24 research outputs found
The Importance of Mentoring for Returnee Doctoral Graduates
No full textDoctoral studies abroad are an important component of higher education faculty training in Pakistan. A significant number of trained academics return to the country following the completion of their studies and assume high-level positions in the higher education sector. The assumption is often that the returnees are highly trained and, therefore, well prepared for responsible academic roles. As a result, no mentoring arrangements are in place to prepare young academics for their subsequent roles. The study sought to examine and explore various aspects of research performance of the young academics, their challenges and expectations, how the gender aspect unfolds in the context of a patriarchal society as well as the coping mechanism for young academics. Among the findings, it is evident that the infant research culture and administrative overload have a negative influence on and are compounded by cultural dynamics linked to gender roles. However, the research also highlights a strong influence of foreign academics in Pakistan in enabling returnees to cope with the absence of formal mentorship at home
Pattern Matching for DNA Sequencing Data Using Multiple Bloom Filters
No full textStoring and processing of large DNA sequences has always been a major problem due to increasing volume of DNA sequence data. However, a number of solutions have been proposed but they require significant computation and memory. Therefore, an efficient storage and pattern matching solution is required for DNA sequencing data. Bloom filters (BFs) represent an efficient data structure, which is mostly used in the domain of bioinformatics for classification of DNA sequences. In this paper, we explore more dimensions where BFs can be used other than classification. A proposed solution is based on Multiple Bloom Filters (MBFs) that finds all the locations and number of repetitions of the specified pattern inside a DNA sequence. Both of these factors are extremely important in determining the type and intensity of any disease. This paper serves as a first effort towards optimizing the search for location and frequency of substrings in DNA sequences using MBFs. We expect that further optimizations in the proposed solution can bring remarkable results as this paper presents a proof of concept implementation for a given set of data using proposed MBFs technique. Performance evaluation shows improved accuracy and time efficiency of the proposed approach. © 2019 Maleeha Najam et al
Barriers To Mentorship For Academic Returnees: Experiences From Pakistan Higher Education
No full textMentoring of faculty is one important aspect in higher education especially for countries investing in training faculty abroad. The study explores the key challenges that young faculty are facing and the expectations following return from doctoral studies abroad. The participants of this study were doctoral graduates who completed studies in UK and USA and working in the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. A grounded theory approach was used in the theoretical development of the categories of participant perspectives concerning their constraints and expectations. Using both primary data and secondary data from in-depth interviews, participant experiences were explored and analysed. The findings reveal challenges faced by young academics returning to Pakistan. Some of the difficulties are emerging due to the infant higher education system characterised by the lack of a research culture and at a time when academic roles are experiencing change. Remedial mechanisms in form of further mentoring by foreign faculty, installation of research infrastructure and restructuring of existing systems are needed to strengthen research in Pakistan higher education system
Barriers To Mentorship For Academic Returnees: Experiences From Pakistan Higher Education
No full textVariations of Antioxidant Characteristics and Mineral Contents in Pulp and Peel of Different Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) Cultivars from Pakistan
No full textVariations of phenolics, antioxidant activity, and mineral contents in peel and pulp of five apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars from Pakistan, namely Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Kashmiri Amri, Kala Kulu and Sky Spur were appraised. The mean extract yield of antioxidant components obtained with 80:20 methanol-water (v/v), was found to be 22.1 g/100 g for peel and 14.2 g/100 g for pulp on a dry weight basis. The amounts of total phenolics and total flavonoids in peel and pulp of different cultivars of apple ranged from 1,907.5–2,587.9 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g DW and 1,214.3–1,816.4 mg catechin equivalent/100 g DW and 1,185.2–1,475.5 mg GAE/100 g DW and 711.8–999.3 mg CE/100 g DW, respectively. The inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and DPPH scavenging activity of the extracts varied from 71.7–84.9 and 66.6–80.8% in peel, and 43.9–52.8 and 42.9–51.1% in pulp, respectively. Reducing power of the tested fruit part extracts at concentration 12.5 mg/mL ranged from 2.54–2.89 and 1.37–1.73, respectively. With regard to minerals analysis, both fruit parts showed the amount of K to be the highest, followed by Mg, Ca, Fe, Na and Zn. The results revealed that peel of the tested apple cultivars in this study had superior antioxidant capacity and mineral concentration than the pulp, indicating significant variations between the parts tested. Thus, consumption of apple fruits along with peel might be recommended to gaining better nutritive benefits
Variation in Minerals, Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity of Peel and Pulp of Different Varieties of Peach (<em>Prunus persica</em> L.) Fruit from Pakistan
No full textPeach (<em>Prunus persica</em> L.), being a potential source of bioactive compounds, has been demonstrated to have medicinal benefits. In this study variation of minerals and antioxidant characteristics (total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, reducing power, inhibition of peroxidation using linoleic acid system and DPPH free radical scavenging activity) between peel and pulp parts of different peach varieties, namely Golden, Shireen, and Shahpasand were investigated. The peel and pulp extracts, derived from the varieties analyzed, exhibited an appreciable amount of total phenolics (TP) and total flavonoids (TF), ranging from 1,209.3–1,354.5, 711.7–881.3 mg GAE/100 g and 599.7–785.5, 301.3–499.7 mg CE/100 g on a dry weight basis, respectively. Reducing power of peel and pulp extracts (12.5 mg/mL concentration) ranged from 2.57–2.77 and 1.54–1.99.The inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation and DPPH scavenging activity of the extracts varied from 70.8–80.9% and 66.8–76.5% in peels, and 51.9–60.1% and 43.4–49.1% in pulps. The mineral analysis revealed that the content of K was highest in both parts of the peach fruit followed by Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn and Zn. The results of our present study indicate that peach peel had significantly higher levels of minerals, antioxidant capacity and phenolics than those of the pulp, suggesting the intake of unpeeled peach as a potential source of high-value components. The peach peel can be a useful as a viable source of natural antioxidants for functional foods and nutraceutical applications
Faculty Mentoring and Unmasking Gender Biases and Influences for Pakistan Returnee Doctoral Graduates From Abroad
No full textThe mentoring of faculty is an important aspect in higher education for countries investing in training faculty abroad. This study explores the key challenges faced by young female faculty when returning from doctoral studies abroad and assuming leadership positions in higher education, without having had prior mentoring. The participants of this study were doctoral graduates who completed studies in UK and USA, and who are working in universities overseen by the HEC of Pakistan. A thematic analysis was conducted for interview data obtained from the British Council in Pakistan and consisting of mainly young female academics. The findings reveal outright discrimination against females, a lack of support for female faculty and the role of the socio-cultural context constraining them. Remedial mechanisms in the form of appropriately matched mentoring is needed to address the emerging concerns
074 Perceptions, challenges, and experiences of healthcare providers in emergency departments regarding workplace violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: an exploratory qualitative study from an LMIC (a qualitative study protocol)
No full text074 Perceptions, challenges, and experiences of healthcare providers in emergency departments regarding workplace violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory qualitative study from an LMIC (a qualitative study protocol)
No full textStatement of Purpose To determine the perceptions, challenges and experiences regarding Workplace Violence faced by ED healthcare providers (Doctors, nurses, and frontline staff) during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods/Approach We aim to conduct a qualitative exploratory study at two major ED’s of the city namely Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) & Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) involving emergency doctors, nurses, paramedics, admin staff and pharmacists. In-depth interviews will be conducted online using a structured IDI guide. Data will be analyzed using a thematic approach on NVivo computer software.Results This is an abstract for a study protocol. The results will be reported based on the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines.Significance Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) has emerged out as a global issue. Emergency Department (ED) HCWs as front liners are more vulnerable to it due to their nature of work and their profound exposure to medical and social situations. The pandemic has not only brought up a health ordeal, alongside it serves as a challenge in social perspective to HCW’s; ever since fighting the stigmas related to the current pandemic which brought up a wave of antagonism from the patients and their attendants. Thus, an ED’s outcry not yet spoken of. Behind closed doors, what had been an infuriating factor for the population were outraged, irrational religious and social perspectives being quoted and referred to, repeatedly on all prominent medium. Thus, the vulnerable and already exposed population to pandemic, was hovered by societal stigmas to bring down their outrage on HCW’s and already battling ED. We anticipate that through this study we can establish basis of WPV amidst pandemic situation and evidence for future interventions to combat such issues
