Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nanocomposites

Nanoparticles and polymers in their respective fields have contributed greatly in the form of science and hence in daily life application products. But due to lack in emerging technologies for developing silver nanocomposites with polymers and other materials, the nanoparticle-based products have conquered little less attention. Hereby, an effort is made to put a light on already developed functional materials containing silver nanoparticles and also to look forward their scope in daily life applications. A little more insight into antimicrobial properties of such materials will also be elaborated. Finally, the optimal amounts of silver that cannot be health hazardous to living being especially human and overall environmental impacts of Nanocomposites are presented

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Frontline Healthcare Workers During COVID 19

Objective: To determine the frequency of depression, anxiety, and stress during COVID-19 among frontline healthcare workers (doctors vs. rescuers) in Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional online questionnaire survey. Place and Duration of Study: Centre for Islamic Psychology, Riphah International University, Lahore Campus from 25 April 2020 to 20 June 2020. Materials and Methods: A total of 364 frontline healthcare workers (n=182 doctors and n=182 rescuers) were included in the final analysis. The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to collect online data via Google form through convenience sampling. Statistical data analysis was done using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS-23), and the frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation were calculated. Independent samples-ttest was employed to identify differences between doctors and rescuers on depression,anxiety, and stress scale. Results: The mean age of the participants was 28.79 + 5.46 years. The study identified highly significant difference in depression (t (363) = 11.10, p<.01), anxiety (t (363) = 7.30, p<.01), and stress (t (363) = 10.21,p<.01) between doctors and rescue workers during COVID-19. The majority of doctors reported a moderate level of depression (41%), extremely severe anxiety (30%), and a moderate level of stress (22%), while the majority of rescue workers reported a moderate level of depression (21%), moderate anxiety (14%) and extremely severe stress (10%). Conclusion: The frequency of depression, anxiety, and stress is higher among doctors as compared to rescuers. The study has manifold implications for healthcare workers and psychological health professionals to implement preventive and intervention programs to combat psychological problems

Prediction of Relative Humidity in a High Elevated Basin of Western Karakoram by Using Different Machine Learning Models

Accurate and reliable prediction of relative humidity is of great importance in all fields concerning global climate change. The current study has employed Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) and M5 Tree (M5T) models to predict the relative humidity in the Hunza River basin, Pakistan. Both the models provided the best prediction for the input scenario S6 (RHt-1, RHt-2, RHt-3, Tt-1, Tt-2, Tt-3). The statistical analysis displayed that the MARS model provided a better prediction of relative humidity as compared to M5T at all meteorological stations, especially, at Ziarat followed by Khunjerab and Naltar. The values of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and coefficient of determination (R2) were (5.98%, 5.43%, and 0.808) for Khunjerab; (6.58%, 5.08%, and 0.806) for Naltar; and (5.86%, 4.97%, 0.815) for Ziarat during the testing of MARS model whereas, the values were (6.14%, 5.56%, and 0.772) for Khunjerab; (6.19%, 5.58% and 0.762) for Naltar and (6.08%, 5.46%, 0.783) for Ziarat during the testing of M5T model. Both the models performed slightly better in training as compared to the testing stage. The current study encourages future research to be conducted at high altitude basins for the prediction of other meteorological variables using machine learning tools

Trackable CEMB-Klean Cotton Transgenic Technology: Affordable Climate Neutral Agri-biotech Industrialization for Developing Countries

Background: Transgenic technology reflects the incorporation of novel useful traits in crop plants like cotton for economic benefits by overcoming the problems including insects’ pests and weeds in special. The present study is the success story of the continuous effort of CEMB team started back in the 1990s.Methods: This study includes characterization of a large number of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains taken from local soil and subjected to direct transformation of isolated BT genes into local cotton cultivars. Protocols for transformation into cotton plants were optimized and validated by the development of double gene codon optimized (Cry1Ac and Cry2A) transgenic cotton varieties.Results: The resulting GMOs in the form of CEMB-33, CA-12, CEMB-66 have been approved by Punjab Seed Council in 2013 and 2016 respectively. Double Bt and weedicide resistant cotton harboring CEMB-Modified and codon optimized cp4EPSPS (GTGene). These varieties can tolerate glyphosate spray @ 1900ml per acre without the appearance of necrotic spots/shedding and complete removal of all surrounding weeds in the cotton field is a significant advance to boost cotton production without spending much on insecticides and herbicides.Conclusion: In the current report, two unique sets of primers which amplify 1.1 Kb for CEMB-double Bt genes and 660 bp product for CEMB-Modified cp4EPSPS (GTGene) were tested. CEMB cotton variety CKC-01 is specially designed as low cost and easy to use by local farmer’s technology has the potential to revolutionize the cotton growing culture of the country.Keywords: Event detection; Bt Cotton; CEMB transgenic technology; GTGen

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Unsteady Sisko magneto-nanofluid flow with heat absorption and temperature dependent thermal conductivity: A 3D numerical study

The impact of temperature dependent thermal conductivity and convective surface conditions on unsteady 3D Sisko nanofluid flow over a stretching surface is studied in the presence of heat generation/absorption and magnetic field. The numerical solution of nonlinear coupled equations has been carried out to explore the properties of different physical profiles of the fluid flow with varying of parameters. Specifically, the application of generalized Biot numbers and heat generation/absorption parameter in the sketching of temperature and concentration profiles are explored. The effect of all three parameters is noticed in the increasing order for shear thinning (01) fluids. Moreover, the influence of Biot number γ1 on heat and mass transfer rates, are found in the enhancement and diminishing conducts respectively, in both cases of shear thinning as well as shear thickening fluids and a reverse trend is observed with the variation of Biot number γ2. Additionally, the present results are validated through skin friction, heat and mass transfer rate values with the comparable values in the existing previous values. Keywords: 3D Sisko nanofluid, Variable thermal conductivity, Bidirectional stretched surface, Convective surface condition

Microsoft Word - 10326 Tamplate

Abstract: The basic motivation behind this research work is to assist enormous number of disable people to enhance their capabilities regardless of their disability. In particular, we have focused and addressed the deafness and dumbness disability in human beings on technological basis. The aim was to design a system to help such people. Sign language has been used as our database in whole recognition process. The gestures have been read by comparison with available signs in the database. The work is comprised of three major parts. 1) Acquiring images in real time environment through any imaging device. 2) Recognition of those images on the basis of probability by comparing with the database. 3) Finally translating recognized images into possible output. We have used various algorithms to validate the approach and to check the efficiency. In particular, mainly adaboost and Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms have been tested. Both of these algorithms worked well but SVM was found to be optimum with respect to time efficiency as compared with adaboost

Estimation of changes in runoff and its sources in response to future climate change in a critical zone of the Karakoram mountainous region, Pakistan in the near and far future

AbstractThe inconsistent pattern of precipitation, a shift in the seasonality of river flows, and the early onset of snow and glacier melt in recent decades across river basins of High Mountain Asia (HMA) has compelled us to further investigate future variations in sources of runoff under projected climate change scenarios. This will help in determining the timing and magnitude of runoff components and this will help in management of future water resources. The current study employed the University of British Columbia Watershed Model (UBC WM) to estimate the spatiotemporal variations in simulated runoff components (i.e. snowmelt, glacier melt, rainfall-runoff, and baseflow) and their relative contribution to total runoff of Gilgit River regarding the baseline period (1981–2010) in near (2021–2050) and far future (2071–2100) under low (SSP1), medium (SSP2) and high (SSP5) emission scenarios. A significant increase in the magnitude of mean annual temperature and precipitation is expected in the near future (2021–2050) than far future (2071–2100) under most SSPs. Moreover, high-altitude stations of the Gilgit River basin are expected to experience more warming in the near and far future than low altitudes under all SSPs. On average, regarding the baseline period, the simulated runoff is projected to increase in the near (27%, 30%, and 33%) and far future (30%, 53%, and 91%) under SSP1, SSP2, and SSP5, respectively. Moreover, an early onset of snow/glacier melting is predicted in the far future due to an increase in summer air temperature and a decline in winter (DJF) precipitation. Besides, the rise in high altitude temperature is expected to cause the melting of snow/glaciers even above 6000 m elevation in the far future