282 research outputs found
Brand Aslam: Contesting Nadeem Aslam as Pakistani Anglophonic Voice
Get PDFThis article explores how the literary texts have been influenced by the writer’s promotion as an author with the knowledge and authority to represent Pakistan. We discuss how “Brand Aslam” draws on and amplifies elements of “Brand Pakistan” to secure the authority of Aslam’s representations of the nation he left as a teenager. We are particularly interested in how the branding of Aslam in terms of his national identity (here, Pakistan), especially due to his active involvement in creation of his image, influences commodity value of his work(s) in the global literary market. We conclude that the “real-life” stories of him as a literary celebrity become the objects of special fascination and determine the reception of his works as a postcolonial author from margins
Identification of risk factors for hepatitis B and C in Peshawar, Pakistan
No full textMuhammad Shafiq,1 Muhammad Nadeem,2 Zeeshan Sattar,3 Sohaib Mohammad Khan,2 Sheikh Muhammad Faheem,4 Irfan Ahsan,5 Rabia Naheed,6 Tahir Mehmood Khattak,2 Shahzad Akbar,7 Muhammad Talha Khan,3 Muhammad Ilyas Khan,1 Muhammad Zubair Khan8 1Department of Internal Medicine, Khyber Teaching Hospital, University Town, Peshawar, 2Department of General Surgery, Nishtar Medical College and Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, 3Department of Internal Medicine, Khyber Medical College, University Campus, Peshawar, 4Department of Neurology, King Edward Medical University, Anarkali, Lahore, Pakistan; 5Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA; 6Department of Internal Medicine, Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, 7Department of Internal Medicine, Lady Reading Hospital, Andar Shehr, Peshawar, 8Department of Internal Medicine, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Hayat Abad, Pakistan Background: Hepatitis B and C need immediate worldwide attention as the infection rates are too high. More than 240 million people have chronic (long-term) liver infections. Every year, about 600,000 people die globally due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B and more than 350,000 people die from hepatitis C-related liver diseases. Methods: Our study was designed as a case-control, descriptive study. It was conducted through formal interviews by using structured questionnaires. A total of 100 cases were included, with four controls for each case. Results: This study confirms household contact, history of dental work, history of surgery, sexual contact, and history of transfusion (blood and its components) as the main risk factors which are responsible for the increased prevalence of hepatitis. Conclusion: The important risk factors, responsible for the high prevalence of hepatitis B and C in our society are household contact, history of dental work, history of surgery, sexual contact, and history of transfusion (blood and its components). The odds ratio of probability for these risk factors are: 4.2 for household contact history, 4.1 for history of dental work, 3.9 for sexual contact, 2.7 for history of surgery, and 2.1 for history of transfusion. Associations of other predictor variables (diabetes status, education level, profession, contact sports, intravenous drug abuse, residence, immunosuppression, and skin tattoos) were not statistically significant. Keywords: hepatitis B, hepatitis C, IV drug abuse, transfusion, dental work, surgery, sexual contac
Access to care in Afghanistan after august 2021: a cross-sectional study exploring Afghans’ perspectives in 10 provinces
Get PDFBackground The Taliban takeover in August 2021 ended a decades-long conflict in Afghanistan. Yet, along with improved security, there have been collateral changes, such as the exacerbation of the economic crisis and brain drain. Although these changes have altered the lives of Afghans in many ways, it is unclear whether they have affected access to care. This study aimed to analyse Afghans' access to care and how this access has changed after August 2021.Methods The study relied on the collaboration with the non-governmental organisation EMERGENCY, running a network of three hospitals and 41 First Aid Posts in 10 Afghan provinces. A 67-item questionnaire about access to care changes after August 2021 was developed and disseminated at EMERGENCY facilities. Ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate whether access to care changes were associated with participants' characteristics.Results In total, 1807 valid responses were returned. Most respondents (54.34%) reported improved security when visiting healthcare facilities, while the ability to reach facilities has remained stable for the majority of them (50.28%). Care is less affordable for the majority of respondents (45.82%). Female respondents, those who are unmarried and not engaged, and patients in the Panjshir province were less likely to perceive improvements in access to care.Conclusions Findings outline which dimensions of access to care need resource allocation. The inability to pay for care is the most relevant barrier to access care after August 2021 and must therefore be prioritised. Women and people from the Panjshir province may require ad hoc interventions to improve their access to care
Determinants of increased real prices of livestock in Balochistan
Get PDFThe real prices of livestock in Balochistan have been increasing dramatically over the last decade and still there is no sign for them to recede. There is no study that accounts for determinants of this rise in the real prices of livestock in Balochistan. The purpose of this research was to find out the determinants for the increasing real prices of livestock. The research was mainly conducted in Balochistan including rural and urban areas of Quetta, Mastung and Kuchlaq. Twenty-nine farmers, livestock experts, government agencies and vets were selected as the respondents to gather data using questioning technique. In addition, some of the data was also obtained from the report of SMEDA. Judgemental sampling was used as the method for data collection from the respondents. The data thus collected was descriptively analysed. The study found that the determinants for the rise in the real prices of livestock included shortage of production/supply, high risk of raising animals, smuggling of livestock across the boarders, lack of government support and low level of technological use.real prices; livestock; Balochistan
An Approach to Model Based Testing of Multiagent Systems
Get PDFAutonomous agents perform on behalf of the user to achieve defined goals or objectives. They are situated in dynamic environment and are able to operate autonomously to achieve their goals. In a multiagent system, agents cooperate with each other to achieve a common goal. Testing of multiagent systems is a challenging task due to the autonomous and proactive behavior of agents. However, testing is required to build confidence into the working of a multiagent system. Prometheus methodology is a commonly used approach to design multiagents systems. Systematic and thorough testing of each interaction is necessary. This paper proposes a novel approach to testing of multiagent systems based on Prometheus design artifacts. In the proposed approach, different interactions between the agent and actors are considered to test the multiagent system. These interactions include percepts and actions along with messages between the agents which can be modeled in a protocol diagram. The protocol diagram is converted into a protocol graph, on which different coverage criteria are applied to generate test paths that cover interactions between the agents. A prototype tool has been developed to generate test paths from protocol graph according to the specified coverage criterion
Aḥmad of Niğde's al-Walad al-Shafῑq and the Seljuk past
No full textThe unpublished unique manuscript of the 14th century Persian work known as al-Walad al-Shafiq (‘The Compassionate Child’) held in the Süleymaniye Library in Istanbul has hitherto never been studied in detail, although it is of considerable importance as a source for medieval Anatolia. This article assesses al-Walad al-Shafiq in the context of the Persian historiography of Anatolia and the historical milieu in which it was composed, arguing that the work is characterised by a sense of loyalty to the vanished Seljuk dynasty that ruled much of Anatolia from the late 11th to the early 14th century. I also examine such information as has survived about the life and background of its author, Qāḍῑ, Aḥmad of Niğde, and consider why the work was written and for whom.</p
Interview with Hossn Shah
No full textمقابلة مع الكاتبة، الصحفية، المخرجة والنسوية المصرية حسن شاه عن فيلمها "أريد حلا" وكيف تعتقد أن السينما المصرية النسوية يمكن أن تعالج القضايا الاجتماعية. كما تناقش تجاربها مع النقاد ومشاريعها القادمة. قامت بالمقابلة نوال شفيق.An interview with Egyptian feminist, author, journalist and film director, Hossn Shah about her film "Ored Halan (I Want A Solution)" and how Egyptian cinema can address feminist issues. Additionally, she discusses her experiences with different art critics. The interview was conducted by Nawal Shafiq
Community Engagement Practices at Research Centers in U.S. Minority Institutions: Priority Populations and Innovative Approaches to Advancing Health Disparities Research
Get PDFThis paper details U.S. Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Community Engagement Cores (CECs): (1) unique and cross-cutting components, focus areas, specific aims, and target populations; and (2) approaches utilized to build or sustain trust towards community participation in research. A mixed-method data collection approach was employed for this cross-sectional study of current or previously funded RCMIs. A total of 18 of the 25 institutions spanning 13 U.S. states and territories participated. CEC specific aims were to support community engaged research (94%); to translate and disseminate research findings (88%); to develop partnerships (82%); and to build capacity around community research (71%). Four open-ended questions, qualitative analysis, and comparison of the categories led to the emergence of two supporting themes: (1) establishing trust between the community-academic collaborators and within the community and (2) building collaborative relationships. An overarching theme, building community together through trust and meaningful collaborations, emerged from the supporting themes and subthemes. The RCMI institutions and their CECs serve as models to circumvent the historical and current challenges toresearch in communities disproportionately affected by health disparities. Lessons learned from these cores may help other institutions who want to build community trust in and capacities for research that addresses community-related health concerns
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