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Lions (Panthera leo) and tigers (Panthera tigris) are nocturnal animals. Opportunistically, they may hunt during the daytime in the wild. In captivity, they spend most of their time sleeping, resting, or pacing and face different conditions seasonally as compared to their natural habitat. It alters their activity and may reduce agility. By studying the impact of seasonal variation on captive behavior, the temperature and other seasonally dependent factors can be optimized in the zoo. This study was designed to investigate the effect of summer and winter seasons on adult and juvenile carnivores’ captive behavior. The study was conducted in Lahore Zoological Garden, Pakistan, documenting the cage area and behavioral ethogram. The subjects were two African lions, six African lionesses, four lion cubs, two Bengal tigers, and two Bengal tigresses which were observed for auditory, aggression, feeding, moving, resting, and excretory behaviors by scan sampling method. The winter data were collected in February and summer data were collected in June for ten days each month in three sessions (8:00-10:00 am, 12:00-2:00 pm, and 4:00-6:00 pm). A total of 60 h of data were collected for each season. The activity budget of animals for both seasons was compared and the alteration in any behavioral category was analyzed. The results showed that the significantly altered behavior in all animal groups was moving (p<0.05). Seasonal variation had a significant impact on the resting (p<0.05) of Bengal tigers, Bengal tigresses, and lion cubs. Auditory behavior (p<0.05) of Bengal tigers and lion cubs while aggressive behavior (p<0.05) of Bengal tigers significantly varied in the summer and winter seasons. All other behaviors were not significantly affected by the seasonal change in each of the carnivore groups. This study revealed the impact of seasonal variations on the behavior of captive carnivores and can be beneficial to optimize captive conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus laniger) are natural inhabitants of deciduous forests. They live solitary in their natural habitat. Their captive behaviour was studied by taking two Asiatic black bear pairs as study subjects in Lahore Zoo, Pakistan. The study was based on the provision of environmental enrichments to the bear pairs. Each pair's pre-enrichment activity budget data was collected by scan sampling method of 70 h, documenting the cage area and behavioural ethogram. The observed behaviours were resting, eating, drinking, locomotion, aggression, urination, defecation, fighting, pacing, playing, foaming, cage exploration, and being out of view. Two different enrichments were installed for two pairs. The first pair was provided with a feeding enrichment consisting of a large wood log applied with small wooden branches on it, upon which food-filled plastic tires were hung. The second enrichment was installed in the second bear pair's cage, consisting of two wooden platforms attached to the ground with iron rods. A 20-h post-enrichment activity budget of both bear pairs was recorded and compared with their pre-enrichment activity budget. The results showed that there was a significant increase (p=0.003) in cage exploration by the installation of feeding enrichment while a significant increase was observed in cage exploration (p=0.04), drinking (p=0.04), and resting (p=0.001) behaviours by the installation of wooden platforms. All the other activities had no significant impact of both enrichments. This study revealed the significance of environmental enrichments on the activity budget of black bears in captivity and can be proved as footprints for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the multitude of factors to consider, selecting a home to buy or rent is a significant decision, and consumer behaviour plays a crucial role in this process. This study aims to shed light on consumer needs, choices, and preferences that influence the decision-making of homebuyers in Islamabad, Pakistan. To achieve this objective, a questionnaire was designed that incorporated factors extracted from existing literature on household needs, neighbourhood characteristics, consumer engagement and marketing factors, and investment determinants. Data was collected from 450 households in selected housing schemes in Islamabad, Pakistan, using a random sampling technique. Descriptive analysis, Kendell's W, and chi-square tests to understand needs, choices, and preferences. Analysis revealed that water availability and a proper drainage system were critical factors consumers consider when purchasing a property, followed by the proximity to public transport, workplaces, shopping centres, and airports. The results indicate that billboard marketing significantly impacted people's decision to purchase a particular property, followed by social media, the brand reputation of the developer/builder, marketing through television channels, and newspaper advertisements. Regarding investment determinants, affordability was the most critical factor that consumers considered when making a purchasing decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syngas is a valuable entity for downstream liquid fuel production and chemical industries. The efficient production of syngas via catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) is an important process. In this study, partial oxidation of methane (POM) was carried out using CaO decorated TiO2 catalysts. The catalysts were synthesized employing the sol-gel method, while the decoration of TiO2 with CaO was achieved in an aqueous solution by wetness impregnation method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by employing XRD, Raman, TG-DTG, and SEM-EDX for structural and morphological analysis. On testing for POM, at 750 °C the catalysts demonstrate excellent CH4 conversion of 83.6 and 79.5% for 2% and 3% CaO loaded TiO2, respectively. While the average H2/CO ratio for both 2% and 3% CaO loaded TiO2, 2.25 and 2.28, respectively, remained slightly above the theoretical value (H2/CO = 2.0) of POM. The improved POM performance is attributed to the optimally loaded CaO on the TiO2 surface that promotes the reaction where TiO2 support ensure less agglomerated particles, resulting into a fine distribution of the active catalytic sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle Eastern countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Oman, are affected by frequent dust storms and extreme hot climatic conditions, which can exacerbate respiratory conditions. These environmental factors are particularly injurious to asthmatic patients, as they can aggravate small airway disease (SAD), leading to increased morbidity and healthcare challenges. The evaluation of maximal mid-expiratory flow (MEF-25) as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for early-stage small airway dysfunction is of significant clinical importance, particularly in hot and arid metropolitan environments where dusty conditions exacerbate pulmonary issues. This study assesses the value of MEF-25 in clinical practice for detecting SAD and investigates the effectiveness of inhaled bronchodilator therapy with extra-fine particles augmented by a spacer in helping to manage the symptoms of these patients. This retrospective, single-center study was conducted at King's College Hospital Dubai, including 225 patients aged 18 and above, who presented with MEF-25 values less than 80%. Data were collected from the Electronic Medical Record system, including demographics, spirometry findings, and treatment outcomes. MEF-25 values were categorized into moderate (51-80%), severe (35-50%), and very severe (1-34%) grades. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software. Results revealed significant correlations between MEF-25 severity and various clinical parameters. Notably, Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) levels showed an inverse relationship with decreasing MEF-25 values. Symptoms such as wheezing were more prevalent as MEF-25 values decreased, indicating that MEF-25 is a sensitive indicator of small airway dysfunction (SAD). Additionally, treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) combined with a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA), using an inhaler with a fine particle size and augmented by a spacer device, demonstrated substantial and prompt improvement of symptoms. Follow-up data showed a high rate of symptom resolution within one to six weeks after treatment initiation. This study underscores the importance of MEF-25 in the early detection of SAD in the setting of dusty, humid, and hot climatic conditions, and supports the use of beclomethasone-formoterol with a spacer as an effective treatment strategy in optimizing clinical outcomes. The findings advocate for the integration of MEF-25 in routine spirometry evaluation to enhance the diagnosis and management of SAD, particularly in environments prone to high amounts of respiratory allergens., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. King's College Hospital Research Ethics Committee issued approval KCH/MOI/740. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Shaikh et al.)

The co-occurrence of active tuberculosis (TB) in patients with moderate to severe asthma presents unique therapeutic challenges, particularly with the advent of biologics like dupilumab, which targets the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) pathways in asthma treatment. Despite the general safety of biologics, concerns about immunosuppression and susceptibility to infections like TB persist. This case report discusses a male with severe, uncontrolled type 2 allergic asthma, who experienced multiple exacerbations despite maximal bronchodilator therapy and then concomitantly developed pulmonary TB. This case demonstrates a potential clinical scenario for co-administering dupilumab with anti-TB treatment, suggesting a beneficial approach for similar clinical scenarios and contributing to the literature on this topic., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Shaikh et al.)