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Abstract The aim of the present research was to investigate the presence of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) in blood samples from cows raised with irrigated wastewater, as well as in the wastewater itself, in the North-western region of Pakistan. A total of 60 blood samples were collected from five different locations in Kohat, namely Tappi Road (TR), Pindi Road (PR), Gul Malik Road (GMR), Markaz Road (MR), and a control group. The samples of both i.e. cow blood and wastewater were analyzed for the concentrations of heavy metals. The highest concentration of Cd was detected in the MR site with a mean value of 0.03 mg/L, and the highest concentration of Cu (0.04 mg/L) was recorded in the TR site, while the lowest level was found in the control group with a mean of 0.002 mg/L in blood samples. The highest Cr and Pb concentrations were found at the PR site, with mean values of 0.03 and 0.07 mg/L, respectively, whereas the control group had the lowest concentrations, with mean values of 0.002 and 0.01 mg/L. Similarly, heavy metal concentrations were analyzed in wastewater used for irrigation in the study area. Results indicated elevated concentrations of Cu and Cr in wastewater, although they remained below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values except for Cr (0.13 mg/L) in the GMR site, which exceeded permissible limits. Cd and Pb concentrations in wastewater were relatively low, but Cd concentration surpassed WHO limits, particularly with a mean concentration of 0.08 mg/L in the TR site. Comparison between heavy metal concentrations in blood and wastewater revealed higher values of Cd and Pb in blood samples than in wastewater, while Cu and Cr concentrations were higher in water compared to blood. Additionally, elevated levels of Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD), antioxidant enzyme Catalase (CAT), and oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde (MDA) were detected in blood samples. Cluster and principal component analyses were employed to assess heavy metal toxicity among the groups, indicating potential long-term adverse health effects on animals, transfer to humans, and toxicity in living organisms.

Background: The health literacy and numeracy skills of women in Pakistan are very low compared to other low- and middle-income countries. Objective: The aim of this study was to improve the health literacy and numeracy skills of unschooled women in Northern Pakistan by developing a Maternal and Child Health Calendar (MCHC). The MCHC utilizes locally contextualized icons to promote and enhance service utilization and maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes. Methods: We conducted a qualitative exploratory study design to understand the experiences and usefulness of the MCHC among women. We recruited the participants using purposive sampling. Using a semi-structured interview guide, we conducted individual interviews with nine Key informants, that is, Agha Khan Rural Support Staff and Community-based savings group staff and five focus group discussions with unschooled women. We followed Braun and Clarke’s steps to conduct an inductive thematic data analysis. Results: The findings of our study are categorized into the following themes: (1) the benefits of using MCHC, (2) the usefulness of the MCHC in women’s healthcare decision-making, (3) empowerment of poorly schooled women, (4) enabling numeracy and record-keeping skills, (5) MCHC implementation challenges, and (6) participants suggestions to improve the MCHC. Our findings revealed that the MCHC improved the health literacy and numeracy of illiterate or less educated women by using localized images to help them comprehend their own and their children’s health. Additionally, it effectively empowered these women in their healthcare decision-making, such as discussing family planning with their husbands. Women also suggested modifying some images in the MCHC to enhance their clarity and usefulness. Conclusion: The MCHC has the potential to safely and sustainably build basic MCH literacy and numeracy skills among both literate and illiterate women in Northern Pakistan. Further research is needed to assess its potential as a stand-alone intervention to improve MCH outcomes.

The widespread global adoption of wind energy sources has established a significant presence in the existing power grid. However, the massive integration of intermittent wind energy poses forecasting errors, prompting the need for supplementary reserves from conventional energy sources with increased operational expenses and carbon emissions. Hence, to facilitate the seamless operation of large-scale wind-integrated power grids, it is imperative to harness the potential of renewable energy sources and leverage flexible loads to deliver power-balancing services. In this research, dynamic real-time power dispatch strategies have been developed for the Automatic Generation Control (AGC) system to integrate the reserve capacities of conventional generation units and wind power plants and utilize the demand response capabilities of flexible loads for power balancing services. A comprehensive power system grid model was developed in DigSilent PowerFactory software, consisting of coal-based energy systems, wind energy systems, gas turbines, and cold storage units as flexible loads. The study is divided into different case studies to assess the impact of each scenario on system operation in mitigating the forecasting errors of wind power plants. Further, a comparative analysis was performed to illustrate the effectiveness of each case study. The analysis showed that Case Study III, where reserves are provided by coal energy systems and cold storage units, yielded the highest reduction in Positive Regulation (PR) and Negative Regulation (NR) errors, at 89.0% and 94.15%, respectively. Conversely, Case Study IV demonstrated the least reduction in errors, with 67.82% in PR and 78.41% in NR. However, it indicates that reserves can be supplied from wind energy systems and flexible loads without the support of conventional power plants.

Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, which have become a common environmental contaminant, spreading across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Concerns have been raised about the impact of microplastics on animal health and nutrition due to their accumulation and potential transfer through the food chain. This review aims to summarize current knowledge about microplastics in animal nutrition, with a focus on their occurrence, sources, routes of exposure, and potential effects on animal physiology and metabolism. Animals can consume microplastics through a variety of routes, including direct consumption of contaminated food, uptake from contaminated water, and ingestion of organisms that have already consumed microplastics. MPs have been found in a variety of animal species, including fish, birds, mammals, and invertebrates, highlighting the possibility of widespread exposure and bioaccumulation. MPs can interact with the gastrointestinal tract after being ingested, potentially influencing nutrient absorption, gut microbiota composition, and overall digestive efficiency. MPs may also act as carriers for other chemical pollutants, potentially increasing their bioavailability and toxic effects on animals. While some studies indicate that microplastics may cause adverse effects in animals such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of endocrine functions, the overall health effects and long-term consequences of microplastic (MP) exposure in animal nutrition remain unknown. Furthermore, the review discusses the potential consequences of microplastics in animal-derived food products, considering the human health risks associated with their consumption.

Key Clinical Message Early screening and management of postpartum posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can reduce hospital stay and complications. Obstetricians, gynecologists, ophthalmologists, and even general physicians should be aware of PRES since its presentation is variable.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution for tackling antibiotic resistance in monogastric animals, providing innovative methods to enhance animal health and well-being. This review explores the novel use of nanotechnology-based nanomaterials as substitutes for antibiotics in monogastric animals. With growing global concerns about antibiotic resistance and the need for sustainable practices in animal husbandry, nanotechnology offers a compelling avenue to address these challenges. The objectives of this review are to find out the potential of nanomaterials in improving animal health while reducing reliance on conventional antibiotics. We examine various forms of nanomaterials and their roles in promoting gut health and also emphasize fresh perspectives brought by integrating nanotechnology into animal healthcare. Additionally, we delve into the mechanisms underlying the antibacterial properties of nanomaterials and their effectiveness in combating microbial resistance. By shedding light on the transformative role of nanotechnology in animal production systems. This review contributes to our understanding of how nanotechnology can provide safer and more sustainable alternatives to antibiotics.

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) is vital in effectively managing the reserve requirement in modern power grids. Subsequently, it supports the grid operator in making effective and economical decisions during the power balancing operation. Therefore, this study comprehensively reviews STLF methods, including time series analysis, regression-based frameworks, artificial neural networks (ANNs), and hybrid models that employ different forecasting approaches. Detailed mathematical and graphical analyses and a comparative evaluation of these methods are provided, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Further, the study proposes a hybrid CNN-LSTM model comprised of Convolutional neural networks (CNN) for feature extraction of high dimensional data and Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks to boost the model’s efficiency for temporal sequence prediction. This study assessed the model using a comprehensive dataset from Pakistan’s NTDC national grid. The analysis revealed superior performance in short-term load prediction, achieving enhanced accuracy. For single-step forecasting, the model yielded an RMSE of 538.71, MAE of 371.97, and MAPE of 2.72. In 24-hour forecasting, it achieved an RMSE of 951.94, MAE of 656.35, and MAPE of 4.72 on the NTDC dataset. Moreover, the model has outperformed previous models in comparison using the AEP dataset, demonstrating its superiority in enhancing reserve management and balancing supply and demand in modern electricity networks.

The most frequent and dangerous hazard to the electrical insulation of high voltage (HV) and high field (HF) equipment is partial discharges (PD). The development of PD activity is both a cause and an indicator of insulation degradation, which could ultimately lead to insulation breakdown. For electrical power equipment to operate safely and dependably, continuous and efficient PD monitoring must be conveniently performed to prevent associated damages and any harm to electrical power equipment. This work presents the design of a new UHF antenna for detecting PD in medium-voltage gas-insulated applications. The working frequency band of the proposed UHF antenna is 370 MHz–1300 MHz, which translates into a total bandwidth of 930 MHz UHF frequency band. Over the whole operating frequency of the antenna, the return loss is less than -10dB. Recently, an eco-friendly insulating gas, HFO1336mzz(E), is considered to be a good substitute for sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in medium-voltage gas-insulated equipment (MV-GIE). The HFO(E) gas in a mixture with CO2 can reach the dielectric strength of SF6 gas. Hence, the HFO(E)/CO2 gas mixture’s partial discharge properties are systematically investigated in this research work. In particular, a detailed examination focuses on the partial discharge extinction voltage (PDEV) and partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV) under varying electric field conditions at different gas pressure levels and mixing ratios. The PDIV of the HFO(E)/CO2 gas mixture exhibited a linear-saturation rising pattern with both mixing ratio and gas pressure, mirroring the trend observed in SF6 when the HFO(E) gas concentration ranged between 25% and 30%.

This study investigates the nexus between rising temperatures and household energy consumption using data from respondents' electricity bills in the ''China Residential Energy Consumption Survey.'' Our analysis reveals a significant correlation, with an 8.9 % increase in yearly energy consumption observed when the average temperature exceeds 32 °C. Additionally, we explore potential shifts in power usage due to global warming by integrating baseline estimates with daily temperature forecasts from eight contemporary climate models. Our findings project alarming trends: without interventions to curb greenhouse gas emissions, home electricity consumption could surge by 9.59–30.09 % in the medium term and by 9.77–47.70 % in the long run. By shedding light on these critical connections, our research underscores the urgent need for policy actions to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on energy consumption patterns.

The Asian region has rich agricultural resources that can be utilized for clean biogas technology. Few countries in Asia, namely China and Nepal, have developed policies and technologies for the biogas sector. Whereas Pakistan, a major agricultural country, cannot tap the bio-energy from the agriculture sector. This study aims to present a comprehensive policy analysis across different countries to identify the obstacles that impede the growth of the biogas sector in Pakistan. The research thoroughly reviews the most recent literature and policy documents and engages with stakeholders to gather their feedback on policy formulation. While most renewable energy policies predominantly focus on photovoltaic and wind energy resources, they tend to overlook the utilization of the available bioresources. Further, the absence of banking and microfinance institutions (MFIs) hampers the smooth flow of funds between donor agencies and farmers/end-users, which has proven to be a key factor for success in Nepal and China.

Abstract Background Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I defect (CPS1D) is a rare disease with clinical case reports mainly in early neonates or adults, with few reports of first onset in late neonatal to childhood. We studied the clinical and genotypic characteristics of children with childhood onset CPS1D caused by two loci mutations (one of these is a rarely reported non-frame shift mutation) in the CPS1. Case presentation We present a rare case of adolescent-onset CPS1D that had been misdiagnosed due to atypical clinical features, and further investigations revealed severe hyperammonemia (287µmol/L; reference range 11.2 ~ 48.2umol/L). MRI of the brain showed diffuse white matter lesions. Blood genetic metabolic screening showed elevated blood alanine (757.06umol/L; reference range 148.8 ~ 739.74umol/L) and decreased blood citrulline (4.26umol/L; reference range 5.45 ~ 36.77umol/L). Urine metabolic screening showed normal whey acids and uracil. Whole-exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous mutations in the CPS1, a missense mutation (c.1145 C > T) and an unreported de novo non-frame shift mutation (c.4080_c.4091delAGGCATCCTGAT), respectively, which provided a clinical diagnosis. Conclusion A comprehensive description of the clinical and genetic features of this patient, who has a rare age of onset and a relatively atypical clinical presentation, will facilitate the early diagnosis and management of this type of late onset CPS1D and reduce misdiagnosis, thus helping to reduce mortality and improve prognosis. It also provides a preliminary understanding of the relationship between genotype and phenotype, based on a summary of previous studies, which reminds us that it may help to explore the pathogenesis of the disease and contribute to genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis.

The surging electricity demand in Pakistan has led to frequent blackouts, prompting government initiatives to expand power plant capacities and improve the national grid. The government prioritizes integrating large-scale renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, to reduce dependence on conventional power plants. However, the intermittency of renewables leads to forecasting errors, requiring extra power reserves from conventional units, thereby escalating operational costs and CO2 emissions. The country currently utilizes a manual mechanism for power balancing operations, overlooking critical grid constraints of the transmission line loadings. In such conditions, injecting large-scale power from renewables can lead to significant fluctuations in line power flows, risking transmission line loadings and compromising the system’s secure operation. Hence, this paper has developed an automatic generation control (AGC) model for the highly wind-integrated power system to alleviate line congestions in the network and enhance the economic operation of the system. The study utilizes the Pakistan power system as a case study to simulate the proposed model. The developed real-time power dispatch strategy for the AGC system considers the constraints of the transmission line to avoid congestion. It integrates wind energy as operating reserves to enhance the economic operation of the system. When managing line congestion, it identifies overloaded bus lines and adjusts power regulation accordingly while compensating for shortfalls by augmenting transmitted power from regional grid stations. However, it maintains a constant dispatch ratio without line overloads, aligned with generation capacities. Additionally, the strategy integrates reserve power from the wind power plant and traditional generating units to further improve economic operations. Simulations have been conducted using PowerFactory software, employing the eight-bus and five-machine models to replicate the characteristics of the Pakistan power system. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed AGC design in mitigating transmission line congestion of power systems that are heavily integrated with wind energy sources while simultaneously ensuring the economic operation of generating units.

Glipizide, a poor water-soluble drug belongs to BCS class II. The proposed work aimed to enhance the solubility of glipizide by preparing solid dispersions, using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Solvent evaporation method was used for the preparation of glipizide solid dispersions. Solid dispersions were prepared in four different drug-to-polymer ratios i.e. 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. Mainly effect of three polymers (PVP K30, PVP K90 and PEG 6000) was evaluated on the solubility and dissolution of glipizide. The in-vitro dissolution of all prepared formulations was performed under pH 6.8 at 37°C using USP type II apparatus. In-vitro dissolution results revealed that the formulations having high concentrations of the polymer showed enhanced solubility. Enhancements in the solubility and rate of dissolution of the drug were noted in solid dispersion formulations compared to the physical blends and pure drug. Solid dispersions containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone exhibited a more favorable pattern of drug release compared to the corresponding solid dispersions with PEG. An increase in the maximum solubility of the drug within the solid dispersion systems was observed in all instances. Two solid dispersion formulations were optimized and formulated into immediate-release tablets, which passed all the pharmacopoeial and non-pharmacopoeial tests. Fourier transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to indicate drug: polymer interactions in solid state. Analysis of the solid dispersion samples through characterization tests indicated the compatibility between the drug and the polymer.

Introduction Transplantation in many Asian countries is moulded by socioeconomic, religious, cultural and health indicators. In most Asian countries, the living-related donation is the common most organ donation. Due to the limited deceased organ donation, live donor programmes flourished in many Asian countries. Another apparent reason for this tremendous growth of living-related programmes in Asian countries is their larger serving population. Several centres from Asia, including Pakistan and India from Southeast Asia and Egypt in Middle East Asia, on the one hand, have recently emerged as leading living donor transplant programmes. On the other hand, a few Asian countries, including Iran and China, have established some of the world’s largest deceased donor programmes.Discussion In Pakistan, thousands of patients die from end-stage organ failure annually, seeking organ transplants for survival. The exact statics are not available, but over 50 000 people are estimated to die each year as a result of end-stage organ failure without getting a transplant, about 15 000–18 000 from kidney failure, and 10 000 from liver failure and the National Centre for Health Statistics labelled organ failure as a leading cause of death. Despite all these efforts, the knowledge of organ donation among Pakistani people was determined to be around 60%. In Pakistan, the lack of deceased organ donation programmes and the unwillingness of people to deceased organ donation contributes to an increased demand for living organ donation and patients continue to rely on living donors. We discuss various obstacles to deceased organ donation comprising various challenges that form a unique combination, including religious, economic, social, demographic and political factors.Conclusion: Every single effort should be made to initiate and establish multiple deceased donor programmes in Pakistan. Developing the deceased donor programmes in the country will be vital to counter the countrywide increasing organ shortage. The mainstay transplant activities like organ procurement and distribution systems need to be adequately developed. It will help achieve national self-sufficiency and decrease living donors’ burden. With education, the behaviour of healthcare professionals and common people can be changed and a positive attitude toward deceased organ donation can be obtained. As healthcare professionals, we should come forward and take responsibility by enrolling ourselves in deceased donors’ registration. Public awareness, medical community interest and government support are essential in initiating and establishing deceased donor programmes in Pakistan.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome and an endocrine disorder, primarily considered as a loss of glucose homeostasis because of the insulin action and/or secretion or both. Currently there are more than 150 million people in the world affected by diabetes mellitus with a higher share of Asian and European countries. The current study aimed to investigate the comparative altering properties of streptozotocin (STZ), based on up-turn and down-turn configuration of biochemical, toxicological and hematological parameters in comparison with normoglycemic male albino rats. This comparative study was conducted among normoglycemic and STZ based induced-type 2 diabetic male albino rats groups. The male albino rats were intra-peritoneally injected with STZ with the dose rate of 65 mg/kg body weight for one time to developed type 2 diabetic model. Biochemical (blood glucose, uric acid, urea and creatinine), toxicological (AST, ALT and ALP) and hematological parameters (red and white blood cells) and their functional indices were evaluated in type 2 diabetic induced group along with normoglycemic rats. The STZ based induced- type 2 diabetic rats showed statistically significance (p

OBJECTIVES To compare the post-operative (post-op) surgically induced mean astigmatism in patients undergoing 20-gauge- and 23-gauge vitrectomy. METHODOLOGY Sixty patients were enrolled. Relevant information was recorded in a Performa for each patient. Patients were randomly grouped into A (20-gauge) and B (23-gauge) groups. Astigmatism was recorded by a single technician using the same keratometer for all patients. A single surgeon operated on all patients. Post-operatively, all patients were re-examined after 1 week and 6 weeks, and their surgically induced astigmatism was recorded. RESULTS Of 60 patients, 58.6% were males, and 41.4% were females, with a mean age of 53.77 ± 9.63 years. The post-operative astigmatism difference between the two vitrectomy procedures was investigated. In the 20-gauge group, with 30 patients, the mean post-operative astigmatism difference was 2.21 D (±0.66 SD), with a standard error mean of 0.12. In the 23-gauge group, with 30 patients, the mean post-operative astigmatism difference was 0.74 D (±0.44 SD), with a standard error mean of 0.08. The degrees of freedom (df) were 58, and the standard error of the difference was 0.145. The t-value was calculated at 10.1504, and the p-value was found to be 0.001, indicating a significant difference. CONCLUSION The observation that the 20-gauge group displayed a notably higher mean difference in astigmatism than the 23-gauge group suggests a potential association between the choice of vitrectomy procedure and the extent of astigmatism alteration in post-operative outcomes.

Typhoid fever, a common enteric disease in Pakistan, caused by Salmonella typhi, is becoming an extended drug-resistant organism and is preventable through the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV). Public adherence to preventive measures is influenced by knowledge and attitude toward the vaccine. This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the general population of Pakistan toward TCV. The differences in mean scores and factors associated with typhoid conjugate vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and practices were investigated. A total of 918 responses were received with a mean age of 25.9 ± 9.6, 51% were women, and 59.6% had graduation-level education. The majority of them responded that vaccines prevent illness (85.3%) and decrease mortality and disability (92.6%), and typhoid could be prevented by vaccination (86.7%). In total, 77.7 and 80.8% considered TCV safe and effective, respectively. Of 389 participants with children, 53.47% had vaccinated children, according to the extended program on immunization (EPI). Higher family income has a higher odds ratio (OR) for willingness toward booster dose of TCV [crude odds ratio (COR) = 4.920, p–value

The losses in the power system vary the gap between energy supply and demand. Among these losses, the distribution system has major contributions compared to the transmission system. This paper thoroughly examines the PESCO distribution losses and implements a practical approach that forties in the loss’s minimization. Using the bifurcation and restoration strategies, the PESCO distribution system can be well-organized and an effective system can be designed. The proposed approach also helps in estimating the entailed capital investments and the rate of return over time. Both the HT (High Tension) and LT (Low Tension) distribution systems are considered for observation and the proposed systems are endorsed. Computer-based software, such as ELR (Energy Loss Reduction) and CADPAW (Computer-Aided Distribution Planning Work) is exploited to measure the results of both the proposed and existing system. After the restoration of a particular system, recommendations are concluded. The proposed approach applies to any existing power system.

Wind energy has been recognized as a clean energy source with significant potential for reducing carbon emissions. However, its inherent variability poses substantial challenges for power system operators due to its unpredictable nature. As a result, there is an increased dependence on conventional generation sources to uphold the power system balance, resulting in elevated operational costs and an upsurge in carbon emissions. Hence, an urgent need exists for alternative solutions that can reduce the burden on traditional generating units and optimize the utilization of reserves from non-fossil fuel technologies. Meanwhile, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology integration has emerged as a remedial approach to rectify power capacity shortages during grid operations, enhancing stability and reliability. This research focuses on harnessing electric vehicle (EV) storage capacity to compensate for power deficiencies caused by forecasting errors in large-scale wind energy-based power systems. A real-time dynamic power dispatch strategy is developed for the automatic generation control (AGC) system to integrate EVs and utilize their reserves optimally to reduce reliance on conventional power plants and increase system security. The results obtained from this study emphasize the significant prospects associated with the fusion of EVs and traditional power plants, offering a highly effective solution for mitigating real-time power imbalances in large-scale wind energy-based power systems.

La literatura sobre factores heurísticos y rendimiento de la inversión no es muy precisa. Por eso es muy importante explorar y cuantificar el mecanismo de mediación de las anomalías del mercado de valores en un entorno volátil. Los datos para esta investigación se recopilaron a través de una encuesta a inversores bursátiles que participan activamente en la inversión. Los hallazgos de este estudio indican que los factores heurísticos, la disponibilidad, el conservadurismo y la ilusión de control tienen una relación directa significativa y positiva con el rendimiento de la inversión. Para factores heurísticos como el anclaje y la falacia del apostador, ha habido una relación directa insignificante con el rendimiento de la inversión. Mientras que la ilusión de control y el conservadurismo, en relación indirecta con el rendimiento de la inversión, generan anomalías tanto fundamentales como técnicas en el mercado y afectan el rendimiento de la inversión a través de ambas anomalías. El sesgo de anclaje, el sesgo de disponibilidad y la falacia del apostador no causan anomalías técnicas y fundamentales en el mercado. Las anomalías fundamentales y técnicas tienen una importancia y una relación positiva con el rendimiento de la inversión.

BackgroundMonkeypox (mpox), re-emerging zoonotic infectious disease, is striking the world with serious public health concerns, especially in non-endemic countries. The public's knowledge and attitude towards the monkeypox virus (MPXV) influence their adherence to preventive strategies. Therefore, we aimed to assess the public's knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of MPXV in Pakistan.MethodsWe collected data for this cross-sectional study from 1040 participants via online self-reported questionnaire from July 5th, 2022, to August 1st, 2022. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 29 items in four sections, assessing socio-demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding MPXV. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS V.25, and factors associated with MPXV knowledge, attitude, and practices were identified by using logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 1040 participants were included. 61.4% were male, and 57.2% had graduation level education. Only 34.4% had good knowledge about MPXV, and 30% knew the effectiveness of the smallpox vaccine against MPXV. 41.7% had a positive attitude, 48.6% agreed that it is a fatal disease, and 44.6% were in favour of banning travel from endemic to non-endemic regions. 57.7% had good practices, and 69.9% would use protective measures if MPXV became an epidemic. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that gender and education significantly impacted knowledge (pConclusionThe majority of study participants had inadequate levels of knowledge, and attitudes regarding MPXV. To prevent the emergence and spread of MPXV in Pakistan, a comprehensive strategic framework for public health education must be established and implemented.

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccine side effects have an important role in the hesitancy of the general population toward vaccine administration. Therefore, this study was conducted to document the COVID‐19 vaccine side effects in our population. Materials and Methods An online survey‐based, cross‐sectional study was carried out from September 1, 2021, to October 1, 2021, to document the side effects of the COVID‐19 vaccine among the general public. The questionnaire included participants’ sociodemographic data, type of vaccine, comorbidities, previous COVID‐19 infection, and assessment of side effects reported by them. Results The majority of the participants were

BackgroundTelemedicine is the provision of healthcare services through information and communication technology with the potential to mobilize all facets of the health sector to prevent the spread of COVID-19, provide quality healthcare, protect patients, doctors, and the public from exposure to disease, and reduce the burden on the healthcare system. This study aims to identify knowledge, perceptions, willingness to use, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telemedicine awareness.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from 27 May 2020 to 17 June 2020 using the convenient sampling technique in the general population of Pakistan. Data were collected by designing an online questionnaire consisting of demographic information, knowledge, attitude perceptions, barriers, utilization, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telemedicine.ResultsOf the 602 participants included in the study, 70.1% had heard about telemedicine, 54.3% had a good understanding of the definition of “telemedicine,” 81.4% had not used telemedicine in the past, 29.9% did not know that telemedicine was available before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 70.4% responded that the COVID-19 pandemic had changed their attitudes toward telemedicine. Gender (p = 0.017) and family income (p = 0.027) had a significant association with the perception of the benefits of telemedicine.ConclusionThe knowledge and usage of telemedicine are lacking due to inadequate awareness and technology. The need of the hour is to maximize the application of telemedicine to overcome the deficiencies of the healthcare system. Hence, it is essential to increase awareness through various means and develop an appropriate infrastructure to attain maximum benefits from telehealth services.

Abstract Cerebral phaeohyphomycosis is a fungal brain infection with a high fatality rate. It is caused by dematiaceous fungi and is increasingly recognized as a cause of serious illness in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. We report cerebral phaeohyphomycosis in a liver transplant recipient. He was treated with multiple surgeries and antifungals and made a complete recovery. This report highlights that early and aggressive surgical intervention and extended antifungal coverage can have a positive outcome even in immunocompromised patients. The fungal infection in immunocompromised patients should be considered and treated aggressively.

Abstract The canals are essential for agricultural irrigation, shipping and industry as important hydraulic infrastructure. In the seasonal freeze regions, the water conveyance canals are damaged due to the effects of freeze–thaw cycles. The freeze depth of soil in the water transfer canal varies considerably due to changes in temperature and water content. This paper compared the relationship of freeze depth, temperature and water content by field tests and numerical calculation methods by incorporating phase change. The results from present study showed that the decrease in temperature causes the water in the soil to freeze, the ice front migrated downwards, and the water in soil below ice front gradually migrated towards the ice front resulting in a large difference in water content of the soil before and after freezing. The Polyurethane insulation board + Concrete board slope structure (PC) as an insulation slope structure was proposed in this paper to mitigate the effect of freezing and thawing on the water conveyance canals. The freeze depth decreased significantly under the protective effect. In addition, this paper compared the anti-frost effect of different thicknesses of polyurethane insulation boards, and the results provided a reference for the anti-frost design of water conveyance canals.

Background. Preservation solutions are required for organ viability in deceased donor liver transplantation (LT). However, their role in live donor LT (LDLT) has not been standardized. Methods. Eighty adult recipients who underwent right lobe LDLT at the Department of Liver Transplantation Surgery, Gambat, Pakistan, were studied. Based on shorter cold ischemia time and no back table reconstruction work, recipients were assigned to receive “no preservation solution” (cases/non–histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate group; n = 40) or “HTK group” (controls; n = 40). Early allograft dysfunction (bilirubin, transaminases, and international normalized ratio), postoperative complications (biliary and vascular), hospital stay, and 1-y survival were reported. The direct cost was also reported. Results. Demographics and clinical characteristics were comparable in the 2 groups. Comparing cases versus controls, mean bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and international normalized ratio on postoperative day 7 were similar in the 2 groups. Five (12.5%) cases and 4 (10%) controls developed early allograft dysfunction (P = 0.72). Post-LT complications (biliary leak 2.5% in cases versus 0 in control), strictures (15% in cases versus 17.5% in controls), hepatic artery thrombosis (2.5% versus 00%)‚ and portal vein thrombosis (0 versus 2.5%) were comparable. Mean hospital stay (10.80 + 2.36 and 11.78 + 2.91 d) and 30 d mortality (2.5% versus 5%) were also comparable. Finally, 1-y survival based on Kaplan-Meier analysis was comparable in both groups (ie, 92.5%; non-HTK group versus 90%; HTK group) (P = 0.71). The direct cost of using a non-HTK–based approach was less than the HTK solution. Conclusion. In a selected cohort of right lobe LDLT recipients, preservation solutions can be avoided safely with comparable outcomes.

With the recent technological advancement in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, building control authorities in a number of countries are trying to integrate BIM into their building permit processes. Nevertheless, considering the involvement of multiple stakeholders and contexts, adopting BIM in any organization is challenging. The aim of this research is to assess readiness for BIM-based building permit processes using Fuzzy-COPRAS, a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method. In this research, three municipalities were selected as alternatives and twenty-five criteria (categorized into technology, people, process, and policies) related to BIM-based building permit processes were identified from a literature review. Then, as part of the COPRAS method, the weights of the criteria were determined based on their importance level through expert evaluation. The results of the study revealed the most important criteria for BIM-based building permit processes, i.e., supporting open standards, compatibility with existing building regulations and codes, willingness of employees, support from top management, and comprehensiveness of code compliance checks. Finally, the readiness assessment results demonstrated the most prepared alternative in the selected municipalities for the BIM-based building permit process based on the status of the considered criteria. The findings of this research have practical implications for municipalities considering and/or developing their BIM-based building permit processes in terms of where to focus their efforts with respect to the criteria associated with BIM-based building permits.

With the increasing integration of wind energy sources into conventional power systems, the demand for reserve power has risen due to associated forecasting errors. Consequently, developing innovative operating strategies for automatic generation control (AGC) has become crucial. These strategies ensure a real-time balance between load and generation while minimizing the reliance on operating reserves from conventional power plant units. Wind farms exhibit a strong interest in participating in AGC operations, especially when AGC is organized into different regulation areas encompassing various generation units. Further, the integration of flexible loads, such as electric vehicles and thermostatically controlled loads, is considered indispensable in modern power systems, which can have the capability to offer ancillary services to the grid through the AGC systems. This study initially presents the fundamental concepts of wind power plants and flexible load units, highlighting their significant contribution to load frequency control (LFC) as an important aspect of AGC. Subsequently, a real-time dynamic dispatch strategy for the AGC model is proposed, integrating reserve power from wind farms and flexible load units. For simulations, a future Pakistan power system model is developed using Dig SILENT Power Factory software (2020 SP3), and the obtained results are presented. The results demonstrate that wind farms and flexible loads can effectively contribute to power-balancing operations. However, given its cost-effectiveness, wind power should be operated at maximum capacity and only be utilized when there is a need to reduce power generation. Additionally, integrating reserves from these sources ensures power system security, reduces dependence on conventional sources, and enhances economic efficiency.

Sustainable nutrient management approaches could improve production and quality without affecting soil health. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the interactive effects of mulching (no mulch, plastic mulch, and straw mulch) and nanobiochar (NBC) foliar application on biomass, nutrient contents, and metabolites in the leaf and curd of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). After 20 days of transplantation, NBC (0.1% w/v) was applied as a foliar spray for four consecutive weeks (one spray per week). At the curd initiation stage, changes in chlorophyll, carotenoids, and metabolite concentrations in leaves and curd were determined. The application of nanobiochar significantly enhanced the curd weight and improved curd morphology. Yield traits including curd weight, curd diameter, basal diameter, and stalk length were increased by 30, 13, 16, and 20% by NBC application compared to control. Plastic mulching also increased the aboveground biomass by 32% when compared to no mulching. Moreover, plastic mulching and nanobiochar prominently enhanced root dry weight, curd weight, rough solidity index, total soluble sugar in leaf and curd, calcium in curd, and potassium in leaf and curd of cauliflower. Overall, this study revealed the potential of the foliar application of NBC in promoting the biomass and nutritional properties of cauliflower.

Objectives This systematic review aims to analyze the systemic administration of antifibrinolytics (tranexamic acid and aminocaproic acid) to prevent postoperative bleeding in patients with hemophilia. Methods This systematic review was conducted adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Only randomized controlled trials that assessed human subjects of any age or gender with any severity of hemophilia undergoing dental extractions, and systemically administered antifibrinolytic therapy compared to placebo were included. Post-operative bleeding episodes and adverse events were presented. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched through April 15, 2022. The risk ratio (RR) and odds ratio (OR) applying 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using RevMan 5.4.1 (Cochrane). Results Two randomized, placebo-controlled trials pooling in a total of 59 patients were pooled in this analysis. Among patients administered antifibrinolytic therapy, 84% reduced risk of post-operative bleeding was reported (RR = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.05–0.47, P = 0.0009). The chances of post-operative bleeding were reduced by 95% among the antifibrotics group (OR = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.01–0.22, P

Power generation from river hydropower plants depends mainly on river flow. Water fluctuations in the river make the yield process unpredictable. To reduce these fluctuations, building a small reservoir at the river flow of the hydropower plant is recommended. Conventionally, classic single-pond models are commonly used to design run-of-river hydropower plants. However, such models are associated with fluctuations, sagging, and irregular power fluctuations that lead to irregular water fluctuations. This research proposes a novel idea to replace the single-pond model with a three-pond model to increase the plant’s overall efficiency. The three-pond model is developed as a three-tank nonlinear hydraulic system that contains the same amount of water as a conventional single pond. It also has the advantage of minimizing the run-of-river power plant’s dependence on river flow and increasing efficiency by trapping swell and turbulence in the water. To further increase the efficiency, the developed model was tested for smooth and effective level control using fuzzy control.

International trade relations are a branch of economics that deals with trade between countries. It covers exports and imports of goods and services. Besides, international treaties and their International institutions are also analyzed. Also, the measure of the development of any country is that there should be high imports and exports. In various respects, a large part of the foreign exchange that we collect throughout the year is spent on importing various goods from other countries. That is why our economy cannot grow as fast as it should. One of the reasons why our foreign exchange reserves have not increased significantly is the gap between imports and exports. As far as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe are concerned, we have a trade deficit with many countries in the region because we order more and export less. In this way, bilateral trade is beneficial for them, but not for us. As the field of international economic relations is getting wider and wider day by day and its importance is increasing, the more the country develops, the more it evolves. The level of international economic relations at that time was not as high as they were in the time of Hazrat Omar. The trade reserves did not pass close to the status of the exchange. But the knowledge of international economic relations on Islamic Minhaj. In terms of age, Hazrat Omar's economic knowledge and insight were much higher than the people of that time. The rules and regulations that you have laid down for him. At every age, every country and every person strives to gain benefits and gains through international economic relations and to avoid difficulties and losses. So, in this article, the light of the thoughts and insights of the Islamic Minhaj Hazrat Umar RA on international trade will be presenting a research review.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate association of impacted lower third molars with incidence of ipsilateral mandibular angle and condylar fractures. Study design: Observational study. Place of study: Maxillofacial Surgery Department Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry Materials and methods: Patients reporting to armed forces institute of dentistry maxillofacial surgery department OPD were diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical signs and symptoms and radiological examinations were categorized as Mandibular Angle and Condylar fractures and impacted lower third molars. A total number of 234 radiographs of patients were examined. Duration of study: 01 year from 01 January 2019 to 31st December 2019. Results: Out of total sample size of 234 patients, 70% (79 patients) Mandibular angle fractures occurred with patients with impacted lower third molars (112 patients) and 65% (80 patients) mandibular condylar fractures occurred with patients without impacted lower third molars (122 patients). Statistically significant P-value was 0.000 that is

BIM adoption is a complex process and relatively little information exists on the BIM adoption processes of public authorities. This research aims to address this gap by examining how a contemporary public authority is approaching BIM adoption for their building permitting process. Firstly, a systematic literature review was carried out to understand extant descriptions of BIM adoption processes and the factors affecting adoption success. This resulted in the derivation of a generic BIM adoption process and the classification of factors that affect BIM adoption with reference to the Technology Organization and Environment (TOE) framework. The case of the BIM adoption process and the factors affecting its implementation in a contemporary public authority were then analysed in terms of the generic adoption process and factor classification derived from the literature. The findings reveal the planning strategies and execution steps for BIM adoption and the factors affecting them. This study provides a systematic approach to investigating BIM adoption in a public authority. It contributes to the understanding of BIM adoption processes and factors affecting them and is anticipated to be useful for AEC/FM professionals in understanding and facilitating successful BIM adoption.

Highway engineers agree that if good performance is to be achieved for a flexible pavement the wearing course of flexible pavement should be improved. Water enters the dense-graded bases through cracks, gets trapped and adversely affects the pavement structure and performance under loads. The modification of bitumen by the process of adding polymers mitigates these problems. This research-based study has been carried out by the laboratory analysis firstly the optimum binder content is determined by the Marshall Mix design criterion by using the different percentages of binder content (3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%), then the optimum binder content can be obtained by the graphical values, the optimum polymer content (OPC) values are obtained against (OBC). To modify hot mix asphalt (HMA) the Marshall Mix behavior has been studied thoroughly in this research. For better performance, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and crumb rubber (CR) are specified for the researched-based study. By the addition of 3% LDPE in bitumen content, improvement of 44% is shown, while the addition of 3.5% HDPE in bitumen content improvement of 40% and usage of 3 % CR in bitumen content improvement of 44% is shown. The addition of 3.5% HDPE is recommended to be the best modifier and has shown better results in all aspects.

This paper explores one of the major environmental concerns which is disposal or recycling of the waste materials”. “Marble processing plants produce millions of tons of waste dust in the powder form every year”. “Having a considerable high degree of fineness in comparison to cement, marble powder may be utilized as filler for the production of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC)”. “This research paper aimed at developing an eco-friendly and workable self-compacting concrete with the maximum amount of marble powder”. For this, a control mix and four other mixes with varying amounts of marble powder as 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% are prepared. These mixes are then tested for their fresh properties by slump flow, j-ring, and V-funnel at T 5minutes. Compressive strength is used to evaluate the hardened concrete. It was found that up to 15 % marble powder addition, the fresh and hardened properties of the concrete mix did not vary considerably. However, it was also found that with the addition of marble powder the compressive strength decreased.

This research work concerns the analysis of the impact of changes in size of grain on the geotechnical characteristics of alluvial soils. So, collected soil samples from The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan. In this research work, special experiments performed moisture, strainer analysis, hydrometer analysis, Atterberg limit (liquid limit and plastic limit), direct shear testing, and unspecified compression testing on our models. After these experiments, it is observed that as the density increases, the internal friction angle of the soil and the unknown force of the soil also increases. It has been observed that moisture content does not greatly affect silt and sand properties, as in the case of clay.

Currently, hydrogels are considered as ideal biomaterials due to their unique structure and characteristics that facilitates considerable hydrophilicity, swelling, drug loading and release. In this study, we report pH-responsive GG-MAA-AMPS hydrogel delivery system prepared via free radical polymerization technique. Hydrogels were loaded with Metformin HCl as a model drug. Hydrogels were characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR confirmed the successful crosslinking of reactants, hydrogel network formation and drug loading. TGA and DSC proved the higher thermal stability of reactants after crosslinking and drug loading. XRD analysis showed decrease in crystallinity of drug after loading into the hydrogels. SEM revealed smooth and glassy appearance of both loaded and unloaded hydrogels. Gel content was increased with increase in concentration of reactants. Drug entrapment was decreased by increasing concentration of GG and AMPS while MAA acted inversely. Hydrogels displayed pH-dependent swelling and drug release behavior being high at pH 6.8 and 7.4 while low at acidic pH (1.2). Oral tolerability in rabbits showed that hydrogels were safe without causing any hematological or histopathological changes in healthy rabbits. Based on the obtained results, GG-MAA-AMPS can be considered as potential carrier for metformin HCl as well as other hydrophilic drugs.

After the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in late December 2019, in an attempt to mitigate its development, the decision to close institutions around the world was made. To continue imparting education and delivering the learning material to their students, many institutions adopted for digital or E-learning. To support those institutions attempting to digitize their learning during this pandemic, the main aim of this study is to examine the students’ accessibility to and success of E-learning portals. Using the DeLone and McLean (D&M) Model, the study explains the differences between female and male students’ accessibility to E-learning portals. This study compares female and male student groups regarding the usage of the E-learning portal in the higher education context. Using an online google survey, the data were collected from 254 students, including males and females. The study utilized PLS-SEM to perform a multi-group analysis examining female and male student groups. The study found a significant and direct relationship of e-service quality with system use and user satisfaction for females and male student groups. System quality also supported the relationship with user satisfaction. The study further revealed a significant and positive relationship between system use and user satisfaction with E-learning portal success for females and male student groups. This study also concluded that insignificant difference exists in using the E-learning portal between female and male student in higher education institutions.

The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness and perception of malaria and dengue fever in Multan Punjab, Pakistan while taking into account the important role of government policies and other variables. The goal of this study is to examine the awareness of students in Multan, Pakistan on malaria and dengue. This study is based on a quantitative approach of secondary evidence from scientific journals and questionnaire surveys. It is also based on observational evidence gathered in Multan Punjab Pakistan, in a field study. The survey with school children, teachers and healthcare professionals were both formal and semi-structuralize. Studies have found that malaria and dengue mainly affect children's schooling through their absence, but can also induce brain loss and cognitive disability. In questionnaires, students were seen to have different understanding of the illness, but also to be able to serve as agents of health reform only through teachers. A sample size of 500 respondents has been selected from different colleges of district Multan Punjab, Pakistan. Correlation technique is used for the data analysis. According to our results it is concluded that the students at college level are aware of malaria and dengue diseases, but they are not capable of engaging and serving as agents for health reform. On the basis of results it is recommended that students must teach about epidemics diseases regarding how to handle these diseases.

To solve problems with limited resources such as power, storage, bandwidth, and connectivity, efficient and effective data management solutions are needed. It is believed that the most successful algorithms for circumventing these constraints are those that self-organise and collaborate. To make the best use of available bandwidth, mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) employ the strategy of multi-casting. The communication cost of any network can be significantly reduced by multi-casting, and the network can save resources by transmitting only one set of data to numerous receivers at a time. In this study, we implemented multi-casting in the virtual cord protocol (VCP), which uses virtual coordinates (VC) to improve effective routing and control wireless data transmission. We have improved the classic VCP protocol by making it so that intermediate nodes can also forward or re-transmit the dataset to interested nodes. This improves data transmission from the sender to multiple receivers. Simulation results proved efficacy of our proposed enhanced virtual cord protocol-based multi-casting strategy over traditional VCP protocol and helped in reduction of number of MAC transmissions, minimization of end-to-end delay, and maximization of packet delivery ratio.

Hemodialysis is required for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) that require arteriovenous (AV) grafts or fistulas for vascular access. These access points are prone to thrombosis. To determine the effect of medical adjuvant therapy on AV graft/fistula patency among patients with ESRD on hemodialysis. Adhering to the PRISMA 2020 statement, a systematic search was conducted until August 20, 2021, with keywords including arteriovenous graft, fistula, patency, thrombosis, hemodialysis, adjuvant treatment. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, and Cochrane. A random-effects model was employed using Review Manager 5.4 for data analysis. The meta-analysis pooled in 1985 participants with 1000 (50.4%) in the medical adjuvant treatment group. At a snapshot, medical adjuvant therapy reduced the risk for graft thrombosis (RR = 0.64, P = .02). Notable medications included aspirin for graft thrombosis (RR = 0.36, P = .006) and ticlopidine for fistula thrombosis (RR = 0.53, P = .01). Certain antiplatelet therapies (aspirin and ticlopidine) reduced the number of patients with AV fistula/graft thrombosis among patients with high heterogeneity among the trials. Other therapies (fish oil, sulfinpyrazone, clopidogrel, and aspirin/dipyridamole) did not demonstrate significant improvement but may be promising once concrete evidence is available. Potential benefits of anti-platelet therapies may be explored to maintain the potency of AV grafts/fistulas through well-designed placebo-controlled trials and long-term follow-up.

Summary: Background: Due to COVID-19, thousands of healthcare workers have been affected and have lost their lives in the line of duty. For the protection of healthcare workers, WHO and CDC have made standard guidelines and requirements for PPE use. N95 masks are amongst the most readily used PPE by healthcare professionals and it is highly recommended by OSHA that every make and model of N95 should go through a fit test at least once in a year. Method: A total of 30 randomly selected healthcare professionals (who were a regular user of N95 respiratory masks) were subjected to assess in-house (saccharin sodium benzoate) reagent for use for standard qualitative fit testing in our hospital. Threshold testing with the in-house reagent at three different concentrations was performed prior to establish participants' sensitivity to the reagent. After successful completion of threshold testing, fit test was performed on participants wearing an N95 mask. Results: All the participants included in the study passed the sensitivity testing with three concentrations of the reagents, while it was concluded that the concentration of the in-house reagent that was well suited for the sensitivity testing was a concentration of 1g/dl saccharin with 10g/dl sodium benzoate. For fit testing 12g/dl was found to be more appropriate. Discussion: Our study provided a low cost solution to ensure safety of healthcare workers who are regular users of N95 masks following guidelines implemented by OSHA and CDC. Conclusion: The in-house test solution prepared was found to be equally sensitive to its commercially available counterpart.

Long-term transformer oil usage deteriorates the thermal and dielectric properties of the oil. The main aim of our work is to find a suitable replacement for mineral oil with superior characteristics. Titanium Oxide (TiO2), Zinc Oxide (ZnO), and Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) Nano Particles (NPs) are used inside the virgin mineral oil to form Nano Fluids (NFs). NFs are subjected to accelerated multi-aging (thermal and electrical) for 1000 hours. The special aging chamber is designed to apply electrical and thermal stresses to the oil under consideration. Thermal and dielectric characteristics of the NFs are determined using breakdown voltage, water content, tan delta, flash point, viscosity, and pour point tests. The aforementioned tests are conducted before and after the accelerated aging of the samples. Thermal and dielectric characteristics of ZnO based NFs are found superior to other NPs. ZnO NPs show the highest breakdown voltage and minimum values of water content, tan delta, pour point, and viscosity. The highest value of flash point confirmed the superiority of ZnO NF over other NFs even after accelerated multi-aging. Therefore, the experimental analysis concluded that ZnO based NFs possess remarkably good thermal and dielectric properties as a replacement of mineral oil in the transformer operation.

The problem of delay in construction industry is a regular phenomenon worldwide, and construction industry of Pakistan has no exception, particularly in highways projects. Delay can be described as the extension of time to complete the construction project. The aim of this paper is to identify main causes of delays in highway projects of Pakistan, and to determine mitigating measures for the identified causes. The research method of this study is based on literature review, questionnaire survey and semi structured interview. From in-depth literature review, twenty-six common causes of delay were found. A questionnaire survey was carried out among construction professionals of highway projects. The causes of delay in highways projects were ranked referring to their Mean values. A semi structured interview was carried out to determine mitigation measures for the top ten causes of delays. The data gathered from questionnaire survey was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) while, data collected through semi structured interviews was analyzed using Nvivo software. The findings of this study are expected to be useful for construction parties, to mitigate the delays in highway construction projects of Pakistan.

Reasonable depth of pile embedment is one of the key factors for the success of deep foundation pit projects. This paper has taken a deep foundation pit project in a granite residual soil area in Shenzhen as an example and used physical model tests to study the deformation law of the piles and the surrounding soil during the excavation of the deep foundation pit, revealing the variation law of earth pressure in time and space in the pit and then verified it by numerical simulation. The influence of the embedded depth of the pile on the deformation and earth pressure of the deep foundation pit is then explicitly discussed. The study shows that the embedded depth has a significant effect on the deformation and earth pressure distribution of the foundation pit. The earth pressure in front of the pile tends to approach the passive earth pressure as the embedment depth decreases, while the earth pressure behind the pile is in between the Rankine active earth pressure and the static soil pressure; the settlement value and settlement range of the surrounding soil are doubled. The pile displacement increases as the maximum displacement point rises. The maximum displacement of the pile body was used as the basis for determining the instability of the foundation pit. The optimum embedded depth is obtained when the depth of embedment of the pile is 0.22 H (H is the excavation depth of the foundation pit).

Cadmium, a high toxicity element, is a potential threat to plant and human health, and a dangerous pollutant in the environment. Uptake and accumulation by crops represent the main entry pathway for potentially health-threatening toxic metals into human and animal food. Crops and other plants take up Cd from the soil or water and may distribute it in their roots and shoots. Soil and/or water are usually contaminated with Cd through natural sources, industrial effluent, and anthropogenic activities. In this review, the sources of Cd contamination, evaluation of the phytotoxic effects on plants, and mode of action of Cd toxicity, were summarized. Plant defensive strategies upon excess Cd are also considered in this review. Cd-induced effects include oxidative stress, disintegration of the photosynthetic apparatus, reduction in gas exchange parameters, nutrient imbalance, and subcellular organelle degradation. In addition, Cd severely impairs biomolecules such as DNA, protein, and lipids. Although plants are sessile in nature, they are equipped with certain mechanisms to cope with unfavorable conditions. These mechanisms include synthesis of metal-helating proteins, expression of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, organic acids, and plant root–mycorrhiza association. The built-in system of plant tolerance to Cd can be further enhanced by the application of exogenous organic and inorganic metal sources. This review will broaden the knowledge about the Cd accumulation in plants and the responses to metal exposure, as well as our understanding of metal tolerance and overcoming this serious issue for sustainable agriculture and human health worldwide. Highlights Cd accumulation has harmful effects in an organism. Cd has been listed 7th out of 275 compounds in the priority list of hazardous materials. Cd remains in the soil for 15–1100 years. Plants usually imply certain strategies to overcome Cd toxicity. Plants built-in systems can be enhanced to overwhelmed this problem.