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Objective: To determine how a child’s dietary intake affected their growth and cognitive skills when physically challenged in Faisalabad City, Pakistan. Study Design: Cross Sectional Study. Setting: Tanzeem ul Lisan, the Government Special Education Center, Al Faisal Markaz e Nabina, and Government National Special Education Center. Period: January 2023 to December 2023. Method: One hundred special children were selected randomly, face-to-face interviews were conducted, and collected data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: Indicated that male participants aged 10 to 15 years were prominent, whereas 20% each had ADHD, autism, blindness, and deafness. Many participants maintain an active or very active lifestyle despite a significant portion not engaging in regular exercise. Preference for home-cooked meals, moderate consumption of dietary supplements, variation in water intake, and frequency of eating out were found. Respondents’ Common issues include difficulty making decisions, remembering personal information, and learning new content. Based on the results, cognitive training programs are recommended to increase awareness among children and their families. Conclusion: In the nutshell, results concluded that dietary intake of special children were associated with physical growth and cognitive skills. Majority of the children were not following normal dietary pattern and the chances of micronutrient deficiencies was higher. Results showed that socioeconomic conditions, type of disorder/ disability, low education of parents, awareness about good nutrition were significantly associated with healthy eating habits and physical growth of special children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different varieties of cereal grains differ in their nutritional composition and product making characteristics. Barley is an underutilized and neglected food crop in Pakistan. Mainly barley is used as source of carbohydrates but is also an imperative source of minerals specially potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Although, the importance of these minor constituents as minerals is of significant importance for human nutrition, the micronutrients of different Pakistani barley varieties have not been studied up till now. The aim of this study was to characterize the mineral profile of Pakistani grown barley varieties from different geographical regions. Ash content in different barley varieties ranged between 1.32-2.00%. Potassium (409-585 mg/100g) and phosphorus (307-446 mg/100g) were found to be highest minerals in all varieties while selenium (0.04-0.30 mg/kg) and cobalt (3.1-24.2 µg/kg) were found in trace amount. Overall, the varieties grown in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK) province were found to be potentially good source of minerals especially iron and calcium. However, the varieties grown in Sindh province were found to be poor sources of minerals excluding sodium. Three statistically significant clusters were identified using chemometric tools. Barley variety Rakhshan-10 showed highest ash content and overall presented better mineral profile. Significant differences in mineral content were found in all barley varieties grown in different locations. Overall, findings of this study will help the food industries in selection of barley variety/ies with high mineral profile to be incorporated in barley-based food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a staple food for more than a billion people and is becoming increasingly popular in the developing world. To meet this progressive demand and sustained productivity a higher level of genetic diversity is required in this crop so that it could cope with new threats from pests, disease, heat, and drought. However, creating a new potato variety is slow and difficult process even by the patient standards of plant breeders. Tissue culture is a promising alternative technique to create rapid genetic variability and multiplication in asexually propagated crops like potato. Thus, reported study was planned to investigate regeneration response of nodal cuttings of two potato varieties i.e., Lal Moti and Lady Rosita to different concentrations of hormonal supplements. Under two concentrations (1mg L-l and 2 mg L-l) of 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP), four treatments each of kinetin and Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were used for shoot/root induction. The results exhibited that Lady Rosita performed better than Lal Moti in shoot formation and gained maximum shoot length (13.08 cm) at concentration of 1 mg L-l each for BAP and kinetin. Regarding root formation, Lal Moti performed better than Lady Rosita and attained maximum root length (8.34 cm) when 1 mg L-l BAP was used with 1 mg L-l of IAA. Taken together our findings suggested that the above mentioned combinations of reported phytohormones with BAP are excellent for shoot/root induction in Lady Rosita and Lal Moti potato varieties. Furthermore, these protocols may be utilized for rapid in vitro multiplication of disease free potato plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The banana (Musa Sapientum) is a member of the Musaceae family. The nutritional value of this fruit and its peels is significant. Every year, 36 million tonnes of banana peel are produced. Starch, bioactive substances, anti-oxidants, pectin, cellulose, minerals, phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, biogenic amines, and other phytosterols are all found in banana skin. Lipids, carbs, protein, dietary fibers, and a variety of other essential components are also present. It contains anti-nutritional elements such as hydrogen cyanide, oxalate, phytate, and saponin, but only in trace amounts, with the exception of saponin. Banana peel can be used to make buns, bread, pasta, confectionaries, and gluten-free items in the culinary sector. It's also utilized as bio substrate, as well as for medical uses, livestock feed, fertilizer, and bio substrate. Peel can also be used for various reasons, such as removing Cr (IV) and producing bio-Ethane and bio-methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion (Allium cepa) is locally called piaz. It is a biennial, herbaceous, winter seasoned and cross-pollinated bulb crop belonging to Family Alliaceae. High moisture content of onion render it to be affected by microbial and enzymatic spoilage. Drying is a very effective way to preserve onion for a long time. Onion powder was prepared by foam mat drying technique in which onion paste was treated with different concentration of soy protein (0%, 4%, 8% and 12%) as foaming agent and Carboxyl methylcellulose (0.5%) as foam stabilizer and these were dried in hot air tray drier at different temperatures (55°C, 65°C and 75°C) with 3mm sheet thickness of onion foams. Effect of different concentration of foaming agent and drying temperature was studied on moisture loss drying rate of onion paste. Increase in concentration of foaming agent significantly increased the drying rate from 0.422± 0.169 (Control) to 0.744± 0.169 (soy protein). Foamed onion paste were dried faster than un-foamed which decreased the drying time of 5 hours for foamed onion paste at 65°C and 75°C. Foamed onion pastes were dried in 300, 240 and 300 min at 55°C, 65°C and 75°C temperature respectively, with 12 % concentration of soy protein as foaming agent while un-foamed pastes were dried in 600, 420 and 480 mints at 55°C, 65°C and 75°C temperature respectively. Soy protein 12% and 65°C drying temperature was found best for drying of onion paste to develop powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change plays a key role in wheat production. The objective of this study was to identify and select efficient parents and cross combinations based on general and specific combining ability under different climatic conditions. Analysis of combining ability was carried out by Line × Tester mating design by crossing 10 lines and 5 testers resulting in 50 F1 hybrids. All of these 65 genotypes sown in the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications during cropping season of 2015-16 in both normal and heat stress conditions. Significant genetic variation was observed for yield and related characters. The general combining ability (GCA) estimates revealed that parents naming SW89.5277, V-12103 and V-13248 showed excellent general combining ability for almost all of the traits study under both conditions. It was also found that the crosses i.e. V-13241 × Millat-11 for plant height, V-13248 × Millat-11 for spikelets per spike, V-13013 × Millat-11 for grains per spike, Shahkar-2013 × Chenab-2000 for thousand grain weight and Faisalabad-08 × V-12082 for grain yield per plant, exhibited good specific combining ability estimates under both conditions. The parents and crosses that exhibited excellent results in terms of GCA and SCA estimates may be exploited in improving the yield of crop and yield related characters against normal and heat stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are the novel class of small non-coding RNAs comprising of 17-24 nucleotides that, targets in silencing of one or more genes. Despite their importance as gene regulator, computational strategies are still at its initial stages. Several computer based prediction databases remain the only foundation for rapid identification of putative microRNA target. By utilizing experimentally validated targets, the search of further targets via bioinformatics tools help to predict gene target site. Keeping this in view, a study has been planned to investigate PDCD1 gene regulatory miRNA targets, their sequences and their seed location in human using online server miRDB. We have identified 26 specific miRNAs (hsa-miR-939-3p, hsa-miR-661, hsa-miR-2861, hsa-miR-23b-5p, hsa-miR-23a-5p, hsa-miR-4764-5p, hsa-miR-6734-3p, hsa-miR-4441, hsa-miR-4267, hsa-miR-4456, hsa-miR-7847-3p, hsa-miR-6515-5p, hsa-miR-5692b, hsa-miR-4664-5p, hsa-miR-342-5p, hsa-miR-5692c, hsa-miR-3911, hsa-miR-3960, hsamiR- 6852-5p, hsa-miR-4253, hsa-miR-6862-5p, hsa-miR-4296, hsa-miR-4695-5p, hsa-miR-4447, hsamiR- 4532 and hsa-miR-6752-3p) in humans which can target different regions in PDCD1 gene. Multiple sequence alignments were also performed to investigate similarities among mature sequences of these miRNAs. Our data will provide concrete bases for the validation of these miRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a great upsurge in research era for use of natural medicines for good health and wellbeing. In this scenario, omega-3 fatty acid derived from natural sources have imperative health potential but are at great risk for use in food due to its high unsaturation and susceptibility for oxidation. To cope with this challenge, present research work has been designed to preserve these therapeutic moieties through microencapsulation. The resultant encapsulated bio actives were utilized to produce omega-3 enriched bars, which provide an efficient vehicle for delivery of useful entities in the form of snack foods. This study aims at investigating the capability of microencapsulation to prevent lipid oxidation in bars enriched with encapsulates of fish and flaxseed oil as well as to evaluate whether addition of encapsulates influenced sensory and physicochemical characteristics of the bars during storage period of 60 days. The addition of fish and flaxseed microcapsules influenced the physical attributes like color, flavor, texture, chroma and hue angle of prepared omega-3 bars significantly. The rise in concentration of microcapsules raised CIELab values except for b*, which was highest in bars enriched with fish microcapsules and lower in bars incorporated with flaxseed encapsulates, yellow color of fish oil probably contributed to this behavior which although was encapsulated but during processing imparted some color leached from the microcapsules. The L* value demonstrate lightness that was more in flaxseed oil enriched bars whereas, a* showed declining trend with increased concentration of added encapsulates in both type of encapsulated bars probably due to some grayish color imparted by encapsulated gum Arabic moiety. The formulation with 5% concentration of both powders i.e. fish and flaxseed encapsulate imparted higher oxidative stability and sensory score. However, it is revealed that omega-3 bars with all combinations were acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to assess the effect of flushing on reproduction performance (kidding type and fertility percentage) and production performance (birth weight, weaning weight of offspring and health of does). Eighty teddy does were randomly divided into two groups (n=40) viz T1 and T2 as control group and test group, respectively. Flushing ration 250 g and 500 g with crude protein 17.5 % and metabolizable energy 2.9 Mcal/kg was offered to does for one month prior and post breeding season (15 September-30 October). Does were weighed at the start of breeding season T2 (BW=29.18±0.21kg) and T1 (BW=28.93±0.53kg), respectively. All the does were sent for grazing of jantar fodder for four hours daily and were sheltered during the rest time in different pens with separate feeding during the whole experimental period. Ad libitum supply of fresh clean drinking water was made available round the clock. Exposed does were mated naturally and bucks were inducted to the exposed does for 30 minutes at morning and evening daily for teasing purpose to identify does in estrus, while separate them for breeding with enlisted buck. Mean values of Fertility rate and kidding rate in T1 and T2 were 75% vs 85% and 150% vs 176 % (p<0.01) showing significantly higher rate is in T2 group. The birth weight and weaning weight of the kids in T1 and T2 group were 1.56±0.02 kg vs 1.87±0.04 kg and 9.0±0.21 kg vs 10.45±0.18 kg, respectively showing better results in group (T2). Effect of flushing on type of birth was observed significant at Chi-square value of 9.138 p-value of 0.010 showing higher number of twin and triplet birth in test group. Furthermore, the study of growth of kids revealed a better Average daily gains in T2 than in T1 indicating the long term carryover effect of flushing on the body weight gains of teddy goat kids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]