5 research outputs found
Evaluation and treatment of post-renal transplant cytomegalovirus disease in children
No full textCytomegalovirus (CMV) infection typically presents as viremia, a clinical syndrome, or tissue-invasive disease. Identifying risk factors and conducting initial blood investigations, followed by invasive tests when appropriate, are crucial steps to rule out serious tissue-invasive disease. Ganciclovir is the cornerstone of CMV disease treatment, with oral valganciclovir used subsequently based on treatment response. For patients with UL-97 mutant ganciclovir-resistant CMV, foscarnet may be administered, often alongside intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), particularly in cases of life-threatening conditions such as CMV pneumonitis. Despite the significance of CMV in this population, there is currently a lack of comprehensive clinical reviews or guidelines specifically addressing the management of post-renal transplant CMV disease in children. This article aims to fill that gap by discussing the various modalities for treating post-renal transplant CMV in children, along with its clinical manifestations and necessary investigations
Timeless College Tales
No full textAt the elite Saeed School of Business, where the cream of the city\u27s student population flock for further education, Professor Madeeha rules the roost with her wisdom and wit, both inside and out of the classroom .
From the tangled webs of loves triangles to the wisdom of work from classical antiquity, author Nadya Chishty-Mujahid creates a world of the heady and intoxicating college experience bubble that is alive with the richness of her professional experience as a celebrated teacher at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA Karachi).
Turn the pages to step into the shoes of young students maneuvering the fierce fights, fiery feelings and fun that is intrinsic to the beauty of the college experience.
These stories will reflect back at you Aristotle\u27s words, \u27\u27Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.\u27\u27https://ir.iba.edu.pk/faculty-research-books/1051/thumbnail.jp
Why Don't Medical Practitioners Treat Malaria Rationally? A Qualitative Study from Pakistan
No full textPurpose: To explore medical practitioners’ perceptions towards
irrational malaria treatment practices in Pakistan. Methods: A
qualitative study was designed to explore the perceptions of medical
practitioners regarding antimalarial prescribing practices in two major
cities of Pakistan, namely, Islamabad (national capital) and its twin
city, Rawalpindi. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using
in-depth interview guides to collect data. Nineteen interviews with
doctors working at different public and private hospitals in Islamabad
and Rawalpindi were conducted at a place and time convenient for the
respondents. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and
evaluated by thematic content analysis and other author analysis.
Results: The interviews focused on three major components, i.e.,
treatment practices in malaria and influencing factors, role of Malaria
Control Program, and suggestions for improvements. Thematic content
analysis of these components yielded further themes: (1) Prevalence of
malaria, (2) Common trends of treatment, (3) Current scenario of
rational drug use, (4) Major contributing factors to irrational drug
use, (5) Use of antibiotics, (6) Role of healthcare system, (7) Role of
Malaria Control Program, (8) Role of hospital pharmacist, (9)
Collaborative efforts of doctors and pharmacists in promoting rational
treatment practices, and (10) Strategies to improve current treatment
practices. Conclusion: The current study showed that all the
respondents in the two cities agreed that irrational prescribing
practices, unavailability of drugs, lack of awareness and adherence of
prescribers to standard treatment guidelines, are the major factors
contributing to irrational drug use in malaria in Pakistan
Conventional and artificial intelligence based maximum power point tracking techniques for efficient solar power generation
No full textThe increasing global need for renewable energy sources, driven by environmental concerns and the limited availability of traditional energy, highlights the significance of solar energy. However, weather fluctuations challenge the efficiency of solar systems, making maximum power point tracking (MPPT) systems crucial for optimal energy harvesting. This study compares ten MPPT approaches, including both conventional and artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques. These controllers were designed and implemented using MATLAB Simulink, and their performance was evaluated under real environmental conditions with fluctuating irradiance and temperature. The results demonstrate that conventional techniques, such as incremental conductance (INC), Perturb and Observe (P&O), Incremental conductance and Particle Swam Optimization (INC-PSO), Fuzzy Logic Control and Particle Swam Optimization (FLC-PSO), and Perturb and Observe and Particle Swam Optimization (P&O-PSO), achieved accuracies of 94%, 97.6%, 98.9%, 98.7%, and 99.3% respectively. In contrast, AI-based intelligent techniques, including Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Artificial Neural Fuzzy Interference System (ANFIS), Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC), Particle Swam Optimization (PSO), and Artificial Neural Network and Particle Swam Optimization (ANN-PSO), outperform achieving higher accuracies of 97.8%, 99.9%, 98.9%, 99.2%, and 99%, respectively. Compared to available research, which often reports lower accuracies for conventional techniques, our study highlights the enhanced performance of AI-based methods. This study provides a comprehensive comparative analysis, delivering critical analysis and practical guidance for engineers and researchers in selecting the most effective MPPT controller optimized to specific environmental conditions. By improving the efficiency and reliability of solar power systems, our research supports the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.© 2024 The Author(s). Engineering Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided theoriginal work is properly cited.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed
Why Don't Medical Practitioners Treat Malaria Rationally? A Qualitative Study from Pakistan
No full textPurpose: To explore medical practitioners’ perceptions towards
irrational malaria treatment practices in Pakistan. Methods: A
qualitative study was designed to explore the perceptions of medical
practitioners regarding antimalarial prescribing practices in two major
cities of Pakistan, namely, Islamabad (national capital) and its twin
city, Rawalpindi. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using
in-depth interview guides to collect data. Nineteen interviews with
doctors working at different public and private hospitals in Islamabad
and Rawalpindi were conducted at a place and time convenient for the
respondents. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and
evaluated by thematic content analysis and other author analysis.
Results: The interviews focused on three major components, i.e.,
treatment practices in malaria and influencing factors, role of Malaria
Control Program, and suggestions for improvements. Thematic content
analysis of these components yielded further themes: (1) Prevalence of
malaria, (2) Common trends of treatment, (3) Current scenario of
rational drug use, (4) Major contributing factors to irrational drug
use, (5) Use of antibiotics, (6) Role of healthcare system, (7) Role of
Malaria Control Program, (8) Role of hospital pharmacist, (9)
Collaborative efforts of doctors and pharmacists in promoting rational
treatment practices, and (10) Strategies to improve current treatment
practices. Conclusion: The current study showed that all the
respondents in the two cities agreed that irrational prescribing
practices, unavailability of drugs, lack of awareness and adherence of
prescribers to standard treatment guidelines, are the major factors
contributing to irrational drug use in malaria in Pakistan
