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The Second Libyan Civil War is a complicated conflict with a wide variety of parties involved and a variety of competing objectives. The conflict has had a devasting effect not just on the people of Libya but also on the surrounding area as a whole; nonetheless, efforts to end the conflict and create a peace that is sustainable are still ongoing. Allegations of foreign intervention and a proxy war being conducted on Libyan soil have arisen as a direct result of the fact that many foreign countries have supported different parties in the conflict. The battle has also had enormous repercussions for the surrounding region as well as internationally. In this research paper, we will analyze the fundamental reasons for the crisis, as well as the involvement of foreign powers and the effects those powers have had on the problem.

Aims: The main purpose of this study was to find to assess the knowledge about STIs among community women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Rawalpindi. Methodology: This study was conducted taking 150 women through multistage, cluster randomization from January to June 2017 at Rawalpindi. The ethical committee of Sarhad University, Peshawar approved the study. A self-structured, pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection. Data analysis was done through SPSS® version 21. Results were generated in tables and graphs. Results: The mean ± SD age was 28.7 ± 9.5 years with a minimum of 19, maximum 49. Almost half of all women were age group 19-29 years & 82% were married. Eighty percent was the literacy while CPR was 53.7%. Knowledge about STIs was not sufficient (42%) yet most knew about mode of transmission of STIs (86.67%). Most women identified the factors which contribute to the spread of STIs; 97.33% said STIs are preventable while 92.67%. One third of all women had one or other STI but only 19 women knew about the disease they had. Conclusion and recommendations: Pakistan faces the persistent threat of STIs. Community women of reproductive age are at specific risk to a high risk of spread of STIs. Education, awareness and intervention at all levels by all stakeholders/ public and private are utmost required to stop STIs and their long standing complications. Key words: Sexually transmitted infections, STIs, Reproductive age, Knowledge.

The research article addresses the underline reason for opting for Secularism in India by Nehru.Nehru knew India was a home of people from different cultures, languages, religions, and ethnicities. So,choosing one religion, i.e., Hinduism, would create problems for the rest of the religions, and in the future other religions may ask for a separate country. An aggressive reaction was seen by other parties who wanted to protect Hinduism after the adoption of Secularism in India. Secularism welcomes all religions and allows people of its Nation to live freely by treating everyone equally. Gandhi also announced his view on Secularism and how he considered it a western concept and would not fit in easily. Gandhi believed that you could not separate religion from state policies. Nevertheless, Nehru was more than convinced, so he chose Secularism as an ideology for India.

In the current study, pure and manganese-doped superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Mn-doped SPIONPs) were successfully prepared by a green approach using a fresh aqueous extract of Asparagus officinalis as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Magnetic behaviors of pure and Mn-doped SPIONPs were measured at room temperature against various field strengths by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The saturation magnetization was in the range of 5.39–2.07 emu. Absorption at 340 nm in the UV-visible spectrum confirmed the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The presence of plant extract as a capping agent was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The crystalline nature of IONPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. A gradual increase in size was observed with increasing concentration of Mn. The synthesized materials were applied successfully as sorbent for the effective removal of lead ions (Pb(ii)). Experimental results of adsorption were also analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations at different temperatures. The results suggested that sorption processes were spontaneous, and the synthesized SPIONPs displayed PbII removal capacity at higher loadings with q m of 21.3 and 29.56 mg·g−1 for undoped and 7% Mn-doped IOPNs, respectively, as compared to the commercial activated carbon.

Environmental remediation of toxic organic pollutants on catalytic degradation has gained much attention. Organic dyes and fossil fuels as pollutants are the two major problems nowadays. The efficient and targeted eradication of organic dye from water systems is a critical global concern for the treatment of both drinking water and wastewater. In this study, ZnO–ZnS–CdO–CdS quaternary core–shell nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using Ricinus communis as a stabilizing agent and hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. UV-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence confirmed the formation of NCs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups, while scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the morphology of nanomaterials was spherical and poly distributed. X-ray powder diffraction confirmed the crystalline nature of prepared samples. The prepared nanocatalysts were used in the production of hydrogen gas from green sources of the Brassica campestris leaf extract and the degradation of Congo red and methyl red dyes. Overall, the photocatalytic performance of NCs and their design was successful. The prepared catalysts were not only active in the degradation of a single substrate but also in the degradation of a mixture of dyes.

Plant salt tolerance is controlled by various physiological processes such as water and ion homeostasis, photosynthesis, and cellular redox balance, which are in turn controlled by gene expression. In the present study, plants of six canola cultivars (DGL, Dunkled, Faisal Canola, Cyclone, Legend, and Oscar) were evaluated for salt tolerance by subjecting them to 0 or 200 mM NaCl stress. Based on growth, cultivars DGL, Dunkled, and Faisal Canola were ranked as salt tolerant, while cultivars Cyclone, Legend, and Oscar were ranked as salt-sensitive ones. Differential salt tolerance in these canola cultivars was found to be associated with a relatively lower accumulation of Na+ and greater accumulation of K+ in the leaves, lower oxidative damage (MDA), and better antioxidative defense system (Superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD, and catalase, CAT). Cultivar Oscar was the poorest to discriminate Na+ and K+ uptake and accumulation in leaves and had poor antioxidant potential to scavenge ROS. Salt stress did not affect the structural stability of photosystem-II (PSII) till three weeks, thereafter it caused a significant decrease. Salt stress increased the performance index (PIABS) by increasing the density of active reaction centers in Oscar. Salt stress decreased the antenna size thereby lowering the absorption and trapping energy flux, and maintaining the electron transport with an increase in heat dissipation. This may represent a potential mechanism to cope with salt stress. Transcriptome analysis of salt-sensitive cultivar Oscar further revealed that salt stress down-regulated DEGs related to hormonal signal transduction pathways, photosynthesis, and transcription factors, while DEGs related to the biosynthesis of amino acid and ion transport were up-regulated. In conclusion, salt tolerance in canola cultivars was associated with ion exclusion and maintenance of photosynthesis. Salt stress sensitivity in cultivar Oscar was mainly associated with poor control of ion homeostasis which caused oxidative stress and reduced photosynthetic efficiency.

Purpose of the study: This study examines the key Human resource-related entrepreneurship challenges that the food companies face. Methodology: The research approach utilized in this study was exploratory. The sampling size consists of 200 individuals. Four hypotheses were tested based on the four core challenges being faced by HR. Each hypothesis was calculated and weighed separately utilizing regression analysis. Main Findings: The results obtained indicate that human resource management of the food sector companies needs to thoroughly plan the business so that it majorly focuses on its staff management as they are truly dependent on them for their profits and revenues. Thus, being the major drivers of success, management should invest a good amount in their training, knowledge, and learning. Applications of this study: The findings can be helpful for a manager they can focus on the management of their staff for-profit and revenues. Novelty/Originality of this study: The use of theory in this research paper is grounded theory and human resource management theory to present the findings on the human resource ground management forum.

Global food production is threatened due to increasing salinity and can be stabilized by improving salt tolerance of crops. In the current study, salt tolerance potential of 40 local wheat cultivars against 150 mM NaCl stress was explored. Salt treatment at seedling stage caused less reduction in biomass, K+ and P while more decline of Na+ in tolerant cultivars due to reduced translocation and enhanced exclusion of Na+ from leaves. Principal component analysis based selected S-24, LU-26S, Pasban-90 (salt tolerant) and MH-97, Kohistan-97, Inqilab-91 and Iqbal-2000 (salt sensitive) cultivars were evaluated at adult stage applying 150 mM salinity. Osmotic adjustment by accumulation of soluble sugars and proline and accelerated antioxidant enzymes activities caused efficient scavenging of reactive oxygen species making S-24 and LU-26S tolerant while in MH-97 and Kohistan-97, high MDA represent greater membrane damage due to oxidative stress making them salt sensitive. Chlorophyll a fluorescence transients confirmed better efficiency of photosystem II in S-24 and LU-26S based on energy fluxes (ABS/RC, TRo/RC, ETo/RC and DIo/RC), performance index (PIABS) and maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm). These findings can be correlated using molecular techniques to identify genes for salt exclusion, osmotic adjustment and photosynthetic activity for use in molecular breeding programs.

Interindividual differences in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 activity may result in variations in the therapeutic response to drugs metabolized by this enzyme. Differences at gene level may translate into protein level with consequent impairment of the enzyme activity. As a result patients with such genetic differences might experience undesirable effects or no effect at all. The aim of the present study was to find out the prevalence of allelic and genotype frequencies of low activity variants of CYP2C19 genes in healthy individuals from six distinct ethnicities of Pakistan. Blood sample was taken from healthy volunteers following informed consent. Isolation of the DNA was followed by the PCR amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Selected samples were sequenced by Sanger sequencing. The frequency of major alleles was 84.93% for CYP2C19*2 and 91.85% for CYP2C19*3, while minor allele was present at 15.06% for CYP2C19*2 and 8.14% for CYP2C19*3. For CYP2C19*2, the frequency of *1*1 genotype was 75.80%, *1*2 was 18.27%, and *2*2 was 5.92% whereas for CYP2C19*3, The frequency of *1*1 genotype was 84.19%, *1*3 was 15.30%, and *3*3 was 0.49% in the Pakistani population. A substantial variation in genotype and allelic frequencies was observed in various ethnicities. Our study demonstrates that a significant Pakistani population has at least one minor allele, which indicates a large number of patients potentially being affected by these variations. Especially, a significant genotype frequency of PM suggests implication for the treatment response and severity/frequency of adverse effects in patients receiving drugs metabolized by CYP2C19.

Many studies have proposed an important role of viruses in the pathogenesis of oral cancer. The present study aimed to find out the prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human papillomavirus (HPV) among patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in a Pakistani cohort. We investigated tissue samples obtained from 58 patients with OSCC using the polymerase chain reaction assay. No sample was positive for HPV. EBV was identified in 15 patients (25.86%), and CMV in three patients (5.17%). Coinfection with one or more viruses was detected in two cases and was coinfection with EBV and CMV. These results suggest a low prevalence of these viruses in OSCC patients in the Pakistani population compared to most other countries where the prevalence of these viruses has been reported in the past. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to determine the potential role of EBV and the possible importance of CMV as an infection cofactor in oral cancer.

Since the peoples uprising in 2011 against the authoritarian regime of Bashar Al Assad and its oppressive policies, Syria is entangled in a long spiral of violent conflict. Though several factors explain the violent nature of the conflict and its longevity. However, the geopolitical interests of the regional and global powers like Saudi Arabia vs. Iran and the US vs. Russia respectively, in this country has been the main determinant of this war. The intervention of the US and Russia in this war for their vested geopolitical interests has brought havoc and disaster to the country. By supporting opposite parties both these states have, instead of creating peace, prolonged the conflict for almost a decade. This paper tries to analyze the role of the global powers in the Syrian civil war, through the Power Transition Theory. No prospects of peace are visible in the near future as long as they try to balance one anothers power or unless there emerges a clear dominant power.

The language, structure and undertone using which the media frame an issue influence, formulate public opinion. A manifestation of this is the largest - in scale, intensity and impactmilitary operation conducted by the Pakistan army since the country’s explicit involvement in the global war on terror. “Zarb-e-Azb (ZeB)”, Pakistan Military’s flagship operation against militant outfits operating predominantly from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas, (FATA) was launched in June, 2014. The initial successes of the operation could be attributed to the whole-of-the-nation approach deployed by the Pakistan army reflecting a national consensus to extricate terrorism. Media is a strong driver of public opinion and ZeB could prove to be ineffective without public consensus and support. Therefore, any understanding of the causal effects of ZeB’s outcomes must begin from an analysis of the media frames, developed through opinion making in print journalism, that have done to form, or in certain cases unformed, a certain public opinion.

Ever since India and Pakistan entered into a conflict that commenced with Pulwama attacks, the following incidents have grabbed the geopolitical situation of South Asia into odds. The region has indulged in a security dilemma so much with the possibility of a nuclear war break out between the two nuclear neighbors. The Kashmir issue is a conventional issue between India and Pakistan since independence, but due to jingoistic opinions, news analysis, and perceptive political figures, the issue is overshadowed and grabbed into rhetoric supported by aggressive claims and biased connotations. At present, the Kashmir issue has been treated in the same fashion instead of understanding the issue from a systematic perspective. The policymakers, military establishment and regional and International media are debating with possible repercussions of a devastating nuclear breakout in the region. This article entails different scenarios that are through a series of domestic pressures that followed the Pulwama incident, showing a spilling effect in the South Asian region. While understanding the parameters of the theory of security dilemma mostly reflected through inter-state relations, this article draws attention to an area where security dilemma is examined through domestic politics and how it has driven responsible factors for bringing South Asia to a dangerous situation. The article then contemplates recommendations for Pakistani policymakers for multilevel diplomacy, activating diasporas at the international level and consistent media coverage over the Kashmir issue.

Palladium is very expensive metal and has numerous applications especially as a versatile hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalyst for chemical reactions. The main hurdle in its wide use is the high materials cost. In the present study a cost effective palladium nano catalyst was prepared using the green method of synthesis with guar gum as capping and reducing agent. The formations of palladium nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-spectrophotometer while for morphology and nature, SEM and XRD were performed that confirmed the crystalline nature of PdNPs and proved the roughly spherical shape of nanoparticles. FT-IR analysis showed different functional groups of reducing agent and proved that guar gum have the ability to stabilized as well as to reduce the Pd (II) to Pd (0). Specific signal for the palladium is present in EDX spectra that further confirmed the formation of PdNPs. The catalytic efficiency was studied using the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol. Rate constant of prepared nano-catalyst was 0.1436/min, its efficiency, TON, TOF, in above mention reaction is 90.83, 27.78, and 185.2/hrs, respectively. Data obtained proved synthesized PdNPs to be efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the reduction of 4-NP and for the degradation of azo dyes.

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Rehabilitation Communications-a biannual, open access, and peer-reviewed journal aiming to publish high-quality research articles in the field of basic & clinical rehabilitation sciences. The journal covers topics such as clinical practice, education, research, policy, and technology in the field of rehabilitation. It strives to promote knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers, clinicians, educators, policymakers, and other professionals in the rehabilitation field. The journal also seeks to promote the application of evidence-based rehabilitation science to practice, research, and policy. Rehabilitation Communications, available online and in print, publishes scholarly input from the scientific and broader community related to the important themes in rehabilitation sciences. The journal emphasizes studies integrating the more expansive interdisciplinary fields of rehabilitation sciences with hardcore evidenced based. Rehabilitation Communications aims to provide a discussion platform for the rehabilitation community where healthy debate on important topics in rehabilitation sciences is possible. The journal hopes to bring basic scientists, clinicians, administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders to one platform for efficiently utilizing physical, behavioral, and pharmaceutical agents in providing comprehensive care for patients with physical and mental disabilities. Rehabilitation Communications primarily publishes original articles and reviews, however, case reports, short communications, special reports, and letters to the editor are also accepted. In the last two decades, rapid technological advances have enabled researchers to investigate arcane biological phenomena and ask more profound questions. Several cellular processes involved in health and disease are being unraveled at a rapid pace, high resolution and with unprecedented details. Authors carrying out investigations leveraging these technologies are encouraged to submit their findings to Rehabilitation Communications. The purpose of this journal is to provide a platform to the scientific fraternity, especially regional and national academics, where they could get their studies published after a rapid, transparent, and high-quality peer review. All the articles published in Rehabilitation Communications will be freely available to readers immediately after publication. The open-access policy of our journal is likely to increase the readership of articles and enhance their visibility and citation potential. Therefore, I invite you to submit your work to Rehabilitation Communications. We look forward to receiving your submissions! Dr Saima Gul Editor-In-Chief Rehabilitation Communications

Interindividual differences in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 activity may result in variations in the therapeutic response to drugs metabolized by this enzyme. Differences at gene level may translate into protein level with consequent impairment of the enzyme activity. As a result patients with such genetic differences might experience undesirable effects or no effect at all. The aim of the present study was to find out the prevalence of allelic and genotype frequencies of low activity variants of CYP2C19 genes in healthy individuals from six distinct ethnicities of Pakistan. Blood sample was taken from healthy volunteers following informed consent. Isolation of the DNA was followed by the PCR amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Selected samples were sequenced by Sanger sequencing. The frequency of major alleles was 84.93% for CYP2C19*2 and 91.85% for CYP2C19*3, while minor allele was present at 15.06% for CYP2C19*2 and 8.14% for CYP2C19*3. For CYP2C19*2, the frequency of *1*1 genotype was 75.80%, *1*2 was 18.27%, and *2*2 was 5.92% whereas for CYP2C19*3, The frequency of *1*1 genotype was 84.19%, *1*3 was 15.30%, and *3*3 was 0.49% in the Pakistani population. A substantial variation in genotype and allelic frequencies was observed in various ethnicities. Our study demonstrates that a significant Pakistani population has at least one minor allele, which indicates a large number of patients potentially being affected by these variations. Especially, a significant genotype frequency of PM suggests implication for the treatment response and severity/frequency of adverse effects in patients receiving drugs metabolized by CYP2C19., GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

This article will examine the idea of new states/provinces in India. How India created 16 new states on ethno-lingual, and other lines and accommodate the ethnic groups. The case study of India is focussing on the different factors; including constitutional setup and role of different political parties of India in making of the new state. The following three basic questions investigate the paper’s perspective. First; what has been the basis of demands for the creation of new states in India? Second; what are the main hurdles in the reorganization of state and what urged the redemarcation of states in India? Third; what has been the stance of political Parties about the creation of new states in Indian state?

Five Central Asian Republics (CARs) got independence in December 1991 as a result of the collapse of the USSR. Politically, economically, strategically and geographically Central Asia is regarded as the Heart of Asia. This region is the hub of the natural resources. It became a battle ground for the states which have interest in its hydrocarbon reserves. The paper examines the ongoing competition between China and India for the resources of Central Asia. Both of these countries are eyeing the huge potential of trade relations with this large market. They were also trying to create energy partnerships with the gas- and oil-rich region. This resulted in competition between the two countries inof the region. This article describes China and India as competitors in this region. As a neighbouring country, this engagement of China and India has serious implications for Pakistan.

Tomato, botanically known as Lycopersicon esculentum, is a food crop used throughout world in different cultures. Traditionally, various cardiovascular and inflammatory ailments are cured by fruit of this plant. But this has been done without any knowledge about its exact mechanism in these diseases, especially in thrombotic conditions. This study has been designed to investigate the potential mechanisms used by Lycopersicon esculentum fruit to provide relief in these diseases. A crude fraction of Lycopersicon esculentum fruits was prepared and then separated into n-hexane, chloroform and aqueous fractions. These fractions were screened for the presence of activities against arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and agonist-induced human platelet aggregation. These fractions were also investigated for their potential to enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Platelet aggregation was monitored using turbidometric principle, while AA metabolism was studied using radiolabelled AA. Antioxidant enzymes were measured by commercial kits using spectrophotometer. The aqueous fraction of Lycopersicon esculentum was mostly active against cyclooxygenase pathway of AA metabolism while chloroform was the only fraction possessing significant activity against lipoxygenase pathway. Aqueous and n-hexane fraction seem to have concentrated compounds responsible for elevating SOD activity while n-hexane was the most potent against PAF and the only fraction exhibiting potent activity against collagen-induced platelet aggregation. Compounds responsible for elevating GPx activity seems to be distributed throughout various fractions of tomato. The results demonstrate that anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects of Lycopersicon esculentum are mediated through multiple pathways. The compounds responsible for these pharmacological actions were however, distributed throughout various fractions of Lycopersicon esculentum.

In this paper, we have reported plant mediated green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) which were further fabricated into mixed matrices of polyether sulfone (PES) and cellulose acetate (CA) by using solution casting technique. Assessment of selected parameters of the synthesized membranes included contact angle, salt rejection, flux behavior and tensile strength measurements. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection measurement of PES-CA-CuO (I), Cu@PES-CA (II), Cu@PES-CA-CuO-1 (III) and Cu@PES-CA-CuO-2 (IV) were absolutely examined. Permeability of I was 65 L h−1 m−2 bar−1 while after growing Cu nanoparticles on the surface of PES-CA-CuO, permeability of III and IV observed was 110 and 85 L h−1 m−2 bar−1 respectively while porosity also exhibited a similar trend. BSA rejection also increased for III and IV respectively in comparison of I. The synthesized materials I–IV were screened out for the catalytic reduction of nitrophenols and IV showed a superior performance. E. coli, a model gram-negative bacterium was used in this study for investigating the antimicrobial activity of the afore-mentioned membranes with III and IV exhibited more than 75% inhibition.

This paper describes the key elements of Pashtunwali and the manifestation of Pashtun nationalism, especially in Pakistan. This study on Pashtun nationalism finds that Pashtunwali is a centuries-old primordial customary code of life and it is important in the context of nationalism as it strengthens the sentiments and feelings of closeness and affinity; central to the phenomenon of nationalism, among the Pashtuns. This paper also highlights two different aspects of Pashtun nationalism in Pakistan. In the formative phase of Pakistans independence, the stance of Pashtun nationalists was more inclined towards the idea of a separate state for the Pashtuns. However, as a result of various factors; including state policies, currently the manifestation of Pashtun nationalism has adopted the internal dimension of highlighting and struggling for the rights of the Pashtuns in the ambit of the Pakistani constitution and by remaining an integral and constitutional part of the country.

Every conflict has its own peculiar and distinct characteristics that demands a defining response in the form of counterinsurgency. Before embarking on any such counterinsurgency campaign, it is of utmost significance to frame the parameters of the appropriate response. That arises the question as how much research has been carried out on the nature of insurgency and more importantly on the counterinsurgency. Such critical inquiries can lead the academicians and practitioners to explore as what was the pattern and nature of insurgency, i.e. secessionist, traditional or spiritual etc. More importantly, the relevant literature review must explain the contours of counterinsurgency operations. Besides, such research should bring forth the critical constraint and shortfalls of the counterinsurgency campaign vis-à-vis the civilian and military’s approach of handling the insurgency. In Pakistan’s Swat region, the insurgency posed an existential threat to the security of Pakistan. The post 9/11 era proliferated the wave of insurgencies in the region and Swat was not immune to the shock effects of the violent social change. Swat’s insurgency got its momentum in 2006 and unleased a spate of terrorism and guerilla fighting that shook the entire country. In 2009, a grand scale counterinsurgency operation was launched incorporating all components of state. The softer prong of the operations is continuing till to date in the form of de-radicalization and counter extremism. In this article, I will endeavor to determine the research being carried out on the counterinsurgency in Swat and more importantly, the research gaps will be identified which needs to be filled by the future researchers and studies.

In this study, plant-mediated copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were synthesized. Due to its direct synthesis mechanism and eco-friendly nature, the current method accounts for the green chemistry approach using the fruit extract ofDuranta erectafor the first time. The UV-visible spectrum of the CuNPs solution showed a distinct absorption peak at 588 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the fruit extract is responsible for the reduction as well as the stabilization of CuNPs. X-ray diffraction patterns conform the crystalline nature of CuNPs. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was performed for elemental analysis whereas field emission scanning electron microscopy was carried out for surface morphology. Prepared CuNPs were used for the reduction of carcinogenic azo dyes methyl orange (MO) and congo red (CR). CuNPs exhibit outstanding catalytic reduction for MO and CR in the presence of NaBH4as reducing agents with the pseudo-first-order rate constants of 8.6×10−3s−1and 5.07×10−3s−1for MO and CR, respectively. Thus, natural plant materials act as cheap and environmentally friendly support for the synthesis of CuNPs and could be used for the purification of water from organic dye effluents.

The aim of the presented work was to assess the potential of Medicago polymorpha extract to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a green method. It was a simple one-step synthesis approach and the product obtained was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). At room temperature, the optimum time for the completion of the reaction (i.e. the formation colloidal solution) was just 5 min. FE-SEM images showed that AgNPs were predominantly in spheres, whereas FTIR spectrum analysis inferred that gallic acid present in the extract initially reduced silver ions to elemental silver. The carboxylic and hydroxyl groups of biomolecules present in the extract stabilized AgNPs by passivating the surface to prevent aggregation, resulting in uniform distribution. The antibacterial activity of synthesized AgNPs showed effective inhibitory effects against waterborne pathogens, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 10 μg/ml. Membrane permeability and respiration studies were also performed to assess the surface role of the synthesized AgNPs. The prepared AgNPs exhibited excellent antioxidant activity and catalytic reduction of methyl orange with a rate constant of 6.8×10−3 s−1.

Objective: To assess the psychological stress or phobia due to dental procedure among patients. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Orthodontic, Bacha Khan College of Dentistry/Medical Teaching Institute, Mardan from 1st January 2020 to 31st August 2021. Methodology: One hundred and twenty patients coming for orthodontal treatment with age between 12-31 years were enrolled. The demographic and psychological stress information was recorded. Results: There were more females (65%) than males (35%). The mean age was 15.5±3.2 years. About 82.5% patients reported high level of psychological stress or phobias towards dental treatments while 19.1% were those who had moderate psychological stress or phobias. Majority of the patient’s fear of pain was between 12-17 years. Patients having highest anxiety also belonged to the same group Conclusion: Dental phobias and fears are widespread among patients seeking dental treatments. Orthodontists should recognize the dental phobias and fears so they efficiently interconnect with the patients. Key words: Orthodontic treatment, Pain, Dental phobia

The relationship between trade and peace has been debated by policymakers, academicians and the general public, often ending in contesting conclusions defining the exact role of trade in this complex relationship. While taking the case study of Pakistan and India, this argument becomes more central to understanding whether there is a possibility for the furtherance of trade relations between Pakistan and India. It is a perception that political and military tactics have always been active in deciding the relations between Pakistan and India. Hence, it is important to explore viable options, such as trade, for bringing positive change in relations. This article emphasizes that a liberal perspective may provide a better explanation of this relationship and concludes that trade possesses the capacity to play an active role in mollifying strained relations between Pakistan and India and begin an era of peace and harmony in the region.

Salt tolerant wheat cultivars may be used as genetic resource for wheat breeding to ensure yield stability in future. The study was aimed to select salt tolerant cultivar(s) to identify novel source of salt tolerance in local wheat germplasm. Initially, 40 local wheat cultivars were screened at 150 mM NaCl stress at seedling stage. Selected salt-tolerant (three; S-24, LU-26S and Pasban-90) and salt-sensitive (four; MH-97, Kohistan-97, Inqilab-91 and Iqbal-2000) wheat cultivars were further evaluated using growth, yield, biochemical and physiological attributes. Growth and yield of selected cultivars were reduced under salt stress due to decline in plant water status, limited uptake of macronutrients (N, P and K), reduced K+/Na+ ratio, photosynthetic pigments and quantum yield of PSII. Wheat plants tried to acclimate salt stress by osmotic adjustment (accumulation of total soluble sugars, proline and free amino acids). Degree of salinity tolerance in cvs. S-24 and LU-26S found to be associated with maintenance of K+/Na+ ratio, osmo-protectant and photosynthetic activity and can be used as donor for salt tolerance in wheat breeding program at least in Pakistan. These cultivars can be further characterized using molecular techniques to identify QTLs/genes for salt exclusion, osmo-protectant and photosynthetic activity for molecular breeding.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:27:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-05-01 This study explores the modeling and optimization of electrochemical influencing parameters on the sunset yellow (SSY) decontamination process by response surface methodology (RSM). Four factors historical data design which include time (X1), pH 03–10​ (X2), NaCl concentration 0.02–0.08 M (X3) and current densities 2.5 to 10 mA cm −2 (X4) was employed to correlate the factors with dye removal and electrical energy consumption as responses. Stepwise regression analysis of first order, second order, cubic and quadratic polynomial models were performed to test the model fitness. Higher degradation of SSY at examined array was found to 99.2% with energy consumption of 0.340 kWhm−3 and the operating variables were as follows: time: 48.42 min, pH of 4.15, NaCl concentration of 0.065 M and current density of 2.70 mA cm −2. The model for energy consumption fitted with experimental data demonstrated a higher R2 value of 0.9998, proving the significance of proposed model. The Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a higher value of R2: 0.9746 adjusted R2: 0.9716, predicted R2: 0.9639 and t-test revealed that second-order polynomial model fitted the experimental results well and have a decent correlation between the observed and predicted data of SSY degrdation. Furthermore, the degradation process followed pseudo first order kinetic under different operating parameters and 53% TOC (total organic carbon) removal as observed as consequence of electrochemical degradation of SSY at optimized conditions. The results revealed that the historical data design response surface methodology is worth statistical tools for accuratley predicting the optimum conditions for electrochemical abatement of food dye sunset yellow. Faculty of Materials and Chemical Engineering GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology Faculdade de Engenharias Arquitetura e Urbanismo e Geografia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul Cidade Universitaria Department of Chemistry Islamia College Peshawar São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Chemistry, Araraquara. 55 Prof. Francisco Degni St São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Chemistry, Araraquara. 55 Prof. Francisco Degni St

Designing of materials is a critical factor for sensitive, stable and practically applicable humidity sensor, herein we report synthesis of ZnO-CuO mixed oxide nanoparticles and their fabrication into nanocomposite with silicon adhesive as a cost-effective humidity sensor with reliable sensitivity and stability. Between the gap of pre-fixed copper electrodes on the glassy substrate, the prepared binary oxides nanoparticles of ZnO-CuO and its silicon adhesive nanocomposites were deposited for relative humidity (RH) and mechanical pressure detection as multimodal sensor. The fabricated sensor was utilized for sensing assessment of humidity and pressure which responded in impedimetric measurements of relative humidity and pressure. The impedance of the pristine mixed oxides of ZnO-CuO decreased 35 times as relative humidity increased from 10-90% RH while 24 times decrease was observed in nanocomposite sample. Capacitances increased by a factor of 125 in pristine mixed oxides of ZnO-CuO and 80 times in nanocomposite at 100 Hz working frequency with the relative humidity (RH) increase in 10 to 90% RH range. The impedance of the sensors displayed strong dependence on the mechanical pressure as well. Similarly, the impedance of the material decreased in pristine samples by 3.8 times when a mechanical pressure of 11.0 KN/m 2 was applied on the fabricated sensor while capacitance in pristine samples increased by 4.61 times at the same pressure. In the composite samples impedance decreased 1.38 times and capacitance increased under effect of the pressure accordingly on 1.47 times.

Carotenoids possess strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions in addition to a plethora of other properties. These actions of carotenoids are primarily due to their structure which dictate their functions. Because of their protective potential in disease states, carotenoids are associated with prevention and/or treatment of various neurological diseases. In this chapter, the role(s) of carotenoids in various neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, mild cognitive impairment, neurological trauma, brain tumor, schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, have been reviewed. A number of studies report associations of low levels of carotenoids with higher likelihood of neurological diseases. Other investigations describe beneficial and protective effects of pharmacological or dietary interventions which lead to enhancement of carotenoids levels in the body. However, further validation of these beneficial actions is required both in clinical and animal studies. Development of good animal models of neurological diseases will help.

Chromium toxicity is considered as a major problem for agricultural soil that reduced crop productivity by affecting photosynthetic tissues. Exogenous application of melatonin can alleviate the adverse effects of chromium toxicity on plant growth. However, little is known about its effect on thylakoidal protein complexes responsible for conversion of solar energy to biochemical energy. Chlorophyll fluorescence a transients considered one of the best non-invasive and rapid method for the evaluation of photosynthetic (Photosystem II) efficiency of plants and plant health under environmental stress conditions. In the present study, three-week old plants of two canola cultivars AC-Excel and DGL were applied to melatonin (0, 1, 5, 10 μM) when grown under chromium stress (0, 50 and 100 μM) for further two weeks. Chromium stress reduced the growth (fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots) of both canola cultivars and exogenous application of 5 and 10 μM melatonin improved the growth of canola at 50 or 100 μM chromium stress. This improvement was greater in cv DGL than in AC-Excel. Increasing chromium decreased the photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b). However, 5 and 10 μM melatonin application improved chlorophyll a at 50 μM chromium stress. Structural stability and efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) measured as performance index (PIABS) and ratios of fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Fv/Fo) Fv decreased due to chromium stress. JIP-test parameters showed that chromium stress increased the absorption and trapping fluxes with decrease in electron transport fluxes which caused the damage to reaction centers (RC), detachment of oxygen evolving complex (OEC) from RC or inefficiency of electron transfer from OEC to RC. Such adverse effects were greater in cv AC-Excel. However exogenous application of melatonin improved PIABS, electron transport per reaction center (ET/RC), reduced variable fluorescence at J step (VJ) reflecting melatonin protected PSII from chromium stress induced damage by protecting OEC. Thus, OJIP fluorescence transients are quite helpful for understanding the intersystem electron transport beyond photosystem II in canola cultivars due to melatonin application under chromium stress. Findings Exogenous application of melatonin alleviated toxic effects of chromium on plant growth of canola by modulating photosynthesis, enhanced photosystem II efficiency and regulation of electron transport flux to protect photo-inhibition of PSII from oxidative damage., OJIP; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Melatonin; Chromium stress; Canola; Food science; Agricultural science; Environmental science; Earth sciences; Biological sciences.