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Context: Depletion of natural resources, responsible for energy production, is a serious concern for researchers to develop alternate energy resources or materials. Scientists have proposed various energy materials which are based on semiconductors and their underlying physics. Cerium oxide (CeO2) is a versatile energy material which receives much attention owing to excellent photocatalytic, photonic, thermal stability, and optoelectronic applications. Even though CeO2 exhibited remarkable physical properties, but yet, they can be enhanced upon suitable doping. Focus on current research is to dope group V elements into CeO2 in order to enhance its electronic and optical response. The density of states (DOS) and band gaps of proposed materials are calculated, and significant improvement is noted after applying TB-mbj method. Optical absorption spectra of V/Nb/Ta-doped CeO2 show blueshift and decrease in reflectivity along with the presence of magnetism illustrate potential uses of these materials in future UV optoelectronics, spintronics, sensing, and energy harvesting devices. Methods: This research is based on computational work carried using Wien2k code where PBE-GGA approximation is used to approximate exchange and correlation potentials. Supercells of vanadium/niobium/tantalum-doped CeO2 are constructed, and spin-polarized density of states (DOS) along with optical constant are calculated. TB-mbj method is used to bring improvements in DOS and band gaps of proposed materials. Iterations are conducted using convergence criterion, and non-relativistic calculations are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious coryza (IC) is a severe upper respiratory tract disease of birds. This research was aimed to study different aspects of Avibacterium paragallinarum causing IC in commercial birds. A total of 1000 samples were collected from IC suspected or recently dead birds. Results showed that 80.40% of the samples were positive for A. paragallinarum. All the isolates of A. paragallinarum produced the predicted size of 500 bp amplicons of HPG2 gene on PCR. The percentages of positive samples infected with infectious coryza in commercial birds were: 19.2% for layers, 18.4% for broilers, 16.0% for quails, 15.8% for chukars and 11.0% for pigeons. Among positive cases, serotype A was 24%, serotype B was 29% and serotype C was 27.40%. The isolates of A. paragallinarum were growing well at 35-37 oC, however, growth rate was declined at 24 oC, and 42 oC. Similarly, A. paragallinarum showed optimal growth between pH 5 and 9, but the superlative pH growth values were from 6 to 8 pH. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that all tested isolates displayed resistance against Metronidazole, Colistin sulphate, Bacitracin, Streptomycin, Chloramphenicol and Lincomycine, while they were found susceptible to Tetracycline, Erythromycin, Vancomycin, Amoxicillin, and Ciprofloxacin. Investigation of IC in commercial birds will certainly help the diagnosis of the disease, which causes considerable economic loss to the farmers. The current study was designed to report on the incidence of IC caused A. paragallinarum, frequency of occurrence of its serotypes and drug susceptibility pattern. This study will also alert poultry professionals about the disease and help determine specific medication as well as formulate prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

hypothyroidism. STUDY DESIGN: A Cross sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION: Institute of Radio Therapy & Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM) and Teaching Hospitals of Peshawar Medical College st from 1st November 2015 to 31th May 2016. METHODOLOGY: Serum T3, T4 and TSH levels were measured to diagnose the patients of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism. The body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar estimation and lipids profile, were checked in order to determine the components of the metabolic syndrome, selected according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. RESULTS: Out of 138 patients 34.7% were having metabolic syndrome. The 21.73% patients of hypothyroidism suffered from raised blood glucose levels, 66.66% patients showed increased serum cholesterol levels, 59.42% patients had increased serum triglycerides levels, 18.84% had low or abnormal HDL levels, 40.57% patients had increased low density lipoproteins levels, 57.24% patients had raised systolic pressure, 63.04% had raised diastolic pressure and 70.28% patients were found to have increased waist circumference. The frequency of occurrence of waist circumference was highest in the study patients. The metabolic syndrome was more common in male as compared to female while there was no significant difference regarding the metabolic syndrome in different age groups. CONCLUSION: This study is therefore significant for developing approaches and techniques leading to better management and prevention of metabolic syndrome and hypothyroidism in order to decrease the cardiovascular risk factors and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]