Research Trends in Dry Port Sustainability: A Bibliometric Analysis

This study consolidates research on operational sustainability in dry ports. A total of 232 papers published in the last 23 years (2000–2023) are reviewed to assess the breadth of research perspectives in dry port sustainable operations. Additionally, the findings summarize current research trends, identify flaws in the body of knowledge, and suggest potential research areas. A bibliographic analysis approach is deployed to explore the existing body of knowledge, review the concepts in depth, and narrow the focus on potential research areas. Within this context, a content analysis technique has been utilized to explore and understand the conceptual underpinnings of specific themes, typically involving trending subjects like sustainability, dry ports, inland ports, economic sustainability, social sustainability, and environmental sustainability. Tools such as BibExcel and VOSviewer were utilized to assist in conducting the bibliometric analysis. The majority of dry port research has concentrated on the definition, functions, policy and governance, location analysis, ownership, and dry port-seaport interaction. Less attention is paid to dry port sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the interaction of internal and external collaboration with dry port sustainability, dry port social sustainability, dry port economic sustainability, dry port environment sustainability, and dry port service quality. Specifically, there has been limited research output on the sustainability of dry ports within the context of landlocked nations. This study will raise awareness of unexplored areas for further research by focusing on critical issues that are not generally covered by scholars in existing literature, such as dry port internal sustainability management and external collaboration

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING WEANING WEIGHT IN LOHI SHEEP

Data on 3984 lambing records of 1285 Lohi ewes kept at the Livestock Production Research Institute, Bahadurnagar, Okara for he period 1960-90 were analyzed by using Harvey’s Mixed Model Least Squares and Maximum Likelihood Computer Program. The purpose was to estimate the magnitude of various environmental sources of variation influencing weaning weight in this breed of sheep. The least squares mean for 120-day adjusted weaning weight was 23.09  0.13 kg. The trait was significantly (P<0.01) influenced by the year and season of birth, type of birth and the sex of the lamb born

Spatial variability for some properties of the wastewater irrigated soils

Composite surface soil samples (236 samples) were collected from three fodder farms irrigated for a long period with the treated sewage effluents or well water through a center pivot system. The soil of the 1st farm was loamy sand in texture while it was sandy loam for the other two farms, all were calcareous containing more than 10% of (CaCO3). The average values of EC for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd farms showed to be 3.48, 2.20 and 2.21 dS m−1, respectively. The concentration of Zn was found to be 28.87 mg kg−1 in the 1st farm, while it was 45.96 and 19.51 mg kg−1 in the 2nd and 3rd farms, respectively. The Zn, Cu, Fe and Ni concentrations were higher in the farms irrigated with the treated sewage effluent than their concentrations in those irrigated with well water. The values were 28.87, 16.95, 4225, and 72.26 mg kg−1 for Zn, Cu, Fe & Ni in 1st farm and 42.4, 60.5, 11215, and 180 mg kg−1 for the 2nd farm. The Pb in the soil of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd farms reached 63.01, 37.10 and 27.69 mg kg−1, respectively. It can be concluded that all soil properties except pH had high coefficients of variation, indicating strong variability over space. The data of geo-statistical analysis showed that only TDS and ESP in the 1st farm as well as OM in the 2nd farm had weak spatial dependency while other properties had moderate or strong spatial dependency. Moreover, the TDS and CaCO3 parameters of the 1st and 2nd farms had stronger nugget effects

Microsatellite based genetic variation among the buffalo breed populations in Pakistan

Introduction: Eight microsatellite loci were used to define genetic diversity among five native water buffalo breeds in Pakistan. Material and Methods: Blood samples (10 mL) from 25 buffaloes of each of the Nili, Ravi, Nili-Ravi, Kundhi, and Azi-Kheli breeds were collected aseptically from the jugular vein into 50 ml Falcon tubes containing 200 µl of 0.5 M EDTA. The phenol-chloroform method was used to extract DNA and the regions were amplified for microsatellite analysis. The eight microsatellite markers ETH10, INRA005, ILSTS029, ILSTS033, ILSTS049, ILSTS052, ETH225, and CSSM66 were analysed. Results: The effective number of alleles across all loci was as usual lower than the observed values with a mean value of 2.52 alleles per locus. The overall allele frequency varied from 0.0041 for alleles B, I, and J over respective loci ILSTS052, INRA005, and ILSTS029 to 0.80 for allele H over locus ILSTS029. The average observed and expected heterozygosity values across all polymorphic loci in all studied buffalo breeds were 0.43 and 0.53, respectively. The overall value for polymorphic information content of considered microsatellite markers was 0.53, suggesting their appropriateness for genetic diversity analysis in buffalo. The mean Fis value was 0.13 and all loci except ILSTS049 were found significantly deviated from HWE, most likely due to nonrandom breeding. The five buffalo populations were genetically less diverse as indicated by a small mean Fst value (0.07). The average gene flow (Nm) indicative for population migration was calculated as 3.31. Nei’s original measures of genetic distance (Ds) revealed ancient divergence of the Nili and Azi-Kheli breeds (Ds = 0.1747) and recent divergence of the Nili and Ravi breeds (Ds = 0.0374). Conclusion: These estimates of genetic diversity were seen to coincide with phenotypic differentiation among the studied buffalo breeds. The present study reports the first microsatellite marker-based genetic diversity analysis in Pakistani buffalo breeds, and might facilitate similar studies in other livestock breeds of Pakistan

Evaluation of AMPK Genes as Candidates for Production Traits in Buffalo Breeds of Pakistan

The 5&rsquo;-activated protein kinase (AMPK) also called PRKA is a heterotrimeric protein complex that regulates cellular metabolism in response to nutritional stress in mammals. Total length of AMPK gene is 6500 base pairs. AMPK &gamma;3 has 884 base pairs comprises of exon 3, intron 3 and exon 4. AMPK &gamma;3 gene was studied on DNA from three buffalo breeds (Nili, Ravi and Nili Ravi) of Pakistan. Amplification of this region was done from position 918 in exon to position 1802 just downstream of exon 4, using primers U1A-GAGCAAGGAGACAGCACTTCA (918-938) and U2B-ACCTGTAGCATGGTGTC GAAGA (1781- 1802) with Amplictaq Gold, at annealing temperature 60oC. Sequencing of PRKA &gamma;3 UP SEQ1 5&rsquo;-GACCTCAGCATCCAGGCT and PRKA &gamma;3 UP SEQ2 5&rsquo;-GACAGTAACTCCATCTTCCA was done. The results showed that at position 1069, Allelic frequency of C/T was 0.35, T/T was 0.05 and frequency of C/C was 0.40. At position 1343, frequency of A/G was 0.1 and A/A was 0.9. At 1381 position, frequency of C/T was 0.35, T/T was 0.05 and C/C was 0.6. At position 1488, the A/G was 0.35, A/A was 0.05and G/G was 0.6. The detected SNP at 1343 is A/G which is the ancient haplotypes of PRKAG3 in Nili Ravi buffalo breeds from Pakistan. These SNPs in AMPK gene can be used as marker for efficient utilization of energy in these three buffalo breeds of Pakistan that will increase the economic returns to farmers

Biologically active flavonoids from Dodonaea viscosa and their structure-activity relationships

Antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of twelve flavonoids i.e. santin (1), penduletin (2), viscosine (3), 6,7-dimethylkaempferol (4), kaempferol-3- methylether (5), 3,4'-dimethoxy-5,7-dihydroxyflavone (6), 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3-(3-hydroxymethylbutyl)-3,6-dimethoxyflavone (7), 5,7-dihydroxy-3'-(2-hydroxy-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-3,6,4'-trimethoxy-flavon e (8), 5,7-dihydroxy-3'-(3-hydroxy-methylbutyl)-3,6,4'-trimethoxyflavone (9), 5,7-dihydroxy-3'-(4 `'-acetoxy-3''-methylbuty1)-3,6,4'-trimethoxy flavone (10), aromadendrin, (2S,3S) 3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (11), and pinocembrin (12), together with monohydrated crystal (1A) of 1 and anhydrous crystal (3A) of 3 - isolated from Dodonaea viscosa - were studied. The results are given as 50% inhibition concentrations (IC50). Their structure-activity relationships are discussed for both activities. Flavonoids 3 and 10 showed higher antioxidant activity in all tests. 3 Also showed moderate acetylcholinesterase (IC50: 182.97 +/- 1.25 mu M) and significant butyrylcholinesterase (IC50: 47.07 +/- 0.54 mu M) inhibitory activities. Compounds 2 (IC50: 55.78 +/- 1.01 mu M) and 3A (IC50: 58.72 +/- 1.02 mu M) were also moderate anticholinesterase agents against butyrylcholinesterase enzyme. Monohydrate crystal (1A) showed better antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities than its amorphous form (1). In contrast, the amorphous 3 exhibited better activity than the anhydrous crystal (3A). In hydrous crystal, the water molecule might be responsible for better activity. These natural flavonoids can be used as pharmaceuticals and/or preservatives in respective industries. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved