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The Taliban resistance against the various Afghan governments continued in the post-2001 period which finally culminated in their agreement with the United States of America (USA) for the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in February 2020 and the subsequent capture of Kabul from President Ashraf Ghani in September 2021. Pakistan once again played a pivotal role in this US-Taliban agreement with a hope to achieve its regional objectives of discouraging Afghanistan from its claim on Durand Line, countering India to seek further influence in Afghanistan, tackling the menace of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) inside Pakistan and taking benefits from regional economic and commercial developments. To add to the surprise of Pakistan, the Taliban government repeated the Afghan claim on Durand Line as an international border, provided active support to TTP, allowed India to complete the ongoing projects and also failed to help Pakistan in realizing its dream of accessing the Central Asian markets on account of sanctions on their government. This research paper seeks to answer the question that what dilemmas Pakistan faces after the establishment of Taliban government in Afghanistan once again after a gap of 20 years? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis is a method of blood testing used to detect thalassaemia. However, the interpretation of the result of the electrophoresis test itself is a complex task. Expert haematologists, specifically in developing countries, are relatively few in number and are usually overburdened. To assist them with their workload, in this paper we present a novel method for the automated assessment of thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. Moreover, in this study we compile a large Hb electrophoresis image dataset, consisting of 103 strips containing 524 electrophoresis images with a clear consensus on the quality of electrophoresis obtained from 824 subjects. The proposed methodology is split into two parts: (1) single-patient electrophoresis image segmentation by means of the lane extraction technique, and (2) binary classification (normal or abnormal) of the electrophoresis images using state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and using the concept of transfer learning. Image processing techniques including filtering and morphological operations are applied for object detection and lane extraction to automatically separate the lanes and classify them using CNN models. Seven different CNN models (ResNet18, ResNet50, ResNet101, InceptionV3, DenseNet201, SqueezeNet and MobileNetV2) were investigated in this study. InceptionV3 outperformed the other CNNs in detecting thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. The accuracy, precision, recall, f1-score, and specificity in the detection of thalassaemia obtained with the InceptionV3 model were 95.8%, 95.84%, 95.8%, 95.8% and 95.8%, respectively. MobileNetV2 demonstrated an accuracy, precision, recall, f1-score, and specificity of 95.72%, 95.73%, 95.72%, 95.7% and 95.72% respectively. Its performance was comparable with the best performing model, InceptionV3. Since it is a very shallow network, MobileNetV2 also provides the least latency in processing a single-patient image and it can be suitably used for mobile applications. The proposed approach, which has shown very high classification accuracy, will assist in the rapid and robust detection of thalassaemia using Hb electrophoresis images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conflicting security and economic interest between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran brought the region of the Middle East towards unrest and antagonism. The region has immense strategic importance in global politics and always remains at the top of major powers' foreign policy. The competition of both states is not new but the Arab Spring proved oil on the flam in their competition. The study aimed to identify the particular issues, policies, and their contribution to the security and economic interest of both Riyadh and Tehran in the region of the Middle East. Secondary sources of data are used to analyze the security and economic interest. The results also indicate the major causes of security and economic interest as Iran’s nuclear ambition and its desire to gain dominancy in the international oil market while Riyadh wants to prolong its monarchy with the cooperation of GCC, balance power with Iran and wants to enhance its hegemony in the Middle East in economic and security means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research intends to numerically study the out-of-plane behaviour of confined dry-stacked masonry (CDSM) walls against blast loading. CDSM is a mortarless interlocking masonry system consisting of Hydraform blocks laid in stretcher bond with reinforced concrete (RC) confining elements. A nonlinear numerical model is developed using advanced finite element hydrocode ANSYS-Autodyn to study the response of CDSM walls subjected to explosive loads. Four different test cases using a charge weight of 4 kg, 8 kg, 12 kg, and 16 kg of Wabox explosive are investigated numerically. The results obtained from numerical simulation are validated with the experimental tests results. The numerical results are found in good agreement with the experimental results. The ability of the numerical model is studied to correctly predict the pressure-time history in pressure gauges installed on walls and compared with experimental data. Peak incident overpressures obtained in these numerical tests ranged from 240 to 1000 kPa. Likewise, the damage patterns obtained from the numerical simulations are compared with available experimental results which show a satisfactory agreement. This study helps to check the response of CDSM structures against blast load which can be used for the construction of blast resisting design of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and investigate factors associated with dysmenorrhic pain among university students in Lahore, Pakistan. Design and Setting A cross-sectional study was conducted across various public and private sector universities in Lahore. Methods A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 600 randomly selected female university students. Results The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 91.5%. Age at menarche (odds ratio [OR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10–3.50) was the only significant factor associated with dysmenorrhea. The mean pain severity score among dysmenorrhic students was 5.62 ± 2.28. Most of the participants (65.8%) were experiencing moderate/severe pain. Univariate analysis showed that irregular cycle (OR [95% CI] = 1.62 [1.13–2.33]), age at menarche of ≤14 years (OR [95% CI] = 1.46 [1.05–2.04]), duration of menses of more than 5 days (OR [95% CI] = 1.42 [1.02–1.99]), stress (OR [95% CI] = 2.16 [1.54–3.03]), moderate meat/protein consumption (OR [95% CI] = 1.55 [1.08–2.21]), and medical specialization (OR [95% CI] = 1.72 [1.17–2.52]) were significantly associated with pain severity among dysmenorrhic female students. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis revealed that medical specialization (OR [95% CI] = 1.83 [1.22–2.73]), age at menarche (OR [95% CI] = 0.603 [0.42–0.86]), regularity of menses (OR [95% CI] = 1.52 [1.04–2.22]), moderate meat/protein consumption (OR [95% CI] = 1.69 [1.16–2.45]), and stress (OR [95% CI] = 1.87 [1.32–2.66]) were independent predictors of moderate/severe dysmenorrhic pain. Conclusion The study revealed an alarmingly high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among university students. High levels of stress and early menarche were the potent determinants of moderate/severe dysmenorrhea that disturbs quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a warranty-maintenance service contract is designed between a manufacturer and third-party agent who provide warranty and maintenance services respectively and may suffer from financial risks due to the demand uncertainty from consumers. We model the utility functions for the firms considering uncertain demand, risk attitude, and different options of warranty and maintenance service strategies. By using game theory, optimal sale price and warranty period for the manufacturer, whereas the optimal repair price or maintenance price for the third-party agent is explicitly derived by maximizing their expected utilities. Analytical results show that a more risk-averse manufacturer (or third-party agent) sets a lower price and gets lower utility as compared to a risk-neutral manufacturer (or third-party agent), which consequently leads to increases in product demand. The lower price decision of a more risk-averse player benefits a less risk-averse counterpart competitor in the market to set a higher price and get maximum utility. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the outcome of concomitant treatment of a non-chronic total occlusion lesion at the time of chronic total occlusion intervention at AFIC-NIHD. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases Rawalpindi, from Nov 2020 to Apr 2021. Methodology: A total of 171 patients presenting with chronic total coronary occlusion lesions were enrolled in study. Patients were randomized into two groups, group one with chronic total coronary occlusion only group and group two with combined group (chronic total coronary occlusion with non-chronic total coronary occlusion lesion) after coronary angiogram. The primary end-point assessed was angiographic (<30% residual diameter stenosis), clinical and procedural outcomes (TIMI grade flow, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including death, stent thrombosis (ST), MI, repeated symptoms requiring repeat target vessel revascularization (TVR) either PCI or CABG, pericardial tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis or surgery and stroke) in patients with only chronic total coronary occlusion PCI group and combined group (chronic total coronary occlusion with non-chronic total coronary occlusion). Results: A total of 171 patients with chronic total coronary occlusion lesions were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 60.61 ± 9.68. There was no significant difference in perihospital complications, MACE in the two groups. However, there was increased contrast volume and radiation used in the combined group. Conclusion: Combined chronic total coronary occlusion and non-chronic total coronary occlusion lesion PCI can be done in a single procedural setting with acceptable complications and high success rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether a planned 2-stent double kissing crush technique is superior to provisional stenting patients presenting with true distal LM bifurcation lesions. Study Design: Cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Dec 2020 to May 2021. Methodology: A total of 70 patients enrolled in the study presented with true distal LM bifurcation lesions (Medina 1, 1, 1 or 0, 1, 1). Patients were randomized to PS or DK crush technique. The primary end-point was peri hospital and 1 month composite rate target lesion failure (TLF): target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), cardiac death, stent thrombosis (ST), target vessel revascularization (TVR). Routine clinical follow up done at 2 weeks and 4 weeks followed by 3 and 6 months thereafter. Results: A total of 70 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The patient population was divided into two groups. Group A participants underwent DK crush technique while group B participants underwent provisional stenting. In group A [DK crush technique] 16 (45.7%) patients presented with Non-ST elevation MI followed by 14 (40%) who presented with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) while in group B [Provisional stenting] 13 (37.1%) presented with chronic coronary syndrome followed by 9 (25.7%) who presented with non-ST elevation MI. Conclusion: LM-PCI is an acceptable procedure in patients with true distal LM bifurcation lesions who are candidates for PCI. This study also showed that DK-Crush has good periprocedural and angiographic outcomes and superior to PS in complex LMCAD lesions. PS is an acceptable option in simple distal LMCAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal anemia is a frequent problem during pregnancy, especially in developing countries, such as Pakistan. In this context, the present study was conducted to determine factors associated with maternal anemia prevalent among women of different age groups visiting different hospitals in Lahore from February to April 2017. The current study used a cross-sectional design involving 390 pregnant women. Data related to demographic area, maternal age, gestational age/period, educational and income level, as well as socioeconomic status of all the participants were collected. Also, hemoglobin levels of the participants were obtained for assessment of maternal anemia. A total of 57.7% of participants were anemic (34.4 % mild and 23.3% moderate anemia). Bivariate analysis showed that less education (p = 0.01), occupation as housewife (p = 0.03), lower income (p = 0.001), rural residence (p = 0.028), and greater number of house members (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with maternal anemia. Results of multivariable logistic regression showed that low income was the only significant factor independently associated with maternal anemia. These results suggest that interventions, such as the Nutrition Support Program, to improve nutritional status of pregnant women by providing free food supplements with focus on the poor and marginalized communities are recommended to prevent anemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) remained as 'no men's land' since the times of the British rule and was governed under the Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR), a draconian law based on collective responsibility of the tribesman. The nonintegration of FATA has kept it backward and deprived it from the fruits of a civilized life on one hand while on the other hand; it remained open for the intruders from the outside world. For instance, the Taliban and terrorists found a safe haven in FATA after the American attack on Afghanistan because of the absence of direct administrative system there. Their cadres included not only the tribal madrassa students but also the Afghans, Arabs and Uzbeks who have not only hijacked FATA but also posed a potential threat to the rest of the country. In order to counter the menace of the Taliban and terrorists, Pakistan's army launched various operations and proclaimed successes but such claims were usually followed by a fresh wave of terrorist and suicide attacks in the country. For a permanent solution to the problem and for the security of the road project which is being constructed from Xinxiang in the north-west China to Gwadar port in Baluchistan under the newly signed CPEC agreement with China, integration and mainstreaming of FATA with KP is indispensable which automatically will help in closing the nurseries of such unwelcomed Taliban and terrorist outfits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic carbon nanocomposite (MCN) was synthesized from waste biomass precursor, pineapple. The prepared adsorbent was characterized using different instrumental techniques and was used to remove levofloxacin (LEV) from effluents. The maximum sorption of LEV was observed at pH 7. Pseudo-2nd-order (PSO) kinetic was found to be the best model that fits well the adsorption kinetics data. For Langmuir adsorption isotherm, the R2 value was higher as compared with other isotherms. The Van't Hoff equation was used for thermodynamic parameters determinations. ΔS° (standard entropy) was positive and ΔG° (standard Gibb's free energy) was negative: -0.37, -1.81, and -3.73 kJmol−1 corresponding to 25, 40, and 60°C. The negative values of ΔG° at different temperatures stipulate that the adsorption of LEV was spontaneous in nature and adsorbent has a considerable affinity for LEV molecules. The MCN was then utilized in hybrid way by connecting with ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes in series and as a result enhanced permeate fluxes were observed. The percent retention of LEV molecules was lower with UF membrane and with NF it was 96%, while it was 100% with RO. For MCN/UF and MCN/NF systems, improvement in % retention was recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurmin, a naturally yellow component isolated from turmeric, ability to prevent various life-style related disorders. The current review article mainly emphasizes on different anticancer perspectives of cucurmin, i.e., colon, cervical, uterine, ovarian, prostate head and neck, breast, pulmonary, stomach and gastric, pancreatic, bladder oral, oesophageal, and bone cancer. It holds a mixture of strong bioactive molecule known as cucurminoids that has ability to reduce cancer/tumor at initial, promotion and progression stages of tumor development. In particular, these compounds block several enzymes required for the growth of tumors and may therefore involve in tumor treatments. Moreover, it modulates an array of cellular progressions, i.e., nitric oxide synthetase activity, protein kinase C activity, epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor intrinsic kinase activity, nuclear factor kappa (NF-kB) activity, inhibiting lipid peroxidation and production of reactive oxygen species. However, current manuscript summarizes most of the recent investigations of cucurmin but still further research should be conducted to explore the role of curcumin to mitigate various cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a hybrid heuristic scheme based on two different basis functions i.e. Log Sigmoid and Bernstein Polynomial with unknown parameters is used for solving the nonlinear heat transfer equations efficiently. The proposed technique transforms the given nonlinear ordinary differential equation into an equivalent global error minimization problem. Trial solution for the given nonlinear differential equation is formulated using a fitness function with unknown parameters. The proposed hybrid scheme of Genetic Algorithm (GA) with Interior Point Algorithm (IPA) is opted to solve the minimization problem and to achieve the optimal values of unknown parameters. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is validated by solving nonlinear heat transfer equations. The results obtained by the proposed scheme are compared and found in sharp agreement with both the exact solution and solution obtained by Haar Wavelet-Quasilinearization technique which witnesses the effectiveness and viability of the suggested scheme. Moreover, the statistical analysis is also conducted for investigating the stability and reliability of the presented scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a developing country, Pakistan finds most of its farmers facing very meager economic conditions. Owing to this, they are incapable to manage expenses of their various agricultural requirements and provisions; including basic agricultural inputs and machinery. In order to overcome these issues, through the most simple and conceivable means, they opt to secure financing from numerous resources, the most important of which are informal financing sources. However, there are some drawbacks related to informal finance that makes its usage less appealing. These include the practice of charging an exorbitant interest rate, the lack of appropriate legal documentation, the provision of insufficient funds, and reliance on trust. The empirical data was collected from farmers who, frequently avail informal finances, and have similar publicized shortcomings. The present study was conducted to critically analyze - theoretically as well as practically, through empirical research, the downsides of informal financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) of different milk types and traditional dairy-based Pakistani products were determined. Fifty commonly consumed commercial and domestic dairy products were divided into milk variants, dairy products, fruit milk shakes, local beverages, desserts and traditional confections. Healthy participants after overnight fasting were served calculated (25 or 50 g carbohydrate) portions of glucose and bread (as reference) on three occasions, and subsequently the test foods containing equal amount of available carbohydrates. Forty-three foods were low GI, whereas, confectionery items with moderate available carbohydrate were categorised among medium and high GI foods. Milk, as main ingredient affected GI value of the whole recipe. Protein and fat content of test foods showed moderate negative association with GI. It can be concluded that local ingredients and traditional recipes of Pakistani dairy products are unique, resulting variation in composition, GI and GL in comparison with international GI tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• xAg 2 O/Al 2 O 3 compositions are being reported as novel strategic electro-catalysts. • Significantly enhanced water electro-oxidation (WEOR) was demonstrated on Ag 2 O/Al 2 O 3. • All nanopowders exhibited remarkable performance for WOER benchmarking protocols. • Maximum activity was observed for 5 wt. % composition expressed in terms of kinetic parameters. This research intended to synthesize γ-Al 2 O 3 supported Ag 2 O nanopowders (xAg 2 O/Al 2 O 3 , x = 1–5%) in five different compositions for alkaline water electro-oxidation reaction (WEOR). Electrochemical investigations including cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to examine the electrocatalytic potential of the synthesized nanomaterials. Performed electrochemical (EC) studies designated Ag 2 O/γ-Al 2 O 3 as a robust electrocatalyst for WEOR. Standard benchmarking protocols were employed to appraise the activity of synthesized catalysts. All catalyst materials exhibited comparable activities by achieving an overpotential of nearly 300 mV at 10 mAcm−2. Results demonstrated that an increase in Ag 2 O contents reduced the charge transfer resistance (R ct) and augmented EC surface area, ensuing in reduced onset potential (0.98 V vs. Ag/AgCl) and a small Tafel slope (TS) of 0.85 V dec−1. EC analysis revealed high WEOR performance at all Ag 2 O/γ-Al 2 O 3 modified electrodes, however maximum diffusion coefficient (D o ; 6.5 × 10−6 cm2s−1), mass transport coefficient (m t ; 7.63 × 10−4 cm s−1), rate constant (k o ; 2.4 × 10−4 cm s−1) and low R ct (101 Ω) was observed for 5% Ag 2 O/γ-Al 2 O 3. This study scheme has proved to be cost-effective synthesis of Ag 2 O/γ-Al 2 O 3 catalysts providing better fallouts for activity and stability for water oxidation at ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorptive removal of Ni2+ from aqueous solution by low cost cellulosic adsorbent was investigated with respect to adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm. Adsorbent was characterized by BET surface area, SEM, EDX, FTIR and Zeta potential technique and reported earlier. The surfaces contain carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups, which act as binding sites for Ni2+ ion. Adsorption kinetics of Ni2+ was tested by first order, Elovich, parabolic diffusion and Bangham kinetic equations. Thermodynamic parameters like ΔH≠, ΔS≠ and ΔG≠ were calculated from the kinetic data. The rate of adsorption was high at high adsorption temperature. Positive values of ΔS≠ reflect some structural exchange among the active site of the adsorbent and metal ion. Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin isotherms and distribution coefficient were found fit to the adsorption isotherm data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weak organic acids are naturally occurring compounds that are commercially used as preservatives in the food and beverage industries. They extend the shelf life of food products by inhibiting microbial growth. There are a number of theories that ex-plain the antifungal properties of these weak acids, but the exact mechanism is still unknown. We set out to quantitatively deter-mine the contributions of various mechanisms of antifungal activity of these weak acids, as well as the mechanisms that yeast uses to counteract their effects. We analyzed the effects of four weak organic acids differing in lipophilicity (sorbic, benzoic, pro-pionic, and acetic acids) on growth and intracellular pH (pH¡) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although lipophilicity of the acids correlated with the rate of acidification of the cytosol, our data confirmed that not initial acidification, but rather the cell's ability to restore pH¡, was a determinant for growth inhibition. This pH¡ recovery in turn depended on the nature of the organic anion. We identified long-term acidification as the major cause of growth inhibition under acetic acid stress. Restoration of pHj, and consequently growth rate, in the presence of this weak acid required the full activity of the plasma membrane ATPase Pmalp. Surprisingly, the proposed anion export pump Pdrl2p was shown to play an important role in the ability of yeast cells to restore the pH¡ upon lipophilic (sorbic and benzoic) acid stress, probably through a charge interaction of anion and proton transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption kinetics of Cu(ll) from aqueous solution by low cost chemically modified saw dust of Morus alba was investigated. The samples were characterized by FT-IR, EDS, BET surface area and Zeta potential technique. The surfaces contain carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups which act as a binding sites for Cu(ll) ion. Adsorption kinetics of Cu(ll) was tested by first order ki-netics, Elovich and parabolic diffusion kinetic equations which shows that adsorption is a diffusion controlled process. The rate of adsorption was high at high adsorption temperature. Thermo-dynamic parameters like ?H0, ?S0 and ?G° were calculated from the kinetic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of Pb(ll) ¡on from aqueous solution on modified sawdust obtained from Morus alba was investigated. The sample was characterized by BET surface area, EDX, FT1R and Zeta potential technique. The surface contains carbonyl and hydroxyl functional groups which act as binding sites for Pb(ll) ¡on. Adsorption kinetics of Pb(ll) on sawdust was tested by pseudo first order, Elovich and parabolic diffusion kinetic equations. The adsorption data were found to fit to Freundlich, Langmuir and Tempkin isotherms. The rate of adsorption was high at high temperature. Thermodynamic parameters like ΔH, ΔS and ΔG were calculated from the kinetic data. The positive values of ΔS reflect some structural exchange among the active site of the adsorbent and metal ion. The negative values of Gibbs free energy (ΔG) show the spontaneous nature of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is observed that different Nramp1 genotypes are linked with Brucella resistance or susceptibility. So, current study aimed to find the Brucella resistance and susceptibility of local and exotic breeds of Pakistan on the basis of Nramp1 genotypes. Two breeds of buffaloes and five breeds of cattle were screened for brucellosis. The overall seropositivity determined by RBPT in cattle and buffaloes was 77.5% and 33.5% respectively. PCR results showed 54.5 and 25% brucella positive cases in cattle and buffaloes respectively. Nili-Ravi buffaloes pertain resistant genotype Nramp1 BB as compared to Kundi breeds of buffaloes possessed susceptible genotype Nramp1 AA. Similarly, Sahiwal breed was more resistant for brucellosis compared to cross breeds and Friesian. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Nramp1 gene of local breed had more closeness with B. taurus of China. This gene resistance can be used for genomic selection of animals to reduce disease cost and economic losses due to brucellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Prebiotic yogurt (PY) with improved galacto‐oligosaccharides (GalOS) was produced through transgalactosylation of lactose followed by physico‐chemical and organoleptic evaluation. The chemical composition of fresh and prebiotic milk was statistically (p > .05) similar except for lactose which was reduced from 4.8% in control milk to 1.9% in prebiotic milk. Lactose in PY (1.44 ± 0.01%) was statistically reduced as compared to control yogurt (3.4 ± 0.02%), while other parameters, that is, fat, protein, pH, and acidity were statistically similar. Lactose (60%) was bio‐converted producing 0.9 g GalOS, 0.9 g glucose and 0.55 g galactose per 100 g of PY as determined by assay kits and HPLC. The organoleptic evaluation for color, consistency, and overall acceptability was statistically similar for both yogurts while taste and syneresis were improved in PY due to newly produced monosaccharides and GalOS, respectively. It can be concluded that transgalactosylation of milk lactose improves acceptability of PY and is important for lactose intolerant individuals. Practical applications: Lactose intolerance is a serious issue around the globe and it is highly required to produce low lactose or lactose free dairy products. In the present study, major part of milk lactose has been converted to prebiotic galacto‐oligosaccharides using beta‐galactosidase and the prebiotic milk has been used to produce yogurt with significantly reduced lactose. This process is very much required in dairy industry to produce novel dairy products with reduced lactose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted at Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Pakistan, during 2018–2020 to explore the optimum sowing date, the most productive quinoa genotype, and appropriate sowing method. Sowing dates were 15 October, 30 October, 14 November and 29 November. Two sowing methods (ridge vs. flat sowing) and three farmer varieties (RBDC-I, RBDC-II and RBDC-III) and one approved quinoa line (Q7) were tested in a split split-plot design replicated thrice. Results revealed that quinoa sown on 14 November produced significantly higher panicle length (19.2 cm), 1000-grains weight (2.9 g) and grain yield (2063 kg ha−1) compared with other sowing dates. G × SM interaction revealed that RBDC-II sown on ridge produced higher main panicle length (25.4 cm), 1000-grains weight (3.3 g) and grain yield (3171 kg ha−1) compared with other G × SM interaction. Ridge sowing had a higher harvest index (44.5%) than flat-line sowing (35.4%). The results suggested that RBDC-II was the most productive quinoa genotype, which produced 69%, 36% and 77% higher yield over RBDC-I, RBDC-III and Q7, respectively. Sowing on 14 November produced 5–11% and 37.5% more yield compared with earlier and later sown quinoa, respectively. Moreover, ridge sowing was superior to flat sowing by producing 50% more yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scenario of recent energy crises, enhancement of yield at a reduced tillage cost and site specific potassium nutrition is much important for higher cotton yield and lint quality. The experiment was in a split-plot design and replicated thrice. Tillage system (i.e. reduced and conventional) was main plot treatment and potassium levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 & 250 kg ha-1) sub-plot. K-levels were applied 50, 100, 150, 200, and 200 kg ha-1 as soil application treatments and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as a foliar application of 2% K2SO4 solution at peak boll formation stage. Results revealed that tillage did not influence yield and quality attributes of cotton; however, potassium levels significantly affected yield and quality traits except fiber micronaire. Potassium fertilizer (soil-applied) at 250 kg ha-1 along with five foliar sprays of K2SO4 produced higher plant height, sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, 100 cotton seed weight, seed cotton yield, ginning outturn, fiber length, and fiber strength compared to other K-levels. Moreover, tillage × potassium interaction indicated that reduced tillage along with 250 kg K ha-1 plus 5 foliar sprays was superior to conventional tillage for producing higher sympodial branches, bolls plant-1, seed cotton yield, and ginning outturn (%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the scenario of recent energy crises, enhancement of yield at a reduced tillage cost and site specific potassium nutrition is much important for higher cotton yield and lint quality. The experiment was in a split-plot design and replicated thrice. Tillage system (i.e. reduced and conventional) was main plot treatment and potassium levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 & 250 kg ha-1) sub-plot. K-levels were applied 50, 100, 150, 200, and 200 kg ha-1 as soil application treatments and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 as a foliar application of 2% K2SO4 solution at peak boll formation stage. Results revealed that tillage did not influence yield and quality attributes of cotton; however, potassium levels significantly affected yield and quality traits except fiber micronaire. Potassium fertilizer (soil-applied) at 250 kg ha-1 along with five foliar sprays of K2SO4 produced higher plant height, sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, 100 cotton seed weight, seed cotton yield, ginning outturn, fiber length, and fiber strength compared to other K-levels. Moreover, tillage × potassium interaction indicated that reduced tillage along with 250 kg K ha-1 plus 5 foliar sprays was superior to conventional tillage for producing higher sympodial branches, bolls plant-1, seed cotton yield, and ginning outturn (%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoemulsion-based delivery systems have a considerable potential for the encapsulation, protection and delivery of lipophilic bioactives. In the current study, in-vitro stability of curcumin-loaded single (NEI), double (NEII), and triple-layered nanostructures was investigated against varying environmental stress (temperature, pH, ionic strength) and storage conditions. In addition, their functional performance, as influenced by the number of polymer layers, was also assessed by comparing in-vitro lipid digestibility and curcumin bioaccessibility. Initially, NEI was prepared through ultrasonic homogenisation technique, and stabilised with modified starch. Next, sequential deposition of chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on the NEI droplets resulted into the formation of NEII and nanocapsules, respectively. Nanocapsules showed good stability against aggregation over a wide range of pH (3.0–7.0), salt concentration (50–300 mM NaCl) and temperature (30–90 °C for 30 min). Digestion studies suggested that polymeric coatings interfered with lipolysis as the digestibility (% free fatty acid released) of oil droplets was considerably reduced with increasing the number of layers surrounding the oil droplets. However, curcumin bioaccessibility increased with adding the number of coating layers. Overall, results indicate that the developed nano-system could be helpful in improving the oral delivery of curcumin besides incorporating it into functional foods and beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the incidence of radial artery spasm and various predictors leading to radial artery spasm during coronary angiography/angioplasty in Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Diseases Rawalpindi. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Interventional Cardiology, Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology & National Institute of Heart Diseases Rawalpindi, from Aug to Nov 2020. Methodology: This study enrolled 272 patients who were to under go the procedure of coronary angiography/percutaneous coronary intervention either already admitted or came for out-patient procedure. Coronary angiography/percutaneous coronary intervention was done via trans radial approach and the study participants were observed for development of radial artery spasm. The patients were managed according to the department protocol. Results: The frequency of radial artery spasm was 30 (11%). No statistically significant association was found between radial artery spasm and various predictors such as age, hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p>0.05), except female gender (p<0.05). Conclusion: Radial artery spasm is a common complication of trans radial approach for coronary angiography/percutaneous coronary intervention particularly in females undergoing the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study appraises pharmaceutical potential and phenolics profiling of various solvent extracts gained from bark and leaves of Calotropis procera plant. The extracts were obtained using various solvents including CH3OH, C4H8O2, CHCl3 (50 and 100% for each) and H2O. The extracts were evaluated for antioxidant potential, antibacterial, antianti-glycation and anti-inflammatory activities. The yield of extracts ranged from 5.61 to 48.16% of dry weight (DW) for different extraction solvents. The highest percentage extract yield was obtained with 100% CH3OH from leaves. Various solvent extracts from C. procera leaves and bark exhibited considerable total phenolic content (20.41 to 100.18 GAE mg/g DW and total flavonoid content (IC50 18.33 to 92.92 CE mg/g DW), radical scavenging activity (1.03 to 7.42 mg/mL) and reducing power (EC50 525.65 to 1157.74 mg/mL). The tested extracts showed notable antibacterial potential against bacterial strains such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli. The maximum antioxidant and antibacterial activities were exhibited by methanol extracts from both tested parts of C. procera plant. However, the anti-inflammatory activity (45.45% inhibition) was observed to be higher for 50% chloroform extract from the leaves. HPLC analysis established that the leaves and bark of C. procera contained considerable amounts of natural antioxidants such as sinapic acid (17.3 ± 2.11 to 9586.44 ± 0.78 mg kg-1), vanillic acid (9.43 ± 0.21 to 5051.7 ± 18.47 mg kg-1) and protocatechuic acid (2.46 ± 0.40 to 139.05 ± 1.37 mg kg-1). All extracts from the tested materials did not exhibit significant anti-glycation activity. Generally, the extracts from leaves of C. procera offered higher levels of phenolic acids and biological activities than the bark extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modern‐day review article is an exquisite attempt to demonstrate the extreme therapeutic potential of tamarind fruit (Tamarindusindica), particularly its pulp, seed, and leaf extract, against lifestyle‐related chronic disorders. The rapid transition in the diet patterns and also the varying lifestyle of the people has made its way forth, a momentous upsurge in a number of chronic as well as degenerative diseases. An excess of foods having functional and nutraceutical significance has come into view recently. These foods have emerged as effective therapeutical remedies against these disorders owing to their natural phytochemical constituents present in them, in abundance. Tamarindusindica serves as a proverbial herbal medicine in each and every part of the world that is known to mankind. Also, the tamarind kernel powder (TKP) is of immense commercial significance in some of the major, leading industries of the World. The derivation of an important gel‐forming substance (polysaccharide), named as "jellose," from the decorticated seed kernels of tamarind fruit has led to the manufacture of pectin. It is used in industrial scale in the preparation of various products like jams, jellies, and most important in the preparation of cheese. It plays an evident role as a stabilizer of commercial significance, and it has also been greatly recommend by the scientists to be used as a potent ingredient in a range of pharmaceutical products. The leaves of tamarind plant are also used as part of the daily diet in several countries where they are readily consumed in fresh form and especially during drought season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Self-interlocking stabilized earth block masonry retrofitted with ferrocement overlay needs seismic assessment. • Quasi static testing procedure has been used to examine different seismic parameters. • Retrofitted Dry Stacked Masonry prevented the free sliding of blocks and acted as a unibody. • Lateral strength of the dry stacked interlocking masonry enhanced with the application of ferrocement overlay. • Ferrocement overlay technique is suitable for the restoration of the lateral strength of dry stacked masonry structures. Based on the increasing demand of the self-interlocking stabilized earth blocks in masonry industry and history of the earthquake losses, research study on strengthening and retrofitting techniques is needed for this novel masonry material. Therefore, in this research study, a damaged dry stacked self-interlocking block masonry structure was retrofitted with ferrocement overlay and tested under quasi-static loading protocol. The performance of the tested structure before and after retrofitting are compared in terms of different seismic parameters including force–deformation, hysteresis loops, energy dissipation, lateral stiffness, displacement ductility, response modifications factors, and performance levels. It was found that the seismic capacity of the damaged dry stacked self-interlocking masonry structure was restored and enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Instant research work was an attempt to fortify rice and study the pasting behavior of developed fortified treatments with the advancement in storage. Purposely pectin-based coatings were developed impregnated with FeSO4 (30 and 50 ppm) and NaFeEDTA (20 and 40 ppm) and ascertained for pasting behavior of stored grains using Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA). It was observed that storage resulted in appreciable increase in peak viscosities from 2,352.43 ± 57.03 to 2,510.65 ± 60.73 cP at 0-90 days, respectively. Likewise, trough (1,985.00 ± 17.81 to 2,080.30 ± 18.67 cP) and final (3,996.58 ± 19.88 to 4,187.95 ± 20.84 cP) viscosities were also improved with the ingress in storage from 0 to 90 days correspondingly. Moreover, pasting temperatures were raised from 73.67°C ± 1.67°C (0 day) to 75.29°C ± 1.13°C (90 day). Conclusively, it can be termed that ageing had a visible impact on pasting behavior of rice grains that ultimately has a contemporary role in consumer perception and acceptability. Practical applications There has been an alarming increase in micronutrient deficiencies that pose serious threat to well-being of individuals. Present research is a way forward to suggest some novel fortification methods to address nutritional insecurities. Moreover, authors have attempted to relate the effects of developed coated fortified rice on pasting properties that govern mainly with the food preferences and quality for consumer. It is highly hoped that edible coatings based fortification is a way forward to address the ever-increasing rate of micronutrient deficiencies with minimum quality deterioration. Furthermore, nutrition industry is expected to flourish by the launch of such health promoting food-based commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional immunology perception is a condition in which an altered supply of nutrients modifies immune response, and it has become linked intimately with endeavors to improve the clinical patients who often require an exogenous supply of nutrients. Scientists have revealed narrative mechanisms by which naturally occurring compounds such as abscisic acid, conjugated linoleic acid,n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E modulate immune responses. Beyond providing indispensable nutrients, diet can dynamically influence the immune system. Over 65% of the immune cells in the body are positioned in the gut, technically making the gut the “largest immune organ.” The immune receptors of the innate immune system positioned in the gut are the primary targets of strategies for immunomodulation via diet. There are several areas that need to be addressed; the most important is to raise the awareness of the people for balanced uptake of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the current research, arabinoxylans (AX) and arabinogalactans (AG) were extracted from different wheat varieties and utilized in bread at different levels (0.5 and 1%). Texture analysis (hardness, fracturability, gumminess, cohesiveness) of dough and bread was performed using texture analyzer. Results showed that the AX content in whole wheat flours ranged from 2.93 to 4.68% while AG ranged from 0.47 to 0.93%. Hardness of bread decreased significantly because of the increase in the levels of AX and AG while it improved during storage study. Moreover, bread fracturability improved as the AX and AG levels increased. Highest gumminess was assigned to Shafaq-06 with increasing trend from control to 0.5% AX level. After the addition of AG, highest bread gumminess (155.74 ± 6.1, 156.32 ± 7.9) was observed in Shafaq-06. Both fracturability and gumminess have been increased with the addition of these nonstarch polysaccharides but decreased with the storage intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, synthesis of T6P (trehalose 6- phosphate) is essential for growth on most fermentable carbon sources. In the present study, the metabolic response to glucose was analysed in mutants with different capacities to accumulate T6P. A mutant carrying a deletion in the T6P synthase encoding gene, TPS1, which had no measurable T6P, exhibited impaired ethanol production, showed diminished plasma membrane H+ - ATPase activation, and became rapidly depleted of nearly all adenine nucleotides which were irreversibly converted into inosine. Deletion of the AMP deaminase encoding gene, AMD1, in the tps1 strain prevented inosine formation, but did not rescue energy balance or growth on glucose. Neither the 90%-reduced T6P content observed in a tps1 mutant expressing the Tps1 protein from Yarrowia lipolytica, nor the hyperaccumulation of T6P in the tps2 mutant had significant effects on fermentation rates, growth on fermentable carbon sources or plasma membrane H+ - ATPase activation. However, intracellular metabolite dynamics and pH homoeostasis were strongly affected by changes in T6P concentrations. Hyperaccumulation of T6P in the tps2 mutant caused an increase in cytosolic pH and strongly reduced growth rates on non-fermentable carbon sources, emphasizing the crucial role of the trehalose pathway in the regulation of respiratory and fermentative metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To tackle leishmaniasis, search for efficient therapeutic drug targets should be pursued. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is considered as a key target for the treatment of leishmaniasis. In current study, we are interested in the design and synthesis of selective antifolates targeting DHFR from L. major. We focused on the development of new antifolates based on 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2-one and 5-(3,5-dimethoxybenzyl)pyrimidine-2,4-diamine motif. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies were performed on 4-phenyl ring of dihydropyrimidine (26–30) template. While for 5-(3,5-dimethoxybenzyl)pyrimidine-2,4-diamine, the impact of different amino acids (valine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, and glutamic acid) and two carbon linkers were explored (52–59). The synthesized compounds were assayed against Lm DHFR. Compound 59 with the IC 50 value of 0.10 μM appeared as potent inhibitors of L. major. Selectivity for parasite DHFR over human DHFR was also determined. Derivatives 55–59 demonstrated excellent selectivity for Lm DHFR. Highest selectivity for Lm DHFR was shown by compounds 56 (SI = 84.5) and 58 (SI = 87.5). Compounds Antileishmanial activity against L. major and L. donovani promastigotes was also performed. To explore the interaction pattern of the synthesized compounds with biological macromolecules, the docking studies were carried out against homology modelled Lm DHFR and h DHFR targets. Image 1 • Two novel series of structural mimics of methotrexate were designed and synthesized. • Selectivity for parasite enzyme over human enzyme was evaluated. • These series were evaluated for their potential against L. major / donovani promastigotes. • Compounds showed excellent selectivity for Lm DHFR over h DHFR. • Homology model of L. major DHFR-TS was constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphoinositides, diacylglycerolpyrophosphate, ceramide-1-phosphate, and phosphatidic acid belong to a unique class of membrane signaling lipids that contain phosphomonoesters in their headgroups having pK a values in the physiological range. The phosphomonoester headgroup of phosphatidic acid enables this lipid to act as a pH biosensor as changes in its protonation state with intracellular pH regulate binding to effector proteins. Here, we demonstrate that binding of pleckstrin homology (PH) domains to phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) in the yeast trans -Golgi network (TGN) is dependent on intracellular pH, indicating PI4P is a pH biosensor. pH biosensing by TGN PI4P in response to nutrient availability governs protein sorting at the TGN, likely by regulating sterol transfer to the TGN by Osh1, a member of the conserved oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) family of lipid transfer proteins. Thus, pH biosensing by TGN PI4P allows for direct metabolic regulation of protein trafficking and cell growth. • PI4P in the TGN senses changes in intracellular pH via protonation of its headgroup • pH via protonation of PI4P regulates recruitment of effector proteins to the TGN • pH-dependent recruitment of Osh1 to TGN PI4P regulates cargo sorting at the TGN • Glucose regulates pH and Osh1 TGN localization coupling nutrients to trafficking PI4P is an important signaling lipid in the TGN regulating adapter recruitment and cargo trafficking. Shin et al. show that a change in intracellular pH in response to glucose governs the protonation state of TGN PI4P, which controls recruitment of Osh1 and cargo sorting at the TGN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]