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The current study aims to investigate the consequences of team mindfulness in project-based organizations by proposing team cohesion as an underlying mechanism and effective team leadership as a boundary condition through which team mindfulness promotes project team performance. Data were collected through a time-lagged survey from Pakistani employees (N = 379). The data supported the proposed model revealing that team mindfulness enhances team cohesion among employees, which increases project team performance and effective team leadership moderates this relationship. This study has identified the team-level factors that can be used by project managers to increase project team performance.

Introduction: Spondylocostal dysostosis (SCD) is characterized by multiple vertebral abnormalities associated with abnormalities of the ribs. Five genes causative for the disease have been identified. These include DLL3 (OMIM *602768), MESP2 (OMIM #608681), LFNG (OMIM #609813), TBX6 (OMIM *602427), and HES7 (OMIM *608059). Methods: In the current study, we investigated a Pakistani consanguineous family segregating spondylocostal dysotosis. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) followed by Sanger sequencing was performed using DNA of affected and unaffected individuals to identify pathogenic variant(s). The identified variant was interpreted using ACMG classification. Literature review was performed to summarize currently known mutated alleles of DLL3 and the underlying clinical phenotypes. Results: Clinical examination using anthropometric measurements and radiographs diagnosed the patients to be afflicted with SCD. Pedigree analysis of the affected family showed an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern of the disease. WES followed by Sanger sequencing identified a novel homozygous nonsense variant (DLL3(NM_016941.4): c.535G>T; p.Glu179Ter) in the DLL3 gene located on chromosome 19q13.2. Conclusion: The study will be helpful in carrier testing and genetic counseling to prevent segregation of the disease to the next generations within this family. It also provides knowledge for clinicians and researchers in search of a better understanding of SCD anomalies.

A new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, has emerged from South Africa, indicating that the pandemic will not be over anytime soon. An unimaginable amount of economic damage has resulted from the pandemic. Omicron and its economic implications are discussed in detail in this review article. It also includes statistics on occurrence, mortality, and recuperation in Pakistan and data on the country’s immunization coverage. Developing countries with unstable economies, such as Pakistan, have experienced increased economic difficulties. As a result, all developed and underdeveloped countries should strictly adhere to preventive measures and improvements in diagnostic tests and vaccine development to bring the pandemic under control.

In almost every country, cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death, which are responsible for 17.7 million deaths worldwide, or 54% of all deaths. However, the latest evidence has shown that non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular events are significantly influenced by the blood microbiota and circulating metabolites.We searched online databases for the most recent related papers through the comprehensive international databases of the Institute of PubMed/ MEDLINE, ISI/WOS, and Scopus up to August 2022, using MESH terms and the related keywords in the English language. Considering the titles and abstracts, unrelated studies were excluded. The full texts of the remained studies were evaluated by authors, independently. Then, the studies' findings were assessed and reported.The study demonstrated that the bacterial profiles of patients with cardiovascular diseases and healthy individuals are significantly different. The diseased patients showed a significantly high abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, an important Proteobacterial component known as lipopolysaccharides that has been linked to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, while phylum Firmicutes were found in healthy individuals. It suggests that Proteobacteria has a direct role in the onset of cardiovascular disease.We focused on the blood bacterial composition and circulating microbial metabolites in their relationship with the etiology and onset of cardiovascular disease. However, the various genera and species in the results reported were not always identical. Therefore, the microbial community structure of blood was more complicated and thus required a more in-depth exploration.

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is one of the major global public health issue causes many serious diseases mostly found in the women and children of developing world. Objective: To evaluate and assess the occurrence and disorder related to iron deficiency in the population of district Dir (Lower). Materials and Methods: From all volunteers blood samples were collected from Vein through syringe and kept it in the EDTA tubes. Hemoglobin concentration was determined by the help of Hematology Analyzer. Following the guidelines of WHO, the value of a hemoglobin (Hb) was

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the single biggest contributor to global mortality. CVD encompasses multiple disorders, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, platelet hyperactivity, stroke, hyperlipidemia, and heart failure. In addition to traditional risk factors, the circulating microbiome or the blood microbiome has been analyzed recently in chronic inflammatory diseases, including CVD in humans.For this review, all relevant original research studies were assessed by searching in electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, by using relevant keywords.This review demonstrated that elevated markers of systemic bacterial exposure are associated with noncommunicable diseases, including CVD. Studies have shown that the bacterial DNA sequence found in healthy blood belongs mainly to the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria phyla. In cardiac events, such as stroke, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction, the increased proportion of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria phyla was found. Lipopolysaccharides are a major component of Proteobacteria, which play a key role in the onset of CVD. Moreover, recently, a study reported the lower cholesterol-degrading bacteria, including Caulobacterales order and Caulobacteraceae family were both considerably reduced in myocardial infarction.Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were shown to be independent markers of the risk of CVD. This finding is evidence for the new concept of the role played by blood microbiota dysbiosis in CVD. However, the association between blood microbiota and CVD is still inconsistent. Thus, more deep investigations are required in future to fully understand the role of the bacteria community in causing and preventing CVD.

We report the growth promoting potential in wheat under saline conditions by an endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus BTK-1. The isolated BTK-1 from the root of Chenopodium album was identified as Aspergillus terreus through 18S rDNA sequence analysis. BTK-1 secreted indole acetic acid (IAA), exhibited 1- aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate deaminase (ACC) and siderophores activity, and solubilized phosphate. Wheat seedlings were exposed to a saline environment (0, 60, 120, and 180 mM) with or without BKT-1 inoculation. Seedlings inoculated with BTK-1 showed higher concentrations of IAA and gibberellins, whereas they showed low concentrations of abscisic acid compared to the BTK-1 non-inoculated plants. Also, BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants revealed significantly (P = 0.05) longer shoots and roots, biomass, and chlorophyll contents. On the contrary, plants without BTK-1 inoculation indicated significantly (P = 0.05) low amounts of carbohydrates, phenolics, prolines, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, with high amounts of Na and malonaldehyde under salt stress. Likewise, BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants showed high activity of reduced glutathione, and low activity of ascorbate, catalase, and peroxidase under salt stress. The mitigation of salinity stress by BTK-1 inoculated wheat plants suggested its use as a bio-stimulator in salt affected soils.

Increased bacterial translocation in the gut and bloodstream infections are both major comorbidities of heart failure and myocardial infarction (MI). However, the alterations in the microbiome of the blood of patients with MI remain unclear. To test this hypothesis, we conducted this case-control study to explore the microbiota compositions in the blood of Chinese patients with MI. Using high-throughput Illumina HiSeq sequencing targeting the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene, the microbiota communities in the blood of 29 patients with MI and 29 healthy controls were examined. In addition, the relationship between the blood microbiome and clinical features of MI was investigated. This study revealed a significant reduction in alpha diversity (Shannon index) in the MI group compared with the healthy controls. Also, a significant difference was detected in the structure and richness between the patients with MI and healthy controls. The members of the phylum Actinobacteria, class Actinobacteria, order Bifdobacteriales, family Bifidobacteriaceae, and genus Bifidobacterium were significantly abundant in the MI group, while the members of the phylum Bacteroidetes, class Bacteroidia, and order Bacteroidales were significantly enriched in the healthy controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, the functional analysis revealed a significant variation between both groups. For instance, the enrichment of genes involved in the metabolism pathways of three amino acids decreased, that is, nucleotide transport and metabolism, coenzyme transport and metabolism, and lipid transport and metabolism, among others. Our study will contribute to a better knowledge of the microbiota of blood, which will further lead to improved MI diagnosis and therapy. Further study is needed to determine the role of the blood microbiota in human health and disease.

It has been nearly two years since the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected the world. Several innovations and discoveries related to COVID-19 are surfacing every day and new problems associated with the COVID-19 virus are also coming to light. A similar situation is with the emergence of deep invasive fungal infections associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Recent literature reported the cases of pulmonary and rhino-cerebral fungal infections appearing in patients previously infected by COVID-19. Histopathological analysis of these cases has shown that most of such infections are diagnosed as mucormycosis or aspergillosis. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis usually affects the maxillary sinus with involvement of maxillary teeth, orbits, and ethmoidal sinuses. Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for both COVID-19 as well as mucormycosis. At this point, there is scanty data on the subject and most of the published literature comprises of either case reports or case series with no long-term data available. The aim of this review paper is to present the characteristics of COVID-19 related mucormycosis and associated clinical features, outcome, diagnostic and management strategies. A prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment planning can surely benefit these patients.

We report the growth promoting potential in wheat under saline conditions by an endophytic fungus

The objective of this study was to assess awareness of dental practitioners of Karachi regarding minimally invasive dentistry. Study design and Setting: It was a cross sectional study based on questionnaire, conducted in 6 different dental hospitals of Karachi. The sample included dentists who were actively practicing clinical dentistry in Karachi. Specialists were excluded from the study Methodology: A study questionnaire was distributed to the participants which comprised of demographic details, professional data and Likert-Scale based questions to asses respondent’s agreement level related to caries activity, assessment, detection and treatment. Results: Out of the 151 questionnaires distributed, 119 were analysed with an overall response rate of 78.8%. From the total 67.2% dentists were received training in MID through some means in which 36% received training in MID by lectures and clinical training both while 32.8% had no training in MID. MID techniques like ART and sandwich technique was found to be effective by 65% and 50.4% respectively. The 58.8% participants were agreed that caries risk assessment (CRA) should be done in every patient and 55.5% dentists were agreed that restoration should be planned according to patient’s assessment Conclusion: General Dental Practioners were not completely aware of the concepts and application of minimally invasive procedures and had little knowledge regarding caries detection methods and lacked in implementation of MID techniques in their daily practice

ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a half-day training on de-escalation of violence against healthcare personnel regarding prevention and management of violence incidents versus a similar tertiary-level hospital with no such training. Secondary objectives were to compare the overall satisfaction, burnout, fear of violence and confidence in coping with patients’ aggression of the healthcare personnel in the two hospitals.DesignMixed method design, with a comparative cross-sectional (quantitative) and focus group discussions (qualitative) components.SettingEmergency departments of the two tertiary care hospitals in district Peshawar over 6 months starting from May 2018.ParticipantsHealthcare personnel in the emergency departments of the two hospitals (trained vs untrained).Outcome measuresViolence exposure (experienced/witnessed) assessed through a previously validated tool in the past 5 months. Burnout, confidence in coping with patient aggression and overall job satisfaction were also assessed through validated tools. The qualitative component explored the perceptions of healthcare personnel regarding the management of violence and the importance of training on de-escalation of violence through focus group discussions in the two hospitals.ResultsThe demographic characteristics of the healthcare personnel within the two hospitals were quite similar. The de-escalation training did not lead to a reduction in the incidences of violence; however, confidence in coping with patient aggression and the overall satisfaction were significantly improved in the intervention hospital. The de-escalation training was lauded by the respondents as led to an improvement in communication skills, and the healthcare personnel suggested for scale-up to all the cadres and hospitals.ConclusionThe study found significant improvements in the confidence of healthcare personnel in coping with patient aggression, along with better job satisfaction and less burnout in the intervention hospital following the de-escalation training.

Organoids are biological systems grown in vitro and are observed to self-organize into 3D cellular tissues of specific organs. Brain organoids have emerged as valuable models for the study of human brain development in health and disease. Researchers are now in need of improved culturing and imaging tools to capture the in vitro dynamics of development processes in the brain. Here, we describe the design of a microfluidic chip and bioreactor, to enable in situ tracking and imaging of brain organoids on-chip. The low-cost 3D printed microfluidic bioreactor supports organoid growth and provides an optimal imaging chamber for live-organoid imaging, with drug delivery support. This fully isolated design of a live-cell imaging and culturing platform enables long-term live-imaging of the intact live brain organoids as it grows. We can thus analyze their self-organization in a controlled environment with high temporal and spatial resolution.

Background Currently, nanotechnology and nanoparticles have quickly emerged and have gained the attention of scientists due to their massive applications in environmental sectors. However, these environmental applications of silver nanoparticles potentially cause serious effects on terrestrial and aquatic organisms. In the current study, freshwater fish C. carpio were exposed to blood-mediated silver nanoparticles for toxicity, mortality, bioaccumulation, and histological alterations. Silver nanoparticles were fabricated using animal blood serum and their toxic effect was studied against common carp fish at different concentrations levels (0.03, 0.06, and 0.09 mg/L). Results The findings have revealed a little influence of blood-induced silver nanoparticles on fish behavior at the highest concentration (0.09 mg/L). However, bioaccumulation of blood-mediated silver nanoparticles was reported in different organs of fish. Maximum bioaccumulation of silver nanoparticles was reported in the liver, followed by the intestine, gills, and muscles. Furthermore, the findings have shown that the bioaccumulation of silver nanoparticles led to histopathological alterations; including damaged structure of gill tissue and have caused necrosis. It is summarized that histopathological alteration in gill and intestine mostly occurred by the highest concentration of blood-induced silver nanoparticles (0.09 mg/L). Conclusion This study provides evidence of the silver nanoparticles influence on aquatic life; however, further systematic studies are crucial to access the effects of AgNPs on aquatic life.

BackgroundCurrently, nanotechnology and nanoparticles have been quickly emerged and have gained the attention of scientists due to its massive applications in environmental sectors. However, these environmental applications of silver nanoparticles potentially cause serious effects on terrestrial and aquatic organisms. In the current study, freshwater fish C. carpio were exposed to blood mediated AgNPs for toxicity, mortality, bioaccumulation, and histological alterations. Silver nanoparticles were fabricated using animal blood serum and their toxic effect was studied against common carp fish at different concentrations level (0.03, 0.06, and 0.09 mg/L).ResultsThe findings have revealed a little effect of blood induced silver nanoparticles (B-AgNPs) on fish behavior at the highest concentration (0.09 mg/L). However, bioaccumulation of B-AgNPs was reported in different organs of fish. Maximum bioaccumulation of B-AgNPs was reported in the liver, followed by intestine, gills, and muscles. Furthermore, the findings have showed that the B-AgNPs bioaccumulation led to histopathological alterations including damage structure of gills tissue and caused necrosis. It is summarized that histopathological alteration in gills and intestine mostly occurred at the highest concentration of B-AgNPs (0.09 mg/L). ConclusionThis study provides evidence of the AgNPs influence on aquatic life; however, further systematic studies are crucial to access the effects of AgNPs on aquatic life.

This document is a success story of The School of Business Administration (NCBA&E), its students, faculty, and staff. It is about how it carried on with its semester despite the disruption caused by COVID-19.

Periodontal disease can cause irreversible damage to tooth-supporting tissues such as the root cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone, eventually leading to tooth loss. While standard periodontal treatments are usually helpful in reducing disease progression, they cannot repair or replace lost periodontal tissue. Periodontal regeneration has been demonstrated to be beneficial in treating intraosseous and furcation defects to varied degrees. Cell-based treatment for periodontal regeneration will become more efficient and predictable as tissue engineering and progenitor cell biology advance, surpassing the limitations of present therapeutic techniques. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the ability to self-renew and differentiate into several cell types when stimulated. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been tested for periodontal regeneration in vitro and in humans, with promising results. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) possess a great regenerative and therapeutic potential. Their added benefits comprise ease of collection, endless source of stem cells, less immunorejection, and affordability. Further, their collection does not include the concerns associated with human embryonic stem cells. The purpose of this review is to address the most recent findings about periodontal regenerative mechanisms, different stem cells accessible for periodontal regeneration, and UC-MSCs and their involvement in periodontal regeneration.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to collect information from dentists regarding treatment of endodontic emergencies and investigate their antibiotic prescribing habits. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was conducted in which questionnaires were distributed to 300 dentists of dental hospitals and private clinics of Karachi, Pakistan. The survey dealt with questions focusing on treatment approaches for different endodontic emergency situations and antibiotic prescribing habits of the dentists. RESULTS: A total of 182 participants were included with a response rate of 65%. In cases of a vital teeth with irreversible pulpitis, (59.9%) of dentists opted for two visit root canal treatment. Dentists with working experience 5 years performed root canal treatment in more than two visits which is in a higher ratio than the other groups (P

We have designed a low-cost Tactograph, to make tactile pictures accessible to a person with visual impairment. The Tactograph was designed with an x-y stage and a fluid in a refillable cartridge. Tactile shapes were printed on a regular A4 sized paper using this system. This refillable cartridge is a simple disposable syringe, which makes it easy to use. We have designed and developed a USB interface based controller board with stepper motors. The control transfers between control board and PC is done with Python based programming. We have achieved tactile image of average width $1.68\ \mathbf{mm}\ \mathbf{with} \pm 0.31\ \mathbf{mm}$ tolerance using an adhesive fluid.

Thermoacoustic science focuses on the interaction between sound energy and heat energy and the thermoacoustic refrigeration system uses sound wave to attain a temperature gradient along a porous solid medium (stack). It is an emerging technology to replace conventional refrigeration system with the benefit of having no moving parts. In the present study, the effects of the material, length, and position of the stack inside the resonator tube on cooling effect across the stack are examined. Three different materials-nylon, ABS plastic and wood are used as stack material which yield a cooling effect in the range of 2-5°C across the resonator tube (length of 60 cm) depending upon the stack position at resonant frequency (145 Hz). Three samples of each stack (length of 3, 6, and 9 cm) are placed at a spacing of 10 cm inside the resonator tube. Operating frequency is constant at 145 Hz which is resonant frequency. Highest temperature difference is obtained for ABS plastic stack of 3 cm length at the closed end of the tube at resonant frequency. The maximum cooling load is observed at the closed end of resonator tube, but the coefficient of performance (COP) is found to be maximum at the open end (driver end) of the tube. The performance of the thermoacoustic system is numerically analyzed using DeltaEC software for the same set of operating conditions and is compared with the experimental findings.

Introduction: A tooth that is unable to erupt completely due to some physiological barrier is called impaction. The extraction of the impacted mandibular 3rd molar is the most frequent procedure in oral surgery. The removal of 3rd molar is associated with complications like damage to the inferior alveolar nerve which causes paresthesia of the lower lip depending upon the severity of the damage. Objectives: This study assesses the diagnostic efficacy of orthopantomograph in predicting the association between mandibular third molar roots and inferior alveolar canal and its juxtaposition with intra-operative surgical findings. Material and methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted in the department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore, requiring extraction of mandibular third molars surgically. Patients underwent extraction under local anesthesia. The association between M3 and IAC by comparing OPG findings with intra-operative surgical findings was assessed by chi-square analysis. Results: One hundred and twenty patients requiring mandibular third molar extraction were included in the study. The age of the patients involved in the study ranged from 21-70 years. There were 5 cases of nerve injury in the age group of 31-40 and 1 case in each age group of 21-30 and 41-50. Conclusion: The chances of nerve damage also increase significantly when there is more than one radiographic sign present and the tooth is deeply placed in the mandible nearest to the IAN.

The complicated coding of tumorous cells requires emerging molecular biology tools for early diagnosis and for the better understandings of cancer progression. In spite of the advancement in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to hit breast cancer, it is still a second major cause of cancerous deaths among women globally. In therapeutic vibes, deregulation in the expression of genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2, PIK3, RB, MDM2, TPK53 and HER2 involved in breast cancer prevalence. Furthermore, microRNAs such as miR-200, miR-27a, miR-182 and let-7 have been demonstrated that hold some potential hope to extricate from the complexity of cancerous cells. This review elaborates the different risk factors that lead to breast cancer progression and the current therapeutic approaches ongoing to tackle the tangled cellular behavior of cancerous cell. Moreover, for the better understandings of various signaling cascades involved in breast cancer development and to design effective therapies, researchers further needed to take interest in upcoming approaches including biophysics and nanotechnology based gene therapy and drug delivery.

We have characterized the instability of CW Master Oscillator Power Amplifier fiber laser due to Stimulated Brillouin Scattering by statistically analyzing timing information of reflected SBS pulses using constant fraction discriminator and observed a 36.6 % increase in SBS instability.

This study verified corporate entrepreneurship, innovation climate and Job satisfaction (person-job fit, Salary Benefit) as the research framework. Through a literature review, we examined causal relationship among these variables. The climate for innovation is demonstrated by team unity, administrative encouragement, resources, independence, as well as openness to innovation. Recent studies have showed a lack of research in conventional mechanized firms on innovative climate. The relationship model was examined with regression analysis, and all hypotheses established support. This result implied that climate for the innovation enhanced corporate entrepreneurship.

Botrytis spp. associated with neck rot disease were isolated from New Zealand onions. The fungi were identified using molecular sequences of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and intergenic spacer (IGS) regions, and the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) gene. Analyses of the sequences showed that the majority of the isolates gathered in 2005–07 were B. aclada. A new high resolution melting analysis (HRMA) assay was developed that allowed fast and simple discrimination between B. aclada and other Botrytis spp. causing onion neck rot in New Zealand. To further verify these results, Botrytis isolates from New Zealand onions, stored in the International Collection of Microorganisms from Plants (ICMP), were also examined. Only a single isolate from the ICMP collection was B. aclada while two isolates were B. byssoidea, one B. squamosa and another closely related to Botryotinia porri. Identification of the remaining Botrytis isolates was more difficult; while IGS and ITS sequences indicated a close relationship to B. allii or B. byssoidea, a previously unreported intron insertion was observed at the 3′ end of the ribosomal small subunit gene in these isolates. No evidence of heterogeneity was observed in the G3PDH gene sequences, as might have been expected of the allodiploid B. allii, but the G3PDH sequence ruled out B. byssoidea as the identity of these isolates.

Soon after 9/11, the advent of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in FATA remained focus of discussion among different scholars and stakeholders at different forums. CSOs are considered the messengers of peace and education. These organizations are getting funds from various sources, UN at their top, and invest in the targeted area(s) for the purpose of enhancing the education of a locality. The debate bifurcates CSOs between real objectives persuading and fabricated objectives persuading. Not only those CSOs who are purely working for education but all CSOs are part of this struggle directly or indirectly. This research is focusing on the programs of the CSOs running in FATA and their direct or indirect impact on the education system of the region. The Methodology used for this research is qualitative, comprising direct in-depth interviews and FGDs with students, local population and other stakeholders.