Service-Oriented Architecture for Providing ITS Services in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET) is the cutting edge technology for smart transportation. VANET becomes an important aspect of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS). Different safety and non-safety applications have been developed for VANET. The inspiration behind VANET is to provide safe, and pleasant journeys to the drivers and passengers. Although the quality of software depends upon its architecture, most of them do not give proper attention to the consideration of Software-Oriented Architecture (SOA) for providing safety and non-safety ITS services in VANET. To address this issue, we proposed an efficient software architecture by highlighting the important operations and services of the system. The performance of the proposed architecture is evaluated by several design metrics and the results are compared with a state-of-the-art solution. The results showed that our proposed architecture has low coupling and high cohesion factors. Furthermore, the results reveal that our architecture is less complex and more reusable. From the results, we conclude that the proposed architecture is suitable for providing safety and non-safety ITS services and will pave the way for the implementation of the futuristic vision of the ITS

Review on Therapeutic Potential of Phytochemicals from Medicinal Plants

Nature has provided plants with a vast range of phytochemicals. These phytochemicals are enriched with different pharmacological activities. These pharmacological activities have a potential to be wisely used for therapeutic purpose. It can be utilized in so many ways for the expansion of therapeutic strategies. With the advancement in the field of medicine and due to increasing side effects of synthetic medicines there emerges a need to discover novel therapeutic remedies. Medicinal plants serve as the best source for the manufacture of new remedies for many diseases. Medicinal plants bear a potential towards treating incurable chronic diseases. The aim of this review is to provide a therapeutic potential of individual phytochemical of different medicinal plants so that it can be further studied, researched and used for manufacturing medicines with lesser side effects and better therapeutic potential

Women’s Lived Experience of Pregnancy and Child Birth: Narratives from Pakistan

In Pakistan there are unique socio-cultural factors that contribute to women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth. This study explores Pakistani women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth an area that remains under researched in the country. Qualitative research was employed for data collection by using an un-structured interview guide. The informants included twelve women who had recently been through the childbirth process for the first and second time. The collected data reveals that women were unaware of the use of multi vitamins during pregnancy. They delayed physical check-ups with a gynaecologist. Women encountered challenges at work during pregnancy and encountered work family conflict after childbirth. Support from intimate relations including husbands and in-laws were reported by the respondents. Attitude of colleagues at work was not always positive during pregnancy. The working women reported being overburdened at work. It is suggested that women friendly policies are required for working women giving birth. Facilities including rest rooms, medical centres need to be provided to the women at work. Women need to be educated about the importance of health care during pregnancy

Personal and sociocultural factors as barriers to exercise among female university students. A cross-sectional study

It is a well-known fact that the illness rate is increasing day by day in the world and physical inactivity is a major factor of it. According to studies physical inactivity is the 4th most leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for 6% of all casualties. Objective: This cross-sectional study aims to explore the personal and sociocultural factors that act as barriers to exercise among female university students. By examining these factors, the study seeks to provide valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and health professionals to develop targeted strategies that address the identified barriers and promote physical activity among this demographic. Material and Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in different universities of Faisalabad. The sample size of 800 female university students of age 17-27 was included in the study through a simple random sampling method. Females with recent injury, pregnant, mentally retarded female were excluded. Data was collected by self-generated questionnaire and the collected data was analyzed through SPSS version 16 Results: The finding of the study showed that females had many personal and sociocultural factors which acted as an obstacle in their exercise and made them inactive. Most prominent obstacle for females related to sociocultural factors was the lack of sidewalks in parks which provide enjoyable and safe strolling and a smaller number of gyms specifically for females. And another prominent personal barrier in exercise was time shortage and the parent’s preference of academic activities over exercise. Conclusion: This study sheds light on the personal and sociocultural factors that hinder exercise participation among female university students. The findings underscore the importance of developing targeted interventions to address these barriers. Strategies focused on enhancing self-efficacy, promoting positive body image, and time management skills can help alleviate personal barriers

Lumpy Skin Disease – A Potential Downfall of National Economy

Madam, the Lumpy Skin Disease, initially endemic in Africa and widely spreading to encompass the Middle East and other regions, finally has Pakistan in its grasp. It has emerged in Sindh and South Punjab, wreaking havoc in Sindh and infecting more than 20,250 animals, with more than 50 deaths being reported [1]. Internationally, the Southern, Eastern, and Southeastern countries faced economic losses as high as USD 1.45 billion due to this disease [2]. Its long-lasting and deplorable impact on the economy has been considered a prominent infection of livestock by The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Despite low associated mortality of 10%, it has a consequential worldwide morbidity rate of about 5-45% [3]. Transmitted by an arthropod vector, LSD is a vector-borne viral disease, which largely targets cattle including water buffaloes. The virus is shed in body secretions involving the infected animal's tears, saliva, semen, and milk [4]. The disease is characterized by a high grade, persistent fever, multiple skin nodules, lymphadenitis, a decline in milk yield, orchitis, and abortion. The economic implications encountered by farmers in the afflicted areas include low milk yield, poor skin and hide quality, and consistent degenerative thinness of animals. Although the entire cattle industry suffers from economic losses, small-scale farmers endure the greatest loss. Despite the low animal-to-human transmission, probability, the high economic losses incurred require drastic steps to prevent the further spread of the disease among cattle. Mass awareness programs among farmers should be promptly implemented, and vaccination drives should be promptly scheduled. Insect repellents and vector traps should be made available on a large scale. Steps must be taken to properly set isolation areas following the standard health protocols for infected livestock. Complications caused by the disease can be effectively treated by the usage of antimicrobials, anti-inflammatory medications, supportive therapy, and antiseptic solutions. Severely infected animals should be culled in a remote area following international standards. Highly effective clinical surveillance is required for timely detection and isolation of a suspected case [5]. Although there is no documented proof of transmission to humans, consumers should preferably avoid dairy products and meat before complete eradication of the disease. We humbly request the concerned health department take timely measures before an unprecedented loss is incurred and promote the national production of vaccination that is easily obtainable by farmers of all economic backgrounds

Monkeypox – a cause of concern?

Madam, the Monkeypox disease is a zoonotic infection caused by the Monkeypox virus of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family. With a similar clinical presentation as the now eradicated smallpox, which includes fever, rash, and lymphadenopathy [1], the disease has remained endemic in Africa since the first reported case in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970. However, the latest news coverage has revealed new outbreaks of Monkeypox in non-endemic regions, which has left us wondering, ‘are we seeing the beginnings of a new Epidemic?’ Since its discovery, the number of reported cases of Monkeypox are on the rise, with the first case reported from outside Africa in 2003, when a Monkeypox outbreak reported from U.S.A following a shipment of Prairie dogs received from Ghana [2]. Between 2010-2019, cases were reported in the United Kingdom, Israel, and Singapore, all of which were associated with a recent travel history to Monkeypox endemic countries. As of 21 May 2022, the WHO reports 92 confirmed and 28 suspected cases of Monkeypox in humans from countries where the disease is non-endemic, with the highest numbers being reported in the UK, Spain, and Portugal. These cases are unique because the individuals involved were all infected locally, most of whom were men who had  sex with men (MSMs) [3] , indicating a sexual mode of transmission that warrants  further investigation. The cases being reported in the U.S.A and the U.K are concerning given the high number of international visitors to these countries, who may then spread the infection to their home countries. We believe that the emerging disease poses serious challenges within Pakistan and abroad. While new therapeutic agents (Tecovirimat) and a vaccine (MVA-BN) have been approved for Monkeypox, their availability remains limited. This issue would further be exacerbated by the challenges faced during the vaccination strategies used against Covid-19 in Pakistan [4]. Moreover, Human-to-human transmissions via sharing of beds and eating utensils has also been identified [5], which is concerning given Pakistan’s high population density and low socioeconomic status. We request that the respective Health authorities act to raise awareness of the disease. This may be accomplished by launching an Awareness Campaign using telecommunications and social media. Furthermore, screening of those with a recent travel history to countries with reported outbreaks should be conducted to curtail the spread of disease. --Continu

Knowledge and Practices of Teachers Associated with Eye Health of Primary School Children in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

PURPOSE: Teachers’ perspectives on eye health can be limited, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess teachers’ knowledge and practices associated with eye health of primary students in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS: This was a cross‑sectional survey of primary school teachers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 443 participants from 34 private and 17 public schools. A self‑administered questionnaire was used. RESULTS: Teachers’ knowledge ranged from “high” (35.89%), “moderate” (49.89%), and “low” (14.22%). Teachers’ practices associated with students’ eye health ranged from “high” (10.16%), “moderate” (23.02%), and “low” (66.82%). The teachers’ knowledge index scores increased 4.28 points with successive age groups and increased 2.41 points with each successive level of education. For teachers whose close relatives experienced eye disease, their knowledge index score was 4.51 points higher than those teachers whose relatives never had any eye disease. Teachers’ age, education level, and their close relatives experiencing eye disease were significant predictors of their knowledge (R2 = 0.087, P \u3c 0.001). Female teachers’ practices index score was 10.35 points higher than the male teachers and public school teachers had 10.13 points higher than the private school teachers. Teachers’ gender and type of school were significant predictors of their practices (R2 = 0.06, P \u3c 0.001). CONCLUSION: There was a significant gap among primary school teachers’ knowledge and practices related to students’ eye health. Innovative strategies are needed to improve how teachers address students’ eye health issues in the classroom

Hate Crimes against Muslims and Increasing Islamophobia in India

This article attempts to shed light on the issue of hate crimes against Muslims in India resulting in escalated incidents of Islamophobia. For a holistic understanding of the issue, the authors discussed political ideologies in India, social stratification in Indian society, social marginalization of Muslims, and the forms of social discrimination faced by Muslim community. In India, hostility between Hindus and Muslims increased day by day after the partition in 1947; hate crimes against Muslims reached its peak because of various sociopolitical, economic and religious factors. Muslim community confronts many challenges including multiple cases of assaults, murder, discrimination and harassment due to Islamophobia which predominantly prevails against Indian Muslim

Isolation and Molecular Characterization of a Model Antagonistic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Divulging In Vitro Plant Growth Promoting Characteristics

The use of microbial technologies in agriculture is currently expanding quite rapidly with the identification of new bacterial strains, which are more effective in promoting plant growth. In the present study 18 strains of Pseudomonas were isolated from soil sample of Balochistan coastline. Among isolated Pseudomonas strains four designated as SP19, SP22, PS24, and SP25 exhibited biocontrol activities against phytopathogenic fungi, that is, Rhizopus microsporus, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata, and Penicillium digitatum; PS24 identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 16srRNA gene bank accession number EU081518 was selected on the basis of its antifungal activity to explore its potential as plant growth promotion. PS24 showed multiple plant growth promoting attributes such as phosphate solubilization activity, indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore, and HCN production. In order to determine the basis for antifungal properties, antibiotics were extracted from King B broth of PS24 and analyzed by TLC. Pyrrolnitrin antibiotic was detected in the culture of strain PS24. PS24 exhibited antifungal activities found to be positive for hydrogen cyanide synthase Hcn BC gene. Sequencing of gene of Hcn BC gene of strain PS24 revealed 99% homology with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA01. The sequence of PS24 had been submitted in gene bank accession number KR605499. Ps. aeruginosa PS24 with its multifunctional biocontrol possessions can be used to bioprotect the crop plants from phytopathogens