Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make severa... more Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make several unsafe attempts at termination of the unintended pregnancy before turning to health services. Community health workers can act as a bridge between the community and their health facilities and can use Emergency Contraceptive Pills to significantly reduce the mortality and morbidity related to unsafe abortions. This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Lady Health Supervisor of the National Program for Family Planning, district Rawalpindi, regarding emergency contraception pills. The cross sectional survey was conducted during the monthly meeting of Lady Health Supervisors. Self administered, anonymous and voluntary questionnaire consisting of 17 items, regarding demographic profile, awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices, was used. Insufficient knowledge, high misinformation and strongly negative attitudes were revealed. More than half did not know that emergency contraceptive pills do not cause abortion. About four fifths believed that emergency contraceptive pills will lead to 'evil' practices in society. More than four fifths recognized that the clients of National Program for Family Planning need emergency contraceptive pills. The attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge (P=0.034, Fisher's Exact Test). The awareness of emergency contraceptive pills is high. Serious gaps in knowledge have been identified. There is a clear recognition of the need of emergency contraceptive pills for the clients of National Program for Family Planning. However, any strategy to introduce emergency contraceptive pills must cater for the misplaced beliefs of the work force.
We retrospectively evaluated 410 patients with coinfection or cocolonization due to vancomycin-re... more We retrospectively evaluated 410 patients with coinfection or cocolonization due to vancomycin-resistant (VR) enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The prevalence rate was 19.8%. Risk factors included isolation of VR Enterococcus faecalis and use of linezolid or clindamycin. Inc18-like vanA plasmids were found in 7% of VR E. faecalis isolates and none of the VR E. faecium isolates.
Abstract Normal dog gallbladder epithelial cells in long-term culture were used as a model to stu... more Abstract Normal dog gallbladder epithelial cells in long-term culture were used as a model to study the morphologic, genetic, and secretory processes associated with the progression to cancer formation. Dog gallbladder epithelial cells cultured on collagen-coated plates ...
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been deemed as a potential and ideal solution for bioparticle manipul... more Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been deemed as a potential and ideal solution for bioparticle manipulation. A 3-D carbon micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) fabricated from the latest developed carbon-MEMS approach has advantages of offering low-cost, biocompatible and high-throughput DEP manipulation for bioparticles. In this paper, a typical process for fabrication of various 3-D microelectrode configurations was demonstrated; accurate numerical analysis was presented on electric field gradient distribution and DEP force based on various microelectrode array configurations. The effects of electrode edge angle, electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height on the electric field distributions were investigated, and optimal design considerations and rules were concluded through analysis of results. The outcomes demonstrate that the sharp edge electrode is more effective in DEP manipulation and both electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height are critical design parameters for seeking optimal DEP manipulation. The gradient magnitude increases exponentially as the electrode spacing is reduced and the electric field extends significantly as the electrode height increases, both of which contribute to a higher throughput for DEP manipulation. These findings are consistent with experimental observations in the literature and will provide critical guidelines for optimal design of DEP devices with 3-D carbon-MEMS.
Contact center agents typically respond to email queries from customers by selecting predefined a... more Contact center agents typically respond to email queries from customers by selecting predefined answer templates that relate to the questions present in the customer query. In this paper we present a technique to automatically select the answer templates ...
International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2007
Purpose/Objective(s): The purpose of this randomized, double-blinded crossover trial was to deter... more Purpose/Objective(s): The purpose of this randomized, double-blinded crossover trial was to determine if there is a difference in ED between men treated with sildenafil vs placebo after external beam RT and short-term neoadjuvant and concurrent (either #120 days or .120 days) AD for PC. Conventional wisdom held that ED after RT plus AD would be equivalent to that after RT alone once AD was discontinued. However, in our own previous work, rates of ED were higher with combined RT and AD even after AD was discontinued, as compared to RT alone. Materials/Methods: For this study, eligibility included being a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 5 years post RT/ AD therapy and pretreatment ED measured by International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) question # 1, ''How often were you able to get an erection during sexual activity?'' responses 0-3 ''no sexual activity'' to ''sometimes''. Patients (pts) were randomized to 12-wks of sildenafil or placebo followed by 1 wk of no treatment then 12-wks of the alternative. IIEF was measured pre-treatment, 12 wks after start of initial agent and 12 wks after the alternative. The primary endpoint was improved erections, measured as IIEF post-treatment score 4-5, ''most times or almost always/always''. The marginal model for binary cross-over data was used to model sildenafil effect while adjusting for potential period or treatment-by-period interaction (carryover) effects. Maximum likelihood estimate and 95% CI were calculated for difference in probabilities of a positive response between placebo and sildenafil. Results: The study closed due to slow accrual with 115 pts. 61 pts (55%) completed all 3 IIEF assessments, and of these, 34 men had received #120 days AD and 27 men had received .120 days AD. Results are presented in the Although the test result is underpowered due to limited accrual (35% of planned 332 pts), overall sildenafil effect was highly significant (p = 0.009) with difference in probabilities of response between sildenafil and placebo of 0.17 [0.06, 0.29].
The ricewheat rotation covering 13.5 millionha in the Indo-Gangetic Plains is vital for food sec... more The ricewheat rotation covering 13.5 millionha in the Indo-Gangetic Plains is vital for food security. Its sustainability is at risk as the current production practices are inadequate resulting in high cost of cultivation and inefficient use of inputs (ie water, labor and energy) ...
Seven cases of cerebral mycosis have been studied with respect to the pattern of distribution of ... more Seven cases of cerebral mycosis have been studied with respect to the pattern of distribution of the various cerebral fungi and the spectrum of histopathological changes. It has been found that aspergillosis is the most prevalent pathogen in our region unlike in the western world where candidosis dominates the picture. The relevant literature is discussed.
Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was te... more Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was tested individually and in combination against Listeria mononcytogenes ATCC 53135. A greater antibacterial effect was observed when the bacteriocins were combined in pairs, indicating that the use of more than one LAB bacteriocin in combination have a higher antibacterial action than when used individually. Variants of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 53135 resistant to Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 were developed. Bacteriocin cross-resistance of wild type and their corresponding resistant variants were assessed and results showed that resistance to a bacteriocin may extend to other bacteriocins within the same class. Resistance to Pediocin 34 conferred cross resistance to Enterocin FH 99 but not to Nisin. Similarly resistance to Enterocin FH99 conferred cross resistance to Pediocin 34 but not to Nisin. Also, the sensitivity of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes to low pH, salt, sodium nitrite, and potassium sorbate was assayed in broth and compared to the parental wild-type strain. The Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants did not have intrinsic resistance to low pH, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, or sodium nitrite. In no case were the bacteriocin resistant Listeria monocytogenes variants examined were more resistant to inhibitors than the parental strains.
Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make severa... more Unsafe abortion is a major Public health problem in developing countries, where women make several unsafe attempts at termination of the unintended pregnancy before turning to health services. Community health workers can act as a bridge between the community and their health facilities and can use Emergency Contraceptive Pills to significantly reduce the mortality and morbidity related to unsafe abortions. This study explores the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Lady Health Supervisor of the National Program for Family Planning, district Rawalpindi, regarding emergency contraception pills. The cross sectional survey was conducted during the monthly meeting of Lady Health Supervisors. Self administered, anonymous and voluntary questionnaire consisting of 17 items, regarding demographic profile, awareness, knowledge, attitudes and practices, was used. Insufficient knowledge, high misinformation and strongly negative attitudes were revealed. More than half did not know that emergency contraceptive pills do not cause abortion. About four fifths believed that emergency contraceptive pills will lead to 'evil' practices in society. More than four fifths recognized that the clients of National Program for Family Planning need emergency contraceptive pills. The attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge (P=0.034, Fisher's Exact Test). The awareness of emergency contraceptive pills is high. Serious gaps in knowledge have been identified. There is a clear recognition of the need of emergency contraceptive pills for the clients of National Program for Family Planning. However, any strategy to introduce emergency contraceptive pills must cater for the misplaced beliefs of the work force.
We retrospectively evaluated 410 patients with coinfection or cocolonization due to vancomycin-re... more We retrospectively evaluated 410 patients with coinfection or cocolonization due to vancomycin-resistant (VR) enterococcus (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The prevalence rate was 19.8%. Risk factors included isolation of VR Enterococcus faecalis and use of linezolid or clindamycin. Inc18-like vanA plasmids were found in 7% of VR E. faecalis isolates and none of the VR E. faecium isolates.
Abstract Normal dog gallbladder epithelial cells in long-term culture were used as a model to stu... more Abstract Normal dog gallbladder epithelial cells in long-term culture were used as a model to study the morphologic, genetic, and secretory processes associated with the progression to cancer formation. Dog gallbladder epithelial cells cultured on collagen-coated plates ...
Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been deemed as a potential and ideal solution for bioparticle manipul... more Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been deemed as a potential and ideal solution for bioparticle manipulation. A 3-D carbon micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) fabricated from the latest developed carbon-MEMS approach has advantages of offering low-cost, biocompatible and high-throughput DEP manipulation for bioparticles. In this paper, a typical process for fabrication of various 3-D microelectrode configurations was demonstrated; accurate numerical analysis was presented on electric field gradient distribution and DEP force based on various microelectrode array configurations. The effects of electrode edge angle, electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height on the electric field distributions were investigated, and optimal design considerations and rules were concluded through analysis of results. The outcomes demonstrate that the sharp edge electrode is more effective in DEP manipulation and both electrode edge-to-edge spacing and electrode height are critical design parameters for seeking optimal DEP manipulation. The gradient magnitude increases exponentially as the electrode spacing is reduced and the electric field extends significantly as the electrode height increases, both of which contribute to a higher throughput for DEP manipulation. These findings are consistent with experimental observations in the literature and will provide critical guidelines for optimal design of DEP devices with 3-D carbon-MEMS.
Contact center agents typically respond to email queries from customers by selecting predefined a... more Contact center agents typically respond to email queries from customers by selecting predefined answer templates that relate to the questions present in the customer query. In this paper we present a technique to automatically select the answer templates ...
International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, 2007
Purpose/Objective(s): The purpose of this randomized, double-blinded crossover trial was to deter... more Purpose/Objective(s): The purpose of this randomized, double-blinded crossover trial was to determine if there is a difference in ED between men treated with sildenafil vs placebo after external beam RT and short-term neoadjuvant and concurrent (either #120 days or .120 days) AD for PC. Conventional wisdom held that ED after RT plus AD would be equivalent to that after RT alone once AD was discontinued. However, in our own previous work, rates of ED were higher with combined RT and AD even after AD was discontinued, as compared to RT alone. Materials/Methods: For this study, eligibility included being a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 5 years post RT/ AD therapy and pretreatment ED measured by International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF) question # 1, ''How often were you able to get an erection during sexual activity?'' responses 0-3 ''no sexual activity'' to ''sometimes''. Patients (pts) were randomized to 12-wks of sildenafil or placebo followed by 1 wk of no treatment then 12-wks of the alternative. IIEF was measured pre-treatment, 12 wks after start of initial agent and 12 wks after the alternative. The primary endpoint was improved erections, measured as IIEF post-treatment score 4-5, ''most times or almost always/always''. The marginal model for binary cross-over data was used to model sildenafil effect while adjusting for potential period or treatment-by-period interaction (carryover) effects. Maximum likelihood estimate and 95% CI were calculated for difference in probabilities of a positive response between placebo and sildenafil. Results: The study closed due to slow accrual with 115 pts. 61 pts (55%) completed all 3 IIEF assessments, and of these, 34 men had received #120 days AD and 27 men had received .120 days AD. Results are presented in the Although the test result is underpowered due to limited accrual (35% of planned 332 pts), overall sildenafil effect was highly significant (p = 0.009) with difference in probabilities of response between sildenafil and placebo of 0.17 [0.06, 0.29].
The ricewheat rotation covering 13.5 millionha in the Indo-Gangetic Plains is vital for food sec... more The ricewheat rotation covering 13.5 millionha in the Indo-Gangetic Plains is vital for food security. Its sustainability is at risk as the current production practices are inadequate resulting in high cost of cultivation and inefficient use of inputs (ie water, labor and energy) ...
Seven cases of cerebral mycosis have been studied with respect to the pattern of distribution of ... more Seven cases of cerebral mycosis have been studied with respect to the pattern of distribution of the various cerebral fungi and the spectrum of histopathological changes. It has been found that aspergillosis is the most prevalent pathogen in our region unlike in the western world where candidosis dominates the picture. The relevant literature is discussed.
Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was te... more Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was tested individually and in combination against Listeria mononcytogenes ATCC 53135. A greater antibacterial effect was observed when the bacteriocins were combined in pairs, indicating that the use of more than one LAB bacteriocin in combination have a higher antibacterial action than when used individually. Variants of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 53135 resistant to Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 were developed. Bacteriocin cross-resistance of wild type and their corresponding resistant variants were assessed and results showed that resistance to a bacteriocin may extend to other bacteriocins within the same class. Resistance to Pediocin 34 conferred cross resistance to Enterocin FH 99 but not to Nisin. Similarly resistance to Enterocin FH99 conferred cross resistance to Pediocin 34 but not to Nisin. Also, the sensitivity of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes to low pH, salt, sodium nitrite, and potassium sorbate was assayed in broth and compared to the parental wild-type strain. The Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants did not have intrinsic resistance to low pH, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, or sodium nitrite. In no case were the bacteriocin resistant Listeria monocytogenes variants examined were more resistant to inhibitors than the parental strains.
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