Prospects of microalgal biodiesel production in Pakistan – a review

Biodiesel is an alternative, renewable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly fuel for transportation, with properties like petroleum-derived diesel, and can be used directly in a compression ignition engine without any modifications. The world's fossil fuel and crude oil reserves are going to dry up in the next few decades, but, contrariwise, an attractive, high quality, readily available and economically extractable oil from microalgae is a substitute feedstock to produce alternative biodiesel fuel for the transportation sector in the future. Microalgae have a higher biomass productivity (tons/hectare/year) and lipid yield (kg/kg of algal biomass) as compared to vegetable oil crops. To overcome the problem of energy deficiency in developing countries, like Pakistan, and boost their economic growth, alternative fuels are proving very important for environment-friendly and sustainable development, especially in the last few decades. Different research studies on microalgae cultivation, characterization of microalgae oil (lipids), and evaluations of its socio-economic feasibility to produce renewable biodiesel have been conducted in the past in Pakistan for its future prospects. This review paper includes the overall summary and compilation of the microalgae research conducted in Pakistan on biodiesel production and includes the algal biodiesel production cost analysis. The studies showed promising results for harnessing microalgae and using its lipids to produce biodiesel with favourable properties that were comparable to the conventional diesel in Pakistan. The information related to the microalgae research will help stakeholders and governmental organisations working in the renewable energy sector to consider its cultivation on a large scale, using waste water as a feedstock to produce biodiesel to meet the target set by the Government of Pakistan of using 10% blended biodiesel by the year 2025 in Pakistan

Incidence and etiology of omphalitis in Pakistan: a community-based cohort study

Introduction: Although omphalitis (umbilical infections) among newborns is common and a major cause of neonatal deaths in developing countries, information on its burden and etiology from community settings is lacking. This study aimed to determine the incidence and etiology of omphalitis in newborns in high neonatal mortality settings in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: Trained community health workers surveyed all new births in three low-income areas from September 2004 to August 2007. Pus samples from the umbilical stumps were obtained from babies with pre-defined signs of illness and subjected to culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results: Among 6904 births, 1501 (21.7%) newborns were diagnosed with omphalitis. Of these, 325 (21.6%) were classified as mild, 1042 (69.4%) as moderate, and 134 (8.9%) as severe, 141 (9.3%) were associated with clinical signs of sepsis. The incidence of omphalitis was 217.4/1000 live births, moderate-severe omphalitis 170.3 per 1000 live births, and associated with sepsis 20.4 per 1000 live births. Of 853 infants with purulent umbilical discharge, 64% yielded 583 isolates. The most common pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus, of which 291 (95.7%) were methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and 13 (4.2%) methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Streptococcus pyogenes 105 (18%), Group B beta-hemolytic streptococci 59 (10 %), Pseudomonas spp., 52 (8.9 %), Aeromonas spp. 19 (3.2%), and Klebsiella spp. 12 (2%). Conclusions: A high burden of omphalitis can be associated with sepsis among newborns in low-income communities in Pakistan. S. aureus is the most common pathogen isolated from umbilical pus. Appropriate low-cost prevention strategies need to be implemented

Age-related cardiovascular response to tilt test in healthy volunteers of both sexes

This study aimed to assess the age-related changes in the cardiovascular response to tilt test in 90 healthy individuals of both sexes (age range: 18-60 years). Tilting was done at 600 for 10 min using a motorized tilt table. The blood pressure was recorded by a sphygmomanometer. The heart rate and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation were measured by a pulse oximeter. In males, significantly lesser changes in the systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure were observed in the old age (47-60 years) than the young (18-32 years) and middle age (33-46 years) groups. Significantly lesser responses in the heart rate and systolic blood pressure change were observed in the old age females compared to young age after tilting. The rise of diastolic blood pressure after tilting was lesser in the old age female compared to both young and middle-age females. In conclusion, the aging process is associated with attenuated cardiovascular response to tilt test in both males and females

EFFECT OF IRRIGATION AND VARIETIES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF RAPESEED

A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Horticulture Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS) IN AGRONOMYThe study was curled out at the Slier-c- Bangla Agricultural University farm, Dhaka during ?'ovember 2006 to March 2007 to evaluate the effect of irrigation and variety on growth. yield attributes and yield of rapesced. The treatment comprised of three levels of irrigation viz, no irrigation, one irrigation at 20 DAS, one irrigation at 35 DAS, two irrigations at 20 and 35 DAS, and three irrigations at 20, 35 50 DAS, and three varieties viz. SAU Sarisha- I, Kalyania and Improved Tori-7. The experiment was laid out in it split plot design with three replications. Three irrigations (at 20, 35 and 50 DAS) increased economic yield with higher values of harvest index as the yield attributes like branches plant", siliqua plani', seeds siliqua" and 1000 seed weigh were higher The seed yield with three irrigations were 11I.93% and 10.73% higher than no irrigation and two irrigations, respectively.'The variety SAU Sarisha- 1 showed its superiority by producing 1.4 % and 45.94 % higher yield than Kalyania and Improved Tori-7, respectively. This variety (SAU Sarisha-L) also showed higher branches plant", seeds siliqua", 1000 seed weight, biological yield and harvest index. most of the eases interaction of three irrigations with SAU Sarisha- I performed best in respect of grain yield as well as other studied parameters. The highest seed yield (1827.0 kg ha") was found in the interaction of three irrigation with SAU Sarisha- I. This was achieved due to the maximum number of branches plant', seeds siliquae" and 1000 seed weight in this interaction. The yield attributes was also supported with appreciable production of dry matter

CHARLAND FARMERS’ ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TOWARDS ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THEIR FOOD SECURITY UNDER BRAHMANBARIA DISTRICT

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, SHER-E-BANGLA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, DHAKA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION & INFORMATION SYSTEM SEMESTER: JANUARY-JUNE, 2019Food security is a condition related to the supply of food, and individuals' access to it. The research was designed to investigate farmers’ food security status. The purpose of the study were to describe socio-economic profile of the farmers; to determine farmers’ extent of adaptation strategies towards adverse effects on their food security and to explore the contributing factors that influence farmers' adaptation strategies towards adverse effects on their food security. The study was purposively conducted at Nabinagar upazila under Brahmanbaria district. Validated and well-structured interview schedule (questionnaire) was used to collect data from 103 farmers during February 20 to March 20, 2021. Descriptive statistics, multiple regressions were used for analysis. The majority (66.99%) of the farmers had medium adaptation strategies compared to 8.74 percent had high and 24.27 percent had low adaptation strategies, respectively. Among ten selected characteristics of the farmers four characteristics, namely education, farming experience, professional training experience and agricultural extension media contact had significant positive contribution to their adaptation strategies towards adverse effects on their food security. The rest six characteristics namely age, family size, farm size, annual family income, organizational participation, food availability and food stock ability had no significant contribution to their adaptation strategies towards adverse effects on their food security. Based on the findings, it is recommended that respective authorities should implement and popularize farmers projects on a massive scale for achieving household food security status of the farmers

WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN HOMESTEAD VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF PATUAKHALI DISTRICT

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Agribusiness Management, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, in Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS) IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICSThe purpose of the study was to determine the level of participation of the women in homestead vegetable production and profitability in three unions namely Angaria, Sreerampur and Lebukhali under Patuakhali district. A structured interview schedule was applied to collect data. Data were collected from selected 90 rural women (30 from each of three unions) purposively during the period from 16 August to 30 September 2019 and Tabular and statistical technique such as Cobb-Douglas production functions were used to achieve the major objectives of the study. Results revealed that, on average 74%, 47% & 63% women predominantly involved in vegetable production and earned Tk. 234,924.00, Tk. 102,109.71 and Tk. 135,482.37.44 in the selected Angaria, Sreerampur and Lebukhali unions. Vegetables like Brinjal, Bean, Cucumber and Papaya had been the common ones in the study areas and duly used in the study to fulfill the objectives. Some socio-economic characteristics of the respondent rural women like educational level, farm size, annual family income and training experience had a significant and positive relationship with their extent of participation in homestead vegetable production. This study also identified some of the economic, technical and social problems and constrained faced by the rural women to undertake homestead vegetable production. Finally, recommendations were made to increase production of vegetables by making each inch of homestead usable

La actitud de los estudiantes hacia la biología en las escuelas secundarias de Islamabad, Pakistán

In this age of science and technology, the world is facing geographical challenges, whereasthe future nation builders are losing their interest even in science subjects, especially, inbiology. There are numerous factors that contributed towards students’ success in a particularsubject but the most important one is their attitude towards that subject. The focus of thepresent study was to investigate the attitude of students towards Biology in SecondarySchools in Islamabad. The population of this study comprised all 10th grade Biology studentsin different institutions in Islamabad. Owing to the shortage of time, the researcher selected506 students (from six public and four private schools) as a convenience sample for this study.These students were administered through a valid and reliable instrument known as “BiologyAttitude Scale” (BAS) developed by the researcher. The study used a 5-point Likert type scaleto measure students’ attitude towards Biology on seven dimensions: “Interest in Biology”,“Career in Biology”, “Importance of Biology”, “Biology Teacher”, “Difficulty in Biology”,“Equipment use in Biology” and “Methodology of Biology”. Students’ attitude toward Biologywas analyzed by using the mean score of an individual statement. The findings of the studyrevealed that overall students showed a positive attitude towards Biology. Female studentsexhibited a positive attitude as compared to male students. Similarly, students in publicschools showed a positive attitude toward students of private schools.En esta era de la ciencia y la tecnología, el mundo enfrenta desafíos geográficos, mientras que los futuros constructores de naciones están perdiendo su interés incluso en temas de ciencias, especialmente en biología. Existen numerosos factores que contribuyeron al éxito de los estudiantes en un tema en particular, pero el más importante es su actitud hacia ese tema. El objetivo del presente estudio fue investigar la actitud de los estudiantes hacia la biología en las escuelas secundarias de Islamabad. La población de este estudio comprendió a todos los estudiantes de biología de 10º grado en diferentes instituciones en Islamabad. Debido a la escasez de tiempo, el investigador seleccionó a 506 estudiantes (de seis escuelas públicas y cuatro privadas) como muestra de conveniencia para este estudio. Estos estudiantes fueron administrados a través de un instrumento válido y confiable conocido como "Biology Attitude Scale" (BAS) desarrollado por el investigador. El estudio utilizó una escala tipo Likert de 5 puntos para medir la actitud de los estudiantes hacia la biología en siete dimensiones: "Interés en biología", "Carrera en biología", "Importancia de la biología", "Profesor de biología", "Dificultad en biología", "Uso de equipos en biología" y "Metodología de la biología". La actitud de los estudiantes hacia la biología se analizó utilizando el puntaje promedio de una declaración individual. Los resultados del estudio revelaron que los estudiantes en general mostraron una actitud positiva hacia la biología. Las estudiantes exhibieron una actitud positiva en comparación con los estudiantes varones. Del mismo modo, los estudiantes en las escuelas públicas mostraron una actitud positiva hacia los estudiantes de las escuelas privadas

Low voltage electric system modeling and simulation

Abstract The automotive vehicle production industry has become a huge business nowadays. The vehicle market is intense and the competition is hard. Every supplier wants to give their best product and maintenance solution to the vast amount of customers who are eagerly waiting for upgrade versions and new inventions of vehicles. So, a lot of research has been going on in the vehicle industry to provide a comfortable driving and travelling experience to the end user. These research works generally comprise a lot of experi ments that require a good amount of time and money. In order to make the experiments faster, easier, and cost-effective it is a good idea to use a soft ware based model. With this software model, the initial feasibility test can be done, and then the finally passed model from the feasibility test can be developed for further practical improvement. So, in this way combination of both the software and practical model will ultimately speed up the research work and make the process more easier and cost-effective. The goal of this thesis report is to develop a software-based model for industrial and marine vehicles. In this thesis report, the low voltage auxiliary power transmission system of a basic marine vehicle (mainly used for cruise) is investigated. Such a vehicle generally contains an alternator, a battery, and loads (lights, air con ditioning system, driving control system, emergency system, etc.) The main parts of an auxiliary system like the alternator and battery are thoroughly investigated to develop an equivalent model of them that can be applicable in MATLAB SIMULINK software. After developing the model for each part they interlinked with each other. Then finally the results are compared with the practical output

TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY THROUGH BIG DATA IN HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE TRENDS

This systematic review investigates the transformative role of big data technologies in biomedical research, analyzing 40 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2023. The review specifically explores advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS), multi-omics approaches, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI), all of which have significantly enhanced the understanding of complex biological systems and diseases. NGS has emerged as a key tool in personalized medicine, enabling rapid and cost-effective genome sequencing that has facilitated the identification of genetic mutations and biomarkers associated with various diseases, particularly in oncology. Of the 40 studies reviewed, 12 focused on the integration of multi-omics data—genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—to provide a comprehensive view of biological processes. These multi-omics approaches have been instrumental in identifying biomarkers for disease progression and response to treatments, offering new avenues for drug development and precision medicine. Additionally, 15 studies highlighted the growing application of machine learning and AI algorithms in managing and analyzing vast biomedical datasets. These tools are now critical in uncovering hidden patterns within large datasets, predicting disease outcomes, and improving the accuracy of clinical decision-making. However, 10 studies emphasized ongoing challenges related to data storage, privacy concerns, and the lack of standardized data formats, which hinder effective data sharing across institutions. Despite these challenges, the integration of AI, IoT devices, and big data analytics is paving the way for more personalized, real-time healthcare monitoring and treatment solutions. This review concludes that while significant advancements have been made, further efforts are required to address the ethical and technical barriers that limit the full potential of big data technologies in biomedical research. &nbsp