An Empirical Model of Packet Processing Delay of the Open vSwitch

Network virtualization offers flexibility by decoupling virtual network from the underlying physical network. Software-Defined Network (SDN) could utilize the virtual network. For example, in Software-Defined Networks, the entire network can be run on commodity hardware and operating systems that use virtual elements. However, this could present new challenges of data plane performance. In this paper, we present an empirical model of the packet processing delay of a widely used OpenFlow virtual switch, the Open vSwitch. In the empirical model, we analyze the effect of varying Random Access Memory (RAM) and network parameters on the performance of the Open vSwitch. Our empirical model captures the non-network processing delays, which could be used in enhancing the network modeling and simulation

Comparison of clinico-pathological characteristics and survival of recurrent ovarian cancer patients on seven different chemo-protocols

Despite the growing prevalence of ovarian cancer (OC) in Pakistan, no literature evidence exists regarding its clinic-pathological characteristics, survival and compliance of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer and various chemo-protocols. An observational study was conducted by enrolling 251 recurrent OC patients on 7 different chemo-protocols, from a specialized cancer care hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, using convenient judgmental sampling. The study was conducted for a period of 6 months. Most of the patients were between 18 and 70 years of age, with IIIC FIGO stage and papillary serous histological grade. As per RECIST, improved partial response (PR) (63.3 %) and complete response (CR) (52.1 %) was observed in the CP (carboplatin + paclitaxel) arm, substantiated by improved median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in CP and CD (carboplatin + docetaxel) arms, respectively, yet with no significant differences in survival curves, PFS (p = 0.12) and OS (p = 0.22). Interestingly, the highest and the lowest patient non-compliance were observed in CG (carboplatin + gemcitabine) (81.6 %) and paclitaxel (4.5 %) arms, resp. As per the hazard model for survival, topotecan showed significant association with the therapy related events/deaths compared to other protocols. These data suggest that CP regimen exhibited improved clinical efficacy and decreased toxicity related non-compliance in recurrent ovarian cancer patients of Lahore

Current perspectives of oncoplastic breast surgery in Pakistan

Oncoplastic breast surgery is based on the concept of tumour-specific immediate reconstruction. It combines both local and distant techniques to maintain breast texture, symmetry and cosmesis without compromising oncological outcome. The current narrative review was planned to highlight the current state and future of oncoplastic breast surgery in low- and middle-income countries where its utilisation in surgical practice remains insubstantial because majority of the surgeons who are treating breast cancer are either general surgeons or breast surgeons who do not have expertise in oncoplastic breast surgery or reconstructive surgery. Moreover, scarcity of financial resources, ignorance about oncoplastic breast surgery techniques, disfigurement distress and cultural taboos coerce women to hide in the shadows with their breast disease. Oncoplastic breast surgery needs more exposure in a developing country like Pakistan. There is a need to establish dedicated oncoplastic breast surgery training centres, fellowship programmes, workshops, and webinars to incorporate such techniques in the practice of breast surgeons

Phenotypic Analysis, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiogram of Caries-Causing Bacteria Isolated From Dental Patients

Dental caries is a biofilm-mediated, sugar-driven, multifactorial, dynamic disease that results in the phasic demineralization and remineralization of dental hard tissues. Despite scientific advances in cariology, dental caries remains a severe global concern. The aim of this study was to determine the optimization of microbial and molecular techniques for the detection of cariogenic pathogens in dental caries patients, the prevalence of cariogenic bacteria on the basis of socioeconomic, climatological, and hygienic factors, and in vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of selected synthetic antibiotics and herbal extracts. In this study, oral samples were collected from 900 patients for bacterial strain screening on a biochemical and molecular basis. Plant extracts, such as ginger, garlic, neem, tulsi, amla, and aloe vera, were used to check the antimicrobial activity against the isolated strains. Synthetic antimicrobial agents, such as penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, metronidazole, doxycycline, ceftazidime, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, were also used to access the antimicrobial activity. Among 900 patients, 63% were males and 37% were females, patients aged between 36 and 58 (45.7%) years were prone to disease, and the most common symptom was toothache (61%). For oral diseases, 21% used herbs, 36% used antibiotics, and 48% were self-medicated, owing to sweets consumption (60.66%) and fizzy drinks and fast food (51.56%). Staphylococcus mutans (29.11%) and Streptococcus sobrinus (28.11%) were found as the most abundant strains. Seven bacterial strains were successfully screened and predicted to be closely related to genera S. sobrinus, S. mutans, Actinomyces naeslundii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Eubacterium nodatum, Propionibacterium acidifaciens, and Treponema Pallidum. Among plant extracts, the maximum zone of inhibition was recorded by ginger (22.36 mm) and amla (20.01 mm), while among synthetic antibiotics, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin were most effective against all microbes. This study concluded that phyto extracts of ginger and amla were considered suitable alternatives to synthetic antibiotics to treat dental diseases

Genome-wide analysis of blood lipid metabolites in over 5000 South Asians reveals biological insights at cardiometabolic disease loci.

Funder: PfizerFunder: NovartisFunder: National Institute for Health ResearchFunder: MerckBackgroundGenetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors can lead to perturbations in circulating lipid levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, how changes in individual lipid species contribute to disease risk is often unclear. Moreover, little is known about the role of lipids on cardiovascular disease in Pakistan, a population historically underrepresented in cardiovascular studies.MethodsWe characterised the genetic architecture of the human blood lipidome in 5662 hospital controls from the Pakistan Risk of Myocardial Infarction Study (PROMIS) and 13,814 healthy British blood donors from the INTERVAL study. We applied a candidate causal gene prioritisation tool to link the genetic variants associated with each lipid to the most likely causal genes, and Gaussian Graphical Modelling network analysis to identify and illustrate relationships between lipids and genetic loci.ResultsWe identified 253 genetic associations with 181 lipids measured using direct infusion high-resolution mass spectrometry in PROMIS, and 502 genetic associations with 244 lipids in INTERVAL. Our analyses revealed new biological insights at genetic loci associated with cardiometabolic diseases, including novel lipid associations at the LPL, MBOAT7, LIPC, APOE-C1-C2-C4, SGPP1, and SPTLC3 loci.ConclusionsOur findings, generated using a distinctive lipidomics platform in an understudied South Asian population, strengthen and expand the knowledge base of the genetic determinants of lipids and their association with cardiometabolic disease-related loci