Physico-Chemical Properties and Fertility Status of District Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan

Physico-chemical properties of soils in Rahim Yar Khan district of Punjab Province, Pakistan, were determined for better management. A total of 3198 soil samples collected from all tehsils of Rahim Yar Khan district (662 samples from Khan Pur, 800 samples from Liaquat Pur, 866 samples from Rahim Yar Khan and 870 soil samples from Sadiq Abad) were tested in Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, Bahawalpur, Pakistan during 2011-2013. Soil characteristics of Rahim Yar Khan district were evaluated through physical and chemical analyses. Representative soil samples received/collected from farmers fields were analyzed for texture, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, organic matter (OM), available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents. Texture of the soils varied from sandy loam to loam. About 53% soils had EC values within the normal range (< 4 dS m-1). The pH values of 92% soils ranged from 7.5 to 8.5 with an average of 8.06 and 7% soils had pH > 8.5. About 93% soils were poor (< 0.86%) in organic matter and only 7% soil samples had satisfactory level of organic matter (0.86-1.29%). About 47% soils were poor( < 7 ppm) in available phosphorus,33 % samples had satisfactory level of  available phosphorus (7-14 ppm) and only 20 % samples had adequate level of  available phosphorus (>14 ppm) contents. The K status of most of soils was in satisfactory (50%) and adequate range (43%). The objective of present study is to assess the soil fertility and salinity status of Rahim Yar Khan district for formulation of optimum fertilizer recommendations for different crops grown in the area. Keywords: Soil Analysis, EC, pH, SOM, P, K, Rahim Yar Kha

Anti-leishmanial and cytotoxic activities of extracts from three Pakistani plants

Purpose: To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial and cytotoxic activities of extracts of different parts of Lawsonia Inermis, Morus nigra and Ziziphus mauritiana.Methods: The methanol extracts of all three plant materials at concentrations of 10 - 100 μg/mL were tested for their in vitro anti-leishmanial effects on L. tropica KWH23 promastigotes for 24 - 48 h, relative to negative control and amphotericin-B (standard drug). For in vivo anti-leishmanial activity, the extracts were tested against L. tropica-infected albino mice, while cytotoxicity was investigated against mammalian cells (lymphocytes).Results: For Lawsonia Inermis leaves, mean inhibition of extracellular promastigotes at 10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/mL after 48 h were 98.2 ± 0.06, 98.75 ± 1.09, 99.31 ± 0.00 and 100.00 ± 0.00 %, respectively. After 8 weeks, mean lesion size decreased from 0.8 ± 0.2 mm to 0.3 ± 0.1 mm (p < 0.01), and cure at 150 mg/kg against intracellular amastigotes in albino mice was 97.02 % (95 % CI = 96.14 - 98.10). IC50 for Lawsonia inermis leaf extract was 12.22 μg/mL (95 % CI = 11.54 - 13.84) against lymphocytes.Conclusion: The results obtained in this study show that Lawsonia Inermis leaf is safe and possesses potent anti-leishmanial activity.Keywords: Leishmania tropica, Lawsonia inermis, Morus Nigra, Ziziphus Mauritiana, Anti-leishmania, Amastigotes, Lymphocyte

Impact of Global Financial Crisis 2008 on Automobile Industry

Global financial crisis has formed bad impact on automobile industry in USA, like Suziki, Hyundai and Honda from 2008-2010. The companies’ sale decreased because of market situation and slum in world economy. Now economic conditions are getting better by having good financial policies and market exposure. This research study will explain the importance of debt to equity ratio in term of risk exposure being taken by the firm in market to finance the business and also analyze the importance and effectiveness of debt to equity for automobile sector. This study is based upon the three major players of industry to signify the risk exposure in term of debt and equity during a period of financial crisis and then how they manage it while looking at international financial regulations accordingly. Suzuki overcame this situation by keeping focus on R & D, marketing and manufacturing units. It has also changed its exposure of debt to equity, in the meantime of financial crisis it is having more financing through common stock. Hyundai overcame this situation by focusing on stakeholders like customers and employees. And due to this strategy the crisis has created the low effects on the Hyundai profitability and sales.  The Honda after the recession they began to again paying keen attention on its performance and increased its sales by introducing the innovation in its different models by launching the hybrid fuel efficient models. And it also keeps on focusing common stock rather than lending from risky source. It also explained the role of Federal Reserve Bank to control financial crisis all over the world. In the end this paper will compare the market exposure of debt and equity of three companies and suggest some recommendations to be more secure in future if same crisis revert again. Keywords: Financial Crisis, Automobile Sector, Debt-to-Equity Ratio, Federal Reserve Bank. Paper Type: Research Pape

Reliability and condition monitoring of a wind turbine

Wind is one of the cheapest and cleanest sources of energy. However, large and frequent fluctuations in wind intensity and directions can cause serious problems in harvesting this energy. Wind turbines are subjected to many unexpected environmental loads, which can be catastrophic in nature for the wind turbine system. Like any other industrial equipment wind turbines also require some type of monitoring system which is able to predict the up coming faults of the most sensitive components of the system to save it from a major disaster. This paper highlights the ongoing research on reliability analysis and condition monitoring system required for a small-scale wind turbine system AOC15/50, which is widely used in Atlantic Canada and USA. The paper describes the importance of safety system and lay ground work for sensor specification, sensor mounting and configuration requirements for magnetic tip brake and yaw bearing which were proved to be the least reliable components in an extensive reliability analysis. The paper describes condition monitoring instrumentation, data acquisition system and data analysis methodology

Importance of Interrelation between ABO Blood Group and Platelet Indices in Young Healthy Adults

Objective: To highlight the importance of the interrelation between the ABO blood group system and platelet indices in healthy young adults. Study Design: Cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Pathology Department, PNS Shifa Hospital, Karachi Pakistan, from Jan to Jun 2020. Methodology: Comprised 399 blood donors who visited the transfusion department of the hospital without any comorbidities.All the donors were requested for their informed consent before their enrolment in the study. Blood groups were determined by a simple conventional tile method. Platelet indices (Platelet count, mean platelet volume and Platelet distribution width)were studied by auto-analyzer. Blood pressures were estimated by manual auscultator technique with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Results: Males and females were equal in number, with a mean BMI of 19.89(1.24%). The majority of the donors, 143(35.8%),had B-Blood Group, while 140(35.1%) donors had O-Blood group, 93(23.3%) had A-Blood group, and only 23(5.8%) had AB group. Rh positivity was noted in 378(94.7%) of the donors. Different blood groups were responsible for the changes in the platelet parameters, especially MPV and PDW, as there was a significant difference in MPV and PDW values (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: While determining the presence of a relationship between the ABO blood group system and platelet indices, it is observed that there is a high frequency of cardiovascular diseases among B and AB blood groups in young, healthy adults. Keywords: Blood groups, Body mass index, Mean platelet volume, Platelet count, Platelet distribution width

Enhancement of solubility and dissolution rate of ebastine fast-disintegrating tablets by solid dispersion method

Purpose: To investigate the efficiency of different solubilizing agents in improving solubility as well as dissolution rate of ebastine (a BCS class II drug) by incorporating prepared solid dispersion into fast disintegrating tablets.Method: The solubility of ebastine was determined in distilled water, lipids and solubilizing agents. Subsequently, the binary solid dispersions were prepared by kneading method using varying weight ratios of ebastine and solubilizing agents. The solid dispersions were then incorporated into fast disintegrating tablets (SD-FDT). Central composite rotatable design (CCD) was used to determine the impact of super disintegrating agents on disintegration time and friability of tablets. The solubility and dissolution rate of developed SD-FDT were compared with a marketed brand. The solid dispersion particles were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder x-ray diffraction (P-XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Results: The saturated solubility of pure ebastine in water was 0.002 ± 0.041 mg/ml while the aqueous solubility of EBT/poloxamer solid dispersion SET3 (P) was 0.018 ± 2.510 mg/ml; on the other hand, EBT/soluplus solid dispersion SET1(S) has an aqueous solubility of 0.242 ± 1.390 mg/ml. Within 30 min, drug release was 14.00 ± 1.77, 78.00 ± 2.31 and 98.70 ± 2.54 % from pure EBT, SET3 (P) and SET1(S), respectively.Conclusion: The solubility and dissolution rate of ebastine has been successfully enhanced by incorporating its solid dispersion in fast-disintegrating tablets (SD-FDT). Keywords: Ebastine, Solid dispersion, Poloxamer 188, Soluplus, Solubility, Dissolutio

Modal analysis of ship's mast structure using effective mass participation factor

Background/Objectives: Each structure tends to vibrate at particular frequencies, called resonant or natural frequencies. When a structure is excited by dynamic load with frequency coinciding one of its natural frequencies the structure experiences stresses and large displacements. In this paper effective mass participation factor criterion is used to solve the vibration problem in the ship mast. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The effective mass participation factor provides a measure of the energy contained within each resonant mode. Vibration problem originated when one of the antenna at top of mast was replaced by a new antenna with greater mass at same location. The overall mast structure started vibrating because of the resonance of natural frequencies of the mast structure with natural frequencies of rotary equipment. Findings: It caused interruption in sensitivity of equipment installed on the mast structure. Instead of fabricating the new mast structure, some alteration has been carried out on the basis of results obtained from modal analysis. Application/Improvements: The study is very effective to overcome the vibration problems in ship mast