A Further Extension of the Extended Riemann-Liouville Fractional Derivative Operator

The main objective of this paper is to establish the extension of an extended fractional derivative operator by using an extended beta function recently defined by Parmar et al. by considering the Bessel functions in its kernel. We also give some results related to the newly defined fractional operator, such as Mellin transform and relations to extended hypergeometric and Appell\u27s function via generating functions

In silico mutation analysis of human beta globin gene in sickle cell disease patients

Background: Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell conditions make a different form of hemoglobin a called hemoglobin S. Sickle cell conditions are inherited from parents in much the same way as blood type, hair color and texture, eye color and other physical traits. Sickle cell disease occurs due to a single mutation on the b-globin gene, namely, a substitution of glutamic acid for valine at position 6 of the b chain. Several mutations in HBB gene can cause sickle cell disease. Abnormal versions of beta-globin can distort red blood cells into a sickle shape. The sickle-shaped red blood cells die prematurely, which can lead to anemia. The study is focused on analysis of HBB gene with its different variants, Evolutionary pathways and protein domains by using various bioinformatics tools.Methods: The study is focused on analysis of HBB gene with its different variants, Evolutionary pathways and protein domains by using various bioinformatics tools.Results: Sickle cell disease occurs due to a single mutation on the b-globin gene, namely, a substitution of glutamic acid for valine at position 6 of the b chain. Several mutations in HBB gene can cause sickle cell disease. Abnormal versions of beta-globin can distort red blood cells into a sickle shape. Comparative study shown 38 different genes with little genetic variation among different species.Conclusion: Studies suggested that there is need to maintain a primary prevention program to detect sickle cell disease at earlier stages despite having a large high risk. Preventive diagnosis and follow-up would reduce infant mortality by preventing the development of severe anemia as well as dangerous complications. In short, sickle cell disease surveillance would avert loss of life, measured as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death.

Some properties of generalized (S, k)-bessel function in two variables

The devotion of this paper is to study the Bessel function of two variables in k-calculus. we discuss the generating function of k-Bessel function in two variables and develop its relations. After this we introduce the generalized (s, k)-Bessel function of two variables which help to develop its generating function. The s-analogy of k-Bessel function in two variables is also discussed. Some recurrence relations of the generalized (s, k)-Bessel function in two variables are also derived. © 2022 All rights reserved

Implementation of a Bachelor’s in midwifery programme in Pakistan: Reflections of Midwifery Faculty

Introduction/Objective: There is an international consensus on the significant role of competent midwives in improving maternal and newborn health indicators. Midwives and midwifery education in the developing world including Pakistan have lagged behind in being part of higher education. To enhance the quality of maternal and newborn services through competency based higher education in midwifery, the first Bachelors of Science in Midwifery (BScM) programme was introduced in Pakistan. As part of a larger study about establishing this programme, this paper focuses on the reflective logs of midwifery faculty members who initiated this new programme in Pakistan. Method: The team of faculty members involved in the planning and execution of the programme were asked to record their reflections throughout the process of planning the programme to facilitating students in the first cohort. These reflections were collected at the time of the graduation of first cohort in 2014 and content analysis was applied to identify major themes emerging from the reflections. Findings: Major themes which emerged were: a) Scaling up of faculty competence, b) Utilizing student diversity as strength, c) Supporting students’ transition and adjustments in the programme d) Scaffolding students’ learning e) Helping students acquire clinical competencies. Overall, the team regarded the experience as unique and enriching for both students and faculty. The first Bachelors in Midwifery demanded a great deal of theoretical and clinical proficiency from faculty. Rigorous planning, networking with international midwifery experts, continuous faculty development, facilitating student learning through scaffolding, and incorporating periodic feedback from students were found to be the major strengths of the programme. Conclusion: The Bachelor of Midwifery programme in Pakistan has given new hope to the profession. The lessons learned and some of the practical recommendations may prove useful to other institutions and South Asian countries intending to initiate similar programmes

Strengthening the Knowledge and Skills of Community Midwives in Pakistan through Clinical Practice Internships

Objective: On the-job training of Community Midwives (CMWs) is of critical importance in enabling midwives to provide services that meet standards of quality care. The objective of this study was to assess the intervention of an internship for CMWs that would increase their ability to provide quality maternal, newborn, and child health services. Method: A pre and post-intervention design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of an internship of 32 working days. Validated questionnaire was used to assess the CMWs’ knowledge and skills before and after the intervention. Overall, 252 CMWs from 14 districts of the Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan participated in the study. Result:: The intervention improved both the knowledge and skills of the midwives. The pre and post skills and knowledge assessments demonstrated statistically significant increases in the mean scores (p \u3c0.0001). Conclusion: Challenges were encountered in organizing and accessing internship sites and experienced mentors. However, the study found that the internship program helpful for the CMWs to enhance their knowledge and hands-on practice. We recommend that it be continued in future for this cadre of midwives

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Mid-Level Providers regarding Post Abortion Care in Sindh, Pakistan

Background: In Pakistan, half of all pregnancies are unintended (4.2 million per year); out of which 2.2 million end in induced abortions. Almost 700,000 women seek medical treatment for post abortion complications every year. This necessitates access to quality Post-Abortion Care (PAC) services from skilled providers in Pakistan. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of Mid-Level Providers (MLPs) regarding PAC services in Sindh, Pakistan. Method: The study utilized a cross-sectional design. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 116 MLPs, including Nurse Midwives (NM), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), and Community Midwives (CMWs) from different parts of Sindh. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19.Key Findings: The participants comprised 47% NMs, 35% LHVs, and 18% CMWs. The median age of the participants was 30 years. Nearly half of the participants (45%) worked in their own private practices. The remainder were almost evenly divided into those working in primary health care centres and those in secondary care hospitals. The mean score on the knowledge component was 8.9±2.2, from a maximum total of 16. Almost all (98%) the participants had heard about PAC. However, only 29% were aware of the need for a community and service provider partnership as a key element of PAC. Most (81%) of the participants knew about counseling compared with 54% who knew about Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) and 46% about misoprostol. The mean score on the attitude component was 14.9±2.0, from a maximum total of 21. Various gaps were identified in the practices of MLPs regarding PAC counseling, referral linkages, and in addressing reproductive and health issues.Conclusion: The findings highlighted the need for providing comprehensive training and mentorship to the groups of midwives about PAC and building strong networks to enable improved referral processes. Moreover, it is crucial to expand this study at a national level to identify the gaps and to plan strategies to promote safe PAC services

Biosecurity and Biosafety concerns of Research and diagnostic Laboratory under International Guidelines

Currently, academic research labs and diagnostic laboratories are facing a serious issue of biosecurity and biosafety globally. The high rate of mutations and continuous new emerging infectious diseases with the risk of bioterrorism demands that each lab personnel share equal responsibility for biosecurity & biosafety at their work. The primary job of government authorities is to implement a well-organized detection system and limit the spread of hazardous biological agents by providing a biologically safe setting for lab scientists and for the common man in communities and institutes. The safety of lab personnel, lab environment, and pathogens depends on effective and safe laboratory working and pathogen handling which determines the reliable and accurate results of laboratory experiments. The aim of this article is to address the basic components of laboratory biosafety, laboratory biosecurity, and laboratory management. Further DURC (dual-use research of concern) deals with the commencement of lawful reasons to generate information, knowledge, technology, and products that are used for either harmful or beneficial purposes. The precautions are taken to ensure laboratory biosecurity and biosafety should be a part of the laboratory safety policy manual for guidance and implementation for a safe laboratory environment.Keywords: Antioxidants; tomato; lycopene; β-carotene; reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Non-monotonic changes in Asian Water Towers’ streamflow at increasing warming levels

Data Availability Statement - The MERIT DEM is available at http://hydro.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~yamadai/MERIT_DEM/. The NDVI is available at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/climate-data-records/normalized-difference-vegetation-index.The LAI dataset is available at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/climate-data-records/leaf-area-index-and-fapar. Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in Nepal for the Ganges is available at https://www.dhm.gov.np/request-data, and the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority for the Indus are available at http://www.wapda.gov.pk. Soil hydraulic parameters are available at http://globalchange.bnu.edu.cn/research. The Watch Forcing dataset (WFD) is obtained from https://rda.ucar.edu/datasets/. The CMIP6 model outputs are available at https://esgf-node.llnl.gov/search/cmip6/. The RGI data is available at http://www.glims.org/RGI/randolph60.html.The ice thickness datasets are available at https://doi.org/10.6096/1007. The glacier mass balance data are available at https://wgms.ch/data_databaseversions and https://www.sedoo.fr/theia-publication-products/?uuid=c428c5b9-df8f-4f86-9b75-e04c778e29b9. H08 data is available at https://www.isimip.org/. The World Gridded Population is available at https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/collection/gpw-v4. The results of this study are available as a supplement to this manuscript (Supplementary Dataset 1).Previous projections show consistent increases in river flows of Asian Water Towers under future climate change. Here we find non-monotonic changes in river flows for seven major rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau at the warming levels of 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 3.0 °C based on an observation-constrained hydrological model. The annual mean streamflow for seven rivers at 1.5 °C warming level decreases by 0.1–3.2% relative to the present-day climate condition, and increases by 1.5–12% at 3.0 °C warming level. The shifting river flows for the Yellow, Yangtze, Brahmaputra, and Ganges are mostly influenced by projected increases in rainfall, but those for the Mekong, Salween, and Indus are dictated by the relative changes in rainfall, snowmelt and glacier melt. Reduced river flows in a moderately warmed climate threaten water security in riparian countries, while elevated flood risks are expected with further temperature increases over the Tibetan Plateau.National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 92047301, 51825902, 51961125204, and 52109023), and the State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering (Grant Nos. 2022-KY-03). The Tibetan Plateau boundary is provided by National Tibetan Plateau Data Center (http://data.tpdc.ac.cn). L.Y. also acknowledges support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (0209-14380804) and the Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling Fund