Nanocrystals formation and intense green emission in thermally annealed AlN:Ho films for microlaser cavities and photonic applications

Maqbool, Muhammad,Ali, Ghafar,Cho, Sung Oh,Ahmad, Iftikhar,Mehmood, Mazhar,Kordesch, Martin E. American Institute of Physics 2010 JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS - Vol.108 No.4

An efficient hydration of nitriles with ruthenium-supported heterogeneous catalyst in water under moderate conditions

Muhammad Asif Hussain,최은주,Adnan Maqbool,Muhammad Atif,Hassan Zeb,여재구,유정아,조영훈,Moses Noh,김정원 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.99 No.-

A facile eco-friendly heterogeneous catalytic system has been developed for amide synthesis that furtherutilized in pharmaceutical and organic chemistry. The Ru/MnO2 catalyst has shown outstanding andunprecedented activity for a wide range of aliphatic and benzylic nitriles in green solvent water at 60 C. The system has also exhibited a remarkable tolerance for selective hydration of heteroatom (e.g. nitrogen,oxygen and sulphur atoms) containing nitriles. Pharmaceutically important nicotinamides andpyrazinamide has been synthesized by hydration of the heteroatomic nitriles with appreciable yieldsand selectivities. Moreover, the Ru/MnO2 catalyst has employed water as a benign solvent, with morethan 30,000 TONs and reusabilityfive times after isolation from the reaction mixture by centrifugationand easy workup that established a path for green environmental and technologically acceptableprotocol.

Thermoelectric Properties of Metallic Antiperovskites AXD3 (A=Ge, Sn, Pb, Al, Zn, Ga; X=N, C; D=Ca, Fe, Co)

Muhammad Bilal,Iftikhar Ahmad,Saeid Jalali Asadabadi,Rashid Ahmad,Muhammad Maqbool 대한금속·재료학회 2015 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.11 No.3

In this paper we communicate the thermoelectric properties of carbon and nitrogen based metallic antiperovskites ANCa3 (A=Ge, Sn, Pb), BCFe3 (B=Al, Zn, Ga) and SnCD3 (D=Co and Fe) using the ab-initio calculations to explore efficient metallic thermoelectric materials. The consistency of the calculated results of SnCCo3 and SnCFe3 with the experimental results confirms the reliability of our theoretical calculations for the other investigated metallic antiperovskites. The results indicate that the thermopower of these materials can be enhanced by changing the chemical potential. The dimensionless figure of merit for the three nitrides approaches 0.96 at room temperature, which proves the usefulness of these materials in thermoelectric generators. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity is minimum at room temperature for chemical potential values between −0.25 μ(eV) and 0.25 μ(eV), and provides the maximum values of dimensionless figure of merit in this range. The striking feature of these studies is identifying a metallic compound, SnNCa3, with the highest value of Seebeck coefficient at room temperature out of all metals. The results anticipate that these materials could be efficient in thermoelectric generators; however, this needs experimental verification.

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of Pr+3 and its use in making ultraviolet filters

Muhammad Maqbool,Iftikhar Ahmad 한국물리학회 2009 Current Applied Physics Vol.9 No.1

Sputtered deposited thin films of AlN:Pr and GaN:Pr emit in ultraviolet–visible and visible regions of the spectrum, respectively, under electron excitation in cathodoluminescence apparatus. The goal is to study the ultraviolet emission from Pr+3 when doped in nitride semiconductor hosts. Luminescence peaks at a wavelength of 295 nm (4.2 eV), 335 nm (3.7 eV) and 385 nm (3.24 eV) are observed as a result from 1S0 → 1G4, 1S0 → 1D2 and 1S0 → 1I6 transitions, respectively. However the 1S0 → 1G4 and 1S0 → 1D2 transitions are not observed when Pr+3 is doped in GaN host. The bandgap of GaN absorbs the ultraviolet radiation emitted from Pr+3 and hence GaN can be used as ultraviolet filter for radiation shielding and protection purposes. AlN is transparent to ultraviolet due to its wide bandgap of 6.2 eV. Sputtered deposited thin films of AlN:Pr and GaN:Pr emit in ultraviolet–visible and visible regions of the spectrum, respectively, under electron excitation in cathodoluminescence apparatus. The goal is to study the ultraviolet emission from Pr+3 when doped in nitride semiconductor hosts. Luminescence peaks at a wavelength of 295 nm (4.2 eV), 335 nm (3.7 eV) and 385 nm (3.24 eV) are observed as a result from 1S0 → 1G4, 1S0 → 1D2 and 1S0 → 1I6 transitions, respectively. However the 1S0 → 1G4 and 1S0 → 1D2 transitions are not observed when Pr+3 is doped in GaN host. The bandgap of GaN absorbs the ultraviolet radiation emitted from Pr+3 and hence GaN can be used as ultraviolet filter for radiation shielding and protection purposes. AlN is transparent to ultraviolet due to its wide bandgap of 6.2 eV.

Effect of Sulfation Temperature on Low-Temperature Activity Enhancement of Sb₂O<SUB>3</SUB>/V₂O<SUB>5</SUB>/CeO₂/TiO₂ catalyst for NH<SUB>3</SUB>-SCR of NO

Muhammad Salman Maqbool,Pullur Anil Kumar,Heon Phil Ha 한국표면공학회 2013 한국표면공학회 학술발표회 초록집 Vol.2013 No.11

Cadmium phytoremediation potential of <i>Brassica</i> crop species: A review

Rizwan, Muhammad,Ali, Shafaqat,Zia ur Rehman, Muhammad,Rinklebe, Jö,rg,Tsang, Daniel C.W.,Bashir, Arooj,Maqbool, Arosha,Tack, F.M.G.,Ok, Yong Sik Elsevier 2018 Science of the Total Environment Vol.631 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic metal released into the environment through anthropogenic activities. Phytoremediation is a green technology used for the stabilization or remediation of Cd-contaminated soils. <I>Brassica</I> crop species can produce high biomass under a range of climatic and growing conditions, allowing for considerable uptake and accumulation of Cd, depending on species. These crop species can tolerate Cd stress via different mechanisms, including the stimulation of the antioxidant defense system, chelation, compartmentation of Cd into metabolically inactive parts, and accumulation of total amino-acids and osmoprotectants. A higher Cd-stress level, however, overcomes the defense system and may cause oxidative stress in <I>Brassica</I> species due to overproduction of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. Therefore, numerous approaches have been followed to decrease Cd toxicity in <I>Brassica</I> species, including selection of Cd-tolerant cultivars, the use of inorganic and organic amendments, exogenous application of soil organisms, and employment of plant-growth regulators. Furthermore, the coupling of genetic engineering with cropping may also help to alleviate Cd toxicity in <I>Brassica</I> species. However, several field studies demonstrated contrasting results. This review suggests that the combination of Cd-tolerant <I>Brassica</I> cultivars and the application of soil amendments, along with proper agricultural practices, may be the most efficient means of the soil Cd phytoattenuation. Breeding and selection of Cd-tolerant species, as well as species with higher biomass production, might be needed in the future when aiming to use <I>Brassica</I> species for phytoremediation.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> <I>Brassica</I> species can be considered a potential candidate for Cd phytoremediation. </LI> <LI> <I>Brassica</I> species can accumulate most of the soil Cd in its parts. </LI> <LI> Different amendments can be applied to enhance Cd tolerance in <I>Brassica</I> species. </LI> <LI> Integrated agricultural practices can be used to enhance Cd uptake in <I>Brassica</I> species. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

iCBLS: An interactive case-based learning system for medical education

Ali, Maqbool,Han, Soyeon Caren,Bilal, Hafiz Syed Muhammad,Lee, Sungyoung,Kang, Matthew Jee Yun,Kang, Byeong Ho,Razzaq, Muhammad Asif,Amin, Muhammad Bilal Elsevier 2018 International journal of medical informatics Vol.109 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Medical students should be able to actively apply clinical reasoning skills to further their interpretative, diagnostic, and treatment skills in a non-obtrusive and scalable way. <I>Case-Based Learning</I> (CBL) approach has been receiving attention in medical education as it is a student-centered teaching methodology that exposes students to real-world scenarios that need to be solved using their reasoning skills and existing theoretical knowledge. In this paper, we propose an interactive CBL System, called iCBLS, which supports the development of collaborative clinical reasoning skills for medical students in an online environment. The iCBLS consists of three modules: (i) <I>system administration</I> (SA), (ii) <I>clinical case creation</I> (CCC) with an innovative semi-automatic approach, and (iii) <I>case formulation</I> (CF) through intervention of medical students’ and teachers’ knowledge. Two evaluations under the umbrella of the context/input/process/product (CIPP) model have been performed with a <I>Glycemia</I> study. The first focused on the system satisfaction, evaluated by 54 students. The latter aimed to evaluate the system effectiveness, simulated by 155 students. The results show a high success rate of 70% for students’ interaction, 76.4% for group learning, 72.8% for solo learning, and 74.6% for improved clinical skills.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> This study describes how to foster medical trainees’ collaborative learning skills with the support of online advanced learning technologies and real-world clinical cases. </LI> <LI> Designed and developed an <I>interactive Case-Based Learning System</I> (iCBLS) for practising clinical cases before and outside the class. </LI> <LI> The iCBLS supports an innovative method to create real-world clinical cases using a semi-automatic approach. </LI> <LI> Two types of evaluations under the umbrella of the CIPP model have been performed in heterogeneous environments with a <I>Glycemia</I> study. </LI> <LI> The iCBLS achieves a success rate of more than 70% for students’ interaction, group learning, solo learning, and improving clinical skills. </LI> </UL> </P>

Personalization of wellness recommendations using contextual interpretation

Afzal, Muhammad,Ali, Syed Imran,Ali, Rahman,Hussain, Maqbool,Ali, Taqdir,Khan, Wajahat Ali,Amin, Muhammad Bilal,Kang, Byeong Ho,Lee, Sungyoung Elsevier 2018 expert systems with applications Vol.96 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>A huge array of personalized healthcare and wellness systems are introduced into the portfolio of digital health and quantified-self movement in recent years. These systems share common capabilities including self-tracking/monitoring and self-quantifications, based on the raw sensory data. These capabilities provide solid ground for the users to be more aware of their health; however, such measures are inefficient for changing the unhealthy habits of the users. In order to induce healthy habits in the users, a system must be capable of generating context-aware personalized recommendations. The main obstacle in this regard is the contextual interpretation of recommendations based on user's current context and contextual preferences. To resolve these issues, we propose a methodology of cross-context interpretation of recommendations (CCIR) for personalized health and wellness services. The CCIR method adds additional capabilities to the traditional reasoning methods and builds advanced form of the reasoning with the incorporation of contextual factors in the process of interpretations of the recommendations. With CCIR, the self-quantification systems can be enhanced to generate personalized recommendations in addition to tracking, quantifying, and monitoring user activities. In order to validate the proposed CCIR methodology, a set of 40 contextual scenarios and corresponding recommendations are presented for the evaluation collected from 40 different end users and 10 domain experts. Using chi-square test evaluation, the results demonstrated acceptable “goodness of fit” indices for the system developed on proposed CCIR methodology with respect to the end users’ opinion. Also from the statistical observation, it is found that there exists a higher level agreement towards the system between the participants of both end users and experts.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> A method for cross-context interpretations of health and wellness recommendations. </LI> <LI> A mechanism of refining generalized recommendations to personalized recommendations. </LI> <LI> The contextual interpretations are made for increasing the user acceptability of a system. </LI> </UL> </P>

Perception Based Definition of Construction Quality in Pakistan

Awan, Muhammad Yousaf Sadiq,Awan, Dr Muhammad Maqbool Sadiq Korea Institute of Construction Engineering and Ma 2015 Journal of construction engineering and project ma Vol.5 No.2

The complexity arises in defining the construction quality due to its perception, based on inherent market conditions and their requirements, the diversified stakeholders itself and their desired output. A quantitative survey based approach was adopted in this constructive study. A questionnaire based survey was conducted, for the assessment of construction quality perception and expectations in the context of quality improvement technique. The survey feedback of professionals, from the leading construction organizations/companies of Pakistan were analyzed. The financial capacity, organizational structure, and construction experience of the construction firms formed basis for their selection. After statistical analysis of survey feedback it was found reliable and valid for the inferential purpose to the target population of construction professionals. The quality perception was found to be project scope oriented, considered as an excess cost for a construction project and keeping the rework minimum by qualifying the required quality tests, keeping the defects minimum by ensuring the specifications of supplied material. Any quality improvement technique was expected to address the financial aspects of the construction project for the employer and contractor, by increasing the profitability through reduction in overall cost, reduction in time, reduction in defects and improving the productivity in a construction project. The study is beneficial for the construction professionals to assess the prevailing construction quality perception and the expectations from implementation of any quality improvement technique in construction projects.

Comprehensible knowledge model creation for cancer treatment decision making

Afzal, Muhammad,Hussain, Maqbool,Ali Khan, Wajahat,Ali, Taqdir,Lee, Sungyoung,Huh, Eui-Nam,Farooq Ahmad, Hafiz,Jamshed, Arif,Iqbal, Hassan,Irfan, Muhammad,Abbas Hydari, Manzar Elsevier 2017 Computers in biology and medicine Vol.82 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P> <I>Background</I>: A wealth of clinical data exists in clinical documents in the form of electronic health records (EHRs). This data can be used for developing knowledge-based recommendation systems that can assist clinicians in clinical decision making and education. One of the big hurdles in developing such systems is the lack of automated mechanisms for knowledge acquisition to enable and educate clinicians in informed decision making. <I>Materials and Methods</I>: An automated knowledge acquisition methodology with a comprehensible knowledge model for cancer treatment (CKM-CT) is proposed. With the CKM-CT, clinical data are acquired automatically from documents. Quality of data is ensured by correcting errors and transforming various formats into a standard data format. Data preprocessing involves dimensionality reduction and missing value imputation. Predictive algorithm selection is performed on the basis of the ranking score of the weighted sum model. The knowledge builder prepares knowledge for knowledge-based services: clinical decisions and education support. <I>Results</I>: Data is acquired from 13,788 head and neck cancer (HNC) documents for 3447 patients, including 1526 patients of the oral cavity site. In the data quality task, 160 staging values are corrected. In the preprocessing task, 20 attributes and 106 records are eliminated from the dataset. The Classification and Regression Trees (CRT) algorithm is selected and provides 69.0% classification accuracy in predicting HNC treatment plans, consisting of 11 decision paths that yield 11 decision rules. <I>Conclusion</I>: Our proposed methodology, CKM-CT, is helpful to find hidden knowledge in clinical documents. In CKM-CT, the prediction models are developed to assist and educate clinicians for informed decision making. The proposed methodology is generalizable to apply to data of other domains such as breast cancer with a similar objective to assist clinicians in decision making and education.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Automated methods for data acquisition from clinical documents and preprocessing. </LI> <LI> Data quality assessment and standardization of language for improved data accuracy. </LI> <LI> Machine learning algorithm selection on the basis of weighted sum model's ranking score. </LI> <LI> The development of a decision tree-based knowledge model for treatment recommendations. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>