Identification and Statistical Analysis of Landuse and Land Cover Patterns in Southern Haripur Tehsil, KPK with Techniques of Remote Sensing and GIS

This research was carried out to digitize and interpret the land use and land cover patterns of the southern Haripur tehsil with remote sensing and Geographical Information System techniques. Interpretation was done with the topographical map of Haripur district and online images of Landsat 7, 2012, Google earth 2016 and zoom level image of Landsat 8, 2015 (Urban unit, 2015). Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates were collected via field work for ground verification of the features. For statistical analysis, Arc GIS 9.3 and Excel sheet 2010 was used. From the analysis it was found that the maximum agricultural area was 265.47 sq.km. The other two classes i.e. railway station and river bars covered minimum area of 0.01 sq.km. In this paper it was found the maximum area was covered by the agricultural land that was 265.47sq.km. The two other classes i.e. railway stations and river bars which covered a minimum area (0.01 sq.km). An area of 46.02 sq.km was without cover

Physicochemical Properties of Soil and Water Along Haro River and Khanpur Dam, Haripur, Pakistan

This study was conducted along the Haro River and Khanpur dam in southern Haripur Tehsil to evaluate the physio-chemical properties of soil and water to determine its agricultural suitability and to demonstrate the effectiveness of GIS techniques for this analysis. There were 42 samples (20 of soil and 22 of water) collected along the Haro River and Khanpur dam in autumn season after rain. ArcGIS 9.3 software and 3D Analyst extension were used to interpolate the collected samples. It was found that water pH was in the range of 6.94 to 8.11 while EC dsm-1 was from 0.19 to 0.41 which was within the normal range having no salinity and sodicity hazard. Water is fit for irrigation. Soil data showed that pH was in the range of 7.2 to 8.32 and EC dsm-1 in the range of 0.04 to 1.166, while soil texture was sandy clay loam to sand type. Whereas all the soil in study area was mostly calcareous. Organic matter was deficit in most of the soil samples. It was found that the remote sensing, GIS and GPS survey techniques were also very useful to identify and analyze the trends of soil and water parameters

Medical doctors\u27 offline computer-assisted digital education: Systematic review by the digital health education collaboration

Background: The widening gap between innovations in the medical field and the dissemination of such information to doctors may affect the quality of care. Offline computer-based digital education (OCDE) may be a potential solution to overcoming the geographical, financial, and temporal obstacles faced by doctors.Objective: The objectives of this systematic review were to evaluate the effectiveness of OCDE compared with face-to-face learning, no intervention, or other types of digital learning for improving medical doctors\u27 knowledge, cognitive skills, and patient-related outcomes. Secondary objectives were to assess the cost-effectiveness (CE) of OCDE and any adverse effects.Methods: We searched major bibliographic databases from 1990 to August 2017 to identify relevant articles and followed the Cochrane methodology for systematic reviews of intervention.Results: Overall, 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 1 cluster RCT (cRCT), and 1 quasi-RCT were included in this review. The total number of participants was 1690 in addition to the cRCT, which included 24 practices. Due to the heterogeneity of the participants, interventions, and outcomes, meta-analysis was not feasible, and the results were presented as narrative summary. Compared with face-to-face learning, the effect of OCDE on knowledge gain is uncertain (ratio of the means [RM] range 0.95-1.17; 8 studies, 495 participants; very low grade of evidence). From the same comparison, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skill gain is uncertain (RM range 0.1-0.9; 8 studies, 375 participants; very low grade of evidence). OCDE may have little or no effect on patients\u27 outcome compared with face-to-face education (2 studies, 62 participants; low grade of evidence). Compared with no intervention, OCDE may improve knowledge gain (RM range 1.36-0.98; 4 studies, 401 participants; low grade of evidence). From the same comparison, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skill gain is uncertain (RM range 1.1-1.15; 4 trials, 495 participants; very low grade of evidence). One cRCT, involving 24 practices, investigated patients\u27 outcome in this comparison and showed no difference between the 2 groups with low-grade evidence. Compared with text-based learning, the effect of OCDE on cognitive skills gain is uncertain (RM range 0.91-1.46; 3 trials with 4 interventions; 68 participants; very low-grade evidence). No study in this comparison investigated knowledge gain or patients\u27 outcomes. One study assessed the CE and showed that OCDE was cost-effective when compared with face-to-face learning if the cost is less than or equal to Can $200. No trial evaluated the adverse effect of OCDE.Conclusions: The effect of OCDE compared with other methods of education on medical doctors\u27 knowledge and cognitive skill gain is uncertain. OCDE may improve doctors\u27 knowledge compared with no intervention but its effect on doctors\u27 cognitive skills is uncertain. OCDE may have little or no effect in improving patients\u27 outcome

Chromate Anion Adsorption on Iron Hydroxide

Chromate anion adsorption on iron hydroxide was studied as a function of pH (3–9) and temperature (20–40°C). The adsorption of chromate anion was found to decrease with increasing pH and increase with increasing temperature. The data were explained with the help of the Kurbatov and modified Langmuir equations. The small effect of temperature indicated that chromate anion adsorption on iron hydroxide occurred through a mechanism involving outer - surface sphere complexation

Eco-friendly management of tomato wilt disease caused by Fusarium sp. in Sindh Province, Pakistan

Purpose The investigation of the different plant waste parts for ecofriendly management of Fusarium sp. was carried out.Method The disease associated fungus was isolated from the diseased specimen and purified. The twelve different aqueous plant extracts were prepared and evaluated against test pathogen in laboratory, pots and in filed conditions.Results Among the tested aqueous plant extracts the neem seed, thorn apple, garlic, neem leaves and eucalyptus were found the most effective providing highest growth inhibition percent of test fungus. The lowest plant mortality and disease incidence percent, maximum plant biomass and minimum root infection percent were observed in plans treated with neem leaves, neem seed, garlic, thorn apple and eucalyptus extracts in pot experiment. In field experiment, the extracts of neem leaves, thorn apple and neem seed produced the lowest disease incidence and mortality percentage as compared to other extracts. The extract of garlic was noted as moderate effective among the treatments. The eucalyptus extract was found as less effective. The maximum height and weight of individual plant was observed in the treatment of neem leaves than in neem seed, garlic, eucalyptus, and thorn apple extracts. Significantly, the highest fruit yield was recorded in plant treated with neem leaves extracts followed by neem seed, garlic, eucalyptus, and thorn apple.Conclusion The study showed that neem leaves, neem seed and garlic, eucalyptus and thorn apple extracts are potential aqueous extracts for ecofriendly management of tomato fusarium wilt disease

Impact of Sporisorium scitamineum infection on the qualitative traits of commercial cultivars and advanced lines of sugarcane.

Whip smut disease of sugarcane, caused by Sporisorium scitamineum, is considered one of the main constraints in the successful cultivation of sugarcane. The pathogen infection can decrease the quantity and quality of the produce. Cultivation of resistant varieties is the most feasible strategy to combat the harms of this devastating disease. Development of varieties having disease-resistance together with improved important traits such as brix, pol, purity, CSS, and low fiber contents are desirable. Therefore, we documented the variances in quality traits of 104 sugarcane cultivars under disease pressure in split-plot design with 6 replications. The split ANOVA revealed a highly significant impact (p4.032) in brix, pol, purity, and CSS of more than 40% of the cultivars used, as compared to the uninoculated ones. On the other hand, the smut infection caused a highly significant (t>4.032) increase in fiber percentage of 41 cultivars. We found significant positive correlations between smut rating and reduction of brix, pol, purity, and CSS contents. The cultivars that were caught with greater disease severity, compromised a higher reduction of their useful contents. Similarly, a significant positive correlation was found between increased fiber percent and smut rating. Remarkably, cultivars that showed immune reactions to whip smut disease were not statistically different from uninoculated ones in brix, pol, purity, CSS, and fiber contents. Variable effects of whip smut infection to quality parameters of different cultivars depict the importance of further improvement through breeding programs