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Abstract The current study unveils ONS-donor ligand based Pt(II) complexes with unusual anticancer potency showing higher anticancer effect as compared to cisplatin. This series of Pt(II)(R-salicylaldimine)Cl (C1a-C4a) (R = 5-H, 5-CH 3 , F, 3-CH 3 O) complexes were prepared in single step in good isolated yields from commercially available materials. The chloride ancillary ligand of "a" series (C1a-C4a) was replaced with 4-picoline and "b" series of four complexes Pt(II)(R-salicylaldimine)(4-picoline)BF 4 (C1b-C4b) (R = 5-H, 5-CH 3 , F, 3-CH 3 O) was obtained. All these complexes were characterized by different structure elucidation techniques. Among these, the structures of C1a , C2a , C2b and C3b were determined in solid state by single crystal X-ray analysis. We found quick aquation of "a" series of complexes in DMSO/water mixture that was well investigated by 1H NMNR, LCMS and ESI-MS, while "b" series of these complexes was quite stable over a month as described by the 1H NMNR in DMSO/D 2 O mixture. This ONS-donor ligand based class of Pt(II) complexes showed unusual anticancer potency in non-small cell lung cancer A549, colorectal cancer HT-29 and triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. These Pt(II) complexes induced PARP cleavage and significantly inhibited colony formation ability of cancer cells. Mechanistically, we found reduced aggressive growth of cancer cells by the induction of autophagic cell death via LC3-I/LC3-II expression and recruitment of LC3B to autophagosomal membrane. These complexes induced p21 expression, that suggested their potentials to suppress cell cycle progression. Significant activation of Caspase3/7-dependent apoptotic signaling was observed in cancer cells treated with these Pt(II) complexes. Morphological changes of cancer cells suggested their potentials to modulate epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) like features of cancer cells. Gel electrophoresis study revealed their interaction with plasmid DNA. Similarly, strong growth retardation effect and filamentous morphology was observed in Escherichia coli (E. coli). These ONS-donor Pt(II) complexes possessed strong anticancer effect in multiple human cancer cells via activation of multiple pathways for apoptotic and autophagic cell death. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • ONS-donor Pt(II) complexes synthesis and structure study. • Aquation and stability of Pt(II) complexes. • Apoptosis via multiple genes activation pathways. • Autophagy induction. • E. coli growth retardation and filamentous morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To find out the frequency of anxiety among patients waiting for CABG and its association of demographic characteristic. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of participants, selected through convenient sampling, from a tertiary care hospital in Karachi from 1st January 2017 to 1st January 2018. After ethical approval from Intuitional Review Board (IRB), Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi; data were collected through the Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression (AKUADS), which is a brief 25 -items questionnaire designed to detect anxiety among participants with cut of score 21. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for demographic data; whereas, chi-square test of independence was used to measure the association of anxiety with other variables. P = 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Total of 202 participants were analyzed. Majority of the study participants, were male (80.7%), married (94.1%), and having age ranges 41 - 60 years (82.2%). Among all of the study participants, 51.49% patients had anxiety. Conclusion: The finding of this study showed that majority of the preoperative patients for CABG had anxiety. Income level and social class showed significant association with anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to agricultural trade experts Pakistan need to reduce cost of production in order to compete in the international market. At national level food group exports decline from 3,439.4 million US$ during 2015 to 3040.7 in 2016. Increase in productivity and efficiency has been the major concern for agricultural researchers and policy makers in Pakistan. In current study allocative efficiency of sugarcane growers in district Charsadda was worked out with frontier model. Randomly 118 sugarcane growers were interviewed during crop season 2014-2015. For survey data a pre-tested structured questioner set according to objectives of the study was used. Coefficients of parameters were calculated by maximum likelihood estimation techniques. Per acre total yield, land rent and per acre inputs cost (labor hired, seed, tractor hours, irrigation, Urea, DAP, FYM and pesticides) were considered determinants for cost function. Respondent age, farming experience, education, family size, off-farm income, farm to home distance, tenancy and extension contacts are determinants in allocative inefficiency model. Results of the study revealed that except farmyard manure and pesticides all other explanatory variables are significant influencing factors in total cost of sugarcane production in district Charsadda. In socio-economic characteristics family size and extension contacts show negative correlation with allocative inefficiency. Mean allocative efficiency was found 63% with range from minimum 36% to maximum 90%. The presence of allocative inefficiency indicates that the average growers can reduce his cost of production (Rs.77,083/- per acre) up to 30% without any decrease in output level. Attractive output prices, timely payment and provision of quality extension services would help farmers to redirect their scarce resource allocation and reduce allocative inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to agricultural trade experts Pakistan need to reduce cost of production in order to compete in the international market. At national level food group exports decline from 3,439.4 million US$ during 2015 to 3040.7 in 2016. Increase in productivity and efficiency has been the major concern for agricultural researchers and policy makers in Pakistan. In current study allocative efficiency of sugarcane growers in district Charsadda was worked out with frontier model. Randomly 118 sugarcane growers were interviewed during crop season 2014-2015. For survey data a pre-tested structured questioner set according to objectives of the study was used. Coefficients of parameters were calculated by maximum likelihood estimation techniques. Per acre total yield, land rent and per acre inputs cost (labor hired, seed, tractor hours, irrigation, Urea, DAP, FYM and pesticides) were considered determinants for cost function. Respondent age, farming experience, education, family size, off-farm income, farm to home distance, tenancy and extension contacts are determinants in allocative inefficiency model. Results of the study revealed that except farmyard manure and pesticides all other explanatory variables are significant influencing factors in total cost of sugarcane production in district Charsadda. In socio-economic characteristics family size and extension contacts show negative correlation with allocative inefficiency. Mean allocative efficiency was found 63% with range from minimum 36% to maximum 90%. The presence of allocative inefficiency indicates that the average growers can reduce his cost of production (Rs.77,083/- per acre) up to 30% without any decrease in output level. Attractive output prices, timely payment and provision of quality extension services would help farmers to redirect their scarce resource allocation and reduce allocative inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Pyrosequencing approach used to analyze complex viral genomes as it can determine minor variants. • NGS was used to determine intra-host viral diversity of HCV from 13 chronically infected patients. • NGS of E2 (HVR1), NS3 and NS5B of HCV-3a was performed for a comprehensive analysis of the viral population. • Phylogenetic analysis of studied genes revealed great variability within the Pakistani population. • No significant difference was seen when nucleotide variability of genotype 3a was compared with other genotypes. Abstract Background In Pakistan, HCV disease is considered a major public health issue with about 10–17 million people suffering with this infection and rate is increasing every day without any hindrance. The currently available Pyrosequencing approach used to analyze complex viral genomes as it can determine minor variants. It is crucial to understand viral evolution and quasispecies diversity in complex viral strains. Objectives To assess genetic diversity in patients with HCV using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and compare nucleotide diversity of genotype 3a with respect to other genotypes. Study design Intra-host viral diversity of HCV was determined using NGS from 13 chronically HCV infected individuals. NGS of three different regions (E2 (HVR1), NS3 and NS5B) of HCV-3a allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the viral population. Result Phylogenetic analysis of different HCV genes revealed great variability within the Pakistani population. The average nucleotide diversity for HVR1, NS3 and NS5B was 0.029, 0.011 and 0.010 respectively. Conclusion Our findings clearly indicate that patient-2 greater quasispecies heterogeneity than other patients of same genotype-3a using phylogenetic and one step network analyses. Initially phylogenetic analysis of these three genes showed that genotype 3a samples have greater genetic diversity. However, no significant difference was determined when nucleotide variability of genotype 3a compared with other genotypes (1a, 1b, 2a & 4a). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: In the system related to health care, shifting duties are considered essential and obligatory to make sure the stability of care in hospitals. Scheduling and shifting are the key uniqueness of shift work and nurses are mostly bounded into different schedules that facilitate 24-hour care. Our objective was to identify the impact of morning and rotational duties on physical health of nurses working in tertiary care hospitals. Methods: A total of 154 nurses from two tertiary care hospitals in Karachi were included in this study. Data were collected through the Short Form Health Servay-26 between May to June 2017. Questionnaire form consisted of five domains including Physical functioning, Role limitations due to physical health, Energy/ Fatigue, Pain and General health. Results: Most of the study participants were staff nurses (66.9%) and few were head nurse and assistant head nurses 13.6% and 8.4% respectively. Nurses' characteristics such as gender, age, educational level, designation and monthly income were found significant with duty shift with p-values 0.049, 0.007, <0.001 and 0.017 respectively. Energy/Fatigue was only domain of SF-26 which showed significant mean difference (p-value <0.001) between morning and rotational duties. Conclusion: This research concludes that nurses working in rotational duties were more prone to develop physical problem as compared to morning duties. Energy/Fatigue showed significant mean difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To find out the frequency of anxiety and its associated demographic factors among nursing workforce. STUDY DESIGN: An analytical cross-sectional. PLACE AND DURATION: Dow University Hospital and Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospitals Karachi, 2nd May to 28th June 2017 METHODOLOGY: Data were collected through purposive sampling technique (only registered staff nurses) using Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale. The GAD 7 scale consisted on 7 items scores ranging from 0 to 21.Collected data include socio-demographic variables such as, age, educational level, job nature, monthly income, duty shift etc. and anxiety score based on GAD 7 items. RESULTS: There were 55.8% male participants and 71.42% belonged to age group of 26-35 years. From this study it was found that 63.63% nurses working in clinical area had any one of the anxiety level (mild (39%), moderate (18.2%) or severe (6.5%)) with score = 5.Participants' age, monthly income and duty shift variables showed significant associations with anxiety (p-values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Among all study participants mild anxiety was found to be prominent. From this research study some significant factors of anxiety among nurses was also found which includes age, monthly Income and Duty Shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent days, vehicles have been equipped with smart devices that offer various multimedia-related applications and services, such as smart driving assistance, traffic congestions, weather forecasting, road safety alarms, and many entertainment and comfort applications. Thus, these smart vehicles produce a large amount of multimedia-related data that require fast and real-time processing. However, due to constrained computing and storage capacities, such huge amounts of multimedia-related data cannot be processed in on-board standalone devices. Thus, multimedia cloud computing (MCC) has emerged as an economical and scalable computing technology that can process multimedia-related data efficiently while providing improved Quality of Service (QoS) to vehicular users from anywhere, at any time and on any device, at reduced costs. However, there are certain challenges, such as fast service response time and resource cost optimization, that can severely affect the performance of the MCC. Therefore, to tackle these issues, in this paper, we propose a dynamic priority-based architecture for the MCC. In the proposed scheme, we divide multimedia processing into four different subphases, while computing resources to each computing server are assigned dynamically, according to the workload, in order to process multimedia tasks according to the multimedia user Quality of Experience (QoE) requirements. The performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated in terms of service response time and resource cost optimization using the CloudSim simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we used radial kernels for computing more generalized fast oscillatory integral equations. The proposed method is based on radial kernels. The present method is efficient for computing oscillatory integral equations with large oscillation parameters. The proposed method is very robust and capable of handling fast oscillatory integral equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations are performed using density function theory to explore the effects of dopant Ca in ceria (Ce 1-x Ca x O 2-δ ). The impact of oxygen vacancy on band gap and density of states is examined in doped ceria using generalized gradient approximations. Vacancy association and vacancy formation energies of the doped ceria are calculated to reveal the effect of dopant on ion conduction. The experimental study of the sample (Ce 0.875 Ca 0.125 O 2-δ) was performed to compare with the theoretical results. The obtained results from theoretical calculation and experimental techniques show that oxygen vacancy increases the volume, lattice constant (5.47315 Å) but decrease the band gap (1.72 eV) and bulk modulus. The dopant radius (1.173 Å) and lattice constant (5.4718 Å) are also calculated by equations which is close to the DFT lattice parameter. The result shows that oxygen vacancy shifts the density of states to lower energy region. Band gap is decreased due to shifting of valence states to conduction band. Vacancy formation shows a significance increase in density of states near the Fermi level. Density of states at Fermi level is proportional to the conductivity, so an increase in density of states near the Fermi level increases the conductivity. The experimental measured ionic conductivity is found to 0.095 S cm −1 at 600 °C. The microstructural studies is also reported in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accommodating the fast-growing multimedia traffic demands at low cost is critical to ensure the future competitiveness of cellular networks. Cognitive radio (CR) emerges as a key technology to enhance radio spectrum utilization and provides an effective solution to meet critical spectrum demands for future mobile multimedia traffics. In this paper, we investigate reliable downlink video transmission in underlay cellular CR networks by means of cooperative diversity. We use RaptorQ code as the Application Layer Forward Error Correction scheme to combat packet loss arising from the primary user interference and other channel conditions such as channel fading. For implementing cooperative diversity, we select the best relay based on the ability of successful decoding using RaptorQ and the value of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio at the destination node. Moreover, for efficient primary user channel utilization, the selected relay performs merging of the encoding coefficients before forwarding to the destination. We evaluate the performance of the proposed framework under various time sharing scenarios between the direct and best indirect transmission links in terms of decoding overhead, probability of decoding failure, and peak signal-to-noise ratio of the received videos. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the baseline transmission scheme and conventional relaying schemes using Amplify-and-Forward and Decode-and-Forward transmission techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, in-situ modified biosynthetic crystals with lanthanum (BC–La) were synthesized based on anaerobic microbially induced calcium precipitation (MICP) and investigated its capacity for groundwater defluoridation under various operational conditions. The kinetic and thermodynamic models were simulated to explore the effect of the material on the removal of fluoride ion (F−) under various parameters (pH, initial concentration of F−, and temperature). BC-La had the maximum F− adsorption capacity of 10.92 mg g−1 and 96.66% removal efficiency. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model were the best kinetic and isotherm models for F− removal from BC-La, which indicated that F− were mainly spontaneously removed through chemisorption and adsorption processes. The specific surface area was 54.26 m2 g−1 and the average pore size was 9.0670 nm. BC-La mainly contained LaCO 3 OH, LaPO 4 , CaCO 3 , Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 OH, and F− was mainly removed through ion exchange with the material surface. Moreover, OH−, PO 4 3−, and CO 3 2− significantly influenced the F− removal. This work suggested a novel method for in-situ modification of anaerobic biosynthetic crystals, which improved the defluoridation effect of traditional biosynthetic crystals, increased the stability of the BC-La and allowed to remove F− from groundwater consistently. [Display omitted] • Lanthanum can effectively change the specific surface area of biological materials. • Lanthanum modified biosynthetic crystals can effectively remove fluoride. • Fluoride can be effectively removed in a wide pH range. • Fluoride was simultaneously removed by ion exchange and chemisorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The necessity to replace outdated analogue nuclear system calculations as well as the desire to enhance and guarantee adequate levels of plant availability and safety have led to an increase in the usage of software based design and simulations of nuclear power plants in recent years. In this study, the computer codes DRAGON5 and DONJON5 are validated using design information for 300MWe Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The codes are used to perform design analysis of Unit-3 Cycle-1 of the Chashma Nuclear Power Generation Station (CNPGS). The analysis includes calculations for criticality, radial power distribution, reactivity coefficients, and control rod worth under various core conditions. The results are validated against the measured data. The difference in the critical boron concentration (CBC) for Hot Zero Power (HZP) and Hot Full Power (HFP) at All Rod Out (ARO) conditions are 16 pcm and 20 pcm respectively. It has been observed that, the core radial power distribution is in good agreement with the design data with maximum relative errors of 6.2% and 1.5% at HZP and HFP conditions respectively. The validation confirms that, the codes can be employed with confidence for the design calculations of 300MWe PWRs (CNPGS). Furthermore, the 1-D steady state thermal hydraulic analysis is also performed to predict the temperatures of the fuel and coolant at both the average and hot channels at the beginning of life (BOL) and the end of life (EOL). It is found that the peak to average values of fuel centerline temperature at BOL for average and hot channels are 1.084 and 1.17 respectively, while at EOL for average and hot channels are 1.059 and 1.069 respectively, which are in good agreement with the reference peak to average value of 1.6875. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of low-cost earth-abundant electrocatalysts to produce ammonia (NH3) with high efficiency for the nitrogen (N2) reduction reaction (NRR) remains challenging. Herein, we propose the development of highly efficient ultrathin nitrogen-vacancy-rich molybdenum nitride nanosheets (MoN-NV) for NRR using basic electrolytes under ambient conditions. In 0.1 M KOH, this catalyst attained a high faradaic efficiency (FE) of ∼14% with an NH3 yield of 22.5 μg h−1 mg−1cat at −0.3 V vs. a reversible hydrogen electrode under ambient conditions. The characterization results and electrochemical studies disclosed that nitrogen vacancies in the MoN-NV nanosheets played a critical role in the enhanced electrocatalytic activity for NRR. Furthermore, the recycling tests confirmed the stability of the catalyst during NRR electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research is conducted with the aim of investigating a multi-generation energy system (MGS) for electricity, hydrogen, heating, cooling and hot water production using SRC, Kalina cycle and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis as the main subsystems. The thermodynamic analysis namely energy, exergy, and exergo-economic examination carried out. Analysis for each component is done after thermodynamic modeling. The exergy investigation showed that regenerator 2, vapor generator and condenser had the highest exergy destruction rate, respectively. A comparison was made between the current work and the basic system, and according to the results obtained, the system's ability to produce electricity, cooling, heating and hydrogen are calculated as 782 kW, 173.2 kW, 2265 kW and 0.01613 mol/day, respectively. Also, the energy and exergy efficiency of the proposed system increased by 3.13% and 5.37%, respectively. The optimization based on PSO method was carried out. The results of PSO optimization represented that in the case exergy destruction and exergy efficiency will be the optimization target these two outputs can reach the value of 2208 kW and 9.84%, while optimization based on exergy efficiency and production cost rate will lead to 9.86% and 166.6 $/h. • Simulation a CSP based system to design a poly-generation energy system. • Using PEM electrolyzer to generate hydrogen as an energy storage media. • The exergy efficiency of introduced system is 3.13% higher than basic system. • The output power of new plant is 1.54 MW higher than basic cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling different energy conversion systems together to have more sustainable energy systems can be a promising way to cope with the challenges of the energy consumption crisis. In the current work, an organic Rankin cycle (ORC) has been coupled with some other units like the Kalina cycle and some other subunits including a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, fuel cell, and thermoelectric generator (TEG). Two layouts of systems have been considered for evaluation. In the modified system to enhance the overall performance of the unit, fuel cells and a TEG have been utilized. Having analyzed the system from technical and economical viewpoints it is concluded that the proposed system has an energy and exergy efficiency of 16.77% and 61.69%, respectively. The results show that 0.0001632 mol/h of hydrogen can be produced with the electrolyzer system. The comparison of the suggested system with basic plant indicated that the suggested system generated 155.33 kW electrical power while the basic system generated 146.2 kW. Exergy examination represents that the condenser with 20.13 kW has the highest rate of exergy destruction rate. A parametric analysis has been performed for different parameters of the system and the calculation represents that the energy efficiency and overall exergy destruction rate with the defined electricity cost rate show a different behavior, which indicates the necessity of multi-objective optimization. For the improved plant according to the four parameters, multi-objective optimization has been done according to the genetic algorithm and the most optimal state of the system has been extracted based on three-objective optimization. In the optimum state, the exergy efficiency of the system and electricity cost obtained 62% and 10.72 $/h. • A system is designed to use the geothermal energy with relatively low temperature. • The waste of PEM FC can be employed to power generation and system improvement. • Exergy efficiency and electricity cost rate optimum values are 63% and 10.7 $/h. • The best optimum states of suggested system are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Marginal land is characterized by low crop productivity and is sometimes additionally contaminated. Such marginal land however presents a large opportunity to produce non-food biomass from perennial grasses with low risks of Indirect Land Use Change (low ILUC). Miscanthus spp. and Arundo donax also known as giant reed are leading bioenergy crops due to their high biomass productivity, but yields can be limited by insufficient water supply or phytotoxic levels of heavy metals. Drought and heavy metals are the most serious abiotic stress and negatively affect crop growth and development. The current study was conducted to identify the most drought and heavy metal (Zn) tolerant hybrid among seven novel Miscanthus hybrids and seven Arundo clones. Based on the morpho-physiological and biochemical analysis, the M. sinensis × M. sacchariflorus hybrid GRC 10 and Arundo clone PC1 were the most drought and Zn stress tolerant. The findings of this study provide a foundation for further investigations of the molecular and physiological mechanisms and recommendations for the cultivation of GRC 10 hybrid line and Arundo PC1 in marginal land. High-yield potential perennial crops, such as Miscanthus spp. and Arundo donax are amongst the most promising sources of sustainable biomass for bioproducts and bioenergy. Although several studies assessed the agronomic performance of these species on diverse marginal lands, research to date on drought and zinc (Zn) resistance is scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the drought and Zn stress tolerance of seven novel Miscanthus hybrids and seven Arundo clones originating from different parts of Italy. We subjected both species to severe drought (less than 30%), and Zn stress (400 mg/kg−1 of ZnSO4) separately, after one month of growth. All plants were harvested after 28 days of stress, and the relative drought and Zn stress tolerance were determined by using a set of morpho-physio-biochemical and biomass attributes in relation to stress tolerance indices (STI). Principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and stress tolerance indices (STI) were performed for each morpho-physio-biochemical and biomass parameters and showed significant relative differences among the seven genotypes of both crops. Heatmaps of these indices showed how the different genotypes clustered into four groups. Considering PCA ranking value, Miscanthus hybrid GRC10 (8.11) and Arundo clone PC1 (11.34) had the highest-ranking value under both stresses indicating these hybrids and clones are the most tolerant to drought and Zn stress. In contrast, hybrid GRC3 (−3.33 lowest ranking value) and clone CT2 (−5.84) were found to be the most sensitive to both drought and Zn stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient conversion of solid carbon fuels into energy by reducing the emission of harmful gases is important for clean environment. In this regards, direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) is a system that converts solid carbon directly into electrical energy with high thermodynamic efficiency (100%), system efficiency of 80% and half emission of gases compared to conventional coal power plants. This can generate electricity from any carbonaceous fuel such as charcoal, carbon black, carbon fiber, graphite, lignite, bituminous coal and waste materials. In this paper, ternary carbonate-samarium doped ceria (LNK-SDC) electrolyte has been synthesized via co-precipitation technique, while LiNiCuZnFeO (LNCZFO) electrode has been prepared using solid state reaction method. Due to significant ionic conductivity of electrolyte LNK-SDC, it is used in DCFC. Three types of solid carbon (lignite, bituminous, sub-bituminous) are used as fuel to generate power. The X-ray diffraction confirmed the cubic crystalline structure of samarium doped ceria, whereas XRD pattern of LNCZFO showed its composite structure. The proximate and ultimate coal analysis showed that fuel (carbon) with higher carbon content and lower ash content was promising fuel for DCFC. The measured ionic conductivity of LNK-SDC is 0.0998 Scm −1 and electronic conductivity of LNCZFO is 10.1 Scm −1 at 700 °C, respectively. A maximum power density of 58 mWcm −2 is obtained using sub-bituminous fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugarcane is the main and industrial crop of Pakistan and a source of direct and indirect employment in the country. Current study was designed to explore net return and resource use efficiency in sugarcane production in district D.I. Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. To realize the objectives of the study, primary data was collected from 76 sugarcane growers through a well-designed interview schedule. Debartin formula was used to calculate net return, while a Cobb-Douglas type production function (double log form) was employed to estimate sugarcane yield and its determinants in study area. The results revealed that per acre net return after subtracting total cost from gross revenue was Rs. 33,173.65/-. Results illustrate that labor days, seed quantity, tractor hours, urea and pesticides have positive significant effect on sugarcane yield. Resource use efficiency analysis shows that marginal value product (MVP) to marginal factor cost (MFC) ratios for labor days, irrigation, urea, FYM and pesticides are more than unity indicate underutilization of these resources which underlines scope of expansion in these resources. Study results illustrate that land, seed quantity, tractor hours and DAP are over utilized which need readjustment. Study recommends improvement in extension services to guide farmers on proper inputs utilization, low interest rate crop based loans and comprehensive policy of setting right price for output to increase net return and per unit yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented thermal response is observed in [(4,4′-bpe·2H+)(HSO4−)2] (1), a hydrogen-bonded 1D coordination polymer. While 1 was photostable to irradiation at 365 nm, upon heating at 70 °C for 1 h, it transformed into 1·ph, a 2D polymer, through single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation (SCSCT). In this conversion, a series of bonds are broken and re-formed simultaneously, leading to major changes in the packing pattern which is quite rare in SCSCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of depression and its associated factors among nurses. STUDY DESIGN: A Cross-sectional observational Study PLACE AND DURATION: Dow University and Civil Hospitals Karachi, 2nd May to 28th June 2017 METHODOLOGY: Data were collected through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Individual with PHQ-9 score < 5 were considered as either minimal or no depression whereas score ≥ 5 described individuals had any kind of depression. The chi-square test of independence was used to explore the association of depression with other variables. RESULTS: Among total of 154 participants, majority were staff nurses 66.9% whereas 13.6% and 8.4% were head and assistant head nurses respectively. Among all study participants, 69.4% had any one of the depression level mild, moderate, moderately severe or severe (score ≥ 5). Job nature, duty timings and monthly income were statistically associated significantly with depression (p-values 0.004, 0.023 and < 0.0001 respectively). CONCLUSION: Among all study participants mild depression category was the most prominent. Study job nature, duty timings and monthly income were determined as significant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the gap between skills expected by managers and skills possessed by business graduates employed by banking industry.Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with bank officers under whom fresh business graduates were working. They were asked to indicate the importance of 12 employability skills in the industry and to rate business graduates working under them against these skills. Results are achieved by applying paired samples and independent samples t-tests on data collected from 121 bank officers.Findings Results prove that overall employability skills of the graduates are lesser than expected by the managers. Significant skill gaps were found for listening, problem solving, communication, leadership, interpersonal, analytical, self-management, numeracy and critical thinking. Results also reveal that problem-solving skill of male graduates is superior that that of females.Practical implications The study makes business graduates clear in what skills they are to learn and how it relates to the expectations of managers in banking industry. It helps business schools to revise and improve curriculum of some specialized banking programs according to the needs of the industry.Originality/value This is the first study that investigates the skills required by the banking industry out of business graduates. It also identifies the skill gaps for fresh business graduates from managerial perspective in banking industry of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium doped ceria loaded SBA-15 has been synthesised under normal atmospheric condition (without using hydrothermal treatment) and following wet impregnation route. The catalyst has been characterised by using different techniques viz., BET method for surface area measurements, FE-SEM for surface morphology study, XPS for the determination of catalyst composition and element oxidation state. The catalyst was found to possess both acidic and basic sites and hence, successfully employed for the simultaneous esterification and transesterification of waste cottonseed oil. Under optimized reaction conditions of catalyst concentration 10 wt%, methanol to oil molar ratio of 40:1 at 65 °C, the catalyst was able to give >98% fatty acid methyl ester yield within 4 h of reaction time. The catalyst was recovered and reused during 5 successive runs without any significant loss of activity. The activation energy (E a ) for the reaction was found to be 57.7 kJ mol −1 , while ΔH ‡ , ΔG ‡ and ΔS ‡ were found to be 59.4 kJ mol −1 , +95.9 kJ mol −1 and - 0.108 kJ mol −1 , respectively. On the basis of thermodynamic parameters, the reaction is expected to be endothermic, non spontaneous and following an associative pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for natural medicines has increased because of their limited adverse effects. The aim of study is to explore the antidiabetic potential of isolated steroidal alkaloid from Sarcococca saligna in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. To determine the antidiabetic activity of steroidal alkaloids, diabetes was induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin intraperitoneally at a dose of 40 mg/Kg. After a week of STZ injection the treatment were started and the 8th day was considered as the 1st day of treatment and up to four weeks the rats were treated with steroidal alkaloids. Animals were divided into five groups, group 1 considered as a control group by receiving normal saline (1 ml/Kg) twice daily and group 2, 3, 4 were treated with active compound sarcovagine-D, saracodine and holaphylline at the dose of 5 mg/Kg subcutaneously twice a day while group 5 was treated with a standard drug glibenclamide at a dose of 1 mg/Kg/day. The result showed that treated group 2 and 4 reduced the glucose level in blood significantly while group 3 showed moderate glucose reduction. The fructosamine level reduced significantly in treating group 4 from the 2nd week of treatment while group 2 and 3 decreased the level significantly in week 4 in diabetic rats. The treated groups showed gradual decreases the glucose level in 1st and 2nd week of oral glucose tolerance test compared to control group. The group receiving holaphylline (4) and sarcovagine-D (2) showed good improvements in blood lipids while the effect of compound on body weight showed less significant improvement. The present study concluded that steroid alkaloids from isolated Sarcococca saligna possess hypoglycemic effect and improve others diabetes associated complications. Together these finding further research is needed using a range of doses to explore the other possible beneficial effects in diabetes mellitus and its molecular mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing popularity of wireless services and devices necessitates high bandwidth requirements; however, spectrum resources are not only limited but also heavily underutilized. Multiple license channels that support the same levels of QoS are desirable to resolve the problems posed by the scarcity and inefficient use of spectrum resources in multi-channel cognitive radio networks (MCRNs). One reason is that multimedia services and applications have distinct, stringent QoS requirements. However, due to a lack of coordination between primary and secondary users, identifying the QoS levels supported over available licensed channels has proven to be problematic and has yet to be attempted. This article presents a novel Bayesian non-parametric channel clustering scheme, which identifies the QoS levels supported over available license channels. The proposed scheme employs the infinite Gaussian mixture model and collapsed Gibbs sampler to identify the QoS levels from the feature space of the bit rate, packet delivery ratio, and packet delay variation of licensed channels. Moreover, the real measurements of wireless data traces and comparisons with baseline clustering schemes are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various documented formulations of magnesium germanate and flouro-germanate were synthesized by conventional solid state method at various temperatures to find out optimal synthesis conditions for maximum luminescence intensity. Relative efficiency of luminescence intensity and thermal stability of luminescence of these formulations is then discussed with respect to the commercially available phosphor. M g 28 G e 7.5 O 38 F 10 : M n 4 + was found to be the most efficient when synthesized at 1150 °C in air and has a comparable efficiency with respect to commercial sample. Photoluminescence intensity with increasing temperature was measured till 500 °C; the samples showed persistent emission till 300 °C. Relatively, samples with M g F 2 give stronger emission at high temperatures if added in proper ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-doped ceramic electrolytes M0.1Sm0.1Ce0.8O2-δ (M = Ba, Ca, Mg, and Sr) were synthesized via co-precipitation. The focus of this study was to highlight the effects of alkaline earth metals in doped ceria on the microstructure, densification, conductivity, and performance. The ionic conductivity comparisons of prepared electrolytes in the air atmosphere were studied. It has been observed that Ca0.1Sm0.1Ce0.8O2-δd shows the highest conductivity of 0.124 Scm-1 at 650 °C and a lower activation energy of 0.48 eV. The cell shows a maximum power density of 630 mW cm-2 at 650 °C using hydrogen fuel. The enhancement in conductivity and performance was due to increasing the oxygen vacancies in the ceria lattice with the increasing dopant concentration. The bandgap was calculated from UV-Vis data, which shows a red shift when compared with pure ceria. The average crystallite size is in the range of 37-49 nm. DFT was used to analyze the co-doping structure, and the calculated lattice parameter was compared with the experimental lattice parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch based films, reinforced by two types of polysaccharide-based crystals, were prepared and compared. The films were transparent and their surface was smooth in appearance. Addition of crystals increased the Young's modulus and tensile strength of starch-based materials and decreased elongation at break. Scanning electron microscopic observation indicated good compatibility between starch matrix and the reinforcing fillers due to same chemical unit (glucose). Cellulose crystals have higher thermal stability than that of starch crystals; this provides better processibility and superior mechanical properties to starch films filled with cellulose crystals. On the other hand, starch films filled with starch crystals demonstrated higher protection againstUV radiation. Since all the components used in this work belong to food sources, the prepared films are biodegradable, safe for food packaging and can also be used to developed ible films (such as wrappers for candies) and medicinal capsules (both soft and hard capsules). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen sugarcane genotypes and two check cultivars were evaluated in randomizedcomplete block design with three replications at Sugar Crops Research Institute Mardan during 2012-13 and 2013- 14. The studies were conducted in two plant crops to calculate broad sense heritability (repeatability), genetic gain and correlations among the parameters, and establish selection criteria. Highly significant (p ≤ 0.01) differences were found among the genotypes for number of tillers, plant height, cane length,number of nodes, internodes length,number of millablecane and cane yield while non-significant differences were recorded for cane diameter. The effect of genotype and crop interaction was highly significant fornumber of tillers while non-significant for other characters. Broad sense heritability for different characters showed varying levels and it was higher for internodes length (43%), number of nodes (39%),cane length (39%), plant height (30%), number of tillers (12%), cane yield (41%) andnumber of millablecane (35%),respectively indicating that these traits could be selected in the improvement of crop yield. Genetic gain was higher for cane length (36.53 cm), plant height (31.84 cm) and number of tillers (12.98 tillers per 9 m2). Number of tillers (rg=0.96, rp =0.83), plant height (rg =0.95, rp = 0.81), cane length (rg =0.90, rp = 0.76), number of nodes (rg =0.79, rp = 0.67), internodes length (rg =0.80, rp =0.74) and number of millablecane (rg =0.96, rp = 0.87) exhibited highly significant and positive correlation with cane yield at genotypic and phenotypic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a low-cost, flexible, chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for humidity monitoring applications. The tag exhibits moisture sensing feature within a compact geometrical dimension of 20mm x 17.6mm. The design is loaded with 12 resonators, where each resonator represents 1 bit in the frequency domain. For the designed 12-bit tag, 11 inverted C-shaped resonators are dedicated for encoding 11-bit information in their spectral signature. An integrated meandered-shaped resonator, covered with moisture sensitive Kapton® HN film, functions as a 1-bit moisture sensor. It is deployed for monitoring relative humidity (RH) levels, simultaneously. The passive RFID tag is realized on Taconic TLX-0 and has an operational bandwidth of 2.62 GHz. Furthermore, the design is modeled and analyzed for multiple substrates. The performance of the sensor tag for various humidity levels indicates that it is a potential solution for inexpensive sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a global threat because it is spreading at an alarming rate because of its wider range of transmission routes. The neuroteratogenic nature of ZIKV infection is posing serious threats to unborn lives therefore, it is necessary to develop an ideal ZIKV prophylactic or therapeutic agent urgently. Researchers are having tough time finding a treatment for ZIKV in part because of serious consequences of vaccines and drugs to unborn lives and pregnant women. However, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of DNA vaccine, recombinant subunit vaccine, and ZIKV purified inactivated vaccine offers hope for human protection. Large number of food and drug administration (FDA) approved drugs as wells as compounds with anti-ZIKV activity offer valuable opportunity to control the massive bio-burden of this catastrophic epidemic. Some evidences suggest that immunotherapeutics might prove to be winning strategy in pregnant females. Here, we review the recent advances and current knowledge regarding therapeutic interventions against ZIKV infection. This article will provide baseline data and roadmap to prosecute further research for the development of novel therapeutic strategy to curb the explosive rise in ZIKV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio cholerae causes a severe diarrheal disease affecting millions of people worldwide, particularly in low income countries. V . cholerae successfully persist in aquatic environment and its pathogenic strains results in sever enteric disease in humans. This dual life style contributes towards its better survival and persistence inside host gut and in the environment. Alternative animal replacement models are of great value in studying host-pathogen interaction and for quick screening of various pathogenic strains. One such model is Galleria mellonella , a wax moth which has a complex innate immune system and here we investigate its suitability as a model for clinical human isolates of O1 El TOR, Ogawa serotype belonging to two genetically distinct subclades found in Pakistan (PSC-1 and PSC-2). We demonstrate that the PSC-2 strain D59 frequently isolated from inland areas, was more virulent than PSC-1 strain K7 mainly isolated from coastal areas (p = 0.0001). In addition, we compared the relative biofilm capability of the representative strains as indicators of their survival and persistence in the environment and K7 showed enhanced biofilm forming capabilities (p = 0.004). Finally we present the annotated genomes of the strains D59 and K7, and compared them with the reference strain N16961. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster-based scheduling is recently gaining importance to be applied to mixed-criticality real-time systems on multicore processors platform. In this approach, the cores are grouped into clusters, and tasks that are partitioned among different clusters are scheduled by global scheduler in each cluster. This research work introduces a new cluster-based task allocation scheme for the mixed-criticality real-time task sets on multicore processors. For task allocation, smaller clusters sizes (sub-clusters) are used for mixed-criticality tasks in low criticality mode, while relatively larger cluster sizes are used for high criticality tasks in high criticality mode. In this research paper, the mixed-criticality task set is allocated to clusters using worst-fit heuristic. The tasks from each cluster are also allocated to its sub-clusters, using the same worst-fit heuristic. A fixed-priority response time analysis approach based on Audsley’s approach is used for the schedulability analysis of tasks in each cluster and sub-cluster. If the high criticality job is not completed after its worst case execution time in low mode, then the system is switched to high criticality mode. After mode switch, all the low criticalities tasks are discarded and only high criticality tasks are further executed in high criticality mode. Simulation results indicate that the percentage of schedulable task sets significantly increases under cluster scheduling as compared to partitioned and global mixed-criticality scheduling schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess amniotic fluid volume in second and third trimester of pregnancy in Pakistani population. Period: Three months. Setting: Talha ultrasound, Multan. Material and Methods: I have started my work by collecting data from the month of November, 2015 to February, 2016. The machines which have been used for data collection were Xario and Z-5 ultrasound Doppler machines with transabdominal (3.5-5MHz) probes. A group of 100 Pakistani married female patients of different age groups was included. These patients were having normal criteria of second and third trimester (14-40 weeks gestational age). Results: 100 married female patients were selected having different age group. There were no significant difference found in the means of large pocket volume and four pocket volumes of second and third trimester of pregnancy. Conclusion: Ultrasound plays an important role in assessment of amniotic fluid volume. If there is one unit change in large pocket volume (LPV) than four pocket volume (FPV) will change by 2.37 and 2.146 in second and third trimester, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cellular trafficking protein secretory-carrier-membrane-protein 3 (SCAMP3) has been previously shown to promote hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, glioma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Moreover, previous work has shown that SCAMP3 regulates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the oncogenic role of SCAMP3 in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer (BRCA) remains largely unknown. In this study, the role of SCAMP3 in different molecular subtypes of BRCA was investigated using in silico, in vitro and in vivo approaches. In silico analysis of BRCA patient samples showed that SCAMP3 is highly overexpressed in different BRCA molecular subtypes, advanced disease grades and lymph node metastatic stages. Depletion of SCAMP3 inhibited BRCA cell growth, stemness, clonogenic potential and migration and promoted autophagy and cellular senescence. The expression of stemness markers CD44 and OCT4A was reduced in SCAMP3-silenced MDA-MB-231 cells. SCAMP3 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, clonogenicity, tumor spheroid formation and migration in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. SCAMP3 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) by regulating E-cadherin expression. SCAMP3 enhanced in vivo tumor growth in MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft mouse model. Mechanistically, SCAMP3 depletion inhibited β-Catenin, c-MYC and SQSTM1 expression, while its overexpression increased the expression of the same oncogenic proteins. Increased SCAMP3 expression associated with increased chemoresistance in BRCA cells while its depletion associated with increased sensitivity to chemotherapy. BRCA patients with high SCAMP3 expression showed poor prognosis, decreased overall survival and relapse free survival relative to counterparts with reduced SCAMP3 expression. These findings suggest that SCAMP3 exerts a wide range of oncogenic effects in different molecular subtypes of BRCA by modulating the c-MYC-β-Catenin-SQSTM1 axis that targets tumor growth, metastasis, stemness and chemoresistance. • SCAMP3 overexpress in different molecular subtypes and stages of breast cancer and correlates with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. • SCAMP3 depletion suppresses breast cancer growth, clonogenic potential, migration and tumor spheroids formation. • SCAMP3 targets the β-Catenin/c-MYC/SQSTM1 axis to promote breast cancer progression, metastasis and EMT-like features. • Depletion of SCAMP3 enhances autophagy by targeting LC3BI/II expression and promotes cellular senescence. • SCAMP3 enhances in vivo tumor growth in MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride ions (F-) and phenol in groundwater have become a great hurdle to the pursuit of a healthy drinking water source. This study established a microencapsulated immobilization reactor with Aquabacterium sp. CZ3 for the simultaneous removal of nitrate (NO 3 --N), calcium (Ca2+), F-, and phenol from groundwater with 100%, 67.84%, 88.67%, and 100% removal efficiencies, respectively. The three-dimensional mesh structure of microcapsules facilitated the transport and metabolism of substances, while their synergistic effect with bacteria promoted the removal of contaminants. F- was removed by co-precipitation to generate Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 F and CaF 2 and adsorption. On one hand, the phenol toxicity promoted the production of extracellular polymers and improved the tolerance of bacteria; on the other hand, the degradation of phenol provided a carbon source for bacteria and promoted the denitrification. The development of microencapsulated immobilized reactor provided a clear mechanism for phenol and F- removal under the microbially induced calcium precipitation (MICP) technique, while providing a valuable solution for the treatment of complex groundwater resources. [Display omitted] • A microencapsulated immobilization reactor with AlCMC-CM composite was developed. • The immobilized reactor simultaneously removed NO 3 --N, Ca2+, F-, and phenol. • Phenol has both toxic and stimulating effects on the growth of Aquabacterium CZ3. • Moderate amounts of phenol promoted the secretion of tryptophan and EPS. • Three-dimensional microcapsules promoted the transport and metabolism of substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sodium alginate and sinter fixed strain SJ25 (SIPB) promoted sludge reduction. • Sodium alginate was used to prolong the action time of lysozyme lysis sludge. • Fixed sinter was used to enhance enzyme activity and promote electron transfer. • SIP B boosted the viability of microbes and altered their community structure. • SIP B strengthened the metabolic capability associated with sludge hydrolysis. In order to promote sludge hydrolysis and improve the efficiency of aerobic digestion, the sodium alginate immobilized gel spheres pellet B (SIP B) were prepared using sodium alginate (SA) and sinter as carrier to immobilize lysozyme producing strain SJ25. The optimal conditions for SIP B to promote sludge hydrolysis were 5.6 mg SS-1 dosage and pH of 9.0. Under the optimal condition compared with the control group, the reduction efficiency of suspended solids (SS) in 24 h was increased by 26.89 %, the release of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) was increased by 517.79 mg L–1, polysaccharide (PS) and protein (PN) concentrations were increased by 186.69 and 368.68 mg L–1, respectively. SIP B enhanced the degradation efficiency of sludge by promote the release of lysozyme, prolonging the action time of the enzyme, enhancing the metabolism and membrane transport of xenobiotics, carbohydrate and amino. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cellulose-degrading and denitrifying strain were used synergistically in bioractor. • Synergism of two strains enhanced the denitrification capacity of biofilm reactor. • Fe@MCC showed hydrolysis of cellulose and better carbon release performance. • The Fe2+ released by the loaded iron on Fe@MCC can be used by strain XL4. • Microbial community analysis showed cooperative features among the strains. Optimization of nitrate removal rate under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio has always been one of the research hotspots. Biofilm reactor based on functional carrier and using interspecific synergic effect of strains provides an insight. In this study, iron-loaded corn cob was used as a functional carrier that can contribute to the cellulose degradation, iron cycling, and collaborative denitrification process of microorganisms. During biofilm reactor operation, the maximum nitrate removal efficiency was 99.30% and could reach 81.73% at no carbon source. Dissolved organic carbon and carrier characterization showed that strain ZY7 promoted the release of carbon source. The crystallinity of cellulose I and II in carrier of experimental group increased by 31.26% and decreased by 21.83%, respectively, in comparison to the control group. Microbial community showed the synergistic effect among different strains. The vitality and metabolic activity of the target microorganisms in bioreactor were increased through interspecific bacterial cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article proposes a new multi‐port bidirectional DC‐DC converter for electric vehicle (EV) usages. The recommended converter has the ability for step‐up and step‐down operating. The bidirectional power flow makes the proposed converter suitable for EV applications, where a storage unit is charged and discharged. The proposed converter has three ports (VHigh, VLow, and V2), and all of these ports have bidirectional features. In each operation mode (step‐up or step‐down), the output port is loaded by two independent input sources. Also, a high voltage conversion ratio is achieved with low power switches duty cycle and reduced peak voltage over semiconductors. Input current with reduced ripple, low components count, a simple circuit with low cost and volume, and high efficiency are the main advantages of the presented bidirectional topology. In order to demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the recommended converter, operational and steady‐state analysis in step‐up and step‐down modes, design consideration, efficiency calculation, and comparison with other DC‐DC converters are provided Finally, a prototype with a step‐up power of 120 W and a step‐down power of 30 W is created, and experimental data are shown to validate the numerical investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study scrutinizes the impact of heat and mass transfer on the slip flow of a nanofluid in a rotating system, which is designed by two infinite parallel plates. The effects of a magnetic field, thermal radiation, and chemical reaction are also added to the flow system. Copper oxide (CuO) is considered the nanomaterial with drinking water as the base fluid. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations with the help of similarity transformations. These equations are solved analytically by employing the least square method (LSM) and the Galerkin method (GM). The results computed by these methods are compared with the numerical method such as the Runge–Kutta method of order four (RK4M). The extensive applications of LSM and GM in comparison with RK4M are also presented. Although the attained outcomes are in good agreement, the results obtained with GM are more accurate than that obtained with LSM. Moreover, the contributions of various fluid parameters on the velocity, temperature, and concentration of the fluid are discussed through graphs. Results reveal that the presence of slip in the boundary declines the fluid velocity. The rotational velocity is enhanced with the increment of the rotation parameter. The magnitude of the skin friction coefficient is reduced by increasing the nanoparticle volume fraction while it grows by rising the magnetic parameter. The Nusselt number shows an enhancement with nanoparticle volume fraction, and it yields a slight reduction by increasing the effect of a magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are key regulators of complex cellular processes. HIV-1 Tat is synthesized early after infection and is mainly responsible for enhancing viral production. Here, we report that one of the DUBs, USP7, stabilized the HIV-1 Tat protein through its deubiquitination. Treatment with either a general DUB inhibitor (PR-619) or USP7-specific inhibitor (P5091) resulted in Tat protein degradation. The USP7-specific inhibitor reduced virus production in a latently infected T-lymphocytic cell line J1.1, which produces large amounts of HIV-1 upon stimulation. A potent increase in Tat-mediated HIV-1 production was observed with USP7 in a dose-dependent manner. As expected, deletion of the USP7 gene using the CRISPR-Cas9 method reduced the Tat protein and supported less virus production. Interestingly, the levels of endogenous USP7 increased after HIV-1 infection in human T-cells (MOLT-3) and in mammalian cells transfected with HIV-1 proviral DNA. Thus, HIV-1 Tat is stabilized by the host cell deubiquitinase USP7, leading to enhanced viral production, and HIV-1 in turn up-regulates the USP7 protein level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report herein a highly stereoselective method for the indium triflate-catalyzed vinylogous substitution of the hydroxy group of diarylmethyl alcohols with 3-alkenyl-2-silyloxyindoles, which affords broadly substituted α-alkylidene- δ-diaryl-2-oxindole products with high efficiency and complete γ-site and Z-selectivity. The reaction displays very wide substrate scopes for both the reactants, benzhydryl alcohols and 3-alkenyl-2-silyloxyindoles. The utility of the substituted adducts is shown by their conversion to other useful derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that is emerging as a global threat because of the highly debilitating nature of the associated disease and unprecedented magnitude of its spread. Chikungunya originated in Africa and has since spread across the entire globe causing large numbers of epidemics that have infected millions of people in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe, the Americas, and Pacific Islands. Phylogenetic analysis has identified four different genotypes of CHIKV: Asian, West African, East/Central/South African (ECSA), and Indian Ocean Lineage (IOL). In the absence of well-designed epidemiological studies, the aim of this review article was to summarize the global epidemiology of CHIKV and to provide baseline data for future research on the treatment, prevention, and control of this life-threatening disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue is a major health problem around the world and contributes in high rate of morbidity and mortality. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency, time and place distribution of the dengue fever epidemic in District Swat. Material & Methods: This hospital based, cross-sectional study was conducted in District Head Quarter Teaching Hospital Swat, KPK, Pakistan from August 07 to October 31, 2013, during dengue epidemic. Total of 9032 dengue suspected patients were registered on consecutive sampling technique. Demographic variables were gender, age groups and residence. Research variables were Dengue non-hemorrhagic and Dengue hemorrhagic fever. Blood samples were collected from non-hemorrhagic dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever patients. Serum was obtained by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes after blood samples were properly clotted. Qualitative detection of dengue virus NS1 antigen was done on commercially available ICT-SD Dengue NS1 kit (Standard Diagnostic, South Korea) following manufacturer instructions. Data analysis was carried out by using SPSS version 19. All variables being categorical were analyzed by frequency and percentages. Results: Out of 9032 dengue suspected patients serum samples, 8638(96%) were found positive for dengue NS1 antigen. Out of 8638(96%) positive cases on NSI, 5889(68%) patients were males and 2749(32%) were females. The age group wise distribution of the male and female Dengue virus NS1 Antigen positive cases with the age group 21-30 was the modal age group. Conclusion: The highest incidence of dengue fever was observed in young people. Effective awareness campaigns should be initiated at local, provincial and national level by health departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research, based on cross sectional data, was carried out in three districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, i.e district Mardan, Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan. Randomly a sample size of 303 sugarcane growers was formally interviewed for crop season 2014-15 through a pretested questioners prepared on the bases of objectives of the study. Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA) was employed for data analysis using computer software STATA. Result illustrates that technical efficiency of sugarcane crop for the period under study in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ranges from minimum 0.47 to maximum 0.98 with mean value of 0.84 percent. This mean that with same resource base average sugarcane growers can increase his yield up to 14% and most technical inefficient grower can increase his per acre yield up to 52% in order to achieve technical efficiency level (98%) of efficient fellow grower in study area. Maximum Likelihood Estimate (MLE) of technical efficiency describes that in study area one percent increase in land under sugarcane crop, seed, urea, DAP, farmyard manure, tractor hours, irrigation, pesticides used and labour days would rise sugarcane yield by 0.053, 0.103, 0.068, 0.020, 0.024, 0.111, 0.118, 0.005 and 0.121% respectively. All inputs except DAP, farmyard manure and pesticides were found significant at 5% significance level. In inefficiency model grower age, experience and contact with extension workers has significant contribution in decreasing farm inefficiency. However, grower's family size, his off-farm income and distance between farm and house were found non-significant. The coefficient of education reveals that in study area inefficiency raised with increase in grower's formal education. In order to increase grower's productivity government should ensure the provision of quality extension services. Many of the farmers achieving high and consistent yield and then obtaining high technical efficiency in study area can be used effectively to demonstrate the benefits of good farming practices for reduction of gap between the most technical efficient and the inefficient farmers. Empirical results illustrate that there exist opportunity to increase yield at present level of inputs use and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most predominant malignancies with high fatality rate. This deadly cancer is rising at an alarming rate because it is quite resistant to radio- and chemotherapy. Different epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modifications, DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, and expression of noncoding RNAs drive the cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, initiation, progression, and development of HCC. These epigenetic alterations because of potential reversibility open way towards the development of biomarkers and therapeutics. The contribution of these epigenetic changes to HCC development has not been thoroughly explored yet. Further research on HCC epigenetics is necessary to better understand novel molecular-targeted HCC treatment and prevention. This review highlights latest research progress and current updates regarding epigenetics of HCC, biomarker discovery, and future preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat the increasing risk of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]