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AbstractThe main objective of the present study was to investigate undergraduate students’ perception of smartphone addiction and its impact on themselves and their academic performance in Takhar province. 1321 participants from Takhar University and 4 private universities responded to an online survey questionnaire. The researchers used SPSS Version 26.0 to analyze the data. The findings revealed that undergraduate students were highly addicted to smartphones, and the excessive use of smartphones had an adverse effect on the academic performance of students. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in smartphone addiction by the respondents’ gender, access to social media and daily hours of smartphone usage. Moreover, a strong negative correlation was found between smartphone addiction and its impact on students’ academic performance. The findings of the study are crucial to higher education leaders because they may help them develop policies to reduce the excessive and inappropriate use of smartphones in classrooms.

Issues such as inequality, collapsed state capacity, and spatial exclusion, particularly in South Africa, affect economic development negatively. This study aims to assess the relationship between inclusive growth and economic development and employs the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach in annual time series data ranging from 1990-2022. Data were obtained from the South African Reserve Bank and the World Bank. The findings of this study reveal that, in the long run, a percentage change in gross fixed capital formation will positively affect economic development by 44%. Similarly, in the short term, a percentage change in gross fixed capital formation will affect economic development by 33%. Lastly, trade openness has an insignificant impact in the short run and long run. In addition, the error correction term coefficient is negative and significant. The implication is that the economic development model has a speed of adjustment of about 11% to reach equilibrium. This study improves the understanding of the link between economic development and inclusive growth, contributing to academia and policymaking for more equitable and sustainable economic development. This study explores the impact of inclusive growth on South Africa's economic development, offering recommendations for policy formulation to promote equitable benefit distribution across various social segments

Sustainable construction technologies have recently acquired more attention in the construction industry. However, their adoption has faced different barriers. This study aimed to identify and rank the impediments to sustainable construction technologies in developing countries. A systematic literature review (SLR) method was employed. After screening using inclusion/exclusion criteria, 22 publications were selected for further analysis. Afterwards, ten major impediments were explored with a thematic analysis method. Therefore, the finding of this study reveals that developing countries could enhance the implementation of sustainable technologies and alleviate environmental consequences, boost economic growth, and promote inclusive development by designing and implementing corresponding strategies that could tackle the identified impediments.

Lignocellulosic biomass is contemplated to be an inexpensive and copious feedstock that can be used for numerous industrial applications. However, lignin forms the lignin sheath and provides a physical barrier to enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, lignin physically blocks cellulase, preventing it from being combined with the substrate in a process known as non-productive binding. Therefore, the depletion of lignin is a crucial method for obtaining fermentable sugars from the lignocellulosic biomass. Different white-rot fungi secrete different sets of lignin-mineralizing enzymes and each fungus secretes one or more of the three enzymes essential for lignin degradation. Among efficient redox enzymes, versatile peroxidase is extensively studied for its ability to degrade aromatics without the need for a mediator or polyvalent catalytic site. However, the presence of versatile peroxidase in F. spp. has not been studied. This study was planned with the objective of screening and comparing the production of versatile peroxidase enzymes from F. spp. and a standard culture of Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. These fungal strains were first screened on solid media containing tannic acid, malachite green, or bromocresol green. The potency index for the tannic acid, malachite green, and bromocresol green on the 16th day of incubation was reported to be 1.28, 1.07, 1.09, and 1.10, respectively. Versatile peroxidase production patterns were investigated under solid state fermentation conditions for a period of 25 days at different temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 °C. The highest versatile peroxidase activity (592 UL−1) in F. sp. was observed at 30 °C after the 7th day of incubation. The molecular confirmation showed the presence of the vp gene in F. sp. along with Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. The results determined that F. sp. possesses a versatile peroxidase enzyme and is able to degrade lignin efficiently, and thus it could be utilized as an alternative to other ligninolytic enzyme-producing fungi.

Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), a conventional Zn fertilizer, is widely used due to its high solubility and ease of application. In contrast, nano Zn represents an innovative approach, utilizing nanoscale particles to enhance Zn bioavailability and uptake efficiency. This study compares these two Zn fertilizers regarding their impact on plant growth, yield, Zn uptake, and overall crop quality. In our study, we explored the potential of nano Zn and ZnSO4 by applying two different doses of each (100, 1000 ppm ZnO NP and 30, 50 kg ha−1 ZnSO4) both individually and in combination, to linseed accession. The results obtained showed the potential of nano Zn over conventional Zn fertilizer in terms of enhanced linseed growth and yield together with greater antioxidants enzyme, oil content, protein content, Zn accumulation, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) content, and the accumulation of bioactive metabolites. Nanoscale ZnO (with particle size less than 100 nm) at a 1000 ppm concentration sped up growth, yield, increased SDG content, and antioxidant activity. However, when nano Zn (1000 ppm) was applied in combination with ZnSO4 (30 kg ha−1), it maximally enhanced plant fresh and dry weight, photosynthesis, and yield compared to their individual treatment. The combined application increased seed yield by 4.55 folds compared to the control. The treated plants were assessed for SDG content using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS), which showed maximum increase with 1000 ppm ZnO NP. SDG is a type of lignan known for their antioxidant properties and potential health benefits paving way for its pharmaceutical importance.

Background: Diabetes is a serious metabolic condition characterized by high blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin action or insulin resistance. It can impair various metabolic pathways in cellular metabolism, leading to significant long term effects. In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, leaves of Gymnema sylvestre (GS) have been traditionally utilized to manage diabetes. Aim of the study: This study aims is aimed to investigate the mechanism of action driven by the chemical constituents in potentially treating diabetes. Methods: Metabolite profiling of the methanolic extract from Gymnema sylvestre leaves (MLGS) was conducted using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and ultraperformance-liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (UP-LCMS). Molecular Docking and MD simulations were carried out to investigate the interaction between selective phytoconstituents and the antidiabetic target, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ). Results: MLGS demonstrated significant antioxidant activity, estimated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and with an IC50 of 103.73 μg/mL. Aditionally, MLGS also exhibited substantial inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with an IC50 of 113.49 μg/mL and 127.40 μg/mL, respectively. Using TLC-MS-bioautography, two antioxidant metabolites and three α-amylase inhibitory metabolites were identified Quercetin was identified in both α-amylase and antioxidant prominent bands. Identified phytoconstituents, namely rutin and lupeol, exhibited favorable docking interactions with PPARγ. MD simulations results indicate that rutin creates a well-built protein-ligand complex, showed minor structural modifications, and could exhibit agonistic activity with PPARγ. This suggesting the potential of rutin as a druggable compound to treat diabetes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that MLGS is enriched with antidiabetic phytoconstituents, warranting further exploration through the isolation of antidiabetic metabolites and their testing in animal models.

While innovation is vital to economic growth, African nations lag far behind in the development frontier than China. The paradox is that most developing countries' investment in innovation is proportionately far less than their developed counterparts. This article examines the contributions of innovation investments towards economic development in South Africa. We employed the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing and the Granger causality approach to analyse the annual time series data from 1990 to 2022 from the South African Reserve Bank. The findings revealed the positive impact of innovation investments (expenditures on ICT and R&D) on economic development in South Africa. The current study employed a relatively new ARDL bounds testing approach to analyse quantitative data to provide empirical evidence, which according to the literature, is not always evident and remains hard to quantify on the impact of innovation investments on economic development in South Africa. The study recommends that developing economies address the basics in the form of robust investment in human capital and upward investments in higher education.

Objective: Melasma is a chronic, acquired, symmetrical hyper melanosis of skin, characterized by irregular light to dark brown patches on sun-exposed areas, with a significant effect on psychological health; melasma is termed as Kalf in Unani medicine. Conventional treatments have transitory results and often carry adverse effects like skin irritation, scarring, etc. This study was planned to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a Unani pharmacopoeial formulation Tila-e-Kalf, comprising of lentil (Lens culinaris), bitter almond (Prunus amygdalus), and fig (Ficus carica), and to compare its efficacy with standard drug hydroquinone in patients of melasma.Materials and Methods: This was an 8-week open-label, standard controlled, randomized clinical study conducted on patients of epidermal melasma. The test group received Tila-e-Kalf while the control group received hydroquinone 4% cream for local application once daily. Efficacy was assessed by MASI (Melasma Area Severity Index), DLQI (Dermatology Life Quality Index), and PGA (Physician Global Assessment) and colored photographs.Results: Mean MASI score decreased from10.65±0.85 to 7.07±0.74 in the test group (p

The principal aim of this study was investigating experiences of Afghan female university students towards online harassment, its effects and coping strategies. Also, it aimed to study the differences of participants’ experiences by age, class, and first language. The data were gathered from 150 undergraduate female students of Takhar University randomly via a Likert scale questionnaire containing 36 statements. SPSS version 25.0 was used for analyzing the data. Descriptive statistics were employed to determine the frequency and percentage. Inferential statistics one way-ANOVA test was also used to determine the difference in the experience of participants by age, class (year of study), and first language toward the issue. The outcome of the study revealed that 54–81 percent of the respondents that forms the majority have not experienced online harassment. Also the finding denoted that the effects of online harassment on the victims are considerably low because the majority of them have not experienced online harassment. Besides, the result indicated that forty five percent of the partakers agreed to use some coping strategies against online harassment such as: talking face to face with the harasser, talking online or via phone, reporting the case to the administrator of university, searching Internet for advice, asking their teachers to include online harassment preventive matters in their teachings’ programs, cleaning the received online messages, ignoring and keeping silence, deleting from their contacts individuals that they do not like to keep contact with them, and sharing the cases of harassment with their friends or family members. Moreover, the outcome represented that there is not any considerable distinction in the experience of participants by age, class, and first language concerning online harassment.

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to explore the perceptions of Afghan EFL teachers towards the use of Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) in English classrooms. It aimed to investigate the use of different techniques of teaching English to students through the application of GTM in classrooms. Furthermore, the study sought to determine how GTM helped teachers to use translation technique to translate short passages and other language items and effects of GTM on Afghan teaching classrooms through students’ performance. The study also tried to find out differences in the perceptions teachers by gender, age, first language, and teaching experience. The data collected from 150 participants who were teaching English at Takhar University and other English language centers. The study employed Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 to analyze the data. The results of the study revealed that teachers liked and welcomed GTM to be applied in English classrooms. Furthermore, the results also showed that participants considered GTM a very important method of teaching because it helped them teach grammar rules properly. Another finding of the study was that teachers would often translate short passages, instructions and any language items into L1 in order to help learners to learn the target language. Moreover, the study revealed that applying Grammar-Translation Method in language classroom affected the students’ performance. It also showed that there were not any statistically significant differences by their gender, age, and teaching experience except their language.

Abstract An investigation on tomato was conducted at PAU, Ludhiana during 2020-21 with an objective of developing hybrids possessing maximum harvesting span with desirable horticultural traits. Experimental material, comprised of 56 F1 hybrids, 18 parental lines and standard check ‘PTH-2’, were transplanted in randomized complete block design in three replicates. Evaluation for all the experimental material was carried out during main as well as spring season. Cross combinations viz., PAU 114×nor-RM-1, PAU 2381×nor-RM-1 in main season while, crosses LT-44×rin-Rutgers, PAU 2381×rin-Rutgers in spring season recorded significant heterobeltosis and heterosis over check for yield and quality traits. Out of 56 hybrids, CLN1621L×alc-IIHR-2050, LT-44×rin-Rutgers in main as well as spring season, PAU 2381×nor-RM-1, Leader×nor-RM-1, LT-42×alc-IIHR-2050 and Roma×nor-RM-1 in main season and PAU 2381×rin-Rutgers, FL-556×rin-Rutgers, FL-556×alc-IIHR-2050 and LT-44×alc-IIHR-2050 in spring season were best for prolonged harvesting span vis-à-vis fruit yield, weight, minimum days from transplanting to first harvest, pericarp thickness, lycopene content, dry matter, TSS and titrable acidity. Therefore, the hybrid crosses which expressed higher yield potential in addition with acceptable qualitative performance together with maximum harvesting span could be utilized for commercial exploitation.

Aim: The main objective of the study was to formulate, evaluate and perform an optimization study of chaulmoogra oil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) based gel. Methods: The study involves isolation, identification, and quantification of hydnocarpic acid (HA), using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and characterization using ultraviolet (UV), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectroscopy (MS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Different concentration of assorted solid lipids and surfactants was used for the preparation of SLN gel with the improved transdermal application. Size distribution, entrapping efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and percent yield were tested for the prepared SLN and the characterization of SLN gel was evaluated on the basis of in vitro diffusion study, stability studies, homogeneity, and skin irritancy test. Results: The amount of HA quantified in the oil sample was found to be 54.84% w/w. The percent yield and entrapment efficiency (EE) of HA SLNs were 96.176 ± 1.338% and 90.2 ± 0.5% respectively. The in vitro percent cumulative drug release was 80.89% for the developed SLN, the homogeneity test showed no grittiness, and the prepared gel was found to be effective as it shows no signs of erythema post-treatment of 10 days. The in vitro dissolution studies showed better results for SLN gel when compared to SLN suspension. Conclusions: The nano-gel could be a better option for the topical delivery of herbal drugs with improved bioavailability providing several benefits over conventional formulation.

Gut microbiota contributes to diverse mammalian processes including the metabolic functions of drugs. It is a potential new territory for drug targeting, especially for dietary natural compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, steroidal glycosides, anthocyanins, lignans, alkaloids, and others. Because most herbal medicines are orally administered, the chemical profile and corresponding bioactivities of herbal medicines may be altered and implication to ailments by specific microbiota through gut microbiota metabolisms (GMMs) and gut microbiota biotransformations (GMBTs). In this review, briefly introducing the interactions between different categories of natural compounds and gut microbiota produced countless microbial degraded or fragmented metabolites with their biological significance in rodent-based models. From natural product chemistry division, thousands of molecules are produced, degraded, synthesized, and isolated from natural sources but exploited due to lack of biological significance. In this direction, we add a Bio-Chemoinformatics approach to get clues of biology through a specific microbial assault to (Natural products) NPs.

Abstract The present study investigated effective techniques of teaching vocabulary in an Afghan EFL setting. It also attempts to determine the impacts of the participants’ demographic profile ((i.e., gender, age, first language, and teaching experiences) on their responses. The data were collected from 93 randomly selected English teachers through a questionnaire containing 25 items. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was employed to analyze the data. To answer the reserach questions, descriptive and inferential statistics (independent sample T-test and one-way ANOVA tests) were used. The findings revealed that the overall attitude of Afghan EFL instructors towards applying effective techniques of teaching vocabulary in an Afghan EFL setting is positive. The respondents also reported that they warmly welcomed the techniques which led students to enhance their motivation for learning English vocabulary. Moreover, the study revealed that the participants’ gender, age, first language, and teaching experiences had a signficant impact on their responses.

Despite considerable studies, thrombocytopenia is still affecting millions of people with an increasing rate of morbidity and mortality around the globe. Therefore, we aimed to identify pharmacologically active polyphenolic compounds such as quercetin, apigenin and kaempferol in Psidium guajava for the management of thrombocytopenia using network pharmacology and in-silico molecular docking. The results of ADME/Tox screening revealed that all the polyphenolic compounds possess the drug-likeness activity and were found safe. Moreover, network pharmacology revealed that polyphenolic compounds of Psidium guajava may combat diabetes by acting on key targets, such as MAPK, TP53 and TNF-α which were strongly involved in oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and blood-related parameters involved in thrombocytopenia. Further, a mechanistic approach through molecular docking also supports the strong binding sites of quercetin, apigenin and kaempferol. Conclusively, in-silico ADME, molecular docking and network pharmacology study revealed that identified compounds are safe and pharmacologically effective. These identified compounds could be a great source for the development of new anti-thrombocytopenic drugs in the future.

Objective(s): The present study was conducted to investigate the phytochemical analysis and demonstrate the nephroprotective potential of root extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. against cisplatin (CP) -induced nephrotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods: The HPTLC analysis and UPLC-MS were carried out for standardizing and metabolite profiling of methanolic extract of roots of G. glabra (GGE). Further, in vitro studies were conducted in human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells to evaluate the cytotoxicity and anti-oxidant potential of GGE with CP as a toxicant and ascorbic acid as standard. Also, in vivo nephroprotective potential at doses of 31.5, 63, and 126 mg/kg/day on CP (6 mg/kg, bw, IP) induced nephrotoxicity was evaluated on rodents. Results: Phytochemical analysis by HPTLC and UPLC-MS revealed the presence of glycyrrhizin, glabridin, and liquiritin along with other bioactive constituents. The in vitro assay of GGE showed significant (P

Social media has been widely used in EFL programs in higher education and they play an important role in transforming learning and teaching. This study investigated the use of social media in EFL learning and teaching in Afghanistan. Moreover, it explored the preference and the frequency of the use of social media in EFL learning and teaching. A survey questionnaire was administered to gather the data from 170 randomly chosen participants from Takhar University based in Taloqan City, a northeastern city in Afghanistan. The researchers used Statistical Package for Social Sciences to analyze the data. The study found that Facebook and WhatsApp were among the highly preferred social networking sites and they were frequently used in EFL learning and teaching in Afghanistan. The results of the study showed statistically significant differences in the frequency of the use of social media by the students’ gender, age and class. Female participants used social media more frequently than their male peers and senior and older students used social media more frequently than junior and younger students. The results of the study suggest that higher education leaders and policy-makers should encourage the use of social media and provide more technological facilities to improve students’ achievement and quality of education.

Background: Presently, varied case reports demonstrated an increase or decrease in blood concentration of diverse conventional drugs, often co-administered with edible fruits, spices, or vegetables. The overarching aim of this research is to elucidate the fluctuations in tacrolimus (TAC) blood concentration on the consumption of pomegranate rind extract (PRE).Methods: A pharmacokinetic (PK) study was conducted with two groups, vis-a-vis PRE + TAC (3 mg/kg) and TAC (3 mg/kg) alone groups. An experimental study was conducted in three different manners: Single-dose (S) PRE (200 mg/kg), 7-day repetitive (7-R) PRE (200 mg/kg) dosing, and multiple (M) PRE doses (100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg). All the blood samples (approximately 300 μl) were drawn at different time intervals, i.e., 30 min, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after oral administration of TAC (3 mg/kg). The estimation of TAC in rat plasma was done using the hyphenated technique LC-MS/MS where the mass spectrometer used was a triple-stage quadrupole in multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.Results: The findings depict that in comparison with the TAC (3 mg/kg) alone group with the 7-day repetitive (7-R) PRE (200 mg/kg) dosing, the Cmax was found to be 9.03 ± 1.21 ng/ml; AUC from time zero to infinity (AUC0-∞), 61.91 ± 17.37 ngh/ml, while the TAC (3 mg/kg) + PRE group exhibited an increase in PK parameters of TAC (Cmax 22.48 ± 3.07 ng/ml; AUC0-∞ 153.08 ± 13.24 ng h/ml). The authors further investigated in what manner the PRE affects the PK of TAC in animals. For this, docking studies with major phytoconstituents present in the PRE with CYP3A4 isoenzyme were carried out. Ellagitannins (dock score, −11.64) and punicalagin (dock score, −10.68) were again used for molecular simulation studies with TAC. To validate our findings, a CYP3A4 inhibitory in vitro assay was conducted.Conclusion: Based on the integrated in vivo and in silico studies, we concluded that pomegranate rind extract interacts strongly with CYP isoenzyme and is therefore responsible for the altered PK profile of TAC.

Background: The identification of genoprotectants is a promising strategy for improving human health. Piper longum has drawn scientific attention because of its diverse biological effects and traditional utilization. The current investigation aims to evaluate the genome-stabilizing potential of Piper longum against cyclophosphamide-associated genotoxicity.Methods: We adopted a funnel screening with a three-tier evaluation approach, where Piper longum was investigated in an acellular medium, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and a rodent model. The genoprotective action of the Piper longum extract was initially performed with plasmid pBluescript SK(-) DNA. Furthermore, the extract and various fractions were screened against cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity using a cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay and a chromosomal aberration assay in human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The genome-stabilizing action of the extract and potent (hexane) fraction was further confirmed in vivo in Wistar albino rats by evaluating them using mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus tests, DNA fragmentation, oxidative stress markers, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), γH2AX, and histopathological lesions in the liver and hippocampus. Additionally, acute and sub-acute toxicity studies were conducted following the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for rats. Furthermore, the extract was quantified and characterized by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Results: The Piper longum ethanol extract was shown to protect plasmid pBluescript SK(-) DNA against H2O2-induced strand breaks. In human lymphocytes, the extract and hexane fraction showed a reduction in micronucleus formation (p < 0.001) and chromosomal aberrations (p < 0.01) against cyclophosphamide. Furthermore, the extract and fraction treatment, when administered at 200 mg/kg for 28 days in Wistar rats, restored cyclophosphamide-induced genomic instability by reducing micronucleus formation and DNA fragmentation; restoring redox homeostasis; decreasing 8-OHdG, a hallmark of oxidative DNA damage; reducing γH2AX, a DNA double-strand break (DSB) marker; and preserving the liver and hippocampus against histopathological lesions. The extract and fraction revealed no signs of systemic toxicity at the used doses. Piperine and piperlongumine are the major alkaloids quantified along with the presence of flavonoids in the ethanol extract and the presence of fatty acids and terpenoids in the hexane fraction of Piper longum.Conclusion: Our investigation confirms the genoprotective action of Piper longum by reducing cyclophosphamide-associated cytogenotoxicity, oxidative stress, hepato- and neurotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage, and DNA double-strand breaks. The outcomes are critical for mitigating the genotoxic effects of chemotherapy recipients, requiring further attention.

The study investigated the lecturers’ perceptions of problem-based learning (PBL); their attitudes towards PBL, their views of effects of PBL on the learning process and the factors for not employing PBL in their courses. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 40 randomly selected lecturers from Takhar University. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that lecturers had strong positive attitudes towards PBL and they were interested in utilizing PBL in their teaching activities. They were aware of the effects of PBL on the learning process particularly students’ learning. They believed that PBL could help students develop a variety of generic skills, e.g., communication and problem-solving skills, which are necessary for employment. However, most of the participants did not make use of PBL in their courses for various reasons such as large number of students in their classes and lack of appropriate infrastructure. The lecturers’ gender, level of education and years of teaching experiences did not have any significant impact on their responses.

Substitutes for fossil fuels or petroleum-based diesel have comparable addresses to monoalkyl fatty acid esters or methyl ethyl esters (biodiesel) and might lessen carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel may be made from renewable and sustainable ingredients consisting of vegetable oils and non-poisonous to the ecosystem. The manufacturing of biodiesel with renewable feedstocks and enzymes as catalysts can be supported commercially; however, studies into enhancing performance may be beneficial. Biodiesel gives a sustainable possibility to address the socio-economic and sustainable fuel problems. For competitive biodiesel, massive studies have been focused on growing new and sustainable biodiesel manufacturing technology to enhance productivity. Recently, fourth-generation biofuels (FGBs), genetically modified (GM) algae biomass, have attracted much interest from educational and business communities. However, changing FGBs with mineral assets stays fraught with many demanding situations. In particular, the technical elements of genetic engineering features want to be specified. However, little or no interest has been paid to GM algae biomass. Algal Genetics has a restricted quantity of development views and demanding situations dealing with FGBs. The fourth-generation biofuel concentrates on improving the microorganisms genetically. Although, in the primitive grade, the last two generations of biofuel require genetic change for the more like-suited in yielding a high-quality amount of green diesel. The aim is to define four generations with the most recent developments. This paper consists of the current production strategies of biofuel and the improvement efforts significant for third and fourth generations, mainly a genetic exchange of algae or bacterial strains and co-cultivation of several microorganisms.

Abstract Rumex vesicarius hasbeen extensively used for the management of diabetes in the traditional system of medicine. The current study was designed to investigate antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects of R.vesicarius and also to explore metabolomic profiling using UPLC-QTOF-MS. The effect of extracts was observed by checking the biochemical and histopathological parameters in diabetic rats. The results had shown a significant dose- dependent inhibition potential of aqueous extract of R. vesicarius seed against α-amylase and α-glucosidase along with significant inhibition in DPPH free-radical scavenging activity. Oral administration of R. vesicarius to diabetic rats significantly ( p< 0.05) ameliorated blood glucose level. It also improved the function of the liver and kidney as well as ameliorated dyslipidemia in diabetic rats. Histopathological examination of the treatment groups reversed the damage of the pancreas, liver, and kidney tissues confirming the antidiabetic efficacy of R. vesicarius. UPLC- QTOF-MS analysis of the extract revealed a total of 42 bioactive compounds, which might contribute to the antidiabetic activity. Based on our findings, we can conclude that R. vesicarius might be a promising candidate for the management of diabetes.

Women are the most vulnerable part in Afghanistan whose rights are often ignored by people, specifically men. They are insulted, humiliated and treated very badly when they are in public. The study aimed to explore Afghan women’s attitudes towards negative nicknames by which they were addressed. It also investigated to find out the reasons and causes behind these negative nicknames. Moreover, the study attempted to determine other offensive nicknames by which men address women in public. The data were collected from 407 randomly recruited young women from Takhar University, schools girls, work places and learning centers where the female students were working and studying through a questionnaire which consisted of 22 items. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to answer each questionnaire item. To analyze the data, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 was used. The results of the study revealed that the participants had a strong sensitivity to their given names. They repeatedly requested men not to call them by their given names. The participants believed that they lost their identity when they were addressed by negative nicknames in public. Furthermore, the participants of the study expressed a negative feeling towards offensive nicknames which prevented them from working and studying in public. They also reported that addressing through their given names affected their lives intellectually and physically. It has also been reported that there is no any statistically significant differences in the attitudes of the participants towards negative nicknames by their gender, age, and first language.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the perceptions of Afghan EFL teachers towards the use of Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) in English classrooms. It aimed to investigate the use of different techniques of teaching English to students through the application of GTM in classrooms. Furthermore, the study sought to determine how GTM helped teachers to use translation technique to translate short passages and other language items and effects of GTM on Afghan teaching classrooms through students’ performance. The study also tried to find out differences in the perceptions teachers by gender, age, first language, and teaching experience. The data collected from 150 participants who were teaching English at Takhar University and other English language centers. The study employed Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 to analyze the data. The results of the study revealed that teachers liked and welcomed GTM to be applied in English classrooms. Furthermore, the results also showed that participants considered GTM a very important method of teaching because it helped them teach grammar rules properly. Another finding of the study was that teachers would often translate short passages, instructions and any language items into L1 in order to help learners to learn the target language. Moreover, the study revealed that applying Grammar-Translation Method in language classroom affected the students’ performance. It also showed that there were not any statistically significant differences by their gender, age, and teaching experience except their language.

COVID-19 pandemic as an ugly phenomenon disrupted all educational sectors and Afghan higher education institutions in particular. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on Afghanistan higher education institutions. It also aimed to determine the effects of students learning practices before and after the pandemic. The impacts of virtual learning on students’ performance during the COVID-19 pandemic were investigated in this study as well. For collecting the data, a semi-structured interview was employed. After collecting the data, the data were transcribed verbatim and four major themes were constructed: (1) students’ perceptions of learning practices before the outbreak of COVID-19, (2) the impact of distance learning modality during the COVID-19 pandemic and its challenges on students’ learning, (3) students’ learning anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic, and (4) level of students’ satisfaction from face-to-face learning system after a decrease in the cases of COVID-19. The findings showed that students learning process across the higher education institutions of Afghanistan have been worst affected due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The results also revealed that virtual learning modality during the COVID-19 caused more anxiety in students learning practices and it led to more isolation in their learning process. Furthermore, the attitudes of Afghan EFL learners towards virtual learning in the presence of COVID-19 were more negative. Additionally, Afghan EFL learners showed a high rate satisfaction towards physical learning modality as they experienced before the pandemic.

Incivility, a growing challenge in higher education institutions, interferes with and disrupts the learning process. This study examined faculty members' experiences of students' incivilities in institutions of higher education in Afghanistan. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 289 faculty members who were teaching in various higher education institutions across Afghanistan. Descriptive and inferential statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that faculty members experienced varying degrees of a wide range of incivilities in and outside the classroom, including conversing loudly in the class, interruption, and harassment. They also experienced a variety of incivilities related to assessment and grading. A small number of them experienced more serious forms of incivilities including beating, stabbing, and death threats. The findings also revealed that there were not significant differences between participants' experiences of student incivility by their gender, but there were significant differences between faculty members' experience by their level of education and years of teaching experience. The study recommends faculty members and higher education institutions take practical measures to address incivilities inside and outside the classroom in order to create a safe learning environment for faculty members and students.

ABSTRACT: Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a global phenomenon and causes serious morbidities in peoples via fluctuation in ions homeostasis, oxidative and inflammatory stress. The fundamental goal of this review intends to comprehend the growing awareness, biological impact, food fortification and different sources of Vitamin D. Methods: The information was gathered from different national and international literatures like research articles reviews and book chapters using Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, PubMed and Springer databases for a comprehensive understanding and perspective associated with Vitamin D. Result: There are a very few food sources that naturally contain Vitamin D such as fish, milk, eggs, microalgae and mushrooms. . However, the common population is not able to get a sufficient amount of this vitamin due to lack of awareness and consumption of nutritionally-exhausted food sources.. Hence, there exists an urgent need to aware the general population regarding Vitamin D. Increasing awareness aboutVitamin-D rich foods and further fortification can be a promising initiative for a better understanding of this bone-enriching vitamin, apprehensing people getting rid of the serious morbidities associated with Vitamin D deficiency. Conclusion: This review elucidates the biological impact and the existing Vitamin D rich-natural sources. It has been demonstrated that Vitamin D exhibits an essential role in calcium homeostasis and delays senescence. due to its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effect.Biological applicability of Vitamin D can be an influential area of future research forrevealing potential therapeutic strategies.

The study examined EFL instructors' perceptions of English textbooks. It also investigated whether the instructors' gender and the type of textbooks they used had a significant impact on their responses. A survey questionnaire with 30 closed-ended items was utilized to collect the data from 60 randomly selected EFL instructors who were teaching English in higher education institutions and English language centers. SPSS version 26.0 was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the instructors had positive perceptions about English textbooks. They also believed that four skills of English were equally represented in the textbooks, and they contained adequate listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. In addition, the textbooks were enriched with the cultural issues of the target language and that they were appropriate for the Afghan context. The results also showed that textbooks served various roles in EFL classrooms, for instance, as a source of assessment and assignment. There were not statistically significant differences between female and male instructors' responses. However, the type of textbooks they used significantly impacted their perceptions of English textbooks. EFL Programs are recommended to encourage and support their instructors to use other English learning resources to optimize their students’ learning.

Subject and Purpose of the Article: The purpose of this research is Typology of Psychodynamic perceptual disorder in Quality services of auditors based on Q-Varimax analysis. Research Method: Methodological basis of this research is combined, because through qualitative analysis, first research propositions or discourse expressions from similar research texts were theoretically screened and then in the quantitative analysis section through score questionnaires of +5 to -5 in the form of analysis Q Varimax, various species that cause psychodynamic perceptual disturbances in the quality services of auditors were examined. Based on this, it should be said that research is in the category of developmental research in terms of results and descriptive-applied research in terms of purpose. Findings: In this study, 20 auditors of the Court of Audit who had specialized approaches to auditing, both empirically and in terms of the level of technical knowledge, participated. Research Findings: In this study, 22 propositions related to the defects that cause psychodynamic perceptual disturbance were identified through theoretical screening and based on the Q analysis process in 4 types. Conclusion, Originality and its Contribution to the Knowledge: These results indicate that the existence of internal and external causes can cause a person to suffer from psychodynamic perceptual disorders and under these conditions lose the quality functions of their services.

Sharbat-e-Bazoori Motadil (SBM) is a traditional Unani syrupy formulation, widely used for the management of kidney diseases. Due to lack of scientific evidence, the present work prospective is aimed to evaluate the protective effect of sugar-free SBM against cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity using in vitro and in vivo followed by phytochemical studies. The sugar-free SBM formulation was chromatographically characterized for chemical analysis through HPTLC and evaluated for its metabolic contents. Thereafter, in vitro phytochemicals and free radical scavenging assays were performed to evaluate the total phenols and flavonoid content and antioxidant potential of sugar-free SBM. Human embryonic kidney-293 (HEK-293) cell was used to assess nephroprotective and antioxidant studies of sugar-free SBM. Further, in vivo nephroprotective studies were performed in female Wistar albino rats at different dose (32.1, 64.2, 128.4 mg/kg/day, p.o.) of SBM by assessment of biochemical markers, antioxidants status, inflammatory cytokines, and histopathological analysis. Qualitative and quantitative HPTLC analysis of SBM revealed eleven and eight metabolites at 254 and 366 nm, respectively, while the content of caffeic acid and trans ferulic acid was found as 5.63 ± 0.29 and 12.64 ± 0.71 µg/mg, respectively. In vitro free radical scavenging assays showed the significant antioxidant potential of sugar-free SBM. The in vitro assay for nephroprotective and cellular antioxidant analysis of SBM showed significant (p

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is a chronic, contagious, and typically life-threatening enteric disease of ruminants caused by a bacterium of the genus Mycobacterium, but it can also affect non-ruminant animals. MAP transmission occurs through the fecal–oral pathway in neonates and young animals. After infection, animals generate IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10, resulting in a Th2 response. Early detection of the disease is necessary to avoid its spread. Many detection methods, viz., staining, culture, and molecular methods, are available, and numerous vaccines and anti-tuberculosis drugs are used to control the disease. However, the prolonged use of anti-tuberculosis drugs leads to the development of resistance. Whereas vaccines hamper the differentiation between infected and vaccinated animals in an endemic herd. This leads to the identification of plant-based bioactive compounds to treat the disease. Bioactive compounds of Ocimum sanctum and Solanum xanthocarpum have been evaluated for their anti-MAP activity. Based on the MIC50 values, Ursolic acid (12 µg/mL) and Solasodine (60 µg/mL) were found to be suitable for anti-MAP activity.

The study was aimed to develop a characterized polyherbal combination as an immunomodulator containing Phyllanthus emblica L., Piper nigrum L., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, and Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. Through response surface methodology (RSM), the ratio of aqueous extracts of four plant materials was optimized and comprised 49.76% of P. emblica, 1.35% of P. nigrum, 5.41% of W. somnifera, and 43.43% of T. cordifolia for optimum immunomodulatory activity. The optimized combination showed antioxidant potential and contains more than 180 metabolites, out of which gallic acid, quercetin, ellagic acid, caffeic acid, kaempferitrin, and p-coumaric acid are some common and significant metabolites found in plant extracts and in polyherbal combination. Treatment with the polyherbal combination of different doses in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced the subsets of immune cells such as natural killer (NK) cells (60%), B cells (18%), CD4 cells (14%), and CD8 cells (7%). The characterized polyherbal combination exhibited potent immunomodulatory activity, which can be further explored clinically for its therapeutic applicability.