Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of ... more Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the pregnant population during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care hospital. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. KAP towards COVID-19 was assessed using 21-item questionnaires. A score for each category was calculated and points were summed. The outcome variables of KAP were compared with demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 19. Results A total of 377 patients participated in the study. The majority of the patients were multiparous (36.8%) in the age group of 30-40years (42.4%). More than 90% of patients were aware of COVID-19 symptoms and mode of transmission. They were aware of no cure for disease and optimum social distance. Although < 50% of patients truly answered the questions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the risk of congenital malformation, vertical transmission, and the effect...
Pakistan Journal of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Sciences
Agriculture sector, being the dominant user of fresh water (70%) is highly vulnerable to climate ... more Agriculture sector, being the dominant user of fresh water (70%) is highly vulnerable to climate change in Pakistan. Increase in frequency of floods and drought, rising temperatures and changes in rainfall pattern across the country during the recent years are clear indicators of changing climate. Climate change has serious repercussions for national food security as farmers have limited knowledge and technologies for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on crop productivity. This situation is expected to decrease yield of major food crops. There exists dire need to make an intensive analysis of situation to identify existing knowledge and technology gaps and suggest doable measures for multiple stake holders like policy makers, scientists and farmers accordingly. This review paper covers the impact of climate change on agriculture and presents strategies to adapt to climate change. Strategies at policy/government level include increased funds for research, improvement o...
Revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux, 1982
1. Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 1982;35(2):147-51. Serum proteins changes in horses infected with ... more 1. Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 1982;35(2):147-51. Serum proteins changes in horses infected with surra. Raza MA, Rehman ZU, Chaudhry AH, Gilani AH, Nawaz M. PMID: 7163573 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]. MeSH Terms. ...
BackgroundTo evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in surgical intensive... more BackgroundTo evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of tertiary care hospital in a low-income and middle-income country.MethodsWe conducted a single cohort observational study in patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the SICU for >24 hours in Aga Khan University Hospital from January to December 2016. Patients who had pre-existing cognitive dysfunction were excluded. Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist was used to assess delirium. Incidence of delirium was computed, and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to observe the relationship between outcome and associated factors.ResultsThe average patient age was 43.29±17.38 and body mass index was 26.25±3.57 kg/m2. Delirium was observed in 19 of 87 patients with an incidence rate of 21.8%. Multivariable analysis showed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain score >4 and hypernatremia were strong predictors of delirium. Midazolam ...
Background In Oman tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; family Solanaceae) is a minor crop, which is produ... more Background In Oman tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; family Solanaceae) is a minor crop, which is produced only for local consumption. In 2015, tobacco plants exhibiting severe downward leaf curling, leaf thickening, vein swelling, yellowing and stunting were identified in fields of tobacco in Suhar Al-Batina region, Oman. These symptoms are suggestive of begomovirus (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) infection. Methods Circular DNA molecules were amplified from total DNA extracted from tobacco plants by rolling circle amplification (RCA). Viral genomes were cloned from RCA products by restriction digestion and betasatellites were cloned by PCR amplification from RCA product, using universal primers. The sequences of full-length clones were obtained by Sanger sequencing and primer walking. Constructs for the infectivity of virus and betasatellite were produced and introduced into plants by Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. Results The full-length sequences of 3 begomovirus and 3 ...
2020 International Conference on Engineering and Emerging Technologies (ICEET), 2020
Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is a nature inspired metaheuristic algorithm that mimics the b... more Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is a nature inspired metaheuristic algorithm that mimics the behavior of pollination of flowering plants. FPA has been created by Yang in 2012 showing its better performance than other metaheuristic algorithms. Many variants of FPA have been established since 2012 to solve complex problems of different research domains. In this paper, application of different FPA variants are discussed based on modifications, tuning parameters and hybridizing FPA with other algorithms. This paper is very useful for researchers as it introduces general pollination process of flowers, its conversion to algorithm, application of FPA in different domains and particularly to parameter estimation problem of PV cells and modules. Future recommendations have also been given for new researchers.
An experiment was executed to assess the relative zinc (Zn) efficiencies of advanced wheat lines ... more An experiment was executed to assess the relative zinc (Zn) efficiencies of advanced wheat lines in chelate-buffered hydroponic culture solutions and field conditions. Zinc efficiency was evaluated by comparing their dry matter production in a Zn-deficient medium relative to that in a Zn sufficient medium. Zinc efficiency (ZE) of 10 genotypes varied between 26.7 to 70.4% in chelate buffered nutrient solution but it was escalated from43.6 to 75.8% when grown in field. The NRL-0517 was the most efficient genotype whereas NRL-1243 was the least efficient. The Zn efficient genotypes had the capability to grab more Zn from low Zn source and translocate it in greater amount to the entire plant. The results also suggested that antagonistic effect between Zn and other elements (like P) was weaker in Zn efficient genotypes which enabled Zn to move at higher ratio from roots to shoot. Zn- inefficient genotypes had extracted lesser Zn from Zn deficient medium and ratio of its translocation was...
The challenge of the twenty-first century is to ensure food security under prevailing climate cha... more The challenge of the twenty-first century is to ensure food security under prevailing climate change, notably in developing countries such as Pakistan. Current farming practices are far less effective in increasing soil resilience as they tend to decline soil fertility and organic matter contents. Organic farming systems improve organic matter, water holding capacity, porosity, biodiversity and productivity. Agriculture is the dominant user of fresh water resources in Pakistan. Water holding capacity of soils is generally higher under organic farming than conventional farming. This chapter presents the impacts of climate change on food security in Pakistan. We also compare the performance of organic and conventional agriculture in developed countries.
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein (Cas... more Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein (Cas)–mediated genome editing, derived from prokaryotic adaptive immunity, is rapidly emerging as a potential tool for targeted alterations in eukaryotic genomes. Eclectic application of CRISPR includes insertion/deletion of a part of DNA, loss-of-function mutation, expression and repression of a gene, and epigenomic reprogramming. The CRISPR system is not limited to editing DNA but can also be deployed to target RNA, resulting in an effect similar to that of RNA interference. The system is characterized by ease of cloning, cost-effectiveness, and multiplexing-targeting multiple sites simultaneously. The system has been extensively used for creating gene knockdowns in planta. Several molecular and breeding approaches have identified genes that confer resistance against viruses and elucidated their mode of inheritance in plants. Dominant resistance (R) genes recognize the viral component and ...
Global food security is at high risk due to climate change. Wheat being the leading cereal of Pak... more Global food security is at high risk due to climate change. Wheat being the leading cereal of Pakistan finds a pivotal position in food security. Adaptation strategies to combat the adverse effects of climate change must focus on identification and use of genotypes that are efficient in the use of available nitrogen. In a sand culture study, fifteen wheat genotypes were compared under non-stressed (irrigated) conditions to identify nitrogen efficient genotypes having deep root system. Significant (P ? 0.05) differences were observed amongst genotypes for all the traits being studied. The results revealed that Farkhr-e-Sarhad took up maximum nitrogen (47 mg plant-1) and minimum nitrogen was taken up by accession 11172 (31 mg plant-1). Maximum rooting depth of 76 cm was attained by accession 11277 and minimum of 43 cm was attained by NRL-0517. The study generated information on nitrogen uptake potential and rooting depth of Pakistani wheat genotypes. It provided baseline data for the ...
Moghaddam, A., J. Vollmann, W. Wanek, M. R. Ardakani, A. Raza, G. Pietsch, and J. K. Friedel. 201... more Moghaddam, A., J. Vollmann, W. Wanek, M. R. Ardakani, A. Raza, G. Pietsch, and J. K. Friedel. 2012. Suitability of drought tolerance indices for selecting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes under organic farming in Austria. Crop Breeding Journal 2(2): 79-89. In eastern Austria, alfalfa is usually grown as a rainfed crop in crop rotations in organic farming systems, where yearto-year rainfall fluctuations cause different levels of drought stress. To identify the suitability of different alfalfa genotypes and drought tolerance indices, 18 contrasting alfalfa genotypes were evaluated under irrigated and rainfed conditions at the research station of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, during 2006-08. The first study year (2006) was considered as the establishment year. Five drought tolerance selection indices were estimated based on shoot dry matter, total biomass yield and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) data. The correlation between ir...
In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and contemporary Clustered Regularly Interspace... more In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and contemporary Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) technologies have revolutionized the life sciences and the field of plant virology. Both these technologies offer an unparalleled platform for sequencing and deciphering viral metagenomes promptly. Over the past two decades, NGS technologies have improved enormously and have impacted plant virology. NGS has enabled the detection of plant viruses that were previously undetectable by conventional approaches, such as quarantine and archeological plant samples, and has helped to track the evolutionary footprints of viral pathogens. The CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing (GE) and detection techniques have enabled the development of effective approaches to virus resistance. Different versions of CRISPR-Cas have been employed to successfully confer resistance against diverse plant viruses by directly targeting the virus genome or indirec...
Abstract Renewable energy-based Distributed Generation (DG) is the most imperative part of modern... more Abstract Renewable energy-based Distributed Generation (DG) is the most imperative part of modern power system and offers many potential benefits. To attain maximum benefits offered by DG integration, it is important to model the time varying characteristics of both load and generation. Therefore, this paper presents a new Weibull distribution-based time-coupled Probabilistic Generation model for optimal placement and sizing of wind DG with time varying voltage dependent (TVVD) loads. At first, Probabilistic model is proposed for wind speed uncertainty modeling to calculate the hourly output power from wind DG. Afterwards, the values of output power are considered for determining optimal allocation and penetration of wind DG in distribution network to minimize the Average Multi-Objective Index (AIMO) using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The strength of the proposed methodology is validated on IEEE 33 and 69-bus systems. Results depict that, proposed methodology is appropriate for wind speed modeling and is suitable for implementing in power system planning.
Background and Objective: Delirium in critically ill patients is common and distressing.1 The inc... more Background and Objective: Delirium in critically ill patients is common and distressing.1 The incidence of delirium in intensive care units (ICU) has been reported to range from 45-87%.2,3 Arguably, delirium is a well-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality among ICU patients. It can lead to longer hospital stays, lower six-month survival, and cognitive impairment persisting even years after discharge.3 It has therefore been recommended that all ICU patients are assessed for delirium using a validated tool.3 To date, limited data is available on the prevalence of delirium in surgical patients. In a study published in 2008, the observed risk was 73% in surgical and trauma patients.4 This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a tertiary care hospital in a developing country. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study in patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the SICU for more than 24 hours in Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, from January 2016 to December 2016. The SICU has 9 beds and is run by trained intensivists with 24/7 coverage. Nurse to bed ratio is 1:1. Admissions are received from the emergency department, operating room, and surgical wards. After approval from the University's ethical review committee, written informed consent was taken from the patient's next of kin. Patients who had a preexisting cognitive dysfunction, signed a Do-Not-Resuscitate order, or stayed in the SICU for less than 24 hours were excluded from the study. Delirium was assessed by the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC).5 The incidence of delirium was computed and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to observe the relationship between outcome and associated factors. Results: The average patient age was 43.29 ± 17.38 years and BMI was 26.25 ± 3.57 kg/m2 (Table 1). Delirium was observed in 19 of 87 patients with an incidence rate of 21.8%. In univariate analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), fever, pain score >4/10, agitation, sedation, hypernatremia, length of ICU stay ≥ 7 days, and mortality were significantly higher in patients who developed delirium (Table 2). Patients on midazolam and propofol were four times more likely to develop delirium. Patients on pethedine were also more likely to develop delirium. Multivariable analysis showed that COPD, pain score >4, and hypernatremia were strong predictors of delirium (Table 3). Midazolam [aOR = 7.37; 95% CI: 2.04-26.61] and propofol exposure [aOR = 7.02; 95% CI: 1.92-25.76] were the strongest independent delirium predictors while analgesic exposures was not statistically significant to predict delirium on multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Delirium assessment is taken seriously and has been done for a long period of time in our unit. Our lower indicence rate of delirium concerns only the surgical patient population and reflects different assessment modalities used as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options in comparison to the traditional approaches. In addition, we use different strategies such as bundles, sedation and pain protocol, and appropriate family interactions with the patients to minimize delirium. Delirium is a significant risk factor of poor outcome in SICU. This study showed an independent association between inadequate pain control, sedative medication, COPD, hypernatremia, and fever in developing delirium.
Next generation sequencing (NGS) of DNAs amplified by rolling circle amplification from 6 tomato ... more Next generation sequencing (NGS) of DNAs amplified by rolling circle amplification from 6 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants with leaf curl symptoms identified a number of monopartite begomoviruses, including Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), and a betasatellite (Tomato leaf curl betasatellite [ToLCB]). Both TYLCV and ToLCB have previously been identified infecting tomato in Oman. Surprisingly the NGS results also suggested the presence of the bipartite, legume-adapted begomovirus Mungbean yellow mosaic Indian virus (MYMIV). The presence of MYMIV was confirmed by cloning and Sanger sequencing from four of the six plants. A wider analysis by PCR showed MYMIV infection of tomato in Oman to be widespread. Inoculation of plants with full-length clones showed the host range of MYMIV not to extend to Nicotiana benthamiana or tomato. Inoculation to N. benthamiana showed TYLCV to be capable of maintaining MYMIV in both the presence and absence of the betasatellite. In tomato MYMIV wa...
Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of ... more Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the pregnant population during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care hospital. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. KAP towards COVID-19 was assessed using 21-item questionnaires. A score for each category was calculated and points were summed. The outcome variables of KAP were compared with demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 19. Results A total of 377 patients participated in the study. The majority of the patients were multiparous (36.8%) in the age group of 30-40years (42.4%). More than 90% of patients were aware of COVID-19 symptoms and mode of transmission. They were aware of no cure for disease and optimum social distance. Although < 50% of patients truly answered the questions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the risk of congenital malformation, vertical transmission, and the effect...
Pakistan Journal of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Veterinary Sciences
Agriculture sector, being the dominant user of fresh water (70%) is highly vulnerable to climate ... more Agriculture sector, being the dominant user of fresh water (70%) is highly vulnerable to climate change in Pakistan. Increase in frequency of floods and drought, rising temperatures and changes in rainfall pattern across the country during the recent years are clear indicators of changing climate. Climate change has serious repercussions for national food security as farmers have limited knowledge and technologies for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on crop productivity. This situation is expected to decrease yield of major food crops. There exists dire need to make an intensive analysis of situation to identify existing knowledge and technology gaps and suggest doable measures for multiple stake holders like policy makers, scientists and farmers accordingly. This review paper covers the impact of climate change on agriculture and presents strategies to adapt to climate change. Strategies at policy/government level include increased funds for research, improvement o...
Revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux, 1982
1. Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 1982;35(2):147-51. Serum proteins changes in horses infected with ... more 1. Rev Elev Med Vet Pays Trop. 1982;35(2):147-51. Serum proteins changes in horses infected with surra. Raza MA, Rehman ZU, Chaudhry AH, Gilani AH, Nawaz M. PMID: 7163573 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]. MeSH Terms. ...
BackgroundTo evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in surgical intensive... more BackgroundTo evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of tertiary care hospital in a low-income and middle-income country.MethodsWe conducted a single cohort observational study in patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the SICU for >24 hours in Aga Khan University Hospital from January to December 2016. Patients who had pre-existing cognitive dysfunction were excluded. Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist was used to assess delirium. Incidence of delirium was computed, and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to observe the relationship between outcome and associated factors.ResultsThe average patient age was 43.29±17.38 and body mass index was 26.25±3.57 kg/m2. Delirium was observed in 19 of 87 patients with an incidence rate of 21.8%. Multivariable analysis showed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pain score >4 and hypernatremia were strong predictors of delirium. Midazolam ...
Background In Oman tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; family Solanaceae) is a minor crop, which is produ... more Background In Oman tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum; family Solanaceae) is a minor crop, which is produced only for local consumption. In 2015, tobacco plants exhibiting severe downward leaf curling, leaf thickening, vein swelling, yellowing and stunting were identified in fields of tobacco in Suhar Al-Batina region, Oman. These symptoms are suggestive of begomovirus (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae) infection. Methods Circular DNA molecules were amplified from total DNA extracted from tobacco plants by rolling circle amplification (RCA). Viral genomes were cloned from RCA products by restriction digestion and betasatellites were cloned by PCR amplification from RCA product, using universal primers. The sequences of full-length clones were obtained by Sanger sequencing and primer walking. Constructs for the infectivity of virus and betasatellite were produced and introduced into plants by Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation. Results The full-length sequences of 3 begomovirus and 3 ...
2020 International Conference on Engineering and Emerging Technologies (ICEET), 2020
Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is a nature inspired metaheuristic algorithm that mimics the b... more Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is a nature inspired metaheuristic algorithm that mimics the behavior of pollination of flowering plants. FPA has been created by Yang in 2012 showing its better performance than other metaheuristic algorithms. Many variants of FPA have been established since 2012 to solve complex problems of different research domains. In this paper, application of different FPA variants are discussed based on modifications, tuning parameters and hybridizing FPA with other algorithms. This paper is very useful for researchers as it introduces general pollination process of flowers, its conversion to algorithm, application of FPA in different domains and particularly to parameter estimation problem of PV cells and modules. Future recommendations have also been given for new researchers.
An experiment was executed to assess the relative zinc (Zn) efficiencies of advanced wheat lines ... more An experiment was executed to assess the relative zinc (Zn) efficiencies of advanced wheat lines in chelate-buffered hydroponic culture solutions and field conditions. Zinc efficiency was evaluated by comparing their dry matter production in a Zn-deficient medium relative to that in a Zn sufficient medium. Zinc efficiency (ZE) of 10 genotypes varied between 26.7 to 70.4% in chelate buffered nutrient solution but it was escalated from43.6 to 75.8% when grown in field. The NRL-0517 was the most efficient genotype whereas NRL-1243 was the least efficient. The Zn efficient genotypes had the capability to grab more Zn from low Zn source and translocate it in greater amount to the entire plant. The results also suggested that antagonistic effect between Zn and other elements (like P) was weaker in Zn efficient genotypes which enabled Zn to move at higher ratio from roots to shoot. Zn- inefficient genotypes had extracted lesser Zn from Zn deficient medium and ratio of its translocation was...
The challenge of the twenty-first century is to ensure food security under prevailing climate cha... more The challenge of the twenty-first century is to ensure food security under prevailing climate change, notably in developing countries such as Pakistan. Current farming practices are far less effective in increasing soil resilience as they tend to decline soil fertility and organic matter contents. Organic farming systems improve organic matter, water holding capacity, porosity, biodiversity and productivity. Agriculture is the dominant user of fresh water resources in Pakistan. Water holding capacity of soils is generally higher under organic farming than conventional farming. This chapter presents the impacts of climate change on food security in Pakistan. We also compare the performance of organic and conventional agriculture in developed countries.
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein (Cas... more Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein (Cas)–mediated genome editing, derived from prokaryotic adaptive immunity, is rapidly emerging as a potential tool for targeted alterations in eukaryotic genomes. Eclectic application of CRISPR includes insertion/deletion of a part of DNA, loss-of-function mutation, expression and repression of a gene, and epigenomic reprogramming. The CRISPR system is not limited to editing DNA but can also be deployed to target RNA, resulting in an effect similar to that of RNA interference. The system is characterized by ease of cloning, cost-effectiveness, and multiplexing-targeting multiple sites simultaneously. The system has been extensively used for creating gene knockdowns in planta. Several molecular and breeding approaches have identified genes that confer resistance against viruses and elucidated their mode of inheritance in plants. Dominant resistance (R) genes recognize the viral component and ...
Global food security is at high risk due to climate change. Wheat being the leading cereal of Pak... more Global food security is at high risk due to climate change. Wheat being the leading cereal of Pakistan finds a pivotal position in food security. Adaptation strategies to combat the adverse effects of climate change must focus on identification and use of genotypes that are efficient in the use of available nitrogen. In a sand culture study, fifteen wheat genotypes were compared under non-stressed (irrigated) conditions to identify nitrogen efficient genotypes having deep root system. Significant (P ? 0.05) differences were observed amongst genotypes for all the traits being studied. The results revealed that Farkhr-e-Sarhad took up maximum nitrogen (47 mg plant-1) and minimum nitrogen was taken up by accession 11172 (31 mg plant-1). Maximum rooting depth of 76 cm was attained by accession 11277 and minimum of 43 cm was attained by NRL-0517. The study generated information on nitrogen uptake potential and rooting depth of Pakistani wheat genotypes. It provided baseline data for the ...
Moghaddam, A., J. Vollmann, W. Wanek, M. R. Ardakani, A. Raza, G. Pietsch, and J. K. Friedel. 201... more Moghaddam, A., J. Vollmann, W. Wanek, M. R. Ardakani, A. Raza, G. Pietsch, and J. K. Friedel. 2012. Suitability of drought tolerance indices for selecting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) genotypes under organic farming in Austria. Crop Breeding Journal 2(2): 79-89. In eastern Austria, alfalfa is usually grown as a rainfed crop in crop rotations in organic farming systems, where yearto-year rainfall fluctuations cause different levels of drought stress. To identify the suitability of different alfalfa genotypes and drought tolerance indices, 18 contrasting alfalfa genotypes were evaluated under irrigated and rainfed conditions at the research station of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria, during 2006-08. The first study year (2006) was considered as the establishment year. Five drought tolerance selection indices were estimated based on shoot dry matter, total biomass yield and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) data. The correlation between ir...
In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and contemporary Clustered Regularly Interspace... more In recent years, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and contemporary Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) technologies have revolutionized the life sciences and the field of plant virology. Both these technologies offer an unparalleled platform for sequencing and deciphering viral metagenomes promptly. Over the past two decades, NGS technologies have improved enormously and have impacted plant virology. NGS has enabled the detection of plant viruses that were previously undetectable by conventional approaches, such as quarantine and archeological plant samples, and has helped to track the evolutionary footprints of viral pathogens. The CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing (GE) and detection techniques have enabled the development of effective approaches to virus resistance. Different versions of CRISPR-Cas have been employed to successfully confer resistance against diverse plant viruses by directly targeting the virus genome or indirec...
Abstract Renewable energy-based Distributed Generation (DG) is the most imperative part of modern... more Abstract Renewable energy-based Distributed Generation (DG) is the most imperative part of modern power system and offers many potential benefits. To attain maximum benefits offered by DG integration, it is important to model the time varying characteristics of both load and generation. Therefore, this paper presents a new Weibull distribution-based time-coupled Probabilistic Generation model for optimal placement and sizing of wind DG with time varying voltage dependent (TVVD) loads. At first, Probabilistic model is proposed for wind speed uncertainty modeling to calculate the hourly output power from wind DG. Afterwards, the values of output power are considered for determining optimal allocation and penetration of wind DG in distribution network to minimize the Average Multi-Objective Index (AIMO) using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The strength of the proposed methodology is validated on IEEE 33 and 69-bus systems. Results depict that, proposed methodology is appropriate for wind speed modeling and is suitable for implementing in power system planning.
Background and Objective: Delirium in critically ill patients is common and distressing.1 The inc... more Background and Objective: Delirium in critically ill patients is common and distressing.1 The incidence of delirium in intensive care units (ICU) has been reported to range from 45-87%.2,3 Arguably, delirium is a well-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality among ICU patients. It can lead to longer hospital stays, lower six-month survival, and cognitive impairment persisting even years after discharge.3 It has therefore been recommended that all ICU patients are assessed for delirium using a validated tool.3 To date, limited data is available on the prevalence of delirium in surgical patients. In a study published in 2008, the observed risk was 73% in surgical and trauma patients.4 This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and modifiable risk factors of delirium in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a tertiary care hospital in a developing country. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study in patients over 18 years of age who were admitted to the SICU for more than 24 hours in Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, from January 2016 to December 2016. The SICU has 9 beds and is run by trained intensivists with 24/7 coverage. Nurse to bed ratio is 1:1. Admissions are received from the emergency department, operating room, and surgical wards. After approval from the University's ethical review committee, written informed consent was taken from the patient's next of kin. Patients who had a preexisting cognitive dysfunction, signed a Do-Not-Resuscitate order, or stayed in the SICU for less than 24 hours were excluded from the study. Delirium was assessed by the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC).5 The incidence of delirium was computed and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to observe the relationship between outcome and associated factors. Results: The average patient age was 43.29 ± 17.38 years and BMI was 26.25 ± 3.57 kg/m2 (Table 1). Delirium was observed in 19 of 87 patients with an incidence rate of 21.8%. In univariate analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), fever, pain score >4/10, agitation, sedation, hypernatremia, length of ICU stay ≥ 7 days, and mortality were significantly higher in patients who developed delirium (Table 2). Patients on midazolam and propofol were four times more likely to develop delirium. Patients on pethedine were also more likely to develop delirium. Multivariable analysis showed that COPD, pain score >4, and hypernatremia were strong predictors of delirium (Table 3). Midazolam [aOR = 7.37; 95% CI: 2.04-26.61] and propofol exposure [aOR = 7.02; 95% CI: 1.92-25.76] were the strongest independent delirium predictors while analgesic exposures was not statistically significant to predict delirium on multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Delirium assessment is taken seriously and has been done for a long period of time in our unit. Our lower indicence rate of delirium concerns only the surgical patient population and reflects different assessment modalities used as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options in comparison to the traditional approaches. In addition, we use different strategies such as bundles, sedation and pain protocol, and appropriate family interactions with the patients to minimize delirium. Delirium is a significant risk factor of poor outcome in SICU. This study showed an independent association between inadequate pain control, sedative medication, COPD, hypernatremia, and fever in developing delirium.
Next generation sequencing (NGS) of DNAs amplified by rolling circle amplification from 6 tomato ... more Next generation sequencing (NGS) of DNAs amplified by rolling circle amplification from 6 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants with leaf curl symptoms identified a number of monopartite begomoviruses, including Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), and a betasatellite (Tomato leaf curl betasatellite [ToLCB]). Both TYLCV and ToLCB have previously been identified infecting tomato in Oman. Surprisingly the NGS results also suggested the presence of the bipartite, legume-adapted begomovirus Mungbean yellow mosaic Indian virus (MYMIV). The presence of MYMIV was confirmed by cloning and Sanger sequencing from four of the six plants. A wider analysis by PCR showed MYMIV infection of tomato in Oman to be widespread. Inoculation of plants with full-length clones showed the host range of MYMIV not to extend to Nicotiana benthamiana or tomato. Inoculation to N. benthamiana showed TYLCV to be capable of maintaining MYMIV in both the presence and absence of the betasatellite. In tomato MYMIV wa...
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Papers by Amir Raza