Selective and Effective Strategic Collection Development Approach in Universities Libraries

Purpose: University libraries playing pivotal role in developing and delivering education among university community by providing authentic information resources in terms of books, magazines, academic research journals etc. Collection development policies adopted to select and purchase the library print and electronic resources which worked as a guide for decision making. The purpose of this study is to propose the collection development policy which will help the acquisition librarians in selecting, evaluating and purchasing the materials for academic/universities libraries. Methodology: The trends of collection development practices were identified through the intensive literature review. Then, the university libraries of Lahore were personally visited to understand their collection development policies and practices. Moreover, the acquisition librarians from outside of Lahore were contacted via phone call to understand and discuss the collection development process in their libraries. Findings: The study findings revealed that there is no systematic written policy for assessment, selection, evaluation and deselection of library material at the universities libraries of Pakistan. Even, the acquisition process of books in universities libraries vary from university to university and even province to province. However, the proposed collection development policy revealed that the automatic receiving of books and other library materials via gifts, donations, exchanging library materials, resource sharing, and subscribing memberships of other organizations will be helpful to enhance the library collection and also reduce the cost to purchase the library materials. The proposed steps for collection development will act as a segment of complete collection development policy and may work as a guide line of collection development procedure to the universities libraries. Originality/Value: The study is first attempt to draw holistic approach of collection development at national level and it will also provide guideline to select user centered resources and also beneficial in terms of saving finances by practicing the proposed steps for developing academic libraries collection

Analyzing the stripping potential of warm mix asphalt using imaging technique

In asphalt mixtures, stripping occurs when the bond between the asphalt and the aggregate is broken due to the intrusion of water within the asphalt aggregate interface. Warm mix asphalt (WMA) is a technology that allows significant reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures of conventional hot mix asphalt. However, WMA is susceptible to moisture damage due to its lower production temperature. This can cause adhesive failure, hence stripping of asphalt binder from the aggregates. In this study, direct tensile strength (DTS) and indirect tensile strength (ITS) tests were applied to fracture the mixture specimen. Imaging technique was applied on the fractured faces of asphalt mixture to quantify the adhesive failure susceptibility due to the destructive effects of moisture. The results showed that adhesive failure increased with the number of freeze and thaw cycles and mixtures prepared with PG-76 binder exhibited lower adhesive failure compared to PG-64 binder. From fractured ITS samples, most of broken aggregates were found located in the vicinity where the indirect tensile load was applied. On the other hand, high adhesive failure was obtained at the center portion where maximum tensile stresses were developed. The image analysis method employed in this work has proven to be very effective to analyze the deterioration of asphalt mixtures subjected to moisture conditioning

Effects Of Adhesion Failure On Moisture Damage Of Warm Mix Asphalt Containing Cecabase Additive

Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) is a technology that allows significant reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures of conventional hot mix asphalt. It is a cost effective technology that can improve mixture workability, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and is environmental friendly. However, WMA is susceptible to moisture damage due to its lower production temperature. This can cause adhesion failure, hence stripping of asphalt binder from the aggregates. In this research, Cecabase warm mix additive was used to lower the production temperature and enhance the asphalt binder adhesion properties with aggregate. Two binders, PG-64 and PG-76, were used to prepare the test specimens. As a surfactant and when blended with asphalt binder, Cecabase promotes adhesion at the binder-aggregate interface. Therefore, the overall laboratory test results showed that addition of Cecabase had no significant effects on binder rheology and optimum binder content. A novel approach using image analysis was used to measure the asphalt mixture adhesion failure susceptibility due to moisture damage. The results showed that adhesion failure increased with the number of freeze and thaw cycles and mixtures prepared with PG-76 binder exhibited lower adhesion failure compared to PG-64 binder. To assess the adhesion failure, binder-aggregate substrate direct tensile and pull-off tension tests were carried out. An accelerated laboratory vacuum saturator (ALVS) moisture conditioning was fabricated to condition the binder-aggregate specimens. The results indicated that short term and long term aged binders when subjected to ALVS, were susceptible to moisture damage. In order to gain fundamental insight, the Surface Free Energy (SFE) of Cecabase-modified binder was evaluated using contact angle Goniometer and dynamic Wilhelmy plate device. The analytical measurements based on SFE results showed that Cecabase improved the spreadibility of asphalt binder over the limestone aggregate particles. In addition, the work of adhesion improved with the addition of Cecabase. The compatibility ratio is an indicator of moisture susceptibility and indicated that the granite aggregates were less resistant to moisture damage compared to limestone aggregates

Effects of adhesion failure on moisture damage of warm mix asphalt containing cecabase additive

Campuran asfalt bersuhu sederhana (WMA) adalah teknologi yang membolehkan pengurangan ketara suhu pencampuran dan pemadatan campuran asfalt panas lazim.Teknologi ini boleh menjimatkan kos, meningkatkan kebolehkerjaan, mengurangkan kesan pengeluaran gas rumah hijau dan mesra alam. Walau bagaimanapun, WMA mudah terdedah kepada kerosakan lembapan sebagai akibat suhu pengeluaran yang lebih rendah. Hal yang demikian menyebabkan kegagalan rekatan, dan seterusnya pelucutan pengikat asfalt daripada agregat. Dalam kajian ini, bahan tambah campuran suam Cecabase digunakan untuk menurunkan suhu pengeluaran dan meningkatkan keboleh-rekatan asfalt dengan agregat. Pengikat jenis PG-64 dan PG-76 digunakan untuk menyediakan spesimen ujian. Bertindak sebagai surfaktan apabila dicampurkan dengan pengikat asfalt, Cecabase menggalakkan rekatan pada antara muka pengikat asfalt dan agregat. Keputusan ujian makmal secara keseluruhannya menunjukkan bahawa penambahan Cecabase tidak memberi kesan yang ketara ke atas reologi bahan pengikat dan kandungan pengikat optimum. Pendekatan baru melalui analisis imej digunakan untuk mengklasifikasikan kerentanan kegagalan rekatan dalam campuran asfalt sebagai akibat kerosakan lembapan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan kegagalan rekatan meningkat dengan bilangan kitaran beku dan cair dan campuran yang mengandungi pengikat PG-76 mempamerkan kegagalan rekatan yang lebih rendah berbanding pengikat PG-64. Ujian tegangan langsung substrat pengikat-agregat dan ujian tarik-keluar dijalankan untuk menilai kegagalan rekatan. Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) is a technology that allows significant reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures of conventional hot mix asphalt. It is a cost effective technology that can improve mixture workability, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and is environmental friendly. However, WMA is susceptible to moisture damage due to its lower production temperature. This can cause adhesion failure, hence stripping of asphalt binder from the aggregates. In this research, Cecabase warm mix additive was used to lower the production temperature and enhance the asphalt binder adhesion properties with aggregate. Two binders, PG-64 and PG-76, were used to prepare the test specimens. As a surfactant and when blended with asphalt binder, Cecabase promotes adhesion at the binder-aggregate interface. Therefore, the overall laboratory test results showed that addition of Cecabase had no significant effects on binder rheology and optimum binder content. A novel approach using image analysis was used to measure the asphalt mixture adhesion failure susceptibility due to moisture damage. The results showed that adhesion failure increased with the number of freeze and thaw cycles and mixtures prepared with PG-76 binder exhibited lower adhesion failure compared to PG-64 binder. To assess the adhesion failure, binder-aggregate substrate direct tensile and pull-off tension tests were carried out. An accelerated laboratory vacuum saturator (ALVS) moisture conditioning was fabricated to condition the binder-aggregate specimens

Spatio-temporal Fluctuation of Temperature Using Specific Climate Indices in South Xinjiang, China

Temperature and precipitation are significant variables that can be used to determine the climatic variability in a region. This research study has focused on temperature, which is significant for the study of climatic variability over a long period in an area. The temperature has been assessed spatially and temporally in South Xinjiang, China using various climate indices. The temporal data about the temperature of seventeen meteorological stations were acquired from the Chinese Meteorology Administration (CMA) from 1980 to 2018. The Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test and Sen’s Slope (SS) statistical models were used to quantify the magnitude and temporal trend. The monthly and seasonal analysis of temperature reveals a significant increasing trend in mean maximum, mean minimum and average temperatures in the study area. The Sen’s Slope test results indicate an increasing monthly and seasonal temperature trend in almost all meteorological stations. The increasing trend in temperature is mainly due to the desert type of climate of the region that is gradually further aggravating with every passing year. This increasing temperature trend will smoothen the way for perpetual drought in the region in the future. Therefore, this research would be beneficial for future planning and management of water resources in the region and for making preventive measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the study area

Impact of Sparse and Dense Deployment of Nodes Under Different Propagation Models in Manets

Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) is the most emerging and fast-expanding technology in the last two decades. One of the major issues and challenging areas in MANET is the process of routing due to dynamic topologies and high mobility of mobile nodes. The efficiency and accuracy of a protocol depend on many parameters in these networks. In addition to other parameters node velocity and propagation models are among them. Calculating signal strength at the receiver is the responsibility of a propagation model while the mobility of nodes is responsible for the topology of the network. A huge amount of loss in performance is occurred due to the variation of signal strength at the receiver and obstacles between transmissions. In this paper,it has been analyzed to check the impact of different propagation models on the performance of Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) in Sparse and Dense scenarios in MANET. The simulation has been carried out in NS-2 by using performance metrics as average packet drop average latency and average Throughput. The results predicted that propagation models and mobility have a strong impact on the performance of OLSR in considered scenarios

Continuous Proteolysis of Casein by the Cell Bound Protease of Allium Sepa

The work reported in this paper was carried out to develop continuous proteolytic system to prepare protein hydrolysis products for different biological applic

Analysis of morphological traits in different host plants associated with resistance to Phenacoccus solenopsis- an invasive pest in Pakistan

Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) is a sucking insect pest and is polyphagous in nature. Twenty five (25) different host plants were screened against P. solenopsis and their  physicomorphic traits were determined to correlate their role against pest population. Among the tested plant species, most favorable host plants of mealy bug on the basis of population were Gossypium hirsutum (69.74±10.5), Solamum melongena (62.41±10.0), Helianthus annuus (61.83±10.0), Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (61.1±10.0) and Lantana camara (55.83±9.75), but the least preferred plants were tandla Digera arvensis (1.57±1.00) and Conyza bonariensis (3.83±1.75). Significant variations were observed in all the morphological plant characters recorded from different plant species. The maximum leaf thickness per plant was 2.04±0.23 ìm in plant species S. melongena while minimum thickness of leaf was recorded from lehli (0.25±0.02 ìm). Maximum trichome density per plant was 444±72.4 in sunflower followed by 411.6±19.6, 399±52, 391.6±22.0, in C. bonariensis, Abelmoschus esculentus and Withania somnifera respectively but minimum were 2.33±1.45 in Chinopodium morale, followed by 2.66±1.4, and 3±2.08 in Portulaca oleracea and Trianthema portulacastrum respectively. The maximum hair length per plant (2.62±0.07 mm) was of sunflower followed by 2.55±0.03 mm in okra, 2.53±0.06 mm in both S. melongena and G. hirsutum. It was concluded that plant characters including trichome density and hair length favor mealy bug population showing r-values of 0.357* and 0.190 respectively but leaf size and leaf width (leaf area and leaf thickness) exerted negative effect on pest population showing r-values of -0.172 and -0.285 respectively.Key words: Phenacoccus solenopsis, invasive species, physicomorphic traits, resistance

Association of renal biomarkers in COVID-19 patients: A retrospective study

Background: The new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the cause of the transmissible sickness known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (SARS-CoV-2). Although it often presents as an acute respiratory infection, it can also have a negative impact on the kidneys, heart, gastrointestinal, and nervous system. The aims of this study to find out the association of renal biomarkers among dialysis patients in COVID-19 positive and negative. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of medical laboratory technology, the university of Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A Total of 129 Dialysis patients blood samples were collected from March 2022 to April 2022 in which 13 males and 20 females are COVID-19 positive while 41 males and 55 females are COVID-19 negative. The obtained data was statistically analyzed by using PRISM version 5.0 by applying two-way ANOVA and Comparisons between Covid positive and negative patients RFTs by using Bonferroni posttest. Results: Male patients with chronic kidney disease (on dialysis) with COVID-19 negative and positive their mean urea difference was 95.20mg/dl and 159.6mg/dl, while COVID-19 negative and positive the mean creatinine difference was 8.534mg/dl and 13.81mg/dl respectively. While there was no significance difference in uric acid concentration in CKD patients with COVID-19 negative and positive. Female patients with chronic kidney disease (on dialysis) with COVID-19 negative and positive their mean urea difference was 103.20mg/dl and 152.6mg/dl, while COVID-19 negative and positive the mean creatinine difference was 8.114mg/dl and 8.584mg/dl respectively. While there was no significance difference in uric acid concentration in CKD patients with COVID-19 negative and positive. Conclusion: This study concludes that there is positive relationship or association of renal biomarkers in COVID-19 positive patients. Significance association between urea and creatinine in COVID-19 positive

Proposed Integrated System for Library Services and Online Education: A Pakistani Perspective

Purpose: Education is the basic need of each community member and educational institutions play a vital role in the development of any community and country as a whole. Also, libraries plays significant role in educating people or fulfilling educational needs of the society members. COVID-19 pandemic affects all sectors of life including educational institutes. However, libraries play dramatic role in the delivery of electronic services like e-thesis, e-books, e-research articles and virtual reference. The proposed study will provide a step-by-step guideline to individual researchers, research organizations, educational assessments organizations, government departments and policy development departments to plan and execute such innovative projects for the betterment of the educational system in the country. Similarly, libraries will get benefit to engage officially in providing e-services to community members. Through this proposed proposal the researchers may be able to identify the current status of educational institutions and their libraries in Pakistan in terms of educational institutions\u27 and their libraries strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the delivery of online educational programs and e-services of libraries during COVID-19 pandemic or in such other accidental situations. Research Methodology: The proposed study will be conducted through Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Research to meet study objectives. Practical Implications: The proposed study will help in identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to online educational programs and e-services of libraries. Also, propose suggestions to educational institutions and libraries on the basis of identified strengths and opportunities for their better utilization. Similarly, it will identify the issues like weaknesses and threats to online educational programs and libraries in universities and will propose strategies for covering such deficiencies for the smooth delivery of online education and library online services while utilizing the existing resources. Also, benchmarking other developed organizations and may introduce resource sharing modules among the different organizations to overcome less developed organizations\u27 deficiencies while utilizing developed organizations existing resources