Jatropha curcas leaves mulch effect on seedling emergence and growth of maize (zea mays)

Allelopathy is a process in which one plant species may usefully or adversely affect the growth of other plant species through the production of allelochemicals. During the present investigation, mulch effect of Jatropha curcas leaves was evaluated on seed germination and seedling growth of maize varieties viz. Pioneer (V1), Azam (V2) and Jalal (V3). Mulch was applied at 1 and 2 tons/hectare. Phenolic compounds were detected in Jatropha curcas leaf (131.15 mg gallic acid eq./gm extract). Mulch applied at 2 tons/hectare significantly reduced seed germination (%), germination index, relative water content, root width and seedling dry weight. From the findings of the present investigation, it was inferred that Jatropha curcas leaves exhibited phytotoxic effects on maize at high concentrations

On a variant and extension of Gabler inequality

We propose a Jensen-Mercer type variant and a Niezgoda type extension of Gabler inequality along with applications

Robust Image Retrieval using Dominant Colour with Binarized Pattern Feature Extraction and Fast Correlation

The modern technology providing the sharing of information at very fast rate such as audio, video and images. The sharing of such data also increased as the social networking sites become popular among young generation. Now the online databases of images is so huge having millions of images, and the searching of images we need is crucial task. For such applications various image retrieval methodologies is proposed. In this paper we are proposing very efficient image retrieval technique based on dominant colour features extraction and pattern feature extraction. In the simulation results we have found that from around 6000 images proposed algorithm takes only 1.5 seconds to retrieve results. That is why this approach is significant in terms of retrieval speed

The Effect of Pyeloplasty on Renal Cortical Thickness in the Pediatric Population with Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction

OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of pyeloplasty on renal cortical thickness in the pediatric population with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO).  METHODOLOGY This retrospective study examined the renal cortical thickness in 100 pediatric patients diagnosed with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). The study employed a non-probability consecutive sampling technique to select participants. Inclusion criteria encompassed children below five years of age, of both genders, with Pakistani nationality, and availability of both pre-and post-operative ultrasound data. Cases presenting with ureterovesical junction obstruction or vesicoureteral reflux were excluded from the analysis. Data collection involved gathering information on age, gender, and cortical thickness, with renal cortical thickness assessed through ultrasonography. A paired t-test was employed to compare the renal cortical thickness between the preoperative assessment and the 3-month follow-up. RESULTSThe females were 40(40%) and males were 60(60%).  The mean age was 33.51±22.91months.  The mean cortical thickness before pyeloplasty was 5.23±0.93mm and 8.25 ± 2.34mm after pyeloplasty. The renal cortical thickness in both genders significantly increased to 3mm (p<0.001). The cortical thickness before pyeloplasty was 5.23±0.93mm, and after was 8.25±2.34mm.  CONCLUSION Renal cortical thickness can be improved after pyeloplasty in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction

Biosafety risk assessment approaches for insect-resistant genetically modified crops

Background: Environmental risk assessment (ERA) is imperative for commercial release of insect resistant, genetically modified crops (IR-GMCs).An insect specific, spider venom peptideω-HXTX-Hv1a (Hvt) was successfully expressed in cotton plants. The cotton plants producing Hvt protein have demonstrated resistance against economically important insect pest species. The study was performed to assess the effects of Hvt producing cotton plants on Honey bees (Apis mellifera).Methods: Three approaches were used to evaluate the effects of Hvt protein on adults of honeybees; whole plant assays in flight cages, in vitro assays with pollen of Hvt-cotton, and assays with elevated levels of purified Hvt protein. Pollens of Bt cotton or purified Bt proteins were used as control.Results: The field experiments did not yield any meaningful data due to high rate of mortality in all treatments including the control. However, the laboratory experiments provided conclusive results in which Hvt, purified or in pollens, did not affect the survival or longevity of the bees compared to the control. During the course of study we were able to compare the quality, effectiveness and economics of different experiments. Conclusions: We conclude that Hvt either purified or produced in cotton plants do not affect the survival or longevity of honey bees. We are also of the view that starting at laboratory level assays not only gives meaningful data but also saves a lot of time and money that can be spent on other important questions regarding safety of a particular transgenic crop. Hence, a purpose-based, tiered approach could be the best choice for pre-release ERA of IR-GMCs.

Hamstring Shortness among Undergraduate Students, Using Knee Extension Angle Test

Objective: To examine the causes and incidence of hamstring tightness/shortness among undergraduate physical therapy students. Cross-sectional study. Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, DUHS during the period of Jan 2019 to Jun, 2019. Material and Methods: The subjects sample size (n=248) was estimated by open EPI software. Male and female both are included. Hamstring muscle shortness was assessed by a gold standard assessment tool i.e. passive knee extension angle test. Descriptive statistical analysis was done by using SPSS version 24. Results: The hamstring muscle tightness was measured by using knee extension angle test. It results conclude that among (248) students (62.90%) had hamstring muscle tightness / shortness and (37.10%) did not show any muscle shortness. Out of (216) females participants (136) have hamstring shortness. On the other hand out of (32) male participants (20) had hamstring shortness/tightness out of total (248) students. It was also evident from the study that 27% of physiotherapy students having low back pain was because of clinical exposure and tight hamstrings muscles. Conclusion: Hamstring tightness/shortness is very much prevalent among the undergraduate physiotherapy students. The reason might be the prolong study durations and lack of physical activities. The result showed statistically significant difference between hamstring muscle extensibility in both male and female Key words:   Extension Angle, Flexion, Contracture, Fasciti

Being Dissimilar: Religious Dissimilarity, Gender Dissimilarity, Value Dissimilarity and Job Satisfaction

The aim of this research is to study the impact of religious dissimilarity, and gender dissimilarity on job satisfaction. Religious dissimilarity and sexual dissimilarity definitely exaggerated supposed value dissimilarity, which in line, detained a pessimistic relationship with job satisfaction. These properties are capable, though, by a considerable religious difference, religious personal identity relations such that, for people whose religious values are a vital element of who they are, becoming religiously dissimilar in the place of work robustly impact their supposed value dissimilarity

Effectiveness of clean intermittent self catheterization in patients with recurrent urethral stricture post visual internal urethrotomy

OBJECTIVE :   Objective of the study is to determine the effectiveness of CISC in management of recurrent urethral strictures after visual internal urethrotomy.  METHODOLOGY :  This study   performed in department of urology   Saidu teaching hospital Swat  from June 2016 to July 2019 on 215 patients who were diagnosed as having urethral stricture disease. Patients were counseled  for CISC after removal of catheter 2 times a day for 8 weeks  and  at 8th  week cystourethroscopy performed along with detail  evaluation of symptoms of urethral stricture to know  recurrence of stricture.  RESULTS:   81.39% patients have no urethral stricture on cystourethroscopy  and symptomatic evaluation at 8th week  post visual internal urethrotomy  while 18.60%  patients have recurrent urethral stricture . Length of urethral stricture is the most important prognostic factor, stricture of less than 1 cm has success rate of 62.39% while stricture of more than one cm length has success rate of 20% as shown in table IV.  CONCLUSION:  In this study it has been confirmed that CISC  is safe ,cost effective procedure and most of the patients can do it in home with out any complications.

Empirical Investigation of Critical Requirements Engineering Practices for Global Software Development

There is a need to identify requirements engineering (RE) practices that are important to global software development (GSD) project success. The objective of this paper is to report our recent empirical study results which aimed to identify the RE practices that are important to GSD projects. This study used an online survey questionnaire to elicit data from 56 RE experts of GSD projects. The survey included 66 RE practices identified by Sommerville et al. for non-GSD projects. The participants were asked to rank each RE practice on a four-point scale to determine the degree of importance of each practice in the context of GSD projects. This research identified a set of six key RE practices that mainly focuses on GSD project stakeholders, scope, standards and requirements traceability management. One common theme that is evident from the RE experts' feedback analysis is the standardization of requirements documents to reduce requirements inconsistencies and improve communication in diverse and distributed GSD project environments Our results show that not all 66 RE best practices are important for GSD projects. We believe that a good understanding of the identified RE practices is vital in developing and implementing the situation-specific RE processes for GSD projects.Qatar University - grant No. IRCC-2021-010