| 1. |
- Ademuyiwa, Adesoji O., et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of morbidity and mortality following emergency abdominal surgery in children in low-income and middle-income countries
- 2016
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Ingår i: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2059-7908. ; 1:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Child health is a key priority on the global health agenda, yet the provision of essential and emergency surgery in children is patchy in resource-poor regions. This study was aimed to determine the mortality risk for emergency abdominal paediatric surgery in low-income countries globally.Methods: Multicentre, international, prospective, cohort study. Self-selected surgical units performing emergency abdominal surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive children aged <16 years during a 2-week period between July and December 2014. The United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI) was used to stratify countries. The main outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality, analysed by multilevel logistic regression.Results: This study included 1409 patients from 253 centres in 43 countries; 282 children were under 2 years of age. Among them, 265 (18.8%) were from low-HDI, 450 (31.9%) from middle-HDI and 694 (49.3%) from high-HDI countries. The most common operations performed were appendectomy, small bowel resection, pyloromyotomy and correction of intussusception. After adjustment for patient and hospital risk factors, child mortality at 30 days was significantly higher in low-HDI (adjusted OR 7.14 (95% CI 2.52 to 20.23), p<0.001) and middle-HDI (4.42 (1.44 to 13.56), p=0.009) countries compared with high-HDI countries, translating to 40 excess deaths per 1000 procedures performed.Conclusions: Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries. Effective provision of emergency essential surgery should be a key priority for global child health agendas.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Ahmed, Kamran, et al.
(författare)
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Development of a standardised training curriculum for robotic surgery: a consensus statement from an international multidisciplinary group of experts
- 2015
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Ingår i: BJU International. - : Wiley. - 1464-4096 .- 1464-410X. ; 116:1, s. 93-101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: To explore the views of experts about the development and validation of a robotic surgery training curriculum, and how this should be implemented. Materials and methods: An international expert panel was invited to a structured session for discussion. The study was of a mixed design, including qualitative and quantitative components based on focus group interviews during the European Association of Urology (EAU) Robotic Urology Section (ERUS) (2012), EAU (2013) and ERUS (2013) meetings. After introduction to the aims, principles and current status of the curriculum development, group responses were elicited. After content analysis of recorded interviews generated themes were discussed at the second meeting, where consensus was achieved on each theme. This discussion also underwent content analysis, and was used to draft a curriculum proposal. At the third meeting, a quantitative questionnaire about this curriculum was disseminated to attendees to assess the level of agreement with the key points. Results: In all, 150 min (19 pages) of the focus group discussion was transcribed (21 316 words). Themes were agreed by two raters (median agreement kappa 0.89) and they included: need for a training curriculum (inter-rater agreement kappa 0.85); identification of learning needs (kappa 0.83); development of the curriculum contents (kappa 0.81); an overview of available curricula (kappa 0.79); settings for robotic surgery training ((kappa 0.89); assessment and training of trainers (kappa 0.92); requirements for certification and patient safety (kappa 0.83); and need for a universally standardised curriculum (kappa 0.78). A training curriculum was proposed based on the above discussions. Conclusion: This group proposes a multi-step curriculum for robotic training. Studies are in process to validate the effectiveness of the curriculum and to assess transfer of skills to the operating room.
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| 4. |
- Ahmed, Kamran, et al.
(författare)
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Serum apolipoproteins, apoB/apoA-I ratio and objectively measured physical activity in elderly
- 2011
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal. - : Informa Healthcare. - 1401-7431 .- 1651-2006. ; 45:2, s. 105-111
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Several studies have suggested that subjectively reported physical activity is associated with favorable apolipoproteins and apoB/apoA-I ratio but this association has not been studied much in elderly, and seldom with objective methods. The specific aim of the current study was to increase our understanding of the association between objectively measured physical activity, and apolipoproteins and apoB/apoA-I ratio in elderly subjects.Design: In a long-term follow-up of coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients, a total of 89 subjects (55?88 years old) were recruited. Peak oxygen uptake was measured by ergospirometry and physical activity by accelerometry. Subjects were divided into two groups based on their activity levels (i.e. more or less than 30 minutes of moderate activity per day).Results: Only 26% (23/89) of participants achieved the recommended 30 min/day of moderate intensity activity. Objectively measured physical activity was associated with higher apolipoprotein A-I levels and smaller apoB/apoAI ratio and lower body mass index, whereas no significant association with apolipoprotein B was observed.Conclusion: The significant association of objectively measured physical activity with favorable apolipoprotein A-I levels and a apoB/apoA-I ratio stresses the importance of being physically active.
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| 5. |
- Baninajjar, Anahita, et al.
(författare)
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SafeDeep: A Scalable Robustness Verification Framework for Deep Neural Networks
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Ingår i: 2023 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The state-of-the-art machine learning techniques come with limited, if at all any, formal correctness guarantees. This has been demonstrated by adversarial examples in the deep learning domain. To address this challenge, here, we propose a scalable robustness verification framework for Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). The framework relies on Linear Programming (LP) engines and builds on decades of advances in the field for analyzing convex approximations of the original network. The key insight is in the on-demand incremental refinement of these convex approximations. This refinement can be parallelized, making the framework even more scalable. We have implemented a prototype tool to verify the robustness of a large number of DNNs in epileptic seizure detection. We have compared the results with those obtained by two state-of-the-art tools for the verification of DNNs. We show that our framework is consistently more precise than the over-approximation-based tool ERAN and more scalable than the SMT-based tool Reluplex.
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| 6. |
- Bessa, Agustina, et al.
(författare)
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The need for supportive mental wellbeing interventions in bladder cancer patients : A systematic review of the literature
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 16:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives There is an increased awareness of the effect of a bladder cancer diagnosis and its treatments on the mental wellbeing of patients. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of interventions to improve this mental wellbeing. This systematic review is the first phase of the Medical Research Council Framework for developing complex interventions and provides an overview of the published mental wellbeing interventions that could be used to design an intervention specific for BC patients.Methods This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines in January 2019 and studies were identified by conducting searches for Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Ovid Gateway. All included studies met the following criteria: mental wellbeing interventions of adults with medically confirmed diagnosis of any type of urological cancer, reported outcomes for specific HRQoL domains including psychological factors. The quality of evidence was assessed according to Down and Black 27-item checklist.Results A total of 15,094 records were collected from the literature search and 10 studies matched the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, nine interventions were for patients with prostate cancer and one for patients with kidney cancer. No studies were found for other urological cancers. Depression was the most commonly reported endpoint measured. Of the included studies with positive efficacy, three were group interventions and two were couple interventions. In the group interventions, all showed a reduction in depressive symptoms and in the couple interventions, there was a reduction in depressive symptoms and a favourable relationship cohesion. The couple interventions were the most feasible and acceptable, but further research was required for most of the studies.Conclusion While awareness of the importance of mental wellbeing in bladder cancer patients is growing, this systematic literature review highlights the gap of feasible and acceptable interventions for this patient population.
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| 7. |
- Ghumman, Iss, et al.
(författare)
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Computational Fluid Mechanics Model for Numerical Investigation of Frictional Tribo-pair during Mixed Lubrication
- 2022
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Ingår i: Proceedings of 2022 19th International Bhurban Conference on Applied Sciences and Technology, IBCAST 2022. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. - 9781665460514 ; , s. 815-820
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- All the machines are constructed through mechanical links and pairs. One of the crucial pairs is the sliding pair; due to their nature and general use, they are often subjected to a higher degree of dynamics and external forces leading to high frictional force. To reduce wear from friction formerly thick film of commercial oil is used. However, viscosity-based higher thickness yields higher energy losses, and nano-lubricants are popular in reducing friction while keeping film thickness and improving wear resistance. This paper develops a numerical model for sliding pairs that predicts the load carried by components under different lubrication regimes. The aim is to simulate hydrodynamic and mixed lubrication regimes for different loading conditions. A detailed multiphysics model of tribo-pair was modeled, including lubricant rheology, surface topology, oil film squeeze, and film temperature through the moving mesh. The fluid domain has been meshed with Arbitrary Lagrangian and Eulerian techniques. Energy loss due to viscous friction and boundary friction were determined by solving Naiver- Stokes equations in the moving mesh deformable geometry domain. The numerical model was compared with the available literature, and the results are presented. This numerical simulation remained valid and provides the fundamental understanding of oil film thickness and load-carrying capacity of sliding tribo-pair in the presence of nano-lubricants. The developed model is a useful methodology for studying lubricant oil enriched with nanoparticles.
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| 8. |
- Kamran, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
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Endophyte-mediated stress tolerance in plants : a sustainable strategy to enhance resilience and assist crop improvement
- 2022
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Ingår i: Cells. - : MDPI. - 2073-4409. ; 11:20
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biotic and abiotic stresses severely affect agriculture by affecting crop productivity, soil fertility, and health. These stresses may have significant financial repercussions, necessitating a practical, cost-effective, and ecologically friendly approach to lessen their negative impacts on plants. Several agrochemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides, are used to improve plant health and protection; however, these chemical supplements have serious implications for human health. Plants being sessile cannot move or escape to avoid stress. Therefore, they have evolved to develop highly beneficial interactions with endophytes. The targeted use of beneficial plant endophytes and their role in combating biotic and abiotic stresses are gaining attention. Therefore, it is important to experimentally validate these interactions and determine how they affect plant fitness. This review highlights research that sheds light on how endophytes help plants tolerate biotic and abiotic stresses through plant–symbiont and plant–microbiota interactions. There is a great need to focus research efforts on this vital area to achieve a system-level understanding of plant–microbe interactions that occur naturally.
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| 9. |
- Kamran, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
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Hydroquinone; a novel bioactive compound from plant-derived smoke can cue seed germination of lettuce
- 2017
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Chemistry. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2646. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Plant-derived smoke has been known to play an important role in distribution and growth of vegetation. Using a proficiently designed furnace, we extracted smoke from the leaves of four plant viz. Helianthus annuus,Aloe vera,Ginkgo biloba, and Cymbopogon jwarancusa. Smoke dilutions obtained from these plants were obtained in different concentrations to identify potential lettuce growth promoting smoke solution. Results revealed that smoke obtained from G. biloba significantly enhanced the lettuce seed germination. This solution was then partitioned into ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, n-hexane, chloroform and ether fractions. Ethyl acetate fraction was found to be potent to enhance seed germination. This fraction was subjected to column chromatography and spectroscopic techniques to obtain compound 1. This compound was identified as hydroquinone using 1D and 2D NMR techniques. At low concentrations (5, 10, and 20 ppm), compound 1 enhanced the lettuce seed germination; however, higher concentrations inhibited its growth as compared to control.
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| 10. |
- Rehman, Ahad Abdul, et al.
(författare)
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In vivo assessment of anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects of Syzygium cumini leaves extract in rabbits
- 2019
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Ingår i: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6882. ; 19:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels. is one of the very popular traditionally used medicinal plants with numerous pharmacological activities including antioxidant, hypoglycemic and anti-inflammatory. However, actions of S. cumini on blood coagulation and other parameters of blood were poorly pharmacologically studied. Therefore, aim of this present investigation is to examine the effects of methanolic extract of S. cumini on blood coagulation and anticoagulation factors in healthy white albino rabbits at different doses. Methods: Blood samples were drawn twice during this study and biochemical assays were performed to determine the effect on different parameters such as coagulation, anticoagulation, hematological, Protein C (PC) and thrombin antithrombin (TAT) complex and platelet aggregation. Results: The results showed significant increase in RBCs, hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelets counts up to 1.4 × 103/cm, 2.2 g/dl, 6%, 248.2 × 103/cm respectively. While, thrombin and bleeding time were also prolonged in dose dependent manner which is highly significant (p ≤ 0.005) as compared to control. Similarly, highly significantly increased (p ≤ 0.005) in levels of protein C, thrombin antithrombin complex at dose of 500 mg/kg were observed. Whereas, levels of platelets aggregation and fibrinogen were decreased at high doses. Conclusion: The obtained findings of hematological and coagulation tests concludes possibly S. cumini possess anticoagulant and antiplatelet effects.
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| 11. |
- Willander, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Recent progress on growth and device development of ZnO and CuO nanostructures and graphene nanosheets
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Materials Chemistry. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 0959-9428 .- 1364-5501. ; 22:6, s. 2337-2350
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent progress on the growth of zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO) and graphene nanosheets is presented and discussed. We here restrict the discussion to the hydrothermal low temperature growth regime. In view of this the most critical and important parameters for obtaining nanostructures with desired morphology are discussed and presented. Among all parameters, the temperature and the pH during growth were chosen due to their strong role in affecting the produced nanostructures. The application of this method to non-conventional substrates e. g. paper, is demonstrated. Different devices are fabricated using the grown material and their performance is discussed.
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