Enhancing Performance of a Deep Neural Network: A Comparative Analysis of Optimization Algorithms

Adopting the most suitable optimization algorithm (optimizer) for a Neural Network Model is among the most important ventures in Deep Learning and all classes of Neural Networks. It's a case of trial and error experimentation. In this paper, we will experiment with seven of the most popular optimization algorithms namely: sgd, rmsprop, adagrad, adadelta, adam, adamax and nadam on four unrelated datasets discretely, to conclude which one dispenses the best accuracy, efficiency and performance to our deep neural network. This work will provide insightful analysis to a data scientist in choosing the best optimizer while modelling their deep neural network

ASSOCIATION OF SHORT INTERPREGNANCY INTERVAL (IPI) WITH MATERNAL ANEMIA AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background; The time interval between pregnancies is considered to be an important and modifiable risk factor in terms of adverse perinatal outcomes. This study was done to  determine the frequency of anemia in pregnant women having short interpregnancy interval. Materials and methods; All the pregnant women with short interpregnancy interval were registered from Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nishtar Hospital Multan, Pakistan. Examination was done including general physical examination. Those with interpregnancy interval less than 6 months were included in study. Detailed history was taken regarding parity, duration of pregnancy. Duration of gestation was estimated according to patients last menstrual period. Three ml venous blood sample was drawn and sent to the pathology laboratory of Nishtar Hospital Multan for Hb levels analysis. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results; Mean age of our study cases was noted to be 27.83 ± 4.95 years (with minimum age of our study cases was 21 years while maximum age was noted to be 38 years). Of these 90 study cases, 51 (56.7%) were from rural areas, 73 (81.1%) were normal weight 11(12.2%) were overweight and 6 (6.7%) were obese. Seventy eight (86.7%) were illiterate. Of these 90 study cases, 73 (81.1%) were having poor socioeconomic status, 11 (12.2%) were diabetic and 17 (18.9%) were hypertensive. Mean body mass index (BMI) of our study cases was noted to be 22.31 ± 2.07 Kg/m2. Mean gestational age of our study cases was noted to be 24.02 ± 8.31 weeks. Mean Hb level was noted to 10.67 ± 0.893 g/dl (with minimum Hb level was 9.6 g/dl while maximum Hb level was 12.5 g/dl). Mean interpregnancy interval was 4.23 ± 0.98 months (with minimum interpregnancy interval was 2.5 months while maximum interpregnancy interval was 6 months). Anemia was noted in 74 (82.2%) our study cases and only 23 (25.6%) of our study cases were taking iron supplements. Conclusion; Short interpregnancy interval less than 6 months is related with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Very high frequency of anemia was noted in our study cases having interpregnancy interval less than 6 months. Anemia was significantly associated with residential status, hypertension and iron supplementation. Birth spacing is an issue which women should have some control over. Educational interventions, including birth control, should be applied during prenatal visits and following delivery. Keywords; Short interpregnancy Interval, anemia, hemoglobin

ROLE OF PROSTAGLANDIN E2 FOR INDUCTION OF LABOR IN PATIENTS WITH PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES AT TERM.

Background; As the time between the rupture of the membranes and the onset of labor increases, so may the risk of maternal and fetal infection so this study was conducted to ascertain the role of prostaglandin E2 for induction of labor in patients with PROM at term.  Material and Methods; All the study cases (n = 161) presenting with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) having singleton were taken from Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nishtar Hospital Multan in this descriptive case series. Pregnant women were examined in lithotomy position, leakage of fluid was inspected by sterile speculum.  Three mg of Prostaglandin E2 was kept in posterior fornix and women were kept in left lateral position for 30 minutes. If the uterine activity does not start and Bishop score remains unchanged (≤6), same dose was repeated after 6 hours. Data was analyzed by using SPSS Version 20. Results; Mean age of our study cases was 28.74 ± 5.03 years (with minimum age was 21 years while maximum age was 39 years). Our study results have indicated that majority of our study cases i.e. 112 (69.6%) were aged 20 – 30 years of age. Of these 161 study cases, 70 (43.5%) were from rural areas while 91 (56.5%) were from urban areas. Mean parity of our study 3.17 ± 0.81 and most of the study cases i.e. 105 (65.2%) had parity up to 3. Mean gravidity was 4.35 ± 0.81 and most of the study cases i.e. 91 (56.5%) had gravidity up to 4. Mean body mass index (BMI) was noted to be 24.21 ± 3.08 kg/m2 and obesity was noted in 28 (17.4%) of our study cases. Mean duration of hospitalization before delivery was noted to be 14.15 ± 4.67 hours while time taken for induction of labor was 4.24 ± 1.36 hours and mean gestational age was noted to be 39.43 ± 1.17 weeks. Cesarean section was noted in 31 (19.3%) of our study cases while 130 (80.7 %) underwent vaginal deliveries and poor APGAR score was noted in 11 (6.8%). Conclusion; Our study results support the use of prostaglandin E2 for induction of labor in women with premature rupture of membranes at term as it was safe, reliable and effective mode of treatment. No major side effects were noted in our study. Mode of delivery and poor APGAR score were significantly associated with parity, gravidity, obesity and prolonged duration of hospitalization. Keywords; Premature rupture of membrane, term, prostaglandin

Once upon a time in the land of five rivers : a comparative analysis of translated Punjabi folk tale editions, from Flora Annie Steel's colonial collection to Shafi Aqeel's post-partition collection and beyond : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English Literature, Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand

This thesis offers a critical analysis of two different collections of Punjabi folk tales which were collected at different moments in Punjab’s history: Tales of the Punjab (1894), collected by Flora Annie Steel and, Popular Folk Tales of the Punjab (2008) collected by Shafi Aqeel and translated from Urdu into English by Ahmad Bashir. The study claims that the changes evident in collections of Punjabi folk tales published in the last hundred years reveal the different social, political and ideological assumptions of the collectors, translators and the audiences for whom they were disseminated. Each of these collections have one prior edition that differs in important ways from the later one. Steel’s edition was first published during the late-colonial era in India as Wide-awake Stories in 1884 and consisted of tales that she translated from Punjabi into English. Aqeel’s first edition was collected shortly after the partition of India and Pakistan, as Punjabi Lok Kahaniyan in 1963 and consisted of tales he translated from Punjabi into Urdu. Taking as my starting point the extensive (often feminist) scholarship on the ideological functions of folk lore and tale-telling, I explore the assumptions affirmed or challenged in these collections. My particular focus is on the differences between Steel’s late nineteenth-century, female-edited, Western/colonial Indian collection and Aqeel’s post-partition, ‘native,’ male-edited, Islam-inflected Pakistani collection, keeping in mind the collectors’ sociohistorical and political backgrounds along with differences in their implied audiences. The first chapter considers the history of and motivations for folklore collection in nineteenth-century British India and the colonial folklorists who were involved in this activity, especially in the Punjab. The second chapter offers a discussion of Flora Annie Steel’s biographical background and her various writings in order to suggest how her position as a (ostensibly) feminist colonial Memsahib, along with the editorial supervision of Richard C. Temple, may have influenced her collection and translation of Punjabi tales. The chapter also discusses how, at the time, female collectors like Steel relied on the authority of men to secure the validity of their work, needing a male scholarly stamp of approval. The third chapter discusses the life and works of Shafi Aqeel and the differences between the two editions of the collection (one published in Urdu in 1963, the other in English almost fifty years later in 2008). My own translation of the Urdu version illuminates the extent to which the English translator of Popular Folk Tales of the Punjab, Ahmad Bashir, added yet another level of appropriation to what were originally oral tales from the Punjabi region. Chapter Four provides a comparative analysis of selected tales from each collection focusing on the differences evident between similar tales that appear in each collection and discusses the reasons behind the changes introduced. Building on this, my concluding chapter, makes claims about what is distinctive about each version of the tale and collection, and offers possible reasons for their differences. As a supplement to the thesis I have included my own translations of selected tales from Aqeel’s Urdu edition as an Appendix, along with a note detailing the principles followed in the preparation of these translations. I have also appended two scanned versions of one tale from Aqeel’s Urdu edition and its English version, my own translation of which is already in the appendix. Through the analysis of the historical, social, political, and authorial background of the collections, and the analysis of the prefaces and notes to these, my study concludes that each collector (and/or translator) has imposed their own particular set of assumptions and values on the tales they have chosen to collect. The differences I observe between the collections and editions are often subtle but sometimes startling. These differences, I argue, can be attributed to the historical moment in which they were collected/published, and the ideological/political persuasion of the collectors and their anticipation of readers’ expectations. Differences between the editions not only prove revealing about the workings of folktales but also about how the collection of these might reflect cultural and social shifts and understandings, particularly in the Punjab region of Pakistan

Rainfall forecast using SARIMA model along the coastal areas of Sindh Province

Rainfall forecasting is critical for economic activities such as agriculture, watershed management, and flood control. It requires mathematical modelling and simulation. This paper investigates the time series analysis and forecasting of the monthly rainfall for the Sindh coastline, Pakistan. The seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model was used for the last three decades (1991-2020) and forecasting was done for the next two years. The model is based on the Box Jenkins methodology. The decomposition of time series plots into trend, seasonaland random components showed a seasonal effect. The Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) and Mann–Kendall (MK) tests showed the inherent stationarity of the rainfall data. The best SARIMA models for monthly rainfall were SARIMA (1,0,1)(3,1,1)12 and SARIMA (1,0,1)(1,1,1)12 with Akaike information criterion corrected (AICC) values of 1507 and 1387, respectively. The model predictions indicate that, in the years 2021/22, July will likely have the most rainfall, followed by August and June. The diagnostic statistical test values directed that the adequacy of the models is consistent for projected monthly rainfall forecasts

The Interest of the Supreme Audit Institution in Sustainable Economic, Social and Environmental Development on the Audit Quality Performance

Purpose: This research aims to Identify role of the Board of Supreme Audit has a significant role in achieving the dimensions of sustainable development (SD).   Theoretical framework: The research provides a conceptual framework for SD, its objectives and dimensions. It probes the role of supreme audit institution (SAI) in achieving the goals of SD.   Design/methodology/approach: The study examined the perceptions of 100 participants affiliated to the institution of financial supervision, department of technical studies and research. we are hypothesized that the SAI has an interest in SD, and that this interest is reflected in the quality of auditing performance. we are used Z-TEST to test the significance of the association hypotheses between the interest of SAI in economic, social and SD and the quality of the control audit performance.   Findings: The study found that the most supreme audit achieved the completion of the tasks entrusted with high levels of quality in performance. Results also showed that there is a statistically significant correlation between the SAI interest in sustainable economic, social and environmental development (SED) and the quality of auditing performance.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The interest of SAI in sustainable economic, SED on the quality of auditing performance.   Originality/value: the Originality of value in the article by the role of audit quality (AQ) over the organizing relationships, dividing work according to terms of reference, providing the necessary resources, and exerting the necessary professional care

Women and Environmental Change: A Case Study of Small-Scale Fisheries in Chilika Lagoon

In recent decades, many lagoons around the world have experienced environmental degradation resulting from impacts of various drivers of change (e.g., natural disasters and aquaculture). This has created adverse consequences for lagoon ecosystems (e.g., habitat and species loss) and human societies (e.g., loss of fishing livelihoods and commons rights). Asia’s largest lagoon, Chilika lagoon, situated along the eastern coastline of Odisha, India, is no exception. This thesis investigates the gendered implications of environmental change in the small-scale fishery system of Chilika lagoon. It focuses on fisherwomen’s perspectives about changes in the fishery commons in relation to processes of adaptation. Three main research objectives frame this study: 1) to examine fisherwomen’s perspectives about drivers of change within the social-ecological system of Chilika lagoon and resulting changes in the fishery commons; 2) to analyze how environmental change (i.e. objective one) is impacting the livelihood of fisherwomen and how fisherwomen are responding; and 3) to examine how fisher communities are adapting to the ongoing process of environmental change, with a focus on the gendered implications of out-migration. As a result, this thesis addresses an important research gap by conducting a gender sensitive analysis of environmental change in Chilika that highlights often neglected perspectives of fisherwomen. Adopting a gender lens on environmental issues in the context of this research is crucial. This is because of the differential risks women experience as individuals, groups, community members, and in relation to men, and the specific knowledge and insights they have on processes of change. This research applied a participatory and qualitative case study based approach. A combination of research methods were employed including document review, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participant observation. Additionally, an integrative conceptual framework was utilized to explore women’s narratives in relation to the uncertainty and complexity of environmental change, drawing on theories and concepts associated with social-ecological systems, drivers of change, the commons, and adaptation. Research findings demonstrate that gender is one of the primary social constructs that mediates resource use and community relationships. For example, traditionally, fishermen engage in catching fish in the lagoon, whereas fisherwomen participate in fish processing activities within their homes. An analysis of findings reveals that fisher communities in Chilika lagoon face a commons crisis that presents gender differentiated impacts and challenges for livelihoods to respond and adapt to environmental change. As fisher communities experience fishery resource access issues, rights infringements, and institutional rearrangements, fishermen are forced out of fishing and many fisherwomen show to bear the brunt of change. The results of this research provide useful insights and recommendations for practitioners and policy about sustaining the commons through collaborative approaches and decision-making that actively engages the fisher communities of Chilika lagoon–particularity the experiences and knowledge of fisherwomen

Genetic Variations of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor Gene With Premenstrual Syndrome Among Pakistani Menarcheal Girls: A Pilot Study

The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) comprises various physical and emotional symptoms which are associated with the menstrual cycle. The emotional changes might be due to the variation in the levels of BDNF especially lower levels of plasma BDNF may be present at the luteal phase of menstrual cycle. To date, no data were present to associate the link between BDNF gene polymorphism and PMS among young Menarcheal females. So, the goal of this investigation is to find out the possible relationship between BDNF gene polymorphism and PMS among young Menarcheal females of Pakistan. A total of 92 menarcheal girls with age range of 11-14yrs met the inclusion criteria. All participants were screened for the depression and PMS using Zung’s depression scale/ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM IV) criteria and world health organization (WHO) criteria for PMS respectively. Genomic DNA was extracted from oral samples by Salting out method and BDNF genotyping was done using PCR-RFLP analysis. Results showed no significant association (χ2=1.685, p-value=0.431) was observed between BDNF genotyping and PMS among menarcheal girls. BDNF (rs6265) AA and GA genotypes did not show significant association with the risk of PMS. Hence, it was concluded that BDNF gene polymorphism may not be associated with the PMS among Pakistani Menarcheal girl

On the radius of univalence of convex combinations of analytic functions

We consider for α>0, the convex combinations f(z)=(1−α)F(z)+αzF′(z), where F belongs to different subclasses of univalent functions and find the radius for which f is in the same class