Objectives: To determine the prevalence of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) use among bodybuilders in different cities of Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 380 bodybuilders ...utilizing convenience sampling from different cities of Pakistan, including Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. The study was conducted over a period of 6 months from January 2019 to June 2019. The sample included male bodybuilders aged 18 to 50 years. The basic demographic sheet and a self-designed form were used to collect data. SPSS software v. 21 was utilized for statistical analysis. The chi-square test was used to observe any relationship with P<0.05 as significant. Results: The current study showed a prevalence of 109 (28.68%) AAS use in bodybuilders with testosterone being most commonly used. A total of 54 people (49.5%) used self-administration, 38 people (34.9%) used it for the short-term while 27 people (24.8%) used it in long-term. Bodybuilders were mostly inspired by peers 73 (67%) and encouraged by coaches 62 (56.9%) to use AAS. Regarding knowledge of AAS, its usage, benefits, and side effects, the majority (89%) had little or no knowledge. Conclusion: The study concludes that the use of AAS is quite prevalent among bodybuilders in Pakistan with 28.68% of AAS mainly using testosterone preparation, and bodybuilders of age 20 to 40 mainly consuming AAS. Peers were the main inspiration for most (67%) and encouraged by their coaches to use AAS (56.9%).
Background: Poliomyelitis is a paralytic & highly infectious disease caused by a virulent virus from the Picornaviridae family. It is one of the oldest diseases and has been mentioned in Egyptian ...drawings as well. Objectives: To determine the Quality of life & its association with clinico-demographic variables of post-poliomyelitis children having disabilities. Methodology: This cross sectional study recruited N=460 post-polio cases from Khyber Pakhtun Khwa and Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Tribal District from July 2019 to December 2019 using convenience sampling. Sample included both genders, aged 15 years or less, who had received rehabilitation services for more than 3 months & had a valid case identification number. Cases who did not receive rehab in the last 2 months, those having other health related issues or impairments along with polio were excluded from the study. Basic demographic sheet and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionaire on disability was used for the data collection and analysis done using SPSS Version 21. Results: Study revealed highest domain score for psychological (13.11±2.19/56.85±13.43) followed by physical (12.74±2.78/55.07±16.85) and environmental (12.31±2.06/53.03±13.08) domains, the least score was of social domain (10.67±2.14/41.81±13.34). Quality of life revealed significant association (p<0.001) with occupation, visibility of disability, disability affecting life; and its physical domain with Age of onset & duration (p=0.026); physical (p=0.003), psychological (p=0.000) and environmental (p=0.000) domain with income. Conclusion: The quality of life of post-polio cases with disabilities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa & its Tribal District is compromised with highest domain score for psychological followed by physical and environmental domains, the least score was of social domain. Quality of life revealed significant association with occupation, visibility of disability, disability affecting life; and its physical domain with Age of onset & duration; physical, psychological and environmental domain with income. Key Words: Disability, Poliomyelitis, Polio Rehabilitation Initiative, Quality of life
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) refer to all males (of any age) who engage in sexual relations with other males. The gross stigmatization and discrimination of homosexuals have affected ...the life and health of MSM. Aims & objective: To get an insight on circumstances of initiation and continuation of same sex behavior among MSM. Material & Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in MSM population in Agra district in India. Audio recorded in-depth interviews were transcribed into verbatim. Potential themes were extracted as a part of analysis as per relevant experiences of the participants. Data saturation achieved after 13 In-depth interviews. Results: The initiation of same sex behavior among MSM was at a young age and was mostly without their consent. Almost all participants were below the legal age of giving consent for sex and their first homosexual partner was a familiar, elderly in position of authority. They played a passive role in their initial sexual encounter and none of them was able to discuss it freely with their family members or friends. They mostly felt depressed after their first homosexual encounter. They had continued this sexual behavior as they have accepted their attraction towards same sex. Conclusion: There is a need to include concepts of sexuality in education curriculum and sensitize parents also and counseling of those exposed to homosexuality at a tender age is imperative.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Electroencephalogram (EEG) is widely used for the diagnosis of neurological conditions like epilepsy, neurodegenerative illnesses and sleep related disorders. Proper interpretation of EEG recordings ...requires the expertise of trained neurologists, a resource which is scarce in the developing world. Neurologists spend a significant portion of their time sifting through EEG recordings looking for abnormalities. Most recordings turn out to be completely normal, owing to the low yield of EEG tests. To minimize such wastage of time and effort, automatic algorithms could be used to provide pre-diagnostic screening to separate normal from abnormal EEG. Data driven machine learning offers a way forward however, design and verification of modern machine learning algorithms require properly curated labeled datasets. To avoid bias, deep learning based methods must be trained on large datasets from diverse sources. This work presents a new open-source dataset, named the NMT Scalp EEG Dataset, consisting of 2,417 recordings from unique participants spanning almost 625 h. Each recording is labeled as normal or abnormal by a team of qualified neurologists. Demographic information such as gender and age of the patient are also included. Our dataset focuses on the South Asian population. Several existing state-of-the-art deep learning architectures developed for pre-diagnostic screening of EEG are implemented and evaluated on the NMT, and referenced against baseline performance on the well-known Temple University Hospital EEG Abnormal Corpus. Generalization of deep learning based architectures across the NMT and the reference datasets is also investigated. The NMT dataset is being released to increase the diversity of EEG datasets and to overcome the scarcity of accurately annotated publicly available datasets for EEG research.
Shape preservation has been the heart of subdivision schemes (SSs) almost from its origin, and several analyses of SSs have been established. Shape preservation properties are commonly used in SSs ...and various ways have been discovered to connect smooth curves/surfaces generated by SSs to applied geometry. With an eye on connecting the link between SSs and applied geometry, this paper analyzes the geometric properties of a ternary four-point rational interpolating subdivision scheme. These geometric properties include monotonicity-preservation, convexity-preservation, and curvature of the limit curve. Necessary conditions are derived on parameter and initial control points to ensure monotonicity and convexity preservation of the limit curve of the scheme. Furthermore, we analyze the curvature of the limit curve of the scheme for various choices of the parameter. To support our findings, we also present some examples and their graphical representation.
The objectives of the study were to examine the relationship of positive psychological strengths and its dimensions (hope, optimism, self efficacy and resiliency) with subjective well-being, ...mentoring and educational encouragement; and to examine the role of demographic characteristics, mentoring and educational encouragement as a predictors of positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being. Data were collected from 464 professional course students, 200 males and 264 females residing in North India. Descriptive, correlations and regression analysis were performed. Gender, socio-economic, marital status and religious belief of the students significantly influencing on outcome variables. Significant positive relationship were found between positive psychological strengths with subjective well-being, mentoring from teachers and educational encouragement from parents, siblings and friends. Regression model revealed that mentoring on the part of the teachers significantly predicted positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being. Educational encouragement on the part of the parents, siblings and friends were significantly predicted the positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being. Role of mentoring and educational encouragement from parents, siblings and teachers was found to be imperative in developing positive psychological strengths and subjective well-being of contemporary adolescent, as well preparing skill to face challenges of life in a complex world.
We hypothesized that the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) demonstrates a great healing response after initial trauma and has competent cells leading to the healing but differs in its response ...based on the type of tear and duration of injury. This study aimed to evaluate the histological and cellular responses to the injured ACL.
Fifty-two tissue samples from the ACL were harvested from patients undergoing arthroscopy. Detailed histological and cellular examinations were performed for ligament angiogenesis, fibrocytes, and synovial tissue infiltration. We compared the cellular response to injury in partially and completely ruptured ACLs. The duration of ACL injury and its response to cellular characteristics were also examined. Immunohistochemical studies using cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) staining was used to evaluate endothelial cells and fibrocytes.
We found a significantly higher density of synovial and ligament angiogenesis and fibrocytes at the torn end of ACL (Mann–Whitney, P < 0.050). Numerous fibrocytes were identified in complete ACL tears versus partial tears (Mann–Whitney = 0.020). Increased cellular proliferation was identified at the ruptured end of ACL remnant (Kruskal–Wallis, P < 0.050). The cellular proliferation of ruptured ACL decreased after 12 months.
Based on our findings of the time-dependent decrease in the cellular response at the torn ends of the ACL, we recommend early intervention, preservation of the ACL remnant, and primary ACL repair or augmented reconstruction.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Polyculturalism is the lay belief that cultures are dynamically interconnected and mutually influencing each other historically and in contemporary times. Belief in polyculturalism is associated with ...various positive intergroup outcomes in intercultural social contexts, but it has never been studied in relation to intergroup attitudes in postcolonial societies. Two studies with participants from four postcolonial Asian societies (total
= 1,126) explore whether polyculturalism will also be associated with positive attitudes toward the continuing presence of former colonizers. The historical colonial experience may be socially represented positively or negatively in different societies, and in this context, the studies inquire into whether current attitudes toward former colonizers are positively associated with the belief in polyculturalism. In two studies (after controlling for belief in multiculturalism, genetic and social constructivist lay theories of race, and national identity) polyculturalism was positively associated with favorable attitudes toward continuing presence of former colonizers in Hong Kong, Macau, and Jakarta, but not in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and Wonosobo, Indonesia. The positive association with polyculturalism was found only in the three societies with a high degree of intercultural contact, where the core beliefs of polyculturalism may be more meaningful. The results are discussed in terms of how intergroup relations between former colonizers and colonized peoples are forms of between-society intercultural contact that are also influenced by intergroup lay theories.
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