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The study aims to investigate the relationship of perceived threat of terrorism, stress appraisal and psychological distress in College and University students. Four hundred students of ages 19 to 22 years (M = 20.01, SD = 1.05) were recruited from different Colleges and Universities of Lahore. The research protocol consisted of Terrorism Catastrophizing Scale (Sinclair & LoCicero, 2007), Stress Appraisal Measure (Peacock & Wong, 1990) and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (Horowitz et al., 1979). The data was analyzed by using Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that threat challenge, centrality, uncontrollable and stressfulness(subscales of stress appraisal) had significant positive relationship with helplessness, rumination, psychological distress, intrusion, avoidance and arousal (subscales of psychological distress), negative relationship of perceived threat of terrorism with appraisal of challenge, controllability by self and controllability by other. Moreover, the results showed that threat, centrality and rumination were significant positive predictors of psychological distress. Findings of the study will help in developing interventions for students who feel high level of psychological distress because of perceived threat of terrorism.

The deterioration of rangeland resources as a result of environmental changes is a serious concern in the Himalayan mountainous region of Pakistan. The present study is aimed to evaluate the response of vegetation cover of rangeland to recent trends in climate parameters, such as the seasonal temperature and rainfall in the Mansehra district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Correlation analysis was performed between the MODIS data products, i.e., NDVI (Normalized difference vegetation index) and LST (Land surface temperature), and TRMM rainfall datasets of the 2000-2018 period. NDVI indicated a negative correlation with LST of winter (R= -0.56), spring (R= -0.7), summer (R= -0.24), and autumn (R= -0.23) significant (p

Children, adolescents, and adults who stutter widely experience anxiety and avoid social situations; hence stuttering negatively affects their quality of life (Yaruss & Quesal, 2004). The study aims to investigate the relation between social anxiety, stigma perception, and quality of life among individuals who stutter and to examine if stigma perception mediates between social anxiety and quality of life. Participants of aged 11- 25 years (Mage =18.83, SD = 4.74, N = 117) were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling technique. Participants were screened based on dysfluency using DSM-5 (2013) stuttering criteria. Results revealed significant association between social anxiety, stigma perception, and quality of life. Mediation analysis also showed that stigma perception partially mediated the relation between social anxiety and quality of life in individuals who stutter. Furthermore, significant age differences were found in social anxiety and quality of life in individuals who stutter. The study concluded that stigma perception partially mediates the relationship between social anxiety and quality of life; therefore, social anxiety and perceived stigma need to be reduced to enhance stuttering individuals’ quality of life. Results highlight the importance of multidisciplinary approach in the management of stuttering.

People in economically advantaged nations tend to evaluate their life as more positive overall and report greater well-being than people in less advantaged nations. But how does positivity manifest in the daily life experiences of individuals around the world? The present study asked 15,244 college students from 62 nations, in 42 languages, to describe a situation they experienced the previous day using the Riverside Situational Q-sort (RSQ). Using expert ratings, the overall positivity of each situation was calculated for both nations and individuals. The positivity of the average situation in each nation was strongly related to the economic development of the nation as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI). For individuals’ daily experiences, the economic status of their nation also predicted the positivity of their experience, even more than their family socioeconomic status. Further analyses revealed the specific characteristics of the average situations for higher HDI nations that make their experiences more positive. Higher HDI was associated with situational experiences involving humor, socializing with others, and the potential to express emotions and fantasies. Lower HDI was associated with an increase in the presence of threats, blame, and hostility, as well as situational experiences consisting of family, religion, and money. Despite the increase in a few negative situational characteristics in lower HDI countries, the overall average experience still ranged from neutral to slightly positive, rather than negative, suggesting that greater HDI may not necessarily increase positive experiences but rather decrease negative experiences. The results illustrate how national economic status influences the lives of individuals even within a single instance of daily life, with large and powerful consequences when accumulated across individuals within each nation. Incluye referencias bibliográficas

To investigate the psychosocial factors having an impact on persons with a stuttering problem.The correlation study was conducted from October 2016 to February 2018 at hospitals, speech clinics and educational institutes of Lahore. The sample comprised of young adults aged 16-30 years of either gender with stuttering problem. Data was collected using Stuttering Severity Instrument-4, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale-Urdu, Big Five Measure-20, Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering and the Urdu version of the shortened form of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory. Data was analysed using SPSS 23.Of the 78 subjects, 66(84.6 %) were males and 12 (15.4 %) were females. There were 21(27%) subjects aged 16-19 years and 57(73%) with age range of 20-30 years. The overall mean age was 21.96±3.89 years. Mean age of onset was 4.59±1.29 years, while gradual onset and progressive stuttering was reported by 74(94.9 %). The Bilingual users 49(63%) reported to have frequent stuttering. Among the 43(55.1%) who had received treatment, 30(38%) received speech therapy and 26(33.3%) reported dissatisfaction. Stuttering severity and social anxiety were significantly positively correlated with all domains of impact of stuttering (p0.05). Age, and duration were negatively correlated with day-to-day communication (p0.05) and previous speech treatment showed negative association with impact on general knowledge about stuttering (p0.05). Avoidance coping strategy had a significant relationship with all domains of impact (p0.05).Severity of stuttering and social anxiety were found to have repercussions on people who stuttered, while avoidance coping was practised more to deal with the negative impact on reactions toward stuttering and quality of life.

Objective: To compare the anti-inflammatory effects of berberine and dexamethasone in ovalbumin sensitized guinea pigs. Methods: This experimental controlled study was conducted in April, 2016 at Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore. Twenty- four healthy guinea pigs were selected for study. Six of these were assigned randomly in each group; normal control, ovalbumin (OVA) sensitized, berberine treated and dexamethasone treated groups. Airway inflammation was induced on day 0 and 14 by OVA injections via peritoneal route and by inhalation on 25th, 26th and 27th day in each group excluding the normal control. Berberine (1.8 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (20 mg/kg) were introduced via peritoneal route 30 minutes earlier to each trial in berberine treated and dexamethasone treated groups respectively. Results: Total leukocyte count (TLC) in blood sample of berberine treated group (9990±1346 mm3) and dexamethasone treated group (9054±1432 mm3) was significantly low than OVA sensitized group (14261±3151 mm3). TLC of broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in berberine treated group (384±26 mm3) and dexamethasone treated group (306±86) mm3 was significantly low than OVA sensitized group (598±110 mm3). Eosinophil percentage in blood of berberine treated (21.50±3.08) and dexamethasone treated (13.33±5.65) groups were significantly low than OVA sensitized group (30.33±6.74), while eosinophil percentage in BAL fluid was 26.00±6.69 and 21.00±7.46 in berberine treated and dexamethasone treated groups respectively with significant difference from OVA sensitized group value of 40.00±7.79. Conclusion: Berberine and dexamethasone both had reduced TLC and eosinophil percentage in both blood and BAL fluid as compared to OVA sensitized group but berberine is less effective than dexamethasone. Keywords: berberine, dexamethasone, asthma, airway inflammation How to cite: Zaidi T.S., Kausar R., Malik M., Sarfraz J., Shafiq A., Chiragh S. Comparison of berberine and dexamethasone on blood and bronchial inflammatory cells of ovalbumin sensitized guinea pigs. Esculapio 202;17(01):34-38

The spectrum of rheumatic disease is wide and includes conditions with diverse pathology, although most have in common a heritable risk with a complex genetic basis. Over the past decade intense efforts have been done to understand the contribution of genotype to the expression of disease in terms of both basic pathogenesis and clinical characteristics. The dramatic improvement in technology and methodology has accelerated the pace of gene discovery in complex disorders in an exponential fashion. This review focuses on rheumatoid arthritis and describes some of the recently described genes that underlie this condition and the extent to which they overlap.

To compare the psychological adjustment of typical siblings of children with autism and siblings of “Children without Autism” within the context of their mothers’ distress. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in institutes dealing with children with Autism in Lahore Children with autism were identified and their typical siblings and counterparts of siblings were then tested for their psychological adjustment; mothers were tested for their distress. Childhood Autism Rating Scale was used for the assessment of the severity of autism. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess the psychological adjustment of typical siblings. Depression Anxiety and Stress scale was used to assess mothers’ psychological distress. Analyses revealed that typical siblings of autistic children had significantly poorer

Wheat is consumed as staple food by majority of population in Pakistan. This study was aimed to assess the effects of recently introduced five cultivars of wheat (Ojala 2016, Borlaug 2016, Johar 2016, Gold 2016 and Fatehjang 2016) for chapatti quality. Results for different physical, chemical, rheological and sensory parameters revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences between the cultivars studied. The flours obtained from wheat cultivars Fatehjang 2016, Borlaug 2016 and Gold 2016 demonstrated increasing tendency in protein content and dry and wet gluten. Wet gluten was significantly higher in Fatehjang 2016 (30.08%) and significantly lower (26.21%) in wheat variety named Gold 201. Fatehjang 2016 and Borlaug 2016 showed the most appealing physical properties among all cultivars. On the basis of rheological and sensory parameters, Fatehjang 2016 was found to be the most suitable variety for production of chapatti followed by Borlaug 2016.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Mental health is playing an important role in our daily life. Now a days depression is the second most common illness in the world. Online social networking is one of the risk factors to mental illness, and objective is to determine the usage of social networking sites (SNS) and level of depression among undergraduate students. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam- Sindh with simple random sampling through self-administrated questionnaires. Sample size was calculated on a prevalence rate of 50%, students ranging from 17-28 years, using SNS were included while those having any chronic illness were excluded. Ethical approval was obtained from Health Services Academy Islamabad, anonymity confidentiality, and privacy was assured. SPSS version 20.0 was used, and chi-square was applied to find the association. RESULTS: Out of 212 students, the respondents consisted mainly of male students n=165 (77.8%), among them, 52 (24.5%) students were of age 19 years and 76 (35.8%) were in first-year class. Results reveal that the frequently used SNS was Facebook 169 (79.7%). The students using these sites for more than 4 years were 28 (13.2%). Among the SNS users, 142(67%) were having moderate depression, while 9 (4.2%) had severe depression. Male students have more online friends (p

The current case study used cognitive behaviour treatment (CBT) for the management of a 35-year-old, married man who presented with complaint of compulsive hoarding. The complaint of compulsive hoarding (excessive acquisition, difficulty in discarding saved material and cluttering) was accompanied by feeling of anger, sad mood, low confidence, decreased sleep and appetite, poor problem solving ability, indecisiveness and interpersonal conflicts. The study was approved by the institutional research committee (Departmental Doctoral Programme Committee) and followed by the university research committee (Advance Studies and Review Board) as academic requirement for the duration of 2013-2020. Written consent was also taken from the individual to publish the results of the case. Twenty-eight CBT sessions of one-hour duration were conducted, over a period of six months. Continuous...

The present research was carried to develop an indigenous, valid, and reliable scale to assess psychological skills of hockey players and cricketers. An initial item pool of 130 items was generated through detailed, open-ended, and semi-structured interviews with six international hockey players and two international cricketers, whereas, a preliminary questionnaire was administered on 518 players (261 hockey players and 257 cricketers). Principal Factor Analysis with Varimax rotation postulated 84 items with three distinct factors: Psycho-Performance Skills, Perceived Psychological Support, and Psycho-Competitiveness. The internal consistency of the items for Psychological Skills Scale for Hockey Players and Cricketers was determined by using Cronbach’s alpha that emerged .94 for final 84 items, whereas, Psycho-Performance Skills, Perceived Psychological Support, and Psycho-Competitiveness had .92, .90, and .87 reliability; respectively. Further researches can be conducted to confirm these three factors extracted through this study by including other sports or considering various other psychological skills of hockey players and cricketers. This research would be helpful for Pakistan Hockey Federation and Pakistan Cricket Board to determine psychological profiling of cricketers and develop psychological profiling system based on the results of Psychological Skills Scale for hockey players and cricketers.

Due to insufficient healthcare facilities for the fight against cancer, a large percentage of individuals die. Utilizing computational tools inside the health and medical system helps to minimize fatalities. Timely cancer detection enhances the likelihood of effective therapy. Cancer risk assessment is important for legal and regulatory reasons, for cancer prevention, and to avoid the risks. The approach for assessing cancer risk based on the q-rung orthopair fuzzy set (q-ROFS) is described. The technique is predicated on a multifactor evaluation of the likelihood of a cancerous. q-ROFS is a robust approach for modeling uncertainties in multicriteria decision making (MCDM). The combinative distance-based assessment (CODAS) technique integrates two separate approaches, namely the “simple additive weighting” (SAW) method and the “weighted product method (WPM)”. In this study, the CODAS approach is extended to the q-rung orthopair fuzzy framework with application to cancer risk assessment. Additionally, the symmetry of the optimal decision in cancer risk assessment is carried out by a comparison analysis of the suggested model with some existing models.

In order to harvest potential yield of eggplant and to find a suitable sowing time and phosphorus level for eggplant, an experiment was conducted at Ornamental Nursery, Department of Horticulture, The University of Agriculture Peshawar in February 2013. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design with split plot arrangements. There were two factors i.e. Phosphorus levels and dates of Sowing. Phosphorus levels were assigned to the main plot while sowing dates were kept in the subplot. The data on Number of branches plant−1, Days to flowering, Days to fruiting, Number of fruits plant−1 and Yield Plot−1were significantly affected by phosphorus level and date of sowing. While the data on plant height was not significant, and overall results showed that early sowing date (February 25) produced significantly good results as compared to the rest of the sowing dates. Moreover, phosphorus level was also significantly affected the experimental parameters. Phosphorus level (70 kg ha−1) produced significantly best results in all the parameters followed by Phosphorus level (100 kg ha−1) in almost all the parameters. Thus it is concluded that early sowing of bringel (eggplants) is recommended with phosphorus level (70 & 100 kg ha−1).

Introduction: Domestic and municipal waste becomes a source of serious threat to the public health and environment if not properly collected, stored and disposed. Waste is anything which is considered un-useful, surplus and is not perceived of any practical value. This study investigates the knowledge and practices regarding solid waste management in urban population of Lahore. Methods: The study is based on a mixed-method approach. A cross-sectional survey with self-structured questionnaire was used to assess the response for data collection. A total of 200 house representatives were interviewed during the study. Results: The results of the study revealed that 89.0% of households disposed of food debris as waste and 86.5 % disposed of plastic materials as waste. The study also showed that 64.5.0% of the households disposed of their waste at community bins or had waste picked up at their homes by private contractors. The remaining 35.5% disposed of their refuse in gutters, streets, manholes and nearby bushes. Of those who paid for the services of private contractors, 73.0 % were not satisfied with the services because of their cost and irregular collection. About 87% of the respondents believed that improper solids waste handling leads to the spread of water and air borne diseases at community level; particularly typhoid, malaria, cholera, hepatitis and diarrhea. Majority of the inhabitants mostly asked the minors to throw of the refuse mostly after dawn and dusk so that no one notice and object. Conclusion: Public awareness campaigns, health education programmes, installation of extra municipal trash bins and the collection of waste by professional public-private based firms and contractors can help lessen the public exposure and prevent the toxic effects of the solid waste in the community. Keywords: Domestic refuse, Solid waste management, urban population

Due to the fact that there is no symmetry in the division of cancer cells, it is important to consider this asymmetrical behavior. Because of this heterogeneity during any therapy, not every cancer cell that is killed only is abolished, which is sensitive to the particular treatment chosen. Mathematical models that describe these pathways are critical for predicting cancer cell proliferation behavior. The literature on the mathematical modeling of cancer onset, growth, and metastasis is extensive. Both deterministic and stochastic factors were used to develop mathematical models to mimic the development rate of cancer cells. We focus on the cell’s heterogeneity in our model so that the cells generally responsible for spreading cancer, which are called stem cells, can be killed. Aggregation operators (AOs) play an important role in decision making, especially when there are several competing factors. A key issue in the case of uncertain data is to develop appropriate solutions for the aggregation process. We presented two novel Einstein AOs: q-rung picture fuzzy dynamic Einstein weighted averaging (q-RPFDEWA) operator and q-rung picture fuzzy dynamic Einstein weighted geometric (q-RPFDEWG) operator. Several enticing aspects of these AOs are thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, we provide a method for dealing with multi-period decision-making (MPDM) issues by applying optimal solutions. A numerical example is presented to explain how the recommended technique can be used in cancer therapy assessment. Authenticity analysis is also presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed technique. The suggested AOs and decision-making methodologies are generally applicable in real-world multi-stage and dynamic decision analysis.

This paper examines spatial differences in the attitudes of the public towards asylum seekers using data from the British Social Attitudes Survey. Initial analysis reveals some statistically significant variations across geographical areas, with people living in London, the South East of England and Scotland displaying the most tolerant views. The spatial variations are then further investigated by considering differences between rural and different types of urban areas. The estimation of regression models enables a range of socio-demographic influences on attitudes to be examined including whether an individual is a foreign national, belongs to ethnic minority group and possesses a higher education qualification. Members of each of these groups are more concentrated in urban areas, especially London, thus accounting for part of the observed differentials. However, even after controlling for these and other factors, some significant differences remain between rural and some urban areas, especially large cities. We discuss potential explanations and conclude that having opportunities for meaningful social contact with asylum seekers and other immigrants is a key factor underlying some of the unexplained rural-urban differences in attitudes. Given increasing diversity in rural areas, it is recommended that policy makers and civil society organisations concerned about the impacts of negative attitudes on social and community cohesion should invest resources in creating opportunities for meaningful social contact between different groups.

The present study aimed to explore the personal narrative skills of Urdu speaking preschoolers, aged between 4 and 5 years. The study also aimed to investigate the gender differences in narrative skills, and relationship and the predictive association between macro- and microstructure skills. A total of 80 preschoolers were recruited using two-stage sampling (convenience and purposive). After screening the participants for intellectual functioning, three personal narratives were collected from each participant. The results revealed non-significant differences on the basis of age and gender. A significant correlation was found between the macro- and microstructure skills in children. NDW (number of different words), TNW (total number of words), and MLU (mean length of utterance) were revealed as significant predictors of macrostructural competencies in children. This was the first research that highlighted the narrative skills of Urdu speaking preschoolers. Hence, the patterns identified might help in extending the theory and research in this field.

The current experimental study investigated the efficacy of Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) on the psychological functioning of the adolescent girls who witnessed September 2014 flood in Central Punjab (Hafizabad and Jhang districts), Pakistan. The adolescent girls (M= 14.27, SD= .98) were selected from government schools of flood affected areas and assigned randomly to the experimental and wait control groups. The measures included Urdu translated scales of Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale-13, Depression Self Rating Scale, Post-trauma Cognitions Inventory-Children, Trauma Memory Quality Questionnaire. The experimental and wait control groups were pre-assessed on the mentioned scales. The groups which met criteria of posttraumatic stress symptoms severity (cut off=>30), were subsequently randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Then experimental groups in both districts were given TRT separately by trained professional and a facilitator, however, control group was kept waiting till the treatments ended and post assessment was done. Independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test revealed significant differences existed across the groups for pre and post measures of the study variables. Experimental group had reduced posttrauma memory, decreased negative cognitions and PTSS severity as compared to wait control group after TRT. Findings are implicated for counseling and psychological rehabilitation of the flood affected adolescents.

Background This research deals with the impact of resilience, perceived stigmatization, social comfort and coping strategies on quality of life among female burn survivors with facial disfigurement, man many of which are found in Asian countries. Methods Using cross-sectional research design, female burn survivors with severe facial disfigurement (N = 100) were drawn by using purposive sampling strategy from a public sector hospital and an organization working in Lahore, Pakistan. Perceived Stigmatization Questionnaire (PSQ) (Lawrence et al., 2006), Social Comfort Questionnaire (SCQ) (Lawrence et al., 2006), State-Trait Resilience Scale, Coping with Burns Questionnaire (CBQ) (Willebrand et al., 2001) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire; World Health Organization, 2014) were used for assessment. Results The analyses showed a significant positive relationship among resilience, coping with burns and social comfort. A significant negative relationship was found between perceived stigmatization and coping with burns, resilience and social comfort. All these variables were tested for differentiation on the basis of survivor’s age (less vs. more than 30 years), occupation (housewife vs. gainfully employed), education (less vs. more than matriculation), social status (low vs. middle class), family system (nuclear vs. joint), siblings (yes vs. no), residence (living in home vs. shelter home) and psychological help received or not after the burn injury. Results indicate a mixed type of phenomenon among variable’s differentiation. Path analysis through AMOS resulted into a model showing no direct relationship of quality of life with coping with burns, perceived stigmatization and resilience; however, social comfort mediates the relationship between quality of life and coping with burns, perceived stigmatization and resilience. Conclusion It is found that quality of life is dependent on coping with burns, perceived stigmatization and resilience through social comfort. The findings hold implications for the mental health professionals and rehabilitation service providers to emphasize on the restorative strategy for burn survivors to elevate their social comfort, to assist them in handling their injuries and develop a curative plan to support them in their coping skills.

In terrestrial landscape architecture, land surface temperature (LST) is a key estimator of local climate, vegetation growth, and urban transition. It also represents the environmental factors that influence the land cover patterns using temperature variation over land use land cover (LULC) classes. In the present study, various geospatial techniques have been implemented to analyze the spatio-temporal trends in temperature among different LULC of an arid Potohar region of Pakistan using Landsat 7 (ETM+) and 8 (OLI & TIRS) and the relationship between different normalized satellite indices and LST. Results of the seasonal fluctuation in winter showed temperature range of 0–57, 0–50, 04–31 and 7–39 °C for the year 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015, respectively, while the summer exhibited the temperature range of 24–48, 27–57, 22–48, and 12–41 °C for the year 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015, respectively. The analysis established a direct correlation between LST and normalized difference vegetation index and normalized difference water index, and an indirect correlation among LST and normalized difference soil index, normalized difference built-up index and built-up index. The findings are critically important for planning and development division for sustainable use of land resources for urbanization extension projects. Future research will highlight the change in the area occupied by different land featured classes and their impacts on LST over a specified period.

Excess weight in Pakistan's university students is on the rise and is driven by their maladaptive eating behaviours. Practitioners in Pakistan have adopted Western conceptual models to understand obesogenic eating behaviours. However, these models provide incomplete explanations as they miss important culturally specific determinants for such eating behaviours. The goals of this study were two-fold: first, to explore Pakistani university students' perception of their obesity-related eating behaviours and attitudes; second, to develop a culturally sensitive model of obesogenic eating behaviours in university students from Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were used with twenty-four Pakistani university students who were categorised as obese using the Body Mass Index according to Asia-Specific cut-offs. Interviews were transcribed, translated, and then analysed through a Grounded Theory methodology. Six major categories emerged from interviews: (1) Obesogenic Eating Habits (Social Eating, Emotional Eating, and Eating Whatever and Whenever You Want); (2) Beliefs about Food in the Culture; (3) Neither Too Fat nor Too Thin body belief (4) Student Life Attitudes; (5) Student Stressors; (6) Inconsistent Weight-Control Strategies. A model was developed with cultural beliefs about food, attitudes towards student-life, and stressors as important determinants of students' obesogenic eating habits, while inconsistent weight-control strategies contributed to further weight gain. The findings highlight the importance of identifying culturally specific determinants of eating behaviours among university students in Pakistan. This emerging model can be used to guide the development of future quantitative and also longitudinal studies aimed at identifying targets for therapeutic interventions to manage obesogenic eating behaviours in Pakistani university students.

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized through co-precipitation method were employed in MS media during in vitro culture of Stevia rebaudiana. Physiological characteristics, production of steviol glycosides, and antioxidative parameters were investigated in regenerated plants. CuO NPs had crystalline monoclinic cubic cuprous oxides with average size 47 nm. The NPs were applied at 0, 0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 and 1000 mg/L in MS media for direct organogenesis of S. rebaudiana from nodal segments. Shoot organogenesis was found highest (88.5%) at 10 mg/L CuO and average shoot length, mean number of shoot per explant, and fresh weight were also found significantly higher at the same concentration. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) illustrated significant rise of bioactive major steviol glycosides (rebaudioside A and stevioside) at 10 mg/L CuO NPs in MS media. The oxidative stress produced by CuO nanoparticles on S. rebaudiana was affirmed by antioxidant activities i.e. total antioxidant activity (TAC), total reducing power (TRP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH)-free radical scavenging activity. The oxidative stress generated by NPs involved production of antioxidative molecules total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) depending on NPs concentration. The study concludes that copper oxide nanoparticles functions as a stimulator of bioactive components productions, and can be employed in in vitro batch cultures.

In water distribution networks instantaneous changes in valve and pump settings may introduces jumps and peaks in the pressure. In particular, a well known phenomenon in response to the sudden closing of a valve is the so called water hammer, which (if not taken into account properly may destroy parts of the water network. It is classically modeled as a system of hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs). After discussing this PDE model we propose a simplified model using switched differential-algebraic equations (DAEs). Switched DAEs are known to be able to produce infinite peaks in response to sudden structural changes. These peaks (in the mathematical form of Dirac impulses) can easily be predicted and may allow for a simpler analysis of complex water networks in the future. As a first step toward that goal, we verify the novel modeling approach by comparing these two modeling techniques numerically for a simple set up consisting of two reservoirs, a pipe and a valve.

Plants have evolved several metabolic pathways as a response to environmental stress like low temperatures. In this perspective, it is paramount to highlight physiological mechanisms of plant responses to changing environments. To determine the impact of cold stress on the physiological attributes of high altitude plant natives, i.e. Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major, we studied the protein, sugar and proline contents, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) in leaves collected from three different altitudinal ranges in Himalayan region of Pakistan. Leaves were collected at the initial blooming phase from each altitudinal range i.e. 2400–2500 m, 2950–3250 m and 3500–3550 m. Temperature decreases with an increase in the altitude which induces cold acclimation. Both plant species showed significant variation in the concentrations of the ecophysiological attributes evaluated at the different collection altitudes. The concentrations of all compounds except for IAA increased as temperature decreased and altitude increased. IAA showed an opposite response, that is, the concentrations of this phytohormone decreased with decreasing temperature and increasing altitude. We showed that temperature significantly affected the physiological attributes of Pedicularis punctata and Plantago major in the Himalayan region, which works as a proxy for understanding the plant responses to climate change. As per survival and risk assessment, underlying physiological mechanisms of plant response (understory plants) to changing environments (altitude and temperature ranges) revealed adaptation in the chilling environments. Further studies are needed to completely understand how the studied plants photosynthetic characteristics are affected by altitudinal gradient.

Land use land cover (LULC) patterns are significantly effecting the urban/rural spaces in the encompassing areas. Murree being tourist resort is always under pressure of tourists from all over the country. The population increase in peak season of tourism in summer season and extreme winter, causes a tremendous growth and expansion of urban area of Murree. So a relic of blue pine forest and Chir pine forest is expected to undergo tremendous change and to undergo expansion or degradation depending upon the tourist’s behavior. The present study uses Multi-Temporal Landsat (TM and ETM+ for year 1998, 2003, 2005, 2010) images to detect LULC change in Murree due to the enhanced activities of ecotourism. Change detection of three tourist hotspots of Murree region including Murree Mall, Bhurban and Patriata was evaluated through Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) algorithm. The urban expansion has impacted the land use, as it has increased from 57.37% to 69.10%. Result indicates that the Built-up area have increased by 11.73%, reserve forest by 8.11% while grassland and dense natural forest decreases by 7.50 and 12.37 percent respectively. The results provided the better knowledge and understanding of former and current spatial dynamics of LULC change in Murree region along with its ecotourism hotspots.

The development of vegetation communities is typically influenced by their response to variation in environmental, geographic and as well as physiographic gradients. The current study was planned to evaluate the influence of environmental gradients upon the structure of plant communities and to highlight their respective indicators in subalpine pastures of the Himalaya, Pakistan. In relation to this aim, ecological techniques were used following the Line transect (50 m) method to quantify the vegetation structure of the study area. Soil samples were collected from each sampling site and edaphic gradients were examined using standard protocols. Weather station data (Kestrel 4000) was used to determine the climatic gradients, GPS data was used to record the geographic and physiographic gradients. PCORD software was used to recognize communities through two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), R and CANOCO software was employed for ordination analysis to find variation directories of different plant species. A total of 56 plant species, recorded from 21 sampling sites, were grouped into four plant communities with the help of environmental gradients. The highest index of similarity was recorded between the Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia communities and highest dissimilarity between Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa communities. The highest number of plant species (50 species), maximum alpha diversity (H′ = 3.38) and beta diversity was reported in Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia community (0.95), but Pielou's evenness was highest (0.89) in Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa among all recorded communities. Besides, the edaphic (i.e. organic matter, phosphorous, pH and soil texture) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity) were the strong environmental gradients that were responsible for structuring and hosting the diverse plant communities in subalpine meadows. Techniques adapted in the current study for identification of vegetation indicators could further be used for conservation management.

Aim: The present study aimed to assess medication adherence intentions in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Method: The sample consisted of 147 patients with pulmonary TB, taken from Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Lahore. Demographic information questionnaire and clinical/ Performa and Urdu Translated Theory of Planned Behavior Questionnaire was used for assessment. The statistical analysis were used to Descriptive statistics, pearson correlation, regression and moderation analysis were used to assess statistical significance between variables Results: The results showed that Monthly family income, Attitude towards medication, Subjective norms and Perceived behavioral control significantly positively related with Intentions to take medication. Regression moderation analysis showed that Subjective Norms significantly moderate the relationship between Perceived behavioral control and Intentions. Furthermore, Linear Regression for indirect measures (Behavioral beliefs, normative belief and Control beliefs) showed that behavioral beliefs positive predicted Attitude towards taking medication. Motivation to Comply significantly predicted Subjective norms. Finally, there was significant relationship between Perceived behavioral control and control beliefs. Conclusion: Results of the current study highlighted that people perceive social pressure from their significant others regarding taking medication.

Non-selective use of pesticide to increase productivity leaves residues on crops. These pesticides after consumption have a detrimental effect on human health and their intake can lead to various diseases such as kidney damage, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, circulatory and reproductive problems. The recent study was designed to assess the effects of household processing treatments such as acidic solutions (acidic acid and citric acid), alkaline solutions (sodium chloride and sodium carbonate) and biological solutions (radish, ginger, garlic, and lemon extracts) were evaluated for their efficiency for removal of pesticides in spinach by gas chromatography with electron capture detector (GC-ECD). The results showed that pesticide residues were sharply reduced when spinach was exposed to washing treatments. The results showed that the greatest reduction of deltamethrin, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos and endosulfan with 10% acetic acid was (79.68 ± 0.81%), (89.99 ± 0.12%), (94.21 ± 0.02%) and (70.32 ± 0.25%), respectively of tested washing solutions. The acidic solutions were more effective than alkaline and biological extracts in the removal of pesticide residues. The average reduction in various washing solutions ranged from 10.21 to 79.68%, 22.60 to 89.48%, 22.95 to 94-21% and 11.24–70.32% for the removal of deltamethrin, cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and endosulfan, respectively.

Degradation of soil resources is a serious global environmental issue and it may be made worse by climate change. It is important that soils should be handled with a careful consideration for sustainable agricultural production using environmental friendly techniques. The use of the biosurfactants and also biosurfactants producing microorganisms to improve soil health and to bioremediate polluted soils is an emerging approach. This review is primarily focused on the use of biosurfactants produced by microorganisms and their application to restore soil health and improve agricultural production in a sustainable way. As a perspective of this review, it is proposed that future studies should explain how and when these approaches can be feasible in terms of production costs and availability of these compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review highlighting the potential applicability of biosurfactants and biosurfactants producing microorganisms for sustainable soil management.

The transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is highly expressed and plays an important role in maintaining stemness in embryonic stem cells (ES cells). However, how the expression of KLF4 is regulated has not been well documented. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of human KLF4 (hKLF4) in ES cells, a 3685-bp DNA fragment upstream of the hKLF4 gene was isolated and the 5′-regulatory region was characterized, from which two regions highly conserved with rodents were identified. In addition, one consensus binding site for members of the TCF family (TBS) was identified within each conserved region. Tcf7l1, a member of the TCF family, is highly expressed in ES cells and has been identified as a crucial regulator of the pluripotency gene regulatory network in ES cells. Therefore, the possible transcriptional mechanisms by which Tcf7l1 regulates hKLF4 expression in ES cells were investigated. In the present study, gel retardation showed that Tcf7l1 preferentially bound to...

Summary This study was designed to find out normative acoustic measures of adults in Pakistan. Age and gender differences in these parameters were also studied. The study variables include fundamental frequency, absolute jitter, relative jitter, relative average perturbation, 5-point period perturbation quotient perturbation quotient, jitter average absolute difference between consecutive periods, divided by the average period, shimmer local, shimmer decibel, three-point amplitude perturbation quotient, five-point amplitude perturbation quotient, average absolute difference of consecutive differences between the consecutive periods' amplitudes, and harmonics-to-noise ratio. Participants (N = 71; men = 34; women = 37) were recruited through two-stage sampling; convenience and purposive sampling. Participants were selected from students, staff, and faculty of the University of the Punjab, caretakers of the clients coming for clinical services, and researchers' friends, family, and acquaintances. Gender groups were further divided into three subgroups based on the age bands of 21–30, 31–40, and 41–50 years. After screening for health issues, the voice samples were recorded in a sound-proof acoustic laboratory by using a stand-held microphone and Praat software. Praat was also used for voice analyses. Means and standard deviations were conducted for the participants. Age and gender differences were investigated by using the two-way analysis of variance. Normative values were also measured for men and women between the age bracket of 21 and 50 years. Age differences were not significant for any variable. Gender differences were significant in fundamental frequency, absolute jitter, relative jitter, jitter period perturbation quotient, shimmer five-point amplitude perturbation quotient, and harmonics-to-noise ratio. The interaction between age and gender was significant in all the jitter measures. The interaction showed an increase in all these measures between the ages of 31 and 40 years and a decrease between the ages of 41 and 50 years in women, whereas men showed a reverse effect both in the age ranges of 31–40 and 41–50 years.

This study dealt with the impact of paternal versus maternal acceptance on the psychological adjustment of adolescents in relation to parental power and prestige within the family in the Lahore region of Pakistan. The study drew from a sample of 91 adolescents (46% males) ages 13 through 17 years ( M = 14.86). Measures used were the child version of the Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire (mother and father forms), the child version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire, and the youth version of the Parental Power–Prestige Questionnaire. Results showed that perceived maternal and paternal acceptance were significantly correlated with adolescents’ psychological adjustment. However, neither power nor prestige was correlated with either maternal or paternal acceptance. Results of hierarchical regression analyses confirmed that adolescents’ perceptions of psychological adjustment were uniquely predicted by both maternal and paternal acceptance irrespective of either parent’s power or prestige within family.

We recently reported that hNSCs (human neural stem cells) have the interesting characteristic of migration towards an intracranial glioma. However, the molecules and mechanisms responsible for tumour tropism are unclear. In the present study, we used microarray and proteomics analyses to identify a novel chemoattractant molecule, TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1), secreted from human brain tumour tissues. We demonstrate that TIMP-1 significantly enhances hNSC adhesion and migration in a cell culture system. These effects were critically dependent on CD63, as shRNA-mediated ablation of CD63 expression attenuated the response. TIMP-1 significantly increased the number of FAs (focal adhesions) and cytoskeletal reorganization for cell migration in hNSCs, whereas knockdown of CD63 resulted in decreased hNSC spreading, FAs and migration, even after TIMP-1 treatment. In addition, TIMP-1 binding to CD63 activated β1 integrin-mediated signalling through Akt and FAK phosphorylation, leading to pattern changes in distribution of vinculin and F-actin (filamentous actin). Furthermore, inactivation of β1 integrin by use of a blocking antibody or inhibition of PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) signalling impaired the migration of hNSCs towards TIMP-1. Collectively, our results underline TIMP-1 as a novel and effective key regulator of CD63 and β1 integrin-mediated signalling, which regulates hNSC adhesion and migration.

One hundred four 18- through 36-year-old students ( M = 22.6 years, 44% men) were recruited from Karakoram International University, Gilgit city, Pakistan. The adult version of the Parental Power–Prestige Questionnaire was administered to participants along with short forms of the adult Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire for mothers and for fathers, the adult version of the Personality Assessment Questionnaire and the Gender Inequality Scale. Results showed that perceived paternal and maternal acceptance were significantly correlated with the young adults’ psychological adjustment. Neither power nor prestige was significantly correlated with adjustment. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that both perceived paternal and maternal acceptance independently predicted offspring’s psychological adjustment, while perceived parental power and prestige failed to predict their psychological adjustment. Perceived parental power and prestige were also evaluated as possible moderators in the relationship between paternal and maternal acceptance and psychological adjustment, but findings were not significant.

This study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant potential ofLoranthus pulverulentus. Stem bark, leaves, and seeds ofLoranthus pulverulentuswere extracted in methanol:water (90 : 10) and partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol successively using partition chromatography. Total phenolic contents and antioxidant potential were checked using standard protocols. Total phenolic contents of all extracts were determined, using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, and ranged between 151 ± 2.1 and 396 ± 1.6 for stem bark, 137 ± 0.9 and 430 ± 2.2 for, and 39 ± 0.6 and 231 ± 1.7 for seeds. The antioxidant potential of extracts was evaluated; namely, DPPH, FRAP, and total antioxidant models. The ethyl acetate extract of stem-bark, leaves, and seeds showed the highest activity in DPPH (94.5 ± 2.1%, 96.30 ± 0.9%, and 92.30 ± 1.1%, IC5015.9 ± 0.5 μg, 14.5 ± 0.8, and 102.7 ± 1.3, resp.), FRAP (7.7 ± 0.6, 7.5 ± 0.7 and 6.6 ± 0.7, resp.), and total antioxidant (0.95 ± 0.09, 1.19 ± 0.09, and 0.686 ± 0.08, resp.). Strong correlations were observed between total phenols versus total antioxidant activity, DPPH, and FRAP withR2values ranging from 0.8185 to 0.9951 (stem-bark), 0.6728 to 0.8648 (leaves), and 0.8658 to 0.9910 (seed) which indicated that phenolic contents are the major constituents responsible for antioxidant activity.

Gynecological morbidity has been reported to be associated with psychological distress among women. However, no formal research has been conducted in Pakistan on psychological and gynecological morbidity in women presenting with vaginal discharge. This study aimed (1) to examine whether women presenting with a primary complaint of vaginal discharge are more likely to have a Common Mental Disorder compared with those not presenting with vaginal discharge and (2) to examine whether gender disadvantage is associated with vaginal discharge. Psychological morbidity was examined in women (n=377) presenting at gynecological clinics with and without a primary complaint of vaginal discharge. Gynecological and Psychological morbidity were assessed using Urdu version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and the National Family Health Survey Interview. Women presenting with a primary complaint of vaginal discharge were significantly more likely to have a common mental disorder than women presenting with other gyn...

This paper examines the impact of trade liberalization and effective exchange rate on export growth for Pakistan, using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The study is based on annual time series data for the period 1981-2010.The results suggest that, openness has a significant and positive impact on export growth in the long run. Real effective exchange rate and world GDP also have positive and significant impact on export but only if trade is more liberalized. .Two interaction terms (OP*WY,OP*RR) are used in the study, which postulate an important concept in literature

To develop a Somatic Symptoms Scale based on the criteria of standard symptoms, and to examine its psychometric properties through exploratory factor analysis.The study was conducted from January, 2010 to May, 2011 at two teaching hospitals in Lahore city and comprised female adolescents with somatic symptoms diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and an equal number of adolescents with minor physical disability. All patients were recruited from psychiatric out-door units of different hospitals. All subjects were unmarried. Translated Urdu version of the Somatic Symptoms Scale was administered to each participant individually. They were instructed to read the scale carefully and select the response that was most appropriate. The assessment procedure was done in a separate room on the hospital premises.There were 150 female adolescents with somatic symptoms and equal number of females with minor disability. The overall mean age was 15.50+/-1.67 years (range: 14-17 years).Exploratory factor analysis showed that the two groups were significantly different on conversion motor symptoms (p0.001), conversion sensory symptoms (p0.001), pain symptoms (p0.001), hypochondriacal symptoms (p0.001) and body dysmorphic symptoms (p0.001).The Somatic Symptoms Scale was found to be a valid and reliable measure which can be used as screening instrument for non-clinical population and as a diagnostic measure in clinical population.