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In this study, an efficient nanocomposite based on calcium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose/iron oxide-copper oxide (CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO) is developed in beads form and utilized as nanoadsorbent and nanocatalyst. Further, the beads were coated with chitosan, resulting in Cs@CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO beads. The prepared beads exhibited exceptional adsorption capabilities for selected heavy metal ions. Notably, the Cs@CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO beads displayed remarkable adsorption among the other beads toward the three selected metal ions. Ag(I) was highly adsorbed by Cs@CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO beads, and the adsorption capacity of beads was 4.91 mgg−1, while 4.5 mgg−1 and 3.0 mgg−1 for Co(II) and Ni(II), respectively. Beads’ ability to adsorb Ag(I) varied depending on several factors. It was observed that the adsorption capacity of Ag(I) ions increased as the interaction time and metal concentration rose. However, increasing the beads dose led to a decrease in the Ag(I) ion adsorption. Further, the waste beads after Ag(I) adsorption were treated with reducing agent to form beads supported Ag nanoparticles (Ag/Cs@CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO) and used as effective catalyst for reducing 4-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Ag/Cs@CA-CMC/Fe2O3-CuO achieved reduction up to 93% for 4-NP within 30 min. The designed nanocomposite beads displayed several desirable attributes, including eco-friendliness and robust catalytic performance, making them highly promising for useful reduction of 4-NP.

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (P-NETs) constitute a subset of pancreatic mass lesions characterized by diverse clinical presentations. Despite their inherent malignant potential, the timely identification and treatment of these tumors are critical for achieving favorable clinical outcomes. This study aims to shed light on the heterogeneous tumor biology of P-NETs and the management strategies employed at a tertiary care center in Pakistan.Method: A retrospective study encompassing all patients with a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of P-NETs at Shifa International Hospital between January 1st, 2016, and June 30th, 2021, was conducted. Meticulous data extraction from pathology records and thorough searches of medical records were performed to gather relevant demographic and clinical information.Results: A total of 24 patients were retrieved from our database, with 13 (54%) female patients. The mean age was 49.5 ± 16.3 years. Eight out of the 24 patients presented with abdominal pain. Most patients (14 out of 24) had lesions in the pancreatic head region. In three cases, lesions exhibited multicentricity. The mean lesion size measured 4.4 ± 2.3 cm. Three of the 24 patients displayed distant liver metastasis at the presentation time. 19 out of the 24 patients underwent surgical resections, while endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biopsy was performed in 4 out of 24 cases. EUS-guided tissue biopsy yielded accurate diagnoses in all four cases.Conclusion: Most P-NETs are non-functional, and there is an almost equal distribution between male and female patients. Solitary lesions predominate, and metastasis is uncommon at initial presentation. EUS-guided fine needle biopsy stands out as a dependable diagnostic modality for P-NETs.

This study involved the synthesis and catalytic activity testing of new nanocomposite beads (CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs) prepared by facile and environmentally friendly approach. CuO-Fe2O3 was prepared and applied for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The results showed that CuO-Fe2O3 demonstrate high catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP). Further, CuO-Fe2O3 were well-dispersed in the polymeric matrix of CA-CMC-Cs to prepare CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads via crosslinker agent (AlCl3). CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads were also applied for the catalytic reduction of nitrophenol isomers (4-NP, 2-NP, and 2,6-DNP), organic dyes (methyl orange (MO), eosin yellow (EY)) and potassium hexacyanoferrate (K3[Fe(CN)6]). K3[Fe(CN)6] was found to be effectively reduced by the beads and was completed within 30 s. While the catalytic reduction of 4-NP, EY and MO were completed within 300, 240 and 180 s and the rate constants were discovered to be 1.16 × 10−2 s−1, 1.68 × 10−2 s−1 and 1.51 × 10−2 s−1, respectively. The CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads catalytic activity was enhanced utilizing 4-NP as a model molecule. The beads had good catalytic activity and may be reused up to three times before losing their effectiveness. Additionally, the ability of the CuO-Fe2O3/CA-CMC-Cs beads to reduce 4-NP and MO in real samples such as wastewater, orange juice and strawberry juice was investigated where the reduction percentage was 91.5 %–89.0 % in the real samples. The results demonstrated that the beads were more efficient for reduction of 4-NP and MO in milk, while, in juices required more time and had a lower reduction percentage.

BackgroundAccurate head circumference (HC) measurement is essential when assessing neonates and infants. Tape measure HC measurements are prone to errors, particularly when performed by parents/guardians, due to individual differences in head shape, hair style and texture, subject cooperation, and examiner techniques, including tape measure placement and tautness. There is, therefore, the need for a more reliable method. ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to evaluate the validity, reliability, and consistency of HC app measurement compared to the current standard of practice, serving as a proof-of-concept for use by health care professionals. MethodsWe recruited infants attending the neurosurgery clinic, and parents/guardians were approached and consented to participate in the study. Along with the standard head circumference measurement, measurements were taken with the head circumference app (HC app) developed in-house, and we also collected baseline medical history and characteristics. For the statistical analysis, we used RStudio (version 4.1.1). In summary, we analyzed covariance and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to compare the measurement's within-rater and interrater reliability. The F test was used to analyze the variance between measurements and the Bland-Altman agreement, t test, and correlation coefficients were used to compare the tape measurement to the measures taken by the HC app. We also used nonvalidated questionnaires to explore parental or guardians’ experiences, assess their views on app utility, and collect feedback. ResultsThe total number of recruited patients was 37. Comparison between the app measurements and the measurements with a tape measure showed poor reliability (ICC=0.177) and wide within-app variations (ICC=0.341). The agreement between the measurements done by parents/guardians and the tape measurements done by the researcher was good (ICC=0.901). Parental/guardian feedback was overall very positive, with most of the parents/guardians reporting that the app was easy to use (n=31, 84%) and that they are happy to use the app in an unsupervised setting, provided that they are assured of the measurement quality. ConclusionsWe developed this project as a proof-of-concept study, and as such, the app has shown great potential to be used both in a clinical setting and by parents/guardians in their own homes.

A new type of nickel doped titanium oxide (Ni-TiO2) coated natural cotton fibers (CF) and Ni-TiO2 wrapped sodium alginate (Alg) hydrogel was developed for the efficient reduction of different contaminants. Ni-TiO2 was prepared by low-temperature method and coated on CF using Alg as a binder and entrapped inside Alg hydrogel. Ni-TiO2 coated CF (Ni-TiO2/CF) and Ni-TiO2 wrapped Alg (Ni-TiO2/Alg) were utilized for catalytic elimination of wastewater pollutants. Ni-TiO2/CF and Ni-TiO2/Alg were initially tested as nanocatalysts for reduction of potassium ferricyanide, 4-nitrophenol, congo red, and methylene blue (MB), and exhibited superior catalytic performance toward MB reduction. Different parameters such as catalyst amount, MB concentration, reducing agent amount, and recyclability were optimized. Comparatively, Ni-TiO2/CF revealed the best catalytic performance for MB reduction having the highest reaction rate constant (2.1564 min−1). Ultimately, the catalyst preserved superior activity in recyclability evaluation, confirming that Ni-TiO2/CF is a good catalyst for the efficient removal of MB up to four cycles. Ni-TiO2/CF can more easily be recovered compared to Ni-TiO2/Alg by easily pulling out the fibers from reaction medium, which is the main advantage of Ni-TiO2/CF. Moreover, Ni-TiO2/CF and Ni-TiO2/Alg were examined in real samples, providing the effective reduction of MB. The developed nanocatalyst offers a cost- and time-effective material for environmental safety purpose.

This study examines the asymmetric cointegration and efficiency between Pakistan and BRICS equity markets using monthly data from October 1997 to September 2018. The results reveal that the Brazilian stock market is the most efficient during the global financial crisis. Threshold and momentum threshold autoregressive models (TAR and M.TAR) confirm the presence of a long-run relationship between BRICS and Pakistan stock markets, where the speed of negative shocks is higher and significant for Pakistan Russian, Pakistan South Africa stock market pair. This infers quick adjustment of stock prices to negative shocks (bad news) as compared to positive shocks (good news). The speed of adjustment of positive shocks for Pakistan China is higher. The results of asymmetric error correction model (AECM) show results of unidirectional causality between Pakistan China and Pakistan Brazil stock market pairs, while bidirectional causality runs from Pakistan Russia, Pakistan India, and Pakistan South Africa stock market pairs. Thus the Pakistan stock market has short-run and long-run relationships with most other stock markets. Multi-fractal detrended fluctuation analysis supports long run efficiency of Brazilian markets during the global financial crisis. It suggests that investors pay keen attention to the Pakistan stock market when investing in BRICS stock market.

Every day, the risk of water pollution grows. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately half of the population of poor countries suffers from health problems linked to chemically or microbially contaminating drinkable water. Here in the present study, powder of taro-rhizome was used for preparation of supported bimetallic catalyst (Ag-Cu/TP). Characterization techniques used for analysis were XRD, TEM, SEM, FTIR and EDS. The prepared catalyst was then used in the catalytic reduction of chemical pollutants, including 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), methyl orange (MO), Acid Red 27 or amaranth (AM), Congo red (CR), Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl red (MR). Turnover frequency was calculated for nitrophenol reductions, which were 0.98 min−1 for 2-NP and 3.45 min−1 for 4-NP. The Ag-Cu/TP catalyst shows outstanding performance and 99.4% of 4-NP was reduced just in 5 min with pseudo-first order constant of 5.24 × 10−3s−1, while 97% reduction of 2-NP took 17 min with the pseudo-first order constant of 1.01 × 10−3s−1. The prepared Ag-Cu/TP catalyst was packed into a glass column and organic dyes containing water were filtered through it to test the cleaning effectiveness of water from dyes. Excellent dye reduction was achieved. The prepared column reactor works excellent in the remediation of dyes and reduces about 68.7% CR. In addition, stability and reusability study showed exceptional reusability up to 5 times with very small loss of activity and was stable for up to 10 days.

IntroductionThis study aims to elucidate the employers' perspectives on the key generic employability skills which would enable them to seek graduate jobs and will ensure their professional wellbeing once they enter the job market after acquiring a University degree.MethodsIn order to pursue this objective, an exploratory qualitative inquiry was deployed which involved two panel-based discussions. The respondents of each panel discussion were invited through the platforms of the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), and the Chamber of Commerce Rahim Yar Khan. These respondents represented Pharmaceuticals, Agrichemical manufacturers (fertilizers, pesticides), Livestock, Cotton, textiles, and apparel industry which are the main industries in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.Results and discussionFor the purpose of analysis, a thematic analysis was done in the context of grounded theory. Resultantly, the findings of the study reveal an employers' perspective on 10 key generic employability skills as must-have for a Pakistani Millennial graduate including various soft and hard skills, such as-Emotional Intelligence, Flexibility and Adaptability, Multitasking, Computer Literacy and Digital Skills, Information Literacy and Data Analytics, Oral and Written Communication in English and Urdu, Critical Thinking, Positive Politics, Work Ethics and Professionalism, and Commercial awareness. Hence, the study produces implications for the employability stakeholders, including government and academia for a much needed shift from a mere subject-based curriculum to a skill-oriented curriculum and training in the Universities, particularly in the region of Southern Punjab, and all across Pakistan as well.

Pollution problem increases with the same face as the industrial development. One of the toxic ingredients of these industrial effluents is the organic dyes. Zinc oxide/Graphene oxide nanocomposite (ZnO-GNc) was synthesized in aqueous solution by mixing ultrasonically various compositions. The prepared ZnO-GNc nanocomposite was characterized by XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX and TEM. XRD of Graphene oxide (GO) showed their crystalline nature and the average size was 3.54, 18.98 and 15.47 nm for GO, ZnO, and ZnO-GNc respectively. An active toxic and stable dye, Methyl red (MR) was employed as the target pollutant to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of ZnO-GNc. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO-GNc nanocomposite was compared with that of zinc oxide (ZnO) and GO. The effect of some parameters, dye concentration, pH and temperature of dye solution were studied. The kinetic studies show that the process of MR photocatalytic discoloration by ZnO-GNc followed first-order reaction kinetics under different conditions with the rate constant of 2.2 × 10−2 s−1. The possible reasons for the high values of photocatalytic efficiency of the ZnO-GNc may be due to the improved charge passage and separation.

Here, we have designed an efficient multipurpose photocatalytic system based on iron-doped tin oxide (Fe-SnO2) which exhibited excellent catalytic activity toward dyes degradation and hydrogen production. The synthesized photocatalyst was characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. Fe-SnO2 was tested in degradation of different dyes i.e., congo red (CR), acridine orange (ArO) and methyl orange (MO) and among these dyes, Fe-SnO2 was more efficient and selective toward CR which was degraded more than 95% in 30 min. Further, the catalytic efficiency of Fe-SnO2 was also evaluated toward photocatalytic hydrogen generation from aqueous solutions of methanol, ethanol, propanol, potassium hydroxide and Na2S + Na2SO3, where Fe-SnO2 displayed high catalytic activity toward hydrogen generation from methanol solution under sunlight. Moreover, the catalytic activity of Fe-SnO2 toward CR degradation and hydrogen production was optimized by using different combinations of operating conditions and no major loss in activity was observed upon running the same photocatalyst sample in different batches.

Chromate-resistant bacterium UT8 was isolated from tannery effluent. The cultural conditions for strain UT8 were optimized for maximum chromate removal and exopolymer production. SEM-EDS analysis of strain UT8 revealed variations under Cr(vi) stress related to nonstress. The FTIR analysis of exopolymer under chromate stress indicated vibrational shifts for metal ion chelation.

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of language and swallowing problem in individuals with cerebral palsy. Methods: The cross-sectional survey was conducted at the Riphah International University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from September 2018 to January 2019 while data was collected from the Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi, a tertiary care hospital. The sample comprised individuals with cerebral palsy of either gender aged 5-18 years. Language Sample Checklist was used for language problems and the Northwestern Dysphagia Patient Checklist was used for swallowing problems.Data was analysed using SPSS- Version 21. Results: Of the55 subjects,62% were males, 38% were females, 76% were from urban areas and 24% were from rural areas.In terms of concepts, processing, and comprehension, 18(33%) persons were able to attempt the tasks, 45(81%) were unable to attempt morphological tasks, 41(74%) were unable to attempt sentence structure tasks, 40(72%) were unable to attempt literacy and narrative skills tasks, 41(74%)could not fulfil pragmatic tasks and 49(89%) had unintelligible speech. The patient checklist showed that 47(85%) children had normal medical history, 41(75%) had normal behavioural variable, 29(52%) had normal gross motor ability,40(73%) completed oral motor test, and 39(71%) had normal swallow trials. Conclusion: Language problems were more prevalent in children with cerebral palsy compared to swallowing difficulties. Key Words: Cerebral palsy, Dysarthria, Language, Swallowing, Dysphagia.

Industrial wastewater contains a variety of contaminants like salts, organic carbon, and heavy metals. Among the heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are considered highly toxic even at low concentration. These metals could enter the food chain through a process of phytoassimilation, hence, lethal for living beings. The present study aimed to investigate Cd and Pb phytoextraction in four grass species viz. Dhab (Desmostachya bipinnata), Sporobolus (Sporobolus arabicus), Kallar (Leptochloa fusca) and Para grass (Brachiaria mutica) from industrial wastewater. The grasses were grown hydroponically in plastic pots in industrial wastewater as growth medium under greenhouse conditions. The experiment trial was arranged following completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. Results showed that B. mutica had maximum shoot metal content (Pb = 21, Cd = 0.66 mg kg-1 dry matter), shoot metal uptake (Pb = 201.8, Cd = 6.39 µg plant-1), translocation factor (Pb = 0.73, Cd = 0.55), shoot dry matter (28.8 g pot-1), and root dry matter (4.2 g pot-1). Root Pb concentration was highest in B. mutica followed by D. bipinnata and L. fusca. Whereas S. arabicus showed depressed growth, minimum shoot metal accumulation and uptake potential. Thereby among the tested grass species B. mutica could be suitable option to remediate industrial wastewater contaminated with moderate levels of Pb and Cd.

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

Abstract Background As diabetes prevalence rises world-wide, the arrangement of clinics and care packages is increasingly debated by health care professionals (HCPs), health service researchers, patient groups and policy makers. ‘Integrated care’, while representing a range of approaches, has been positioned as a promising solution with potential to benefit patients and health systems. This is particularly the case in rural populations which are often removed from centres of specialist care. The social arrangements within diabetes integrated care initiatives are understudied but are of particular importance to those implementing such initiatives. In this paper we explore the ‘work’ of integration through an analysis of the role played by Health Care Assistants (HCAs) who were specially trained in aspects of diabetes care and given the title ‘Diabetes Care Technician’ (DCT). Methods Using thematic analysis of interview (n = 55) and observation data (n = 40), we look at: how the role of DCTs was understood by patients and other HCPs, as well as the DCTs; and explore what DCTs did within the integrated care initiative. Results Our findings suggested that the DCTs saw their role as part of a hierarchy, providing links between members of the integrated team, and explaining and validating clinical decisions. Patients characterised DCTs as friends and advisors who provided continuity. Other HCPs perceived the DCTs as supportive, providing long-term monitoring and doing a different job to conventional HCAs. We found that DCTs had to navigate local terrain (social, ethical and physical), engage in significant conversation and negotiate treatment plans created through integrated care. The analysis suggests that relationships between patients and the DCTs were strong, had the quality of friendship and mitigated loneliness. Conclusions DCTs played multidimensional roles in the integrated care initiative that required great social and emotional skill. Building friendships with patients was central to their work, which mitigated loneliness and facilitated the care they provided.

This study assesses hydration, rheology, and sorptivity of cementitious pastes using relatively low-cost Arduino-based platforms with integrated sensors. The prime objective is to develop a correlation between conventional apparatus-based and Arduino-integrated sensor-based assessment. A total of six samples of cementitious paste were prepared at a room temperature of 26°C, with a w/b ratio of 0.3, containing cement, fly ash, and silica fume. First, the conventional apparatus was employed to assess hydration, rheology, and sorptivity of cementitious mixes. Afterward, a platform arranged for data acquisition, comprising Arduino Mega 2560, a temperature sensor, a soil moisture sensor, and a voltage supply, was used to assess the same properties. The recorded temperature and moisture content data were transmitted using the Android application and the Wi-Fi modem router. A 5-minute moisture analysis test was conducted to monitor the rheological behavior of cementitious mixes. The heat of the hydration mechanism was evaluated for 32 hours using a temperature sensor, enabling continuous and real-time monitoring. Moreover, a sorptivity test on cube samples was performed using shielded self-based apparatus in an adiabatic condition, resulting in relatively long-term monitoring. The microscopic details are analyzed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in conjunction with EDX analysis. Thus, the potential application of the inexpensive sensor-based method is verified.

OBJECTIVES: In numerous cultures, unwanted hair is considered a common aesthetic problem. For hair removal, the use of lasers is a common medical procedure that is comparatively safe and has few side effects. Paradoxical hypertrichosis has been reported rarely in previous studies. The aim of this study was to find out the frequency of paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser treatment. METHODOLOGY: This cross sectional study was done for a period of one year from January 2020 to January 2021. This study was conducted at Al-Shifa Clinic and Skin Aesthetic, Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. All those patients who go-through the laser hair removal were included in the study. Diode laser with 808nm wavelength was used. All the patients were observed for paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser treatment. RESULTS: Total 140 patients underwent laser hair removal during a one-year study. There were 120 females and 20 male in our study. The mean age of male was 28±1.2 while the mean age of females was 26±1.4. Amongst 140 patients, the overall prevalence of paradoxical hypertrichosis after laser treatment was 7.8% (n=11). This side effect was observed dominantly on the neck and face. Skin phototype III and 1V were observed with this side effect. CONCLUSION: Our research study concludes that paradoxical hypertrichosis occurs rarely after laser therapy. Study with high sample size and risk factors should be done for better understanding.

Actinomycetes, most notably the genus Streptomyces, have great importance due to their role in the discovery of new natural products, especially for finding antimicrobial secondary metabolites that are useful in the medicinal science and biotechnology industries. In the current study, a genome-based evaluation of Streptomyces sp. isolate BR123 was analyzed to determine its biosynthetic potential, based on its in vitro antimicrobial activity against a broad range of microbial pathogens, including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi. A draft genome sequence of 8.15 Mb of Streptomyces sp. isolate BR123 was attained, containing a GC content of 72.63% and 8103 protein coding genes. Many antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and anticancerous compounds were detected by the presence of multiple biosynthetic gene clusters, which was predicted by in silico analysis. A novel metabolite with a molecular mass of 1271.7773 in positive ion mode was detected through a high-performance liquid chromatography linked with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis. In addition, another compound, meridamycin, was also identified through a HPLC-MS analysis. The current study reveals the biosynthetic potential of Streptomyces sp. isolate BR123, with respect to the synthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites through genomic and spectrometric analysis. Moreover, the comparative genome study compared the isolate BR123 with other Streptomyces strains, which may expand the knowledge concerning the mechanism involved in novel antimicrobial metabolite synthesis.

Apilactobacillus spp. are classified as obligate fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) that inhabit fructose-rich niches such as honeybee gut. Lactic acid bacteria are an important component of the gut microbiome and play a crucial role in maintaining gut health. In this study, a new FLAB strain HBW1, capable of producing glucan-type exopolysaccharide, was isolated from giant honeybee (Apis dorsata) gut and subjected to whole genome sequencing (WHS) to determine its health-beneficial traits. The genome size of the isolate was 1.49 Mb with a GC content of 37.2%. For species level identity, 16S rDNA sequence similarity, genome to genome distance calculator (dDDH), and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values were calculated. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolate HBW1 belongs to the Apilactobacillus genus. The dDDH and ANI values in comparison with closely clustered Apilactobacillus kunkeei species were 52% and 93.10%, respectively. Based on these values, we concluded that HBW1 is a novel species of Apilactobacillus, and we propose the name Apilactobacillus waqarii HBW1 for it. Further, WHS data mining of HBW1 revealed that it harbors two glucosyltransferase genes for prebiotic glucan-type exopolysaccharide synthesis. Moreover, chaperon (clp) and methionine sulfoxide reductase (msrA, msrB, and msrC) genes as well as nutritional marker genes for folic acid (folD) and riboflavin biosynthesis (rib operon), important for conferring probiotic properties, were also detected. Occurrence of these genetic traits make HBW1 an excellent candidate for application to improve gut function.

Current study empirically analyzes bank specific factors and macroeconomic factors that determine the liquidity reserves of banks functioning in Pakistan. To highlight the association, current study performed random effects estimates on a data set of 20 banks from 2006 to 2016. Bank specific factors include bank size, capital and credit Risk. GDP and Inflation are the macroeconomic factors that were considered. Market competition has been measured through HHI. Based on panel data analysis, current study suggests that bank specific factors (except capital), macroeconomic factors and market competition significantly affect liquidity reserves of banks in Pakistan. These factors include bank size, credit risk, market competition, GDP and inflation. In addition, bank size, credit risk, GDP and Inflation revealed a negative effect on bank liquidity. On the other hand, market competition revealed a positive effect on bank liquidity. Capital showed an insignificant effect on bank liquidity.

Recently, hydrogels have been investigated for the controlled release of bioactive molecules, such as for living cell encapsulation and matrices. Due to their remote controllability and quick response, hydrogels are widely used for various applications, including drug delivery. The rate and extent to which the drugs reach their targets are highly dependent on the carriers used in drug delivery systems; therefore the demand for biodegradable and intelligent carriers is progressively increasing. The biodegradable nature of hydrogel has created much interest for its use in drug delivery systems. The first part of this review focuses on emerging fabrication strategies of hydrogel, including physical and chemical cross-linking, as well as radiation cross-linking. The second part describes the applications of hydrogels in various fields, including drug delivery systems. In the end, an overview of the application of hydrogels prepared from several natural polymers in drug delivery is presented.

Hydrogels are three-dimensional, cross-linked, and supramolecular networks that can absorb significant volumes of water. Hydrogels are one of the most promising biomaterials in the biological and biomedical fields, thanks to their hydrophilic properties, biocompatibility, and wide therapeutic potential. Owing to their nontoxic nature and safe use, they are widely accepted for various biomedical applications such as wound dressing, controlled drug delivery, bone regeneration, tissue engineering, biosensors, and artificial contact lenses. Herein, this review comprises different synthetic strategies for hydrogels and their chemical/physical characteristics, and various analytical, optical, and spectroscopic tools for their characterization are discussed. A range of synthetic approaches is also covered for the synthesis and design of hydrogels. It will also cover biomedical applications such as bone regeneration, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. This review addressed the fundamental, general, and applied features of hydrogels in order to facilitate undergraduates, graduates, biomedical students, and researchers in a variety of domains.

In this work, an efficient nanocatalyst was developed based on nanoadsorbent beads. Herein, carboxymethyl cellulose–copper oxide-cobalt oxide nanocomposite beads (CMC/CuO-Co2O3) crosslinked by using AlCl3 were successfully prepared. The beads were then coated with chitosan (Cs), Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3. The prepared beads, CMC/CuO-Co2O3 and Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3, were utilized as adsorbents for heavy metal ions (Ni, Fe, Ag and Zn). By using CMC/CuO-Co2O3 and Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3, the distribution coefficients (Kd) for Ni, Fe, Ag and Zn were (41.166 and 6173.6 mLg−1), (136.3 and 1500 mLg−1), (20,739.1 and 1941.1 mLg−1) and (86.9 and 2333.3 mLg−1), respectively. Thus, Ni was highly adsorbed by Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3 beads. The metal ion adsorbed on the beads were converted into nanoparticles by treating with reducing agent (NaBH4) and named Ni/Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3. Further, the prepared nanoparticles-decorated beads (Ni/Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3) were utilized as nanocatalysts for the reduction of organic and inorganic pollutants (4-nitophenol, MO, EY dyes and potassium ferricyanide K3[Fe(CN)6]) in the presence of NaBH4. Among all catalysts, Ni/Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3 had the highest catalytic activity toward MO, EY and K3[Fe(CN)6], removing up to 98% in 2.0 min, 90 % in 6.0 min and 91% in 6.0 min, respectively. The reduction rate constants of MO, EY, 4-NP and K3[Fe(CN)6] were 1.06 × 10−1, 4.58 × 10−3, 4.26 × 10−3 and 5.1 × 10−3 s−1, respectively. Additionally, the catalytic activity of the Ni/Cs@CMC/CuO-Co2O3 beads was effectively optimized. The stability and recyclability of the beads were tested up to five times for the catalytic reduction of MO, EY and K3[Fe(CN)6]. It was confirmed that the designed nanocomposite beads are ecofriendly and efficient with high strength and stability as catalysts for the reduction of organic and inorganic pollutants.

Background: Abnormal sensory integration is an important feature of Autism. Due to sensory motor difficulties most of the children with Autism cannot perform their functions independently. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of sensory-motor issues on the performance of activities of daily living skills in Autism spectrum disorder. Methodology: This study was conducted in The Children’s Hospital Lahore and Rising Sun Institute. Data was collected using purposive non random sampling technique in three months duration from 15th October 2014 to 15th January 2015. Observational and Cross sectional study design was used. 35 patients of both genders were included. Sample selection criteria included the patients affected with Autism of age range 3-15 years. Standardized Barthel index scale and Sensory profile questionnaire based on Ayers sensory integration theory were used to determine the sensory motor issues impact on performance of Activities of daily livings. Results: Results showed that visual processing disorders were highly correlated with Activities of daily livings (r = 0.436, p = 0.009). Conclusion: It was concluded that children with Autism on average, showed atypical sensory-motor responses. The poor functional independence in Activities of daily livings was related to and caused in part by their abnormal sensory motor responses, especially their visual processing. Visual processing problems show that children may have difficulties in tasks such as dressing, grooming, bathing etc. Keywords: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Activities of daily livings, sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills

Abstract The present investigation aimed to study and compare the efficiency of non-viable fungal isolates to remove divalent lead (Pb(II)) from aqueous streams. The selected fungal isolates showed identity with Aspergillus caespitosus, Aureobasidium sp. RBSS-303 and Aspergillus flavus HF5 as confirmed using gene sequencing of ITS regions of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The obtained equilibrium data for Pb(II) biosorption of A. caespitosus fitted better to Langmuir isotherm with maximum sorption capacity of 351.0 mg/g and A. sp. RBSS-303 and A. flavus HF5 showed good fit to Freundlich isotherm with maximum sorption capacity of 271.5 and 346.3 mg/g respectively. The values of thermodynamic factors ascertained the nature of adsorption process is endothermic with A. caespitosus and A. flavus HF5 but exothermic with A. sp. RBSS-303. The experimental data for Pb(II) biosorption fits very well to pseudo second order kinetic model. With HCl the maximum 85.5, 75.3, 73.7% recovery of Pb(II) was obtained from A. caespitosus, A. sp. RBSS-303 and A. flavus HF5, respectively. The observed percentage loss in sorption capacity of Pb(II) was 3.9% by A. flavus HF5, 12.2% by A. caespitosus and 26.6% by A. sp. RBSS-303 after five cyclic studies of sorption and desorption. Results from the study confirmed the efficiency order of A. caespitosus > A. flavus HF5 > A. sp. RBSS-303 to remove and recover Pb(II) from aqueous solution. Finally, the fungal biosorbents can be used as soil conditioning agent after compositing into valuables fungal protein.

BACKGROUND: The colonization of land and the diversification of terrestrial plants is intimately linked to the evolutionary history of their symbiotic fungal partners. Extant representatives of these fungal lineages include mutualistic plant symbionts, the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in Glomeromycota and fine root endophytes in Endogonales (Mucoromycota), as well as fungi with saprotrophic, pathogenic and endophytic lifestyles. These fungal groups separate into three monophyletic lineages but their evolutionary relationships remain enigmatic confounding ancestral reconstructions. Their taxonomic ranks are currently fluid. RESULTS: In this study, we recognize these three monophyletic linages as phyla, and use a balanced taxon sampling and broad taxonomic representation for phylogenomic analysis that rejects a hard polytomy and resolves Glomeromycota as sister to a clade composed of Mucoromycota and Mortierellomycota. Low copy numbers of genes associated with plant cell wall degradation could not be assigned to the transition to a plant symbiotic lifestyle but appears to be an ancestral phylogenetic signal. Both plant symbiotic lineages, Glomeromycota and Endogonales, lack numerous thiamine metabolism genes but the lack of fatty acid synthesis genes is specific to AM fungi. Many genes previously thought to be missing specifically in Glomeromycota are either missing in all analyzed phyla, or in some cases, are actually present in some of the analyzed AM fungal lineages, e.g. the high affinity phosphorus transporter Pho89. CONCLUSION: Based on a broad taxon sampling of fungal genomes we present a well-supported phylogeny for AM fungi and their sister lineages. We show that among these lineages, two independent evolutionary transitions to mutualistic plant symbiosis happened in a genomic background profoundly different from that known from the emergence of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Dikarya. These results call for further reevaluation of genomic signatures associated with plant symbiosis.

Two new cationic surfactants, n-hexadecyl-3-methylpyridinium bromide and n-heptadecyl-3-methylpyridinium bromide have been synthesized and characterized in solid state by FT-IR, and in solution by 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. The values of critical micelle concentration (CMC) were determined by UV-visible spectroscopy and conductometry. Interaction of synthesized surfactants with two anionic drugs, i.e., diclofenac sodium {[2-(2, 6-Dichloroanilino) phenyl] acetic acid} and ketoprofen [(RS)-2-(3-benzoylphenyl) propionic acid] was studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. Binding constant (K), Gibb's free energy (ΔG) and number of drug molecules (n) per micelle were also calculated. These synthesized surfactants were proved to be efficient in increasing the solubility and bioavailability of drug molecules. In order to check the carrier efficiency of synthesized surfactants against bioactive coordinate, on complexes, interaction of recently reported bioactive zinc complexes was tested with synthesized cationic surfactants by conductometric measurements. Mole fractions (Xcmc) and Gibbs free energy (ΔGcmc) values were also calculated. Both surfactants were further screened for anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activities.

The COVID-19 pandemic, in Pakistan, impacted the educational system leading to the abandonment of face-to-face learning. This led to the reshaping of teaching and learning methodologies shifting from on-campus to virtual education. Most teachers were not only lacking in digital literacy but also experience a lack of self-confidence. In this context, a quantitative study based on ABA Experimental design was conducted to investigate the self-perceived efficacy of an online teaching workshop on the confidence skills of a sample of Pakistani university lecturers. A total of 70 participants (M[subscript age]= 33.14, SD=7.02) were recruited via a non-probability purposive sampling strategy. Twenty four males and forty six females attended a workshop and completed pre and post-assessment questionnaires which comprised a demographic questionnaire and Teaching Online Confidence Scale. Paired sample t-test was undertaken to compare pre-and-post means of confidence levels in online teaching which showed significant differences in confidence level (p<0.05). This study implies that such online training programs need to be nationally recognized and further research is required in Pakistan to investigate the relative and differential effectiveness of online teaching workshops.

Three decades ago, the term Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) entered educational discourse. However, it is important to note that the concept of "ESD" did not emerge from scholarly debates on education, rather as a tool to carry forward the agenda of sustainable development. As a result, it has been conceptualized in many different ways. This article is an attempt to further the debate on ESD-conceptualization. The paper discusses connections between constructivism, transformative learning, and Erich Fromm's idea of "to be" and argues that the focus of ESD needs to change from narrow behavioural outcomes to emancipating learners to ask critical questions, decide (without the influence of anonymous authority of capitalism) and engage in activities that allows them to develop an authentic relationship with their world. The article suggests that consistent opportunities (inside and outside the classroom) to reflect and question the "having" mode and taking steps towards "being" mode will address the problem of "otherness" and contribute towards a more sustainable world.