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The current study investigates how educational media influences the early bilingual language development of Pakistani children. An exploratory sequential research design was employed, spanning a 16-week observation period and the utilisation of a Likert-scale based questionnaire. A cohort of twenty 5-year-old children and their parents participated in the study. The findings reveal that exposure to second language (L2) culture through educational media can positively impact learning. However, the efficacy of this influence is contingent upon various factors such as media quality, frequency and duration of exposure, and cultural relevance. Furthermore, the study outlines both favourable and adverse outcomes of L2 cultural exposure on children's behaviour. Positive effects include fostering an appreciation for diverse cultures, enhancing language proficiency, and promoting cultural competence. Conversely, negative consequences encompass inappropriate behaviour and an over-reliance on screen time. The paper concludes by offering suggestions to parents and educators for mitigating negative effects. These recommendations involve monitoring screen time, introducing alternative forms of entertainment, and leveraging cartoons and nursery rhymes as tools to teach cultural diversity and encourage identity formation. Lastly, the study underscores the significance of combining the use of educational media with other language learning techniques to deliver a holistic language learning experience.

Women in Pakistan's higher education face barriers that silence their voices from reporting experiences of being bullied by colleagues and superiors. This situation contradicts universities' role as houses of learning and agents of progressively improving culture and society. This group autoethnography presents three accounts by women academics challenging this taboo against speaking out. Without the silence being repeatedly broken, this toxic social phenomenon continues. Studies of women's personal stories of being ostracised and bullied complement the emerging quantitative literature about bullying against women academics in higher education institutions. The present narratives about being the targets of bullying individuals are framed within national and international literature. Chronicling such bullying episodes increases recognition of personal, family, and career trauma for women academics. More qualitative accounts will further document the conduct by which women are ostracised, disrespected, and burdened with unfair extra work. Naming such behaviors overcomes the current silence, which leaves this conduct unacknowledged.

The quality of language produced is greatly influenced by the quality of language input. Reading is a major source of language and knowledge input. In Pakistan, two types of books written in the English language are available for the reader. The first type includes the books written and published in Pakistan and the second type is of the books written by foreign authors published in or outside Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to analyze 5 storybooks written and published in Pakistan. The linguistic analysis and technical analysis of the books were carried out to explore the kind of material which is being produced locally and is readily available to Pakistani children. The focus of the study was on the English language and technical components of the storybooks. The findings of the study reveal that the storybooks contain several language-related problems and technical deficiencies in story writing elements. Hence it is concluded that proofreading for language and technical refinement for the storybooks can help improve the work quality.

This study was conducted to (a) examine the correlation, coefficient matrix of internet usage with social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students, (b) evaluate the impact of internet usage on social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students, and (c) determine the gender differences in internet usage, social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students. It was a descriptive study and adopted a survey approach. Its population consisted of undergraduate university students of the Departments of Social Sciences of the Bahuddin Zakariya University Multan, Pakistan. A sample of 300 students evenly divided into gender (150 male students & 150 female students) was taken conveniently from the population. The data were collected by using Internet Usage Scale (Wanajak, 2011), Social Connectedness Scale (Lee and Robbins, 1995), Contentment with Life Assessment Scale (Lavallee, Hatch, Michalos and Mckinley, (2007); whereas, learning achievement was measured through CGPA obtained by students. Results indicated significant correlations of internet usage with social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement. Findings also demonstrated that internet usage has a significant impact on social connectedness, life contentment and learning achievement of undergraduate university students. The significant difference appeared regarding gender of the respondents in the level of internet usage and social connectedness, whereas no gender differences were found regarding life contentment and learning achievement of the undergraduate university students.

This study investigated the efficacy of the Superheroes Social Skills program in increasing social engagement of four elementary-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Pakistan, where English was spoken as a second language. The investigators implemented the first six lessons from the program in the classroom and assessed its efficacy through observations made during a recess period. Although the skills were trained in one context (i.e., the classroom), observations showed that the participants increased social engagement in a second environment (i.e., recess playground) in which the skills had not been taught. Social engagement effect sizes were in the moderate to large range with larger effect sizes for social responses than for social initiations. The authors discuss the implications and research needs for implementing social skills programs in diverse cultures.

The current study aims to examine how and why actors contest the business education field through rankings. Inspired by the field structuration process and field level change, we argue that categorization systems, in this case, rankings, construct boundaries of the business education field and redefine authority and elites for the field. Ten highly ranked Pakistani business schools were selected through a purposive sampling method. For the thematic analysis adopted in the current study, we collected empirical evidence mainly through interviews with the directors of accreditation and ranking bodies, deans, and marketing directors of business schools. The interview data was also supplemented by secondary data such as internal student surveys, business school's annual reports, and other relevant sources of data. The current study showed institutional work in the business education field. Through categorization systems, actors use their authority to challenge the existing social order and define the uncontested space of the business education field in developing countries. Actors then populate the uncontested space with new members thus legitimizing new rules and standards for the field and promoting new elites for the field thus creating new social order.

In response to the inculcation of global culture, behaviour of glocalization was shaped and disseminated into various fields of life including education and English language pedagogy across various countries. The current study focused on providing an insight into this glocalization with special orientation to learning and teaching English language in Pakistani context with particular focus on military academia. The research aimed to inquire the active participants of the learning process i.e. the students, with respect to their perspectives regarding inculcation of glocalization in their ELT curriculum. The research was primarily a survey based research which was conducted at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), Kakul and 189 cadets are the respondents of this survey. Analytical framework of Byrem (1997, 2001) and Byrem & Feng (2006) is adapted and utilized. The study reveals that ELT contents at PMA are more embedded with culture of UK and lack local culture of the cadets. Moreover, the cadets are found positive towards the suggestion of including culture of various parts of national and military culture in their English textbooks. The current study recommended reappraisal of English language rehearsals at PMA with special orientation towards glocalization element which appreciates a mixture of cultural elements from local to global context.

The Environmental Awareness is a part of Millennium Development Goals by United Nations. Huge research work is being done on Environmental Science under the charter of United Nations to highlight threats to humanity under two famous domains Climate Change and Global Warming. Our religion also focuses on the importance of Environmental Education. The study focused to assess the perception of Trainee Teachers towards Environmental Awareness at Tertiary Level of Education in Pakistan and to compare the performance of control and experimental group of trainee teachers on Environmental Awareness at Tertiary Level. Mixed method techniques were applied to obtain the results. Two groups of 30 Trainee Teachers in each group from Federal College of Education, Islamabad were taken as the sample of the study for experiment. The questionnaire was developed on five point Likert scale. It was found that level of Environmental Awareness was very high in the results of Post Test as compared to Pre Test results. It was recommended that the Environmental Awareness should be made compulsory part of Tertiary Education.

Mental health includes several components of living a healthy life such as one's ability to enjoy life and to cope with stresses. Forgiveness is also one path to mental health. Present study aimed to investigate the predictive relationship of dispositional forgiveness with psychological resilience and to explore the role of marital status in dispositional forgiveness and psychological resilience among women. 160 women aged between 21-40 participated in the study and provided data on Heartland Forgiveness Scale (Thompson et al., 2005) and The Brief Resilience Scale (Smith et. al., 2008). Results showed a significant positive impact on forgiveness and psychological resilience among women. Findings further revealed that marital status was the significant determinant of forgiveness and resilience among women. It was found that married women have significant effects on forgiveness and resilience. Study has the implication to enhance the mental health by learning forgiveness skills, because universal forgiveness exercises can help to find best strategies to deal with feeling of stress, hurt, pain, revenge, resentment and so on.

This research was conducted to examine the mediating effect of perceived social support between perceived stress and job satisfaction among employees. A conveniently selected sample of 280 employees provided the information on Perceived Social Support Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Job Satisfaction Survey. Employing Regression analyses, findings revealed the significant negative effect of perceived stress and positive effect of perceived social support on job satisfaction. Perceived stress was found non-significant in predicting perceived social support. However, perceived social support partially mediated the relationship between perceived stress and job satisfaction.

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between learning engagement, academic motivation, and academic performance in undergraduate students and the importance of religion in determining the academic motivation and academic performance. A sample of 840 university students from different regions (provinces) of Pakistan is pooled through a convenient sampling technique. Engagement Versus Disaffection (EVD) and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) are administered for learning engagement and academic motivation, respectively. After applying analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson product-moment correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression, the findings of this research reveal that learning engagement and academic motivation have significant relationships with academic performance. Furthermore, it is also found that, in religiosity, academic motivation for both Muslims and non-Muslims do not induce learning engagement, but Muslim students have shown better academic performance than non-Muslims. This study can be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners to analyze the determinants of learning engagements and improve the academic performance of university students.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of perceived teachers' competence on students' performance moderated by perceived class environment. The sample consisted of 500 students (250 male & 250 female) taken from public and private schools from the rural areas of Dokota Town, Tibba Sultan Pur, and Mailsi. Participants' age range was between 12-14 years old. Teaching Competence Scale (Passi & Lalita, 2009) and Class Environment Scales (Kelly, 2010) were used to measure the perceived teachers' competence and perceived class environment, respectively. For the purpose of the present research, scales were translated into Urdu through back translation method. Results indicated that perceived teachers' competence predicted the students' performance, but did not predict the perceived class environment. Further results indicated that there is no mediation and moderation effect of class environment on the relationship between teachers' competence and students' performance.

The present study aimed at examining the interpersonal aspects of depression among female college students. A sample of 60 undergraduate female college students (50 pairs: 25 depressed and 25 non-depressed subjects along with their best friends) was drawn from Government Degree College for Women, Multan. Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1961) was administered to both the depressed and non-depressed subjects along with their best friends (i) to fill it out for themselves, (ii) to fill it out for as would their friends (iii) and to fill out for, as would the average person. Statistical analysis showed that the best friends of depressed subjects were significantly more depressed than the best friends of non-depressed subjects. Results also suggested that depressed subjects perceived their best friends and the average persons to be more depressed as compared to the non-depressed subjects. No significant differences were found between actual and perceived scores of best friends of both the depressed and non-depressed subjects. Also, no significant differences were found between best friend's perception and actual scores of depressed and non-depressed subjects.

This paper addresses the findings of a study conducted on identifying the psychological and socio-demographic factors contributing in completers and non-completers of distance learning program. A sample of 232 distance learners ranging in age between 25-45 years old participated in this study. For psychological factors, the Perceived Competence Scale (Williams & Deci, 1996) and Achievement Motivation Scale (Murray, 1983) were administered to them along with asking socio-demographic variables namely age, gender, disability, employment and marital status. Participants' average scores in mid and final examination were used as their academic performance. Findings showed that completers of distance education have been found significant higher on perceived competence and achievement motivation (i.e. work, mastery, & competitiveness) than non-completers. Results also revealed that psychological variables of perceived competence and achievement motivation are significantly positively related with completers' academic performance than that of non-completers. Furthermore, it was identified that the distance learners who were with younger age group, female gender, non-disability, nonworking conditions, and single status completed their program having higher academic performance. While non-completers' academic performance was found more poor in older group, male gender, disabled, employed, and married students. On the basis of these findings, it is underlined that formulation of policies for distance education and curriculum should be based on consideration of these factors.

The purpose of this study was to address the importance of spiritual well-being and hope among cancer patients diagnosed with its different stages. Through stratified sampling techniques, 120 cancer patients from four stages evenly divided into male and female participated in this study. Spiritual Well-being Scale (Paloutzian & Ellison, 1982) and Hope Scale (Snyder, Harris, Anderson, et al, 1991) were used to measure the levels of spiritual well-being and hope respectively. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between spiritual well-being and hope among cancer patients of all stages while surprisingly this relationship was higher in last stage of cancer patients. The findings showed that patients in last stage of cancer have high hope and high spiritual well-being than that of other stages. The findings pertaining to gender differences showed that female cancer patients have high level of hope and spiritual well-being as compared to male cancer patients.

This prospective study using self-determination theory was conducted to predict the students' motivation and academic performance based on their perceived teachers' humanistic vs. authoritarian orientations in the classrooms. The sample consisted of 300 students aged 14-18 years taken from different schools of Multan. The Pupil Control Behavior Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and exam scores were used to measure the perceived teachers' humanistic vs. authoritarian orientations, and students' motivation and performance respectively. The study revealed that students' intrinsic motivation and performance are significantly positively related to humanistic orientation while negatively related to authoritarian orientation of teachers. A result pertaining to gender differences implies that female students report higher intrinsic motivation and performance as compared to male students.

The unfortunate attacks of 9/11 forced the government to reform madrassah education programs. The aim of this article is to discuss the reform and its results and points of view, as well as the reaction of the Islamic seminaries toward these madrassah reforms.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL) allows individuals and organizations to bring legal cases on behalf of the public to address societal problems such as human rights abuses, environmental degradation, and corruption. In the Pakistani Supreme Court, PIL has emerged as a significant mechanism for addressing these concerns. This paper discusses the significance of PIL, the issues encountered in its practice, and a few landmark cases. The Supreme Court has repeatedly evolved well-founded legal norms governing PIL, thereby empowering the underprivileged sections of society. Cases such as Shehla Zia vs. WAPDA and the Suo Moto Case regarding Lahore smog exemplify how the judiciary takes initiative to secure rights and hold authorities accountable. PIL has impacted public policy and transformed societies by improving accountability among governing bodies. However, PIL faces challenges, including issues of admissibility, the potential for time-consuming legal actions, and the risk of abuse for personal or political gain. The tension between the judiciary and the principle of the separation of powers is a critical factor in maintaining judicial independence. To optimize PIL, it is essential to enhance public awareness, particularly regarding legal rights, and to establish an efficient legal aid service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current study investigates how educational media influences the early bilingual language development of Pakistani children. An exploratory sequential research design was employed, spanning a 16-week observation period and the utilisation of a Likert-scale based questionnaire. A cohort of twenty 5-year-old children and their parents participated in the study. The findings reveal that exposure to second language (L2) culture through educational media can positively impact learning. However, the efficacy of this influence is contingent upon various factors such as media quality, frequency and duration of exposure, and cultural relevance. Furthermore, the study outlines both favourable and adverse outcomes of L2 cultural exposure on children's behaviour. Positive effects include fostering an appreciation for diverse cultures, enhancing language proficiency, and promoting cultural competence. Conversely, negative consequences encompass inappropriate behaviour and an over-reliance on screen time. The paper concludes by offering suggestions to parents and educators for mitigating negative effects. These recommendations involve monitoring screen time, introducing alternative forms of entertainment, and leveraging cartoons and nursery rhymes as tools to teach cultural diversity and encourage identity formation. Lastly, the study underscores the significance of combining the use of educational media with other language learning techniques to deliver a holistic language learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), commonly referred to as goat plague or ovine rinderpest, is an infectious viral ailment that specifically targets wild or domesticated small ruminants, including sheep and goats. The study examined the information gathered from several sources such as research publications to evaluate the overall impact of PPR in Pakistan. The overall pooled prevalence in Pakistan was calculated to be 51%. Among various regions, the level of pooled prevalence of PPR presented a non-significant difference and was almost the same. Moreover, the investigation found other factors that influence the spread of PPR, including animal husbandry techniques, immunization, and geographical factors. In summary, the review of the literature provides significant information about the occurrence and distribution of PPR in Pakistan. There is a dire need to implement efficient management measures to reduce the negative effects of this disease on small ruminant populations. Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an extremely transmissible viral disease caused by the PPR virus that impacts domestic small ruminants, namely sheep and goats. This study aimed to employ a methodical approach to evaluate the regional occurrence of PPR in small ruminants in Pakistan and the contributing factors that influence its prevalence. A thorough search was performed in various databases to identify published research articles between January 2004 and August 2023 on PPR in small ruminants in Pakistan. Articles were chosen based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 25 articles were selected from 1275 studies gathered from different databases. The overall pooled prevalence in Pakistan was calculated to be 51% (95% CI: 42–60), with heterogeneity I2 = 100%, τ2 = 0.0495, and p = 0. The data were summarized based on the division into five regions: Punjab, Baluchistan, KPK, Sindh, and GB and AJK. Among these, the pooled prevalence of PPR in Sindh was 61% (95% CI: 46–75), I2 = 100%, τ2 = 0.0485, and p = 0, while in KPK, it was 44% (95% CI: 26–63), I2 = 99%, τ2 = 0.0506, and p < 0.01. However, the prevalence of PPR in Baluchistan and Punjab was almost the same. Raising awareness, proper surveillance, and application of appropriate quarantine measures interprovincially and across borders must be maintained to contain the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and rapid socioeconomic development have exacerbated the damage caused by hydrological droughts. To ensure effective drought defense and infrastructure development, it is essential to investigate variations in hydrological droughts. The primary objective of this study is to reconstruct the natural streamflow by using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological modeling. The hydrological drought at different time scales (1, 3, 6, and 12 months) were measured using the streamflow drought index (SDI). The statistical parameters, including Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency and the Coefficient of Determination, which yielded values of 0.84 and 0.82 during the calibration period and 0.78 and 0.76 during the validation period, respectively, showed a satisfactory SWAT model performance. Additionally, the Pettit test was used to identify a change point in streamflow within the 1991–2015 timeframe, leading to the division of the study period into two distinct phases: an undisturbed period (1991–1998) and a disturbed period (1999–2015). The SDI index‐based analysis revealed 9.39% moderate drought and 3.13% severe drought during the undisturbed period, while 11.76% moderate drought and 7.35% severe drought may happen due to the human influences that occurred in the disturbed period. These findings enhance the understanding of the hydrological drought variations in the Soan River basin for optimizing the water resources management system and effectively preventing and mitigating drought‐related damages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the incidence of antimicrobial-resistant emerging pathogens, Clostridium difficile, and its associated risk factors in tertiary care setups of Pakistan. This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2020, to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of C. difficile strains isolated from 450 stool specimens of patients suffering from diarrhea hospitalized in tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. The stool samples of the patients were processed for culture and detection of toxin A and toxin B by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and tpi PCR. The drug sensitivity test was performed for antibiotics including ampicillin, cefixime, cefepime, amoxicillin, nalidixic acid, sulpha/TMP (SXT), chloramphenicol, metronidazole, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and imipenem. Of 450 stool specimens, 108 (24%) were positive for C. difficile by stool culture, whereas 115 (25.5%) were only positive for C. difficile toxins based on ELISA and PCR (128 (28.6%). Of 108, 90.7% (n = 98) isolates were resistant to one antibiotic, and 90 (83.4%) were resistant to three or more antimicrobials. The highest resistance rates were found against penicillin (83.3%) followed by amoxicillin (70%), nalidixic acid (61%), and metronidazole (38%), and the lowest resistance was found against vancomycin (6.4%) and imipenem (3.7%). CDI was statistically significantly correlated with increased age, use of antibiotics, abdominal surgeries, use of proton pump inhibitors and H2a, and presence of comorbidities. The high frequency of C. difficile in Peshawar, Pakistan, indicates that CDI is an important nosocomial infection in different hospitals. The results will be helpful for clinicians to redesign control and therapeutic strategies in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Obesity is currently considered a public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Gender- and age-specific body mass index (BMI) growth standards or references are particularly effective in monitoring the global obesity pandemic. This study aimed to report disparities in age-, gender- and ethnic-specific statistical estimates of overweight and obesity for 2–18 years aged Pakistani children and adolescents using the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 2000 references, the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and Pakistani references for BMI. Methods: The study used secondary data of 10,668 pediatric population, aged 2–18 years. Demographic information like age (years), gender, city and anthropometric examinations, i.e., height (cm) and weight (kg) were used in this study. The recommended age- and gender-specific BMI cut-offs of the WHO, CDC 2000 and the IOTF references were used to classify the children sampled as overweight and obese. For the Pakistani reference, overweight and obesity were defined as BMI-for-age ≥ 85th percentile and BMI-for-age ≥ 95th percentile, respectively. Cohen's κ statistic was used to assess the agreement between the international references and local study population references in the classification of overweight/obesity. Results: The statistical estimates (%) of the participants for overweight and obesity varied according to the reference used: WHO (7.4% and 2.2%), CDC (4.9% and 2.1%), IOTF (5.2% and 2.0%) and Pakistan (8.8% and 6.0%), respectively; suggesting higher levels of overweight and obesity prevalence when local study references are used. The Kappa statistic shows a moderate to excellent agreement (κ ≥ 0.6) among three international references when classifying child overweight and obesity and poor agreement between local references and the WHO (0.45, 0.52), CDC (0.25, 0.50) and IOTF references (0.16, 0.31), for overweight and obesity, respectively. Conclusions: The results of the study showed a visible difference in the estimates of excess body weight after applying the WHO, CDC, IOTF and local BMI references to the study population. Based on the disparity results and poor agreement between international references and the local study reference, this study recommends using local BMI references in identifying children with overweight and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: The geo-strategic position of Pakistan on the world map is incredibly important and idyllic as the country is considered the gateway to central Asia. Pakistan has faced political instability for the last three decades, causing a brain drain and adversely affecting socioeconomic growth. This study aims to investigate the impact of an unstable environment on the brain drain of highly skilled professionals, healthcare workers, researchers, and research productivity in Pakistan from January 2000 to December 2022. Material and Methods: The data were recorded from the World Bank, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOS), Pakistan, Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), and Web of Science Clarivate Analytics. Initially, 32 documents were selected in this study, and finally, eight fact sheets, official government websites, and international organizations were included. Results: The result revealed that due to political instability, in 2022 about 832,339 highly qualified and accomplished experts headed abroad, among them 17976 (2.15%) were highly qualified and 20865 (2.50%) were highly competent professionals. These include accountants 7197 (0.86%), engineers 6,093 (0.73%), agricultural experts 3,110 (0.37%), doctors 2,464 (0.29%), computer experts 2,147 (0.25%), nurses and paramedics 1768 (0.21%), technicians 23347 (2.80%), electricians 20322 (2.44%), and schools and university faculty 1004 (0.12%). Pakistan has a total of 380 Higher Education Commission-indexed academic journals, among them 11 (2.89%) academic journals were indexed in the Web of Science and 23 journals were placed in the Web of Science emerging indexing. Among these journals, only one journal surpassed the impact factor of more than 2.0. The quartile ranking of Pakistani journals is 01 journal in Q2; 02 in Q3; and the remaining 08 journals in Q4. From August 1947 to December 2022, Pakistan produced a total of 259249 research articles, and from January 2000 to December 2022, the number of articles published was 248457 (95.83%). Since the last 22 years, the trend of research publications was continuously increased; however, the rising trend decreased in 2022 with a declined rate of 1263 (3.42%). Conclusion: The unstable sociopolitical environment in Pakistan caused a brain drain of highly qualified and skilled professionals and impaired the global standing of universities, academic journals, and research productivity in Pakistan. Pakistan must resolve the instability and establish sustainable policies to minimize the brain drain of highly qualified and skilled experts and convalesce their academic institutes and their research productivity for the development of the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents how the adoption of digital games by academia reshapes the current worldview by bringing the potential answers for all learning issues. The central objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which digital games can impact learning effectiveness, and to what extent these games can be used as supplementary elements for existing pedagogical methods prevailing in Pakistan. The study used experimental research method to investigate the effects of digital games on learning outcomes of students in business education in Pakistan. The statistical analysis was done using Partial Least Square method with the help of SmartPLS Software. All results confirmed that students in higher education sector are ready to accept and adopt new technologies that can better facilitate their learning process. They are ready to create and share their knowledge in a collaborative manner by using technological platforms.

Purpose: This research aims to examine the economic dependency of Pakistan, exploring the historical, internal, geopolitical, and structural factors that have contributed to its current reliance on external sources for economic sustenance. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employs a qualitative research method, drawing insights from a systematic review of scholarly articles, reports, historical sources, and policy texts. Findings: Through a comprehensive analysis, this paper probes the reasons behind Pakistan's economic dependency, highlights the implications of this phenomenon, and suggests potential strategies for achieving greater economic self-sufficiency. Pakistan's economic dependency stems from a complex interplay of various factors, including aid dependence, structural weaknesses, geopolitical dynamics, and limited technological advancement. Implications/Originality/Value: Addressing these issues is crucial for achieving sustainable economic growth and reducing vulnerability to external shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use data from Pakistan to establish a reciprocal exchange relationship between the judiciary and the government. We document large transfers in the form of expensive real estate from the government to the judiciary, and reciprocation in the form of pro-government rulings from the judiciary to the government. Our estimates indicate that the allocation of houses to judges increases pro-government rulings and reduces decisions on case merits. The allocation also incurs a cumulative cost of 0.03% of GDP to the government. However, it allows the government to expropriate additional land worth 0.2% of GDP in one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to map the genetic diversity in the haemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein of influenza A viruses (IAVs) of the H9N2 subtype. Twenty-five H9N2 IAVs were isolated from broiler chickens from March to July 2019. The HA gene was amplified, and phylogenetic analysis was performed to determine the evolutionary relationship. Important antigenic amino acid residues of HA attributed to immune escape and zoonotic potential were compared among H9N2 IAVs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that sublineage B2 under the G1 lineage in Pakistan was found to be diversified, and newly sequenced H9N2 isolates were nested into two clades (A and B). Mutations linked to the antigenic variation and potential immune escape were observed as G72E (1/25, 4%), A180T (3/25, 12%), and A180V (1/25, 4%). A twofold significant reduction (P < 0.01) in log2 hemagglutination inhibition titers was observed with H9N2 IAV naturally harboring amino acid V180 instead of A180 in HA protein. Moreover, in the last 20 years, complete substitution at residues (T127D, D135N, and L150N) and partial substitution at residues (72, 74, 131, 148, 180, 183, 188, 216, 217, and 249, mature H9 HA numbering) associated with changes in antigenicity were observed. The presence of L216 in all H9N2 IAV isolates and T/V180 in four isolates in the receptor-binding site reveals the potential of these viruses to cross the species barrier to infect human or mammals. The current study observed the circulation of antigenically diverse H9N2 IAV variants that possess potential mutations that can escape the host immune system. Nota de investigación- Mapeo de marcadores genéticos asociados con la antigenicidad y el rango de huéspedes en los virus de la influenza tipo A subtipo H9N2 que infectan a la avicultura en Pakistán. El objetivo del presente estudio fue mapear la diversidad genética en la glicoproteína hemaglutinina (HA) de los virus de la influenza A (IAV) del subtipo H9N2. Se aislaron veinticinco virus de influenza H9N2 de pollos de engorde de marzo a julio del 2019. Se amplificó el gene HA y se realizó un análisis filogenético para determinar la relación evolutiva. Se compararon importantes residuos de aminoácidos antigénicos de la hemaglutinina atribuidos al escape inmunológico y al potencial zoonótico entre los virus de la influenza aviar H9N2. El análisis filogenético reveló que el sublinaje B2 bajo el linaje G1 en Pakistán estaba diversificado, y los aislados de H9N2 recién secuenciados se agruparon en dos clados (A y B). Se observaron mutaciones relacionadas con la variación antigénica y el posible escape inmunológico como los residuos de aminoácidos G72E (1/25, 4%), A180T (3/25, 12%) y A180V (1/25, 4%). Se observó una reducción significativa al doble (P < 0.01) en los títulos de inhibición de la hemaglutinación log2 cuando el virus de la influenza aviar H9N2 albergaba naturalmente el aminoácido V180 en lugar del A180 en la proteína HA. Además, en los últimos 20 años, sustitución completa en los residuos (T127D, D135N y L150N) y sustitución parcial en los residuos (72, 74, 131, 148, 180, 183, 188, 216, 217 y 249, de acuerdo con la numeración de la HA subtipo madura) asociados con cambios en la antigenicidad. La presencia del residuo L216 en todos los aislados de influenza aviar H9N2 y T/V180 en cuatro aislados en el sitio de unión al receptor revela el potencial de estos virus para cruzar la barrera de las especies para infectar a humanos o mamíferos. El estudio actual observó la circulación de variantes antigénicamente diversas del virus de influenza aviar H9N2 que poseen mutaciones potenciales que pueden escapar del sistema inmunológico del huésped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines entrepreneurial self-efficacy and identification with the leader as mediating mechanisms that account for the cross-level relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial intentions. This study also establishes the moderating role of (a) individualism between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial intentions, and (b) collectivism between entrepreneurial leadership and personal identification with the leader. We collected data through self-administered questionnaires from IT professionals working in small and medium-sized IT solution provider firms. To enhance the generalizability, samples were selected from China (n = 234) and Pakistan (n = 209). Further, a multi-level research design was used for analysis. The results showed that entrepreneurial leadership has a significant positive relationship with entrepreneurial intentions. The results for the mediating effects showed that entrepreneurial self-efficacy and identification with the leader significantly mediated between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial intentions. The moderating effects results supported the moderating effects of (a) individualism on entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and (b) collectivism on entrepreneurial leadership and personal identification with the leader. The conditional indirect effects of entrepreneurial leadership on entrepreneurial intentions via entrepreneurial self-efficacy and identification with the leader were high at high individualism and high collectivism, respectively. This study, for the first time, establishes relationships between entrepreneurial leadership and entrepreneurial intentions in Asian economies. Our study complements and extends the entrepreneurship and leadership literature in developing countries' contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the creation of Pakistan in August 1947, political instability has been a persistent issue in the country, causing a migration of highly qualified, skilled people, and healthcare professionals. From 1971 to 2022 the total number of highly qualified and skilled people including healthcare professionals who migrated from the country is 60,19,888. Among them, 251677 (4.18%), were highly qualified, 455097 (7.55%) were highly skilled, and 5313114 (88.27%) were skilled professionals. Moreover, 50110 (0.83%) were healthcare professionals including doctors 31418 (62.69%), nurses 12853 (25.64%), and pharmacists 5839 (11.65%). The unsustainable political environment, lack of advanced technology-based institutes, poor healthcare infrastructure, low job opportunities and salary benefits in Pakistan caused the brain drain of highly qualified people including healthcare professionals. It adversely affected the academic institutes, the healthcare system, socio-economic growth, research productivity, and the development of the nation. The government of Pakistan must establish sustainable policies to minimize the brain drain of highly qualified people, and healthcare professionals, and recuperate the prosperity of their academic institutes and healthcare system for better healthcare services, and the advancement and sustainable development of the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Utilizing Blended pedagogy (BP) in radiographic skills may prove to be an effective teaching strategy. However, studies on the use of BP in dentistry are quite limited in Pakistan, where teaching has mostly been via traditional Didactic Lectures (DL); and radiographic interpretation skills of undergraduate dental students are suboptimal. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether utilizing BP to teach radiographic interpretation skills is an effective teaching methodology in Pakistan. Methods: This mixed-method study was conducted on final year dental students at Jinnah Medical and Dental College (JMDC). Two groups of students were utilized for this study, one taught by traditional DL and the other taught by BP for the same module. BP was conducted over six weeks. A post-module test was conducted in both groups. Additionally, the BP group completed a modified Community of Inquiry (CoI) survey tool and volunteered to discuss their experiences through a focused group discussion (FGD). Descriptive statistics were computed and independent sample t-test was used to analyse the difference between the scores of the two groups. Thematic analysis was performed for the qualitative data. Results: The mean post-test scores were found to be significantly higher in the BP group (61.0 ± 10.2) compared to the DL group (44.4 ± 12.3) (p = < 0.001, CI = 95%, Cronbach Alpha > 0.8). The mean scores for the modified CoI instrument were 4.0 ± 0.29 for the whole instrument; 4.25 ± 0.22 for Teaching Presence, 3.71 ± 0.23 for Social Presence and 3.97 ± 0.16 Cognitive Presence, with all three having a Cronbach's alpha > 0.75. Thematic analysis revealed that BP students mutually agreed that BP method was beneficial with the appreciation of strong support from the facilitator. However, challenges like interrupted power supply and increased effort requirement from students were pointed out. Conclusion: Students taught radiographic interpretation skills with BP in comparison to DL had higher test scores and expressed a positive experience demonstrated via a modified CoI survey and FGD. Considering the encouraging results found, dental schools should incorporate BP in their teaching methodology and follow-up studies are needed to further support the use of BP as an effective teaching methodology in Dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Astragalus roseocephalus sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It is known from Islamabad Capital Territory (Margalla hills), Rawalpindi district, Hazara and Kashmir. It belongs to Astragalus section Poliothrix Bunge. Morphologically, it is closely related to Astragalus leucocephalus Benth., but differs in height, presence of connate stipules, opposed to free lateral stipules in A. leucocephalus, stipule shape, leaf length, leaflet size, number, arrangement and shape, peduncle length, corolla colour, size and shape of standard, fruit shape and number of seeds. In addition, anatomy, pollen morphology, distribution and conservation status of the new species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interstitial lung disease is a disabling pulmonary morbidity that results in irreversible damage to the lung parenchyma leading to eventual dependence on long term oxygen therapy (LTOT). This condition has a wide variety of subtypes with their prevalence varying across different geographical regions of the world. Objective: To determine prevalence of interstitial lung disease and its subtypes in patients presenting to pulmonology department at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). Methodology: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Pulmonology Department, LRH from January to December 2023, in which 303 patients with chronic cough and shortness of breath with restrictive pattern on spirometry were screened for presence of interstitial lung disease through High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) scan of chest. Detailed history records and comprehensive HRCT report by radiologist were retrieved to determine sub- types. Data was analyzed by SPSS 20.00. Results: In this study, a total of 303 patients were included with mean age of 50.08 ± 7.56 years. There were 128 (42.24%) male and 175 (57.76%) female patients. All patients had complaints of cough. The Prevalence of interstitial lung disease was 44.88% among suspected chronic lung disease patients. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was the most common subtype with a prevalence of 37 (27.21%), followed by “cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP)” 21(15.44%), “hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HSP)” 20(14.71%), sarcoidosis 19 (13.97%), “non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)” 14(10.29%), “pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP)” 13(9.56%) and “connective tissue disease related ILD” 12 (8.82%). Conclusion: Prevalence of interstitial lung disease was 44.88% among chronic lung disease patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis being most common subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron (Fe) malnutrition in humans is a global concern which can be revised by improved Fe density in staple crops. A field experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of chelated iron on growth, yield and iron concentration in bread wheat (cv. Moomal) at Tando Jam Pakistan. The treatments included, Control (No Fe-EDTA), Soil supplement of Fe-EDTA (@ 2 kg Fe ha-1), Soil + foliar supplement of Fe-EDTA (@ 2 kg ha-1 and 0.2% Fe at booting, flowering, and milky stage), and Foliar supplement of Fe-EDTA (@ 0.2% Fe at booting, flowering and milky stages). The defined growth and yield traits of wheat were increased with Fe-EDTA applications over control treatment. Among different Fe-EDTA application methods, there was no significant difference for most of the growth and yield parameters (excluding spike length, number of spikelets spike-1, and 1000 grain weight). The amount of Fe in wheat grains was significantly higher in all Fe-EDTA treatments over control, with maximum value (86.54 ± 5.57 mg kg-1) in the treatment where Fe-EDTA was applied in soil + foliar. Similarly, a high Fe build up in surface soil was obtained with treatment of Fe-EDTA in soil + foliar. Overall, with various Fe-EDTA treatments, an increase of 21.2 to 29.1% in grain yield and 1.9 to 4.3 times in Fe concentration of wheat grains was achieved in current study. It is suggested that the Fe should be included in wheat production technology to attain better yield and Fe concentration in grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic showed distinct waves where cases ebbed and flowed. While each country had slight, nuanced differences, lessons from each wave with country-specific details provides important lessons for prevention, understanding medical outcomes and the role of vaccines. This paper compares key characteristics from the five different COVID-19 waves in Pakistan. Methods: Data was sourced from daily national situation reports (Sitreps) prepared by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in Islamabad. We use specific criteria to define COVID-19 waves. The start of each COVID-19 wave is marked by the day of the lowest number of daily cases preceding a sustained increase, while the end is the day with the lowest number of cases following a 7-days decline, which should be lower than the 7 days following it. Key variables such as COVID-19 tests, cases, and deaths with their rates of change to the peak and then to the trough are used to draw descriptive comparisons. Additionally, a linear regression model estimates daily new COVID-19 deaths in Pakistan. Results: Pakistan saw five distinct waves, each of which displayed the typical topology of a complete infectious disease epidemic. The time from wave-start to peak became progressively shorter, and from wave-peak to trough, progressively longer. Each wave appears to also be getting shorter, except for wave 4, which lasted longer than wave 3. A one percent increase in vaccinations decreased deaths by 0.38% (95% CI: -0.67, -0.08) in wave 5 and the association is statistically significant. Conclusion: Each wave displayed distinct characteristics that must be interpreted in the context of the level of response and the variant driving the epidemic. Key indicators suggest that COVID-19 preventive measures kept pace with the disease. Waves 1 and 2 were mainly about prevention and learning how to clinically manage patients. Vaccination started late during wave 3 and its impact on hospitalizations and deaths became visible in wave 5. The impact of highly virulent strains Alpha/B.1.1.7 and Delta/B.1.617.2 variants during wave 3 and milder but more infectious Omicron/B.1.1.529 during wave 5 are apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to explore the challenges of developing jurisdictions like Pakistan in achieving significant mutual legal assistance from the international community, especially for sharing financial information. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach of semi-structured interviews was adopted to complete the study's objective. The selection of financial experts for interviews was based on purposive sampling. Findings: This study concluded that Pakistan is facing several challenges, including mistrust of the international community; political disinterestedness and instability; delaying tactics in implementation, capacity and resources of law enforcers; and proximity with hostile neighbours. Originality/value: Rare studies discussed this issue in the Pakistani context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable resources have immense potential, as a cost-effective and sustainable energy alternative. Lignin is the most abundant organic material after cellulose and aromatic biopolymer. A total of four distinct raw materials, including lignocellulosic biomass from almond shells, walnut biomass shells, barks of babul tree, and bark of neem tree, were utilized to extract lignin. Following their pretreatment, proximate, ultimate analyses, EDS, and SEM techniques were used to describe the biomass and extracted lignin. Substrates like walnut shell, and babul tree bark were projected to have the highest concentration of lignin recovery when compared to other biomasses, while neem tree bark and almond shell had the lowest carbon content compared to neem tree bark. By laboratory experiment, we observed that walnut shell yield is 13 %, which is compared with BTB extracted lignin yield 11 % obtained. This report discusses the general biofuel usage scenario in Pakistan. The financial benefits of switching from accustomed fuels to biofuels. Thus, yield extraction with this technique can benefit society financially and reduce the need to dispose of biomass in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently created cementing substance noted for its remarkable qualities is reactive powder concrete (RPC). It incorporates fine quartz sand, crushed quartz, silica fume, a low water-to-cement ratio, and a high percentage of Portland cement. In RPC, fine quartz sand completely takes the role of coarse aggregate. This study examines the effects of high-temperature curing on RPC strength while concentrating on the manufacture of RPC in Pakistan using locally accessible materials. In specifically, a compressive strength of more than 142 MPa is one of the desirable hard qualities that must be attained as the main goal. The study uses a variety of test mixtures and curing methods, including heat curing. The major emphasis is on mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split cylinder strength, and flexural strength. The study also investigates how the mechanical properties of RPC are affected by various steel fiber concentrations and curing conditions. With varying quantities of steel fiber and silica fume, more than 100 experimental mixtures are created. In comparison to silica fume levels, which range between 25% and 35% by weight of cement, steel fiber concentrations range from 0% to 3% by total volume. The results demonstrate the effects of curing at 60°C, 70°C, and 90°C. Notably, after 28 days of curing at 90°C, a compressive strength of 142 MPa is attained, suggesting a general rise in compressive strength across all curing methods with curing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is an abnormal division of breast cells. Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental toxicant, is identified as an emerging risk factor for breast cancer development. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the BPA levels in breast cancer patients in Pakistan. The present study sought to explore the role of BPA in tumor growth among the Pakistani population. Methods: The levels of BPA were analyzed in the serum samples of breast cancer patients and controls by using HPLC. To elucidate the role of BPA to initiate tumorigenic events in breast tissue different biochemical assays along with expression analysis of tumor markers were performed. Results: The level of BPA in the serum samples of breast cancer patients was significantly higher than control. Histological analysis of breast cancer tissue samples revealed distinct subtypes of tumor, such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). There was a significant increase in ROS level while a significant decrease in the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes in malignant breast tissue samples as compared to control tissue samples. We found upregulated expression of p53, ZEB1 and WNT1 genes at mRNA level in malignant breast tissue samples by 17 folds, 328 folds and 35 folds, respectively. p53 protein expression in malignant breast tissue samples was also enhanced at the translational level. Conclusion: Current findings suggest a relationship between BPA and the progression of breast cancer among the Pakistani population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigates the challenges faced by Pakistani financial institutes (FIs) and regulators in implementing robust customer due diligence measures. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a qualitative technique. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews with chief compliance officers and regulators were conducted. Findings: The study concluded that the main challenges are name screening, obsolete nature and quality of databases and undocumented, unregistered and unregulated portions of the economy and society. In addition, identification and verification of high-profile customers and beneficial owners, lack of specialised staff and cost of compliance are the significant challenges faced by FIs in Pakistan. Originality/value: The Pakistani financial sector is less researched on anti-money laundering front, especially concerning customer due diligence. Further, the social, cultural and economic norms of the Indian sub-continent are more or less the same. Therefore, the study findings could be generalised to the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings consume a significant 40% of global energy, where, reducing the building energy consumption to a minimum, virtually zero, has become a thriving research area. Accordingly, this research aimed to determine and portray the huge potential of energy conservation in existing structures by making a retrofit at relatively low costs in finance strained economies. A walk-through of the survey of energy consuming appliances determined the energy consumption based on the power rating; the appliances were then virtually replaced and the reduced energy consumption was determined in terms of the cooling loads. Modelling these intervention using the hourly analysis program (HAP) showed significantly positive results. The pre- and post-retrofit model analysis of an institutional building in Pakistan exhibited significant potential for reducing the cooling load of 767 kW (218 TON) to 408 kW (116 TON) with an investment payback period of 2.5 years. The additional benefit is the reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which reduce the overall energy requirements. The study continues with the design of a solar energy source using the system advisor model (SAM) for the reduced energy demand of a retrofitted building. It is then concluded that using the available area, a solar energy source with a capital payback period of 5.7 years would bring an institutional building within its own energy footprint making it a net-zero building, since it will not be consuming energy from any other source outside of its own covered area. The study has the limitation to exposure and climate related conditions. In addition, the decline in heating and cooling loads represents model values which may vary when calculated after an actual retrofit for the same structure due to any site related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory tract infections are among the most common infections in the pediatric population throughout the globe. Globally around 20% of all deaths in children below 5 years of age are secondary to acute respiratory infections, mostly pneumonia. Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Their mechanism in preventing respiratory tract infections is not known but it is thought that probiotics act by modulating the immune system. This study was conducted to find out whether using probiotics is effective in decreasing the severity and frequency of recurrent respiratory tract infections or not. Methods: A Quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Pediatric Medicine Department of Abbassi Shaheed Hospital Karachi during 2021–2022. The study was approved by the institutional ethical review committee i.e. advanced studies and research board (ASRB). The sampling technique was non-probability consecutive sampling and the sample size was 70 patients with recurrent respiratory tract infections, aged six months to 12 years of age. All enrolled children were given probiotics containing Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus Acidophilus for two weeks. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 22. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of 70 children with recurrent respiratory tract infections, 39 (55.71%) were male and 31 (44.29%) female. Around 75% of the children were below five years of age. The most common presenting complaint was fever (72.86%), followed by cough (68.57%), wheezes (45.71%) and nasal discharge/sneezing (32.86%), respectively. The most common RRTI was infectious rhinitis (30% of the cases), otitis media (24%) and pharyngitis/tonsillitis (21%). After giving probiotics for two weeks most significant decrease was found in recurrent infectious rhinitis (p-value 0.02), recurrent otitis media (p-value 0.03) and recurrent bronchiolitis (p-value 0.05) over the next six months. Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that the administration of probiotics reduces recurrent respiratory tract infections among children. This six months trial has demonstrated that there was a significant decline in respiratory symptoms among study participants. This study also observed a significant decrease in respiratory diseases during the follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is caused by different species of a protozoa.1 The disease is endemic in some areas of Pakistan like Baluchistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.2 There are many treatment options including meglumine antimoniate, rifampicin, tetracyclines, sodium sitbogluconate and itraconazole etc.3 Objective The objective of our study was to compare the efficacy of injection meglumine antimoniate with cap Itraconazole as 1st line treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods This study on cutaneous leishmaniasis was conducted in the Dermatology Department at Punjab Ranger Teaching Hospital Lahore. All 20 male patients referred to us from the endemic area (Kashmore) were divided into two groups A and B after positive Slit Skin Smear test. Group A were given meglumine antimoniate 400mg/day intramuscular injection, group B were given Cap Itraconazole 200 mg per day for 4 weeks. Patients assessment was done on three criteria; 1: clinical resolution of lesions 2: side effects seen during the treatment 3: report of slit skin smear at 4 weeks. Results According to study results Slit Skin Smear test was 100% positive for all 20 patients before treatment, but came negative for all 10 patients of group A and negative for only 2 patients of group B after 4 weeks. Some side effects were observed during treatment in both groups but they were more in group A patients. Clinical resolution of lesions was 100% in Group A as compared to group B 20%. Conclusion Injection meglumine antimoniate is the preferred treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis regards to its efficacy as compared to oral Itraconazole based on the clinical resolution & negative slit smear at the end of the course but the limitations to treatment are the poor patient tolerance & the increased side effects seen in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Begomoviruses are contagious and severely affect commercially important fiber and food crops. Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV) is one of the most dominant specie of Begomovirus and a major constraint on cotton yield in Pakistan. Currently, the field of plant genome editing is being revolutionized by the CRISPR/Cas system applications such as base editing, prime editing and CRISPR based gene drives. CRISPR/Cas9 system has successfully been used against biotic and abiotic plant stresses with proof-of-concept studies in both model and crop plants. CRISPR/Cas12 and CRISPR/Cas13 have recently been applied in plant sciences for basic and applied research. In this study, we used a novel approach, multiplexed crRNA-based Cas12a toolbox to target the different ORFs of the CLCuMuV genome at multiple sites simultaneously. This method successfully eliminated the symptoms of CLCuMuV in Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum. Three individual crRNAs were designed from the CLCuMuV genome, targeting the specific sites of four different ORFs (C1, V1 and overlapping region of C2 and C3). The Cas12a-based construct Cas12a-MV was designed through Golden Gate three-way cloning for precise editing of CLCuMuV genome. Cas12a-MV construct was confirmed through whole genome sequencing using the primers Ubi-intron-F1 and M13-R1. Transient assays were performed in 4 weeks old Nicotiana benthamiana plants, through the agroinfiltration method. Sanger sequencing indicated that the Cas12a-MV constructs made a considerable mutations at the target sites of the viral genome. In addition, TIDE analysis of Sanger sequencing results showed the editing efficiency of crRNA1 (21.7%), crRNA2 (24.9%) and crRNA3 (55.6%). Furthermore, the Cas12a-MV construct was stably transformed into Nicotiana tabacum through the leaf disc method to evaluate the potential of transgenic plants against CLCuMuV. For transgene analysis, the DNA of transgenic plants of Nicotiana tabacum was subjected to PCR to amplify Cas12a genes with specific primers. Infectious clones were agro-inoculated in transgenic and non-transgenic plants (control) for the infectivity assay. The transgenic plants containing Cas12a-MV showed rare symptoms and remained healthy compared to control plants with severe symptoms. The transgenic plants containing Cas12a-MV showed a significant reduction in virus accumulation (0.05) as compared to control plants (1.0). The results demonstrated the potential use of the multiplex LbCas12a system to develop virus resistance in model and crop plants against begomoviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]