Evaluation of Antibacterial Potential of Artemisinin Extracts of Artemisia Annua In Vivo and In Vitro

To ensure universal health care, the World Health Organization recognized the significance of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) and recommended the use of natural herbs and plants bearing therapeutic potential and fewer adverse effects. Therefore, Artemisia annua herb was evaluated for its antibacterial potential and therapeutic efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus and Escherichia coli both in vitro and in vivo. Artemisinin was extracted from Artemisia annua by chemical treatment. Subsequently, the culture sensitivity tests were performed on MHA by disk diffusion method to determine the antibacterial potential of the Artemisinin extracts against the test bacteria (in vitro phase). The results of this in vitro trial revealed that the test bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus were significantly sensitive to Artemisinin extracts and showed a diameter of 27.7 and 22.3 mm of the bacteriostatic zone, respectively, while the Escherichia coli was moderately sensitive to the Artemisinin extracts with the bacteriostatic zone of 12.9mm. During the 2nd phase of the study (in vivo trial), 20 rabbits were maintained which were infected with S. aureus and were successfully treated with varying concentrations of the Artemisinin extracts @ 1 mg/ml, 2 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml in DMSO and were recovered. Similarly, rabbits infected with Streptococcus were also successfully treated and recovered. Thereafter, rabbits infected with E. coli were treated with Artemisinin, and out of 15 rabbits in three test groups, 03 rabbits died while the others were recovered. Hence, as per findings of this study, Artemisinin extracts were recommended against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus infections

Major causes of negative and positive impacts on mental health during lock-down due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Soon after pandemic of Covid-19; Lockdown across Pakistan led to wide spectrum of problems that includes unemployment, closure of schools & Colleges, shattered economy. Least in focused remained the mental health of the people affected due to different reasons. Objective: To determine the major causes of negative and positive impact on mental health during Covid-19 pandemic. of lock-down on mental health. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dow University of Health Sciences during April-May 2020. Using structured online questionnaire, 362 participants took part in the study. The selection criteria were age above 14 years and resident of Karachi in an area under lock down due to pandemic of COVID-19. Results: Overall, 95.3% participants agreed that lock down is most appropriate strategy to counter the spread of Covid-19. Stress consequent to lock down was attributed as concern for their loved ones and relative by 47% of the participants, social distancing and restrictions by 44.2% and fall in economic situation by 43.4%. When asked for the probable solutions to these problems; provision of grocery items at door steps was stated by 53%, ease on taxes and/or bills by 52.5%; while 51.7% were of the opinion that people should be keep informed about development regarding Covid-19.  The positive impacts on mental health were due to having more time for family (63.5%) and break from busy life (47.5%). Conclusion: Different causes of negative and positive impacts of lock-down were acknowledged with people experiencing almost similar causes of stress and anxiety. Almost all of the problems are solvable if people’s recommendations are taken into account.   Keywords: COVID-19 19, pandemic, Mental health

WIRELESS HAND GESTURE ROBOT USING DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING

To build RF based hand gesture robot which can be controlled through RF technology, where the decision of the gesture will be taken on behalf of image processing in MATLAB. To control the motion of the robot i.e. moving forward, moving backward, moving left and moving right. Moreover the information regarding direction will also be displayed on the transmitter end. In this system microcontroller is used as a central part to control the movement and direction of the Robot. The movement of the robot is controlled by hand gesture, the robot moves at a particular direction where hand gives a gesture. In this system for the detection of hand movement, DIP(digital image processing) tool is used which detect the hand and give information to the microcontroller which gives command to the transmitter. The transmitter transmits the desire signal to receiver side. The receiver gives command to microcontroller on the receiver side and the robot moves toward the desire place or direction. Â

Novel bioinformatics approach for encoding and interrogating the progression and modulation of the mammalian cell cycle

The cell cycle, with its highly conserved features, is a fundamental driver for the temporal control of cell growth and proliferation in tissues - while abnormal control and modulation of the cell cycle are characteristic of cancer cells, particularly in response to therapy. A central theme in cancer biology is to resolve and understand the origin and nature of innate and induced heterogeneity at the cell population level. Cellular heterogeneity - comprising structural, temporal and functional dimensions - is a confounding factor in the analysis of cell population dynamics and has implications at physiological, pathological and therapeutic levels. There is an exceptional advancement in the applications of imaging and cell tracking technologies dedicated to the area of cytometric research, that demand an integrated bioinformatics environment for high-content data extraction and interrogation. Image-derived cell-based analyses, where time is the quality parameter also demand unique solutions with the aim of enabling image encoding of spatiotemporal cellular events within complex cell populations. The perspective for this thesis is the complex yet poorly understood nature of cancer and the opportunities offered by rapidly evolving cytometric technologies. The research addresses the intellectual aspects of a bioinformatics framework for cellular informatics that encompass integrated data encoding, archiving, mining and analysis tools and methods capable of producing in silico cellular fingerprints for the responses of cell populations to perturbing influences. The overall goal is to understand the effects of anti-cancer drugs in complex and potentially heterogeneous neoplastic cellular systems by providing hypothesis testing opportunities. Cell lineage maps encoded from timelapse microscopy image sequences sit at the core of the proposed bioinformatics infrastructure developed in the current work. Through a number of data mining, analysis and visualisation tools the interactions and relationships within and between lineages have provided dynamic patterns for the modulation of the cell cycle in disease and under stress. The lineage data, accessible through databases implemented during the current study, has provided a rich repository for pharmacodynamic (PD) modelling and validation and has thus laid the foundation for fabricating a comprehensive knowledge base for linking both cellular and molecular behaviour patterns. These provide the foundation for meeting the aspirations of systems biology and drug discovery.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Epidemiological Survey of Bovine Babesia and Theileria Parasites in Buffaloes in District Dera Ismail, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Piroplasmosis (babesiosis and theileriosis) are the leading blood parasites responsible for significant economic losses to the dairy enterprises. These parasites are transmitted by Ixodid ticks from a diseased animal to a healthy animal. This study was executed to determine the prevalence of Theileria and Babesia in water buffaloes in District Dera Ismail Khan for their risk assessment. During this trial, 350 random blood samples were obtained from buffalos within the region of District Dera Ismail Khan and examined for Babesia and Theileria parasites using Giemsa staining technique under an oil immersion lens. Forty-eight blood samples were found positive and the prevalence of Babesiosis was 7.43 %, followed by the prevalence of Theileriosis (6.28 %). Babesiosis had a significantly higher (p \u3c 0.05) prevalence among both males and females (6.9 % and 7.7 %, respectively) followed by Theileria (5.38 % and 6.8 %, respectively). The significantly highest (p \u3c 0.05) prevalence of Theileria was seen in calves younger than 2 years (16.7 %). Babesiosis was most prevalent (p \u3c 0.05) in calves aged 2 to 5 (11.7 %). The Kundhi buffalo breed had the highest (p \u3c 0.05) prevalence of babesiosis, followed by the Nili Ravi breed, while, the Nili Ravi breed had the highest frequency (p \u3c 0.05)of Theileria. Piroplasmosis prevalence significantly (p \u3c 0.05) peaked in the summer season. Piroplasmosisis the major risk factor in endangering the general health of the buffalo’s population, therefore, stringent control measures are recommended for the management of the tick population

External Resources and Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis of South Asian Countries

This study aims to investigate the role of three important external resources on the economic growth of leading South Asian countries. A sample of four countries is studied from 1983 to 2014. Empirical analyses are carried out in two phases. First, we have checked the combined effect using CD test, CIPS, Pedroni, and Westerlund panel cointegration, pooled mean group (PMG) framework and Heterogeneous non-causality test. In the second phase, we compared the regional and country-wise estimations using ARDL bound testing, stability test, and Granger causality. Results suggest that remittances play a vital role in the economic growth of selected South Asian countries, whereas, imports and foreign direct investment found to be insignificant. Also, while evaluating the same model for the individual countries using the ARDL estimations also reveal that remittances significantly contribute to the economies of Pakistan and Sri Lanka and imports found to be negatively related with economic growth in the same economies. However, imports showed a strong relationship with the economic growth of Bangladesh. Thus, this paper has drawn some insights for the policymakers

Novel bioinformatics approach for encoding and interrogating the progression and modulation of the mammalian cell cycle

The cell cycle, with its highly conserved features, is a fundamental driver for the temporal control of cell growth and proliferation in tissues - while abnormal control and modulation of the cell cycle are characteristic of cancer cells, particularly in response to therapy. A central theme in cancer biology is to resolve and understand the origin and nature of innate and induced heterogeneity at the cell population level. Cellular heterogeneity - comprising structural, temporal and functional dimensions - is a confounding factor in the analysis of cell population dynamics and has implications at physiological, pathological and therapeutic levels. There is an exceptional advancement in the applications of imaging and cell tracking technologies dedicated to the area of cytometric research, that demand an integrated bioinformatics environment for high-content data extraction and interrogation. Image-derived cell-based analyses, where time is the quality parameter also demand unique solutions with the aim of enabling image encoding of spatiotemporal cellular events within complex cell populations. The perspective for this thesis is the complex yet poorly understood nature of cancer and the opportunities offered by rapidly evolving cytometric technologies. The research addresses the intellectual aspects of a bioinformatics framework for cellular informatics that encompass integrated data encoding, archiving, mining and analysis tools and methods capable of producing in silico cellular fingerprints for the responses of cell populations to perturbing influences. The overall goal is to understand the effects of anti-cancer drugs in complex and potentially heterogeneous neoplastic cellular systems by providing hypothesis testing opportunities. Cell lineage maps encoded from timelapse microscopy image sequences sit at the core of the proposed bioinformatics infrastructure developed in the current work. Through a number of data mining, analysis and visualisation tools the interactions and relationships within and between lineages have provided dynamic patterns for the modulation of the cell cycle in disease and under stress. The lineage data, accessible through databases implemented during the current study, has provided a rich repository for pharmacodynamic (PD) modelling and validation and has thus laid the foundation for fabricating a comprehensive knowledge base for linking both cellular and molecular behaviour patterns. These provide the foundation for meeting the aspirations of systems biology and drug discovery

GIRLS' ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS AT INTERMEDIATE LEVEL IN FATA

This paper investigated the attitude of girls’ students towards mathematics and factors affecting their attitude towards the subject at intermediate level in Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). The sample of the study was three hundred and thirty 330 pre-medical girls’ students from six 6 higher secondary schools and inter-colleges in Khyber Agency. A convenience sampling technique was used in the selection of schools while students were randomly selected. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire with (alpha=0.97) and were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that girls’ attitude towards mathematics was negative. Socio-cultural factors, Stereotypic effects, math’s anxiety, lack of role model in mathematics, deficiency of Mathematics teachers and lack of counseling services in schools/colleges were the main factors responsible for students negative attitude towards the subject. It was, therefore, recommended that revision of present math’s course, introducing math’s short courses, inclusion of description of the female role models in the subject, launching of effective awareness campaigns about mathematics career for girls, overcoming the deficiency of mathematics teachers in schools/colleges and establishing counseling services in schools/colleges were necessary for changing students’ attitude to provide them opportunities to join science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields