It was decided by the government of Pakistan to close all educational institutions on 13th March,... more It was decided by the government of Pakistan to close all educational institutions on 13th March, 2020 and all citizens were strictly advised to remain at their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Due to the global pandemic, it was hypothesized that it would have a negative impact on K-12 students in their annual examinations of 2020 in science, mathematics, and technology subjects. There was constant hike in the COVID-19 cases and due to lack of technological resources in Pakistan, the country has been facing very difficult time since pandemic, especially in the area of STEM education. The data was collected from three teachers at a government secondary school in Malakand District Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. These teachers were specialized in mathematics, natural sciences and technology respectively. The researcher gathered insight of teachers on the possible effects of COVID-19 on the performance of students in their respective subjects by using a ...
Humans and animals both generate bioelectric signals through their tissues in static and active f... more Humans and animals both generate bioelectric signals through their tissues in static and active forms. These signals could be used to check the different physiological conditions of the body. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the signals produced by the heart. ECG helps to monitor the health of the heart such as heart rate, contraction of heart muscles, and blood circulation. Abnormality in these parameters can cause serious cardiovascular diseases. Thus, monitoring of ECG helps to early diagnose cardiovascular diseases. To measure these signals electrodes or sensors are used. There are several types of electrodes are developed to measure heart bioelectric signals, but they are not very efficient, consume more power, and can harm the skin. The focus of this research was to design new and more efficient dry electrodes. For this purpose, ECG noise was simulated in MATLAB and the main schematic diagram was designed. Suitable components of the electrode were selected according to the de...
P akistan is the world's fourth-highest water user and ranks third amongst countries facing water... more P akistan is the world's fourth-highest water user and ranks third amongst countries facing water shortages, as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (Ahmad, 2021). With the increase in overall water use, wastewater production and pollution load are also continuously increasing in Pakistan (Connor et al., 2017). In Pakistan, approximately half of the two million wet tonnes of human waste produced each year end up polluting the water (Maqbool, 2022). A study found that 60 Abstract | Wastewater production and disposal have become issues of concern with the growing population and increase in overall water usage. About 4.36 billion m 3 (BCM) of wastewater is generated every year in Pakistan and not even 1% of the total wastewater gets treated before its disposal. The reported research aims to assess the concentration of contaminants in wastewater. Samples of wastewater were collected from Wali Muhammad Canal, Multan, and analyzed for heavy metals (HMs) including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickle (Ni), and zinc (Zn), along with basic physicochemical parameters including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), residual sodium carbonates (RSC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), carbonates (CO 3), and bicarbonates (HCO 3) by using standard analytical procedures. The contamination in the wastewater includes temperature,
Authors' Contribution HR was responsible for collecting and processing the data and completed the... more Authors' Contribution HR was responsible for collecting and processing the data and completed the first draft under the supervision of QL. MTH guided on data analysis and contributed to the editing of the submitted manuscript along with YH. Key words Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Pakistan, data-limited stock evaluation, CMSY, BSM Evaluating the stock status is one of the most fundamental part of the dynamic cycle of fisheries management intended to secure our aquatic resources. Indeed the stock assessments not only provide a technical foundation for setting up yearly fisheries harvest levels but also offers a wide variety of other fishery-related measures for management purposes. To do so, we used two newly developed Catch-based Monte Carlo method of estimating MSY (CMSY) and the Bayesian state-space Schaefer production model (BSM) based on the catch and effort time series data from (1993-2017) from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), Pakistan. The five major fish species of commercial importance exploited by heterogeneous fishing fleets in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Pakistan have been undertaken as a case study for the stock evaluation. Altogether, both the models estimated largely similar results. The stock status results indicate that Euthynnus affinis and Rachycentron canadum were healthy, while Scomberomorus commerson and Parastromateus niger were overfished and Lutjanus argentimaculatus was strongly overfished. However, all the stocks were subjected to overfishing. Therefore, the parameters estimated from our study may be used as indicators for the sustainable management of the fisheries in the country.
2019 IEEE/CVF International Conference on Computer Vision Workshop (ICCVW), 2019
One-shot learning is a challenging discipline of machine learning since it gnaws at the concept o... more One-shot learning is a challenging discipline of machine learning since it gnaws at the concept of learning from large amounts of data. This is akin to making machine learning algorithms generalize from a few examples, much like how humans learn. We explore another novel dimension to this problem, of using weak supervision (labels only) in the one-shot domain, and specifically analyse it in the context of semantic segmentation. This is a challenging problem since we operate in the scarcity of data and supervision. We present a simple yet effective approach, whereby exploiting information from the base training classes in the current one-shot segmentation setup allows for weak supervision to be easily used. We show that this strategy can be leveraged to achieve nearly the same results as full supervision, but with no pixel annotations, allowing fully automated segmentation. Comparisons to several fully supervised methods show convincing results. As well as better results than a weakly supervised baseline. Also presented is a baseline for generalized segmentation under one-shot and weak supervision assumptions.
The marine fisheries resources of Pakistan have been drastically affected in the past few decades... more The marine fisheries resources of Pakistan have been drastically affected in the past few decades. Considering the limitations of previous studies and the data poor condition of the marine fisheries of Pakistan, this study employed the length-based Bayesian biomass (LBB) estimation method for analyzing the fisheries’ representative length-frequency data of five exploited marine fish stocks (Nemipterus japonicus, Nemipterus randalli, Parascolopsis aspinosa, Saurida tumbil, and Lepturacanthus savala). The estimates of relative fishing mortality (F/M) are higher than unity in four stocks except for S. tumbil, indicating overfishing. However, the current values relative to unexploited biomass (B/B0) are below 0.4, which indicates that the stock biomass is deficient in delivering maximum sustainable yield. Overfishing and the mass exclusion of small and older fish from stocks threaten to deplete the biomass of all species. Therefore, this study recommended that increasing the mesh size i...
Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Biosciences, 2021
Climate change has emerged as a major man-made global environmental problem, characterized by an ... more Climate change has emerged as a major man-made global environmental problem, characterized by an increase in the earth's air temperature as a result of large-scale emissions of greenhouse gases. Agriculture and climate change are intrinsically linked in different ways, since biotic and abiotic stresses are primarily caused by climate change, all these factors have a detrimental effect on a region's agriculture. Agriculture is affected by climate change in various ways, e.g., heat stress at the reproductive stage, shortening of growing season length, pests or microbes, modification in weeds, and increase in CO2 level. The challenge of changing global climate has driven the scientists' interest, As a result of these changes, global crop production is suffering and global food security is in danger. The current study sheds light on the impacts of climate change on agriculture, as well as the consequences for food security.
Employees are essential for any organization and its success. It is imperative for organizations ... more Employees are essential for any organization and its success. It is imperative for organizations that its employees should come with mental peace on workplace. This leads to the sustainable organizational growth and prosperity. Job stress and job satisfaction are most widely researched areas of Human Resources. Job satisfaction help employees attitude towards the organization and work. Job stress is detrimental and adversely impact the satisfaction of employees towards their job and organization. Social capital is the growing phenomenon today and it can help attain the mental peace and satisfaction of employees. It is strength of individual employees that helps them to cope with the stress, anxiety, tension and hurdles that affect their job satisfaction, performance and mental health. Social capital includes ones social and family relationships that help maintain their satisfaction towards job and organization. Job stress is destructive but social capital can help lower the effect o...
Plastic waste has recently been identified as one of the most serious environmental issues, affec... more Plastic waste has recently been identified as one of the most serious environmental issues, affecting all life forms, natural habitats, and the economy, and is one of the most serious global environmental problems, second only to climate change. Seeking alternative environmentally sustainable options, such as biodegradation instead of conventional disposal, is critical in the face of this challenge. However, there is currently a lack of information about the mechanisms and efficacy of plastic biodegradation. From this perspective, this study aims to illustrate the negative environmental impacts of the plastic waste. It also addresses the role of insects and gut microbiota in the degradation of plastics, emphasizing the important role they will play in the future.
I n 2050, the global population is predicted to reach 9.5 billion people, requiring an additional... more I n 2050, the global population is predicted to reach 9.5 billion people, requiring an additional 60% increase in food production (Mbow et al., 2019). Freshwater scarcity is a global issue, with 60% of the world's population expected to face a shortage by 2025 (Alexandratos and Bruinsma, 2012). Between 2006 and 2017, Pakistan's per capita water availability decreased from 1100 to 908 m 3 (Imran et al., 2018). To meet the demands, agriculture must cut off its share of freshwater usage and search for alternative supplies, due to the growing imbalance between supply and demand, as well as the expected effects of climate change. Agricultural use of water and wastewater is currently the highest in the world, accounting for over 70% of total water usage (Winpenny et al., 2010). Wastewater reuse is becoming more popular as a way to fulfill the growing demand for water. This resource, in general, comprises significant concentrations of both helpful nutrients and hazardous contaminants, Abstract | Currently, wastewater irrigation is increasing to combat the depletion of freshwater resources and the water stress caused by climate change. In many countries, wastewater irrigation has been highlighted as a serious environmental concern due to heavy metal buildup in soils and food crops, as well as potential health hazards to humans from ingesting these foods. Human health hazards are becoming more crucial as wastewater irrigation increases because exposure to a variety of toxins must be evaluated against the advantages to food security and livelihoods. By irrigating treated wastewater, the danger of human exposure to heavy metal contamination can be considerably minimized. Innovative solutions to this universal problem are being provided through eco-technologies, such as constructed wetlands (CWs). CWs are among the most widely used natural water management options. CWs can be used for phytoremediation, which acts as a natural sink for toxins. The present paper aims to provide a brief discussion on wastewater health risks, CWs, and its phytoremediation attributes as a plant-based cleanup solution for wastewater remediation.
C limate change, a serious global concern, is caused by human activity and poses a variety of haz... more C limate change, a serious global concern, is caused by human activity and poses a variety of hazards to all living things. Increasing anthropogenic activities are responsible for the global warming that has happened during the last five decades. Global warming could have several consequences, including increased temperature, rising atmospheric CO 2 concentrations in the and precipitation (Betts, 2011). There would be an increase in 1.4-5.8°C temperature rise from 1990 to 2100 (Collins et al., 2013). In the atmosphere, the carbon level has risen from 280 ppm before the Industrial Revolution to 420 ppm presently, with 900 ppm expected by end of the century (Lindsey, 2020). A considerable increase in CO 2 levels in the atmosphere would have both direct and indirect global climate effects. Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem structure and function, as well as the wide range of commodities and services derived from natural ecosystems for humankind (Naeem et al., 2009; Leadley, 2010). Ecosystem services account for at least 40% of global GDP and 80% of GDP in less-developed countries (Li and Fang, 2014). The loss of biodiversity, ability to function in human society resulting in irreversible alterations of ecosystems, culminating in a worldwide crisis. However, little is known about the functional role of biodiversity in a system. As a result, it is Abstract | Climate changes and subsequent loss of biodiversity are threatening human existence. Due to its significance in ecosystem functioning, biodiversity is very important but difficult to replenish and recover when eroded. A severe threat to the anthropological system was the loss of biodiversity that took place over the planet. Climate change has the opposite effect on habitat fragmentation and contributes to the loss of biological diversity at the habitat, genetic, and species levels in a synergistic way. Land and aquatic biodiversity greatly influenced, some species are exhibiting different responses to these changing climatic factors like behavioral, morphological, phenological, reproductive, and genetic changes. After all these responses there are many species that are endangered and extinct. This review illustrates that climate change is a severe environmental concern that is affecting land (plants, soil, microbes, animals, and arthropods) and aquatic biodiversity (waterbodies, phytoplankton, coral reefs, and fishes) drastically.
ABSTRACT Introduction For the clinical treatment of cancer patients, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can... more ABSTRACT Introduction For the clinical treatment of cancer patients, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can cause serious immune-related problems. Cancer patients, who experience immunosuppression due to the pathogenesis and severity of disease, may become more aggressive due to multiple factors such as age, comorbidities, and immunosuppression. In this pandemic era, COVID-19 causes lymphopenia, cancer cell awakening, inflammatory diseases, and a cytokine storm that worsens disease-related morbidity and prognosis. Areas covered We discuss all the risk factors of COVID-19 associated with cancer patients and propose new strategies to use antiviral and anticancer drugs for therapeutic purposes. We bring new drugs, cancers and COVID-19 treatment strategies together to address the immune system challenges faced by oncologists. Expert opinion The chronic inflammatory microenvironment caused by COVID-19 awakens dormant cancer cells through inflammation and autoimmune activation. Drug-related strategies to ensure that clinical treatment can reduce the susceptibility of cancer patients to COVID-19, and possible counter-measures to minimize the harm caused by the COVID-19 have been outlined. The response to the pandemic and recovery has been elaborated, which can provide information for long-term cancer treatment and speed up the optimization process.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on daily life. Rest... more The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on daily life. Restrictions imposed to help minimise virus transmission have limited both population movement and employment, as well as altering the potential mechanisms of high-energy trauma. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pelvic and acetabular trauma. Materials and methods A retrospective observational study of the incidence, causality, patient profile, fracture morphology, and treatment strategy of pelvic and acetabular trauma managed in a national tertiary referral specialist pelvic and acetabular centre between the 1 st of March and 1 st of August 2020 was undertaken and compared to corresponding time periods in the two preceding years. Results A total of 78 patients were referred for management following pelvic and acetabular trauma during the study period with a mean age of 52 years (SD +/-24.2). Overall, 45% and 42% of patients were referred following isolated pelvic or acetabular fractures respectively. The most frequent mechanism of injury was a fall from height (>1m) (42%), with 53% of patients suffering from concomitant injuries and 32% requiring surgical management. While there was a statistically significant difference in mechanism of injury (P=0.026), there was no significant difference in overall incidence, fracture types, incidence of concomitant injuries, or overall proportion requiring surgical intervention during the study period when compared to previous years. Conclusion While some variation in the mechanisms of injury have been observed, the overall incidence, patient, fracture, and injury profiles associated with pelvic and acetabular trauma appear to have remained consistent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the number and proportion of those requiring surgical treatment of these fractures have remained stable. Understanding the continued burden of these potentially severe injuries may help guide injury prevention, treatment, and resource allocation as the pandemic continues.
Nitrogen (N) affects all levels of plant function from metabolism to resource allocation, growth,... more Nitrogen (N) affects all levels of plant function from metabolism to resource allocation, growth, and development and Magnesium (Mg) is a macronutrient that is necessary to both plant growth and health. Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) occupies an important position in the production and consumption of vegetables globally, but there are still many problems and challenges in its nutrient management. A pot trial was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen and magnesium fertilizers on radish during the year 2018-2019. Nitrogen and magnesium was applied at three rates (0, 0.200, and 0.300 g N kg À1 soil) and (0, 0.050, and 0.100 g Mg kg À1 soil) respectively. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) and each treatment was replicated three times. Growth, yield and quality indicators of radish (plant height, root length, shoot length, plant weight, total soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, total soluble protein, crude fiber, etc.) were studied. The results indicated that different rates of nitrogen and magnesium fertilizer not only influence the growth dynamics and yields but also enhances radish quality. The results revealed that the growth, yield and nutrient contents of radish were increased at a range of 0.00 g N. kg À1 soil to 0.300 g N. kg À1 soil and 0.00 g Mg. kg À1 soil to 0.050 g Mg. kg À1 soil and then decreased gradually at a level of 0.100 g Mg. kg À1 soil. In contrast, the crude fiber contents in radish decreased significantly with increasing nitrogen and magnesium level but increased significantly at Mg 2 level (0.050 g Mg. kg À1 soil). The current study produced helpful results for increasing radish quality, decreasing production costs, and diminishing underground water contamination.
As anthropogenic activities rise over the world, representing an environmental threat, soil conta... more As anthropogenic activities rise over the world, representing an environmental threat, soil contamination and treatment of polluted areas have become a worldwide concern. Bioremediation is a sustainable technique that could be a cost-effective mitigating solution for heavy metal-polluted soil regeneration. Due to the difficulties in determining the optimum bioremediation methodology for each type of pollutant and the lack of literature on soil bioremediation, we reviewed the main in-situ type, their current properties, applications, and techniques, plants, and microbe’s efficiency for treatment of contaminated soil. In this review, we describe the deeper knowledge of the in-situ types of bioremediation and their different pollutant accumulation mechanisms.
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among ROA, ROE, ROCE and EPS ratios toge... more The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among ROA, ROE, ROCE and EPS ratios together and separately with Break-up Values of Shares Karachi-Pakistan fuel and energy listed companies during the period (2006-2011). Because the fundamental view says that the market prices of shares follow the intrinsic values of shares. The empirical results suggest that collectively these ratios except ROE show significant positive relationship with break-up values of shares and separately ROA, ROCE and EPS show significant positive relationship with break-up values of shares whereas ROE shows insignificant positive relationship with break-up values of shares separately.
Knowledge of genetic diversity in terms of resistance or susceptibility to cotton leaf curl disea... more Knowledge of genetic diversity in terms of resistance or susceptibility to cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) and the agronomic value of economically important traits are essential. This is also required before starting a breeding program to develop disease resistant varieties. Germplasm comprising of 17 conventional cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes were screened under field conditions for the evaluation of resistance against CLCuD in addition yield and fiber quality traits were also measured. Disease scores revealed that none of the varieties were resistant to CLCuD. CIM-615, MARVI, and CIM-616 were tolerant to moderately tolerant while the S-12 genotype was highly susceptible to the disease. These three most tolerant genotypes, CIM-615, CIM-608 and CIM-616 had the highest metroglyph scores resulting from taller, higher yielding plants with stronger and more uniform fibers. Using the metroglyph analysis, these 17 genotypes were separated into seven groups. The separation of t...
Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2016
The objectives of this systematic review with a meta-analysis were to critically analyze the avai... more The objectives of this systematic review with a meta-analysis were to critically analyze the available scientific literature regarding the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (US) on stimulating bone regeneration and bone maturation during distraction osteogenesis in humans and to determine whether the stimulatory effect of low-intensity pulsed US can effectively reduce the associated treatment time. Studies were considered for inclusion if they were randomized clinical trials that examined the effect of low-intensity pulsed US on distraction osteogenesis compared to conventional distraction osteogenesis. The primary outcome was reduced treatment time. Study selection, risk of bias assessment, and data extraction were performed in duplicate. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used when more than 3 trials were eligible for a quantitative analysis and considering the expected differences in interventions and measurement tools. Five randomized clinical trials, with a moder...
A 36 years old gentleman had giant cell tumour (GCT) in distal ulna for which he underwent resect... more A 36 years old gentleman had giant cell tumour (GCT) in distal ulna for which he underwent resection of distal half of ulna but developed recurrence of the tumour. Following proper evaluation (grading and staging), he underwent wide margin excision of tumour including removal of distal three-fourth of ulna and reconstruction by free vascularised osteocutaneous fibular transfer. The distal reconstructed fibula was stabilized with extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU). Two years after the surgery, he developed a metachronous GCT lesion in ipsilateral distal radius for which he had curettage and bone grafting with preservation of articular surface.
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2012
Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb is the second most common site afflicted by osteoarthrit... more Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb is the second most common site afflicted by osteoarthritis. Non surgical measures forms the first line of treatment with aim of preventing progression of disease, however, surgery becomes an option when symptoms are refractory to nonsurgical methods. Different procedures have been described in literature. Ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition (LRTI) is the most commonly performed procedure in North America for this problem. The Aim of study was to evaluate early results of ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition for CMC joint arthritis. This is a case series of ten patients operated in a tertiary care hospital from December 2006 to December 2008. All cases were operated by a single surgeon. All of the patients were followed up using Quick DASH questionnaire filled preoperatively and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. All of our patients were female. Mean duration of follow up was 34 weeks. Pain and residual laxity recorded a...
It was decided by the government of Pakistan to close all educational institutions on 13th March,... more It was decided by the government of Pakistan to close all educational institutions on 13th March, 2020 and all citizens were strictly advised to remain at their homes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Due to the global pandemic, it was hypothesized that it would have a negative impact on K-12 students in their annual examinations of 2020 in science, mathematics, and technology subjects. There was constant hike in the COVID-19 cases and due to lack of technological resources in Pakistan, the country has been facing very difficult time since pandemic, especially in the area of STEM education. The data was collected from three teachers at a government secondary school in Malakand District Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. These teachers were specialized in mathematics, natural sciences and technology respectively. The researcher gathered insight of teachers on the possible effects of COVID-19 on the performance of students in their respective subjects by using a ...
Humans and animals both generate bioelectric signals through their tissues in static and active f... more Humans and animals both generate bioelectric signals through their tissues in static and active forms. These signals could be used to check the different physiological conditions of the body. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the signals produced by the heart. ECG helps to monitor the health of the heart such as heart rate, contraction of heart muscles, and blood circulation. Abnormality in these parameters can cause serious cardiovascular diseases. Thus, monitoring of ECG helps to early diagnose cardiovascular diseases. To measure these signals electrodes or sensors are used. There are several types of electrodes are developed to measure heart bioelectric signals, but they are not very efficient, consume more power, and can harm the skin. The focus of this research was to design new and more efficient dry electrodes. For this purpose, ECG noise was simulated in MATLAB and the main schematic diagram was designed. Suitable components of the electrode were selected according to the de...
P akistan is the world's fourth-highest water user and ranks third amongst countries facing water... more P akistan is the world's fourth-highest water user and ranks third amongst countries facing water shortages, as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (Ahmad, 2021). With the increase in overall water use, wastewater production and pollution load are also continuously increasing in Pakistan (Connor et al., 2017). In Pakistan, approximately half of the two million wet tonnes of human waste produced each year end up polluting the water (Maqbool, 2022). A study found that 60 Abstract | Wastewater production and disposal have become issues of concern with the growing population and increase in overall water usage. About 4.36 billion m 3 (BCM) of wastewater is generated every year in Pakistan and not even 1% of the total wastewater gets treated before its disposal. The reported research aims to assess the concentration of contaminants in wastewater. Samples of wastewater were collected from Wali Muhammad Canal, Multan, and analyzed for heavy metals (HMs) including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickle (Ni), and zinc (Zn), along with basic physicochemical parameters including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), residual sodium carbonates (RSC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), carbonates (CO 3), and bicarbonates (HCO 3) by using standard analytical procedures. The contamination in the wastewater includes temperature,
Authors' Contribution HR was responsible for collecting and processing the data and completed the... more Authors' Contribution HR was responsible for collecting and processing the data and completed the first draft under the supervision of QL. MTH guided on data analysis and contributed to the editing of the submitted manuscript along with YH. Key words Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Pakistan, data-limited stock evaluation, CMSY, BSM Evaluating the stock status is one of the most fundamental part of the dynamic cycle of fisheries management intended to secure our aquatic resources. Indeed the stock assessments not only provide a technical foundation for setting up yearly fisheries harvest levels but also offers a wide variety of other fishery-related measures for management purposes. To do so, we used two newly developed Catch-based Monte Carlo method of estimating MSY (CMSY) and the Bayesian state-space Schaefer production model (BSM) based on the catch and effort time series data from (1993-2017) from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), Pakistan. The five major fish species of commercial importance exploited by heterogeneous fishing fleets in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Pakistan have been undertaken as a case study for the stock evaluation. Altogether, both the models estimated largely similar results. The stock status results indicate that Euthynnus affinis and Rachycentron canadum were healthy, while Scomberomorus commerson and Parastromateus niger were overfished and Lutjanus argentimaculatus was strongly overfished. However, all the stocks were subjected to overfishing. Therefore, the parameters estimated from our study may be used as indicators for the sustainable management of the fisheries in the country.
2019 IEEE/CVF International Conference on Computer Vision Workshop (ICCVW), 2019
One-shot learning is a challenging discipline of machine learning since it gnaws at the concept o... more One-shot learning is a challenging discipline of machine learning since it gnaws at the concept of learning from large amounts of data. This is akin to making machine learning algorithms generalize from a few examples, much like how humans learn. We explore another novel dimension to this problem, of using weak supervision (labels only) in the one-shot domain, and specifically analyse it in the context of semantic segmentation. This is a challenging problem since we operate in the scarcity of data and supervision. We present a simple yet effective approach, whereby exploiting information from the base training classes in the current one-shot segmentation setup allows for weak supervision to be easily used. We show that this strategy can be leveraged to achieve nearly the same results as full supervision, but with no pixel annotations, allowing fully automated segmentation. Comparisons to several fully supervised methods show convincing results. As well as better results than a weakly supervised baseline. Also presented is a baseline for generalized segmentation under one-shot and weak supervision assumptions.
The marine fisheries resources of Pakistan have been drastically affected in the past few decades... more The marine fisheries resources of Pakistan have been drastically affected in the past few decades. Considering the limitations of previous studies and the data poor condition of the marine fisheries of Pakistan, this study employed the length-based Bayesian biomass (LBB) estimation method for analyzing the fisheries’ representative length-frequency data of five exploited marine fish stocks (Nemipterus japonicus, Nemipterus randalli, Parascolopsis aspinosa, Saurida tumbil, and Lepturacanthus savala). The estimates of relative fishing mortality (F/M) are higher than unity in four stocks except for S. tumbil, indicating overfishing. However, the current values relative to unexploited biomass (B/B0) are below 0.4, which indicates that the stock biomass is deficient in delivering maximum sustainable yield. Overfishing and the mass exclusion of small and older fish from stocks threaten to deplete the biomass of all species. Therefore, this study recommended that increasing the mesh size i...
Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Biosciences, 2021
Climate change has emerged as a major man-made global environmental problem, characterized by an ... more Climate change has emerged as a major man-made global environmental problem, characterized by an increase in the earth's air temperature as a result of large-scale emissions of greenhouse gases. Agriculture and climate change are intrinsically linked in different ways, since biotic and abiotic stresses are primarily caused by climate change, all these factors have a detrimental effect on a region's agriculture. Agriculture is affected by climate change in various ways, e.g., heat stress at the reproductive stage, shortening of growing season length, pests or microbes, modification in weeds, and increase in CO2 level. The challenge of changing global climate has driven the scientists' interest, As a result of these changes, global crop production is suffering and global food security is in danger. The current study sheds light on the impacts of climate change on agriculture, as well as the consequences for food security.
Employees are essential for any organization and its success. It is imperative for organizations ... more Employees are essential for any organization and its success. It is imperative for organizations that its employees should come with mental peace on workplace. This leads to the sustainable organizational growth and prosperity. Job stress and job satisfaction are most widely researched areas of Human Resources. Job satisfaction help employees attitude towards the organization and work. Job stress is detrimental and adversely impact the satisfaction of employees towards their job and organization. Social capital is the growing phenomenon today and it can help attain the mental peace and satisfaction of employees. It is strength of individual employees that helps them to cope with the stress, anxiety, tension and hurdles that affect their job satisfaction, performance and mental health. Social capital includes ones social and family relationships that help maintain their satisfaction towards job and organization. Job stress is destructive but social capital can help lower the effect o...
Plastic waste has recently been identified as one of the most serious environmental issues, affec... more Plastic waste has recently been identified as one of the most serious environmental issues, affecting all life forms, natural habitats, and the economy, and is one of the most serious global environmental problems, second only to climate change. Seeking alternative environmentally sustainable options, such as biodegradation instead of conventional disposal, is critical in the face of this challenge. However, there is currently a lack of information about the mechanisms and efficacy of plastic biodegradation. From this perspective, this study aims to illustrate the negative environmental impacts of the plastic waste. It also addresses the role of insects and gut microbiota in the degradation of plastics, emphasizing the important role they will play in the future.
I n 2050, the global population is predicted to reach 9.5 billion people, requiring an additional... more I n 2050, the global population is predicted to reach 9.5 billion people, requiring an additional 60% increase in food production (Mbow et al., 2019). Freshwater scarcity is a global issue, with 60% of the world's population expected to face a shortage by 2025 (Alexandratos and Bruinsma, 2012). Between 2006 and 2017, Pakistan's per capita water availability decreased from 1100 to 908 m 3 (Imran et al., 2018). To meet the demands, agriculture must cut off its share of freshwater usage and search for alternative supplies, due to the growing imbalance between supply and demand, as well as the expected effects of climate change. Agricultural use of water and wastewater is currently the highest in the world, accounting for over 70% of total water usage (Winpenny et al., 2010). Wastewater reuse is becoming more popular as a way to fulfill the growing demand for water. This resource, in general, comprises significant concentrations of both helpful nutrients and hazardous contaminants, Abstract | Currently, wastewater irrigation is increasing to combat the depletion of freshwater resources and the water stress caused by climate change. In many countries, wastewater irrigation has been highlighted as a serious environmental concern due to heavy metal buildup in soils and food crops, as well as potential health hazards to humans from ingesting these foods. Human health hazards are becoming more crucial as wastewater irrigation increases because exposure to a variety of toxins must be evaluated against the advantages to food security and livelihoods. By irrigating treated wastewater, the danger of human exposure to heavy metal contamination can be considerably minimized. Innovative solutions to this universal problem are being provided through eco-technologies, such as constructed wetlands (CWs). CWs are among the most widely used natural water management options. CWs can be used for phytoremediation, which acts as a natural sink for toxins. The present paper aims to provide a brief discussion on wastewater health risks, CWs, and its phytoremediation attributes as a plant-based cleanup solution for wastewater remediation.
C limate change, a serious global concern, is caused by human activity and poses a variety of haz... more C limate change, a serious global concern, is caused by human activity and poses a variety of hazards to all living things. Increasing anthropogenic activities are responsible for the global warming that has happened during the last five decades. Global warming could have several consequences, including increased temperature, rising atmospheric CO 2 concentrations in the and precipitation (Betts, 2011). There would be an increase in 1.4-5.8°C temperature rise from 1990 to 2100 (Collins et al., 2013). In the atmosphere, the carbon level has risen from 280 ppm before the Industrial Revolution to 420 ppm presently, with 900 ppm expected by end of the century (Lindsey, 2020). A considerable increase in CO 2 levels in the atmosphere would have both direct and indirect global climate effects. Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem structure and function, as well as the wide range of commodities and services derived from natural ecosystems for humankind (Naeem et al., 2009; Leadley, 2010). Ecosystem services account for at least 40% of global GDP and 80% of GDP in less-developed countries (Li and Fang, 2014). The loss of biodiversity, ability to function in human society resulting in irreversible alterations of ecosystems, culminating in a worldwide crisis. However, little is known about the functional role of biodiversity in a system. As a result, it is Abstract | Climate changes and subsequent loss of biodiversity are threatening human existence. Due to its significance in ecosystem functioning, biodiversity is very important but difficult to replenish and recover when eroded. A severe threat to the anthropological system was the loss of biodiversity that took place over the planet. Climate change has the opposite effect on habitat fragmentation and contributes to the loss of biological diversity at the habitat, genetic, and species levels in a synergistic way. Land and aquatic biodiversity greatly influenced, some species are exhibiting different responses to these changing climatic factors like behavioral, morphological, phenological, reproductive, and genetic changes. After all these responses there are many species that are endangered and extinct. This review illustrates that climate change is a severe environmental concern that is affecting land (plants, soil, microbes, animals, and arthropods) and aquatic biodiversity (waterbodies, phytoplankton, coral reefs, and fishes) drastically.
ABSTRACT Introduction For the clinical treatment of cancer patients, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can... more ABSTRACT Introduction For the clinical treatment of cancer patients, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can cause serious immune-related problems. Cancer patients, who experience immunosuppression due to the pathogenesis and severity of disease, may become more aggressive due to multiple factors such as age, comorbidities, and immunosuppression. In this pandemic era, COVID-19 causes lymphopenia, cancer cell awakening, inflammatory diseases, and a cytokine storm that worsens disease-related morbidity and prognosis. Areas covered We discuss all the risk factors of COVID-19 associated with cancer patients and propose new strategies to use antiviral and anticancer drugs for therapeutic purposes. We bring new drugs, cancers and COVID-19 treatment strategies together to address the immune system challenges faced by oncologists. Expert opinion The chronic inflammatory microenvironment caused by COVID-19 awakens dormant cancer cells through inflammation and autoimmune activation. Drug-related strategies to ensure that clinical treatment can reduce the susceptibility of cancer patients to COVID-19, and possible counter-measures to minimize the harm caused by the COVID-19 have been outlined. The response to the pandemic and recovery has been elaborated, which can provide information for long-term cancer treatment and speed up the optimization process.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on daily life. Rest... more The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on daily life. Restrictions imposed to help minimise virus transmission have limited both population movement and employment, as well as altering the potential mechanisms of high-energy trauma. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pelvic and acetabular trauma. Materials and methods A retrospective observational study of the incidence, causality, patient profile, fracture morphology, and treatment strategy of pelvic and acetabular trauma managed in a national tertiary referral specialist pelvic and acetabular centre between the 1 st of March and 1 st of August 2020 was undertaken and compared to corresponding time periods in the two preceding years. Results A total of 78 patients were referred for management following pelvic and acetabular trauma during the study period with a mean age of 52 years (SD +/-24.2). Overall, 45% and 42% of patients were referred following isolated pelvic or acetabular fractures respectively. The most frequent mechanism of injury was a fall from height (>1m) (42%), with 53% of patients suffering from concomitant injuries and 32% requiring surgical management. While there was a statistically significant difference in mechanism of injury (P=0.026), there was no significant difference in overall incidence, fracture types, incidence of concomitant injuries, or overall proportion requiring surgical intervention during the study period when compared to previous years. Conclusion While some variation in the mechanisms of injury have been observed, the overall incidence, patient, fracture, and injury profiles associated with pelvic and acetabular trauma appear to have remained consistent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the number and proportion of those requiring surgical treatment of these fractures have remained stable. Understanding the continued burden of these potentially severe injuries may help guide injury prevention, treatment, and resource allocation as the pandemic continues.
Nitrogen (N) affects all levels of plant function from metabolism to resource allocation, growth,... more Nitrogen (N) affects all levels of plant function from metabolism to resource allocation, growth, and development and Magnesium (Mg) is a macronutrient that is necessary to both plant growth and health. Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) occupies an important position in the production and consumption of vegetables globally, but there are still many problems and challenges in its nutrient management. A pot trial was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen and magnesium fertilizers on radish during the year 2018-2019. Nitrogen and magnesium was applied at three rates (0, 0.200, and 0.300 g N kg À1 soil) and (0, 0.050, and 0.100 g Mg kg À1 soil) respectively. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) and each treatment was replicated three times. Growth, yield and quality indicators of radish (plant height, root length, shoot length, plant weight, total soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, total soluble protein, crude fiber, etc.) were studied. The results indicated that different rates of nitrogen and magnesium fertilizer not only influence the growth dynamics and yields but also enhances radish quality. The results revealed that the growth, yield and nutrient contents of radish were increased at a range of 0.00 g N. kg À1 soil to 0.300 g N. kg À1 soil and 0.00 g Mg. kg À1 soil to 0.050 g Mg. kg À1 soil and then decreased gradually at a level of 0.100 g Mg. kg À1 soil. In contrast, the crude fiber contents in radish decreased significantly with increasing nitrogen and magnesium level but increased significantly at Mg 2 level (0.050 g Mg. kg À1 soil). The current study produced helpful results for increasing radish quality, decreasing production costs, and diminishing underground water contamination.
As anthropogenic activities rise over the world, representing an environmental threat, soil conta... more As anthropogenic activities rise over the world, representing an environmental threat, soil contamination and treatment of polluted areas have become a worldwide concern. Bioremediation is a sustainable technique that could be a cost-effective mitigating solution for heavy metal-polluted soil regeneration. Due to the difficulties in determining the optimum bioremediation methodology for each type of pollutant and the lack of literature on soil bioremediation, we reviewed the main in-situ type, their current properties, applications, and techniques, plants, and microbe’s efficiency for treatment of contaminated soil. In this review, we describe the deeper knowledge of the in-situ types of bioremediation and their different pollutant accumulation mechanisms.
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among ROA, ROE, ROCE and EPS ratios toge... more The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among ROA, ROE, ROCE and EPS ratios together and separately with Break-up Values of Shares Karachi-Pakistan fuel and energy listed companies during the period (2006-2011). Because the fundamental view says that the market prices of shares follow the intrinsic values of shares. The empirical results suggest that collectively these ratios except ROE show significant positive relationship with break-up values of shares and separately ROA, ROCE and EPS show significant positive relationship with break-up values of shares whereas ROE shows insignificant positive relationship with break-up values of shares separately.
Knowledge of genetic diversity in terms of resistance or susceptibility to cotton leaf curl disea... more Knowledge of genetic diversity in terms of resistance or susceptibility to cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) and the agronomic value of economically important traits are essential. This is also required before starting a breeding program to develop disease resistant varieties. Germplasm comprising of 17 conventional cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes were screened under field conditions for the evaluation of resistance against CLCuD in addition yield and fiber quality traits were also measured. Disease scores revealed that none of the varieties were resistant to CLCuD. CIM-615, MARVI, and CIM-616 were tolerant to moderately tolerant while the S-12 genotype was highly susceptible to the disease. These three most tolerant genotypes, CIM-615, CIM-608 and CIM-616 had the highest metroglyph scores resulting from taller, higher yielding plants with stronger and more uniform fibers. Using the metroglyph analysis, these 17 genotypes were separated into seven groups. The separation of t...
Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2016
The objectives of this systematic review with a meta-analysis were to critically analyze the avai... more The objectives of this systematic review with a meta-analysis were to critically analyze the available scientific literature regarding the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (US) on stimulating bone regeneration and bone maturation during distraction osteogenesis in humans and to determine whether the stimulatory effect of low-intensity pulsed US can effectively reduce the associated treatment time. Studies were considered for inclusion if they were randomized clinical trials that examined the effect of low-intensity pulsed US on distraction osteogenesis compared to conventional distraction osteogenesis. The primary outcome was reduced treatment time. Study selection, risk of bias assessment, and data extraction were performed in duplicate. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used when more than 3 trials were eligible for a quantitative analysis and considering the expected differences in interventions and measurement tools. Five randomized clinical trials, with a moder...
A 36 years old gentleman had giant cell tumour (GCT) in distal ulna for which he underwent resect... more A 36 years old gentleman had giant cell tumour (GCT) in distal ulna for which he underwent resection of distal half of ulna but developed recurrence of the tumour. Following proper evaluation (grading and staging), he underwent wide margin excision of tumour including removal of distal three-fourth of ulna and reconstruction by free vascularised osteocutaneous fibular transfer. The distal reconstructed fibula was stabilized with extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU). Two years after the surgery, he developed a metachronous GCT lesion in ipsilateral distal radius for which he had curettage and bone grafting with preservation of articular surface.
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2012
Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb is the second most common site afflicted by osteoarthrit... more Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb is the second most common site afflicted by osteoarthritis. Non surgical measures forms the first line of treatment with aim of preventing progression of disease, however, surgery becomes an option when symptoms are refractory to nonsurgical methods. Different procedures have been described in literature. Ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition (LRTI) is the most commonly performed procedure in North America for this problem. The Aim of study was to evaluate early results of ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition for CMC joint arthritis. This is a case series of ten patients operated in a tertiary care hospital from December 2006 to December 2008. All cases were operated by a single surgeon. All of the patients were followed up using Quick DASH questionnaire filled preoperatively and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. All of our patients were female. Mean duration of follow up was 34 weeks. Pain and residual laxity recorded a...
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Papers by Hasnain Raza