4 research outputs found
Preventing Ocular Surface Foreign Body Complications: Enhancing Awareness and Precaution
Get PDFBackground: Ocular surface foreign bodies are the second most common emergency condition in the ophthalmology department OPD, which can be easily prevented through proper precautionary measures. Also, they can be either superficial or embedded into the cornea or conjunctiva. In this study, we aimed to create awareness regarding the prevention and management of such cases to reduce ocular complications.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in the Ophthalmology department of Ziauddin University Hospital Karachi. The study duration was 4 years from 16th November 2019 to 15 November 2022. Patients presented to the ophthalmology department OPD with complaints of ocular foreign bodies were examined clinically and a total of 427 patients were included in the study who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The data was collected and analyzed on SPSS 23. The chi-square test was used to compare the variables.
Results: Our study analyzed that ocular surface foreign bodies had a strong association with the profession. The metallic foreign bodies were found in 283(66.3%) patients and the remaining 144 (37.7%) were non-metallic. There was a strong correlation found between the type of foreign body and the site of ocular involvement. The p-value was significant with 0.0001.
Conclusion: The majority of ocular surface foreign bodies were workplace-related due to a lack of awareness of protective measures. A counseling workshop should be arranged regarding its importance for workers in their workplaces which will improve their work capacity, and health and reduce economic burden
Experimental Study on Slosh Dynamics Estimation in a Partially Filled Liquid Container Using a Low-Cost Measurement System
No full textA classic problem in the field of engineering and especially fluid dynamics is the liquid sloshing. Advancements in aerial robotics for agricultural purposes also drew attention towards the stability of pesticide spraying platforms under the influence of sloshing. Several mechanics models of the sloshing phenomenon had already been developed which are capable to predict the slosh within certain limits. This paper aims to identify sloshing parameters using a novel approach that utilizes a low-cost sensor. This research work utilizes Kalman filter to reduce measurement noise which is inherited by the sensor. The experimental setup used in this research consists of a rectangular container placed on a conveyor belt. Ultrasonic sensor was mounted on the top of the container, whose slosh parameters need to be identified. Sloshing data was acquired using an ultrasonic sensor in the presence of the input supplied by the motion of the conveyor. System identification is used to identify the system model. Luenberger observer and Sliding mode observers were utilized to check the accuracy of the predicted model. The RMSE value and the best fit estimation percentages were calculated for comparison of accuracy and error analysis. After several tests with different slosh levels, the recorded data is analyzed. The results support our proof of concept to measure slosh under dynamic conditions using a low cost sensor. The identified model of sloshing can be incorporated on an agriculture pesticide sparing drone for precision spraying resulting in efficient spraying of pesticide. © 2001-2012 IEEE
Is Using the Harmonic Scalpel Better than Conventional Hemostasis in Neck Dissection? A Meta-Analysis
No full textStudy Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective: The clinical decision to pursue harmonic scalpel (HS) method vs conventional hemostasis to treat head and neck cancers has been arguably predicated on the clinical outcomes observed. This study aims to evaluate the surgical outcomes of neck dissection between both techniques and perform an updated meta-analysis using the available literature. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library through 31 December 2021, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Outcome metrics included operative time and intraoperative blood loss. Secondary outcomes consisted of length of hospital stay, length of drain stay, total drain output, and postoperative complications. A meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager Version 5.3 (RevMan) software employing the Random Effects Model. Results: We identified 114 articles, out of which 10 randomized control trials (RCTs) analyzing a combined total of 558 patients met the inclusion criteria after title and full-text screening. Meta-analysis shows the group treated with HS had a significantly shorter operative time. [MD = −23.21, 95% CI (−34.30, −12.12) p value < 0.0001 I2 = 92%] but an insignificant lesser intraoperative blood loss [MD = −61.53, 95% CI (−88.61, −34.45) p < 0.00001 I2 = 79%]. Conclusions: This study confirms that that HS use in neck dissection yields a reduced operative time and intra operative blood loss relative to conventional hemostasis. Furthermore, our paper shows no superiority of HS method over conventional hemostasis where length of hospital stays, length of drain stays, and postoperative complications are concerned. Future RCTs with high-level evidence may further elucidate the relative effectiveness of HS method over conventional hemostasis in treating head and neck cancers
How terrorism ends : understanding the outcomes of violent political contestation
No full textExisting scholarship suggests terrorism is an ineffective method of political contestation; groups rarely achieve their political objectives and are often disrupted by the security services. These findings invite us to look again at the dominant rational choice paradigm, which suggests that terrorism is selected as the best strategy to achieve predetermined goals. Unpicking the assumptions underpinning this model using historical case studies, comparative analysis and typology development, this thesis broadens our interpretation of what those who use terrorism seek to achieve. It does so via a tripartite framework. First, employing a new reading of American pragmatist thought, interpreting militant group goals as culturally and socially mediated problems opens up a new vista of outcomes, in particular examining the way terrorism seeks to change relations between people. Second, using Social Movement Theory as its organising framework, an empirically derived typology of militant groups sets out the background political conditions and organisational characteristics of 28 dormant groups. Using existing models of interpreting outcomes to assess these historical cases demonstrates the unmet challenges of providing robust explanations for why terrorism ends and what it achieves. Third, the thesis explores the promise of a mechanism and process-led approach to explaining outcomes. It does so through in-depth examination of two historical case studies: Kach and the Aden-Abyan Islamic Army. Despite being classified as failures, using largely neglected primary sources, the case studies reveal a range of fascinating and important outcomes that still resonate in Israel and Yemen today. Most of these methodological and conceptual tools are being applied to the question of terrorism’s outcomes for only the first or second time. In doing so, this thesis offers greater depth than existing scholarship on how terrorism ends, by looking beyond measures such as success and failure in interpreting outcomes, whilst affording greater breadth through its ability to make comparative assessments at the level of mechanisms and processes. The result is a more detailed and robust set of explanations as to how terrorism ends and what it achieves, illustrated through detailed historical case studies of two interesting, yet often neglected, groups
