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Abstract Medicinal hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is gaining popularity due to its natural products with potential therapeutic properties, and its cultivation has recently been initiated in developing countries such as Turkey, Iran, India, and Pakistan. The crop is primarily grown using feminized seeds or popular varieties to achieve higher cannabidiol (CBD) yields, with seeds costing approximately $5–10 each. However, limited knowledge exists on hemp seed germination under different seed priming techniques and variations in seedling growth parameters such as root and shoot lengths, as well as the influence of in vitro germination and growth in soil and cocopeat media. This study hypothesizes that various seed priming methods could significantly enhance hemp seed germination and different growth media may distinctly impact seedling growth of the tested cultivars. To test this, the study evaluated four cultivars/chemovars (viz., Fedora-17, Finola, CBD Pink Kush, and a local variety, Gulistan) under five seed priming treatments: indole butyric acid (IBA), moringa leaf extract, KNO3, hydro-priming, and a control (no priming). A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used, and experimental data (in triplicate) were analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA) using a time-to-event approach. The findings revealed that IBA significantly (p

This study analyzes the trends and compound growth rates of Pakistan’s oilseed crops from the year 1971-72 to 2021-22. The acreage, production, and yields of essential crops such as rapeseed-mustard and canola, sunflower, peanut, sesame, soybean, safflower, linseed, and castor seed are examined using trend analysis and compound growth rate estimations. The study's conclusions show a marked change in favor of a greater reliance on imported edible oilseeds and a decline in indigenous production. Despite this, certain crops, such as mustard and rapeseed, have a positive production trend, indicating increased agricultural efficiency. Groundnut cultivation area and production have increased significantly, while sesame has remained consistent with recent yield gains. Sunflower exhibits exceptional expansion, while soybean suffers a loss in cultivation area but a minor increase in yield. Safflower has fluctuations, with recent yield gains, and linseed has favorable yield trends despite area and output losses. Castor seed cultivation and output are dropping, while yields are increasing slightly. This study emphasizes the need for strategic agricultural policies to ensure food security and sustainability in the face of shifting trends and challenges in Pakistan's edible oilseed industry.

As the Afghan Taliban came to power in August 2021, the terrorist attacks by the Afghanistan‐based Tehrik‐e‐Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operatives intensified in Pakistan. Despite Pakistan’s repeated requests, the Taliban’s regime looked the other way and facilitated a renewed spate of TTP‐led terrorism in Pakistan, specifically its regions dividing the two countries. This article scrutinizes the multifaceted threats of TTP’s brutal resurgence to intersectional security strands in the strategically important region and their impact on the complex relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Drawing on the analysis of historical context and contemporary terrorist growth in Pakistan’s territories, the study elucidates the evolving dynamics in the frontier regions and settled areas and bilateral relations in the wake of TTP’s resurrection in the period of 2021–2024. The investigation employs a mixed method combining a qualitative approach for the analysis of historical ties, bilateral diplomatic discourse, and measuring intensification of terrorist incidents in Pakistan since 2021 with quantitative data. The study leads to a rational perception of the complicated interplay between states and non‐state actors, regional geopolitics, and Pakistan–Afghanistan relations in the era of heightened uncertainty on Afghan soil with a potential to project regional terrorism. Furthermore, intersectionality as a framework of analysis helps in gauging the impact of socio‐political, cultural, and economic elements with regard to targeted communities while evaluating the extent of injustices on account of race, gender, class, and ideology (religious belief).

IntroductionImproving the quantity and quality of veterinary talent cultivation is an urgent issue to address in current veterinary education and is key to enhancing veterinary talent competitiveness. Starting from an industrial perspective, the introduction of scientific analytical methods for studying veterinary talent competitiveness offers a new view on veterinary education and helps to improve the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation.MethodsThis study develops a veterinary talent competitiveness evaluation index based on the characteristics of veterinary talent. It proposes a visual method to analyze the level and spatiotemporal evolution of veterinary talent competitiveness using the Entropy method and ArcGIS tools, with Western China as a case study. Data is collected from 12 regions in Western China, spanning 2015 to 2021.ResultsThe results show that the method not only evaluates the current state of veterinary talent competitiveness but also considers temporal and spatial evolution, achieving good evaluation effectiveness and high accuracy, thereby guiding the improvement of veterinary education and talent cultivation.DiscussionBased on the research findings, the study suggests improving the quality of veterinary education and talent cultivation through measures such as strengthening talent resource development, addressing regional imbalances, and promoting spatial integration to achieve a virtuous cycle between veterinary education and industrial development.

The composition, structure and distribution of vegetation are influenced by diverse environmental factors. Such research inquiries provide the initial data for future conservation and management efforts. The study area of North Waziristan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan comprises diverse forests of the Spin Ghar Mountain Range (at the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan), and a highly remote, mountainous, and unexplored region. There was little information on the complex relationships that existed between the study area's ambient environment and vegetation. This study hypothesized that the varying environmental complexity in the study area and vegetation variety may be significantly correlated, and the ranking of leading influencing factors might enhance our ecological understanding. A total of 61 study sites comprising 183 transects (50 m each) were randomly selected to record the vegetation-environment data from January-2018 to December-2020 (3 years). Monte Carlo permutation testing, hierarchical clustering of study samples, indicator species analysis, and ordination were applied to assess the sampling data. The results indicated that there were a total of 391 vascular plant species which were further classified into seven significantly different (p

Employee-oriented HR practices have ascertained their instrumentality in nurturing innovative work behavior (IWB) of employees via career satisfaction (CS). This study aims to investigate how employee-oriented human resource (HR) practices (salary, job enrichment, job stability, training) can influence career satisfaction that subsequently affects employees' innovative behavior. Anchoring on social exchange theory and signaling theory, the data for the study was collected from 358 employees of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by purposive sampling. The study applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4 to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings of this study offer useful insights into the degree to which career satisfaction mediates the impact of employee-oriented HR practices on innovative work behavior. The results suggest a significant but moderate to weak; positive association between employee-oriented HR practices and their innovative activity. Furthermore, the research establishes the mediating impact of career satisfaction while investigating the mechanism through which employee-oriented HR practices foster innovative work behavior. The study expands the knowledge base of extant literature by illuminating the critical role of employee-oriented HR practices in driving employees’ innovative behavior at the workplace. Besides, it illuminates the mediating role of career satisfaction, accenting the necessity for companies to not only implement employee-oriented HR practices but also foster a sense of satisfaction within employees to unearth the full potential of innovative behaviors within the workforce.

IntroductionThe utilization of fauna and fauna-based byproducts in ethnomedicinal usages has been a longstanding human activity, practiced across various cultures worldwide. This study focuses on investigating the utilization of animal-based traditional medicine by the people of Pakistan, specifically in the Gujranwala area.MethodsData collection took place from January to September 2019 through interviews with local communities. Ethnomedicinal applications of animal products were analyzed using several indices, including Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Relative Popularity Level (RPL), Folk Use Value (FL), and Relative Occurrence Percentage (ROP).ResultsThe study identified the use of different body parts of 54 species of animals in treating various diseases and health issues. These include but are not limited to skin infections, sexual problems, pain management (e.g., in the backbone and joints), eyesight issues, immunity enhancement, cold, weakness, burns, smallpox, wounds, poisoning, muscular pain, arthritis, diabetes, fever, epilepsy, allergies, asthma, herpes, ear pain, paralysis, cough, swelling, cancer, bronchitis, girls’ maturity, and stomach-related problems. Certain species of fauna were noted by informers with high “frequency of citation” (FC), ranging from 1 to 77. For instance, the black cobra was the most frequently cited animal for eyesight issues (FC = 77), followed by the domestic rabbit for burn treatment (FC = 67), and the Indus Valley spiny-tailed ground lizard for sexual problems (FC = 66). Passer domesticus and Gallus gallus were noted to have the highest ROP value of 99.DiscussionThe findings of this study provide valuable preliminary insights for the conservation of fauna in the Gujranwala region of Punjab, Pakistan. Additionally, screening these animals for medicinally active compounds could potentially lead to the development of novel animal-based medications, contributing to both traditional medicine preservation and modern pharmaceutical advancements.

Abstract Purpose: Human resource behaviour tends to play a vital role in organizational overall performance. The study incorporates two of the most prominent behaviours of leadership and examine their influence on organizational performance and knowledge management practices through employee involvement.

Purpose ― This study examines the externalities of CO2 emissions from solid fuel consumption on rice production in Pakistan using time series data from 1984 to 2021. Methods ― The independent variables include CO2 emissions from solid fuel consumption, cultivated area, agricultural equipment, tube wells, and improved seed, whereas the dependent variable is rice production. A robust analysis was done by altering the solid fuel CO2 emissions proxy. The empirical study used the vector error correction model and Johansen's cointegration test. Findings ― Solid fuel CO2 emissions negatively and significantly impact rice production, implying that solid fuel CO2 emissions decrease rice production. Tube wells have a negative and significant influence on rice production. Conversely, cropped land, agricultural machinery, and improved seeds boosted rice production. The results remained robust even when the proxy for solid fuel CO2 emissions was changed. Implications ― The study recommends developing regulations to limit solid fuel CO2 emissions to prevent environmental degradation and increase rice production. To boost rice production, more land should be farmed, agricultural machinery should be employed, and improved seeds should be used. Originality ― This study is the first to examine the impact of CO2 emissions from solid fuel consumption on rice production in Pakistan

The current research was to develop nanoparticles based on Mimosa pudica mucilage (MPM) that could encapsulate losartan potassium (LP). Nanoparticles (NPs) produced through ionic-gelation method; the polymerization of the mucilage carried out using calcium chloride as cross-linking agent. The MPMLP-NPs demonstrated vastly enhanced pharmaceutical characteristics, presented discrete surface with spherical shape of 198.4–264.6 nm with PDI ranging 0.326–0.461 and entrapment efficiency was in the range of 80.65 ± 0.82–90.79 ± 0.96%. FTIR and DSC indicated the stability of drug during the formulation of nanoparticles. An acute oral toxicity investigation found no significant alterations in behavior and histopathology criteria. The MPMLP-NPs formulation revealed the better rates and sustained effect as assessed with the commercial product. Moreover, low dose of MPMLP-NPs showed similar anti-hypertensive effect as assessed with the marketed tablet.

Abstract Background Eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to a vast range of medicinal and edible waterbird species due to its diverse geographical environment. Waterbird species have been used for various ailments and cultural practices since ancient times, while ethno-pharmacological applications and cultural uses of waterbird species in this area have seldom been documented. This study is the first ethnomedicinal and cultural assessment of waterbird species, and the first compilation and listing of all known data on these species in Eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from native respondents (N = 100). To analyze the data, principal component analysis (PCA), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL%), relative popularity level (RPL), rank order priority, and similarity index were used. Results In total, 64 waterbird species were utilized in cultural practices, of which 40 species are used to cure different infectious and chronic diseases such as cold, cough, flu, fever, respiratory disorders, asthma, TB, gastric ulcers, kidney stones, male impotency, obesity, paralysis, piles, cancer, arthritis, body pain, and weakness. PCA showed significant differences in the use of waterbird species among the local inhabitants of the study area, separated along the axis-2 (p

Medicinal hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is gaining popularity due to its natural products with potential therapeutic properties, and its cultivation has recently been initiated in developing countries such as Turkey, Iran, India, and Pakistan. The crop is primarily grown using feminized seeds or popular varieties to achieve higher cannabidiol (CBD) yields, with seeds costing approximately $5–10 each. However, limited knowledge exists on hemp seed germination under different seed priming techniques and variations in seedling growth parameters such as root and shoot lengths, as well as the influence of in vitro germination and growth in soil and cocopeat media. This study hypothesizes that various seed priming methods could significantly enhance hemp seed germination and different growth media may distinctly impact seedling growth of the tested cultivars. To test this, the study evaluated four cultivars/chemovars (viz., Fedora-17, Finola, CBD Pink Kush, and a local variety, Gulistan) under five seed priming treatments: indole butyric acid (IBA), moringa leaf extract, KNO3, hydro-priming, and a control (no priming). A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used, and experimental data (in triplicate) were analyzed through analysis of variance (ANOVA) using a time-to-event approach. The findings revealed that IBA significantly (p < 0.05) improved seed germination rates, with CBD Pink Kush achieving the highest germination response (83%) among the tested cultivars. Furthermore, cocopeat demonstrated superior performance as a seedling growth medium across all cultivars, indicating its potential for hemp cultivation practices. This pioneering study provides a baseline for understanding hemp seed germination and seedling growth under different priming and growth media conditions, offering valuable insights for future research aimed at industrial and medicinal hemp production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this research was to prepare adhesive nanoparticles for the topical application of Minoxidil (MXD). Methods: Thiolated β-CDs were prepared via conjugation of cysteamine with oxidized CDs. MXD was encapsulated within thiolated and unmodified β-CDs. Ionic gelation method was used to prepare nanoparticles (Thio-NP and blank NP) of CDs with chitosan. Nanoparticles were analyzed for size and zetapotential. Inclusion complexes were characterized via FTIR. Drug dissolution studies were carried out. An in vitro adhesion study over human hair was performed. An in vivo skin irritation study was performed. Ex vivo drug uptake was evaluated by using a Franz diffusion cell. Results: Thiolated β-CDs presented 1804.68 ± 25 μmol/g thiol groups and 902.34 ± 25 μmol/g disulfide bonds. Nanoparticles displayed particle sizes within a range of 231 ± 07 nm to 354 ± 13 nm. The zeta potential was in the range of −8.1 ± 02 mV, +16.0 ± 05 mV. FTIR analyses confirmed no interaction between the excipients and drug. Delayed drug release was observed from Thio-NP. Thio-NP retained over hair surfaces for a significantly longer time. Similarly, drug retention was significantly improved. Thio-NP displayed no irritation over rabbit skin. Conclusion: Owing to the above results, nanoparticles developed with MXD-loaded thiolated β-CDs might be a potential drug delivery system for topical scalp diseases.

The goal of this research was to develop, fabricate and analyze polymeric nanoparticles for the administration of methotrexate (MTX). Linseed mucilage and chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using a slightly modified polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) method. The size, shape, and encapsulation effectiveness of the resultant nanoparticles were measured. MTX release profiles at gastrointestinal pH (1.2 and 7.4) and tumor pH (5.5) were examined to determine the targeted potential of NPs as pH-responsive nanocarriers. Zeta analysis showed that nanoparticles prepared by PEC have a size range of 192.1 nm to 246 nm, and PDI was 0.3 of the optimized formulation, which showed homogenous nature of prepared nanoparticles formulation. The findings demonstrated that NPs have a low polydispersity index and a positive zeta potential (PDI). The in-vitro release of the drug indicated a pH-dependent, sustained drug release up to 24 h. Blank LSMCSNPs had almost no in-vivo cytotoxicity for 14 days, while optimum MTX loaded NPs had strong antitumor effects on HepG2 and MCF-7 cells as measured by the MTT assay. Cell apoptosis induction was also checked and MCF-7 cells treated with MTX-LSMCSNPs had a significantly greater rate of apoptosis (21.2 %) than those treated with MTX alone (14.14 %). The findings show that LSMCSNPs could be a potential delivery mechanism for methotrexate to cancer cells in a secure, steady, and ideally controlled manner to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Climate change poses a significant risk to food security. Recent floods in Pakistan could serve as an example. In the current climate change scenario, there is a dire need to develop methods that increase crop productivity and reduce the threat of food insecurity in areas with low crop production. A detailed field experiment was conducted to check the effects of intercropping and straw mulching under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT) systems on soil health indicators and cotton productivity at the experimental area of Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT), Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan. The main plot treatments comprised CT and NT. The subplot treatments were sole cotton (C1), cotton + mung-bean intercropping (C2), cotton + mung-bean + straw mulching (C3) and cotton + straw mulching (C4) under CT, while sole cotton (N1), cotton + mung-bean intercropping (N2), cotton + mung-bean + straw mulching (N3) and cotton + straw mulching (N4) were the NT subplot treatments. Overall, NT increased plant height by 18.4 %, chlorophyll a and b contents by 28.2 and 21.1%, respectively, mean boll weight by 17.9%, and seed yield by 20.9% compared to CT (P < 0.05). The interaction of tillage and mulching increased plant height by 7.0% under CT and 21.8% under NT in comparison with no mulching. Similarly, straw mulching under NT increased chlorophyll a and b contents by 41.9 and 28.5%, respectively, mean boll weight by 26.9%, and cotton seed yield by 23.0% in comparison with no mulching under NT. Intercropping decreased crop yield without straw mulching but increased it under straw mulching. Further, straw mulching increased soil physicochemical properties under NT, which contributed to increasing crop productivity. We concluded that straw mulching under NT might be a promising practice for enhancing cotton yield, productivity, and soil health in low-productivity areas.

Prime objective of the current research was to develop a stable nimesulide emulgel with the help of arabinoxylan, a natural gelling agent extracted from Plantago ovata. The response surface methodology was used by a Design Expert 10 software to formulate and optimize the emulgel. The experimental design approach evaluated the impact of independent and dependent variables. Independent variables were different concentrations of arabinoxylan, span 80 and tween 20, whereas, dependent variables were viscosity, pH, and content uniformity. FTIR demonstrated the compatibility of nimesulide with the excipients. Stability study indicated no phase separation and no change in pH for formulation F1, F3 and F4. The negative values of zeta potential revealed the excellent stability of emulgel. Viscosity, spreadability and extrudability values were in desired range. Ex-vivo permeation study illustrated 86%, 55% and 66% release of the drug over a period of 24 h from the formulations F1, F3 and F4, respectively. Analgesic effect of the optimized emulgel was significantly higher in test group as compared to control and did not produce any sort of irritation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the newly developed emulgel based on arabinoxylan, as gelling agent, appear to be an effective drug delivery system.

The primary objective of this study was to assess the potential utility of quince seed mucilage as an excipient within a graft copolymer for the development of an oral-controlled drug delivery system. The Cydonia oblonga-mucilage-based graft copolymer was synthesized via a free radical polymerization method, employing potassium per sulfate (KPS) as the initiator and N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as the crosslinker. Various concentrations of monomers, namely acrylic acid (AA) and methacrylic acid (MAA), were used in the graft copolymerization process. Metoprolol tartarate was then incorporated into this graft copolymer matrix, and the resultant drug delivery system was subjected to comprehensive characterization using techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The swelling behavior of the drug delivery system was evaluated under different pH conditions, and in vitro drug release studies were conducted. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic parameters including the area under the curve (AUC), maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to reach Cmax (Tmax), and half-life (t1/2) were determined for metoprolol-loaded hydrogel formulations in rabbit plasma, and these results were compared with those obtained from a commercially available product. The key findings from the study include observations that higher concentrations of acrylic acid (AA) and Cydonia oblonga mucilage (CM) in the graft copolymer enhanced swelling, while the opposite trend was noted at elevated concentrations of methacrylic acid (MAA) and N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA). FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of the graft copolymer and established the compatibility between the drug and the polymer. SEM imaging revealed a porous structure in the prepared formulations. Additionally, the swelling behavior and drug release profiles indicated a pH-sensitive pattern. The pharmacokinetic assessment revealed sustained release patterns of metoprolol from the hydrogel network system. Notably, the drug-loaded formulation exhibited a higher Cmax (156.48 ng/mL) compared to the marketed metoprolol product (96 ng/mL), and the AUC of the hydrogel-loaded metoprolol was 2.3 times greater than that of the marketed formulation. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of quince seed mucilage as an intelligent material for graft-copolymer-based oral-controlled release drug delivery systems.

This work reports the synthesis of NaCr2O4/GO nanocomposite using co-precipitation method for energy storage applications. Characterizations e.g., scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed to investigate the important optical and structural properties. The Crystalline size is seen to decrease from 28 nm for sodium chromite to 16.56 nm for nanocomposite NaCr2O4/GO. Raman results showed the existence of characteristic peaks for NaCr2O4/GO. Using cyclic voltammetry, the specific capacitance for NaCr2O4/GO was measured to be 455.5 F/g. The NaCr2O4/GO nanohybrids depicted significantly higher values of specific capacitance combined with extremely low charge transfer resistance, useful for various applications.

In the present work, the nanoparticles of spinel bismuth Chromites (BiCr2O4) are prepared using sol gel method. We have developed a novel technique to achieve longer stability and higher ionic storage of MXene/BiCr2O4nanocomposite by using co-precipitation method. Structural and morphological properties of the prepared nano-structures are thoroughly investigated. The band gap is seen to reduce from 2.08 eV for MXene to 1.90eV for MXene/BiCr2O4 nanocomposite which encompasses all the earlier stated values. The average particle size of nanocomposite MXene/BiCr2O4 is 11.15 nm. The EDX analysis is performed to confirm the elemental composition of the prepared nano-composites. Composite electrodes are then electro-polymerized on the coating of glassy carbon electrode. The value of specific capacitance is measured to be 455.0 F/g, suggesting the plausible usage of the synthesized material in super capacitance applications. The prepared MXene/BiCr2O4 nanocomposites can be used as efficient promoters and electrode materials, based on the attractive properties like reduced band gap, high electrochemical stability, and excellent value of specific capacitance.

Recent studies suggest that two factors including climate change (especially precipitation) and human land use management (HLUM) are primarily driving greening trend around the world. However, studies targeting the impact of both factors on different vegetation layers (i.e. herbs, shrubs and tree layers) are lacking. This study hypothesize that precipitation relatively influence the under-storey vegetation cover more quickly, and HLUM (say afforestation/reforestation, deforestation) is more important towards top-storey layer. To investigate this, 13 randomly selected permanent stations in the wild natural west Himalayan coniferous forests of Sudhan Gali, Pakistan were explored from 2000-2016 to collect vegetation health data by two ways; Ground data (i.e. cover estimation of three layers), and indirect remote sensing (RS) data (i.e. MODIS NDVI/EVI 16-days-time series). Deforestation and grazing pressure as HLUM were measured by using some new and more intuitive mathematical operations, and climatic data (1979-2018) was also collected and compared. The results depicted that there is an overall greening trend in the study area coupled with significant increase in average herbaceous cover, NDVI, EVI and precipitation during 2009-2016. Contrastingly, high elevation microhabitats are facing maximum cover loss (especially top-storey), and have negative seasonal Sen’s slope values of the studied time series. The distance-based Redundancy Analysis (db-RDA) results confirmed that variations in RS-data were significantly explained by precipitation and herbaceous cover only. This study concluded that overall greening trend was driven by precipitation, and not remarkably by HLUM by supporting under-storey vegetation, whereas, top-storey tree layer is still declining, and need immediate attention.

Abstract Background The utilization of plants and plant resources for various ethnobotanical purposes is a common practice in local towns and villages of developing countries, especially in regard to human and veterinary healthcare. For this reason, it is important to unveil and document ethnomedicinal plants and their traditional/folk usage for human and livestock healthcare from unexplored areas. Here we advance our findings on ethnomedicinal plants from Haripur District, Pakistan, not only for conservation purposes, but also for further pharmacological screenings and applied research. Methodology Information of ethnomedicinal plants was obtained using a carefully planned questionnaire and interviews from 80 local people and traditional healers (Hakims) in Haripur District, Pakistan, from 2015 to 2017. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before conducting the interview process. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, such as relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV) and Jaccard index (JI), were calculated for each recorded species. Correlation analysis between the RFC and UV was tested by Pearson’s correlation, SPSS (ver. 16). Results A total of 80 plant species (33 herbs, 24 trees, 21 shrubs and 2 climbers) belonging to 50 families were being used in the study area to treat livestock and human diseases. Lamiaceae was the most dominant family with 7 species (8.7%), followed by Fabaceae with 6 species (7.5%), and Moraceae with 5 species (6.2%). Local people used different methods of preparation for different plant parts; among them, decoction/tea (22 species) was the popular method, followed by powder/grained (20 species) and paste/poultice (14 species). It was observed that most of the species (~ 12 to 16 species) were utilized to treat human and livestock digestive system-related problems, respectively. The Jaccard index found that plant usage in two studies (District Abbottabad and Sulaiman Range) was more comparable. Local people mainly relied on folk medicines due to their rich accessibility, low cost and higher efficacy against diseases. Unfortunately, this important traditional knowledge is vanishing fast, and many medicinal plants are under severe threat. The most threats associated to species observed in the study area include Dehri, Garmthun, Baghpur, Najafpur and Pharala. Conclusion The study has indicated that local people have higher confidence in the usage of ethnomedicinal plants and are still using them for the treatment of various ailments. Comparative analysis with other studies may strongly reflected the novel use of these plants, which may be due to the deep-rooted and unique socio-cultural setup of the study area. However, awareness campaigns, conservation efforts and pharmacological and applied research are required for further exploration and may be a step in the right direction to unveil prospective pharmaceuticals.

The present study was conducted to fabricate and characterize mucilage-based polymeric networks of Aloe vera for controlled drug release. Aloe vera mucilage was used to develop a polymeric network via the free-radical polymerization method using potassium persulphate as the initiator, N′ N′-Methylene bisacrylamide as the crosslinker, and acrylamide as the monomer. Using varying concentrations of Aloe vera mucilage, crosslinker, and monomer, we developed different formulations. Swelling studies were conducted at pH 1.2 and 7.4. Concentrations of polymer, monomer, and crosslinker were optimized as a function of swelling. Porosity and gel content were calculated for all samples. FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, and DSC studies were conducted for the characterization of polymeric networks. Thiocolchicoside was used as a model drug to study the in vitro release in acidic and alkaline pH. Various kinetics models were applied by using a DD solver. Increasing content of monomer and crosslinker swelling, porosity, and drug release decreased while gel content increased. An increase in Aloe vera mucilage concentration promotes swelling, porosity, and drug release of the polymeric network but decreases gel content. The FTIR study confirmed the formation of crosslinked networks. SEM indicated that the polymeric network had a porous structure. DSC and XRD studies indicated the entrapment of drugs inside the polymeric networks in amorphous form. The analytical method was validated according to ICH guidelines in terms of linearity, range, LOD, LOQ, accuracy, precision, and robustness. Analysis of drug release mechanism revealed Fickian behavior of all formulations. All these results indicated that the M1 formulation was considered to be the best polymeric network formulation in terms of sustaining drug release patterns.

Objective: To identify any adversities in the intraoperative and early postoperative outcome of right live-related donor nephrectomy. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Urology, Rawalpindi, from Jan 2013 to Jul 2015. Methodology: A total of 143 successive patients underwent open live donor nephrectomies (right=41). Perioperative outcome for both sided procedures were analyzed to identify any difference as regard the intraoperative (warm ischemia time, total duration of surgery, peroperative complications) and early postoperative parameters (days of hospitalization, complications). Results: No statistically significant difference was found in studied parameters like total operative time, the warm ischemia time, duration of hospital stay and the intra- and early postoperative complications amongst both the groups. The mean warm ischemia time was 86 ± 12 seconds (Rt) versus 90 ± 12 seconds (Lt). The mean time for surgery was 110 ± 18.1 minutes (Rt) versus 121 ± 18.2 minutes (Lt). There were only five minor complications and one major complication. Conclusion: Right live-related donor nephrectomy is equally safe and feasible option with similar intra-and postoperative complications as for left side. Therefore, whenever required, it is safe to leave the donor with a better functioning kidney.

Quince seed mucilage was used in a combination of sodium alginate to develop sustained-release microspheres of cefixime. Physical characterizations such as FTIR, TGA, DSC, and SEM were performed on the prepared microspheres. The swelling of microspheres was maximum at pH 7.4 and reduced at acidic pH. The average particle size ranged from 679 µm ± 0.21 to 810 µm ± 0.31, while the drug encapsulation efficiency range was found as 73.76 ± 0.24–85.63 ± 0.46. In vitro release profile of QSM-alginate-cefixime microspheres followed Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R2 = 0.9732-–0.9946); and release was non-Fickian as we found value of n > 1. This study reveals the benefits of QSM-alginate microspheres for the sustained release of cefixime without any toxicity and it also improved antibacterial properties.

TiO2/CuSe nanocomposites were synthesized using a straightforward wet chemical without any sophisticated template. A variety of characterization techniques, including XRD, Raman spectra, UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and SEM/EDS analysis were used to elucidate the structure, morphology, and optical properties of the TiO2/CuSe nanocomposite. In addition, CV, GCD, and EIS were used to study the supercapacitive performance of the TiO2/CuSe based electrodes in detail. Three-electrode cells made of TiO2/CuSe with 0.56 g weight ratio of CuSe content (denoted as ZT-3) exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of around 184 F g−1, low Rs and Rct values (2.99 Ω/6.21 Ω) among samples investigated, facilitating the charge transport and efficient utilization of ion diffusions during the electrochemical activities. Based on the outstanding performance of the ZT-3 electrode, we further assembled an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) composed of ZT-3//AC and successfully expanded a voltage window (2.2 V) for the first time, which yielded a specific capacitance of 40.5 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. More importantly, the ASC exhibited a high specific energy of 27 Wh kg−1 and maintained 11.4 Wh kg−1 at a high specific power of 7125.5 W kg−1 even at a high current density of 20 A g−1 with excellent cycling stability (90% retention) after 20,000 cycles.

Marsia is a popular poetic genre of Oriental Literature. It has a unique place and importance. It has a very strong tradition in Arabic, Persian, Punjabi, Urdu and in other Muslim languages. Marsia began in the Deccan and later spread in Northern India but, the right opportunity for this genre to flourish was found in Lucknow in eighteenth century. Important poets of the first period of Marsia in Lucknow are Sikandar, Hydree, Afsurda, Gada and Ahsan. The present article deals with a rare diary of this very age and it includes the dominant Marsia poets of this era that make it very valuable. The article brings to light the condition of diary, orthography of the text and highlits its importance in the present age

Objective: To compare Solifenacin versus solifenacin plus tamsulosin in terms of international prostate symptom score (IPSS) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with unilateral double-J (DJ) ureteric stents. Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Urology, Rawalpindi from Sep 2018 to Feb 2019. Methodology: A total of two hundred (n=200) patients of either gender aged 20-50 years, who underwent unilateral DJ stenting for different endourological procedures, were enrolled after satisfying inclusion/exclusion criteria and then randomly allocated to group A (Solifenacin 5mg once daily (OD) ± placebo for 2 weeks) or group B (Solifenacin 5mg OD ± Tamsulosin 0.4 mg OD for 2 weeks) respectively. Baseline (1st post-operative day) and Post 02 weeks treatment IPSS was recorded and analyzed. Results: Mean age of presentation in group A and group B was 41.11 ± 6.45 vs 39.86 ± 5.34 years with p-value 0.14. Majority of patients in both groups were male (34% female in group A while 31% in group B, difference being statistically insignificant p 0.65). Baseline IPSS in group A and group B was 10.33 ± 2.72 vs 10.46 ± 3.12 with pvalue 0.76 (statistically insignificant) while post 02 weeks treatment IPSS in group A and B was 9.20 ± 2.67 vs 7.88 ± 2.63 respectively with p-value

In this work, series of pH-responsive hydrogels (FMA1–FMA9) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as potential carrier for oral delivery of an antiviral drug, acyclovir (ACV). Different proportions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), chitosan (CS), methacrylic acid (MAA) and N′ N′-methylenebis-acrylamide (MBA) were used to fabricate hydrogels via free radical polymerization technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed fabrication of new polymeric network, with successful incorporation of ACV. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated presence of slightly porous structure. Thermal analysis indicated enhanced thermal stability of polymeric network. Swelling studies were carried out at 37 °C in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The drug release data was found best fit to zero-order kinetics. The preliminary investigation of developed hydrogels showed a pH-dependent swelling behavior and drug release pattern. Acute oral toxicity study indicated no significant changes in behavioral, clinical, or histopathological parameters of Wistar rats. Pharmacokinetic study indicated that developed hydrogels caused a significant increase in oral bioavailability of ACV in rabbit plasma as compared to oral suspension when both were administered at a single oral dose of 20 mg kg−1 bodyweight. Hence, developed hydrogel formulation could be used as potential candidate for controlled drug delivery of an antiviral drug acyclovir.

Word clouds manifest interactive visuals along with their statistical data. Thus knowledge discovery and aesthetic data visualization interlink to produce interactive word cloud which is an interesting, textual, statistical and visual data. This study aims to generate interactive word cloud—Cirrus—on the basis of statistical data to preview text of the novel for readers. So cirrus tool is selected from Voyant open access tools to produce interactive statistical word cloud. Then the generated word cloud and statistical data are analyzed with mixed method and its analysis draws insight from Rakesh Aggrawal’s Knowledge Discovery Theory which seeks innovative and interesting knowledge patterns. This thematic word cloud verifies already known themes and discovers innovative interesting themes. Current study reveals that all mentioned key themes can be easily extracted from a voluminous novel with the help of Cirrus tool. Key motifs have been presented in the word cloud for the readers. On the other hand, unwritten themes can’t be extracted through machine learning tools, rather it is the task of human cognition. Primarily, this novel based study reveals names of chief characters, for instance “Tommy (496),” “Ruth (455)” and “I (Kathy) (355).” Furthermore, motifs of nostalgic memories with word “remember (143),” “thought (126)” about “Hailsham (203),” “carer (74),” “sex (80),” sex “lectures (8)” have been discovered as a preview. Previewing technique prepares reader’s mind and gives an epigrammatic digital view of the text. The visual themes as knowledgeable word cloud leave an indelible mark on the slate of memory.

The freshwater algae grow in a wide range of aquatic habitats across the globe and are rich in secondary metabolites. The present study was designed to conduct the phytochemical screening, proximate analysis, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of water net (Hydrodictyon reticulatum), an algal weed from Pakistan. The pure and dried algal mass was crushed into a fine powder and four solvent-based extracts were used for phytochemical screening. The results of preliminary qualitative screening indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenols, quinones, steroids, resins, anthraquinones, glycosides, lignin, proteins, saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, alkaloids, terpenoids, fats, and oils, whereas the quantification results revealed the high quantities of total ash, crude proteins, crude fiber, alkaloids, carotenoids, flavonoids, and chlorophyll a. The studied methanolic extracts with maximum concentration (150 μg/ml) showed significantly (p-value ≤ 0.05) higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The IC50 values of the crude methanolic extract of water net were found very close to streptomycin (positive control) against both bacterial pathogenic species of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. This study concluded that the crude extracts of water net possessed antibacterial activity at par to streptomycin drug, and requires further detailed study for the separation, identification, and testing of the pure phytochemical compound to be used by the nutraceutical and or pharmaceutical industry.

The astounding characteristics of the nanomaterials can be crafted to prepare tailor-made interfaces, especially for the development of biomedical applications. In the present study, we illustrate the preparation of a new class of doughnut-shaped manganese nanograins embellished on the graphene sheets to develop hybrid interfaces using a gentle and nontoxic approach. We investigate its potential to detect clinically important biomarkers and glutathione is chosen as a case study. The unprecedented structural morphology and chemical characteristics are described. Two-dimensional sheets of graphene are uniformly occupied by manganese nanograins. Each individual grain is doughnut-shaped with the external diameter of about 5−10 nm, the thickness of 2 nm with a small central cavity of about 1 nm. We show the unique morphology of hybrid offers conducting features of graphene, metallic nature of nanograins, and amelioration of greater surface area to promote enhanced binding capability. Resultantly, the hybrid yields remarkable sensitivity of 7 nM. A binding mechanism has been proposed along with extensive kinetics assessment. The developed hybrid can selectively bind glutathione in comparison of protein and non-protein molecules. The results validate that this approach can be used to design green hybrid materials for accurate diagnosis of biomarkers and metabolites.

Background: Inclusive education is a global agenda, generally inclusion in education means full inclusion of children with various abilities in all aspects of schooling that other children have. Teachers have been seen as key persons to implement inclusive education and considered to play a substantial role in the implementation of such educational change. Objective: To see the factors that influence the attitude and concerns of teachers regarding the inclusive education of special needs children. Methodology: It was a cross sectional survey. Sample of 100 (50 mainstream school and 50 special education) teachers were taken by using a convenient sampling technique. The study was conducted from October 2017 to December 2017 in two special education center school of government and two private mainstream schools of Lahore, Pakistan. A questionnaire containing two sections was used to collect data. A sheet containing demographic details of study participants and associated factors and Sentiments, Attitude, and Concerns (SACIE-R), data was gathered and analyzed using SPSS-version 21. Results: 89% were females and 11% were males. The teacher type (mainstream and special) had a statically significant effect on attitude towards inclusive education by showing p value=0.02. Variables like gender, age, and contact with person having disability, experience, education, and confidence levels all had a significant impact on the teacher’s attitude. \ Conclusion: It was concluded that all children can learn when teaching is effective and meets individual strengths and needs. There must be an emphasis on changing schools' culture for providing resources and to build enough capacity in special as well as regular schools to offer new opportunities to pupils who experience difficulties in learning. Keywords: Child, Special, Education, Teachers, Concerns, Attitude, Inclusive

The distribution of large ungulates is more often negatively impacted by the changing climate, especially global warming and species with limited distributional zones. While developing conservation action plans for the threatened species such as the Himalayan goral (Naemorhedus goral Hardwicke 1825; a mountain goat that mostly inhabits rocky cliffs), it is imperative to comprehend how future distributions might vary based on predicted climate change. In this work, MaxEnt modeling was employed to assess the habitat suitability of the target species under varying climate scenarios. Such studies have provided highly useful information but to date no such research work has been conducted that considers this endemic animal species of the Himalayas. A total of 81 species presence points, 19 bioclimatic and 3 topographic variables were employed in the species distribution modeling (SDM), and MaxEnt calibration and optimization were performed to select the best candidate model. For predicted climate scenarios, the future data is drawn from SSPs 245 and SSPs 585 of the 2050s and 2070s. Out of total 20 variables, annual precipitation, elevation, precipitation of driest month, slope aspect, minimum temperature of coldest month, slope, precipitation of warmest quarter, and temperature annual range (in order) were detected as the most influential drivers. A high accuracy value (AUC-ROC > 0.9) was observed for all the predicted scenarios. The habitat suitability of the targeted species might expand (about 3.7 to 13%) under all the future climate change scenarios. The same is evident according to local residents as species which are locally considered extinct in most of the area, might be shifting northwards along the elevation gradient away from human settlements. This study recommends additional research is conducted to prevent potential population collapses, and to identify other possible causes of local extinction events. Our findings will aid in formulating conservation plans for the Himalayan goral in a changing climate and serve as a basis for future monitoring of the species.

Numerous investigations on plant ethnomedicinal applications have been conducted; however, knowledge about the medicinal use of wild animals is still limited. This present study is the second on the medicinal and cultural meaning of avian and mammalian species used by the population in the surrounding area of the Ayubia National Park, KPK, Pakistan. Interviews and meetings were compiled from the participants (N = 182) of the study area. The relative frequency of citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority indices were applied to analyze the information. Overall, 137 species of wild avian and mammalian species were documented. Of these, 18 avian and 14 mammalian species were utilized to treat different diseases. The present research showed noteworthy ethno-ornithological and ethno-mammalogical knowledge of local people and their connection with fauna, which might be useful in the sustainable utilization of the biological diversity of the Ayubia National Park, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Furthermore, in vivo and/or in vitro examination of the pharmacological activities of species with the highest fidelity level (FL%) as well as frequency of mention (FM) might be important for investigations on faunal-based new drugs.

Background: Cefixime (CFX) belongs to a group of third-generation cephalosporin antibiotics with low water solubility and low intestinal permeability, which ultimately leads to significantly low bioavailability. Aim: This study aimed to increase solubility, improve drug release, and intestinal permeability of CFX by loading into SEDDS. Methods: Suitable excipients were selected based on drug solubility, percent transmittance, and emulsification efficiency. Pseudo-ternary phase diagram was fabricated for the identification of effective self-emulsification region. The best probably optimized formulations were further assessed for encumbered drug contents, emulsification time, cloud point measurement, robustness to dilution, mean droplet size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), and thermodynamic and chemical stability. Moreover, in vitro drug release studies and ex vivo permeation studies were carried out and apparent drug permeability Papp of different formulations was compared with the marketed brands of CFX. Results: Amongst the four tested SEDDS formulations, F-2 formulation exhibited the highest drug loading of 96.32%, emulsification time of 40.37 ± 3 s, mean droplet size of 19.01 ± 1.12 nm, and demonstrated improved long-term thermodynamic and chemical stability when stored at 4 °C. Release studies revealed a drug release of 97.32 ± 4.82% within 60 min in simulated gastric fluid. Similarly, 97.12 ± 5.02% release of CFX was observed in simulated intestinal fluid within 120 min; however, 85.13 ± 3.23% release of CFX was observed from the marketed product. Ex vivo permeation studies displayed a 2.7-fold increase apparent permeability compared to the marketed product in 5 h. Conclusion: Owing to the significantly improved drug solubility, in vitro release and better antibacterial activity, it can be assumed that CFX-loaded SEDDS might lead to an increased bioavailability and antibacterial activity, possibly leading to improved therapeutic effectiveness.