SESAME, a third generation synchrotron light source for the Middle East region

Developed under the auspices of UNESCO, SESAME is being established as an autonomous international research centre in the Middle East/Mediterranean region. It will have as its centrepiece a 2.5 GeV third Generation synchrotron light source with 13 straight sections for insertion devices and an emittance of 26.6 nm-rad. It will provide intense radiation from the IR to hard X-rays to a community that is expected to exceed 1000 users a few years after the start of operation in 2008

Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) calculation of extended spectrum β- lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species in Pakistan

The aim of this study was to check for the antibiotic susceptibility pattern and multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR) of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species. All methods used in this study were according to the standard criteria of NCCLs. It was shown that there was high rate of resistance, which was alarming for health practitioners of Pakistan.Key words: Antibiotics, multiple antibiotic resistances (MAR), extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)

Consanguinity among the risk factors for underweight in children under five: a study from rural Sindh

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a common problem, especially in developing countries. Of the 11 million children under 5 who die each year in the developing countries mainly from preventable causes, the death of about 54% are either directly or indirectly attributable to malnutrition. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and associated factors for underweight in rural Sindh.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jhangara Town, located in District Dadu, Sindh. Eight hundred children under 5 years of age were enrolled. A questionnaire was used to elicit required information and anthropometric measurements were made.RESULTS: The overall prevalence for underweight was 54.3% in the study population, which was higher than the prevalence reported by PDHS 1990-91. In multivariate analysis, various factors for underweight were consanguinity (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.08-2.07), low birth weight (parents\u27 perspective) (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.08-2.16) and lack of breast-feeding (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.19-6.17).CONCLUSION: Effective strategies to discourage consanguineous marriages between first cousins are required. Promoting breast feeding is another factor that should be incorporated while designing control strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality due to malnutrition in children (\u3c 5 years)

Comparison of the optimized conditions for genotyping of ACE ID polymorphism using conventional and direct blood PCR

ACE ID polymorphism is inevitable for genetic epidemiology of several cardiovascular and non cardiovascular diseases due to its direct influence on ACE activity level. In the present work, conditions were optimized for its analysis using conventional and direct blood PCR (DB PCR). Blood samples from nine normotensive male donors preserved in EDTA and lithium-heparin coated vacuatainers separately were used directly as template for DB PCR. Genomic DNA was isolated from each vacuatainer for theconventional PCR and DB PCR also. Conditions were optimized by adjusting the suitable annealing temperature, amount of MgCl2 (in case of conventional PCR) and amount of blood used as DNA template for DB PCR. In case of DNA from EDTA treated blood, maximum amplification of targetsequence occurred at 53oC with 2 mM concentration of MgCl2 in all samples. However, when DNA from lithium heparin treated blood was used as template, 6 out of 9 samples gave amplification results with 4mM concentration of MgCl2 at the same temperature. When 1 ìl genomic DNA from EDTA and lithium heparin treated blood was used as DNA template in DB PCR, all samples gave maximum yield at 53oC.DB PCR successfully amplified the target region when 1 ìl blood treated with EDTA and 0.5 ìl lithium heparin treated blood was used per 50 microliter reaction mixture at 51oC as annealing temperature. Itcan be concluded from the study that EDTA treated blood is more suitable for conventional and DB PCR

Agroforestry trends in Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan in general and the province of Punjab in particular have a narrow forest resource. More than 90% of the fuel wood and about 72% of timber requirements are being met from trees growing on the private farm lands, based on agro forestry / social forestry / community forestry as compared with the state forests. It is obvious that trees have to be grown in conjunction with agricultural crops on private farm lands. The main objectives of the study pertain to agro forestry trend in Punjab, Province of Pakistan along with the identification of the agroeclogical zones of the province including evaluation of adaptation level of agro forestry interventions; assessment of the aptitude of agro-foresters towards tree planting and hurdles in expansion of the agro forestry. For this, a survey of 257 farm plantations (FP) was conducted in 20 districts of the Punjab Province and more than 257 agro-farmers were interviewed through a prescribed performa. However, a correlation between linear and compact designs of the agro forestry was established. From the study of the survey results, it has also been noticed that out of 257 FP, only three FP belonged to the lessees and 254 belonged to land owners. It was also noted that number of FP considerably increased during 1995 to 2000, when the Punjab forest department transferred technology and provided various incentives and financial subsidies. The farmers can further increase it, if the government revives financial/technical incentives and marketing facilities.Key words: Agro forestry, linear and compact design, land tenure, agroeclogical zones, spacing

Screening for anti-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteriocin producing bacteria

Methicillin resistant bacterial infections give a tough challenge in the selection of antibiotics. Traditional use of antibiotics is worsening the problem day by day. So, it is essential to sort out other strategies which can replace antibiotic therapy successfully. Bacteriocins are the proteinaceous compounds with a narrower spectrum of antimicrobial activity but its use as antibiotic is not common. No one has ever tried to use it for the treatment of infections. Presently, we have isolated bacteriocin producing bacteria effective against methicillin resistant bacteria. It will help in controlling MRSA infections as well as provide a new strategy to treat reemerging infections

Indian Contribution to Language Sciences in Non-Western Tradition: With Reference to Arabic

Language study relates itself to both ontology and epistemology. Both ontological and epistemological investigations have been the subject of debate and discussion in different civilizations producing a number of grammatical traditions other than the West. Arab, China, India and the ancient Near East can also boast of language traditions of greater antiquity. In terms of richness of insight and comprehensiveness of scope, both India and the Arab compete on equal terms with the West, where each grew independently of the others and for the most part developed separately, drawing on the resources of the culture within which it grew. Hence, there is strong need to have a study of comparative grammatical theory to which Indian, Arabs and Chinese also belong, centring on the questions of: What has been the importance of these theories explanatory categories appear in historically unrelated linguistic theory, and if they do, why? This perspective would bring new dimension to the study of linguistic theory and would not remain at the level of redressing the overwhelming emphasis on the European tradition in the study of history of linguistics

Isolation and characterization of arsenite oxidizing Pseudomonas lubricans and its potential use in bioremediation of wastewater

A bacterium, Pseudomonas lubricans, isolated from heavy metal laden industrial wastewater, has been shown to tolerate multiple heavy metals suggesting its importance in bioremediation of industrial effluents. P. lubricans tolerated As(III) up to 3 mg ml-1, Cu2+ up to 0.7 mg ml-1, Hg2+ up to 0.4 mg ml-1, Ni2+ up to 0.4 mg ml-1 and Cr6+ up to 0.5 mg ml-1. P. lubricans showed optimum growth at pH 7 while optimum temperature for growth was 30°C. P. lubricans could oxidize As(III) 42% (42 μg mg-1 of protein), 78% (78 μg mg-1 of protein) and 95% (95 μg mg-1 of protein) from the medium after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation at optimal conditions, respectively. The arsenite oxidizing ability shown by P. lubricans indicates its potential application in biological treatment of wastewaters contaminated with arsenic

Social Contexts of Phonological Contrasts and Indexicality: Variability and Identity among Singkils

This paper makes an attempt to look at the relationship between linguistics variation and identity in Singkil, an Austronesian language spoken by the aboriginal speakers living dominantly in five districts namely Kuta Baharu,Simpang Kanan, Suro, Gunung Meriah and Singkil, which are administratively under Singkil regency of Aceh province, Indonesia. According to Ethnologue, Singkil is a dialect of Batak Alas-Kluet (btz). Variation displayed at all levels of language structure ranging from syntax to finegained features of pronunciation, provides one of the defining features of human language. Differences in variation may result from biological given, e.g. differences in laryngeal analogy and physiology among men, women and children causing different levels of fundamental frequency. Differences in variation may also arise on account of social patterning of behavior acquired as a result of a speaker’s regional socio-cultural and language background. These alternatives are consciously noticed by listeners and invariably used by speakers as a source of identity markers. Singkil speakers use these phonetic forms as marker and identity when they interact with other Singkil speakers, it can be seen clearly from the use of phoneme /f/ and /r/. The phoneme /f/ changes to

Factors' Employment Absorption, Growth and Income Distribution through Foreign Trade: Pakistan's Case

Despite the recent migration of Pakistan's labour to the Middle East countries, Pakistan is still characterized as a labour-abundant and capital-scarce developing country. As such, it is important that Pakistan's production structure should be such as to employ greater labour and lesser capital per unit of output in the different sectors of the economy. To provide pertinent information to the policy makers in this regard, we here try to estimate how much of labour and capital are employed and absorbed per unit of output in Pakistan's internationally traded goods