Umar Farooque - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Umar Farooque

Cureus

Introduction Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignant tumor of childhood. The... more Introduction Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignant tumor of childhood. The different modes of Rb presentation comprise proptosis, anterior chamber inflammatory signs, spontaneous hyphema, secondary glaucoma, and strabismus. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the different clinical presentations and stages of Rb that may help in early detection and timely diagnosis to prevent the advancement of the disease and increase rates of survival in children. Materials and methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between December 2019 and May 2020 over a period of six months at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The sample size included 68 eyes of children with lesions of Rb at the time of presentation to the hospital. Brightness scans (B-scans), computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. The International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification (IIRC) was used to stage each eye. In case of enucleation (if necessary) of the eye, the biopsy was performed to evaluate the histological features of cancer. All statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). Results The mean age of the children was 3.21 ± 1.75 years. Leukocoria was the most common clinical presentation observed in more than half (n = 35, 51.47%) of the sample population followed by proptosis reported in nearly two-fifths (n = 25, 36.76%), strabismus and phthisis bulbi observed in equal proportions (n = 3, 4.41%), and hypopyon documented in a minor proportion (n = 2, 2.94%) of patients. Regarding stages of the Rb disease, the most common stages were observed to be stage C and stage E. Conclusions This study concludes that the early detection of Rb is possible through a better understanding of presenting features of the disease. It can prevent the progression of the disease to the advanced stages and decrease morbidity and mortality. The early detection of Rb can be made possible through the examination of red reflex on the regular checkups of children as leukocoria is the most common clinical presentation.

Cureus, 2021

Primary spinal melanoma (PSM) is a rare primary central nervous system melanoma with limited lite... more Primary spinal melanoma (PSM) is a rare primary central nervous system melanoma with limited literature. A 30-year-old male presented with one year of progressive bilateral leg weakness and back pain. Physical examination revealed slightly decreased power and deep tendon reflexes of the lower extremities, decreased sensation at the level of T10, and normal anal sphincter and plantar reflexes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the thoracolumbar spine revealed a hypointense lesion on T2-weighted and a hyperintense lesion on T1-weighted imaging at the level of T10 with mild extensions. The lesion was causing a mass effect on the spinal cord. The patient underwent laminectomy and near-total excision which showed a black, firm-to-hard, scarcely vascular extradural tumor extending from T10 to T11 that adhered to nerve roots. Histopathological examination and immunostaining with S-100 and Melan-A stains confirmed the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Other imaging studies like brain computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans, and chest X-ray were normal. On follow-up, the patient reported improvement in the power of his lower limbs with intact sensory function and sphincters. The first radiotherapy session was scheduled for six weeks postoperatively. There was no recurrence at a two-year follow-up. The possibility of a melanocytic tumor should be considered for a spinal lesion with paramagnetic properties as early surgical intervention is important for diagnosis and improved survival.

This Synopsis deals with experimental investigation by using R600 refrigerant and to calculate th... more This Synopsis deals with experimental investigation by using R600 refrigerant and to calculate the value of COP. We have all experienced a sensation of heat when passing behind a functioning refrigerator or air conditioner. The cause of this phenomenon is the air condenser, a heat exchanger made up of tubes with air fins attached to the back of the device. This is where the cooling fluid condenses by releasing its heat into the ambient air. To limit the system's energy consumption, humidification processes were initiated. The principle consists of saturating the ambient air in contact with the exchanger by projecting fine water droplets. Humidification of the air intensifies the heat exchange on the air side and reduces the cooling fluid's condensation temperature. This lowers the compression rate in the cooling cycle and improves the compressor's consumption of electrical power

Journal of Optical Communications, 2020

In order to select the heterogeneous multicore fiber (MCF) configuration with ultra-low crosstalk... more In order to select the heterogeneous multicore fiber (MCF) configuration with ultra-low crosstalk and low peak bending radius, comparative crosstalk analysis have been done for the three possible core configurations, namely, Configuration 1 - different refractive index (R.I.) and different radius, Configuration 2 - different R.I., and Configuration 3 - different radius. Using the coupled mode equation and the simplified expressions of mode coupling coefficient (MCC) for different configurations of heterogeneous cores, the crosstalk performance of all the heterogeneous MCF configurations along with the homogeneous MCF have been investigated analytically with respect to core pitch (D) and fiber bending radius ( R b Rb{R}_{b}Rb ). Further, these expressions of MCC have been extended to obtain the simplified expressions of MCC for the estimation of crosstalk levels in respective trench-assisted (TA) heterogeneous MCF configurations. It is observed from the analysis that in Configuration 1...

Cureus, 2020

The risk of stroke is increased during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It can lead to signif... more The risk of stroke is increased during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It can lead to significant maternal morbidity and mortality. The physiologically mediated hemodynamic changes in circulation and vascular tissue, and the increased coagulability account for this increased risk of stroke. Pregnancy-related strokes can be hemorrhagic or ischemic. We present a rare case of postpartum ischemic stroke. A 25-year-old female with no known comorbidities and a history of cesarean section 10 days back presented with a right-sided weakness and sensory loss for one day. An MRI of the head revealed a large area of restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted 1 (DW1) image in the left parietal region with comparable low signals on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map and a small area of blooming suggesting hemorrhage on susceptibility-weighted 1 (SW1) image. This area appeared hypointense on T1 and hyperintense on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T2 images. These findings suggested acute ischemic infarction. She was started on antiplatelet therapy, and subsequently, her weakness improved. She was discharged upon improvement in her symptoms and was asked to follow up in the outpatient department. Numerous studies have shown an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the immediate postpartum period in women who undergo a cesarean section. Thus, we conclude that clinicians should be aware of this complication and high-risk patients should be identified and monitored more aggressively in their immediate postpartum period.

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2019

Effects of increasing core count in limited cladding diameter and cladding thickness constraints ... more Effects of increasing core count in limited cladding diameter and cladding thickness constraints and their arrangements, i.e., core layouts on the crosstalk variation in heterogeneous and trench-assisted (TA) heterogeneous MCFs are investigated using the expression of crosstalk derived from the coupled mode equations and the finite element method (FEM) based FemSIM software. Only two kinds of heterogeneous cores having different core radius and refractive index are used in the present analysis. For 12-Core TA MCF, approx. 35 dB of crosstalk level can be optimized by proper selection of core layout, and whereas for high core count such as 24-Core and 30-Core TA MCFs, this value reduces to 30 dB and 20 dB, respectively, due to the decrease in the core pitch and the increase in the number of surrounding cores. This result shows that core count and layout have a significant impact on the crosstalk variations in MCFs.

The videofluorographic study is indicated for diseases potentially causing dysphagia and aspirati... more The videofluorographic study is indicated for diseases potentially causing dysphagia and aspiration, such as gastrointestinal reflux disease, cancers of the oropharynx and esophagus, and certain neurologic diseases needing swallowing assessment. The study is designed to survey the anatomy and physiology of swallowing to diagnose any swallowing impairment and is standardized using scales such as the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP). The procedure requires the patient to swallow a barium contrasted bolus which helps to visualize and obtain a real-time result. There are certain complications of the procedure including radiation exposure which requires necessary safety protocols to be followed.

2016 3rd International Conference on Computing for Sustainable Global Development (INDIACom), 2016

Due to steady growth of e-commerce market, advancement in data mining and data intelligence techn... more Due to steady growth of e-commerce market, advancement in data mining and data intelligence technologies, recommender systems are becoming more powerful and accurate. Not only it has the prospects to help the customers as discussed in the previous paper, Collaborative Filtering Based Simple Restaurant Recommender, the businesses can also drive the sales of their products and generate more revenue. This paper is an extension to Collaborative Filtering Based Simple Restaurant Recommender aimed at giving procedures and steps to build a generic product recommender based on user based collaborative filtering, by using open source platform, Apache mahout.

Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 2021

Sepsis is extremely common amongst critically ill patients and requires early diagnosis. Hence, i... more Sepsis is extremely common amongst critically ill patients and requires early diagnosis. Hence, identifying a biomarker that could acknowledge sepsis at its prior stage is of vital significance. Immature platelets are a percentage of circulating platelets that contain RNA and is a newer parameter that is measured using automated hematology analyzers in diagnosing sepsis. This review article discusses 10 articles that reveal the role of immature platelet fraction in predicting the onset of sepsis and its relationship with mortality in sepsis. Literature search was done using PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar and words like platelet indices and immature platelet fraction were typed in the search bar. The aim of this review article is to present a precise form of data that talk about immature platelet fraction (IPF) and its association with the severity and mortality of sepsis. Five out of 10 articles suggest that immature platelet fraction can predict the onset of sepsis and eight out of 10 articles suggest that increased IPF values are associated with high mortality.

Minerva Pediatrics, 2021

Inevitably, along with other healthcare specializations, pediatric surgery was affected by the Co... more Inevitably, along with other healthcare specializations, pediatric surgery was affected by the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Children were reported to manifest mild to moderate symptoms and mortality was primarily observed in patients aged <1 year and having underlying comorbidities. The majority of the cases were asymptomatic in children, hence, posing a challenge for pediatric surgery centers to take drastic measures to reduce the virus transmission. Telemedicine was introduced and outpatient consultations were conducted online as out-patient clinics were closed. Elective surgeries were postponed with delayed appointments while the healthcare sector was diverted towards tackling COVID-19. Case urgency was classified and triaged, leading to limited surgeries being performed only in COVID-19 negative patients following an extensive screening process. The screening process consisted of online history taking and RT-PCR tests. Newer practices such as mouth rinse, video laryngoscopy, and anesthesia were introduced to restrict patients from crying, coughing, and sneezing, as an attempt to avoid aerosolization of viral particles and safely conduct pediatric surgeries during the pandemic. Surgical trainees were also affected as the smaller number of surgeries conducted reduced the clinical experience available to medical enthusiasts. There is still room for advanced practices to be introduced in pediatric surgery, and restore all kinds of surgeries to improve the quality of life of the patient.

Cureus, 2021

Introduction This brief study shows the consumption of two medications that are related to those ... more Introduction This brief study shows the consumption of two medications that are related to those patients who have gone through the complicated procedure of craniotomy. The basic aim of these drugs is to subside the aftereffects of the procedure like postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients. Hereby, the study outlines the functional efficiency of dexamethasone along with the metoclopramide and dexamethasone alone. Materials and methods Randomly two groups were listed of 120 patients that have undergone elective craniotomy with ASA I-II. These groups were called out as group A and group B. Group A was under the medication of combination of dexamethasone and metoclopramide 8 mg and 10 mg, respectively, induced separately while group B was induced with 8 mg of dexamethasone along with 2 ml of normal saline. These drugs were induced right before anesthesia. The procedure from here on gets the same for both groups. After the surgical approach, a verbal evaluation was taken from the members of each group to collect specific data accordingly within the first 24 hours. As the method is double-blinded thus the patients were unaware of the ongoing research study. In any case of a mishap, rescue antiemetic drugs were also considered for the patients who would have experienced uncontrolled nausea and vomiting in the timeframe. Results The results show that only 16.7% of the patients from group A showed signs of nausea and only 5% showed vomiting while 31.7% of the patients from group B showed signs of nausea and 11.7% showed vomiting. It clearly showed that the patients tend to have either no sign of nausea and vomiting or showed little controllable nausea and vomiting when induced with dexamethasone and metoclopramide compared to those who were induced with the dexamethasone alone. Conclusions Postoperative nausea and vomiting are studied in terms of those who had undergone craniotomy. This study shows the prophylaxis of adverse effects of postoperative nausea and vomiting between the two groups under the influence of altered drugs. Thus, the results were noticeably in the favor of the combination treatment of dexamethasone and metoclopramide.

Cureus, 2020

A cavum septum pellucidum is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) filled cavity situated between the later... more A cavum septum pellucidum is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) filled cavity situated between the lateral ventricles and is considered as a normal anatomic variant sporadically seen on neuroimaging. While a cavum septum pellucidum is a relatively uncommon incidental neuroimaging finding, symptomatic cysts of the cavum septum pellucidum are very rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature so far. They are defined as fluid-filled structures with lateral bowing of the walls and membranes separated by at least 10 mm or more. We present the case of a 25-year-old male patient with a rapidly expanding cyst of the septum pellucidum with headaches refractory to conventional pharmacological therapy. A 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain with contrast was performed, which confirmed the diagnosis. Due to the failure of noninterventional treatment, he was treated with therapeutic endoscopic fenestration of the cyst. Postoperatively, he reported a complete resolution of the presenting symptoms.

Cureus, 2021

Introduction Cervical myelopathy (CM) is caused by degenerative or congenital changes in the disc... more Introduction Cervical myelopathy (CM) is caused by degenerative or congenital changes in the discs and soft tissues of the cervical spine, leading to chronic compression of the spinal cord. The current treatment for moderate-tosevere CM is surgical decompression, which is effective in most cases; however, it can cause inflammation of the nervous system and spinal cord reperfusion injury, resulting in perioperative neurological complications and suboptimal neurological recovery. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of the combination of erythropoietin and methylprednisolone in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury to the spinal cord and to analyze its effects on the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), and interleukin-8 (IL-8). Materials and methods This study included 110 patients admitted to the hospital due to cervical spondylotic myelopathy. They were randomized into two groups of 55 patients each: a control and an observation group. In both groups of patients, fusion internal fixation and anterior cervical discectomy were performed. The difference, however, was that the control group received a rapid intravenous injection of 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone 30 minutes prior to spinal cord decompression, while the observation group received an intravenous injection of 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone and 3,000 U/kg erythropoietin 30 minutes before spinal cord decompression. The study was approved by the Hospital Ethical Committee of the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. The neurological function of both groups of patients was assessed before the procedure and three months after the treatment using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) method of assessing spinal cord function (40-point rating method). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100β, IL-1RA, IL-1β, and IL-8 in both groups. The quality of life of patients in both groups was assessed three months after the treatment with the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-100). Results Before the treatment, there was no significant variance between the two groups in the JOA score and the 40point rating method. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the levels of IL-1β, IL-1RA, and IL-8 between the two groups (p-value = 0.262, 0.387, and 0.154 respectively) prior to the treatment. Three months after the treatment, the levels of IL-1β and IL-8 in the observation group were 21.83 ±3.65 ng/l and 357.07 ±32.36 ng/l respectively, both lower than the control group value (p-value = 0.026, 0.028 respectively). The level of IL-1RA in follow-up was 21.59 ±1.15 ng/l, which was higher than that in the control group. Three months after the treatment, all the WHOQOL-100 parameters of the observation group for psychology, physiology, social relations, independence, spirituality, environment, and general quality of life were higher than those of the control group; the variance among the groups was statistically significant (pvalue: <0.001). Conclusions The combination therapy with erythropoietin and methylprednisolone is effective for ischemia-reperfusion injuries of the spinal cord. It also reduces S-100β and NSE, inhibits IL-1β, and increases IL-8 and IL-1RA. Therefore, it preserves and improves spinal nerve function and the quality of life of patients.

International Cancer Conference Journal, 2021

Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS) is extremely rare, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literat... more Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS) is extremely rare, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literature. The majority of patients present with symptoms due to unifocal or multifocal extra-nodal disease. Less than 20% of these cases show solitary involvement of a lymph node. We report a case of a solitary HS in a 53-year-old woman presenting with a 2.7-cm right groin mass arising from an inguinal lymph node. The initial cytologic examination of the tissue showed a high-grade spindle-shaped morphology with high-grade mitotic activity. A high-grade sarcoma was initially considered considering the absence of normal lymphoid aggregate and the presence of high-grade cytologic features in the cells. To evaluate the tumor in its entirety, the mass was surgically excised. A histological examination of the tumor showed focal rimming of the lymphoid tissue at the periphery and a centrally located stellate necrotic focus. The tumor cells had an epithelioid to spindle cell morphology along with large uniform nuclei and prominent nucleoli. A high mitotic index was present. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) stains showed strong positivity for CD68, CD163, and Vimentin, and were weakly positive for SMA and CD45. Based on the histologic and clinical examination, a diagnosis of HS was made. Multiple malignancies can mimic HS histopathology and the rarity of this tumor makes the diagnosis more challenging. No fine-needle aspiration (FNA) criteria for its diagnosis have been recognized. Herein, we report a rare case of an isolated HS involving a lymph node which resembled high-grade sarcoma on the FNA biopsy to raise awareness among our surgical pathologist colleagues.

Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, 2020

SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with a lot of complications one of which is myocardial injury whic... more SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with a lot of complications one of which is myocardial injury which is still a subject under study. Here we present a case of a 63 years old diabetic man with signs of left ventricular failure and clear evidence of myocardial injury, later diagnosed as COVID-19. In the setting of cardiac emergency medical professionals need to have a high index of suspicion early on during the management.

Cureus, 2020

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is expanding to a wider patient population; howeve... more Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is expanding to a wider patient population; however, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is the most important adverse event of these therapies. Patients suffering from high-grade CRS also develop signs of cardiac dysfunction and frequently manifest vascular leakage with peripheral and pulmonary edema. We present an unusual case of a 68-year-old female with stage III endometrial carcinosarcoma, who was admitted for T-cell therapy. The patient developed symptoms of CRS within 12 hours of T-cell therapy and expired shortly thereafter. Autopsy of the patient revealed interstitial edema and lymphocytic infiltrates in right and left ventricles along with foci of myocyte necrosis and perivascular fibrosis, more prominent in the right ventricle, consistent with immune therapymediated myocarditis. It is important to recognize that CRS progresses rapidly and can have potentially dangerous consequences, so it is imperative to anticipate and treat it early. Cases should be individualized and treated accordingly.

Cureus, 2020

Leukemia cutis (LC) is a manifestation of leukemia with infiltration of the dermis, epidermis, or... more Leukemia cutis (LC) is a manifestation of leukemia with infiltration of the dermis, epidermis, or subcutis by malignant leukocytes resulting in papules, plaques, nodules, or ulcers. It is usually associated with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia as well as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) but is very rare in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). We report a case of a 58-year-old Hispanic male who presented with a non-healing leg ulcer of three months along with patches on the face, left arm, and bilateral legs with white blood cell (WBC) count of 50800/mm 3 with 83% blasts, and flow cytometry findings of BALL. Punch biopsies from affected skin showed numerous dermal nodules composed of large atypical cells with open chromatin and prominent nucleoli. Immunohistochemical stains were consistent with BALL involving the skin and a diagnosis of LC was rendered. A high index of suspicion in relevant cases and prompt diagnosis is imperative to prevent any delays in appropriate therapy. Diagnosis in our case was aided by concurrent identification of BALL in the patient's peripheral blood. Since this information may not always be available, it is important to keep BALL in the differential any time there is a neoplastic infiltration of leukocytes in the dermis.

Cureus, 2020

Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes with a clinical spectrum that ranges ... more Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes with a clinical spectrum that ranges from asymptomatic infection to dengue shock syndrome. Neurologic manifestations are rare. We report a case of dengue fever presented with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. An 18-year-old boy presented with high-grade fever, generalized headache for three days, intermittent altered sensorium, nausea, and vomiting for one day. Dengue-IgG and Dengue-IgM were positive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed abnormal signal intensity areas in the bilateral deep white matter at centrum semiovale more on the right side, which seemed hypointense on T1 and hyperintense on T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, with open ring enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1 image, and peripheral diffusion restriction on diffusion-weighted 1 (DW1) image. These features were suggestive of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. He improved within a week of taking IV methylprednisolone 1 g once daily for five days and supportive care. Follow up MRI after three weeks showed the resolution of all abnormalities. Thus we conclude that patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis should be checked for dengue fever, especially in areas of high prevalence, for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment and to prevent excessively aggressive surgery and/or treatment for such abnormal MRI findings.

Cureus, 2020

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an uncommon fibroblastic neoplasm that is most commonly associate... more Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an uncommon fibroblastic neoplasm that is most commonly associated with the pleura but has also been reported in almost all anatomic sites. Although the majority of SFTs are benign, few cases follow a malignant clinical course and may recur and/or metastasize after several years of their original occurrence. Only 16 cases of pancreatic SFTs are reported so far, and only one has metastasized to lung and subcutis. Pancreatic SFT resembles more common neuroendocrine tumor and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) radiographically and is at times almost indistinguishable from GIST histologically. Diagnosis of SFTs particularly, if attempted on biopsied specimens, can be very challenging due to its rare occurrence and nondescript morphology. It is imperative to understand the pathological spectrum of this entity to avoid misdiagnosis. We report a case of pancreatic SFT in a 43-year-old male with some unusual morphologic and immunohistochemical features including pseudoangiomatous growth pattern, a hypercellular area demonstrating nuclear pleomorphism, and only focal positivity for cluster of differentiation (CD)34. These atypical features can pose even more diagnostic challenge by causing additional confusion with other malignancies like dedifferentiated liposarcoma and vascular tumors. The potential diagnostic pitfalls are discussed.

Cureus

Introduction Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignant tumor of childhood. The... more Introduction Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common intraocular malignant tumor of childhood. The different modes of Rb presentation comprise proptosis, anterior chamber inflammatory signs, spontaneous hyphema, secondary glaucoma, and strabismus. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the different clinical presentations and stages of Rb that may help in early detection and timely diagnosis to prevent the advancement of the disease and increase rates of survival in children. Materials and methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between December 2019 and May 2020 over a period of six months at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The sample size included 68 eyes of children with lesions of Rb at the time of presentation to the hospital. Brightness scans (B-scans), computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. The International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification (IIRC) was used to stage each eye. In case of enucleation (if necessary) of the eye, the biopsy was performed to evaluate the histological features of cancer. All statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). Results The mean age of the children was 3.21 ± 1.75 years. Leukocoria was the most common clinical presentation observed in more than half (n = 35, 51.47%) of the sample population followed by proptosis reported in nearly two-fifths (n = 25, 36.76%), strabismus and phthisis bulbi observed in equal proportions (n = 3, 4.41%), and hypopyon documented in a minor proportion (n = 2, 2.94%) of patients. Regarding stages of the Rb disease, the most common stages were observed to be stage C and stage E. Conclusions This study concludes that the early detection of Rb is possible through a better understanding of presenting features of the disease. It can prevent the progression of the disease to the advanced stages and decrease morbidity and mortality. The early detection of Rb can be made possible through the examination of red reflex on the regular checkups of children as leukocoria is the most common clinical presentation.

Cureus, 2021

Primary spinal melanoma (PSM) is a rare primary central nervous system melanoma with limited lite... more Primary spinal melanoma (PSM) is a rare primary central nervous system melanoma with limited literature. A 30-year-old male presented with one year of progressive bilateral leg weakness and back pain. Physical examination revealed slightly decreased power and deep tendon reflexes of the lower extremities, decreased sensation at the level of T10, and normal anal sphincter and plantar reflexes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the thoracolumbar spine revealed a hypointense lesion on T2-weighted and a hyperintense lesion on T1-weighted imaging at the level of T10 with mild extensions. The lesion was causing a mass effect on the spinal cord. The patient underwent laminectomy and near-total excision which showed a black, firm-to-hard, scarcely vascular extradural tumor extending from T10 to T11 that adhered to nerve roots. Histopathological examination and immunostaining with S-100 and Melan-A stains confirmed the diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Other imaging studies like brain computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans, and chest X-ray were normal. On follow-up, the patient reported improvement in the power of his lower limbs with intact sensory function and sphincters. The first radiotherapy session was scheduled for six weeks postoperatively. There was no recurrence at a two-year follow-up. The possibility of a melanocytic tumor should be considered for a spinal lesion with paramagnetic properties as early surgical intervention is important for diagnosis and improved survival.

This Synopsis deals with experimental investigation by using R600 refrigerant and to calculate th... more This Synopsis deals with experimental investigation by using R600 refrigerant and to calculate the value of COP. We have all experienced a sensation of heat when passing behind a functioning refrigerator or air conditioner. The cause of this phenomenon is the air condenser, a heat exchanger made up of tubes with air fins attached to the back of the device. This is where the cooling fluid condenses by releasing its heat into the ambient air. To limit the system's energy consumption, humidification processes were initiated. The principle consists of saturating the ambient air in contact with the exchanger by projecting fine water droplets. Humidification of the air intensifies the heat exchange on the air side and reduces the cooling fluid's condensation temperature. This lowers the compression rate in the cooling cycle and improves the compressor's consumption of electrical power

Journal of Optical Communications, 2020

In order to select the heterogeneous multicore fiber (MCF) configuration with ultra-low crosstalk... more In order to select the heterogeneous multicore fiber (MCF) configuration with ultra-low crosstalk and low peak bending radius, comparative crosstalk analysis have been done for the three possible core configurations, namely, Configuration 1 - different refractive index (R.I.) and different radius, Configuration 2 - different R.I., and Configuration 3 - different radius. Using the coupled mode equation and the simplified expressions of mode coupling coefficient (MCC) for different configurations of heterogeneous cores, the crosstalk performance of all the heterogeneous MCF configurations along with the homogeneous MCF have been investigated analytically with respect to core pitch (D) and fiber bending radius ( R b Rb{R}_{b}Rb ). Further, these expressions of MCC have been extended to obtain the simplified expressions of MCC for the estimation of crosstalk levels in respective trench-assisted (TA) heterogeneous MCF configurations. It is observed from the analysis that in Configuration 1...

Cureus, 2020

The risk of stroke is increased during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It can lead to signif... more The risk of stroke is increased during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It can lead to significant maternal morbidity and mortality. The physiologically mediated hemodynamic changes in circulation and vascular tissue, and the increased coagulability account for this increased risk of stroke. Pregnancy-related strokes can be hemorrhagic or ischemic. We present a rare case of postpartum ischemic stroke. A 25-year-old female with no known comorbidities and a history of cesarean section 10 days back presented with a right-sided weakness and sensory loss for one day. An MRI of the head revealed a large area of restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted 1 (DW1) image in the left parietal region with comparable low signals on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map and a small area of blooming suggesting hemorrhage on susceptibility-weighted 1 (SW1) image. This area appeared hypointense on T1 and hyperintense on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T2 images. These findings suggested acute ischemic infarction. She was started on antiplatelet therapy, and subsequently, her weakness improved. She was discharged upon improvement in her symptoms and was asked to follow up in the outpatient department. Numerous studies have shown an increased risk of ischemic stroke in the immediate postpartum period in women who undergo a cesarean section. Thus, we conclude that clinicians should be aware of this complication and high-risk patients should be identified and monitored more aggressively in their immediate postpartum period.

Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, 2019

Effects of increasing core count in limited cladding diameter and cladding thickness constraints ... more Effects of increasing core count in limited cladding diameter and cladding thickness constraints and their arrangements, i.e., core layouts on the crosstalk variation in heterogeneous and trench-assisted (TA) heterogeneous MCFs are investigated using the expression of crosstalk derived from the coupled mode equations and the finite element method (FEM) based FemSIM software. Only two kinds of heterogeneous cores having different core radius and refractive index are used in the present analysis. For 12-Core TA MCF, approx. 35 dB of crosstalk level can be optimized by proper selection of core layout, and whereas for high core count such as 24-Core and 30-Core TA MCFs, this value reduces to 30 dB and 20 dB, respectively, due to the decrease in the core pitch and the increase in the number of surrounding cores. This result shows that core count and layout have a significant impact on the crosstalk variations in MCFs.

The videofluorographic study is indicated for diseases potentially causing dysphagia and aspirati... more The videofluorographic study is indicated for diseases potentially causing dysphagia and aspiration, such as gastrointestinal reflux disease, cancers of the oropharynx and esophagus, and certain neurologic diseases needing swallowing assessment. The study is designed to survey the anatomy and physiology of swallowing to diagnose any swallowing impairment and is standardized using scales such as the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP). The procedure requires the patient to swallow a barium contrasted bolus which helps to visualize and obtain a real-time result. There are certain complications of the procedure including radiation exposure which requires necessary safety protocols to be followed.

2016 3rd International Conference on Computing for Sustainable Global Development (INDIACom), 2016

Due to steady growth of e-commerce market, advancement in data mining and data intelligence techn... more Due to steady growth of e-commerce market, advancement in data mining and data intelligence technologies, recommender systems are becoming more powerful and accurate. Not only it has the prospects to help the customers as discussed in the previous paper, Collaborative Filtering Based Simple Restaurant Recommender, the businesses can also drive the sales of their products and generate more revenue. This paper is an extension to Collaborative Filtering Based Simple Restaurant Recommender aimed at giving procedures and steps to build a generic product recommender based on user based collaborative filtering, by using open source platform, Apache mahout.

Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 2021

Sepsis is extremely common amongst critically ill patients and requires early diagnosis. Hence, i... more Sepsis is extremely common amongst critically ill patients and requires early diagnosis. Hence, identifying a biomarker that could acknowledge sepsis at its prior stage is of vital significance. Immature platelets are a percentage of circulating platelets that contain RNA and is a newer parameter that is measured using automated hematology analyzers in diagnosing sepsis. This review article discusses 10 articles that reveal the role of immature platelet fraction in predicting the onset of sepsis and its relationship with mortality in sepsis. Literature search was done using PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar and words like platelet indices and immature platelet fraction were typed in the search bar. The aim of this review article is to present a precise form of data that talk about immature platelet fraction (IPF) and its association with the severity and mortality of sepsis. Five out of 10 articles suggest that immature platelet fraction can predict the onset of sepsis and eight out of 10 articles suggest that increased IPF values are associated with high mortality.

Minerva Pediatrics, 2021

Inevitably, along with other healthcare specializations, pediatric surgery was affected by the Co... more Inevitably, along with other healthcare specializations, pediatric surgery was affected by the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Children were reported to manifest mild to moderate symptoms and mortality was primarily observed in patients aged <1 year and having underlying comorbidities. The majority of the cases were asymptomatic in children, hence, posing a challenge for pediatric surgery centers to take drastic measures to reduce the virus transmission. Telemedicine was introduced and outpatient consultations were conducted online as out-patient clinics were closed. Elective surgeries were postponed with delayed appointments while the healthcare sector was diverted towards tackling COVID-19. Case urgency was classified and triaged, leading to limited surgeries being performed only in COVID-19 negative patients following an extensive screening process. The screening process consisted of online history taking and RT-PCR tests. Newer practices such as mouth rinse, video laryngoscopy, and anesthesia were introduced to restrict patients from crying, coughing, and sneezing, as an attempt to avoid aerosolization of viral particles and safely conduct pediatric surgeries during the pandemic. Surgical trainees were also affected as the smaller number of surgeries conducted reduced the clinical experience available to medical enthusiasts. There is still room for advanced practices to be introduced in pediatric surgery, and restore all kinds of surgeries to improve the quality of life of the patient.

Cureus, 2021

Introduction This brief study shows the consumption of two medications that are related to those ... more Introduction This brief study shows the consumption of two medications that are related to those patients who have gone through the complicated procedure of craniotomy. The basic aim of these drugs is to subside the aftereffects of the procedure like postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients. Hereby, the study outlines the functional efficiency of dexamethasone along with the metoclopramide and dexamethasone alone. Materials and methods Randomly two groups were listed of 120 patients that have undergone elective craniotomy with ASA I-II. These groups were called out as group A and group B. Group A was under the medication of combination of dexamethasone and metoclopramide 8 mg and 10 mg, respectively, induced separately while group B was induced with 8 mg of dexamethasone along with 2 ml of normal saline. These drugs were induced right before anesthesia. The procedure from here on gets the same for both groups. After the surgical approach, a verbal evaluation was taken from the members of each group to collect specific data accordingly within the first 24 hours. As the method is double-blinded thus the patients were unaware of the ongoing research study. In any case of a mishap, rescue antiemetic drugs were also considered for the patients who would have experienced uncontrolled nausea and vomiting in the timeframe. Results The results show that only 16.7% of the patients from group A showed signs of nausea and only 5% showed vomiting while 31.7% of the patients from group B showed signs of nausea and 11.7% showed vomiting. It clearly showed that the patients tend to have either no sign of nausea and vomiting or showed little controllable nausea and vomiting when induced with dexamethasone and metoclopramide compared to those who were induced with the dexamethasone alone. Conclusions Postoperative nausea and vomiting are studied in terms of those who had undergone craniotomy. This study shows the prophylaxis of adverse effects of postoperative nausea and vomiting between the two groups under the influence of altered drugs. Thus, the results were noticeably in the favor of the combination treatment of dexamethasone and metoclopramide.

Cureus, 2020

A cavum septum pellucidum is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) filled cavity situated between the later... more A cavum septum pellucidum is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) filled cavity situated between the lateral ventricles and is considered as a normal anatomic variant sporadically seen on neuroimaging. While a cavum septum pellucidum is a relatively uncommon incidental neuroimaging finding, symptomatic cysts of the cavum septum pellucidum are very rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature so far. They are defined as fluid-filled structures with lateral bowing of the walls and membranes separated by at least 10 mm or more. We present the case of a 25-year-old male patient with a rapidly expanding cyst of the septum pellucidum with headaches refractory to conventional pharmacological therapy. A 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain with contrast was performed, which confirmed the diagnosis. Due to the failure of noninterventional treatment, he was treated with therapeutic endoscopic fenestration of the cyst. Postoperatively, he reported a complete resolution of the presenting symptoms.

Cureus, 2021

Introduction Cervical myelopathy (CM) is caused by degenerative or congenital changes in the disc... more Introduction Cervical myelopathy (CM) is caused by degenerative or congenital changes in the discs and soft tissues of the cervical spine, leading to chronic compression of the spinal cord. The current treatment for moderate-tosevere CM is surgical decompression, which is effective in most cases; however, it can cause inflammation of the nervous system and spinal cord reperfusion injury, resulting in perioperative neurological complications and suboptimal neurological recovery. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of the combination of erythropoietin and methylprednisolone in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury to the spinal cord and to analyze its effects on the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), and interleukin-8 (IL-8). Materials and methods This study included 110 patients admitted to the hospital due to cervical spondylotic myelopathy. They were randomized into two groups of 55 patients each: a control and an observation group. In both groups of patients, fusion internal fixation and anterior cervical discectomy were performed. The difference, however, was that the control group received a rapid intravenous injection of 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone 30 minutes prior to spinal cord decompression, while the observation group received an intravenous injection of 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone and 3,000 U/kg erythropoietin 30 minutes before spinal cord decompression. The study was approved by the Hospital Ethical Committee of the Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. The neurological function of both groups of patients was assessed before the procedure and three months after the treatment using the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) method of assessing spinal cord function (40-point rating method). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100β, IL-1RA, IL-1β, and IL-8 in both groups. The quality of life of patients in both groups was assessed three months after the treatment with the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instrument (WHOQOL-100). Results Before the treatment, there was no significant variance between the two groups in the JOA score and the 40point rating method. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the levels of IL-1β, IL-1RA, and IL-8 between the two groups (p-value = 0.262, 0.387, and 0.154 respectively) prior to the treatment. Three months after the treatment, the levels of IL-1β and IL-8 in the observation group were 21.83 ±3.65 ng/l and 357.07 ±32.36 ng/l respectively, both lower than the control group value (p-value = 0.026, 0.028 respectively). The level of IL-1RA in follow-up was 21.59 ±1.15 ng/l, which was higher than that in the control group. Three months after the treatment, all the WHOQOL-100 parameters of the observation group for psychology, physiology, social relations, independence, spirituality, environment, and general quality of life were higher than those of the control group; the variance among the groups was statistically significant (pvalue: <0.001). Conclusions The combination therapy with erythropoietin and methylprednisolone is effective for ischemia-reperfusion injuries of the spinal cord. It also reduces S-100β and NSE, inhibits IL-1β, and increases IL-8 and IL-1RA. Therefore, it preserves and improves spinal nerve function and the quality of life of patients.

International Cancer Conference Journal, 2021

Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS) is extremely rare, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literat... more Histiocytic Sarcoma (HS) is extremely rare, with only a few hundred cases reported in the literature. The majority of patients present with symptoms due to unifocal or multifocal extra-nodal disease. Less than 20% of these cases show solitary involvement of a lymph node. We report a case of a solitary HS in a 53-year-old woman presenting with a 2.7-cm right groin mass arising from an inguinal lymph node. The initial cytologic examination of the tissue showed a high-grade spindle-shaped morphology with high-grade mitotic activity. A high-grade sarcoma was initially considered considering the absence of normal lymphoid aggregate and the presence of high-grade cytologic features in the cells. To evaluate the tumor in its entirety, the mass was surgically excised. A histological examination of the tumor showed focal rimming of the lymphoid tissue at the periphery and a centrally located stellate necrotic focus. The tumor cells had an epithelioid to spindle cell morphology along with large uniform nuclei and prominent nucleoli. A high mitotic index was present. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) stains showed strong positivity for CD68, CD163, and Vimentin, and were weakly positive for SMA and CD45. Based on the histologic and clinical examination, a diagnosis of HS was made. Multiple malignancies can mimic HS histopathology and the rarity of this tumor makes the diagnosis more challenging. No fine-needle aspiration (FNA) criteria for its diagnosis have been recognized. Herein, we report a rare case of an isolated HS involving a lymph node which resembled high-grade sarcoma on the FNA biopsy to raise awareness among our surgical pathologist colleagues.

Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, 2020

SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with a lot of complications one of which is myocardial injury whic... more SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with a lot of complications one of which is myocardial injury which is still a subject under study. Here we present a case of a 63 years old diabetic man with signs of left ventricular failure and clear evidence of myocardial injury, later diagnosed as COVID-19. In the setting of cardiac emergency medical professionals need to have a high index of suspicion early on during the management.

Cureus, 2020

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is expanding to a wider patient population; howeve... more Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is expanding to a wider patient population; however, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is the most important adverse event of these therapies. Patients suffering from high-grade CRS also develop signs of cardiac dysfunction and frequently manifest vascular leakage with peripheral and pulmonary edema. We present an unusual case of a 68-year-old female with stage III endometrial carcinosarcoma, who was admitted for T-cell therapy. The patient developed symptoms of CRS within 12 hours of T-cell therapy and expired shortly thereafter. Autopsy of the patient revealed interstitial edema and lymphocytic infiltrates in right and left ventricles along with foci of myocyte necrosis and perivascular fibrosis, more prominent in the right ventricle, consistent with immune therapymediated myocarditis. It is important to recognize that CRS progresses rapidly and can have potentially dangerous consequences, so it is imperative to anticipate and treat it early. Cases should be individualized and treated accordingly.

Cureus, 2020

Leukemia cutis (LC) is a manifestation of leukemia with infiltration of the dermis, epidermis, or... more Leukemia cutis (LC) is a manifestation of leukemia with infiltration of the dermis, epidermis, or subcutis by malignant leukocytes resulting in papules, plaques, nodules, or ulcers. It is usually associated with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia as well as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) but is very rare in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). We report a case of a 58-year-old Hispanic male who presented with a non-healing leg ulcer of three months along with patches on the face, left arm, and bilateral legs with white blood cell (WBC) count of 50800/mm 3 with 83% blasts, and flow cytometry findings of BALL. Punch biopsies from affected skin showed numerous dermal nodules composed of large atypical cells with open chromatin and prominent nucleoli. Immunohistochemical stains were consistent with BALL involving the skin and a diagnosis of LC was rendered. A high index of suspicion in relevant cases and prompt diagnosis is imperative to prevent any delays in appropriate therapy. Diagnosis in our case was aided by concurrent identification of BALL in the patient's peripheral blood. Since this information may not always be available, it is important to keep BALL in the differential any time there is a neoplastic infiltration of leukocytes in the dermis.

Cureus, 2020

Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes with a clinical spectrum that ranges ... more Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes with a clinical spectrum that ranges from asymptomatic infection to dengue shock syndrome. Neurologic manifestations are rare. We report a case of dengue fever presented with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. An 18-year-old boy presented with high-grade fever, generalized headache for three days, intermittent altered sensorium, nausea, and vomiting for one day. Dengue-IgG and Dengue-IgM were positive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed abnormal signal intensity areas in the bilateral deep white matter at centrum semiovale more on the right side, which seemed hypointense on T1 and hyperintense on T2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, with open ring enhancement on contrast-enhanced T1 image, and peripheral diffusion restriction on diffusion-weighted 1 (DW1) image. These features were suggestive of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. He improved within a week of taking IV methylprednisolone 1 g once daily for five days and supportive care. Follow up MRI after three weeks showed the resolution of all abnormalities. Thus we conclude that patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis should be checked for dengue fever, especially in areas of high prevalence, for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment and to prevent excessively aggressive surgery and/or treatment for such abnormal MRI findings.

Cureus, 2020

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an uncommon fibroblastic neoplasm that is most commonly associate... more Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is an uncommon fibroblastic neoplasm that is most commonly associated with the pleura but has also been reported in almost all anatomic sites. Although the majority of SFTs are benign, few cases follow a malignant clinical course and may recur and/or metastasize after several years of their original occurrence. Only 16 cases of pancreatic SFTs are reported so far, and only one has metastasized to lung and subcutis. Pancreatic SFT resembles more common neuroendocrine tumor and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) radiographically and is at times almost indistinguishable from GIST histologically. Diagnosis of SFTs particularly, if attempted on biopsied specimens, can be very challenging due to its rare occurrence and nondescript morphology. It is imperative to understand the pathological spectrum of this entity to avoid misdiagnosis. We report a case of pancreatic SFT in a 43-year-old male with some unusual morphologic and immunohistochemical features including pseudoangiomatous growth pattern, a hypercellular area demonstrating nuclear pleomorphism, and only focal positivity for cluster of differentiation (CD)34. These atypical features can pose even more diagnostic challenge by causing additional confusion with other malignancies like dedifferentiated liposarcoma and vascular tumors. The potential diagnostic pitfalls are discussed.