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Nowadays, waste discharge and contaminants in drinking water have emerged as a significant global problem. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these pollutants from the water and photocatalysis is the best technique for this purpose. The co-precipitation technique was employed to produce NiMn2O4 and ZnMn2O4 and a photocatalyst containing NiMn2O4/ZnMn2O4 heterostructure nanocomposite. Various analytical techniques have been ascribed to examine the physical, morphological and optical features of the fabricated catalysts. XRD diffraction peak patterns were utilized to confirm the presence of cubic NiMn2O4, tetragonal ZnMn2O4 and NiMn2O4/ZnMn2O4 phases in a nanocomposite. In photodegradation tests, the nanocomposite catalyst outperformed the individual catalysts. After 60 minutes of visible light exposure, this nanocomposite catalyst eliminated the methylene blue (MB) dye, attaining substantially higher degradation rates than pure NiMn2O4 (66%) and ZnMn2O4 (77%). The nanocomposite catalyst was highly effective against methylene blue (MB) dye with a degradation efficiency of 92%.

One of the main issues confronting humanity in the twenty-first century is the lack of potable water availability. Around half of the world’s consumers face drinking water scarcity. Industrially rich areas have a high population and high-water contamination risk factors. Modern technologies that are quite effective for water purification, present economical limitations that impede their usefulness in developing countries. Conventional methods involving low energy, low chemical demand, and prevention of water-borne disease are therefore significant for water purification in developing countries like Pakistan. These limitations have led to improvising the conventional method for facile water purification. Herein we report the water purification assembly based on allow sand filtration; involving the raw materials grass, clay, sand, silt, pebbles, gravel and coal/ fly ash carbon to obtain clean and quality-controlled water treatment. Ground water samples collected from various areas of Sargodha city were subjected to the developed design Hybrid Multi-Layer Slow Sand Filter (HMLSSF). Based on pre- and post-treatment water analysis, it was determined that the filtration assembly was quite effective at reducing pH, turbidity, dissolved and suspended solids, hardness, and heavy metals percent removal by 87%, 77.7%, 91.3%, 95.4%, 84.4%, and to promising levels, respectively. Moreover, 99 % biological contamination such as total coliform was also removed by this method.

Objective: To determine the analgesic efficacy of ozone gas versus hyaluronic acid solution in knee osteoarthritis patients. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and duration of study: Department of Pain Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun to Dec 2020. Methodology: Seventy patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in this study and were randomly assigned to two equal groups to undergo intra-articular knee injection using either Hyaluronic Acid (Group-H) or Ozone (Group-O). Improvement in the numeric rating scale (NRS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scale were recorded 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure. Results: In both groups, the pain score (Group-H Pre-procedure NRS =7.66±0.87 vs. Post-Procedure 6 month NRS = 4.74±0.70, Group-O Pre-procedure NRS = 7.86±0.88 vs. Post-Procedure 6 month NRS = 4.46±0.92) and WOMAC (Group-H Pre-procedure =77.60±7.93 vs. Post-Procedure 6 month =40.31±6.81, Group-O Pre-procedure=75.54±9.40 vs. Post-Procedure 6 month =38.37±8.98) score improved. However, the NRS pain score (p-value = 0.21) and patient WOMAC score (p-value = 0.31) were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: Neither Hyaluronic Acid nor Ozone appears superior in decreasing pain scores or physical limitations, particularly for knee osteoarthritis.

In an agricultural country like Pakistan, producing affordable and clean energy can be a challenging task. However, Pakistan has the potential to utilize various biomass feedstocks to generate renewable energy and tackle climate change while promoting sustainable development. Wheat, rice, sugarcane, and corn are the four main crops that yield a significant amount of residue, totaling 112.1 million tons per year. These residues have the potential to produce 3,050 kWh/ton of energy, which can meet 14% of the energy demand in Pakistan, equivalent to 9.85TW, starting in 2022. Gasification technology is a versatile option that efficiently converts biomass into energy while reducing negative environmental impacts. The current research explores the feasibility of generating clean energy from crop residues with low emissions, addressing the country’s energy needs, and supporting policymakers in promoting the use of biomass for energy production. According to this study, rice husk, corn cobs, wheat straw, and sugar bagasse all produce hydrogen at rates of 6.9 wt.%, 6.4 wt.%, 5.69 wt.%, and 5.35 wt.%, respectively. Therefore, our study demonstrates that corn cobs have a significant potential for energy production.

Introduction: Asian developing countries share the burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) with rising mortality rates. This prospective study aims to apprehend the clinical relevance of age, gender, lifestyle choices (dietary habits and addiction), and body mass index (BMI) to the occurrence and progression of colon cancer (CC). Methods: A cohort of non-cancer and CC patients of South-Central Asian origin registered for screening colonoscopy or surgery at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), Lahore, Pakistan, from 2015 - 2020 was identified. BMI (Kg/m2) was classified according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria as underweight (

Nowadays, waste discharge and contaminants in drinking water have emerged as a significant global problem. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these pollutants from the water and photo-catalysis is the best technique for this purpose. The co-precipitation technique was employed to produce NiMn2O4 and ZnMn2O4 and a photocatalyst containing NiMn2O4/ZnMn2O4 heterostructure nanocomposite. Various analytical techniques have been ascribed to examine the physical, morphological and optical features of the fabricated catalysts. XRD diffraction peak patterns were utilized to confirm the presence of cubic NiMn2O4, tetragonal ZnMn2O4 and NiMn2O4/ZnMn2O4 phases in a nanocomposite. In photodegradation tests, the nanocomposite catalyst outperformed the individual catalysts. After 60 minutes of visible light exposure, this nanocomposite catalyst eliminated the methylene blue (MB) dye, attaining substantially higher degradation rates than pure NiMn2O4 (66%) and ZnMn2O4 (77%). The nanocomposite catalyst was highly effective against methylene blue (MB) dye with a degradation efficiency of 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to asses' nurses' job satisfaction levels at hemodialysis units and to find out the relationship between nurses' job satisfaction and quality of nursing care. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design study was carried out among nursing working in hemodialysis units at Baquba Teaching Hospital and Baladrooz general Hospital, study starting from 14th December 2022 to 10th March 2023. A non-probability (purposive) sample of (80) nurses working in hemodialysis units in Baquba and Baladrooz Hospital. The study instruments consist of three parts; Part one is involved the demographic information of nurses (8) items; the second part is involved Job Satisfaction Scale for Clinical Nurses (JSS-CN), it is comprised of (38) items and observational checklist for nurses practices of hemodialysis procedures consist from (29) items. Content validity of the questionnaire was determine through a panel of (12) experts. Reliability of the instrument scales is determined by using Pearson Correlations (0.87, 084) for of job satisfaction scale and observational checklist for nurses practices respectively. The collected data will be categorized, scored, tabulated, and analyzed by computer using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics will be used in the form of frequency distribution and percentages. Pearson correlation coefficient statistical tests were applied for data analysis. Results: Findings of the current study showed that (75%, 65%), of the studied nurses offered moderate job satisfaction level and good quality of nursing care respectively. There was highly statistically significant relation between job satisfaction and quality of nursing care offered to patient undergoing haemodialysis. Conclusion: This study concluded that, nearly three quarter of the nurses were coping with their jobs and they are satisfied to certain extent. However, nearly two third of them offered good quality of nursing care to patient undergoing hemodialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this updated meta-analysis is to consolidate high-quality peer- reviewed clinical evidence, including trials and observational studies, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of "direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs)" versus "vitamin K antagonists (VKAs)" for treating "left ventricular thrombus (LVT)". Methodology: We included studies of either "observational" or "experimental" in nature reported original data for the head-to-head comparison of "DOACs" and "VKAs" for the treatment of LVT. The efficacy-related outcome of interest was "thrombus resolution" and safety-related outcomes of interest were; "mortality", "major bleeding", and "stroke". The "risk ratios (RRs)" for each outcome variable were calculated using the "Mantel -Haenszel method". Results: The analysis included 19 studies comprised of 3,027 patients diagnosed with LVT. Among them, 881 received DOAC treatment, while 2,146 were treated with VKAs. DOACs showed comparable rates of LVT resolution (RR: 1.00 [0.93 -- 1.08]), lower mortality incidence (RR: 0.65 [0.51 -- 0.84]), similar stroke incidence (RR: 0.83 [0.61 -- 1.14]), and similar major bleeding incidence (RR: 0.71 [0.50 -- 1.00]) compared to VKAs. Conclusion: The meta-analysis indicates that DOACs are as effective as VKAs for treating LVT, showing comparable thrombus resolution rates, lower all -cause mortality, similar stroke risks, and clinically relevant bleeding across studies. However, these conclusions are limited by the lack of evidence from large-scale randomized studies and high-quality real-life clinical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diclofenac sodium (DCF) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug mainly used as an analgesic, arthritic and anti-rheumatic. This study deals with the degradation of diclofenac by photo catalytic-based advanced oxidation processes. The solar reactor system is comprised of quartz and borosilicate tubes for the absorption of the solar rays and transmission to the pollutant sample. Artificial UV lamp and solar rays have been applied to activate the ZnO catalyst, thereby generating highly oxidizing species. These species initiate the degradation process of the drug, which results in intermediates that finally dissociate into carbon dioxide and water. The degradation rate has been analyzed by composition analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. TOC and COD tests have also been conducted for degraded samples. ZnO catalyst loading was tested from 0.1 gm/L to 1 gm/L and the degradation rate showed a rising trend up to 0.250 gm/L, but further increase in loading resulted in a drop in degradation. Similarly, degradation is higher in acidic condition as compared to neutral or basic pH condition. The results showed a higher degradation rate for UV lamp irradiation as compared to the solar system. Moreover, TOC and COD reduction results were also found to be higher for UV lamp photo catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate apatite/hydroxyapatite (CO3Ap/HAP) additive was obtained by calcination of wasted chicken bones at 900°C. Intermolecular attraction exists between CO3Ap/HAP additive and blended polysulfone (PSF) polymer. Electron dispersive X‐ray (EDX) and FTIR analysis were carried out to check the elemental composition and bonding chemistry of prepared additive. The instantaneous demixing process generated consistent finger‐like networks in CO3Ap/HAP/PSF‐based composite membranes while sponge‐like structure was shown by PSF as revealed by SEM images. The increase in weight % of additive loading is also confirmed by EDX analysis. Furthermore, the interaction mechanism of CO3Ap/HAP additive with polysulfone medium was analyzed by FTIR exploration. The water absorption experiment defined a 93% expansion in hydrophilic performance. Change in porosity occurs with additive loading and pure water permeation flux improved up to 11 times. Approximately, antifouling results revealed that 87% of water flux was recovered after treating with a protein solution, whereas a 30% improvement in antifouling capability in case of bovine serum albumin solution occurred. In vitro cytotoxicity, and clotting times study was carried out to evaluate virulent behavior and anticoagulation activity of formulated membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 10-point approximating subdivision scheme is presented. Least squares technique for fitting the polynomial of degree 9 to data is used to develop this scheme. The proposed strategy can be used to generate a family of schemes. The important characteristics of the scheme are also discussed. Graphical efficiency of the scheme is shown by applying it on different types of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been shown to provide good postoperative pain relief following various abdominal and inguinal surgeries. We evaluated the effectiveness of ultrasound guided TAP block against conventional local anesthetic wound infiltration for better postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. Methodology: This prospective randomized controlled study was conducted after approval from ethical review board. A total of 100 adult male patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status 1 or 2 were randomized either to Group I (TAP) (n = 50) receiving ultrasound guided TAP block with 0.5% bupivacaine 1.5 mg/kg or Group II (LAI) (n = 50) receiving similar dose as conventional local anesthetic wound infiltration. Inj. tramadol was used as rescue analgesic if needed. Pain score was recorded by visual analogue scale (VAS) on emergence, then 2 hourly for 8 hours followed by 4 hourly for 24 hours postoperatively. Mean pain score, total dose of rescue analgesic/24 hours and procedure related complications, including postoperative nausea / vomiting, were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the baseline characteristics of both groups. Mean pain scores in Group I (TAP) and II (LAI) were 2.1 ± 1.2 and 4.8 ± 1.5 respectively (P < 0.001) and corresponding opiate requirement was significantly less in Group I (TAP) 17.2 ± 68.4 mg of tramadol vs 136.4 ± 86.3mg of tramadol in Group II (LAI) (P < 0.001). Nausea / vomiting were observed in 21.7 vs. 78.3% of patients in Group I (TAP) and Group II (LAI) respectively. No procedure related complications were noted in any patient. Conclusion: Ultrasound guided TAP block is found to be safe and an effective modality of providing postoperative analgesia with significantly less post-operative nausea vomiting and opiate requirement when compared to local anesthetic wound infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of commonly used pesticides such as Pendimethaline, Trifluralin, Glyphosphate, 2, 4-D, and MCPA (Chwastox) on microbial activities in soil. Two types of clean soils were amended with recommended level of pesticides and incubated in the laboratory at 35°C for 15 days. Microbial activities in the form of CO2 production were measured during incubation at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 15 day intervals. CO2 production was not affected substantially by any of the applied doses of pesticides. However, the total amount of CO2 produced during 15 days was suppressed by all pesticides, except MCPA (Chwastox). The effect of pesticides on microbial activities varied greatly with the type of pesticides used. The MCPA Chwastox did not exert any inhibitory effect on the respiratory rate of microbes, while other selected pesticides showed highly toxic effect on soil microbial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of this paper, we introduce a novel polynomial function that relies on two parameters. This polynomial enables the creation of a family of quaternary subdivision schemes for curve and surface modeling. One of these parameters is responsible for determining the specific member of the family while the other parameter provides the means to finely control the shape of the resulting curve or the regular surface images. This two-parameter approach adds significant versatility to the subdivision schemes to meet specific requirements and preferences. The exploration of various family members within this class of quaternary schemes is a focal point of our research. By adjusting the parameters, we investigate and delineate the distinctive characteristics of specific family members. This provides valuable insights into how these schemes can be harnessed to achieve various modeling goals. This insight empowers users to select the most suitable family members in accordance with their specific needs and design objectives.