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Contaminated air quality, in lieu of massive industrial pollution, is severely attributing to health anomalies in the proximity of industrial units. Cardiovascular Disease (CAD) is rising around industrial units in the planned capital city of Pakistan, Pakistan. To study self-reported CAD in the proximity of Industrial Estate Islamabad (IEI) by equating two distinct study groups as 'Band-I': the residence 0-650 meters and 'Band-II' 650-1300 meters radius around the perimeter of IEI. The perimeters were digitized using Google Earth and GIS. Field survey was conducted on deploying 388 (194 in each Band) close-ended (self-administered) questionnaires at the household level, after adjusting the potential confounding variables. The research calculated odds ratios (ORs) of the CAD at 95% CI. The study's findings of the multiple logistic regression for ORs confirmed a significant increase in CAD problems due to industrial affluents in Band-I than in Band-II which were less severe and less life-threatening. Study confirmed high incidences of high blood pressure and breathing issues (up to 67%), due to accumulation of unhealthy affluents thus leading to heart stroke (Band I = 56.20% and Band II = 60.30%). It is aided by smoking that has increased CAD in Band-I. Societal attributes of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences fail to safeguard the local residents amid high concentration of harmful pollutants. As a counter measure the affected respondents engaged in highlighting the issue to the concerned public offices, yet there is a high need on part of the capital government to take mitigative measures to immediately halt the disastrous industrial air emissions to save precious lives.

The genus Jasminum L., of the family Oleaceae, includes many species occurring in the wild, or cultivated worldwide. A preliminary investigation based on inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) was performed to assess the genetic diversity among 28 accessions, representing nine species of Jasminum from various regions, representing a range of altitudes in Pakistan. A total of 21 ISSR primers were used, which produced 570 amplified bands of different sizes, with a mean polymorphic band percentage of 98.26%. The maximum resolving power, polymorphism information content, and index values of the ISSR markers recorded for primers 6, 16, and 19 were 0.40, 12.32, and 24.21, respectively. Based on the data of the ISSR markers, the resulting UPGMA dendrogram with the Jaccard coefficient divided the 28 accessions into two main clades. At the species level, the highest values for Shannon's information index, polymorphism percentage, effective allele number, Nei's genetic variations, and genetic unbiased diversity were found in Jasminum sambac L. and J. humile L., while the lowest were observed in J. mesnyi Hance and J. nitidum Skan. Based on Nei's unbiased genetic identity pairwise population matrix, the maximum identity (0.804) was observed between J. elongatum Willd and J. multiflorum (Burm. f.) Andrews, and the lowest (0.566) between J. nitidum Skan. and J. azoricum L. Molecular variance analysis displayed a genetic variation of 79% among the nine populations. The study was aimed to established genetic diversity in Jasminum species using ISSR markers. With the help of this technique, we were able to establish immense intra- and interspecific diversity across the Jasminum species.

Abstract This study compares the protective effectiveness of Social Safety Nets (SSNs) provided by government and NGOs in rural Pakistan, using quasi-experimental methodology on PRPHS (2011–12) data. The treatment group was the households receiving SSNs assistance. The counterfactual (control group) was determined using propensity score matching. Outcome indicators were shock-coping strategies from which households are theoretically protected from by SSNs: reducing food consumption, switching to cheaper food, and distress asset sales. The impact of both types of SSNs was calculated by average treatment effect on the treatment group. The results showed insignificantly lesser treatment units used shock-coping strategies than the matched control unit, implying that receiving either type of SSN did not protect the household from resorting to coping strategies. However, households with public SSNs tended not to resort to switching to cheaper food as a coping strategy. This suggests that public SSNs have more protective effectiveness than private SSNs. JEL classification H31, H53, H55, H76.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and assess the effect of intermittent tamsulosin treatment as a trial to increase the drug safety (in terms of reducing the drug side effects, particularly retrograde ejaculation) while maintaining the effect in reducing the symptoms and assess its impact on the patients' quality of life. Materials and Methods: Patients who enrolled in this study were suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and were using 0.4 mg tamsulosin daily to relieve their symptoms but complained of ejaculatory problems. A baseline assessment involves medical history and evaluation of ejaculatory function abdominopelvic ultrasound, postvoid residual volume (PVR) estimation, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life assessed using global satisfaction, vital signs, physical examination including digital rectal examination, and renal function. During the study, patients consented to take 0.4 mg tamsulosin intermittently every other day and to proceed with their sexual activities on the days they did not take the drug in. Baseline assessment was repeated and recorded after 3 months from starting the treatment. The adverse effects and compliance were analyzed in all patients. Results: Twenty-five patients had a mean baseline IPSS of 6.6 ± 1 and baseline PVR of 87.6 ± 15.1 ml. At the 3rd month, the mean PVR was 100.4 ± 15.1 ml and the mean IPSS was 7.3 ± 1.1. Moreover, 20 out of the total number of 25 patients (80%) reported improvement in their ejaculation. All our 20 patients who showed improvement in their ejaculatory function are either satisfied or very satisfied (4 or 5), in regard to the global satisfaction rate. Conclusion: Intermittent tamsulosin therapy (0.4 mg/every other day) is well-tolerated and shows a potential advantage in recovery in patients who suffer from LUTS/BPH and complaining from abnormal ejaculation, especially absent ejaculate. Although there was a significant change in PVR and IPSS after using intermittent tamsulosin therapy. Most patients show a higher overall satisfaction with the treatment compared to the standard dose (0.4 mg/daily). A study on a larger scale is still needed to confirm our results.

Over the last three decades, Tehsil Mardan has gone through an incredible expansion of its built-up layer. This study explored the land use land cover changes in Tehsil Mardan from 1990 to 2021 along with population dynamics by applying geographic information systems and remote sensing techniques. Landsat satellite images for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2021 were used for land use land cover classification. A maximum likelihood supervised algorithm and confusion matrix were applied for classification and accuracy assessment, respectively. The classification results outlined that there has been a substantial increase in the built-up layer from 37 km2 to 188 km2 and a significant decrease in bare land class from 437 km2 to 252 km2 from 1990 to 2021. The classification proces’s overall accuracy ranged from 87.42% to 98.30%, and the Kappa Coefficient ranged from 0.82 to 0.97. Population dynamics were also studied in the present study, and it was found that the total population of Tehsil Mardan was 502,435, 864,017, and 1,403,002 in 1981, 1998, and 2017, respectively, and its population was further forecasted based on historical trends until 2027. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (0.98) between the built-up layer and population and a significant negative correlation (−0.91) between population and bare land. Based on the findings of this study, policymakers should be able to better plan future land use and account for associated factors while keeping environmental threats and opportunities in mind.

Melatonin regulates vital physiological processes in animals, such as the circadian cycle, sleep, locomotion, body temperature, food intake, and sexual and immune responses. In plants, melatonin modulates seed germination, longevity, circadian cycle, photoperiodicity, flowering, leaf senescence, postharvest fruit storage, and resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In plants, the effect of melatonin is mediated by various regulatory elements of the redox network, including RNS and ROS. Similarly, the radical gas NO mediates various physiological processes, like seed germination, flowering, leaf senescence, and stress responses. The biosynthesis of both melatonin and NO takes place in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Hence, both melatonin and nitric oxide are key signaling molecules governing their biological pathways independently. However, there are instances when these pathways cross each other and the two molecules interact with each other, resulting in the formation of N-nitrosomelatonin or NOMela, which is a nitrosated form of melatonin, discovered recently and with promising roles in plant development. The interaction between NO and melatonin is highly complex, and, although a handful of studies reporting these interactions have been published, the exact molecular mechanisms governing them and the prospects of NOMela as a NO donor have just started to be unraveled. Here, we review NO and melatonin production as well as RNS–melatonin interaction under normal and stressful conditions. Furthermore, for the first time, we provide highly sensitive, ozone-chemiluminescence-based comparative measurements of the nitric oxide content, as well as NO-release kinetics between NOMela and the commonly used NO donors CySNO and GSNO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminated air quality, in lieu of massive industrial pollution, is severely attributing to health anomalies in the proximity of industrial units. Cardiovascular Disease (CAD) is rising around industrial units in the planned capital city of Pakistan, Pakistan. To study self-reported CAD in the proximity of Industrial Estate Islamabad (IEI) by equating two distinct study groups as 'Band-I': the residence 0–650 meters and 'Band-II' 650–1300 meters radius around the perimeter of IEI. The perimeters were digitized using Google Earth and GIS. Field survey was conducted on deploying 388 (194 in each Band) close-ended (self-administered) questionnaires at the household level, after adjusting the potential confounding variables. The research calculated odds ratios (ORs) of the CAD at 95% CI. The study's findings of the multiple logistic regression for ORs confirmed a significant increase in CAD problems due to industrial affluents in Band-I than in Band-II which were less severe and less life-threatening. Study confirmed high incidences of high blood pressure and breathing issues (up to 67%), due to accumulation of unhealthy affluents thus leading to heart stroke (Band I = 56.20% and Band II = 60.30%). It is aided by smoking that has increased CAD in Band-I. Societal attributes of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences fail to safeguard the local residents amid high concentration of harmful pollutants. As a counter measure the affected respondents engaged in highlighting the issue to the concerned public offices, yet there is a high need on part of the capital government to take mitigative measures to immediately halt the disastrous industrial air emissions to save precious lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MEL), a hormone primarily known for its role in regulating sleep and circadian rhythms in animals, has emerged as a multifaceted molecule in plants. Recent research has shed light on its diverse functions in plant growth and defense mechanisms. This review explores the intricate roles of MEL in plant growth and defense responses. MEL is involved in plant growth owing to its influence on hormone regulation. MEL promotes root elongation and lateral root formation and enhances photosynthesis, thereby promoting overall plant growth and productivity. Additionally, MEL is implicated in regulating the circadian rhythm of plants, affecting key physiological processes that influence plant growth patterns. MEL also exhibits antioxidant properties and scavenges reactive oxygen species, thereby mitigating oxidative stress. Furthermore, it activates defense pathways against various biotic stressors. MEL also enhances the production of secondary metabolites that contribute to plant resistance against environmental changes. MEL's ability to modulate plant response to abiotic stresses has also been extensively studied. It regulates stomatal closure, conserves water, and enhances stress tolerance by activating stress-responsive genes and modulating signaling pathways. Moreover, MEL and nitric oxide cooperate in stress responses, antioxidant defense, and plant growth. Understanding the mechanisms underlying MEL's actions in plants will provide new insights into the development of innovative strategies for enhancing crop productivity, improving stress tolerance, and combating plant diseases. Further research in this area will deepen our knowledge of MEL's intricate functions and its potential applications in sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper delves into the nuanced portrayal of female cyborg identity and its intersection with motherhood in S.B. Divya's novel Machinehood. Drawing inspiration from Donna Haraway's foundational work "A Cyborg Manifesto," we examine how Divya's narrative navigates the complex interplay between technology and gender within the context of a futuristic society. Haraway's concept of cyborgism serves as a theoretical framework to analyse the multifaceted nature of female cyborg characters in Machinehood. The paper explores how these characters negotiate the boundaries between the organic and the artificial, challenging traditional notions of femininity and motherhood. Haraway envisions the cyborg as a hybrid entity with the potential to subvert normative categories that becomes a lens through which we scrutinise the female cyborgs' agency in shaping their identities and relationships. Central to our analysis is the examination of motherhood in the context of technological augmentation. In conclusion, the present paper aims to contribute to the evolving area of scholarship on science fiction literature, feminist theory, and cyborg studies. By leveraging Haraway's ground breaking ideas, we illuminate the significance of female cyborg identity and its portrayal in Machinehood, shedding light on the transformative potential of technology in reshaping traditional gender norms and familial structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]