Facile synthesis and optimization of Acacia senegal gum hydrogel for kinetically treated adsorptive removal of targeted industrial effluents.

This context summarizes a detail on the fabrication of Acacia senegal Gum Hydrogel (ASGh) within well-engineered microemulsion, and thereafter chemical modification for environmental remediation. In brief, Divinylsulfone was used to crosslink polymeric chains and produce ASGh in ˂50 μm size within the reverse-microemulsion of Natrium-bis-(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate in gasoline. ASGh were subjected to chemical modification via versatile diethylenetriamine to produce m-[ASGh] for adsorptive removal of methyl orange (MO), eosin Y (EY) and congo red (CR) from waste-water.

GC-MS analysis, molecular docking, and apoptotic-based cytotoxic effect of Caladium lindenii Madison extracts toward the HeLa cervical cancer cell line.

Utilizing medicinal plants and other natural resources to prevent different types of human cancers is the prime focus of attention. Cervical cancer in women ranks as the fourth most common type of malignancy. The current study used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify the active phytochemical constituents from Caladium lindenii leaf extracts using ethanol (ECL) and n-hexane (HCL) solvents.

Gene expression and anticancer evaluation of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. Extracts using MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines.

In recent years, a cancer research trend has shifted towards identifying novel therapeutic compounds from natural assets for the management of cancer. In this study, we aimed to assess the cytotoxic activity of Kigelia Africana (KA) extracts on breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and noncancerous kidney cells (HEK-293T) to develop an efficient anticancer medication. We used gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS to analyze the constituents of EKA and HKA extracts meanwhile the crystal violet and the MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assays were used to examine the possible cytotoxic effects of plant extracts on our cancer cell lines along with non-cancerous control.

CSM-CROPGRO model to simulate safflower phenological development and yield.

Crop simulation models are valuable tools for decision making regarding evaluation and crop improvement under different field conditions. CSM-CROPGRO model integrates genotype, environment and crop management portfolios to simulate growth, development and yield. Modeling the safflower response to varied climate regimes are needed to strengthen its productivity dynamics.

Improving safe post-abortion care practices: A study on interventions implemented by Ipas Pakistan.

An estimated 50 million induced abortions occur in developing countries annually, and an estimated 7 million women are treated for complications associated with unsafe abortions. According to a 2012 estimate, 15 per 1,000 women aged 15-49 years seek treatment for abortion-related health complications in both private and public sectors. A high unmet need for family planning in Pakistan and a low percentage of women adopting a contraceptive method in the post-partum period led to unwanted pregnancy becoming one of the reasons for unsafe abortion.

Donor moieties with D-π-a framing modulated electronic and nonlinear optical properties for non-fullerene-based chromophores.

Herein, a series of non-fullerene-based substantial chromophores (FHD1-FHD6) with a D-π-A framework was designed from a synthesized non-fullerene compound (FH) structural tailoring with various donor moieties. The FH and its designed derivatives were optimized with frequency analysis at the M06/6-311G (d,p) level to confirm their true minima on potential energy surfaces. These optimized geometries were utilized to perform further analyses, such as absorption, natural bonding orbital (NBO), frontier molecular orbital (FMO), and nonlinear orbital (NLO) analyses at the aforesaid level.

Expression profiling of TaARGOS homoeologous drought responsive genes in bread wheat.

Drought tolerant germplasm is needed to increase crop production, since water scarcity is a critical bottleneck in crop productivity worldwide. Auxin Regulated Gene involved in Organ Size (ARGOS) is a large protein family of transcription factors that plays a vital role in organ size, plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses in plants. Although, the ARGOS gene family has been discovered and functionalized in a variety of crop plants, but a comprehensive and systematic investigation of ARGOS genes in locally used commercial wheat cultivars is still yet to be reported.

Identification of drought tolerant Chickpea genotypes through multi trait stability index.

Drought is a major and constantly increasing abiotic stress factor, thus limiting chickpea production. Like other crops, Kabuli Chickpea genotypes are screened for drought stress through Multi-environment trials (METs). Although, METs analysis is generally executed taking into account only one trait, which provides less significant reliability for the recommendation of genotypes as compared to multi trait-based analysis.

Telehealth for Addressing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Hybrid Telemedicine-Community Accompaniment Model for Abortion and Contraception Services in Pakistan.

The COVID-19 pandemic led overburdened health care systems to deprioritize essential sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion and contraception care, while accelerating shifts in healthcare delivery to digital technologies. However, in many countries, including Pakistan, inequalities in access to digital technologies remain, presenting an opportunity for interventions that both increase access to deprioritized sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services and overcome the digital divide in delivering digital solutions to those in need of SRHR services. In June 2020, Ipas Pakistan partnered with Sehat Kahani (SK), a local health care NGO and telehealth service, and an existing network of Lady Health Workers (LHWs) to launch a novel hybrid telemedicine-community accompaniment pilot.

Overexpression of SlGSNOR impairs in vitro shoot proliferation and developmental architecture in tomato but confers enhanced disease resistance.

The pervasive presence of nitric oxide (NO) in cells and its role in modifying cystein residues through protein S-nitrosylation is a remarkable redox based signalling mechanism regulating a variety of cellular processes. S-NITROSOGLUTATHIONE REDUCTASE (GSNOR) governs NO bioavailability by the breakdown of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), fine-tunes NO signalling and controls total cellular S-nitrosylated proteins. Most of the published data on GSNOR functional analysis is based on the model plant Arabidopsis with no previous report for its effect on in vitro regeneration of tissue cultured plants.

Is it an institution, digital or social inclusion that matters for inclusive growth? A panel data analysis.

This study empirically examines the impact of institutional quality, social inclusion and digital inclusion on inclusive growth across different economies characterized by different income groups. Particularly, the study examines the impact of institutions on inclusive growth by using the panel data for 83 countries over the period 2010-2017. For empirical specification, we used two-steps system-GMM estimation technique to tackle endogeneity and min-max normalized indexing technique to construct the indices for inclusive growth, social inclusion, digital inclusion and institutional quality.

Phenotyping for drought resistance in bread wheat using physiological and biochemical traits.

Drought is one of the most prominent limiting factors that negatively affect crop productivity by manipulating its physiological pathway. One hundred twenty diverse bread wheat genotypes were used in a pot experiment to explore the relationship among their fifteen physio-biochemical traits (PBT) by using multivariate analysis, heatmapping and stress tolerance index (STI) for grain yield as a marker trait to identify high yielding genotype with maximum stress tolerance capability. Increased proline and sugar accumulation were observed from control to moisture deficient environments by 159% and 122%, respectively.

Assessing the climate change impacts and adaptation strategies for rice production in Punjab, Pakistan.

Climate change is a serious threat to agriculture and food security. The development of adaptation measures is one of the key strategies to offset the climate change impacts on rice crop. A study was planned to develop adaptation strategies for future rice crop through simulation model.

Notes from the field: political norm change for abortion in Pakistan.

This commentary describes positive political norm change on abortion despite a restrictive abortion law. As we describe it, the approach in Pakistan has involved careful efforts to maintain government ownership, leadership, and accountability for safe abortion care and service delivery by Pakistani health authorities early and throughout, with technical support from civil society as requested. This commentary suggests that careful collaboration and mutual support by NGOs working on expanding access to abortion can have a lasting and efficient impact on improving political norms and government ownership over abortion care.

Laboratory selection of chlorpyrifos resistance in an Invasive Pest, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae): Cross-resistance, stability and fitness cost.

The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis is an important polyphagous sucking pest of ornamentals, horticultural and fiber crops worldwide. Some P. solenopsis populations have developed insecticide resistance.

Expression of PTEN and its correlation with proliferation marker Ki-67 in head and neck cancer.

Introduction: PTEN is part of large family of tyrosine phosphatases and has been found inactivated in a wide variety of human cancers.

Aims: In the present study we have tried to determine the association of the expression patterns of this gene with carcinogenesis.

Methods: First, a systematic review was carried out to ascertain the importance of the PTEN gene and its role in carcinogenesis.

Treat-to-target approach in daily clinical practice in Pakistani patients with early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To determine the frequency of patients with early Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) achieving disease remission and/or low disease activity after 6 months of treatment with conventional Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) by using treat-to-target approach in routine clinical practice.

Study Design: Descriptive study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Division of Rheumatology, Fatima Memorial Hospital (FMH), College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, from March 2011 to February 2012.

Minimal invasive plate osteosynthesis of close fractures of distal tibia.

Background: The limited soft tissue, subcutaneous location and poor vascularity render the tibial fractures very challenging. Treatment of distal tibial fractures using minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique may minimise damage to soft tissues and the vascular integrity of bony fragments, leaving comminuted fragments out of the mechanical construct, preserving soft tissues with limited operative exposure. This descriptive study was conducted to assess the outcome of patients treated with MIPO technique for distal tibial fractures.

Major artery occlusion: a rare complication of sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is hereditary hemoglobinopathy which causes haemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusive crisis, ischemic injuries and many other morbidities like cerebral infarction. In this report, we describe a case of a young patient with sickle cell disease presenting with right-sided weakness and slurring of speech with examination confirming right-sided hemiparesis with motor aphasia. On further investigation, she was found to have frontotemporal infarction.

Encephalitis and myelitis associated with dengue viral infection clinical and neuroimaging features.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify clinical and neuroimaging features and outcome of patients with encephalitis and myelitis associated with dengue viral infection.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 225 cases of dengue viral infection. The diagnosis of dengue was confirmed by serology (presence of IgM antibodies).

An unusual N-terminal deletion of the laminin alpha3a isoform leads to the chronic granulation tissue disorder laryngo-onycho-cutaneous syndrome.

Laryngo-onycho-cutaneous (LOC or Shabbir) syndrome (OMIM 245660) is an autosomal recessive epithelial disorder confined to the Punjabi Muslim population. The condition is characterized by cutaneous erosions, nail dystrophy and exuberant vascular granulation tissue in certain epithelia, especially conjunctiva and larynx. Genome-wide homozygosity mapping localized the gene to a 2 Mb region on chromosome 18q11.

The control of gene conversion properties and corresponding-site interference: the effects of conversion control factor 5 on conversion at locus w9 in Ascobolus immersus.

The controls of various aspects and parameters of gene conversion at locus w-9 in the fungus Ascobolus immersus were investigated, along with positive and negative corresponding-site interference in meiotic chromatid pairing. When conversion control factor 5 alleles A and B were heterozygous, conversion frequencies at the closely linked target locus w9 were reduced to 3%, compared with 10.7% when A or B was homozygous, through effects on hybrid-DNA (h-DNA) formation parameters gamma1 and gamma2.