66 research outputs found
Pathogen simulation using soil and water tool (SWAT) model and bacteroides source tracking technique
No full textThe Upper Salem River Watershed (USRW), located in southern New Jersey, is listed as impaired for pathogens by The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) (NJDEP 2011). A 2003 Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the watershed recommended the use of pathogen source tracking to identify pathogen sources and develop a quantitative model to simulate pathogen pollution in the watershed (NJDEP 2003). This research comprises three parts: a) Fecal coliform and E. coli simulation using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in the USRW; this is the first study to conduct sensitivity analysis, calibration and validation of the SWAT model for two widely used pathogen indicators for multiple sampling stations in one watershed. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that pathogen input is the most sensitive parameter in the simulation of both indicators. Fecal coliform and E. coli simulation at five of six sampling stations generally showed good calibration and validation based on Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency values (0.04 to 0.71). b) Investigation of temperature effects on the persistence of bovine-Bacteroides; the primary goal of this part of the research was to identify the decay rate of bovine- Bacteroides in stream water at 4°C, 20°C and 30°C. The decay constant of bovine-Bacteroides was calculated between 0.01 h-1 in the mesocosm incubated at 4°C to 0.05 h-1 in the mesocosm at 30°C. Comparison of this study with other similar studies indicates that as temperature increased, a greater discrepancy in compared constant values was observed. c) Pathogen source tracking was done using a multiple linear regression analysis in the USRW. The primary goals of this research phase were to use a bovine-Bactreroides source tracking technique to investigate if bovine feces are a contributing pathogen source to the river system and to identify the spatial distribution of bovine pathogen discharge to the USRW. The results of the simulated model showed agreement with the potential bovine distribution sources (i.e., animal feeding facilities). A probability of occurrence map of bovine derived pathogens was also developed to spatially identify which sub-watersheds have greater likelihood of pathogen contributions from bovine sources.Ph. D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Mehran Niaz
DeepSlides dataset
No full text<p>DeepSlides dataset.</p>
<p>please cite:</p>
<pre>@article{senaras2018deepfocus,
title={DeepFocus: detection of out-of-focus regions in whole slide digital images using deep learning},
author={Senaras, Caglar and Niazi, M Khalid Khan and Lozanski, Gerard and Gurcan, Metin N},
journal={PloS one},
volume={13},
number={10},
pages={e0205387},
year={2018},
publisher={Public Library of Science San Francisco, CA USA}
}</pre>
Flood Risk Prediction under Global Vegetated Hydrodynamics: A Bayesian Network
No full textThe increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events due to global warming and climate change is increasing flood risk. To act, rather than react, nature-based solutions (NBS) involving vegetation and wetlands are being explored on top of conventional solutions like dikes. WHY? There was a dire need for global study quantifying the potential of vegetation in reducing flood risk and eventually make a decision support tool which enables quick assessments about flood risk reduction in a vegetated hydrodynamic system. WHAT? The developed tool can predict flood risk anywhere in the world without rigorous modeling through user defined conditionalization of in-situ hydrodynamic or vegetation characteristics. HOW? Multivariate dependence among parameters of schematized system can exhibit characteristics of vegetated hydrodynamics. To ensure global representation of vegetated hydrodynamics a copula-based multivariate stochastic model has been developed which caters global ranges of each parameter, their probability distributions and the inter-parameter dependencies through ranked correlations. Numerical modeling has been carried out through XBeach non-hydrostatic model by resolving full spectrum of high and low frequency waves. A non-parametric Bayesian network-based flood risk prediction tool has been developed from the synthetic dataset developed from the simulations. SO? Bulk results conclude that saltmarshes attenuates waves by 87% and mangroves by 94% as a mean value. Wave attenuation, flood risk reduction and wave run-up manifests maximum dependence on offshore wave height, water depth, drag coefficient, vegetation height, frontal width, and forest length and least on offshore slope and vegetation density. NOW? The flood risk prediction tool would help decision makers in implementing NBS, in making better informed decisions about early warnings and policy making related to flood risk reduction and climate change adaptation by incorporating vegetation. NOVELTY? To the author's knowledge no such study exists which captures natural variability of hydrodynamics and vegetation together in a probabilistic model over global scales. Additionally, no such study exist which applies non-parametric Bayesian networks to predict flood risk. The dependence modeling of global vegetated hydrodynamic environments is also unique which skims out the most critical parameters.Coastal and Marine Engineering and Management (CoMEM)Civil Engineering | Hydraulic Engineering | Hydraulic Structures and Flood Ris
Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) in Salivary Gland Tumors.
No full textProfessor Oral Pathology, Islamabad Dental Hospital, Islamabad
6Demonstrator Oral Pathology Margalla Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad
Author`s Contribution
1Conception and idea acquisition of data, 2Data Analysis, 3Results interpretation, 4Editing and drafting, 5Critical Revision, 6Final approval of the study to be published
Funding Source: None
Conflict of Interest: None
Received: February 02, 2024
Accepted: May 27, 2024
Address of Correspondent
Dr. Zainab Niazi
Associate Professor Oral Pathology, Islamabad Dental Hospital, Islamabad
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) by comparing its findings with the gold standard histological features of salivary gland lesions.
Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Histopathology, Islamabad Medical and Dental Hospital (IMDC), from January 2023 to December 2023, patients presenting with salivary gland swellings. Fifty-seven patients having salivary gland swelling were included on which both histological and cytological evaluation had been done. Twenty cases were excluded because either they had lack of correlation between FNAC and histology or on view of inadequate material. All the patients were clinically evaluated clinically and FNAC was done using 10ml disposable syringe and 23/24-gauge needle without using local anesthesia. The histopathology of the surgical specimens and cytology of the FNAC specimens were compared, and the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were evaluated.
Results: On FNAC, 37 cases were diagnosed cytologically, as 9 cases identified malignant and 28 as benign. Histopathological examination confirmed 9 malignant cases and 25 benign cases, whereas 3 cases were classified as false positive. The specificity and sensitivity of FNAC were 75% and 94%, respectively. Overlapping cytological features, heterogeneity, and unsampled areas were the primary factors contributing to false-positive.
Conclusion: This study showed that salivary gland FNA cytology is a valuable diagnostic technique for salivary gland lesions, however due to great variation in pleomorphic adenoma, the samples must be confirmed by histopathological features
Interplay between leadership and patient safety in dentistry: a dental hospital-based cross-sectional study
No full textObjectives: The study aimed to study the association of leadership practices and patient safety culture in a dental hospital. Design: Hospital-based, cross-sectional study Setting: Riphah Dental Hospital (RDH), Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants: All dentists working at RDH were invited to participate. Main outcome measures: A questionnaire comprised of the Transformational Leadership Scale (TLS) and the Dental adapted version of the Medical Office Survey of Patient Safety Culture (DMOSOPS) was distributed among the participants. The response rates for each dimension were calculated. The positive responses were added to calculate scores for each of the patient safety and leadership dimensions and the Total Leadership Score (TLS) and total patient safety score (TPSS). Correlational analysis is performed to assess any associations. Results: A total of 104 dentists participated in the study. A high positive response was observed on three of the leadership dimensions: inspirational communication (85.25%), intellectual stimulation (86%), and supportive leadership (75.17%). A low positive response was found on the following items: ‘acknowledges improvement in my quality of work’ (19%) and ‘has a clear sense of where he/she wants our unit to be in 5 years’ (35.64%). The reported positive responses in the patient safety dimensions were high on three of the patient safety dimensions: organisational learning (78.41%), teamwork (82.91%), and patient care tracking/follow-up (77.05%); and low on work pressure and pace (32.02%). A moderately positive correlation was found between TLS and TPSS (r=0.455, p<0.001). Conclusions: Leadership was found to be associated with patient safety culture in a dental hospital. Leadership training programmes should be incorporated during dental training to prepare future leaders who can inspire a positive patient safety culture
Preferential hydrodynamic, geomorphological, and vegetation ecology conditions for turtle nesting: Al Wajh Bank, Saudi Arabia
No full textSea turtles are a popular tourist attraction that offers travelers a unique nature experience. As a part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision, an unprecedented amount of tourism development is being carried out under the ‘Red Sea Development Project’. The aim is to develop hyper-luxury islands in a sustainable and ecologically friendly way by closely following ‘Building with Nature’ principles. The tourism development site at Al Wajh Bank encompasses an archipelago of more than 90 islands and some of the sandy islands provide nesting grounds for Hawksbill and Green turtles. The thesis is a component of a broad study on investigating the preferential conditions for sea turtle nesting and conservation where TU Delft is collaborating with NIOZ and KAUST. The present study makes a preliminary assessment of the preferential conditions for sea turtle nesting of wave hydrodynamics and geomorphological conditions based on available data and numerical wave model simulations. The study is expected to provide information and guidance for future research for the conservation of sea turtle nesting at Al Wajh Bank.The coral reefs provide breeding grounds for sea turtles in the gently sloping sandy beaches along the raised islands where the sand has ideal conditions of moisture, temperature, and distribution of sediment size for successful nesting and hatching of eggs at an optimum distance from the highwater line to avoid inundation by wave runup. In general, the foreshore at the turtle nesting site has a fore reef with a steep slope followed by a wide and shallow reef flat having high bottom roughness for dissipation of wave energy. The Al Wajh Bank spread over an area of 2880 km^2 has a very large and complex barrier reef system at the outer edge in the deep sea enclosing a massive lagoon with several islands. These islands have sandy beaches on the up wave (windward) side and mudflats with sand and vegetation in the sheltered zones. The vegetation is dominated by mangroves in the mudflats and seagrass in the shallow lagoon beds.The study used the Delft3D WAVE stand-alone phase averaging spectral wave model for transforming waves from offshore to nearshore and to examine the energy dissipation characteristics of the reef system. The high-resolution bathymetry data for the Al Wajh Banks was obtained from GCC and relatively coarse resolution data for the offshore from GEBCO. The model simulated offshore wind and wave data validated using satellite altimetry, SAR, and Buoy measurements was obtained from BMT ARGOSS online services website “waveclimate.com”. The normal and extreme wave conditions were derived using this data. The data on GPS coordinates at the location of turtle nesting sites was provided by a survey undertaken by KAUST. A limited data on sediment size distribution at four islands south of Al Wajh Bank was made available by KAUST collected by ALS Arabia. The data on beach slopes, the distance of nests from HWL, geomorphology, vegetation was derived from secondary sources or in an indirect manner using bathymetry data.The wave model results were analyzed for the nearshore wave heights and distribution of energy density at the fore reef and inside the lagoon. The wave model results revealed that the extensive barrier reef on the seaward side of the Al Wajh Bank is able to completely prevent and dissipate the energy of the offshore waves providing ideal conditions for turtle nesting at seaside islands. Further, the results show that the offshore waves do not have any role in the production and dissipation of wave energy inside the lagoon. The study confirmed that the waves inside the lagoon are exclusively local wind-generated waves. The wave climate inside the lagoon during storm conditions is only influenced by the prevailing strong winds and not dependent on the storm-generated extreme waves from offshore.Most of the sea turtle nests have been found on the up wave or windward side of beaches with flat and wide reefs or fringing reefs between the reef crest and the high-water line. The wave model demonstrated the large energy dissipation rates under these geo-morphological conditions. In the absence of relevant data on sediments for the nesting and non-nesting beaches, no specific conclusions could be drawn. The beach slopes where sea turtle nests were abundant had slopes in the range of 1:10 and 1:20. The study indicated that the non-nesting sites inside the lagoon are in the sheltered zones of inner reef shelfs and behind the islands where mudflats with mangroves and other vegetation are abundant.The wave runup is estimated using the HyCReWW metamodel at the nesting and non-nesting sites. The metamodel estimates indicated that the wave runup is of comparable magnitude both for the nesting and non-nesting sites. The comparison of runup distance along the beach indicated that the turtle nesting sites are located sufficiently away from the runup computed for 1 in 100-year wave heightA satellite imagery-based global shoreline data source (Shoreline Monitor, Deltares/TUDelft) was used to examine the erosion and accretion trends at Al Wajh Bank. The data identified two of the islands as having chronic erosion which have a small percentage of nesting sites. The analysis of the data identified that the turtle nesting sites are located on beaches with stable erosion/accretion rates.The study confirmed the limitations of the Delft3D WAVE (SWAN) model used in simulating IG waves. Due to the very large domain and the course grid adopted in the present study the wave setup aspects have not been covered. The present study was useful in providing a range of information and guidance for further hydrodynamic and geomorphological data inputs at a regional scale and application of models like X-Beach or SWASH for a more comprehensive and detailed analysis on the influence of the surf and swash zone dynamics including IG waves on the sea turtle nesting sites. A systematic data acquisition on geomorphological and sediment characteristics will be useful for logistic regression analysis to study the dominant factors influencing the turtle nesting and non-nesting sites.Civil Engineering | Hydraulic Engineerin
Disposable Bioprocessing Systems
No full textWritten by a researcher with experience designing, establishing, and validating biological manufacturing facilities worldwide, this is the first comprehensive introduction to disposable systems for biological drug manufacturing. It reviews the current state of the industry; tackles questions about safety, costs, regulations, and waste disposal; and guides readers to choose disposable components that meet their needs. This practical manual covers disposable containers, mixing systems, bioreactors, connectors and transfers, controls and sensors, downstream processing systems, filling and finishing systems, and filters. The author also shares his predictions for the future, calling disposable bioprocessing technology a "game changer.
پاکستان کے اردو سفر نامے:لینڈ اسکیپ اور تہذیبی شناخت
No full textLandscape is an external face of a region that represents not just the flora and fauna of the region rather the history, civilization, and cultural values as well. Each bit of the scene of a landscape, no matter natural or cultural, comes to imbibe, build, or evolve some specific meanings. Those meanings are generally established in the context of the history, culture, religion, and beliefs prevalent in that region. Literary writings have been representing and navigating both kinds of landscapes with all their diversity. Any voracious reader would endorse that among all others, the genre of travelogue stands atop in describing, narrating, and traversing landscapes of any region or place. The rivers, forests, deserts, lands, mountains, flowers, gardens, buildings, mosques, and tombs of saints appearing in the Urdu travelogues about Pakistan help us trace and trail the cultural varieties, and diverse histories of the region. In this paper, the author had tried to explore the cultural identity of the country through the Urdu travelogues of Pakistan
The Coming of Age of Biosimilars: A Personal Perspective
No full textBiosimilars have come of age over the past 17 years, with 84 approvals in the EU and 35 in the US, representing almost 90% of the world market. While the acceptance of biosimilars in the US is catching up with that in the EU, the cost benefits remain elusive due to the high development barrier and complex distribution system involved, mainly in the US. In the EU, the cost of biosimilars has already dropped 70% or more, and interchangeability is a routine in some European jurisdictions, unlike in the US, where a separate regulatory approval is required. This paper projects significant changes coming in the US and EU’s biosimilars approval requirements that will impact the approval procedures in the rest of the world, leading to dramatic changes in the cost of biosimilars to patients. This perspective is based on the author’s first-hand experience to secure FDA approvals of biosimilars and an extensive analysis of the rationality of testing to demonstrate biosimilarity. Multiple citizen petitions by the author and meetings with the FDA may have prompted the recent announcement by the FDA to award a $5 million research grant to scientists to develop novel testing models to establish biosimilarity, including modifying the interchangeability protocols. Soon, demonstration of biosimilarity will not require animal testing and, in most cases, clinical efficacy testing; over time, the clinical pharmacology testing will be reduced as the regulatory agencies develop more confidence in the safety and efficacy of biosimilars. Biosimilars have come of age; now it is the turn of the developers to grow up, and one way to show this is to challenge the current regulatory guidelines but only on scientific grounds to seek more concessions, for which both FDA and EMA are ready
The FDA’s New Guideline “Generally Accepted Scientific Knowledge” (GASK): An Opportunity to Expedite the Approval of Biosimilars
No full textThe US FDA’s new guideline suggests using “Generally Accepted Science Knowledge” (GASK) to develop nonclinical testing protocols for developing drugs and biologicals to remove unnecessary testing. Interpreting acceptable scientific knowledge as a rational approach has motivated the author to suggest substantial changes to the development of biosimilars, as demonstrated in this paper. The FDA can accept these suggestions without requiring any legislative change to the Act that defines such requirements. Suggested here is the waiving of clinical efficacy testing due to its lower sensitivity compared to analytical and functional testing and pharmacokinetic profiling. Also questioned is the need to test pharmacodynamic markers that do not correlate with clinical response and find new biomarkers requiring extensive testing to validate their use. Should the FDA accept these scientifically rational suggestions, it will significantly reduce the time and cost of approving biosimilars without safety or efficacy risk, as justified based on acceptable scientific knowledge and rationality
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