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Background: Sexual violence against women is a commonly prevalent human rights violation and a widespread public health problem. It is associated with substantial short and long-term ill consequences for women and their families. As the response of the community is increasing day by day to sexual assault, new interventions have evolved in the form of sexual assault centers. These centers are community-based organizations that work to counteract the potential negative impacts of sexual assaults on the physical, mental, and psychological health of the victims. Objective: The objective of the study is to find out the multi-disciplinary professional services provided by these centers globally to treat sexual assault victims. Methods: The information is collected from secondary sources. This systematic review was prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Online databases were searched including, Research Gate, Taylor & Francis, Wiley Online Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and the search included the term ‘sexual assault centers, rape crisis centers, integrated services at sexual assault centers’. Results: The important post-assault services provided by these centers include medical treatment, forensic examination, police services, and psychological counseling to the sufferers of the tragic event. In addition, these centers are also involved in carrying out significant research and educational work. Practical Implication: These rape crisis centers are providing multidisciplinary services to rape victims including services of specially trained nurses, treatment and care of medical injuries, forensic medical examination, police services, counseling by psychologists and a highly organized follow-up. Conclusion: These centers are providing valuable multidisciplinary services including medical treatment, forensic examination, police services, and psychological counseling to the sufferers of sexual abuse under one roof. The understanding of these multidisciplinary services could be used to endorse the development of sexual assault centers in different parts of the world Keywords: Sexual assault, sexual assault centers, multidisciplinary services

Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (Mini-PCNL) and Retrograde intra-renal surgery (RIRS), can be carried out in a single stage or numerous phases depending on the burden, size, and/or location of the stone. Objective: To check the efficacy of Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy and Retrograde intra-renal surgery on adult patients with a renal stones. Methods: A total of 101 patients were included who underwent RIRS (n=51) or mini-PCNL (n=50) at Doctors Hospital Jail Chowk in Gujrat, Pakistan in 2021. Retrospective observations were made on 101 individuals who received RIRS or mini-PCNL. Results: The mean hospital stay time was significantly lower in RIRS group i.e., 01.81 ± 0.59 days as compared to mini-PCNL group (p value

Background: The medical document certifying the cause of death provides vital data to develop health policies. In spite of very comprehensive guidelines issued by the WHO for thecompletion of death certificates; very few certificate arefound errorfree which might be due to lack of knowledge and practice on the part of physicians issuing that certificate.Purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge and competencies of a doctor in completing a death certificate. Methods: This study was cross-sectional. The population of this study was physicians of a tertiary care hospital of Lahore. A structured questionnaire along with a case scenario was given to 137 physicians having variable working experiences, performing in different clinical departments of a tertiary care hospital of Lahore.The participants were asked to complete the component of cause of death of the certificateonly. The percentage of omissions done by the doctors during the completion of said section was analyzed using the chi square test to establish the association between participant’s characteristics and their relevant responses. Results: Among 137participants working in different clinical departments of a Tertiary Care Hospital at Lahore, 89% were having less than 5 years’ experience and 11% having more than 5 years’ experience. 53% were qualified from public sector, 24% from private sector and 23% from foreign institutes. 77% doctors identified immediate cause of death incorrectly, 83 % did not identify and interpret underlying cause of death correctly; 90 % did notidentify contributory cause of death correctly. In46 % cases mechanism/mode of death was confused with the cause of death. Practical Implication: The correct completion of death certificates would provide an accurate and genuine mortality index essential for framing a national health policy. Conclusion: Physician’s knowledge and skill of completing the death certificates is very deficient and alarming which necessitate periodical and regular training of the physicians on completing the death certificates as per guidelines of the WHO to get an appropriate and valid health statistics effective for future public national health policies and strategies. Keywords (MeSH): Death certificate completion, Medical certification of cause of death, Physician’s knowledge, skill to complete death certificate, Mortality index

Obesity is an excessive accumulation of fat in the body and is measured in terms of increased body mass index. Its prevalence is increasing in all age groups and is now considered to be a global epidemic. Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein synthesized in the liver and is customarily utilised to detect malnourishment and severe starvation. It is one of the poor prognostic factors in medical, surgical, and critically ill patients. Objective: To identify the relationship between obesity and morbid obesity and hypoalbuminemia in adults in Pakistan with no signs of liver or kidney disease. Methods: Jinnah Allama Iqbal Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology (JAIDE), Jinnah Hospital Lahore Pakistan, was chosen for the completion of this cross-sectional study with a time frame of October 2019 to April 2020. 90 patients, ranging between ages of 18 and 70 years, without liver and kidney diseases, were recruited and were divided into three categories, healthy control, obese, and morbidly obese on the basis of BMI. Venous blood samples for albumin were taken. Results: The percentage of hypoalbuminemia was 10.0% in healthy controls, 40.0% in the obese group, and 46.7% in morbidly obese. Hypoalbuminemia rate was significantly higher in obese and morbidly obese groups (p-value 0.005) as compared to healthy controls, independent of age, sex, and diabetes. Conclusions: Upon completion of this study, it was concluded that the morbid obesity and obesity are the independent forecasters of hypoalbuminemia.

Kidney stones, also known as renal calculi, are crystal concretions that primarily occur in the kidney and are referred to as nephrolithiasis. Ideally, calculi should form in the kidneys and pass out of the body through the urethra painlessly. Larger stones are uncomfortable and thus require surgery. Mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) are the minimally invasive procedures employed these days to target renal stones. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of both mini-PCNL and RIRS in terms of targeting larger stones in adult patients along with other factors including hospital stay, operative time, stone passing rate and associated complications. Patients and Methods: In the year 2021, 101 patients undergoing mini-PCNL or RIRS in Doctors Hospital, Gujrat were observed in this study. Effectiveness of both the techniques, exposure time, transfusions required, stone free rates and hospital stay were compared in both groups of patients. Results: It was found that mini-PCNL has greater potential than RIRS in terms of stone clearing and operating time. However, RIRS has performed better in terms of reducing the hospital stay with mild complications in both the procedures. Conclusion: Both RIRS and mini-PCNL are extremely safe and highly efficient treatments for renal lithiasis with a diameter of 1.5 to 2.5 cm, and either one can be chosen to achieve outstanding stone-free rates.

The soil salinity causes physiological drought resulting in hindrance in the bio-availability of essential nutrients. The interaction between salinity and phosphorus uptake by plants is less explored. Two independent incubation experiments were conducted to study the distribution and transformation of various P fractions in normal and salt affected soils as influenced by various organic amendments application. In first experiment, three different levels of P (200, 400 and 600 mg kg-1 of soil) were applied in three soils differing in soil EC and SAR. Changes in various fractions of soil P (Ca2-P, Ca8-P, Al-P, Fe-P, Olsen-P) were estimated at different time intervals. All three soils behaved differently for P distribution among various fractions. Maximum available P (12.18 mg kg-1 ) was found in PROKA soil (saline sodic) at 400 mg kg-1 of P applied. In 2nd experiment, various organic amendments [farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), crop residue (CR)] and sewage sludge (SS) were used, with and without adding P fertilizer @ 400 mg kg-1 to study their effect on changes in soil P, at different time intervals. Plant available Olsen-P fraction significantly increased after 90 days in all soils (normal, saline sodic, marginal saline sodic) with amendments FYM and PM but not as much with amendments CR and SS. Overall, increase in Olsen-P was higher with PM (23.2, 21.7 and 19.4 mg kg-1) and FYM (20.6, 17.6 and 20.6 mg kg-1) as compared with SS (14.3, 15.5 and 15.7 mg kg-1) and CR (12.9, 14.4 and 14.0 mg kg-1) in normal, saline sodic and marginal saline sodic soils, respectively. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that integration of PM and FYM with P level 400 mg kg-1 is an effective approach to mobilize more P available for plant uptake in normal and salt-affected soils with order of normal> saline sodic> marginal saline sodic.

Objective: To determine the frequency of haemophilus influenzae infection in children less than 5 years with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM). Study Design: Descriptive Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan. Period: October 2019 to March 2020. Material & Methods: A total of 165 children aged 5 – 60 months of either gender having acute bacterial meningitis with duration of < 2 weeks were enrolled. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of each child was sent for microbiological analysis. Results: There were 106 (64.2 %) boys and 59 (35.8 %) girls. Mean age was 2.72 ± 1.07 years. Most cases, 112 (67.9 %) belonged to urban areas. Maternal literacy was positive in 65 (39.4%) cases while 59 (35.8%) were fully vaccinated. Mean disease duration was 56.25 ± 15.36 hours and 112 (67.9%) had duration of illness more than 36 hours. Frequency of Haemophilus Influenzae was noted in 35 (21.2%) cases. Conclusion: Frequency of Haemophilus Influenzae was high among children with acute bacterial meningitis. Early diagnosis and appropriate management might help reducing prolonged hospitalization and disease morbidity related to Haemophilus Influenza.

Suboptimal or inadequate diet of iron (Fe) represents a latent health problem affecting over two billion people worldwide. To tackle micronutrient deficiency in crops, a short-term approach is agronomic biofortification in which nutrients can be enhanced by their accumulation in food plant tissue either by fertilisation or by other eliciting aspects. The present study evaluated the comparative influence of various Fe application methods, including (i) Fe seed coating (300 mg Fe kg–1 seed), (ii) Fe osmopriming (0.5% Fe solution), (iii) surface broadcasting (8 kg ha–1), (iv) Fe foliar application (0.3% Fe solution), on paddy yield, net benefits, grain Fe accumulation, bioavailability, and Fe-use efficiencies in conventional (puddled transplanted rice, PTR) and conservational (direct-seeded aerobic rice, DSAR) production systems. Hydro-priming and foliar water spray were also included in treatments as a positive control for osmopriming and foliar spray of Fe respectively. Iron application by either method enhanced productivity, profitability, and biofortification in both rice systems. Grain yield improved in both years by the application of Fe in the following order: osmopriming > foliar application > surface broadcasting > seed coating, with the respective increase of 18%, 14%, 10%, 8% relative to no Fe application. Grain Fe concentration was the highest by Fe applied as foliar (37% over control) in both production systems. Similarly, minimum phytate concentration and phytate:Fe molar ratio were recorded with foliar-applied Fe. In crux, Fe application by osmopriming increased the productivity and profitability under PTR and DSAR systems, whereas foliar-applied Fe improved the grain Fe accumulation.

Many agricultural soils fail to supply sufficient boron (B) and phosphorus (P) to growing plants due to their adsorption, precipitation and fixation phenomena. Moreover, the application of individual B sources without a macronutrient fertilizer is impractical owing to the separate handling and poor distribution in the field. The study aimed to develop and compare the efficiency of organically complexed boron-diammonium phosphate (B-DAP) formulations with commercial diammonium phosphate (C-DAP) and boric acid for improving yield and oil content of canola. To prepare 0.5, 1 and 1.5% B-DAP formulations, PGPR-impregnated pressmud containing 1% B (slurry) was coated on C-DAP to achieve slurry to P2O5 ratio as 0.5:1, 1:1 and 1.5:1, respectively. Treatments tested in incubation, pot and field studies were C-DAP130, C-DAP130 + B2.5, and 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% B-DAP; each B-DAP formulation was added to supply 98 and 130 kg P2O5 ha−1. The results of the incubation study depicted that with the application of 1.5% B-DAP130 available P content increased by 51% between 2 and 10 weeks of incubation. Likewise, soils fertilized with B-DAP98 and B-DAP130 had significantly (p

Objective: To find out different species of plasmodium (P. falciparum and P. vivax) involved in children with malaria at a tertiary childcare hospital. Study Design: Descriptive, Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Paediatric Medicine, The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan. Period: October 2019 to March 2020. Material & Methods: A total of 281 cases of either gender, aged 1 to 12 years and patients with malaria were enrolled. A special template was designed to record study information. Venous blood as five ml sample was drawn and dispatched to institutional laboratory for ICT malaria, complete blood count and giemsa stain smear and observed under light microscope. Data analysis was performed employing SPSS version 24.0. Results: Out of a total of 281 cases, 177 (63.0%) were male ande 104 (37.0%) female. Mean age of study participants was 4.29±2.48 years. A total of 135 (48.0%) children belonged to rural areas and 197 (70.1%) had monthly family income < 25000 rupees. Mean duration of illness was 4.21 ± 2.12 days. Previous history of use of anti-malarial drugs was noted in 62 (22.1%) of our study cases. Plasmodium falciparum was observed in 52 (18.5%) cases and plasmodium vivax in 229 (81.5%). Conclusion: Plasmodium vivax is predominantly more prevalent in our population as compared with plasmodium falciparum in children with malaria. Plasmodium falciparum and plasmodium vivax were significantly linked with age and disease duration. Malaria was noted to be more prevalent among poor families living in slum areas having inadequate sanitation facilities.

Background: Determination of age depends upon physical examination, dental assessment, and skeletal evaluation. The radiological examination of bone for appearance and fusion of ossification centers helps in the assessment of skeletal maturity as the process occurs in a particular sequence which is almost constant for that particular bone. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the age of fusion of iliac crest by radiological examination of subjects of age bracket 17-25 years coming to Shalamar Hospital Lahore Methods: In this cross-sectional study, radiological examinations (Digital X-Rays) were performed to evaluate the fusion of Iliac Crest in 200 subjects of both genders of 17 – 25 years. Data analysis was done using SPSS Version 23. Conclusions were drawn and compared with available results of previous work done in this field. Results: Out of 200 subjects, there were 132 males (66 %) and 68 females (34%). The mean ± SD age of both genders was 20.41± 2.55. There were 93 cases (70.45%) of complete fusion among males, showing 100 % union in the age groups of 21-25 years, while 40 cases (58.83%) of complete union among females were observed during 20-25 year of age groups. The mean ± SD age of complete union for males was 20.67± 2.61 years and for females 19.90 ± 2.38 years, with a significant p value of

This paper presents a taxonomic study of genus Vincetoxicum s.str. from southern Asia. Eleven regional endemic species are recognized on the basis of herbarium studies and fieldwork. Three new species are described: V. lenifoliumsp. nov. (endemic to Pakistan), V. stewartianumsp. nov. (endemic to India), and V. subcanescenssp. nov. (endemic to Pakistan, Kashmir and Tibet). Three species names, V. cabulicum, V. glaucum and V. kenouriense, previously treated as synonyms of V. glaucum, V. canescens and V. hirundinaria, respectively, are resurrected. A neotype is designated for the Afghani endemic V. cabulicum. A lectotype is chosen from the syntypes of V. glaucum. We resolve the long-standing taxonomic problems in three species complexes: V. arnottianum, V. luridum, V. sakesarense, and V. stocksii; V. glaucum, V. canescens and V. cabulicum; and V. hirundinaria and V. kenouriense. Geo-taxonomic distinctions of southern Asian taxa are highlighted by excluding from henceforth the long misrecognized western Eurasian taxa V. canescens and V. hirundinaria. Furthermore, a detailed account of the genus including illustrations of whole plants, leaves and corona, distribution maps, a taxonomic key, morphological descriptions, synonymy, notes, and information on phenology, distribution and habitats is provided. Finally, provisional conservation assessments are provided, which indicate that V. cardiostephanum and V. sakesarense are critically endangered.

Purpose In drought-prone soils, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) might positively affect water uptake and crop yield via rhizosphere interactions. Methods Sole and combined additions of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens producing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase and Rhizophagus irregularis into rhizospheric soils were performed under well-watered (WW; 80% field water capacity), moderate water stress (MWS; 50% FWC) and severe water stress (SWS; 35% FWC) in pot-cultured wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results In moderate and severe drought stress, water use efficiency (WUEB) was increased by 27.9–34.3% in PGPR and 20-22.1% in AMF treatments, respectively, and grain yield was improved by 20.03–30.77% in PGPR and 12.13–34.34% in AMF treatments, respectively, compared with CK. Importantly, the co-inoculation of AMF and PGPR significantly promoted WUEB by 57.46–98.49% and grain yield by 131.82–94.94% compared to the average value of two sole inoculations in MWS and SWS treatments, respectively. Biomass production followed a similar trend as yield. Particularly, the above parameters were significantly enhanced with the prolonged developmental stages (p

BackgroundOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major health challenge; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on OHCA in the South Bronx is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine differences between return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC), witnessed arrest, bystander CPR and survival to discharge, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve ROSC and survival.MethodsSingle-center retrospective study of non-traumatic OHCA adult patients admitted to Lincoln Medical Center between 8/2019 to 6/2021, 3/2020 being the first established date of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding was used to identify cardiac arrests and collect information. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS.ResultsROSC time pre COVID-19 was 26 minutes, during the COVID-19 pandemic it was 25 minutes 54 seconds. A significant difference in witnessed arrests in the pre COVID-19 period compared to the COVID-19 period (86% vs 55% p = 0.03). Bystander CPR occurred 36% of the time in the pre COVID-19 period contrasting to 19% during. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic the overall survival to discharge in OHCA ROSC cases was 28.5% comparing to 29% during the pandemic. ROSC was 18 minutes among survivors during the pandemic, compared to 21 minutes in survivors prior to COVID (p = 0.2).ConclusionThere was a non-significant difference in ROSC, bystander CPR and survival to discharge in non-traumatic OHCA prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the South Bronx. There was a significant difference in witnessed vs unwitnessed OHCA prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Iron deficiency is one of the most prevailing micronutrient deficiencies throughout the globe. Iron malnutrition affects billions of people around the world especially children and pregnant women. Its deficiencies can be overcome through microbial biofortification: a process of deliberately increasing desirable nutrients in crop plants. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can improve iron content in edible plant tissues through different direct and indirect mechanisms. Adding plant growth regulators along with rhizobacteria makes it a novel fortification approach. In the current experiment, the interactive effect of two bacterial isolates (O-13 & K-10) alone and in consortium with l-tryptophan in the presence of iron sulfate was evaluated on growth, physiology, tuber characteristics, and iron concentration in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Results revealed that inoculation with PGPR and plant growth regulator (PGR) significantly improved the plant height, straw yield, and the number of tubers per plant. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber characteristics (starch content, vitamin-C, relative water content) were also improved significantly. O-13, K-10, and l-tryptophan had significantly improved the iron concentration up to 20.59, 33.12, and 28.95%, respectively. However, inoculation with the microbial consortium and l-tryptophan showed a significant increase of up to one-fold in the iron concentration of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) as compared with uninoculated control. The results suggest that rhizobacteria can help the plant to uptake nutrients from the soil. These findings concluded on the fact that the interactive effect of microbial assisted biofortification and plant growth regulator is a novel, promising, and cost-effective approach to mitigate micronutrient deficiencies especially in resource-limited countries.

The Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalaya (HKKH) range is called the third pole of the world due to heavy ice storage. Passu Glacier is one of the HKKH range glaciers in Pakistan. In the present stud...

This study aims to determine the factors of consumer willingness to buy gray-market goods. The authors considered the impact of gray-market products on the product's brand image through Pakistan's empirical evidence. This study included three factors of gray goods: price consciousness, price-quality inference, and risk averseness and to check their impact individually and collectively on brand image. A field survey was conducted in this study to check the respondent's behavior toward gray markets and its impact on their brand image. The respondents of this research were those individuals who were habitual buyers of gray-market perfume products. Therefore, the population size was large enough to apply the probabilistic sampling method of Simple Random Sampling. The sample size of 350 was determined adequately. Hence, 350 respondents were asked to fill the questionnaire. The instrument of this study was self-developed. The close-ended questions by a Likert scale (7 points) were used to collect quantitative data. The internal consistency of the data was checked through the «Cronbach's Alpha» value. Hence, Cronbach's alpha's value was 81.7%. It was more than 70% threshold and showed the data was reliable and internally consistent for further data analysis. Regression analysis was performed on the data set to test the significance of hypothesized hypothesis. The result indicated that overall, there was a significant positive impact of gray-market goods on the companies' brand image. This study concluded that price consciousness did not significantly impact the purchase of gray goods. Thus, consumers are not price-sensitive, particularly in the Pakistan market. At the same time, gray goods impact the brand image in the Pakistani context. Simultaneously, the price-quality and risk averseness factors of gray goods a concern. These factors showed that companies' brand image is affected negatively. The policy and market regulators must consider the two factors pointed out in this research to mitigate the problem of gray-market goods in the developing economies.

Background Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is an uncommon cause of stroke in humans and the mainstay of treatment is anticoagulation unless contraindicated. Non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants have not been duly evaluated in randomized controlled trials in CVT. Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of oral rivaroxaban with vitamin K anticoagulant (warfarin) in preventing recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with CVT. Methods Adult patients with CVT, who were stable after 5–12 days of treatment with parenteral heparin 1 mg/kg, were screened for eligibility. The patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive oral rivaroxaban 20–30 mg daily or warfarin 1, 3 or 5 mg daily (with the dose adjusted to maintain an INR of 2–3), for 3–12 months. Recanalization rates, periprocedural complications, and clinical outcomes were assessed by Magnetic Resonance Venography (MRV) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at 3rd, 6th and 12th month follow-ups. Results In total, 45 patients with CVT were randomized to the two treatment groups (21 to rivaroxaban and 24 to warfarin). Overall recanalization was achieved by 18 (86%) and 20 (83%) cases from rivaroxaban and warfarin group, respectively at 6th month follow-up; and by all 45 (100%) cases from the both groups at 12th month follow-up. Excellent outcome (NIHSS score 0) was obtained by 20 (95%) cases from rivaroxaban group at 3rd to 12th month follow-ups; and by 23 (96%) cases at 6th to 12th month follow-ups. There were no major bleeding events during the trial. None of the patients developed recurrence of thrombosis. Statistically, no significant difference between the two treatment groups in terms of recanalization and clinical outcomes could be observed. Conclusion Rivaroxaban is a safe option in CVT however; larger randomized controlled studies will impact the results validity.

Post-harvest agricultural products are highly perishable due to containing higher moisture contents. Most of agricultural product need special storage like relatively low temperature and higher relative humidity to store for some time duration. In this regard, low cost Zero-energy cool chamber (ZEC) is constructed through locally available material for short-term storage of products. Thermodynamic evaluation of ZEC is mainly investigated by measuring its temperature and relative humidity in comparison with Outside/Ambient (OS) and Room (RM) conditions and its performance is based on evaporation rate that take place through medium. The cooling efficiency of ZEC is then determined under varying ambient conditions. The average temperature and relative humidity difference measured between ZEC and OS about 9°C and 45% respectively. Different analyses are performed including the comparison of physiological weight loss (PWL) and visual appearance (VA) for stored tomatoes at different three environmental conditions such as outside (OS), room (RM) conditions and zero energy cool chamber (ZEC). These analyses are performed on 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th, 32nd, 36th and 40th days of storage.

The higher relative humidity inside wet-markets results in the growth of pathogenic micro-organisms that affect qualitative and nutritive attributes of the products prompting epidemic health problems to the occupants as well as consumers. In this study, M-cycle evaporative cooler (MEC) coupled solid desiccant air conditioning system (DAC) was investigated for wet market applications in Punjab, Pakistan. The model of Beccali was used for performance investigation of the desiccant wheel while MEC and heat exchanger were evaluated by governing equations from literature. The study area (i.e. Punjab) was divided into four zones i.e. Northern Punjab (Z1), Upper Punjab (Z2), Central Punjab (Z3), and Lower Punjab (Z4) based on variations in environmental conditions. The results revealed that the proposed DAC system can effectively achieve optimum temperature and relative humidity conditions in the summer season in Z2, Z3, and Z4. However, the proposed system was not applicable in Z1 because of the lower temperature and humidity conditions in this zone.

Introduction: Coronavirus has spread rapidly in Pakistan. These patients were kept at quarantine facilities on suspicion, even before RT-PCR was done. We were able to collect clinical, laboratory, and management features from them. Objective: To assess the features of Corona confirmed and unconfirmed patients, and compare them. It could help in deciding if confirmed and unconfirmed patients were correctly identified and managed appropriately. Material and Methods: Retrospective, Descriptive, Crossectional study between 8th April to 30th April 2020. Patient data was collected from different sites retrospectively, on a Performa. Clinical, Laboratory, and Management data as collected. It was analyzed on SPSS 23. All patients in quarantines and ICU were included, irrespective of their corona PCR status, if the treating physicians had a strong suspicion. Home quarantine and less than 15-year old patients were excluded. Results: Clinical features showed more preponderance for males and smokers. Chronic disease patients were also significantly involved. Fatigue, nasal congestion, runny nose, sickness, and vomiting were more common in confirmed patients. CURB 65 scores 3 and 4 were more in unconfirmed patients. CT involvement was more common in unconfirmed patients as was high white cells and neutrophils. More patients had mechanical ventilation in the unconfirmed group, and they also had more secondary infections and shock. Antibiotic use was more common in the confirmed group. Conclusion: Corona was more common in males and smokers. Though fever and cough were common, the presence of fatigue, runny nose, nasal congestion sickness, and vomiting discriminated confirmed patients. Antibiotics should be used irrespective of RT-PCR results, especially if CT showed an abnormality.

Maize (Zea mays L.) plays an important role in the global food security, but its production is threatened by climate change, especially drought stress. Potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) are considered us...

Micronutrient malnutrition particularly of zinc (Zn) attributes a worse situation mainly in South Asia in addition to the food security. Pulses contribute significantly towards providing calories to the masses in developing countries being the cheap source of protein. Zinc biofortification of pulses mainly of lentil can be a good strategy aimed at both increased profit as well as can combat Zn deficiency in humans. A field experiment was conducted to classify the lentil genotypes based on their higher grain output and grain Zn concentration. The 16 lentil genotypes were cultivated with the following Zn levels: 0, 6 and 9 mg kg−1 and recommended dose of primary nutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)) were applied with three replicates until maturity. Results revealed that application of Zn increased the plant growth, grain production and grain Zn concentration significantly. Zinc application at higher rates i.e. 9 mg kg−1 resulted in higher grain output and concentration of Zn in grain than lower application rate and control. The genotype Mansehra-89 was excellent in terms of high grain output and high Zn contents in their grains. The lentil genotypes, Mansehra-89, Punjab Masoor-2009, Masoor-2002 and Masoor-2006, were classified as high grain yield cultivars, and Line-10502, Mansehra-89, Line-11504 and Markaz-09 were categorized as Zn efficient/responsive genotypes. From the results, it was concluded that the lentil genotypes respond differently upon Zn fertilization and thus improved the crop yield and Zn enrichment of lentil grains. However, keeping in view the desired level of bioavailable Zn, further experimentation is required for general recommendations for right source and application methods. Moreover, these categorizations are helpful in future breeding ventures and to recommend the efficient cultivars aiming at increased Zn contents in grains.

Iron (Fe) deficiency is a major health issue worldwide, which can be alleviated by biofortification. Agronomic biofortification is a practical solution to overcome the Fe deficiency in cereals without sacrificing on yield. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Fe application on productivity, grain biofortification, and grain quality of bread wheat under conventional and conservation production systems. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement where wheat was sown under conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT) systems and Fe was applied through various methods (no Fe application, seed priming (0.3% Fe solution), seed coating (250 mg kg−1 seed), basal application (12 kg ha−1), and foliar spray (0.5% Fe solution)). Iron nutrition significantly enhanced the yield and related traits and grain fat and protein contents. Averaged across two years, grain yield improvement from different Fe application methods was in the order of seed priming>basal application>foliar application>seed coating with respective increase of 33%, 28%, 25%, and 21% relative to control treatment. Grain Fe concentration was 65% and 58% higher with Fe foliar application compared with control during 2017–2018 and 2018–2019. Interaction of tillage systems and Fe nutrition highlighted that 1000-grain weight and grain yield were improved, whereas Fe seed priming in ZT system provided maximum 1000-grain weight and grain yield. The Fe application through either method proved to be profitable and the highest benefit-cost ratio was obtained with Fe foliar application. Among tillage systems, the highest net benefits were obtained with ZT. Zero tillage significantly improved the soil microbial biomass carbon, soil microbial biomass nitrogen, and soil organic carbon by 9.25%, 2.5%, and 14%, respectively, compared with CT. In conclusion, Fe seed priming in both tillage systems improved the yield, and proved to be the most cost-effective, whereas foliar application improved the grain Fe concentration in both tillage systems.

The current study was aimed to enzymatically modify maize flour by using amylase and pullulanase in combination for increasing the yield of resistant starch type III (EM-RSIII). The enzymatic treatment imparts unique desired physicochemical properties to the maize flour including resistant starch content, amylose content, milk, oil, and water interaction ability. The sensory analysis was performed by distributing questioners among individual and results were interpreted by 5-point hedonic scale. Result indicated an increase in the stability, amylose content, and milk absorption capacity of maize flour, while a decrease in swelling power, water absorption, and oil absorption capacity. The enzymatic treated maize flour led to the transformation of amorphous native structure into a crystalline structure which was confirmed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractograms analysis, and in vitro digestibility of EM-RSIII. The EM-RSIII rich maize flour was used in cookies preparation and a significant difference in palatability and color parameters was observed. Crispiness and texture of EM-RSIII containing cookies was increased due to its low swelling power, water absorption, and oil absorption capacity. The sensory analysis showed that consumers depicted the highest acceptability of EM-RSIII supplemented cookies specifically for its appearance, sharp aroma, texture and accepted as nutritionally important food item for consumers.

Catheter ablation is indicated for the management of supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs). We investigated the effect of sex on short-term outcomes after catheter ablation for SVTs other than atrial fibrillation (AF). Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmission Database for the years 2016-2018, SVT patients who underwent catheter ablation were identified using the appropriate International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes. The primary outcome was 30-day readmissions. Secondary outcomes included 30-day readmissions for SVT, postprocedural bleeding, acute myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack, stroke, hemopericardium, cardiac tamponade, length of stay (LOS) in the hospital, and total hospital charges (in USD). Female sex was not associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome (

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). There is a paucity of contemporary data studying the association between COPD and outcomes of AF ablation. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of COPD on AF ablation outcomes using a large nationwide database. This study was a retrospective analysis of the National Readmission Database for the years 2016-2018 and included patients admitted with a diagnosis of AF who underwent catheter ablation. Admissions were stratified according to COPD diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multivariate, linear, Cox, and logistic regressions were performed to study the impact of COPD on AF ablation. A total of 18,224 admissions (mean age, 68 years; standard deviation, 10 years) were included, of whom 3,494 (19%) had a diagnosis of COPD. The COPD group was older (72 ± 8 vs. 67 ± 11 years

Globally, the advances in agricultural science have helped increase crop production and crop diversification, which, in turn, has resulted in the diversification of sources used for fertilizers. With the Green Revolution, farmers progressively shifted from irregular application of organic fertilizers to regular applications of synthetic fertilizers. The use of nitrogenous (N) fertilizers in Pakistan has more or less followed the global trend. However, developed countries are shifting toward more balanced nutrient applications and integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers. N fertilizer application in Pakistan is quite high as compared to the balanced NPK application. This chapter covers the conventional viz. organic, synthetic, and non conventional sources of nitrogen mainly being used for crop production in Pakistan. The discussion is based on publicly available published information. Pakistan heavily relies on synthetic N, i.e., urea and very little to none information is available on the extent of organic sources of N consumption in the country. New novel sources of N, which are efficient and environment friendly, are being investigated but farm level use is very low.

To utilize wastes and residues sustainably and excellently, there is a need to fend for efficient methods and resources for biogas production. Use of poultry waste for biogas production represents one of the most important routes toward reaching global renewable energy targets. The current study involves microbial pretreatment of chicken feather waste, followed by its co-digestion with rice husk and green grocery waste in batch and continuous reactors, respectively. Microbial pretreatment of chicken feathers by keratinase secreting Pseudomonas aeruginosa was an effective and eco-friendly approach to make its recalcitrant structure available as a raw substrate for biogas production. The current study also addressed the enhancement and stability of anaerobic digestion by co-digestion. Results demonstrated that biogas production was increased by microbial pretreatment of chicken feathers and that the percentage increase in biogas yield was 1.1% in microbialy pretreated feathers compared to mono-digestion (non-pretreated feathers) in batch fermentation. The highest yield of biogas was obtained in a batch reactor having co-digestion of pretreated rice husk and microbial pretreated chicken feathers. The co-digestion of chicken feathers hydrolysate with green grocery waste in continuous fermentation mode has also enhanced the biogas yield as compared to average of mono-digestion (chicken feather hydrolysate and green grocery waste) and, therefore, improve the efficiency of the overall process.

Reforestation efforts are being challenged as water stress is hampering the sapling growth and survival in arid to semiarid regions. A controlled experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on water stress tolerance of Conocarpus erectus and Populus deltoides. Saplings were watered at 90%, 60%, and 30% of field capacity (FC), and half of the saplings under 60% and 30% FC were sprayed with 1.0 mM SA. Results indicated that dry weight production decreased significantly in Populus deltoides under both water deficit conditions, and leaf gas exchange parameters decreased significantly in both the species under both soil water deficit conditions. Foliar application of SA resulted in a significant increase in leaf gas exchange parameters, and compatible solutes, thereby increasing the dry weight production in both of the species under soil water deficit. Oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions) increased under soil water deficit and decreased after the foliar application of SA and was parallel to the increased antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase). Therefore, it can be concluded that foliar application of 1.0 mM SA can significantly improve the water stress tolerance in both species, however, positive impacts of SA application were higher in Conocarpus erectus due to improved photosynthetic capacity and increased antioxidant enzyme activity.

Breast cancer [BC] is the deadliest neoplasm in women globally and the second leading cause of cancer associated deaths. Current treatment methods include chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy and surgery. However, BC has shown resistance to these therapies and are often associated with side effects, multidrug resistance, recurrence are the major issues in BC treatment. Currently, dietary phytocompounds have emerged as beneficial agents for the prevention and treatment of cancer because of their safe and cost effective nature. Ursolic acid [UA] is widely spread in fruits and vegetables having the ability to inhibit BC proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis, arrest cell cycle, induced apoptosis, scavenge free radicals and regulate several anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic proteins. UA has also shown potential anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in several human BC cells. This review paper encompasses the role of UA against BC and their mechanism of action in vitro and in vivo studies.

The increase in consumer demand for high-quality food products has led to growth in the use of new technologies and ingredients. Resistant starch (RS) is a recently recognised source of fibre and has received much attention for its potential health benefits and functional properties. However, knowledge about the fate of RS in modulating complex intestinal communities, the microbial members involved in its degradation, enhancement of microbial metabolites, and its functional role in body physiology is still limited. For this purpose, the current study was designed to ratify the physiological and functional health benefits of enzymatically prepared resistant starch (EM-RSIII) from maize flour. To approve the beneficial health effects as prebiotic, EM-RSIII was supplemented in rat diets. After 21 days of the experiment, EM-RSIII fed rats showed a significant reduction in body weight gain, fecal pH, glycemic response, serum lipid profile, insulin level and reshaping gut microbiota, and enhancing short-chain fatty acid compared to control. The count of butyrate-producing and starch utilizing bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Pediococcus genus in rat’s gut, elevated after the consumption of medium and high doses of EM-RSIII, while the E. coli completely suppressed in high EM-RSIII fed rats. Short-chain fatty acids precisely increased in feces of EM-RSIII feed rats. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the effect of butyrate on functional and physiological alteration on the body had been investigated during the current study. Conclusively, the present study demonstrated the unprecedented effect of utilising EM-RSIII as a diet on body physiology and redesigning gut microorganisms.

Low use efficiency of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is major challenge of modern agriculture. Coating of conventional fertilizers with nanomaterials is a promising technique for improved nutrient use efficiency. In current study, nanoparticles (NPs) of potassium ferrite (KFeO2 NPs) were coated on di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer with three rates (2, 5, 10%) of KFeO2 NPs and were evaluated for release of N, P, K and Fe supplementation in clay loam and loam soil up to 60 days. The NPs were characterized for crystal assemblage, bond formation, morphology and configuration using the x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform-infra red spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that size of NPs ranged between 7 and 18 nm. The controlled release of P in 10% KFeO2 nano-coated DAP was observed throughout the incubation period. The P release kept on increasing from day-1 (14.5 µg g−1) to day-60 (178.6 µg g−1) in coated DAP (10%) in loam soil. The maximum release of 50.4 µg g−1 NH4+1-N in coated DAP (10%) was observed after 30 days of incubation. The release of NO3−1-N was consistent up to 45 and 60 days in clay loam and loam soil, respectively. The average release of potassium and iron in 60 days was 19.7 µg g−1 and 7.3 µg g−1 higher in 10% coated DAP than traditional DAP in clay loam soil. It was concluded that KFeO2 nano-coated DAP supplied P and mineral N for longer period of time in both soils, and some higher coating levels should be tested in future.

Abrasion has a strong relationship with the overall performance of fabrics. There are number of factors that have an impact of abrasive strength of textile materials. These include type of fiber, nature of yarn, yarn number, weave structure and type, number of interlacing in warp and weft. Abraded fabrics look bad in appearance and they no longer can be able to give required service for which they are intended to provide. This study aimed at determining the effect of various weave types on abrasive strength of cotton fabric. The fabric was manufactured through ring spinning technique with three weave structures such as plain, twill and satin. Manufactured fabrics were evaluated for their abrasive strength by following ASTM 4966 test standard. These were evaluated at various laundering intervals such as at 0, 5, 10 and 15. The mass loss in percentage of was then calculated. It was concluded that plain weave structure was the most strongest in terms of its abrasive strength followed by twill and satin. Small floats helped to make the fabric hold components yarns together and provide cohesion to the finished product. It is important for the textile manufacturers and fashion designers to look for various weave structures and their impact on products in order to make creative variations to attract their customers. Keywords: Abrasion; Plain; Satin; Twill; Washing Cycles; Weave http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2020.90192

Micro-RNA (miRNA) is a short stretch of nucleotides that can regulate many genes associated with the various stages of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle and disease progression. This study evaluates the expression profiling of miRNA-196a in naive HCV-infected, and Sofosbuvir plus Daclatasvir-treated patients. MiRNA-196a can inhibit HCV replication by silencing the HCV NS5A protein or downregulating the human BACH-I mRNA. The expression level of miRNA-196a was determined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) using the whole RNA extracted from the recruited participant’s serum. Results showed a 0.83-fold decrease in the miRNA-196a level in naive HCV-infected than controls. On the contrary, an increase in the expression level by 0.06-fold was observed in Sofosbuvir plus Daclatasvir-treated patients. A negative but significant correlation was recorded between the HCV-RNA load and miRNA-196a expression level in the naive-infected patients. Serum miRNA-196a ROC curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.8278 (95% CI 0.7033–0.9524, p

To improve sustainability of polymers and to reduce carbon footprint, polymers from renewable resources are given significant attention due to the developing concern over environmental protection. The renewable materials are progressively used in many technical applications instead of short-term-use products. However, among other applications, the flame retardancy of such polymers needs to be improved for technical applications due to potential fire risk and their involvement in our daily life. To overcome this potential risk, various flame retardants (FRs) compounds based on conventional and non-conventional approaches such as inorganic FRs, nitrogen-based FRs, halogenated FRs and nanofillers were synthesized. However, most of the conventional FRs are non-biodegradable and if disposed in the landfill, microorganisms in the soil or water cannot degrade them. Hence, they remain in the environment for long time and may find their way not only in the food chain but can also easily attach to any airborne particle and can travel distances and may end up in freshwater, food products, ecosystems, or even can be inhaled if they are present in the air. Furthermore, it is not a good choice to use non-biodegradable FRs in biodegradable polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA). Therefore, the goal of this review paper is to promote the use of biodegradable and bio-based compounds for flame retardants used in polymeric materials.

Metabolic syndrome is the condition that includes hypertension, increased blood sugar level, dyslipidaemia, fats around abdominal organs in abdominal cavity. In our study we conducted a survey to find out “pervasiveness of metabolic syndrome among Nurses and its alliance with anxiety as well as depression” in General hospital of Lahore City. Research design (survey & questionnaire) was based on quantitative and descriptive cross-sectional correlations. Samples were 100 percent of female nurses of Lahore general hospital Lahore. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis. Demographic and descriptive analyses were carried out. This study suggested a weak alliance between variables of metabolic syndrome and anxiety as well as the variables of depression. This study suggests that there is need of adopting better strategies for providing better occupational health to nursing personnel’s in hospitals.

Thermoplastic processing and spinning of native starch is very challenging due to (a) the linear and branched polymers (amylose and amylopectin) present in its structure and (b) the presence of inter-and-intramolecular hydrogen bond linkages in its macromolecules that restrict the molecular chain mobility. Therefore, in this study, oxidized starch (OS) (obtained after oxidation of native starch with sodium perborate) was melt-blended with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer to prepare PLA/OS blends that were then mixed together with ammonium polyphosphate (APP), a halogen-free flame retardant (FR) used as acid donor in intumescent formulations on twin-screw extruder to prepare PLA/OS/APP composites. OS with different concentrations also served as bio-based carbonic source in intumescent formulations. PLA/OS/APP composites were melt spun to multifilament fibers on pilot scale melt-spinning machine and their crystallinity and mechanical properties were optimized by varying spinning parameters. The crystallinity of the fibers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and thermal stabilities were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the surface morphology and dispersion of the additives in the fibers. Needle-punched non-woven fabrics from as prepared melt-spun PLA/OS/APP fibers were developed and their fire properties such as heat release rate, total heat release, time to ignition, residual mass % etc. by cone calorimetry test were measured. It was found that PLA/OS/APP composites can be melt spun to multifilament fibers and non-woven flame-retardant fabrics produced thereof can be used in industrial FR applications.

Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable resource which may be depleted within next few decades; hence high P use efficiency is need of time. Plants have evolved an array of adaptive mechanisms to enhance external P acquisition and reprioritize internal utilization under P deficiency. Tissue specific biomass and P allocation patterns may affect the P use efficiency in plants. six rice cultivars were grown in solution culture for 20 days and then were divided into two groups to receive either adequate P or no P that were harvested at 30, 40 and 50 days. Plants were dissected into various tissues/organs. Two rice cultivars viz Super Basmati (P-inefficient) and PS-2 (P-efficient) were grown in soil with no or 50 mg P kg−1 soil till maturity. Rice cultivars PS-2 and Basmati-2000 had higher P uptake, utilization efficiency and internal remobilization than other tested cultivars after P omission. Young leaves and roots were the major sinks while stems and mature leaves were the sources of P during P omission. In conclusion, biomass allocation and P accumulation among various tissues and P remobilization were major factors responsible for P efficiency.