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Purpose: To share our recent experience of the pattern and demography of endemic bladder calculi in children and the outcomes of current management strategies for the removal of bladder calculi in a peri-urban setting. Material and Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study was carried out at a dedicated urology centre. All patients with endemic bladder stones from January 2020 to December 2021 managed at our centre were included in this study. After discharge, each patient was followed up for 1 year. Data analysis was carried out with IBM SPSS v23. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for normally distributed continuous variables; for non-normally distributed continuous variables, median and IQR were calculated; frequency and percentage were calculated for categorical variables. Results: This study included 254 patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 10.5:1. The mean age of the patients was 4.80 ± 2.86 years. Ninety-one percent of the patients belonged to rural areas. Open cystolithotomy (OC) was performed in 11 (4.3%) patients, transurethral cystolithotripsy (TUCL) in 165 (65.0%), and percutaneous cystolithotomy (PCCL) in 78 (30.7%). The mean operative time was 48.8±4.34 minutes for TUCL, 36.18±7.4 minutes for open cystolithotomy, and 38.6±5.2 minutes for PCCL. The most common stone composition was ammonium urate + calcium phosphate (33.1%). The complication rate was 4.8% in TUCL, 12.8% in PCCL, and 27.3% in open cystolithotomy. Stone clearance was 98.1% for TUCL and 100% for both PCCL and OC. Conclusion: Paediatric bladder calculus is still endemic in rural areas of Sindh with poor socioeconomic backgrounds. Timely diagnosis and early intervention with preventive measures can lead to better outcomes and fewer complications. Minimally invasive methods of cystolithotomy have a shorter hospital stay, are more cost-effective, and have fewer complications as compared to open cystolithotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A simple solution process was employed to decorate WO3 nanoparticles on 2D conductive Ti3C2TX MXene sheets to arrange the MXene/WO3 hybrid structure. The prepared hybrid composites were established by the Raman scattering, X‐ray diffraction, and microscopy studies evidently. The designed hybrid structure, for the first time, was engaged with PEDOT:PSS to alter the hole transport layer (HTL) of perovskite hybrid module for the highly efficient planar solar cell and X‐ray detector. The derived outcomes revealed a high power conversion efficiency of 12.26 ± 0.12% for the constructed perovskite solar cell with MXene/WO3/PEDOT:PSS HTL. Similarly, the fabricated X‐ray photodetector with MXene/WO3 blended HTL device attained a superior sensitivity of 3.67 ± 0.03 mA Gy−1·cm−2. The results envisaged that HTL/perovskite interface was effectively tuned by the MXene/WO3 heterostructure through their active interface for transfer/collection of charges and appropriately altered energy band alignment, which gave the nod for easy to charge extraction and shortest charge carrier lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is located at an important cross-road of human history and has been a passageway for many invaders and dynasties in the past. The historic human migrations across this country have resulted in a blend of ancient civilizations, which are still reflected in the current socio-cultural fabrication of this population. This makes Pakistan an ideal country to study the genetic differentiation and various other genomic aspects of a human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an efficient and robust numerical scheme is proposed to solve the variable coefficients' fourth-order partial differential equations (FOPDEs) that arise in Euler–Bernoulli beam models. When partial differential equations (PDEs) are of higher order and invoke variable coefficients, then the numerical solution is quite a tedious and challenging problem, which is our main concern in this paper. The current scheme is hybrid in nature in which the second-order finite difference is used for temporal discretization, while spatial derivatives and solutions are approximated via the Haar wavelet. Next, the integration and Haar matrices are used to convert partial differential equations (PDEs) to the system of linear equations, which can be handled easily. Besides this, we derive the theoretical result for stability via the Lax–Richtmyer criterion and verify it computationally. Moreover, we address the computational convergence rate, which is near order two. Several test problems are given to measure the accuracy of the suggested scheme. Computations validate that the present scheme works well for such problems. The calculated results are also compared with the earlier work and the exact solutions. The comparison shows that the outcomes are in good agreement with both the exact solutions and the available results in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Present study was aimed to enlighten the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of Haplophyllum gilesii (Hemsl.) C.C. a narrow endemic plants of northern areas of Pakistan. The antimicrobial potential of H. gilesii extracts in different solvents was assessed using agar well diffusion method against bacterial and fungal strains, while cytotoxic activity was studied in the methanolic extract using brine shrimp's lethality assay. All the extracts showed significant biological activity against Gram positive, Gram negative bacteria and selected fungal strains. Acetone, chloroform and methanolic extracts showed maximum activity i-e 39mm, 44mm and 35mm followed by ethyl acetate 27mm and n-hexane 26mm against microorganisms studied. Standard antibiotics were used as a positive control for bacteria and fungi respectively. The cytotoxic assay results showed that methanolic extracts of stem and root of H. gilesii had toxic effects on brine shrimp larvae with LD50 values of 116.72 µg/ml and 168.16 µg/ml respec tively. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic parameters reported can be considered as quality standards of H. gilesii in herbal industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the sensitivity of the luminescent thieno[2,3- b ]thiophene-based covalent organic framework (TT-COF) towards the formaldehyde using the density functional theory and time-dependent method. The hydrogen bonding dynamics is explored by comparison of geometries, electronic transition energies, binding energies, UV–vis, and infrared spectra. Frontier molecular orbitals examination, natural population analysis, and plotted electron density difference map describe the quenching process explicitly via electron density distribution. The MOMAP program illuminates the quenching owing to TT-COF-HCHO complex radiative rate constant. Furthermore, the S1-T1 energy gap describes the facilitation of the luminescence quenching through the intersystem crossing. Above all results elaborate the TT-COF's potential to detect the formaldehyde. Unlabelled Image • TD-DFT investigation for intermolecular hydrogen bonding dynamics • Excited-state hydrogen bond complex shows redshift • The fluorescence of TT-COF is quenched due to enhanced hydrogen bonding • Energy gap facilitates the intersystem crossing process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity of 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci was evaluated in 713 unrelated individual samples of a Punjabi population of Pakistan. These loci were scrutinized to establish allelic frequencies and statistical parameters of forensic and paternity interests. A total of 165 alleles were observed with the corresponding allele frequencies ranging from 0.001 to 0.446. D2S1338 was found as the most informative locus while TPOX (0.611) was the least discriminating locus. The combined power of discrimination (CPD), the combined probability of exclusion (CPE), and cumulative probability of matching (CPM) were found equaled to 0.999999999999999998606227424808, 0.999995777557989, and 1.37543 × 10-18, respectively. All the loci followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after the Bonferroni correction ( p < 0.0033) except one locus D3S1358. The study revealed that these STR loci are highly polymorphic, suitable for forensic and parentage analyses. In comparison to different populations (Asians and non-Asians), significant differences were recorded for these loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study and application of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization have been widely reported in the literature because of its high compatibility with numerous monomers, reaction conditions, and low polydispersity index. The effect of RAFT agents on the characteristics of the final product is greatly needed to be explored. Our present study aimed to compare the influence of two different types of RAFT agents on the characteristics of the water-soluble polymer (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) (polyAMPS) and their polyAMPS@butyl methacrylate (BMA) core-shell particles. Different analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to ascertain the final morphological, structural, and thermal properties of the resultant products. It was found that RAFT agents have shown a clear influence on the final properties of the resultant polyAMPS and their core-shell particles such as particle size, shape, size distribution, and thermal behavior. This study confirms that RAFT agents can control the final properties of the polymers and their core-shell particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) is a heritable neurodegenerative disease of peripheral nervous system diseases in which more than 100 genes and their mutations are associated. Two consanguineous families Dera Ghazi Khan (PAK-CMT1-DG KHAN) and Layyah (PAK-CMT2-LAYYAH) with multiple CMT-affected subjects were enrolled from Punjab province in Pakistan. Basic epidemiological data were collected for the subjects. Nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) were performed for the patients. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) followed by Sanger sequencing was applied to report the genetic basic of CMT. The NCS findings revealed that sensory and motor nerve conduction velocities for both families were <38 m/s. EMG presented denervation, neuropathic motor unit potential, and reduced interference pattern of peripheral nerves. WES identified that a novel nonsense mutation (c. 226 G>T) in GADP1 gene and a previously known missense mutation in MFN2 gene (c. 334 G>A) cause CMT4A (Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 4A) in the PAK-CMT1-DG KHAN family and CMT2A (Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2A) in the PAK-CMT2-LAYYAH family, respectively. Mutations followed Mendelian pattern with autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Multiple sequence alignment by Clustal Omega indicated that mutation-containing domain in both genes is highly conserved, and in situ analysis revealed that both mutations are likely to be pathogenic. We reported that a novel nonsense mutation and a previously known missense mutation in GAPD1 gene and MFN2 gene, respectively, cause CMT in consanguineous Pakistani families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Previously retrograde uretherography and micturating cystouretherography were used for the evaluation of uretheral strictures. Lack of radiation, ability to assess mucosal and periuretheral abnormality and more precise measurement of stricture length makes the sonouretherography an alternative to conventional uretherography in evaluation of anterior urethral strictures. OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference between sonouretherography and fluoroscopic guided uretherography in characterization of anterior urethral strictures taking surgical findings as gold standard. METHODS: Total 50 male patients having lower urinary tract symptoms (thin streak of micturation or interrupted micturation) for 1 week or longer were included in this cross sectional study from September 2019 to February 2020. Patients history and demographic details like patients age was noted. Sonouretherographic studies were performed using high frequency probe while injecting saline solution through 12 Fr Foleys catheter with bulb inflated in fossa navicularis. Anterior urethra was visualized up to the penoscrotal junction with multiple longitudinal and transverse scans by placing the transducer on the ventral surface of penis. The findings of sonouretherography were compared with retrograde uretherogram and surgical findings and recorded on proforma. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 37.22 - 11.09 years. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV and diagnostic accuracy of sonouretherography for detection of anterior urethral stricture was 77.7%, 96.8%%, 93.3% and 88.57% and diagnostic accuracy was 90% respectively. CONCLUSION: Sonouretherography can be used as an alternative to retrograde uretherography in the diagnosis and characterization of anterior uretheral strictures without hazards of ionization radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical scheme based on Haar wavelets coupled with finite differences is suggested to study variable order time fractional partial differential equations (TFPDEs). The technique is tested on (1 + 1)-dimensional advection dispersion and (1 + 2)-dimensional advection diffusion equations. In the proposed scheme, time fractional derivative is firstly approximated by quadrature formula, and then finite differences are combined with one and two dimensional Haar wavelets. With the help of suggested method the TFPDEs convert to a system of algebraic equations which is easily solvable. Also convergence of the proposed scheme has been discussed which is an important part of the present work. For validation, the obtained results are matched with earlier work and exact solutions. Computations illustrate that the proposed scheme has better outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work addresses, numerical method based on Haar wavelets and finite differences to solve two dimensional linear, nonlinear Sobolev and non-linear generalized Benjamin–Bona–Mahony–Burgers (NGBBMB) equations. The temporal part is discretized using finite differences while spatial part is approximated by two dimensional Haar wavelets. With this strategy, computing solution of two dimensional PDEs reduces to computing solution of linear system of algebraic equations. Collocation approach is then applied to determine the wavelet coefficients from linear system. This paper shows that two dimensional Haar wavelets are suitable and effective for two dimensional linear and non-linear PDEs. For validation of the proposed scheme different problems have been solved and error norms L ∞ , L 2 are computed. Computation verifies that current scheme has good outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the response given by writers Timothy D. Stark and Manzoor Hussain regarding a discussion on shear strength in preexisting landslides. They say that the shale sample from Duck Creek, which was provided by G. Mesri of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), does not represent a failure surface. They agree that the best estimation of residual shear strength must be used in future stability assessment of landslides whether they are creeping, stable, or moving.

The research study was executed at Agricultural Research Station Swabi, during winter 2016 on "response of radish (Raphanus sativus L) to various doses of phosphorous and potassium fertilizers". This study was outlined as two factorial, split plot Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) having three replications. The aim of this study was to observe the effect of macronutrients i.e. P and K on growth and yield of radish crop. Phosphorus at 0 kg ha-1, 25 kg ha-1, 50 kg ha-1, 75 kg ha-1 and potassium at 0 kg ha-1, 30 kg ha-1, 60 kg ha-1, 90 kg ha-1 were applied to radish crop. The effect of different levels on radish crop was evaluated for leaves plant-1, leaf dry matter (%), root dry matter (%), root diameter (mm) and root length (cm). It was observed that there was a significant effect of P and K levels on growth and yield of radish. Results revealed that maximum root diameter, root dry matter, leaf dry matter was recorded in plants fertilized with 25 kg ha-1 phosphorous while highest leaves plant-1 and root length was observed in control plots. Regarding potassium, highest root diameter, leaf dry matter, number of leaves plant-1 was recorded in plots provided with 60 kg ha-1 potassium while maximum root dry matter and root length was observed in 30 kg ha-1. Furthermore, good quality yield of radish can be achieved by providing 50 kg ha-1 phosphorous and 30 kg ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater productions of cereals with excessive use of chemical fertilizers bring forth higher production cost and pollute the soil environment. Therefore, some alternative but sustainable, environment friendly and cost effective approaches of nutrient management can be a possible solution for these problems. So the present study was conducted at Agronomic Research Area, Groundnut Research Station Attock, Pakistan during rabi 2013-14 to check the effect of different integrated nutrients management strategies on the yield and quality of wheat. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement by using three replications. Treatments included different fertilizers combinations i.e (F1) control, (F2)100% recommended dose of NPK, (F3) 75% recommended dose of NPK + 1.5 t ha-1 poultry manure(PM), (F4) 75% of recommended dose of NPK +3 t ha-1 farmyard manure (FYM) and(F5) 75% of recommended dose of NPK + 4.5 t ha-1 press-mud (PrM) along with seed inoculants (I1) Azospirillum and (I2) Azotobacter separately for each plot. Data regarding yield, quality and nutrients use efficiency parameters were collected and analyzed. Results depicted that interactive effect of both the factors was non-significant for all the observed parameters. Considering the individual effect of fertilizer combinations, maximum number of productive tillers m-2 (392.3), number of grains per spike (45.27), 1000-grain weight (44.04 g), biological yield (14.11 t ha-1), grain yield (5.40 t ha-1) protein contents (12.52%), nitrogen (28.22kg kg-1), phosphorus (34.85 kg kg-1) and potassium (47.40 kg kg-1) use efficiency were obtained with the treatment F2 (100% recommended dose of NPK).While in seed inoculants, maximum values of yield and yield contributing parameters were obtained in I1 (Inoculation with Azospirillum). However despite the better performance of F2, economic analysis showed that maximum net income and benefit cost ratio were obtained where (F3)75% recommended dose of NPK + 1.5 t ha-1 poultry manure was applied. Therfore, it can be concluded that 75% recommended dose of NPK + 1.5 t ha-1 PM along with Azospirillum seed inoculation could be a better management approach for sustainable wheat production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bibliometric assessment of journal literature helps the policy makers to formulate policies regarding the related subject and to know the latest trends of publications. The pharmaceutical sciences are combination of various academics fields and technologies of pharmaceutical products related to design, action, delivery and nature of drugs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the research productivity of Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PJPS). Research Methods: This is retrospective study on research items published in PJPS during 1998 - 2012 carried out at Libraries of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia during March to September 2017. The data was collected from the website of respective journal. Spreadsheet of Microsoft Excel was prepared for statistical analysis Results: PJPS published 722 articles contributed by 2504 authors with an average of 4.06 authors per article during the years 1998 - 2012. Male authors (67%) were dominated in writing research items. Majority of articles (97%) were written by multi-authors, single author share was very small (3%). Pharmacognosy found to be the most preferred area of research. The contribution from the researchers of 32 countries produced 329 (45.5%) articles revealed that the journal has international recognition. Conclusion: PJPS creates a credible place for imparting the knowledge of pharmaceutical sciences research from all around the world, providing a platform to scientists and researchers to share their information to another one for saving a life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the gender diff erences in the microbiology of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in urolithiasis patients. Methods: A descriptive comparative study was undertaken at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Karachi, Pakistan, from July 2014 to October 2014. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Results: Renal calculi were more common in females (72.13%) than males (64.8%). Multiple site and bladder stones were more common in males. E.Coli was found to be more common in females (59.01%) in comparison to males (44.8%). Pseudomonas, Proteus, Klebsiella and mixed bacterial growth were more common in males. However, the diff erence in percentages was not statistically signifi cant. Alarmingly high rates of resistance were seen to commonly prescribed antibiotics for UTIs. Conclusion: Th e results from this study imply that the gender diff erences in the microbiology of UTIs in patients with urolithiasis are not signifi cant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the success rate and complications of diff erent urethroplasty techniques at a single tertiary care center in Pakistan. Materials and methods: All consecutive patients who underwent various types of urethroplasty at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), from January 2010 to August 2015 were included in this study. Urethroplasty techniques were divided according to the site. Short-term success rate and complications were noted. Data was retrieved from the case fi les and entered and analyzed on SPSS version 10.0. Results:A total of 467 patients underwent various urethroplasty techniques during the study period. Th e mean age was 32.01±13.35 years (range: 14 to 67 years). Regarding the location of the strictures, 167 (35.7%) were PFUDD, 201 (43%) bulbar, 64 (13.7%) penile and 35 (7.4%) pan urethral strictures. Th e overall success rate in PFUDD was 84.4% (141/167), in bulbar strictures, 89.0% (179/201), in penile, 93.7% (60/64) and in pan urethral strictures, 71.4% (25/35). Th e success rate according to type of urethroplasty showed that EPA for anterior urethral stricture had success rate of 96.1% (99/103), for posterior urethral stricture, 94% (157/166). In BMG urethroplasty, the success rate was 93.2% (124/133), in genital skin fl ap success rate was 87.1% (34/39) and in abdominal wall skin graft ing the success rate was 84.0% (21/25). Th e complications varied according to the type of urethroplasty. EPA urethroplasty had lowest complication rate, i.e., 8.7%, especially when done for short bulbar stricture, while complication rate increased to 13% in EPA urethroplasty done in PFUDD. Th e hospital stay ranged from 2-5 days. Conclusions: Th e success rate of various type of urethroplasty in our institute is comparable with other tertiary care centers in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to evaluate the Scopus-indexed publications of Professor Dr. Rubina Bhatti, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Chairperson, Department of Library and Information Sciences (LIS) at Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), Pakistan. She obtained her Master's degree in LIS in 1991 from IUB, later she joined IUB as a Lecturer in the Department of LIS in 1993. She completed her Ph.D. at The University of Manchester, United Kingdom in 2003. She is the most productive LIS author belonging to the Southern part of Punjab province in Pakistan. The data of this study was retrieved from the Scopus database on January 2nd, 2023. The data analysis presented the periodic growth of papers, citation impact, authorship pattern, collaborative authors, frequently used sources of publications, topographic distribution of papers based on authors' used keywords and characteristics of top-cited papers. The findings of this study would encourage the females of Pakistan through sincere hard work, commitment and dedication, any female can achieve success in her practical and professional career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devastating landslide of 4 January 2010 at Attabad in Hunza valley involved a massive movement of over 50 Mm³ of rock and debris that created a blockade on the Hunza River. The landslide could not be readily linked with any specific triggering mechanism; it can be associated with the Astore Valley Earthquake 2002 that resulted in initiation of cracks near the top scarp. The landslide dam resulted in submerging about 22 km of Karakorum Highway (KKH). The crest of landslide dam with its height ranging from 162 to 200 m above the river bed across the valley resulted in creation of lake by impoundment of about 450-500 Mm³ of water within first few months. The impounded water is posing a permanent threat to the stability of adjoining slopes on upstream of the landslide dam that may generate a wave resulting in overtopping of the dam. Furthermore, the lake is also endangering lives and properties downstream in case of overtopping and/or a dam break. The landslide dam is still surviving even after a period of more than two years against initial predictions of dam-break within first few months. Water level in the lake is being lowered by widening and deepening the spillway in stages to minimize the realignment of KKH. The material involved in the landslide consists of hard rock and fine matrix. The hard rock is mainly granodiorite with size of individual pieces ranging from few centimeters to tens of meter, whereas, fine matrix primarily consists of rock flour with traces of silt and clay. Present study discusses the causes of occurrence of Attabad landslide, geotechnical investigation of material involved in the sliding, and performance of the landslide dam since its occurrence. The study also compares the performance of Attabad landslide dam with similar dams that occurred in the world. Laboratory tests suggest that the fine matrix has low plasticity, a small clay-size fraction (particle size ≤ 0.002 mm), and very low hydraulic conductivity. The low hydraulic conductivity of fine matrix suggests that possibility of failure due to piping may be very little. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unreinforced masonry structures are vulnerable to seismic loading due to their brittle behavior, and must therefore be strengthened. This paper presents the seismic performance of brick masonry strengthened with steel and plastic meshes. For this purpose, twenty masonry wallets of (600 × 600 × 113 mm) were constructed, keeping the same materials and workmanship. Fifteen of them were reinforced using steel and plastic meshes. These specimens were tested for in-plane static cyclic diagonal tension (shear) behavior. The critical parameters, such as shear stress, strain, failure modes, ductility, energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation were investigated. Compared to reference and plastic-reinforced specimens, the steel-reinforced samples were found to be highly effective. Furthermore, the recommended category of steel increased the shear capacity, energy dissipation, and ductility ratio by 1.3, 14, and 6.3 times, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton Model under DSSAT V 4.0.2.0 has been extensively tested and validated in many studies, mainly in United States. The objective of this study was to test and validate this model in three cotton growing regions of Pakistan (Faisalabad, Multan and Sahiwal) for dynamic simulation of development, growth and seed cotton yield of four cotton cultivars (CIM-496, CIM-506, NIAB-111 and SLH-284) at varying nitrogen increments (50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1) sown at different timings (20 May and 10 June). The model was first calibrated with data (phenology, biomass, LAI, and yield components) collected during 2009 at all locations against the best performing treatment May 15 sowing, cv. CIM-496 and 200 kg N ha-1 (D1V1N4) in field trials. The model was then tested with data recorded against remaining thirty-one treatments for all locations. Similarly, the data of year 2010 was used for validation. The simulated values of crop phenology (days to anthesis and maturity) by the model were reliable with the recorded data, with root mean square error (RMSE) less than 2 days during both years. Although RMSE values for LAI approached higher than 1 in many of the treatments, these values for total dry matter and seed-cotton yield were reasonably good (367 to 497 kg ha-1and 122 to 227 kg ha-1, respectively). There is a dire need to assess impact of climate variation on seed cotton yield under various climatic regions of Pakistan to ensure fiber quality and yield in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study is to identify the global research output on Taliban during the period of 25 years spanning from 1996-2020. Specific objectives are to analyze the distribution of literature, publication trends, authorship patterns, institutional productivity, collaboration networks, and prolific funding agencies. The data was harvested from the Web of Science Core Collection. A total of 614 records were retrieved on Taliban having 4416 total citations. The highest output was recorded in 2002, with a share of 7.83% to overall literature. The citation pattern depicted a fluctuating, the highest share being received in the year 2002 (14.47%), followed by the years 2010, 2004, and 2007 with the citation share of 11.03%, 10.67%, and 6.82% respectively. The results depict that among all the countries, the USA is topping the list, contributing almost 47.1% of the total research output followed by the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Australia, and Canada with the publication share of 16.78%, 6.19%, 6.03%, and 4.4% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BARS-09 is a semi dwarf, rust resistant, drought tolerant and high yielding wheat variety developed as a result of consistent breeding efforts from the year 1999-2007 at Barani Agricultural Research Station (BARS), Fatehjang, Pakistan. The variety was developed from the cross "PFAU/SERI//BOW" and selected from the 16th Semi Arid Wheat Screening Nursery. The genotype was evaluated in multiple trials (preliminary, adaptation, station and regular) from 1999-2000 to 2002-03 under the varietal code 99FJ03. It was further tested in micro yield trial (rainfed) conducted at seven locations in Punjab during 2003-04. The line was also evaluated in National Uniform Yield Trial (rainfed) for two consecutive years 2005 to 2007. It stood third in National Uniform Yield Trials (2006-07) conducted both in Punjab and Pakistan. BARS-09 has shown yield potential of 5613 kg per hectare at Barani Agricultural Research Institute, Chakwal during 2006-07. This variety was approved by Punjab Seed Council during the year 2009 for general cultivation in rainfed areas. BARS-09 is shorter in height (95-98 cm), takes 160-175 days to mature, medium in ear size, has high tillering capacity (480/cm2) and 41.17 g 1000-grain weight. The variety performs better at seed rate of 100 kg and NPK dose of 90-60-30 kg per hectare. It has also shown tolerance against drought and leaf/yellow and stem rusts. It would be a good choice to boost up the wheat production particularly in barani areas of the Punjab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports the distribution of different serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in Pakistan during the period 1952-2007. During this time, a total of 1,543 epithelial samples out of 2,484 tested were found positive for various serotypes of FMDV. Serotype O was found to be the most prevalent ( p < 0.001) followed by serotype Asia-1 and A. Serotype C was detected only in 1954, 1963 and 1995. The disease was found to be more prevalent ( p < 0.0001) in cattle than buffaloes. The geographical distribution of 153 laboratory confirmed FMD outbreaks from 2002 to 2007 and the serotypes of the virus involved has been mapped. Higher number of outbreaks of the disease was noted between the months of January to March during this period, which may be attributed to the livestock movement in the country particularly due to religious festival, Eidul Azha, in which the animals are sacrificed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are the auspicious inexpensive electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) which has been broadly studied owing to their remarkable enactment, however the drought of factors understanding were highly influenced to hinder their electrocatalytic behavior. Recently, transition metal carbide (TMC) has also emerged as an attractive electrode material due to their excellent ionic and electronic transport behavior. In this work, Mo2C@WS2 hybrids have been fabricated through a simple chemical reaction method. Constructed heterostructure electrocatalyts presented the small Tafel slope of 59 and 95 mV per decade and low overpotential of 93 mV and 98 @10 mA·cm−2 for HER in acidic and alkaline solution, respectively. In addition, 24-h robust stability with the improved interfacial interaction demonstrated the suitability of hybrid electrocatalyst for HER than their pure form of Mo2C and WS2 structures. The derived outcomes describe the generated abundant active sites and conductivity enhancement in TMC/TMD heterostructure along with the weaken ion/electron diffusion resistance for efficient energy generation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious disease of domestic and wild small ruminants. Rapid, sensitive and specific laboratory assay is useful to enable timely implementation of appropriate control to restrict the spread of disease. The present study reports observations from 50 laboratory confirmed outbreaks of PPR and provides details of the presence or otherwise of PPR virus (PPRV) in 427 tissue/organ samples from small ruminants. Most of the samples used for the detection of PPR viral antigen were derived from all major regions within the country; however, these samples may not be a true representation of the target population still it provided a lot more information. Monoclonal antibody-based diagnostic kit manufactured by Biological Diagnostic Supplies Ltd., Flow Laboratories and Institute for Animal Health Pirbright, Surrey, England, were used for the detection of PPR viral antigen (immuno-capture ELISA). Findings suggested that the disease outbreaks were more severe in goats than sheep and the frequency of disease outbreaks was greater between the months of January to April as compared to other periods of the year and it was maximum in month of March (almost 33%). Based on the data of 50 outbreaks (427 samples), the prevalence of PPR in small ruminants in Pakistan was 40.98%. A greater number of positive cases were observed in the southern and northern parts of the country (30–60%) as compared to west and south-west (10–30%). These findings may be correlated with variations in the sheep and goat husbandry practices within different geographic regions and the topography of different areas. The study indicated the scenario of virus circulation in the population and prevalence in actual outbreaks situation, which may be kept in mind while deciding the vaccination strategy for the control of disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Maize is one of the leading crops in the world. But it is sensitive to drought stress. Drought is one of the most detrimental abiotic stresses across the world which is seriously hampering the productivity of agricultural crops. Gibberellic acid (GA3) is one of the most important growth regulators in plants, which improve drought tolerance and growth of plants under optimum concentrations. Taking into account the given scenario, two experiments were conducted during 2018. First experiment in Petri dishes in Lab for screening the promising varieties/hybrids out of twenty on the basis of their germination indices. Then a pot experiment was conducted at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (33.65180N and 73.08060E), Pakistan. In the green house to assess the influence of GA3 on fodder maize under drought stress. Two best performing maize fodder varieties/hybrid, Afghoi and Sohni Dharti screened based on their germination indices/genetic potential were further grown in pots in the greenhouse experiment. GA3 was applied as foliar spray at 4-6 leaf stage @ 0, 50 and 100 ppm. The maximum plant height, leaf area and leaf area index was recorded in Sohni Dharti (204.19cm), (874.61 cm2) and Dharti (24.763 cm2), respectively. Leaf area duration maximum was also observed in Sohni Dharti (430.97 days) and the highest crop growth (CGR) was recorded in Sohni Dharti (3.40 g m-2 day-1) followed by Afghoi (3.05 g m-2 day-1) with 100 ppm GA3. The maximum net assimilation rate and total chlorophyll content was noted in Sohni Dharti (0.2850 g m-2 day-1) and (51.55%). In filed condition could be recommended that exogenously applied 100 ppm GA3 could improve fodder maize physiological responses helpful to develop drought tolerance in Sohni Dahrti. Under field conditions physiological response of 100 ppm GA3 could improve in the Sohni Dahrti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the physical and clinical phenotype of Bangladeshi children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A totally of 283 children who were referred for screening and administered Module 1 of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) were included. Overall, 209 met the ADOS algorithmic cutoff for ASD. A trend for greater weight and head circumference was observed in children with ASD versus non-ASD. Head circumference was significantly (p < 0.03) larger in ASD males compared with non-ASD males. A trend was also observed for symptom severity, higher in females than males (p = 0.068), with further analyses demonstrating that social reciprocity (p < 0.014) and functional play (p < 0.03) were significantly more impaired in ASD females than males. The findings help understand sex differences in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve yield, weedicides are an essential component of production technology. This improvement in yield with pesticide application is only possible if the applied weedicide does not affect the main crop. Weedicide application poses two problems; environmental pollution, and negative interaction with the soil-plant nutrient system. The interaction of nutrient and weedicide restricts the uptake of nutrients which decreases the target yield. So, there is a need to manage the sources of nitrogen and weedicides not only for effective control of weeds but also for the improvement in crop yield. A study was conducted at the research area of the Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad to check the interactive effect of weedicide and nitrogen fertilizer sources on the growth and yield of wheat. The experiment comprised of two combinations of nitrogen fertilizer sources that were; Urea+DAP and CAN+NP. The weedicide "Atlantis (Mesosulfuron methyl + Iodosulfuron methyl sodium)" was applied at different times (before, with and after nitrogen fertilizer application). Recommended rates of N-P-K (120-80-60 kg ha-1, respectively) and weedicide (370 g ha-1) were applied following the treatment plan (i.e. T1 = Control (Without fertilizer and weedicide); T2 = Urea+DAP (Weedicide applied before 2nd dose of urea); T3 = Urea+DAP (Weedicide applied with 2-nd\ dose of urea); T4 = Urea+DAP (Weedicide applied after 2-nd\ dose of urea); T5 =CAN+NP (Weedicide applied before 2-nd\ dose of CAN); T6 = CAN+NP (Weedicide applied with 2-nd\ dose of CAN); T7= CAN+NP (Weedicide applied after 2-nd\ dose of CAN)). The experiment was laid out according to Ra-nd\omized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Sulfate of potash (SoP) was applied for potassium (K) in all the treatments at sowing. All P was applied at sowing while N was applied in splits. The fertilizer combination CAN+NP with weedicide application after the 2-nd\ dose of CAN gave encouraging results; as plant height, chlorophyll contents and grain yield was increased up to 26.3, 30.8 a-nd\ 18.1 % in comparison to that of weedicide applied at the same time in Urea+DAP combination. Thus, the combination of CAN+NP as a nutrient source with weedicide application after the 2-nd\ dose of CAN could be beneficial for better crop quality/yield. Keywords: Weedicide, nitrogen fertilizer sources, urea+dap combination, can+np combination, yield of wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are an important component in anion exchange membrane fuel cells, and their side chain structures have a significant impact on membrane performance. Here, we construct a series of poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO)-based AEMs with varied side chain structures and investigate the effects of alkyl or alkoxyl extenders (or "tail" of the cation) and spacers (or the link between backbone and cation head group) on AEM performance. Our investigations demonstrate that the simultaneous introduction of alkoxyl extender and spacer can significantly improve water absorption and ion conductivity of membrane; this is attributed to the good hydrophilicity of alkoxyl group and flexibility of spacer that benefit the formation hydrophilic domains. At an IEC (ion exchange capacity) of 1.13 mmol/g, the AEM containing both spacer and alkoxyl extender exhibits a hydroxide conductivity of 87.3 mS/cm (80 °C), which is much higher than that of other spacer-containing membranes at similar IECs. The H 2 /O 2 single cell constructed with this membrane exhibits a good peak power density of 292 mW/cm2 at 60 °C. In addition, the steric hindrance of the extender gives rise to higher alkali stability of the AEM than that of the membrane which does not have the extender. Our work provides a meaningful direction of side chain design which can effectively improve conductivity and alkaline stability of AEMs. Image 1 • Alkoxy extender and alkyl spacer were co-introduced into anion exchange membrane. • Alkoxy extender and alkyl spacer can synergistically improve ion conductivity and chemical stability of membrane. • The highest conductivity of 87.3 mS/cm at 80 °C was obtained at a low IEC of 1.13 mmol/g. • The H 2 –O 2 fuel cell employing the above AEM yielded a power density of 292 mW/cm2 at 60 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and robust scheme is developed for solutions of two-dimensional time fractional heat flow problems. The proposed scheme is based on two-dimensional Haar wavelets coupled with finite differences. The time fractional derivative is approximated by an L 1 -formula while spatial part is approximated by two-dimensional Haar wavelets. The proposed methodology first converts the problem to a discrete form and then with collocation approach to a system of linear equations which is easily solvable. To check the efficiency of the scheme, two error norms, E ∞ an E rms , have been computed. The stability of the scheme has been discussed which is an important part of the manuscript. It is also observed that the spectral radius of the amplification matrix satisfies a stability condition. From computation it is clear that computed results are comparable with the exact solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a wavelet based collocation method is formulated for an approximate solution of (1 + 1)- and (1 + 2)-dimensional time fractional diffusion wave equations. The main objective of this study is to combine the finite difference method with Haar wavelets. One and two dimensional Haar wavelets are used for the discretization of a spatial operator while time fractional derivative is approximated using second order finite difference and quadrature rule. The scheme has an excellent feature that converts a time fractional partial differential equation to a system of algebraic equations which can be solved easily. The suggested technique is applied to solve some test problems. The obtained results have been compared with existing results in the literature. Also, the accuracy of the scheme has been checked by computing L 2 and L ∞ error norms. Computations validate that the proposed method produces good results, which are comparable with exact solutions and those presented before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Pasteuria penetrans is a hyperparasite with potential as a biological control agent of root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp. In this study two exotic Pasteuria isolates (PP-3 and PP-J) were developed on different Meloidogyne spp. collected from different districts of Punjab, Pakistan. The development of PP-3 and PP-J on different field populations of Meloidogyne spp. showed differential infectivity in terms of nematode reproduction variables. The development of PP-3 and PP-J was maximum on tomato as compared to cucumber. It was probably due to more invasion sites for nematodes present in the tomato roots. However, a bigger root system has not always been a guarantee for development of Pasteuria on Meloidogyne spp. For successful development of Pasteuria , the key parameters are the percentage of infected females, number of endospores (female)−1 or endospores (mg root powder)−1. The results of these parameters are greater in tomato as compared to cucumber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anion exchange membranes (AEM) is one of the key components for alkaline electrolyte membrane fuel cells. However, poor alkaline stability and conductivity of the membrane greatly hinders its practical application. Herein, we report a novel 4-(dimethylamino)butyraldehyde diethyl acetal (DABDA) quaternized polysulfone AEM, or PSf-DABDA, which shows improved conductivity and alkaline stability due to the better hydrophilicity and the electron donating effect imparted by the long alkyl substituent with two ether-containing moieties in the cation structure. Its room temperature conductivity reaches 21 mS/cm while that of trimethylamine (TMA)- and dimethylbutylamine (DMBA) quaternized AEMs with comparable ion exchange capacity (IEC) is 11.8 and 13.2 mS/cm, respectively. When treated 150 h in 1 M NaOH at 60 °C, the PSf-DABDA membrane experiences a slight conductivity decrease of 5% while the PSf-TMA and PSf-DMBA membranes with a comparable IEC suffer a more serious conductivity decay of 19 and 13.5%, respectively. The better alkali stability of PSf-DABDA over its counterparts is further confirmed by a density functional theoretical study and a structural characterization before and after the alkali treatment. Our work demonstrates the advantage of the DABDA cation by both experimental and computational study; it presents a new possibility of improving AEM conductivity and stability. Image 1 • Anion exchange membranes with a novel cation containing long ether substituent were prepared. • The method was facile and more environmentally benign than some traditional ones. • The membrane showed an improved room temperature conductivity of 21 mS/cm. • 95% conductivity was retained after 150 h alkali treatment at 60 °C. • Advantage of the cation structure was confirmed by density functional theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Designing comprehensive surveillance to generate credible burden estimates of enteric fever in an endemic country can be challenging because care-seeking behavior is complex and surveillance in different healthcare facilities may lead to documentation of different epidemiological characteristics.Methods: We conducted retrospective surveillance in 3 healthcare facilities to identify culture-confirmed enteric fever cases in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 2012 through December 2016. The study settings included (1) hospital in-patient department (IPD), (2) hospital out-patient department (OPD), and (3) private consultation center OPD. We analyzed the cases to understand their distribution, age ranges, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns across the settings.Results: Of the 1837 culture-confirmed enteric fever cases, 59% (1079 of 1837) were OPD cases. Children with enteric fever hospitalized in the IPDs were younger than children seeking care at the hospital OPD (median age: 45 vs 60 months) or private OPD (median age: 45 vs 72 months). Multidrug resistance rates were slightly higher in hospital IPD cases than in private OPD cases (26% vs 24%).Conclusions: In each facility, we identified different epidemiological characteristics, and lack of consideration of any of these may result in misinterpretation of disease burden, identification of different age groups, and/or antibiotic susceptibility patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with beta-thalassemia major (BTM) suffer from fatigue, poor physical fitness, muscle weakness, lethargy, and cardiac complications which are related to an energy crisis. Carnitine and acylcarnitine derivatives play important roles in fatty acid oxidation, and deregulation of carnitine and acylcarnitine metabolism may lead to an energy crisis. The present study aimed to investigate carnitine and acylcarnitine metabolites to gain an insight into the pathophysiology of BTM. Dried blood spots of 45 patients with BTM and 96 age-matched healthy controls were analyzed for free carnitine and 24 acylcarnitines by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Although medium chain acylcarnitine levels were similar in the patients with BTM and healthy controls, free carnitine, short chain acylcarnitines, long chain acylcarnitines, and total acylcarnitine levels were significantly lower in patients with BTM than in the healthy controls ( P  < 0.05). Moreover, an impaired fatty acid oxidation rate was observed in the patients with BTM, as manifested by decreased fatty acid oxidation indicator ratios, namely C2/C0 and (C2 + C3)/C0. Furthermore, an increase in the C0/(C16 + C18) ratio indicated reduced carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) activity in the patients with BTM compared with that in the healthy controls. Thus, a low level of free carnitine and acylcarnitines together with impaired CPT-1 activity contribute to energy crisis-related complications in the patients with BTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future climate projections and impact assessments are critical in evaluating the potential impacts of climate change and climate variability on crop production. Climate change impact assessment in combination with crop, climate models under different climate change scenarios is uncertain and it is challenging to select an appropriate climate scenario. This study quantifies the uncertainty associated with projected climate change impacts on cotton yield in Punjab, Pakistan using 29 general circulation models (GCMs) under high and moderate representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios (4.5 and 8.5) at near-term (2010–2039) and mid-century (2040–2069) time spans. Cropping System Model (CSM) CROPGRO-Cotton (DSSAT v 4.6) was calibrated and evaluated with field experiment data collected under arid/semi-arid climatic conditions. Enormous variation was observed in GCMs climatic variables, which were therefore classified into different categories. According to mean ensemble of 29 GCMs, there is a projected increase in seasonal average temperature 1.52 °C and 2.60 °C in RCP 4.5 and 1.57 °C and 3.37 °C in RCP 8.5 scenario as compared to the seasonal baseline (31.48 °C) in near-term (2010–2039) and mid-century (2040–2069), respectively. Maximum consensus by GCMs revealed the increase in temperature of 1.2–1.8 °C and 2.2 to 3.1 °C in RCP 4.5 scenario while 1.4–2.2 °C and 3.0–3.9 °C increase is expected under RCP 8.5 for near term and mid-century time periods, respectively. Similarly, rainfall changes are expected −8% to 15% and −5 to 17% in RCP 4.5 scenario while −8 to 22% and −2 to 20% change is expected under RCP 8.5 scenario in near term and mid-century time periods, respectively. Seed cotton yield (SCY) are projected to decrease by 8% on average by 2039 and 20% by 2069under the RCP 4.5 scenario relative to the baseline (1980–2010). Mean seed cotton yield is projected to decrease by 12% and 30% on average under the RCP 8.5 scenario. Uncertainties were observed in GCMs projections and RCPs due to variations in climatic variables projections. GCMs, GFDL-ESM2M (45% and 35%), GFDL-ESM2G (28% and 43%) and MIROC-ESM (39% and 70%) predicted the higher mean SCY reduction ensemble of cultivars than others under emission scenario of 4.5 in near term and mid-century, respectively. Lower SCY reduction was revealed in CCSM4, HADGEM2-CC, HADGEM2-ES, INMCM4 and CNRM-CM5 due to mild behavior of climatic variables especially temperature under RCP 4.5 in the near-term and mid-century. High reduction in mean SCY (16%–19%) is expected in CMCC-CMS, IPSL-CM5B-LR, GISS-E2-H, GFDL-ESM2M and GFDL-ESM2G under the RCP 8.5 scenario. However, under the same scenario, mean SCY increases by 1% in HADGEM2-ES and by 4% in HADGEM2-CC relative to the baseline yield (4147 kg ha −1 ). GFDL-ESM2M and GFDL-ESM2G are hot and dry while HADGEM2-ES and HADGEM2-CC are hot but wet, resulting in less cotton yield loss. MIROC-ESM and GFDL-ESM2G projected a severe reduction in mean SCY (70% and 69%) due to a steep increase in maximum and minimum temperature (6.97 °C and 4.38 °C, 4.91 °C and 3.70 °C), respectively and sever reduction in rainfall by mid-century and may call worse case scenarios. Climate models like, CCSM4, HadGEM2-CC, HadGEM2-ES, INMCM4, CanESM2, CNRM-CM5, ACCESS1-0, BNU-ESM and MIROC5 are found less uncertain and showed stable behavior. Therefore, these models can be used for climate change impact assessment for other crops in the region. Adaptation management options like five weeks early sowing than current (10-May), increasing nitrogen fertilization (30%), higher planting density (18% for spreading and 30% for erect type cultivars) and 17% enhanced genetic potential of cultivars would compensate the negative impacts of climate change on cotton crop. This study provide valuable understandings and direction for cotton management options under climate change scenarios. This multi-model and multi-scenario analysis provides a first overview of projected changes in temperature and precipitation, cotton yield and potential management options under changing climate scenarios in arid to semi-arid climatic conditions of Punjab-Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of stone-free rate after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) and its relationship with Hounsfield Units (HUs) of renal calculi. METHODOLOGY: This observational study was carried out at the Department of Urology, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Karachi, Pakistan, from June 2015 to December 2015. All patients were evaluated for serum creatinine, coagulation profile, urinalysis and culture and imaging studies including non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT). All were evaluated with X-ray and ultrasound KUB at six weeks of ESWL session. Patients with residual fragments more than 4 mm in size were offered another session of ESWL. In case of persistent stone fragments more than 4 mm in size, stones were labeled as ESWL-refractory and alternative treatment options offered. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were included in this study. The mean age was 40.0 ± 8.9 years and 91 (65.47%) were males. The mean stone size and mean HUs of all patients were 12.7 ± 3.6 mm and 616.9 ± 304.3, respectively. On last follow-up, out of 139, 95 (68.3%) patients were in stone-free group and 44 (31.6%) in residual stone group, with a mean HUs value of 565 ± 62.1 and 905 ± 61.7, respectively (p=0.001). The mean HUs of stone-free group was significantly lower than that of residual stone group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the HU measurement of renal calculi on pretreatment NCCT might be helpful in predicting stone-free rate after ESWL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bangladesh lies in the global thalassemia belt, which has a defined mutational hot-spot in the betaglobin gene. The high carrier frequencies of beta-thalassemia trait and hemoglobin E-trait in Bangladesh necessitate a reliable DNA-based carrier screening approach that could supplement the use of hematological and electrophoretic indices to overcome the barriers of carrier screening. With this view in mind, the study aimed to establish a high resolution melting (HRM) curve-based rapid and reliable mutation screening method targeting the mutational hot-spot of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries that encompasses exon-1 (c.1 - c.92), intron-1 (c.92 + 1 - c.92 + 130) and a portion of exon-2 (c.93 - c.217) of the HBB gene which harbors more than 95% of mutant alleles responsible for beta-thalassemia in Bangladesh. Results: Our HRM approach could successfully differentiate ten beta-globin gene mutations, namely c.79G > A, c.92 + 5G > C, c.126_129delCTTT, c.27_28insG, c.46delT, c.47G > A, c.92G > C, c.92 + 130G > C, c.126delC and c. 135delC in heterozygous states from the wild type alleles, implying the significance of the approach for carrier screening as the first three of these mutations account for ~85% of total mutant alleles in Bangladesh. Moreover, different combinations of compound heterozygous mutations were found to generate melt curves that were distinct from the wild type alleles and from one another. Based on the findings, sixteen reference samples were run in parallel to 41 unknown specimens to perform direct genotyping of the beta-thalassemia specimens using HRM. The HRM-based genotyping of the unknown specimens showed 100% consistency with the sequencing result. Conclusions: Targeting the mutational hot-spot, the HRM approach could be successfully applied for screening of beta-thalassemia carriers in Bangladesh as well as in other countries of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The approach could be a useful supplement of hematological and electrophortic indices in order to avoid false positive and false negative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addition of organic matter is considered one of the best approaches in crop production to improve soil fertility and productivity. Like jantar and moringa are rich in plant nutrients and becoming popular in farming community as a green manure. An experiment was conducted for evaluating green maunuring of moringa and jantar along with inorganic fertilizers to enhance the yield and quality attributes of autumn maize at Agronomic Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. There were two factors, green manuring (No green manuring, moringa green manuring and Jantar green manuring) and different levels of NPK fertilizers (no fertilizers, 50% of RDF, 100% of RDF). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with split plot arrangement in triplicate run. Results from the experiment revealed that both the factors significantly affected all the parameters under study while their interactive effect was non-significant. Among green biomass incorporation treatments, maximum plant height (168.34 cm) cob length (16.32 cm), number of grains per cob (410), 1000-grain weight (200.22 g), biological yield (16.63 t ha-1) grain yield (5.75 t ha-1) harvest index (34.22%) and grain protein content (8.56%) was obtained with (moringa green manuring).While Among fertilizer levels (100% of RDF) produced maximum plant height (189.02 cm) cob length (18.21 cm), number of grains per cob (438.7), 1000-grain weight (216.57 g), biological yield (17.79 t ha-1) grain yield (6.99 t ha-1) harvest index (39.37%) and grain protein content (8.78%). It can be concluded from above results that along with 100% of RDF, moringa can be used as green manure and incorporated into the soil to enhance the maize productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the clinico-pathological features of Fournier's gangrene (FG) and to identify risk factors associated with the mortality. Material and Methods: Th is retrospective study was done at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Karachi, Pakistan from January 2012 to September 2015. All consecutive patients with a diagnosis of FG were studied for clinico-pathological features, management and outcome. Data were entered and analyzed by SPSS version 10.0. Results: Th ere were 83 patients; all were male. Th e mean age was 58.2±12.6 years and mean duration from symptoms to admission was 3.66±3.06 days. Mean hospital stay was 15.96±11.19 days. Th e source of infection was urological in 36 patients (43.3%), anorectal in 10 (12.0%) and cutaneous in 6 (7.2%), while no cause was found in 31 (37.3%) patients. Majority presented with erythema and swelling of genitalia (85%), while 33 (39.7%) had fever, 50 (60.2%) pain, 24 (28.9%) crepitus, and 8 (9.6%) septic shock. E.coli was the most common organism isolated, i.e., in 19 patients (21.6%). Other organisms included Acinetobacter in 10 (12.0%), Klebsiella in 5 (6.0%) and Candida in 3 (3.6%) patients. Th e overall mortality rate was 22.8%. Sepsis, advanced age, renal failure on admission, extension of infection onto abdominal wall, full-blown shock on presentation and need for mechanical ventilation were the main risk factors contributing to mortality. Conclusion: Fournier gangrene is a surgical emergency with high mortality rates. Early management with aggressive debridement, broad spectrum antibiotics and intensive supportive care has improved the outcome in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common X-linked human enzyme defect of red blood cells (RBCs). Individuals with this gene defect appear normal until exposed to oxidative stress which induces hemolysis. Consumption of certain foods such as fava beans, legumes; infection with bacteria or virus; and use of certain drugs such as primaquine, sulfa drugs etc. may result in lysis of RBCs in G6PD deficient individuals. The genetic defect that causes G6PD deficiency has been identified mostly as single base missense mutations. One hundred and sixty G6PD gene mutations, which lead to amino acid substitutions, have been described worldwide. The purpose of this study was to detect G6PD gene mutations in hospital-based settings in the local population of Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Qualitative fluorescent spot test and quantitative enzyme activity measurement using RANDOX G6PDH kit were performed for analysis of blood specimens and detection of G6PD-deficient participants. For G6PD-deficient samples, PCR was done with six sets of primers specific for G6PD gene. Automated Sanger sequencing of the PCR products was performed to identify the mutations in the gene. Based on fluorescence spot test and quantitative enzyme assay followed by G6PD gene sequencing, 12 specimens (11 males and one female) among 121 clinically suspected patient-specimens were found to be deficient, suggesting a frequency of 9.9% G6PD deficiency. Sequencing of the G6PD-deficient samples revealed c.C131G substitution (exon-3: Ala44Gly) in six samples, c.G487A substitution (exon-6:Gly163Ser) in five samples and c.G949A substitution (exon-9: Glu317Lys) of coding sequence in one sample. These mutations either affect NADP binding or disrupt protein structure. From the study it appears that Ala44Gly and Gly163Ser are the most common G6PD mutations in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This is the first study of G6PD mutations in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 18 loci multiplex system has been instigated for co-amplification and fluorescent detection of Amelogenin and 17 STRs, including 10 MiniSTRs (CSF1PO, D18S51, D7S820, D2S1338, TPOX, D13S317, FGA, D5S818, D21S11, D16S539), SE33, Penta E, Penta D, and four Y-STRs (DYS385a/b, DYS438, DYS392). This multiplex system was developed for the simultaneous analysis of compromised DNA samples, Y-amelogenin marker mutation, motherless paternity issues where single allele sharing occurs at autosomal STRs in unrelated individuals, and other complex forensic cases. Selection of loci, primers, and allelic ladders were designed and created in-house with a design strategy to work in this multiplex. The multiplex system was evaluated by sensitivity, specificity, stability, precision and accuracy, case-type samples, mixture studies, PCR-based and population distribution studies to establish the robustness and reliability of the system as the current requirements of the forensic case work. Among all the markers evaluated for this study, 209 alleles including 44 variants were observed with combined power of discrimination, combined power of exclusion, and the combined probability of matching calculated as 0.999999999999999999893916339344, 0.999993816173890, and 5.90019 × 10, respectively. Due to highly polymorphic characteristics of these loci particularly SE33 and Penta E which are most discriminatory (PD = 0.991 and 0.983, respectively) in the Pakistani population, this multiplex would be highly valuable for individual identification in complex forensic cases and paternity issues as well as population database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suitable cotton variety selection is imperative to cope with temporal variations for yield enhancement and sustainability under unpredictable climatic conditions. Cotton varieties including transgenic (Bacillus thuringiensis) and non-transgenic (non Bt.) were sown from 10-March to 21-June with 20 days interval for two growing seasons (2012 and 2013) consecutively while cotton sowing after wheat harvest is normal practice at farmers' field in Cotton-Wheat cropping system of Punjab-Pakistan. Phenology, growth indices, seed cotton yield (SCY) and its heat use efficiency of varieties were estimated on daily basis by using statistical models. Seed cotton yield (SCY) was significantly correlated with crop duration exhibiting delays in planting (21-June) impact on shortening of phenophases i.e. first square, flower, boll initiation and boll opening by 8, 7, 4 and 6 days, respectively compared with 10-May planting in first season while second season advanced 0-3 days owing to deviation in frequency of cold shock <11 °C and heat stress >35 °C. Long crop cycle varieties AA-802 and IR-3701 took 6-9 days more compared to short season NIAB-112. More heat units accretion 46, 33, 20 and 13 % to switch into next phenophase (first square, flower, boll initiation and boll opening) was computed in 10-May planting than 10-March due to excessive heat stress (>40 °C) during early phenophases while reduced variations observed in later phases. Reproductive stage initiation and accumulated higher thermal time delayed in late mature varieties compared to short one with lower root mean square error (RMSE) and higher coefficient of determination (R²). Significant reduction in days after planting to attain maximum LAI, CGR, TDM and SCY-heat use efficiency (HUESCY) decreased with delay in planting with good statistical indices. Less impact of cold shock and heat stress on 21-April and 10-May plantings noted while 10-March and 21-June planting had higher incidence during early growth phases. Cotton varieties MNH-886 and NIAB-9811 (NIAB-Kiran) planted 30-March to 10-May exhibited higher resilience to variable weather conditions with fostered growth potential and yield. Variety NIAB-112 seemed heat tolerant and it can be recommend for early and especially for late plating while MNH-886 and NIAB-Kiran can be adopted at farmer's field in the region for maximizing cotton production under variable environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Pakistan, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties undergo intensive yield testing within the National Uniform Wheat Yield Trials (NUWYT) before recommendations are made to farmers. The trialing network extends across 12 different agroecological zones defined for the whole of the country. In this paper, we consider the analysis of data from this trial system over 2 yr and 34 locations. For each of the 16 varieties, variances of genotype x location (G x L) and genotype x location x year (G x L x Y) interactions were estimated to assess stability. Substantial differences in stability were found between the 16 varieties. The fitted model was used further to compute genotype means for each of the seven irrigated agroecological zones. It is demonstrated that a model with random genotype x zone (G x Z) effects can be used to borrow strength across zones, which is particularly beneficial for zones with a small number of test locations. Our results show considerable shrinkage of best linear unbiased predictions (BLUPs) of G x Z means compared with best linear unbiased estimators (BLUEs), which reflects a considerable amount of environmental noise in the data. A salient feature of our approach is that shrinkage depends on stability variances, thus providing a convenient insurance mechanism against overoptimistic as well as overpessimistic mean yield estimates for particularly unstable varieties. At the same time, this approach provides a new way to combine stability and mean performance in a meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought tolerance is the major area of thrust nowadays, due to the water scarcity and climate change scenario, around the globe. Looking for the novel cotton germplasm tolerant to drought is an important breeding objective of the major breeding programs. On the basis of these grounds, 42 cotton varieties were evaluated for their genetic potential to perform under limited water conditions (60% field capacity). The germplasm was subjected to the seedling stage drought stress, to observe genetic variation within germplasm for various traits related with drought stress viz. shoot length (cm), root length (cm), excise leaf water loss (ELWL) and relative water contents (RWC). These traits were used as stress indicators and significant variation was observed for these estimates. Among the seven tolerant accessions, DPL-26 and 149F were identified as the highly tolerant due to their least SSI estimates for most of the characters studied. Likewise among the susceptible lines, FH-1000 and NF-801 were identified as highly susceptible. Our studies showed the presence of genetic variability for the trait of interest and it exhibits its potential for exploitation in the future breeding for drought tolerance. © 2015 Friends Science Publishers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hydrothermal reaction was used to fuse the novel CdS:X 2 C nanostructures. • Microscopic studies validated the X 2 C decoration on CdS nanostructures. • Structural results were verified the orthorhombic X 2 C development on hexagonal CdS. • Developed CdS:X 2 C hybrid superbly reduced the RhB dye under visible light radiance. It is necessary to design and fabricate effective and stable heterostructures to enhance the photocatalyst performance. In this research, we developed stable metal carbide (Mo 2 C and W 2 C) embedded cadmium sulfide (CdS) hybrid nanostructure photocatalysts to increase the light adsorption capacity and effectively enhance the photocatalytic activity. A simple hydrothermal technique was employed to effectively fabricate the CdS and CdS:X 2 C (X = Mo or W) hybrid photocatalyst. Microscopy studies demonstrated the surface modification of the hybrid structure due to the X 2 C incorporation with CdS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive analysis measurements were performed to characterize the hybrid structure materialization. The photocatalytic properties of CdS and CdS:X 2 C hybrid structures were evaluated by degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. The polygonal shaped CdS:X 2 C exhibited excellent photocatalytic activities. The highly porous structure of CdS:X 2 C indicated that many exposed active facets were available due to the embedding of petal-shaped X 2 C, which enabled the effective adsorption and transference of RhB organic molecules to the active edges. Moreover, the hierarchical structure of CdS:X 2 C corresponded to a high light-absorption efficiency due to the increased length of light trails and enhanced interfacial shifting of the valence state electrons, which reduced the optical band-gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]