Strategies to mitigate secondary salinization in the Indus Basin of Pakistan: a selective review

Salinity control / Water table / River basins / Irrigation management / Water quality / Irrigation practices / Drainage / Sodic soils / Pakistan

Growth and Development of Saraiki Novel

The linguistic developments have always been coincideing with the development of human civilizations. It is, therefore, commonly believed among historians and linguistic scholars that language and its various generes are the museum of any civilization that help understand depth and breadth of its development over time. The historical development of Saraiki language over time also has been reflected into its various geners such as poetry, drama, prose, folklores or nonfiction, and media.  The present study has examined the the historical development of literary genre, novel in modern Saraiki literature and its sociocultural and linguistic implications. The study would help researcg scholars in the area of Saraiki literature and linguistics to gain deeper understanding of historical development of Saraiki novel in relation to other generes and look into its relationship with sociocultural development of people in Saraiki speaking areas

To Study the Effect of Willow Extract on Apple Cuttings for Different Time Duration

An experiment on “To study the effect of Willow extract on Apple cuttings for different time duration” was conducted in Agricultural Research Station Baffa, Mansehra during the growing season 2017. The experimental design was RCBD with three replication. There were 4 treatment consisting of control (To treatment) T1 (dipping of Apple cutting in extract for 4 hours), T2 (dipping of Apple cutting in extract for 6 hours) and T3 (dipping of Apple cutting in extract for 8 hours). Each treatment consists of 30 cuttings. The experimental results revealed that there is a significant effect on apple cutting after treatment with the willow extract. The data showed that the maximum sprouting percentage (97.183) was noted for the T1(04 hours) which is at par with (96.407)  for T2 (06 hours) and (95.850) T3 (08 hours), maximum plant height (20.567 cm) was noted for T3 (08 hours), maximum number of roots per plant (14.093) were noted for the T3 (08 hours), maximum root length (14.093 cm) were observed in the T3 (08 hours) which is at par with (11.810 cm) noted in the T2 (06 hours), maximum plant diameter (1.3700 cm) was noted for T3 (08 hours), maximum number of branches per plant (5.1633 ) were recorded for the T3 (08 hours) which is at par with (4.6167) noted for T2 (06 hours), while the minimum sprouting percentage was observed in the T0 (control treatment) 91.707, minimum plant height (10.440 cm) was recorded for the T0 (control), minimum number of roots per plant (5.620) were noted in the T0 (control treatment), minimum root length (6.623 cm) was noted for T0 (control treatment) closely followed by (8.877 cm) for the T1 (4 hours), minimum plant diameter (0.1667cm) was recorded for the T0 (control treatment) which is at par with (0.2533 cm) noted for the T2 (04 hours), minimum number of branches (2.1533) were recorded for the T0 (control treatment). Keywords: apple, cuttings, auxin, willow, plant height, plant diameter, root length, number of roots and number of branches et

DETERMINANTS OF NON-PERFORMING LOANS IN THE NIGERIA BANKING INDUSTRY

This study examined the determinants of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the Nigeria banking industry between the periods of 2011-2020. The specific objective of the study is to examine the relationship between the measures of bank specific variables [Bank Size (BS), Capital Adequacy (CA), Profitability (PROF), Bank Age (BA), Liquidity (LIQ) and Loan to Total Assets (LTA)] and [NPLs proxy with Non Performing Loans Ratio (NPLR)] in Nigeria. The focus on the banks in Nigeria listed in the Nigeria Stock Exchange and the difficulty in assessing their annual reports and account of 10 banks were drawn out of the 18 deposit money banks (DMBs) for the study. The data for the study was gotten from the annual reports and accounts of the ten (10) banks on the basis of the variables under study and the data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that BS, CA and BA have significant effect on NPLR but the effect of BS and BA on NPR are negative while PROF have negative insignificant effect on NPLR of DMBs in Nigeria. This research found that determinants of NPLs have mix effect on NPLR in Nigeria. The findings suggested that BS in relation to total assets should put in consideration when granting loans and also, the DMBs in Nigeria should maintain and implement the capital adequacy policy enacted by the CBN. Keywords:  Non-Performing Loans, Bank Size, Capital Adequacy, Profitability, Bank Age, and Liquidity

The characteristics of appendicoliths associated with acute appendicitis

Introduction: Differences between appendicoliths associated with appendicitis and those found incidentally have not been studied. The objective of this study was to determine the characteristics of appendicoliths that are associated with acute appendicitis. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients with appendicoliths identified on computed tomographic (CT) scan from January 2008 till December 2014 was conducted. Patients were divided into two group: appendicitis and appendicoliths (AA) and incidentally discovered appendicoliths (IA). Results: Overall, 321 patients were included in the study. Of these, 103 (32%) patients were in the AA group while 218 (68%) patients were in the IA group. Both groups were similar in age and gender distribution. Significantly greater proportion of patients in the AA group had more than one appendicolith [AA vs. IA: 63 (62%) vs. 82 (38%), p \u3c 0.001], appendicolith location at the base [AA vs. IA: 34 (33%) vs. 33 (15%), p \u3c 0.001] and appendicolith diameter of 5 mm or more [AA vs. IA: 71 (69%) vs. 28 (13%), p \u3c 0.001]. On multivariate analysis, more than one appendicolith [Odds ratio (OR): 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.4; p = 0.02] and diameter of 5 mm or more (OR: 13, 95% CI: 7.1-23.6; p \u3c 0.001) were independently associated with acute appendicitis. Conclusion: Multiple appendicoliths and appendicoliths larger than 5 mm are associated with acute appendicitis

Stock markets dynamics and environmental pollution: emerging issues and policy options in Asia

The fact is the stock market has an asymmetric effect on macroeconomic variables. In this study, we examine the nonlinear stock market reaction to the environment. This is the first study that considers the possibility of asymmetric effects of stock market on environmental pollution in Asia. This study considers the experiences of Asia economies by using the panel NARDL methodology over the data period from 1995 to 2019. The long-run panel NARDL results showed that the positive change in stock market increases carbon emissions. In adverse, the negative change in stock market significantly mitigates the carbon emissions in Asia. The short-run stock market asymmetric effects continued into the long-run asymmetric effects on the environment in Asia. Thus, policymakers and authorities should initiate to promote green financial activities in Asian stock markets