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The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has considerably increased among students, including students with vision impairment (SVI). There has been limited work on the information and digital needs of people with disabilities, particularly SVI who were studying for their masters or MPhil and were involved in research activities in Pakistan. This study is an effort to explore various obstacles, expected services and support for SVIs from their universities, libraries, and Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan. This study is qualitative in nature, and an interview guide was used to collect data from the participants in Lahore, Pakistan. The results of this study showed that students with vision impairment use a variety of digital information resources. However, very few use the higher education commission of Pakistan subscribed databases due to restricted access and complex interfaces. The hindrances include lack of university support, limited training opportunities, non-availability of digital library services, and others. The participants highlighted a variety of needed library services and support from their departmental as well as central libraries. It is assumed that the results of this study will help the relevant authorities to make friendly policies and improve library services to facilitate the SVI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the drugs are hydrophobic and have low water solubility, therefore posing issues in their absorption and bioavailability. Nonionic surfactants improve the solubility of hydrophobic drugs by entrapping them in their lipid bilayers. Two nonionic surfactants NODNH-16 and NODNH-18 are synthesized and characterized using different techniques i.e. EI-MS, 1H NMR, and FTIR. These newly synthesized surfactants were screened for blood hemolysis assay and cell toxicity studies using the NIH/3T3 cell line to assess their biocompatibility. Then amphotericin B was loaded into niosomal vesicles, and the drug entrapment efficiency of these surfactants was measured using UV–visible spectroscopy. The morphology of drug-loaded niosomes of synthesized surfactants was investigated using AFM, and their size, polydispersity, and zeta potential were measured with the Zetasizer instrument. Finally, a simulation study was performed to determine the pattern of self-assembly of the synthesized amphiphiles. Both synthesized nonionic surfactants showed good entrapment efficiency of 60.65 ± 2.12% and 68.45 ± 2.12%, respectively. It was also confirmed that both these synthesized nonionic surfactants were safe and biocompatible and showed less blood hemolysis (i.e. 21.13 ± 2.11% and 23.32 ± 2.45%) and higher 3T3 cells' viability at 150 µg/mL concentration as compared to Tween®-80. The antifungal potential of amphotericin B-loaded niosomes has been evaluated against unicellular multi-fungal species, which showed a promising potential for fungicidal activity. These results are substantiated by constructing a safe vehicle system for drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-drug resistant (MDR) bactearial strains have posed serious health issues, thus leading to a significant increase in mortality, morbidity, and the expensive treatment of infections. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), comprising metal ions and a variety of organic ligands, have been employed as an effective drug deliveryy vehicle due to their low toxicity, biodegradability, higher structural integrity and diverse surface functionalities. Polydopamine (PDA) is a versatile biocompatible polymer with several interesting properties, including the ability to adhere to biological surfaces. As a result, modifying drug delivery vehicles with PDA has the potential to improve their antimicrobial properties. This work describes the preparation of PDA-coated Zn-MOFs for improving curcumin's antibacterial properties against S. aureus and E. coli. Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and DLS were utilized to characterize PDA-coated Zn-MOFs. The curcumin loading and in vitro release of the prepared MOFs were also examined. Finally, the MOFs were tested for bactericidal ability against E. coli and S. aureus using an anti-bacterial assay and surface morphological analysis. Smaller size MOFs were capable of loading and releasing curcumin. The findings showed that as curcumin was encapsulated into PDA-coated MOFs, its bactericidal potential was significantly enhanced, and the findings were further supported by SEM which indicated the complete morphological distortion of the bacteria after treatment with PDA-Cur-Zn-MOFs. These studies clearly indicate that the PDA-Cur-Zn-MOFs developed in this study are extremely promising for long-term release of drugs to treat a wide range of microbial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically, composite laminates perform exceptionally well in-plane but poorly out-of-plane. Interlaminar damage, known as "delamination," is a major issue for composite laminates. Results from Mode-I and Mode-II experimental testing on twill-woven carbon fiber reinforced (CFRP) laminates are analyzed in this paper. Composite Mode-I fracture toughness was determined using three different methods in accordance with ASTM D5528: modified beam theory, compliance calibration, and a codified compliance calibration. Two methods, the Compliance Calibration Method and the Compliance-Based Beam Method, were used to determine the Mode-II fracture toughness in accordance with ASTM D7905. Stick-slip behavior is quite evident in the composite's Mode-I fracture toughness test findings. The MBT technique's GIc values for initiation and propagation are 0.533 and 0.679 KJ/m², respectively. When comparing the MBT approach to the industry-standard ASTM procedure for determining fracture toughness Mode-I, the MBT method was shown to be highly compatible. Furthermore, the -IIc values for the CBBM technique are 1.65 KJ/m² for non-pre cracked and 1.4 KJ/m² for pre-cracked materials. The CBBM method shows a good method to evaluate fracture toughness Mode-II, due to not needing to monitor the length of the crack during delamination growth to get the value of the fracture toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results for the specific activities of primordial radionuclides, gross alpha and gross beta activities in soil samples collected from 29 locations of Azad Kashmir are presented. Soil samples were analysed, for possible radionuclide contents and relevant health implications, by high-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy and α/β counter ASC-950-DP Protean instrument. The alpha activity varied from 77.31 ± 9.95 to 440.08 ± 16.48 Bq kg-1 with overall average value of 234.88 ± 1.69 Bq kg-1. While beta activity varied from the minimum detection level, i.e.,

This study presents a low‐cost, compact, flexible, and wideband wearable antenna for different wireless body area network (WBAN) band applications, covering medical body area network band of 2.4 GHz, industrial, scientific, and medical band of 2.45 GHz, WiMAX band of 3.5 GHz, and wireless local area network band of 5.2 GHz. The final antenna topology is obtained by hexagonal microstrip radiator patch fabricated on commercially available low‐cost photo paper substrate and defected ground plane below the feed line acting as a partial ground to achieve a conformable structure wideband operation. The overall size of the fabricated antenna is 30 × 40 mm2 and yields a wide‐bandwidth of 3 GHz (2.30–5.30 GHz), radiation efficiency of 84.35%, and the highest gain of 3.48 dBi at the centre frequency of 5.2 GHz, and minimum gain of 1.91 dBi at 2.45 GHz. Furthermore, our detailed numerical and experimental investigations involving specific absorption rate performance assessment and bending analysis revealed the proposed design's excellent robustness to both human body loading and structural deformation scenarios. Therefore, simulated and measured results strongly advocate that the proposed design has profound implications for flexible and body‐worn devices in WBAN applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Generative Models have gained considerable attention in unsupervised learning via a new and practical framework called Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) due to their outstanding data generation capability. Many GAN models have been proposed, and several practical applications have emerged in various domains of computer vision and machine learning. Despite GANs excellent success, there are still obstacles to stable training. The problems are Nash equilibrium, internal covariate shift, mode collapse, vanishing gradient, and lack of proper evaluation metrics. Therefore, stable training is a crucial issue in different applications for the success of GANs. Herein, we survey several training solutions proposed by different researchers to stabilize GAN training. We discuss (I) the original GAN model and its modified versions, (II) a detailed analysis of various GAN applications in different domains, and (III) a detailed study about the various GAN training obstacles as well as training solutions. Finally, we reveal several issues as well as research outlines to the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg2+) as environmental pollutant is a widespread concern due to its cytotoxic effect in humans and animals and needs to be monitored through cost effective methods based on naked-eye detection. Herein, in this study, we extracted and isolated the limonin (LMN) via a facile procedure and then employed it as capping agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (LMN-AgNPs) as a first report. LMN-AgNPs were characterized through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential Analyzer (ZPA) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. As-formed LMN-AgNPs were recognized as extremely selective and highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for Hg2+ with potential analytical application. The developed sensor showed an outstanding linear correlation with the concentration of Hg2+ in the range of 0.002 − 55 µM via a color change from deep yellow to transparent showing hypsochromic-hypochromic shift with the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) as low as 0.21 nM and 0.7 nM respectively. The sensor was further allied with smartphone for immediate and on-site quantification of Hg2+. The LOD and LOQ of 0.42 µM and 1.4 µM was true for smartphone based sensing in the range of 7.5–55 µM Hg2+. The detection of Hg2+ was not disrupted by the presence of other metals in either of mentioned cases. The practical applicability of the proposed Hg2+ sensor was tested using spectrophotometric and smartphone based approaches in human serum and urine as well as in tap water samples with acceptable ranges of recovery. As-developed sensor can work as a potential candidate for monitoring of Hg2+ pollution in diverse fields of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare hand-sewn and stapled sutures and the influence of intestinal excision on postoperative complications. Study Design: Retrospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: General Surgery Department of CMH Peshawar, from Jan 2020 to Jan 2021. Methodology: Once receiving consent, all individuals hospitalized in the medical facility for ileostomy closure were included in our investigation. In a questionnaire, postoperative complications were documented. Result: This study involved a total of 60 subjects. Individuals were scheduled for surgery after receiving clearances and a loopogram distally. Thirty patients had their wounds hand-sewn shut, while 30 others had their wounds stapled shut. The mean operating time for the hand-sewn method was 2.46 ± 0.29 hours, compared to 1.86 ± 0.17 hours mean for the stapled method. In both categories, the anastomotic leak was comparable. Thirty patients in the hand-sewn group took a mean of 2.42 ± 0.25 days to return bowel sounds after surgery, whereas it took 1.83 ± 0.20 days to return bowel sounds. Conclusion: The stapler method greatly decreases the duration of surgery, promotes rapid recovery, and has a lower fatality rate. Stapling is a simple procedure that can be performed in inaccessible locations, such as a low colorectal anastomosis. In elective gastrointestinal procedures, stapler anastomosis can be utilized safely and successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 is a new paradigm of digitalization and automation that demands high data rates and real-time ultra-reliable agile communication. Industrial communication at sub-6 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands has some serious impediments, such as interference, spectral congestion, and limited bandwidth. These limitations hinder the high throughput and reliability requirements of modern industrial applications and mission-critical scenarios. In this paper, we critically assess the potential of the 60 GHz millimeter-wave (mmWave) ISM band as an enabler for ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) in smart manufacturing, smart factories, and mission-critical operations in Industry 4.0 and beyond. A holistic overview of 60 GHz wireless standards and key performance indicators are discussed. Then the review of 60 GHz smart antenna systems facilitating agile communication for Industry 4.0 and beyond is presented. We envisage that the use of 60 GHz communication and smart antenna systems are crucial for modern industrial communication so that URLLC in Industry 4.0 and beyond could soar to its full potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kapok fiber is emerging as a cheaper natural fiber having excellent thermal insulation properties. Recycled polyester/kapok blended needle punched nonwoven waddings are prepared where the effect of kapok fiber %, sheet areal density, and needle punch density on thermal resistance and air permeability is measured and analyzed with the help of MINITAB®18.1. Three percentages of kapok fiber (20, 40, 60%), four levels of fabric areal density (150, 300, 450, 600 g.m-2) and two levels of punch density (15, 20 punches.cm-2) were chosen. The statistical analysis revealed that kapok fiber % and areal density had a significant effect on both thermal resistance and air permeability of nonwovens. The thermal resistance was decreased significantly with the increase in kapok fiber %, especially at higher punch density. A significant interaction between kapok fiber % and areal density was observed for air permeability. It may be concluded that, in the selected range of input variables, recycled PET/kapok nonwovens with less % of kapok fibers and punch density display better thermal insulation performance, especially at higher areal density. The prepared nonwovens may find applications in winter coats and wadding layers for quilts, etc., and will also help to reduce the pollution from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grammatical rule is a standard used by Arab grammarians to assess the validity of structures and spoken sentences in determining the success of communication between the speaker and the addressee. They arrived at this conclusion by extrapolating the Arabs' language, despite their differences, and they formulated a general rule that communication should be plain and unambiguous in order to achieve informativeness in comprehending the meaning and obtaining the benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, our main focus is to find out an optical window where the plasma is optically thin and the plasma parameters can be determined more reliably. The strontium plasma was generated using the fundamental (1064 nm) and the second harmonic (532 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The spectra were registered using a set of five miniature spectrometers covering the spectral range from 200 to 720 nm. The intensity ratios of some specific lines have been compared with the theoretically calculated intensities to check the validity of optically thin plasma, free from self-absorption and in local thermodynamic equilibrium. In the selected optical window, the electron number densities have been determined from the Stark broadened line profiles, and the excitation temperatures have been calculated using the Boltzmann plot method for 1064- and 532-nm laser wavelengths. The variations in the electron number density and excitation temperature have been studied as a function of laser energy (8–100 mJ), atmospheric pressure (100–600 mbar), and spatial distribution of the plasma plume (0.5–4.0 mm) for both the lasers. The electron number density is found to be higher for the 532-nm laser than the 1064-nm laser, while the excitation temperature is higher for the 1064-nm laser than the 532-nm laser. We have fitted a power law on the experimental data to analyze the varying trends of excitation temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of crops and vegetables is largely affected by soil salinity which is a rising problem all over the world. The irrigation water and fertilizers are playing a vital role in increasing soil salinity. The elemental composition of the Aerva javanica plants grown in the salty area has been studied using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The soil, root, and shoot samples were collected from the Khewra Salt ranges, which is the world's second-largest salt mine, located in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. This work aims to detect the major saline metals present in the plants grown in the salt-affected soil for which the electric field has been applied as an additional excitation source to enhance the emission signals using LIBS. Calibration-free LIBS has been applied to extract the concentration of soluble metals such as sodium, magnesium, and calcium in the root and shoot samples. The plasma temperature was determined using the Boltzmann plot method while the electron density was estimated from the Stark broadened profile of the calcium line at 616.12 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles were added into (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223) high Tc superconducting matrix to get (Ag)x/CuTl-1223, x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4 wt. %, nano-superconductor composites. The activation energy {U (eV)} and zero resistivity critical temperature {Tc (0)} were increased with increasing contents of Ag nanoparticles in (CuTl-1223) phase up to x = 2.0 wt. %. The increase of activation energy is most probably due to interaction of carriers with the metallic Ag nanoparticles present at grain boundaries of the host CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix. The systematic increase in Tc (0) and gradual decrease in normal state resistivity {ρ300 K (Ω cm)} may be due to improved inter-grains coupling by filling up the voids and pores with the inclusion of metallic Ag nanoparticles at the grain-boundaries. There are two possible mechanisms associated with the inclusion of Ag nanoparticles, one is the formation of non-superconducting regions causing the increase of activation energy and other (dominating) is the improved inter-grains connectivity promoting Tc (0). The microscopic parameters (i.e., zero temperature coherence length along c-axis {ξc (0)}, inter-layer coupling (J), inter-grain coupling (α), etc.) deduced from the fluctuation induced conductivity analysis reasonably explained the experimental findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study has been carried out to identify the open data initiatives taken by different governments. The study also incorporated the benefits and challenges and myths of open data applications. It is a qualitative study based on the review of already published literature. Literature was searched from scholarly databases by using multiple keywords. Articles were selected based on relevance to the topic. The UK, US, Maldova, Pakistan, and Fingal Country Catalog cases have been elaborated. The challenges include technical, legal, organizational, managerial, financial, methodological, and conceptual issues. The myths of open data include; 1) All information should be unrestrictedly publicized, 2) It is a matter of merely publishing public data, 3) Every constituent can make use of open data, 4) Open data will result in open government. It will help report already taken initiatives and encountered challenges to better tackle initiatives taken by novice organizations. The organizations planning to adopt linked and open data technologies can overview issues and challenges and benefit from the best practices. This study is one of its kind as assembling open data technologies based on evidence from the literature is not presented before the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the design and practical implementation of a microstrip diplexer based on the wave discrimination property associated with the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)-like effect. The EIT is a quantum interference phenomenon which happens between two atomic transition pathways and allows wave propagation within a medium's absorption spectrum. Here, we exploit an analogous interference mechanism in a three-port microstrip structure to demonstrate a diplexer based on the EIT-like effect in the microwave regime. Since the transparency is accompanied by a high transmission and strong dispersion characteristics, compact frequency discriminating structures that can resolve nearby frequencies with high isolation can be devised. Our proposed C-band diplexer consists of pairs of unequal open-circuit stubs, which resonate at detuned frequencies and interfere to form the EIT-like passbands for diplexer action. The design is highly compact and scalable in frequency for both PCB and on-chip applications. A prototype of diplexer is fabricated for the center frequencies of lower and upper passbands at 4.6 GHz and 5.5 GHz respectively. The transmission zeros are designed at the complementary channels so that the two passbands are highly isolated presenting the isolation of about 40 dB. The measured insertion loss of lower and upper passband is 0.59 dB and 0.61 dB respectively. Measured input return loss is better than − 15 dB, while the output return losses are well below − 12 dB. Moreover, a decent value of about 200 is achieved for the group refractive index around the EIT-like passbands, which reveals the slow wave characteristics of the proposed EIT-based diplexer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted parasitology curricula worldwide, which is expected to lead to the reshaping of parasitology education. Here, we share our experiences of remote teaching and learning of veterinary parasitology and discuss opportunities offered by remote teaching during COVID-19 lockdowns, enabling the development of interactive online parasitology courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the preparation and characterization of nonwoven jute composites. The untreated and chemically treated waste jute fibers were used to prepare needlepunched nonwoven fabrics. The treated waste jute fibers were also used to extract nanocellulose by pulverization, followed by acid hydrolysis. The prepared 2 wt% suspension of nanocellulose was spray coated over chemically treated nonwoven jute fabric. Afterward, the composites were prepared by compression molding technique. The surface morphologies of treated jute fibers and nanocellulose were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The crystallinity of chemically treated jute fibers and nanocellulose was measured by X-ray diffraction. The effect of chemical treatments and nanocellulose spray coating over nonwoven jute reinforcement on the tensile, flexural, drop weight impact, and compression after impact properties of prepared composites has been investigated. The results revealed the improvement in mechanical properties after chemical treatments and nanocellulose coating. The overall better results were shown by composite sample prepared from chemically treated followed by nanocellulose sprayed jute nonwoven reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Mastitis has been identified as the most prevalent and economically imperative disease among dairy animals. Thus, understanding its common bacterial pathogens and risk factors is necessary to improve udder health at herd, region, or country level. However, scientific research on caprine mastitis, especially on Beetal breed, has remained to be insufficient in Pakistan. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and antibiogram assay of common mastitis-causing bacterial agents, that is, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Escherichia coli, in dairy goats. Materials and Methods: In total, 500 Beetal goats, irrespective of age and those that were not treated with any kind of antimicrobial agents during the past 120 h, were screened using California Mastitis Test in Pattoki, Kasur District, whereas epidemiological factors were recorded. The milk samples of mastitic goats were then collected and processed using standard methods. Each sample was primarily cultured on nutrient agar. Using a specific medium, each bacterial colony was separated using several streak methods. Six antibiotic disks belonging to different antibiotic groups were used for antibiogram profiling of bacterial isolates. Chi-square test was used to assess the association of baseline characteristics and mastitis occurrence. Meanwhile, multivariable logistic regression (p<0.001) was utilized to determine the risk factors associated with positive and negative dichotomous outcome of mastitis. Results: The results revealed that the overall prevalence of goat mastitis was 309 (61.8%), in which 260 (52%) and 49 (9.8%) cases were positive for subclinical mastitis (SCM) and clinical mastitis (CM), respectively. Streptococcus and E. coli were found to be the predominant isolates causing SCM and CM, respectively (p<0.001). It was observed that amoxicillin+clavulanic acid was highly sensitive to isolates of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus and ceftiofur sodium to isolates of Streptococcus and E. coli, while enrofloxacin was found to be sensitive to isolates of Streptococcus and E. coli. Risk factors such as herd structure, deworming, vaccination, presence of ticks, use of teat dip and mineral supplements, feeding type, age, parity, housing, blood in the milk, milk leakage, milk taste, and milk yield were found to have the strongest association with mastitis occurrence, while ease of milking has moderate association. Conclusion: In the area examined, cases of SCM were found to be higher compared with that of CM, and ceftiofur sodium has been identified as the preferred treatment in both clinical and subclinical forms of caprine mastitis in Beetal goats. Risk factors for mastitis that was identified in this study can form the basis for the creation of an udder health control program specific for dairy goats. We hope our findings could raise awareness of the risk factors and treatment approaches for common mastitis-causing bacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low anisotropic (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223) high Tc superconducting matrix was synthesized by solid-state reaction and Al2O3 nanoparticles were prepared separately by co-precipitation method. Al2O3 nanoparticles were added with different concentrations during the final sintering cycle of CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix to get the required (Al2O3)y/CuTl-1223, y=0.0, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, and 1.5 wt.%, composites. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and dc-resistivity (ρ) measurements. The activation energy and superconductivity were suppressed with increasing concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles in (CuTl-1223) matrix. The XRD analysis showed that the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles did not affect the crystal structure of the parent CuTl-1223 superconducting phase. The suppression of activation energy and superconducting properties is most probably due to weak flux pinning in the samples. The possible reason of weak flux pinning is reduction of weak links and enhanced inter-grain coupling due to the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles at the grain boundaries. The presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles at the grain boundaries possibly reduced the number of flux pinning centers, which were present in the form of weak links in the pure CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix. The increase in the values of inter-grain coupling (α) deduced from the fluctuation induced conductivity analysis with the increased concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles is a theoretical evidence of improved inter-grain coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this reported article, a highly efficient, stable and low cost CuO/TiO2@MOF-5 composite has been synthesized by in-situ incorporation of pre-synthesized precursors into MOF-5. The formation of synthesized samples has been confirmed by Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) images and Ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry. The synthesized samples are found efficient for photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and photodegradation of organic dyes (methylene blue/methyl orange). It has been observed that CuO/TiO2@MOF-5 shows lowest onset potential, highest current density and better OER activity as compared to some of previously reported Cu-based working electrodes. It required only 263 mV overpotential to deliver the benchmark 10 mA cm−2 current density. In the same way, CuO/TiO2@MOF-5/NF exhibits maximum ability to degrade methylene blue and methyl orange as compared to all other samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to explore the level of accessibility and use of Institutional Repository (IR) among research scholars. It has also investigated the difference of opinion on the basis of participants' gender, age and qualification. Further, the need of training and guidance to make effective use of IR has also incorporated. Survey based on questionnaire was employed to collected data from M. Phil. and PhD scholars studying at seven departments of COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore. The results showed that research scholars are accessing IR infrequently and they have limited access to the publications. They have accessed the IR for the fulfillment of their assignments. They mentioned that they need extensive training for efficient use of IR. In context of Pakistan, the study will be helpful for other universities and institutions to make effective and efficient use of IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to provide insight into the trade competitiveness of Pakistani dates sector in global market. The study probed international competitiveness, trade balance and export unit value realization of dates fruit of Pakistan by applying several trade base indices over the period from 2001 to 2016. Analysis showed that Pakistan has trade competitiveness in date's fruit in world market as indicated by Revealed Comparative Advantages (RCA) 53.1 and Revealed Trade Advantages (RTA) index 48.8 average for the period under analysis. Trade Balance Index (TBI) index 0.80 showed that Pakistan is net-exporter of dates in the global market. However, Pakistan remained a regular importer of date's and faces decreasing import specialization disadvantages during the period under analysis with Revealed Import Advantages (RMA) index 4.4. Despite that Pakistan having revealed comparative advantage in dates export, Pakistan's export unit vale realization was only (51%) of world average. This implicates that Dates exports fetched a low price subdivision in the world market. The export unit vale realization is darned on processing technology which produces low-quality products. To reach the upper subdivision of the world market and to achieve the raised unit value realization quality up-gradation and access to high end markets are needed. To ensure the robust growth in export unit value realization future research should focus on the development of value added products of dates with access to high end markets of world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between fertilizer use and wheat productivity was studied at Social Science Division, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Islamabad using secondary data on fertilizer off-take and wheat productivity in Pakistan during 1991-2018. Two prominent production dips of 2012 and 2018 shown that there was a decline of 1741 and 1598 thousand tons of wheat, respectively due to low use of fertilize. The fertilizer use for wheat crop decreased from 239 kg/ha in 2009-10 to 199 kg/ha in 2017-18. The prices of urea fertilizer increased by 336 percent from Rs. 394 per 50 kg in 2001-02 to Rs. 1718 per 50 kg in 2018-19. Economic analysis of fertilizer use revealed that the amount of wheat required to buy one ton (nutrient) of N fertilizer fluctuated from 1.29 to 2.90 tons during 2002-18. The reason for decline in wheat productivity was mainly attributed to less use of fertilizer due to soaring prices. Concerted efforts could be used to improve the parity ratio between market prices of wheat and fertilizers by lowering the prices of fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Species of Macroponema Mawson, 1978 are strongyloid nematodes which occur in the stomachs of macropodid marsupials in Australia. In this study, the genus Macroponema is revised, redescriptions of the two known species are provided, and two new species are added to the genus. Methods: A molecular characterisation of the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of representative specimens of Macroponema from all known host species was undertaken to confirm the status of M. cf. comani. This resulted in the identification of a further new species within the genus. Consequently, a review of all available material in museum collections was undertaken. Results: The two known species M. beveridgei Mawson, 1978 from Osphranter antilopinus (Gould) and O. robustus (Gould), and M. comani Mawson, 1978 from Macropus giganteus Shaw are re-described and their geographical distributions expanded. Two new species added to the genus are M. arundeli n. sp. from Ma. giganteus found in Queensland and the north east of New South Wales, and M. obendorfi n. sp. from O. antilopinus and O. robustus in the Northern Territory, the Kimberley Division of Western Australia and eastern Queensland. The latter species was formerly identified as M. cf. comani based on molecular studies. The specific identification of both of the new species is supported by ribosomal DNA sequence data. Conclusions: Based on the morphological and molecular characterisation of nematodes, this study has revealed the existence of four species within the genus Macroponema. The current phylogenetic data suggest that Macroponema spp. plausibly evolved by host switching; however, further studies are required to test this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of the available food is the main issue in the developing countries and maize is one of the commonly used foodstuffs in these countries. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was employed to characterize the presence of the major inorganic nutrients in the maize samples. Each of the samples was shown to contain following elements: K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Na, Si, Li, Sr, Ti, Al, and C while Cr was only detected in the seeds. The electron number density was evaluated by the use of the Stark broadened profile of calcium line and the plasma temperatures have been determined using the Boltzmann plot method. Calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) has been used for the quantitative elemental analysis of the samples. The consistency of the concentrations determined by CF-LIBS was validated using inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of single-core elastic spun cotton yarns is well established in textiles and denim industry but interest in the use of dual-core-spun yarns has started to grow only recently. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of polyester and elastane linear density on the physical and mechanical properties of dual-core-spun cotton yarns. Yarn samples were prepared on industrial-scale spinning machines using cotton as the sheath fibers and two different linear densities of polyester and three different linear densities of elastane filaments in the core. Statistical analysis of the results revealed that yarn tenacity, elongation, uniformity, and hairiness are significantly affected by the linear densities of both the polyester and elastane filaments in the core, with statistically significant interaction between them. Yarn imperfections (IPI), however, are affected mainly by the polyester denier, while the elastane linear density did not show statistically significant effect on the IPI. Regression equations for different yarn properties were also developed which showed fairly high values of coefficient of determination (R-sq). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UK Higher Education (HE) is going through a process of unprecedented change, where large numbers of its student body now come from internationally diverse contexts. These students come from different cultures, backgrounds and educational systems which influence the way they interact, learn and engage with UK HE. Key participants in this engagement and interaction are UK HE academics, who play a significant role in the development of the international student teaching and learning experience. This paper aims to investigate this role and investigate the academic expectations and perceptions of 22 academic tutors across 3 UK HE Business Schools. Within this context the paper will explore how academic knowledge and understanding of international students influence their pedagogical approaches; the participants in the research each had a minimum of three years' teaching experience. Data were analysed using template analysis through the lens of an interpretive approach. The findings indicate that more needs to be done to support the integration of international students in UK HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aspired to investigate the factor of production that were influencing the technical efficiency of wheat crop in Pakistan. A formal survey of 430 wheat crop farmers was conducted in the district of Rahim Yar Khan in year 2014. In order to estimate the impact of farm inputs on wheat crop production, Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) was used. The major objectives of this survey were to identify factors of variation and effect of planting of wheat after BT and Non-BT-cotton varieties on wheat production. In this study, the average technical efficiency of wheat farms on collective level was around 0.76. The mean technical efficiency of wheat after Non-BT and BT-cotton was 0.78 and 0.74, respectively. The result of the study revealed that those farmers cultivated the wheat crop after Non-BT cotton were technically more efficient compared to those who cultivated wheat after BT-cotton. The major factors that were found to be compliant for improved wheat production in study area were operational holding under wheat crop, which was cultivated after Non-BT or BT cotton, date of sowing, number of irrigations, tractors and tubewell's ownership, tenancy status, farmer's education and experience. The result of the study reported that farmers of wheat crop have the potential to produce the maximum level of wheat production provided that the farmers should improve their management skills. It is prerequisite in farm sector that farmers should use their managerial ability, knowledge, and technical skills in order to obtain the higher production and farm returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The qualitative and quantitative analysis of soil samples collected from Sialkot, Pakistan (which contains leather industrial plants), has been performed using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation time of flight mass spectrometry (LA-TOF-MS). The focused beam of a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser (532 nm) was used to ablate the soil samples in air at atmospheric pressure. The optical emission spectra demonstrate the presence of the spectral lines of Si, Fe, Al, Ca, Ti, K, Cr, Mg, Na, Ba, and Li in all of the samples. The emission lines intensities, electron number densities, and excitation temperatures were significantly enhanced in the presence of an external 0.3 T magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plasma plume. A maximum enhancement factor of approximately 8 was observed in the emission intensity. The emergence of several additional lines has also been detected using the magnetic field-assisted LIBS approach. The elemental composition determined using calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS), with and without magnetic field, reveals that the external magnetic field only adjusts the laser-generated plasma dynamics without affecting the quantitative analysis of the samples. Importantly, the toxic and heavy elements such as chromium and barium were detected and quantified in all of the soil samples by both of these techniques. The variations in the compositional analysis using CF-LIBS with and without the applied magnetic field and LA-TOF-MS were less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of mono azo dyes (D1-D4) was synthesized by coupling 8-anilino naphthalene-1-sulphonic acid (1) with different aromatic amines (2a-d) and applied on wool fabric. The color fastness properties of the dyed material were also studied. Spectroscopic techniques including 1H NMR, MALDI, FT-IR and UV–Visible were employed for structural characterization. The thermal gravimeteric analysis of the synthesized dyes was also carried out to determine their thermal stability. The effect of solvent and pH on colors and absorption maxima (λ max)of the synthesized dyes was examined. UV–Visible spectra of the dyes in different solvents as well as in acidic and basic alcoholic solutions revealed that these dyes exist as a mixture of two tautomers in protic solvents and acid solution. Absorption spectra of dye D1 in different solvents. Image 1 • Synthesis and structural characterization of four new acid azo dyes. • Study of solvatochromic behavior of these dyes in various solvents. • Ammonium-azonium tautomerism was observed. • Application of the synthesized dyes on wool and study of their various fastness properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As UK Higher Education institutions continue to accept students from ethnically diverse backgrounds, there is now an onus and an expectation for academics to provide learning environments and experiences that are inclusive, validating and affirming. The aim of this paper is to explore, through the lens of the academic tutor, the pedagogical methods employed towards the implementation of 'cultural branching', which we define as helping ethnically diverse students to build bridges between their pre-existing knowledge and what they are expected to learn. To investigate this in more detail, the researchers interviewed 22 academic tutors across three UK Higher Education Institutions in the North of England. The findings suggest that current curriculum structures and pedagogical approaches favour the dominant non-ethnically diverse learner. Our research proposes that additional emphasis needs to be placed on developing a practical and functional approach which embeds cultural branching via technological platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New heterocyclic disperse dyes were synthesized. • Solvatochromic attributes were investigated in different organic solvents. • pH sensitivity was explored in detail. • The synthesized dyes were applied on polyester fabric and their fastness parameters were completely studied. In current research exploration, novel heterocyclic disperse dyes were synthesized, using 8-aminonaphthalen-2-ol as a coupling component and different heterocyclic aromatic amines e.g. sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, sulfathiazole sodium salt, 2-aminobenzothiazole and 2-amino-6-methoxybenzothiazol as a diazonium component. Different analytical techniques including FT-IR, 1H-NMR, UV-Visible, FAB-LRMS and FAB-HRMS were used for the structural elucidation of the synthesized disperse dyes. The melting point of the synthesized compounds were also determined. The solvatochromism of these dyes was examined in six organic solvents possessing different polarity and the sensitivity of the absorption maxima (λ max) to acidic and basic pH were evaluated in methanol. Bathochromic shift was observed with increase in solvent polarity and under acidic pH. The fluorescence studies all the dyes were performed in four different solvents. The obtained chromophores were applied on polyester fabric observing different parameters like build-up profile, perspiration fastness, rubbing fastness, wash fastness, light fastness and sublimation fastness. All the dyes exhibited good to very good color yield and excellent fastness properties. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the treatment outcomes among patients having confirmed diagnosis of multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Study design: Prospective cohort study Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at programmatic management of drug resistant TB (PMDT) unit of Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Swat, a tertiary care hospital for a period of three years from May 24th, 2014 till May 23rd, 2017. Material and methods: Fift y-one patients with confirmed diagnosis of MDR-TB were recruited in this study. Patients were provided with complete diagnostic facilities to include Sputum AFB, Gene X Pert and Sputum culture and sensitivity. Patients with MDR-TB were provided with fi ve drugs during the intensive phase and four drugs during continuation phase of therapy. Demographic details, presence of pulmonary tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus infection; and previous TB treatment was recorded. Sensitivity to the second line anti- TB drugs and treatment outcomes (i.e. Cured, Treatment Failed, Mortality, Lost to Follow-up) were recorded based on World Health Organisation defi nition. Results: All MDR-TB patients in this study had pulmonary tuberculosis, were HIV negative and had tuberculosis treatment in the past. Forty-three(84.3%) patients were not resistant to Second Line Drugs. Of the 51-patients, 36(70.6%) were cured, 2(3.9%) were not evaluated, 3(5.9%) of patients were lost to follow-up; and treatment failed in one patient. Mortality recorded at follow-up was nine (17.6%) patients. Conclusion: The programmatic management of the multi drug resistant tuberculosis patients has shown favourable outcomes with 70% cure rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LASER-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was applied using a long-duration single pulse on an immersed brass alloys target for spectroscopic studies. The plasma of the alloys was generated in air and underwater using a single pulse with longer duration of Nd:YAG laser. The spectral profiles of the Copper (Cu) emission lines were investigated, and we observed that the emission lines were severely affected by self-absorption in the underwater measurements. The LIBS signals were corrected before quantitative analysis through calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS). The plasma parameters, electron number density, and plasma temperature were calculated, and the results were compared for both LIBS measurements. The results showed that the use of a long-duration pulse allows in situ quantitative analysis of the heavy metal alloys in underwater, such as Cu. Unlabelled Image • Comparison of basic parameters in Air and Under Water LIBS • Strong Self-absorption is observed in underwater emission spectra. • We get better CF-LIBS results after self-absorption correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the characteristics and fasting experience of a subgroup of patients in the VISION study who initiated insulin therapy and chose to fast during Ramadan, and to discuss the VISION Ramadan substudy data in the context of previous Ramadan studies.Methods: The VISION study was a prospective, non-interventional, observational study of adult patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in 6 countries in the Western Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, receiving insulin injection therapy for the first time. In this VISION Ramadan substudy, fasting data was collected during Ramadan 2014 and 2015.Results: Of 1617 patients in the VISION study, data was collected for 357 patients who chose to fast during Ramadan. At baseline, mean HbA1c was 10.1%, duration of diabetes was 8.8 years, and mean BMI was 30 kg/m2. All patients with non-missing data (n = 169) received advice on fasting during Ramadan. The majority of patients fasted for the full month of Ramadan, and around one-third of patients fasted outside Ramadan.Conclusions: Here we provide an update on the characteristics and Ramadan experience of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who initiated insulin therapy and chose to fast during Ramadan. There is still a need to explore patient's experience during fasting, and identify and address methods to better help manage those patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have addressed the phytoremediation, the ability to absorb heavy metals, of the Euphorbia indica plant by detecting heavy metals in its roots, stem and leaves using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-TOF-MS). Since agricultural yields heavily depend on soil fertility, which is badly affected by industrial waste and heavy metals, they need to be maintained and improved using the fertilization process and by removing the heavy metals. The presence of chromium in the Euphorbia indica plant has been established from the optical emission spectra of its different parts using the standard LIBS analytical technique. The detection limit of the trace element was improved by applying an electric field (E) across the laser-produced plasma plume, which yields much-enhanced intensities of the emission lines. The spectral lines of the trace elements also appear, which were too weak to be detected in the spectra taken in the absence of the electric field. The plasma parameters such as electron number density and plasma temperature were estimated from the spectra recorded with and without the electric field. The compositional analysis was performed using calibration-free LIBS and laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectroscopy, which are in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive learning activities can respond to a learner's needs in real time, facilitating the development of higher-level skills including bringing together knowledge from different disciplines to solve real-world problems. Here we discuss the use of online adaptive learning activities designed to help veterinary students apply their knowledge to work through parasite case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Current and future estimates of the burden of diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are among the highest in the world. VISION, an 18-month observational study, explored patterns of insulin initiation and intensification in T2DM patients in the MENA region.Methods: 1192 patients aged ≥18 years were enrolled from Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Treating physicians recorded participants' data. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were assessed using questionnaires completed by participants.Results: 67.6% patients had HbA1c ≥9% at insulin initiation, with a mean HbA1c of 9.9%, despite 68.3% patients being on ≥2 oral anti-diabetics, indicating a significant delay in insulin initiation. Basal insulin was initiated in 50.6% and premixed insulin in 46.3% patients. After 18 months, changes in insulin therapy were observed in 33.7% patients, while 39.6% patients achieved HbA1c levels of <7.5%. The proportion of patients completely satisfied with their insulin treatment, and the QoL increased over the study course.Conclusion: Results support that timely initiation and early intensification of insulin therapy are necessary in the region to achieve adequate and timely glycemic control and to prevent diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trianhtema portulacastrum (T. portulacastrum) herb is used for therapy of different diseases. The possibility of obtaining bioactive compounds from Pakistani T. portulacastrum herb using soxhlet extraction technique and identification with GC‐MS is shown for the first time here. Maximum yield of 20.33% of biologically active compounds extracts was obtained with 70% EtOH from T. Portulacastrum herb. Different esterifying agents ethanol, n‐butanol and mixture of reagent (BSTFA:TMCS in 50:50) were used for the derivatization of the extract. In GC‐MS analysis of 70% ethanolic extract of T. portulacastrum, 11 compounds were identified in dried powdered extracts after derivatization. Similarly, in HPLC analysis 5 compounds were identified in dried powdered extracts of T. portulacastrum herb. In the present work we have explored the antioxidant potentials of biologically active compounds present in Pakistani T. portulacastrum using GC‐MS and HPLC technique for their chemical identification and quantification. Pakistani Trianhtema portulacastrum herb was used for getting biologically active compounds which were chemical identified and characterized by GC‐MS and HPLC techniques and were explored for antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Current and future estimates of the burden of diabetes for the Western Pacific (WP) region are among the highest in the world. Verifying Insulin Strategy and Initial Health Outcome Analysis (VISION) was an 18 month observational study that explored treatment approaches in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) initiating insulin in the WP region.Methods: A total of 1065 patients aged ≥18 years with T2DM initiating insulin therapy in normal clinical course were enrolled from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Participants' data was recorded by the treating physicians. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were assessed using questionnaires completed by participants.Results: The mean age of patients was 57.2 years with mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 10.0%. About 66% of patients had an HbA1c ≥9.0% at insulin initiation despite 74% of them being on two or more oral antidiabetic agents at the time of insulin initiation. Basal insulin was initiated in 72% and premixed insulin in 27% of patients. Changes in insulin therapy was observed in 63% of patients and, by the end of study, 28% achieved HbA1c levels of <7.5%. The proportion of patients completely satisfied with their insulin treatment increased over the study course and the quality of life (QoL) score increased from baseline to the study end.Conclusion: As high HbA1C levels indicate a delayed start of insulin therapy, timely initiation and early intensification of insulin therapy is necessary in the region to achieve adequate glycemic control in time and prevent diabetes complications. Data from PROs suggests that the insulin treatment improves QoL in most patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stemming is the basic operation in Natural language processing (NLP) to remove derivational and inflectional affixes without performing a morphological analysis. This practice is essential to extract the root or stem. In NLP domains, the stemmer is used to improve the process of information retrieval (IR), text classifications (TC), text mining (TM) and related applications. In particular, Urdu stemmers utilize only uni-gram words from the input text by ignoring bigrams, trigrams, and n-gram words. To improve the process and efficiency of stemming, bigrams and trigram words must be included. Despite this fact, there are a few developed methods for Urdu stemmers in the past studies. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed an improved Urdu stemmer, using hybrid approach divided into multi-step operation, to deal with unigram, bigram, and trigram features as well. To evaluate the proposed Urdu stemming method, we have used two corpora; word corpus and text corpus. Moreover, two different evaluation metrics have been applied to measure the performance of the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm achieved an accuracy of 92.97% and compression rate of 55%. These experimental results indicate that the proposed system can be used to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Urdu stemmer for better information retrieval and text mining applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots are the main sensing organ, initiating multiple signaling pathways in response to abiotic factors, including nutrients, drought, and salt stress. A focus on improving the root system architecture is a key strategy to mitigate these stresses in wheat crop. In the present study, a diversity panel comprising indigenous landraces and historical cultivars from Pakistan was characterized for the root system architecture (RSA) and important loci were identified using a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). RSA of the diversity panel was characterized 30 days after sowing in brunch tubes, and root images were taken. A high‐throughput root imaging analysis using Rhizovision software was performed by setting the scale to extract the eight RSA traits and four plant biomass‐related traits. GWAS identified 323 association signals for 12 root and biomass traits present on all wheat chromosomes, while the most important and reliable genetic loci (based on pleotropic loci and candidate genes) were identified on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 5A, 5D, 6A, 7B, and 7D for RSA. SNP annotation and transcriptome profiling identified nine candidate genes regulating the RSA and plant biomass traits, including ROOTLESS WITH UNDETECTABLE MERISTEM1, MYB TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR4, BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1, SLENDER RICE1, AUXIN‐RESPONSIVE FACTOR25, SCARECROW, NARROW LEAF2, PIN‐FORMED1 AND PHOSPHATE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR1. This study provided pre‐breeding information for deep‐rooting genotypes and associated markers that will accelerate the incorporation of such traits in breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of infections in wildlife species is increasingly important to reduce the risk of spreading zoonotic and economically important parasites, understand disease epidemiology and promote the conservation of wildlife species. Serological tests are key in disease diagnosis and surveillance by detecting immunoglobulins against infectious agents. However, the need for species-specific reagents has limited the application of serological tests in wildlife species. This study evaluated the serum immunoglobulin-binding capability of polyclonal anti-kangaroo antibody and two non-species-specific reagents, including protein A/G and protein L, with the largest range of Australian marsupial species so far, including 32 species representing three major marsupial orders. Immunoglobulin-binding capability was assessed using immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot techniques. Variation in immunoglobulin-binding capability was observed between the three reagents and across the species tested, both across but also within taxonomic groups. Taxonomic distance was thus not always a good predictor of immunoglobulin-binding affinity, emphasizing the need to validate these reagents for each species separately. However, all three reagents bound with the serum immunoglobulins of most marsupial species tested. The findings of this study provide a valuable reference for species differences in affinity to protein A/G, protein L and anti-kangaroo antibody, assisting in the selection of appropriate reagents and the development of sero-immunological assays in Australian marsupials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many UK higher education business schools, the continued recruitment of UK, EU and international students is crucial for financial stability, viability and independence. Due to increasingly competitive funding models across the sector, many institutional leaders and administrators are making decisions typical of highly marketised consumer environments. Thus, this paper explores academics’ perceptions of the impact of consumerisation in UK higher education business schools. To achieve this, 22 business school academics were interviewed within three UK higher education institutions (HEIs) in the North of England. Participants had a minimum of three years teaching experience. Data was analysed using template analysis taking an interpretive approach. The findings indicate that academics perceived the introduction of tuition fees to have been the catalyst for students increasing demonstration of customer-like behaviour: viewing the education process as transactional, with the HEI providing a ‘paid for’ service. It is argued that these changes in UK higher education have created tensions between university leaders and academics, creating genuine dilemmas for those with decision-making responsibilities who must balance academic integrity and long-term institutional financial viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To Select The Best Gelling Polymer To Be A Vehicle For Baccaurea Angulata Extract (Bae) For Dental Application. This research will open up a new findings and information to the future baccaurea angulata dental gel formulator and developer. Three Different Gelling Polymers; Carbopol, Guar Gum And Konjac Gum, Were Characterized Rheologically With The Incorporation Of 3% W/W Bae. This Includes The Apparent Viscosity At 3 Different Shear Rates (10s-1, 50s-1, And 100s-1), Shear Stress At The Shear Rate Of 100s1 And The Rheological Modelling For Each Of The Gels As Herschel Bulkley Or Ostwald De Waele Model. It Was Found That The Apparent Viscosity Of These Three Gels At Three Different Shear Rate (10s1, 50s-1, And 100s-1) As Well As Shear Stress (Pas) Needed To Produce Shear Rate Of 100s-1, Decrease In The Gels Incorporated With Bae. Carbopol Incorporated With Bae Had Acceptable Apparent Viscosity, Higher Shear Stress Needed To Produce Shear Rates Of 100s-1, Better Value Of Regression, Yield Stress (Τ0), Consistency Factor (K), And Flow Behavior Index (N) Compared To Guar Gum And Konjac Gum Incorporated With Bae. In Conclusion, Carbopol Could Be The Best Gel Polymer Candidate For Bae Dental Gel Formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: WHO estimates that there are more than 185 million people over the globe infected with hepatitis C. Among these 350,000 die each year with hepatitis. He prevalence of hepatitis in Asia is estimated to be 3.4%. Pakistan has been rated as the second most common country in the world with active hepatitis C infection. This study aims at identifying the frequency of risk factors for hepatitis C irus transmission. Understanding the frequency of common factors of HCV would help to implement strategies in long-term prevention of hepatitis transmission among community. Objectives: To determine the frequency of common factors for transmission of hepatitis C in adult patients. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Medicine, Saidu Teaching Center, Swat. Period: 01-01-2016 to 01-12-2016. Methodology: 140 patients were observed and evaluated. Detailed medical history was taken.5 ml of venous blood sample was collected under aseptic conditions. Blood was centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes and serum was transferred to separate test tubes for further testing. The initial screening was carried out by immunochromatography for the qualitative detection HCV antibodies in serum or plasma. Output variable was stratified among age and gender. Chi square test was applied to see effect of modification. All the positive samples on ICT were tested on ELISA (third generation) with signal-to-cut-off ratio ≥ 1.0 for confirmation. Results: Our study shows that mean age was 45 years with SD ± 12.24. Fifty eight percent patients were male and 42% patients were female. Forty two percent patients had hepatitis C due to Injection, infection and-*/transfusions, surgical scars were present in 23% patients with hepatitis C, (2%) patients with hepatitis C had tattoos, 8% patients had hepatitis C due to nose/ear piercing and 25% patients had hepatitis C due to dental procedures. Conclusion: Our study concludes that the most common risk factors responsible for transmitting hepatitis C in adults were infections/transfusions (42%) followed by dental procedures (25%) and surgical scars (23%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]