Environment, Agriculture, and Land Use Pattern

This study aimed at the environment, agriculture, and land use pattern and in the arid region of Pakistan. Physiography and location of the study area with respect to coastal region are the key factors that control the climate. There are a number of factors that have their influence on the cropping pattern in the area apart from climate. They include the type of soils, availability of irrigation water, government policies, socioeconomic condition, advance technologies, market value, human demand, etc. The soil of irrigated plain in lower Punjab and Sind is more suitable for the agriculture than other parts, where the water is insufficient for cultivation

REVISANDO A GUERRA COMERCIAL EUA-CHINA: UMA AVALIAÇÃO ESTRATÉGICA

The relations among United States of America and People’s Republic of China have historically survived several bouts and rounds however the approach employed by the Trump Administration for a program involving reprisal hefty tariff-trade war against China has given a new face to the bilateral relations between the two states. The paper demonstrates that domestic and international agents played a vital role in initiating and nurturing the trade clash between Washington and Beijing since 2018 to date. The aim of the study is to ascertain that how the political climate and past pursuits of one country conditions policy outcomes in another, and how domestic political pressures on politician’s conditions their relations with foreign counterparts. The paradigm of rational choice theory is adopted to provide a conceptual understanding to the triggering of the trade war between the economic giants.As relações entre os Estados Unidos da América e a República Popular da China têm sobrevivo aos históricos altos e baixos, mas a abordagem empregada pela Administração Trump envolvendo represálias e uma pesada guerra comercial-tarifária contra a China concedeu uma nova face às relações bilaterais entre os dois Estados. O artigo demonstra que agentes domésticos e internacionais desempenharam papel vital no início e fomento do confronto comercial entre Washington e Pequim desde 2018 até o momento. O objetivo do estudo é verificar como o clima político e interesses passados de um país condicionam os resultados da política em outro, bem como de que forma as pressões políticas internas sobre os políticos condicionam suas relações com suas contrapartes estrangeiras. O paradigma da teoria da escolha racional é adotado para fornecer uma compreensão conceitual ao desencadeamento da guerra comercial entre os gigantes econômicos

Vasodilator effect of 1-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-3-(1- propionylpiperidin-4-yl) urea is predominantly mediated through activation of voltage-dependent K+ channels

Purpose: To determine the mechanism of vasorelaxant effect of 1-trifluoromethoxyphenyl – 3 -(1-propionylpiperidin–4-yl) urea (TPPU) in cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.Methods: Isolated rat thoracic aortic tissue preparations were mounted in an organ bath set up integrated with isometric transducer and a Power Lab assembly. TPPU (0.3 - 100 μM) was tested for vasorelaxant effect against low K+ (25 mM) and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions and its mechanism was determined in the presence of different antagonists (glibenclamide, 4- aminopyridine and tetraethyl ammonium).Results: In rat aortic preparations, TPPU showed a concentration-dependent (0.3 – 100 μM) and significant (p < 0.001) inhibition of low K+ induced contractions with complete inhibition obtained at 100 μM. TPPU produced significant (p < 0.05) inhibition of high K+ induced contractions with maximum relaxation of 15.36 ± 1.95 % and 15.85 ± 3.35 % at 30 and 100 μM, respectively. Glibenclamide (Gb,10 μM) pretreatment partially inhibited the vasorelaxant effect of TPPU against low K+ in a concentration range of 1 - 30 μM. 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP, 1 mM) and tetraethyl ammonium (TEA, 10 mM), markedly inhibited the vasorelexant effect of TPPU against low K+ induced contractions with maximum relaxation of 20.09 ± 2.40 and 21.67 ± 0.88 %, respectively, at 100 μM.Conclusion: TPPU possesses marked vasorelaxant properties which provides sound pharmacological evidence for its use as a potential drug candidate in the management of hypertension.Keywords: 1-Trifluoromethoxyphenyl-3-(1-propionylpiperidin-4-yl) urea, Hypertension, vasodilator, K+- channel activation, Ca+- channel antagonis

Intelligent detection of black hole attacks for secure communication in autonomous and connected vehicles

Detection of Black Hole attacks is one of the most challenging and critical routing security issues in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) and autonomous and connected vehicles (ACVs). Malicious vehicles or nodes may exist in the cyber-physical path on which the data and control packets have to be routed converting a secure and reliable route into a compromised one. However, instead of passing packets to a neighbouring node, malicious nodes bypass them and drop any data packets that could contain emergency alarms. We introduce an intelligent black hole attack detection scheme (IDBA) tailored to ACV. We consider four key parameters in the design of the scheme, namely, Hop Count, Destination Sequence Number, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), and End-to-End delay (E2E). We tested the performance of our IDBA against AODV with Black Hole (BAODV), Intrusion Detection System (IdsAODV), and EAODV algorithms. Extensive simulation results show that our IDBA outperforms existing approaches in terms of PDR, E2E, Routing Overhead, Packet Loss Rate, and Throughput

Inventory Management and Its Effects on Customer Satisfaction

This study examines how inventory management puts positive impact on customer satisfaction and how easily we can check the performance. It also helps retailers to put their inventories in proper order which tells them about demand and supply of their inventories. Proper inventory management system reduces the risk of short of inventories which reduce the cost of lost customers. The objective of the study is to minimize the risk of dissatisfaction of customers and found how to sustain customer satisfaction with the help of proper inventories system. This paper also outlines significant relationship between Customer needs, Quality with variable of prime interest. Poor association has been found between performance and customer satisfaction

Anti-acanthamoebic properties of natural and marketed honey in Pakistan

To determine anti-Acanthamoebic activity of natural and marketed honey samples. Natural honey samples were collected directly from the bee hive and marketed honey samples were purchased from the local market in Karachi, Pakistan. Both honey samples were tested for their flavonoid content (quercetin equivalent per g of the extract) and phenolic content (gallic acid equivalent per g). Furthermore, their antioxidant activity was determined by measuring 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Using amoebistatic and amoebicidal assays, the effects of honey samples were tested against growth and viability of Acanthamoeba parasites. Natural honey exhibited potent amoebistatic and amoebicidal effects, in a concentration-dependent manner. Honey-treated A. castellanii showed loss of acanthopodia, following which amoebae detached, rounded up, reduced in size, decreased in cytoplasmic mass and they were observed floating in the culture medium. Importantly, honey-treated amoebae did not revive when inoculated in fresh growth medium, however glycerol-treated amoebae exhibited viable trophozoite and active growth. In contrast, marketed honey samples varied in their efficacy against A. castellanii. The proportion of flavonoid, as determined by quercetin measurements and the proportion of phenolic, as determined by gallic acid measurements was higher in natural honey compared with marketed honey. Similarly, the antioxidant activity, as determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity was higher in natural honey versus marketed honey. This study shows that natural honey has anti-Acanthamoebic properties and possesses higher flavonoid, phenolic and antioxidant properties compared with the marketed honey. These findings are of concern to the public, health officials, and to the manufacturers regarding production of honey for medical applications

The Workload Pressures Experienced by Nurses at Public Sector Hospitals, Peshawar

OBJECTIVE The study's objective was to assess that nurses working in in-patient wards were under workload stress. METHODOLOGY Descriptive observational research on nurses working in the in-patient ward of a public sector hospital in Peshawar was undertaken in November 2020. Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN), a tool established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to anticipate the number of health staff needed to cope with workload pressure, was used to determine nurses' workload. To ensure the successful implementation of the WISN methodology, three tiers of committees were developed, including steering, technical, and expert committees. Data were also analyzed using the tool. RESULTS Nurses in the hospital's in-patient unit work 1966 hours per year. Health service activities, support, and other activities account for 47.92%, 33.33%, and 18.75% of all nurses' time, respectively, during this time. Four nurses were working in the hospital during the research study; however, WISN estimated that three nurses were needed to cope with the ward's workload pressure, and one nurse was overstaffed at the time. The WISN ratio calculated was 1.33. CONCLUSIONS The study concluded that there was no workload pressure on nurses (negative), and the ward had an extra nurse who could be accommodated in any other department with greater demand

Infective agents in diabetic foot ulcers and their sensitivity patterns

Background: Diabetic-foot syndrome is a difficult & debilitating complication of inadequately regulated Diabetes Mellitus. Attributed to neural & vascular pathology, the condition is further potentiated by glycemic healing impairment.  A wide array of microorganisms have been implicated & sensitivity-guided antibiotics are essential to save both limb as well as to minimize rampant microbial resistance. Present study aims to determine the culture & sensitivity pattern of bacteria in stated cohort of patients at a Surgical Unit. Materials & Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted over a period of 1 year-duration at a tertiary-care-Hospital. All patients presenting with diabetic-foot who had not been subjected to empiric antibiotic-therapy were enrolled. Demographic & lesion-based variables were studied and the Culture & Sensitivity pattern was evaluated and statistically analyzed. Results:100 patients were included in the study,of which 80 were male (mean-age 60.8±12.7 years) & rest female (mean-age 58.4±11.3-years).35% cultures yielded no growth. Remaining cases showed following pathogens in descending order of incidence. Maximal sensitivity was also reported as mentioned. 1) Staphylococcus-aureus & Klebseilla-Pneumoenae– Piperacillin/Tazobactam,2) Pseudomonas-Aerugionas-Cefotaxime,3)E-coli–Amikacin& Sulbactam,4) Proteus -Gentamicin, 5) Streptococci– Amikacin and 6) Bacteroides – Cefoperazone & Aztreonam. Of 71 cases, 70  had aerobic-organisms isolates & only 1 had anaerobic-isolate.   Conclusions: Six pathogens were identified in present study of which Staphylococcus-Aureus was the most prevalent as well as the most resistant. Streptococci & Gram-negative Organisms were observed in remaining cases. While formulation of an adequate antibiotic regime is rendered difficult by resistance & mixed infections, targeted antibiotic administration is decisively crucial to achieve optimal & timely outcome in diabetic foot. &nbsp