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According to a number of astronomical studies, the universe is currently undergoing an accelerated expansion phase. We employed the recently proposed gravity, which holds that the current accelerated expansion phase of the universe is caused by a torsion scalar. The investigation is carried out using a parameterization of q (z) = − 1 + 3 2 ( (z + 1) q 2 q 1 + (z + 1) q 2 ) (where q 1 and q 2 are the model parameters) and the H (z) using H (z) = H 0 exp [ ∫ 0 z (1 + q (z)) d (ln (1 + z)) ] is obtained. The model shows good agreement with recent observations, such as the LCDM model at late times. Finally, we examined how the cosmological parameters behaved in for constrained values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yellow rust is one of the major production constraints of wheat in Pakistan. To accelerate development of rust resistant cultivars, field testing may be accompanied with molecular genotyping. In the present studies, 56 F1 wheat hybrids were developed through 8×8 full diallel crosses during 2014-15. All the 56 F1 wheat hybrids along with parental genotypes were evaluated during 2015-16 under rainfed and irrigated conditions to identify yellow rust resistant genotypes. Pooled analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P < 0.01) differences among the genotypes for final rust severity, relative area under disease progress curve and average co-efficient of infection. Under both environments, 41 genotypes showed high, 7 moderate while remaining genotypes showed low level of partial resistance. Under rainfed condition, genotypes PS-05×AH, PS-05 and PS-13×PS-05 while under irrigated condition, Lal-13×JB, PS-05×Lal-13, PS-05×Tat-96 and JB×PS-05 were partially resistant in the field. The presence of yellow rust resistance genes, Yr5, Yr17 and Yr18, were confirmed in 76%, 78% and 37% genotypes respectively, using molecular markers, which were present either individually or in combinations of two or three genes. Among the parents, PS-13, JB and PS-05 performed well under both conditions. Under irrigated condition, cross combinations, Lal-13×JB, KW×PS-05 and JB×AH while under rainfed condition, genotypes PS-05×PJ-11, Tat-96×AH and JB×AH, showed best performance in terms of yield and rust resistance. Cluster analysis grouped majority of partial resistance genotypes into sub cluster G1. Field testing and molecular markers analysis, revealed the presence of variability in resistance among the studied genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries like Pakistan, leading CO2 emission source is deforestation of temperate forests, which must be estimated precisely for resilient climate policy. This research evaluates temporal deforestation, above and below ground carbon stock, biomass estimation potential of vegetation indices derived from Sentinel-2 imagery, carbon emission from deforestation and carbon sequestration potential. Forest inventory data was collected and used in allometric equations, to calculate aboveground biomass and carbon stock. The temporal deforestation rate was estimated using LANDSAT 7 & 8 (2000 -2015) data. Biomass was predicted using the most optimal VI by developing linear regression model. The carbon emission from deforestation was estimated using activity data and emission factor. Above ground biomass and carbon stock estimated for the study area were 148.79 t/ha and 69.93 t/ha with mean CO2 equivalent value of 322.5 t/ha. The estimated forest cover change using Landsat satellite data (2000-2015) was about 16.88% with 2.51% annual deforestation rate. Relationship between red-edge VIs and AGB were the best and reduced saturation problem. Carbon loss in fifteen years were about 6.96 Mt CO2 e. The carbon sequestration capacity for the study area was 82.07 t/ha ± 13 t/ha. This research methodology is cost effective, helps in sustainable forest management and reduces carbon losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial proteolytic enzymes are used to hydrolyze proteins in various bio-industrial applications but most of the enzymes are not active in extreme temperature conditions, pH and salt concentrations. This increases the demand to explore enzymes to show activity at such extreme environments. Exciting findings have been described about the extremophilic bacteria isolated first time from coal mines of Orakzai Agency, Pakistan, having protease producing properties. Among various extracted isolates, ~6 isolates were purified based on showing proteolytic activity using 2% skim milk agar media at 37 °C for 24 hrs, to identify various morphological and biochemical characteristics. The isolate, IBC-2 showed maximum zonal activity (21 mm) and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (JCM 5962) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The strain IBC-2 exhibited significantly (P ≤ 0.05) maximum growth and protease production (335 U/ml) at 37 °C and at pH 7 after 24 hrs of incubation. The strain was also significantly (P ≤ 0.05) more active for protease production at neutral pH (435 U/ml) than at high or low pH, reflected neutral nature of the bacteria. In conclusion, the strain IBC-2 has highest protease producing ability with distinctiveness, which can be used for wide range bio-industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, laparoscopic surgeries are being performed under subarachnoid block (SAB) safely. Aims: This study was to compare the arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) tension changes during spinal and general anaesthesia (GA) in CO2 pneumoperitoneum for upper abdominal laparoscopic surgeries. Settings and Design: This was a prospective randomized comparative clinical study. Materials and Methods: Eighty patients posted for upper abdominal laparoscopic surgeries were randomly allocated to two groups either to receive standard GA or lumbar SAB. Results: The demographic profiles of both the groups were comparable. The PaCO2 was increased gradually and sustained at its peaks within 20±4.37 minutes in both the groups. The mean±SD revealed to be higher in Group B (41.5500±2.1315) than Group A (40.8460±2.1136), but the difference between the two was not statistically significant (P=0.6142). There was a gradual increase in ETCO2 over the initial 10±2.07 minutes and reached a plateau within 20±5.74 minutes in both the groups and declined faster after deflation of pneumoperitoneum in SAB group. The mean±SD was found to be higher in Group B (33.923±1.642) than Group A (33.408±1.772), but it was also not statistically significant (P=0.4492). The difference of the arterial blood pH between the groups was not statistically significant. Three (7.5%) patients developed transient urinary retention and 2 (5%) patients suffered from post-dural puncture headache in SAB group. Conclusions: Arterial and end-tidal CO2 tension changes during upper abdominal laparoscopic surgery under SAB remain within physiological limit and comparable to the CO2 tensions under GA. However, per-operative complications in SAB are greater, while it is lesser in postoperative period in comparison to GA. SAB may be adopted in ASA physical status I patients with proper preoperative counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]