self-esteem and speech problems. Conclusion: In conclusion, patients seek orthodontic treatment mainly to enhance facial esthetics and self-confidence, motivation by the parents, and social acceptability

Determinants of short birth intervals among married women: A cross-sectional study in Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction: Birth spacing is a critical pathway to improving reproductive health. WHO recommends a minimum of 33-month interval between two consecutive births to reduce maternal, perinatal, infant morbidity and mortality. Our study evaluated factors associated with short birth intervals (SBIs) of less than 33 months between two consecutive births, in Karachi, Pakistan.Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional study among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) who had at least one live birth in the 6 years preceding the survey (N=2394). Information regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, fertility preferences, family planning history and a 6-year reproductive calendar were collected. To identify factors associated with SBIs, we fitted simple and multiple Cox proportional hazards models and computed HRs with their 95% CIs.Results: The median birth interval was 25 months (IQR: 14-39 months), with 22.9% (833) of births occurring within 33 months of the index birth. Women\u27s increasing age (25-30 years (aHR 0.63 (0.53 to 0.75), 30+ years (aHR 0.29, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.39) compared with 20-24 years; secondary education (aHR 0.75, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.88), intermediate education (aHR 0.62, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.80), higher education (aHR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.92) compared with no education, and a male child of the index birth (aHR 0.81, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.94) reduced the likelihood of SBIs. Women\u27s younger age \u3c20 years (aHR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.24) compared with 20-24 years, and those who did not use contraception within 9 months of the index birth had a higher likelihood for SBIs for succeeding birth compared with those who used contraception (aHR 2.23, 95% CI 1.93 to 2.58).Conclusion: Study shows that birth intervals in the study population are lower than the national average. To optimise birth intervals, programmes should target child spacing strategies and counsel MWRA on the benefits of optimal birth spacing, family planning services and contraceptive utilisation

Inflating the volume of polyhedra

Motivated by physicists wrapping oil drops in ultrathin plastic sheets, we are inter ested in volume-increasing deformations of polyhedra. We implement a constructive proof by Igor Pak in Mathematica. We take as input a tetrahedron and output a submetric deformation that has greater volume. This implies that there is an isom etry that also increases volume. We extend the algorithm to work on any “simple” polyhedron: one all of whose vertices have degree 3. We investigate the relationship between volume and surface area for several of these deformations and discuss our findings

Rise of Xenophobia in the West: Indian Exploitation and its Implication on Pakistani Diaspora

The world is witnessing the rise of xenophobia in the Western society and culture that is massively deteriorating the social fabric of the western society and creating a gulf between the natives of different countries and the locals. A considerable number of Political Scientists including the famous Noam Chomsky are of the view that it is nothing but a planned manipulation of minds of the local people by the ruling elite for getting their electoral gains and portray Muslims as a monster that are serious threat for the stability and security of the Western society. The paper intends to unfold the xenophobic trends and the Indian role in fueling the xenophobia against the Pakistani Diaspora. The theoretical lens that will magnify the literature would be the Social Constructivism. The paper will highlight the exploitation of minds by the Western political parties that ultimately help them to get the desired results in the electoral process with primary focus on the Pakistani Diaspora. The paper will also illuminate the fears of the Western society about the decaying trends in their culture and linguistics

Characterization of Genomic Diversity among Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli Clinical Isolates and Antibacterial Efficacy of Silver Nanoparticles from Pakistan

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) is considered an important threat to public health resulting in resistance accumulation due to antibiotics misuse and selection pressure. This warrants periodic efforts to investigate and develop strategies for infection control. A total of 184 carbapenem-resistant clinical strains of E. coli were characterized for resistance pattern, resistance genes, plasmids, sequence types and in vitro efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Carbapenem resistance was prevalent in E. coli isolated from female patients (64.7%), urine samples (40.8%) and surgical wards (32.1%). Polymyxin-B showed higher susceptibility. ESBLs and carbapenemases were produced in 179 and 119 isolates, respectively. Carbapenemase-encoding genes were observed among 104 strains with blaNDM-1 (45.1%), blaOXA-48 (27%), blaNDM-7 (3.8%), blaNDM-1/blaOXA-48 (15.4%), blaNDM-7/blaOXA-48 (2.9%), blaOXA-48/blaVIM (3.8%) and blaNDM-1/blaVIM (2%). ESBL resistance genes were detected in 147 isolates, namely blaSHV (24.9%), blaCTX-M (17.7%), blaTEM (4.8%), blaSHV/blaCTX-M (29.2%), blaSHV/blaTEM (15%) and blaCTX-M/blaTEM (8.8%). ST405 (44.4%) and ST131 (29.2%) were more frequent sequence types with ST101 (9.7%), ST10 (9.7%) and ST648 (7%). The replicon types IncFII, IncFIIK, IncA/C, IncN and IncL/M were detected. The combination of MEM/AgNPs remained effective against carbapenemase-positive E. coli. We reported genetically diverse E. coli strains coharboring carbapenemases/ESBLs from Pakistan. Moreover, this study highlights the enhanced antibacterial activity of MEM/AgNPs and may be used to manage bacterial infections

Clinicopathological Features and Expression of Ki-67 in Odontogenic Keratocyst, Dentigerous Cyst and Radicular Cyst

Background: Biological behaviour of Odontogenic Keratocyst (OKC) is aggressiveness than others Odontogenic Cysts (OCs) like Dentigerous Cyst (DCs) and Periapical Cyst/Residual Cysts (RCs). The aim of the study was to determine clinicopathological features and expression of Ki-67 in Odontogenic Cysts of the oral cavity. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at de’Montmorency College of Dentistry (DCD from Feb, 2020 to Feb, 2022 after approval from Institutional Review Board (IRB) of DCD. A total 78 cases of OCs were collected from hospitals which are affiliated with the DCD. Routine lab process for Hematoxylin &amp; Eosin and Immunohistochemistry was performed. Data entry and statistical analysis was carried out in SPSS 21. A Chi- square test was applied to observe the association between cyst and Ki-67. P value &lt; 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Results: Among total 78 cases the mean age was 25.08 ±14.5 years with an age range of 6-70 years. Most OCs (64.1%) were reported in males than females (35.89%). Most OCs were reported in mandible (56.4%. Ki-67 expression in OKC was high 7.7%, low in 76.9% and negative in 15.4%). Most of the DCs and RCs expressed low expression of Ki-67 (84.6% and 76.9% respectively). &nbsp; Conclusion: Most of the odontogenic cysts expressed low expression of Ki-67 while few cases of OKC and DC expressed high expression. Keywords: Dentigerous Cyst, Odontogenic Keratocyst, Immunohistochemistry, Ki-67, Odontogenic Cysts, Periapical Cyst, Radicular Cyst

Immunohistochemical Expression of BCL-2 in Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors

Background: Malignant salivary gland tumors (MSGTs) consist of a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with complex clinicopathological features and biological behaviors. The purpose of this study was to determine the expression of Bcl-2 antiapoptotic protein in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), adenoid cystic carcinoma (ADCC), acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) of salivary glands and to find out its association with different grades of these tumors. Material and Methods: This descriptive study included 55 cases of MSGTs. Tissue sections were stained with routine hematoxylin and eosin stain as well as Bcl-2 immunostain. MSGTs were graded as low grade (Low grade MEC, ACC, PLGA, and tubular pattern of ADCC), intermediate grade (cribriform pattern of ADCC, and intermediate grade of MEC) and high grade (high grade of MEC and solid pattern of ADCC) tumors on H&amp;E sections. Bcl-2 expression was scored as ‘negative’ (&lt;5% of neoplastic cells), ‘1’ (5-19% of neoplastic cells), ‘2’ (20-49% of neoplastic cells), and ‘3’ (&gt;50% of neoplastic cells), respectively. Results: MSGTs most commonly involved the parotid gland (52.7%), while ADCC (40%) and MEC (38.2%) were the most common tumors. Expression of Bcl-2 was strongly positive in 56.4% cases of MSGTs which included ADCC (71%), MEC (19.4%) and ACC (9.7%), respectively. A significant association was found between Bcl-2 staining and types of MSGTs i.e., MEC, ADCC, ACC (P = .001) as well as between Bcl-2 staining and grades of MSGTs (P = .013). Conclusions: Bcl-2 protein is expressed in malignant salivary gland tumors. Its expression maybe helpful in grading small biopsies, predicting behavior, and planning targeted therapy of MSGTs. &nbsp; &nbsp

Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety amongst Cancer Patients in a Hospital Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. The biomedical care for cancer has not been complemented by psychosocial progressions in cancer care. Objectives. To find the prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst cancer patients in a hospital setting. Design and Setting. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the tertiary care hospitals Shifa International Hospital Islamabad and Nuclear Medicine, Oncology, and Radiotherapy Institute [NORI]. Patients and Methods. 300 patients were interviewed from both the outpatient and inpatient department using The Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS). Main Outcome Measures. Using a score of 20 and above on the AKUADS, 146 (48.7%) patients were suffering from anxiety and depression. Results. When cross tabulation was done between different factors and the cancer patients with anxiety and depression, the following factors were found out to be significant with associated p value < 0.05: education of the patient, presence of cancer in the family, the severity of pain, and the patient’s awareness of his anxiety and depression. Out of 143 (47.7%) uneducated patients, 85 (59.4%) were depressed, hence making it the highest educational category suffering from depression and anxiety. Conclusion. The prevalence of anxiety and depression amongst cancer patients was high showing that importance should be given to screening and counseling cancer patients for anxiety and depression, to help them cope with cancer as a disease and its impact on their mental wellbeing. Limitations. The frequency of female patients in our research was higher than those of male patients

Association of the circulating micro-RNAs with susceptible and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus cases

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an array of metabolic diseases, which results from deregulation in insulin secretion or its action leading to abnormally high levels of blood sugar associated with long-term damage, organs failure, especially the eyes, heart, kidneys, blood vessels and nerves whose frequency has increased progressively worldwide. Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the plasma levels of miRNA-126, miRNA-486, miRNA-223 and miRNA-375 in newly diagnosed T2DM susceptible and healthy control individuals. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the T2DM-related miRNAs miRNA-126, miRNA-486, miRNA-223 and miRNA-375 in plasma of three study groups comprising healthy control (N = 36), newly diagnosed T2DM (N = 29) and T2DM susceptible individuals (N = 30) using Real Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (Taqman®). All the statistical analysis were done using SPSS version 21software. Results: Significant associations were found between these parameters. The expression levels of miR-126, miR-486, miR-223, and miR-375 were downregulated in T2DM patients and further reduced in T2DM-susceptible individuals compared to healthy controls. Additionally, miR-223 and miR-375 showed an inverse correlation with HbA1c levels, while all four miRs displayed an inverse correlation with FBS levels in the combined group analysis. Conclusion: These observed associations further suggest that miR-126, miR-223, and miR-375 may be involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism and glycemic control. Their down regulation could potentially contribute to impaired insulin signaling, beta-cell dysfunction, inflammation, and disrupted glucose homeostasis, all of which are characteristics of diabetes