A Novel Collaborative SRU Network With Dynamic Behaviour Aggregation, Reduced Communication Overhead and Explainable Features.

Leakage and tampering problems in collection and transmission of biomedical data have attracted much attention as these concerns instigates negative impression regarding privacy, security, and reputation of medical networks. This article presents a novel security model that establishes a threat-vector database based on the dynamic behaviours of smart healthcare systems. Then, an improved and privacy-preserved SRU network is designed that aims to alleviate fading gradient issue and enhance the learning process by reducing computational cost. Then, an intelligent federated learning algorithm is deployed to enable multiple healthcare networks to form a collaborative security model in a personalized manner without the loss of privacy. The proposed security method is both parallelizable and computationally effective since the dynamic behaviour aggregation strategy empowers the model to work collaboratively and reduce communication overhead by dynamically adjusting the number of participating clients. Additionally, the visualization of the decision process based on the explainability of features enhances the understanding of security experts by enabling them to comprehend the underlying data evidence and causal reasoning. Compared to existing methods, the proposed security method is capable of thoroughly analyzing and detecting severe security threats with high accuracy, reduce overhead and lower computation cost along with enhanced privacy of biomedical data.

Assessing the role of green supply chain management in enhancing Pakistan manufacturers' performances.

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of success factors of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) dimensions (i.e., green purchasing, internal environmental management, cooperation with customers, eco-design, and investment recovery) and their impact on the Organizational Performance of Manufacturers in Pakistan on three pieces of levels of execution (i.e., Environmental Performance, Economic Performance, and Operational Performance), whereas GSCM practices in developing countries like Pakistan need to be explored. Data was collected from managers of 220 business firms in Pakistan through survey questionnaires with a purposive sampling technique. The target population consisted of managerial employees (business experts and executives) from private business firms, and partial least square-structural equation modeling was used for analysis. All GSCM dimensions were found significant in at least one of the performances, except eco-design on environmental performance and green purchasing on economic performance, either clearly or indirectly. The proposed model assembles and provides the respondents' distinctive working areas: electronic gadgets, automobile process and machinery sectors. Moreover, the appraisal of the connection between five developments of GSCM practices and three builds with the effect of the green distribution of authoritative execution in the Pakistan assembling setting offers an extraordinary theoretical commitment to exploring the green supply chain management field. First, this research is done by studying the green supply chain management dimensions of different performances of manufacturing firms in Pakistan, which has never been done before. Second, it contributes to the existing literature on critical success factors of GSCM. Manufacturing firms should implement GSCM practices to improve all three types of performance, i.e., environmental, economic, and operational.

Exploring the mediating role of environmental strategy, green innovations, and transformational leadership: the impact of corporate social responsibility on environmental performance.

This study examines the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on environmental performance by utilizing data collected from ten big industrial organizations operating in Lahore, Pakistan. The research data was organized using the cross-sectional process. Of the 316 questionnaires completed by employees, 226 were considered valid, and these responses were used for further PLS analysis. The findings of the research indicate CSR has a moderate impact on environmental performance. Furthermore, the result revealed that green innovation, green capability, environmental strategy, and green transformational leadership are a better ecological performance example that could mediate CSR and environmental performance. This research study postulates the existing resource-based view (RBV) theory for overall directors of industrial organizations and representatives to achieve and manage CSR, green innovation, green capability, environmental strategy, and green transformational leadership to find optimal environmental performance. Thorough study will provide valuable inputs to the overall directors and managers of the enormous industrial sector to support their internal strategies such as CSR, green innovation, green capability, environmental strategy, and green transformational leadership to expand the environmental performance (to help directors, managers, policymakers, and executives to take appropriate/profitable decisions in the future).

Effects of the green supply chain management practices on firm performance and sustainable development.

The idea of sustainable development and green supply chain management is considered at the underlying stage in the research and academic fields, particularly in the rising economies of Asia. This research investigates the persuasive force of the firm's green supply chain management practices with the mediating part of the competitiveness and investment recovery. Data was collected from the 12 ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 leather industries based in Pakistan. We distributed the 350 questionnaires at 12 leather industries, and the questionnaire was also transferred on Google Forms, and 50 questionnaire mail to different individuals who work in leather industries of other cities of Pakistan; out of 350 questionnaires, 183 were filled, and the remaining questionnaires were incomplete, and out of 50 emails, we get the response of 33 emails, and evaluated the model of this study by using the partial least square structural equation modeling PLS-SEM. We interact with the employees of leather industries and try to understand how they are following the green practices in their firms. This research uses resource dependence theory as the theoretical base. This study elaborates how the organization's behavior is affected by the external resources of the corporation. The actual outcomes uncover that green supply chain management activities positively impacting the firm's performance, where competitiveness and investment recovery play a mediating role among intra-organizational green practices.

Hepatitis-C and it's seroconversion in end stage kidney disease patients on maintenance hemodialysis and factors affecting it.

OBJECTIVE: To determine frequency of hepatitis-C in dialysis patients at start of hemodialysis, seroconversion from HCV negative to HCV positive over study duration and factors affecting seroconversion. METHODS: This descriptive prospective observational study done in dialysis center of DHQ hospital Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan. The study was conducted from October 2016 to October 2017. Data was collected on Performa and later followed prospectively in same cohort of patients. All the patients on maintenance hemodialysis for more than one month were included in the study. Patients with acute kidney disease and on dialysis less than one month were excluded. Patients were analyzed by dividing them in three groups, group-I patients who were HCV positive at start of dialysis, Group-II who were negative and seroconvert to HCV positive, Group-III who were negative and remained negative. All seronegative patients were followed at one, three, six and twelfth months on being hemodialysis for seroconversion. RESULTS: Out of 230 surveyed patients 52 were HCV positive at start of dialysis and 19 were loss of follow up. Out of remaining 159 HCV negative patients 95 became HCV positive, only 64 patients remained HCV negative by end of study. CONCLUSION: Frequency of HCV seroconversion among chronic hemodialysis patient is found to be 53.37%. Arteriovenous access, number of dialysis, reuse of dialyzer and blood transfusions are important risk factors.

Outcome of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients on the Basis of Referral to Nephrologist: A One-Year Follow-up Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients presenting for dialysis on the basis of referral to nephrologist. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Nephrology Department of King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from January 2014 to January 2016. METHODOLOGY: All patients who were presented in nephrology outpatients department and with the indication of dialysis were included in study. Patients who refused dialysis, and with acute kidney failure were excluded from the study. Proforma was designed for demographics, vital signs, volume status, and laboratory data (hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, albumin, bicarbonate etc.) of all the patients. On the basis of referral, patients were divided into two groups, i.e. early referral and late referral. Early referrals were those patients who were referred to a nephrologist more than three months before dialysis initiation. Late referrals were those patients who were referred to a nephrologist less than three months before dialysis initiation. Patients were followed up at one, three, six, and 12 months for outcome, i.e. still on dialysis or died. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-six patients were enrolled in the study, and 141 were followed up to one year. Seventy- two (51.1%) patients were male, 69 (48.9%) were female and most (n=69, 48.9%) were in the middle age group. Major causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were hypertension 70 (49.6%) and diabetes mellitus 66 (46.8%). Seventy-six (53.9%) patients were in fluid overload and acidotic (n=123, 87.2%). Twenty-seven (19.1%) patients were referred early and 114 (80.9%) were referred late. Overall mortality was 78 (55.3%) at one year. Factors affecting mortality were financial status and metabolic acidosis, but not referral. Temporary access for hemodialysis has 1.38 times more risk for mortality than the patients with permanent access. CONCLUSION: There is no difference on the outcome of dialysis patients on the basis referral to nephrologist. Factors affecting overall mortality in both groups were financial status, metabolic acidosis, and temporary access for dialysis. Most of the patients were referred late to the nephrologists.

Fatty acids characterization, oxidative perspectives and consumer acceptability of oil extracted from pre-treated chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds.

BACKGROUND: Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seeds have been described as a good source of lipids, protein, dietary fiber, polyphenolic compounds and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The consumption of chia seed oil helps to improve biological markers related to metabolic syndrome diseases. The oil yield and fatty acids composition of chia oil is affected by several factors such as pre-treatment method and size reduction practices. Therefore, the main mandate of present investigate was to study the effect of different seed pre-treatments on yield, fatty acids composition and sensory acceptability of chia oil at different storage intervals and conditions. METHODS: Raw chia seeds were characterized for proximate composition. Raw chia seeds after milling were passed through sieves to obtain different particle size fractions (coarse, seed particle size ≥ 10 mm; medium, seed particle size ≥ 5 mm; fine, seed particle size ≤ 5 mm). Heat pre-treatment of chia seeds included the water boiling (100 C°, 5 min), microwave roasting (900 W, 2450 MHz, 2.5 min), oven drying (105 ± 5 °C, 1 h) and autoclaving (121 °C, 15 lbs, 15 min) process. Extracted oil from pre-treated chia seeds were stored in Tin cans at 25 ± 2 °C and 4 ± 1 °C for 60-days and examined for physical (color, melting point, refractive index), oxidative (iodine value, peroxide value, free fatty acids), fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, α-linolenic) composition and sensory (appearance, flavor, overall acceptability) parameters, respectively. RESULTS: The proximal composition of chia seeds consisted of 6.16 ± 0.24 % moisture, 34.84 ± 0.62 % oil, 18.21 ± 0.45 % protein, 4.16 ± 0.37 % ash, 23.12 ± 0.29 % fiber, and 14.18 ± 0.23 % nitrogen contents. The oil yield as a result of seed pre-treatments was found in the range of 3.43 ± 0.22 % (water boiled samples) to 32.18 ± 0.34 % (autoclaved samples). The oil samples at day 0 indicated the maximum color (R and Y Lovibond scale) value for oven drying while at storage day 60 (25 ± 2 °C), the highest color value was found for autoclave pre-treatment. The slightly increasing trend of color values for all treatments was observed during the storage period. The lowest iodine value (182.83 ± 1.18 g/100 g at storage day 0 & 173.49 ± 1.21 g/100 g at storage day 60, 25 ± 2 °C) was calculated for autoclaved samples while the maximum iodine value (193.42 ± 1.14 g/100 g at storage day 0 & 190.36 ± 1.17 g/100 g at storage day 60, 25 ± 2 °C) was recorded for raw chia samples. The significant increasing trend for all treatments was observed in case of peroxide value and free fatty acids production during storage. Maximum decrease in linoleic (35 %) and α-linolenic (18 %) fatty acids was observed in autoclaved samples. The oil from pre-treated seed samples obtained decreasing scores for sensory parameters throughout the storage period at different conditions. CONCLUSIONS: As a result, chia seeds are an important source of lipids and essential fatty acids. The water boiling and high temperature processing of chia seeds provides instability to lipids during storage at room temperature. However, detailed investigation is required on the processing performance and storage stability of food products supplemented with pre-treated chia seeds and furthers their effect on biological system.

Demographic factors affecting quality of life of hemodialysis patients - Lahore, Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine the demographic factors affecting Quality Of Life (QOL) of hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: This observational study was conducted at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore. Patients of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and on maintenance HD for more than three months were included during the period March to June 2012. Patient of ESRD not on dialysis and Acute Renal Failure were excluded. One hundred and twenty five patients who fulfilled the criteria were included. Demographic data containing age, sex, residence, socio economic status, education, mode of traveling for dialysis, total time consumed in dialysis were collected by the investigators. QOL index was measured using 26 items, WHO QOL BREF. RESULTS: There were 89(71.2%) male and 36(28.8%) female patients. Environmental domain score was highest (p=0.000) than all other domains in HD Patients. In overall analysis age, marital status and total time consumed in getting HD effect QOL significantly (p=<0.05). In domain wise analysis, male has better QOL in social relationship domain than female. Age has negative relationship with physical health and psychological health domain. QOL of unmarried and literate patients is significantly better (p=<0.05) in physical health domain. Employed patients have better QOL in physical, psychological and social relationship domain (p=<0.05) than unemployed patients. Patients of residence of rural areas have better QOL in physical and environment domain. Financial status of HD patients affect QOL in social domain. Distance covered to reach hospital effect QOL in psychological domain (p=<0.05). Patients traveling in private transport have better QOL in environmental domain (p=<0.05). Total time consumed in getting HD effect social relation in QOL (p=<0.05). According to linear regression model, marital status is positive predictor and unemployment is negative predictor of QOL in physical health domain. Age is negative predictor of QOL in psychological domain, monthly income is positive predictor of QOL in domain. Unemployment is positive predictor of QOL in social relation domain. Monthly income and place of residence is positive predictor of QOL in environment domain. CONCLUSION: Gender, age, marital status, unemployment, residence of rural area, economical status, distance covered to reach hospital, mode of transport, total time consumed in getting HD, effect QOL in HD patient. Education level is a positive factor for improving QOL of HD patients.