Root Associated Bacillus sp. Improves Growth, Yield and Zinc Translocation for Basmati Rice (Oryza sativa) Varieties

Plant associated rhizobacteria prevailing in different agro-ecosystems exhibit multiple traits which could be utilized in various aspect of sustainable agriculture. Two hundred thirty four isolates were obtained from the roots of basmati-385 and basmati super rice varieties growing in clay loam and saline soil at different locations of Punjab (Pakistan). Out of 234 isolates, 27 were able to solubilize zinc (Zn) from different Zn ores like zinc phosphate [Zn3 (PO4)2], zinc carbonate (ZnCO3) and zinc oxide (ZnO). The strain SH-10 with maximum Zn solubilization zone of 24 mm on Zn3 (PO4)2 ore and strain SH-17 with maximum Zn solubilization zone of 14-15 mm on ZnO and ZnCO3 ores were selected for further studies. These two strains solubilized phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) in vitro with a solubilization zone of 38-46 mm and 47-55 mm respectively. The strains also suppressed economically important rice pathogens Pyricularia oryzae and Fusarium moniliforme by 22-29 % and produced various biocontrol determinants in vitro. The strains enhanced Zn translocation towards grains and increased yield of basmati-385 and super basmati rice varieties by 22-49 % and 18-47 % respectively. The Zn solubilizing strains were identified as Bacillus sp and Bacillus cereus by 16S rRNA gene analysis

How Knowledge and Financial Self-Efficacy Moderate the Relationship between Money Attitudes and Personal Financial Management Behavior

This study finds the impact of money attitudes on the personal financial management behavior and check the moderating effect of financial knowledge and financial self-efficacy on their relationship. The sample for this research was young adults (University students) who were also employed. From five universities where two universities were from the public sector  and three were from private sector 500 respondents were selected through purposive sampling. Hierarchal Regression and factor analysis were employed to derive the results. The following are the results which are generated from this research study. Money attitudes and Financial Knowledge have a significant positive impact on the personal financial management behavior of young adults, and financial knowledge has a positive moderating impact on the relationship of money attitudes & personal financial management behavior. It was found that 20.9% Personal Financial Management Behavior is explained by money attitudes at significance level of 5 %. Financial Self-efficacy has a positive impact on the personal financial management behavior and it has positive moderating impact on the relationship of money attitudes & personal financial management behavior

Co-optimization of energy and reserve capacity considering renewable energy unit with uncertainty

This paper proposes a system model for optimal dispatch of the energy and reserve capacity considering uncertain load demand and unsteady power generation. This implicates uncertainty in managing the power demand along with the consideration of utility, user and environmental objectives. The model takes into consideration a day-ahead electricity market that involves the varying power demand bids and generates a required amount of energy in addition with reserve capacity. The lost opportunity cost is also considered and incorporated within the context of expected load not served. Then, the effects of combined and separate dispatching the energy and reserve are investigated. The nonlinear cost curves have been addressed by optimizing the objective function using robust optimization technique. Finally, various cases in accordance with underlying parameters have been considered in order to conduct and evaluate numerical results. Simulation results show the effectiveness of proposed scheduling model in terms of reduced cost and system stability

The Phytochemical and Comparative Anticancer Study of Methanolic and Chloroform Extracts of Psidium guajava L. Leaves of Pakistani Origin

The chief focus of our study is to evaluate the phytochemical and anti-cancer activity of methanol (PGM) and chloroform extracts (PGC) of the leaves of Psidium guajava (guava) collected from local area of district Sialkot, Pakistan. Shade dried milled leaves was subjected to extraction (maceration) with methanol and chloroform. Quantitative and qualitative screenings by GC-MS and phytochemical techniques were performed. Then different secondary metabolites and phytochemical compounds were identified which are typically associated with the existence of therapeutic characteristics. Psidium guajava has been extensively used as herbal remedies like, anti-diarrheal, antihypertensive, antibacterial, antifungal as well as to control obesity, ulcer, diabetes. In this study, both extracts of P. guajava were evaluated for their anticancer activities against HeLa cell-lines (cancerous cells). The healthiest anticancer response in the form of cell-line suppression was perceived with 200µg/mL of both extracts, PGM showed 81% and PGC exhibited 91% while the standard drug doxorubicin presented around 76% inhibition. The comparative better result was seen with chloroform extract than methanolic abstract. In conclusion, the chloroform and methanol extracts of our nominated plant from Pakistan origin has a good source of phytochemicals that revealed an outstanding anti-cancer potential. Keywords: Psidium guajava, anticancer, phytochemicals, methanol extracts, secondary metabolites

N-Acetyl-4-(benzene­sulfonamido)benzene­sulfonamide

In the mol­ecule of the title compound, C14H14N2O5S2, the dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 77.75 (9)°. The acetamide group is planar [maximum deviation = 0.002 (3) Å] and oriented at dihedral angles of 13.49 (21) and 73.94 (10)° with respect to the aromatic rings. An intra­molecular C—H⋯O inter­action results in the formation of a six-membered ring. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O inter­actions link the mol­ecules into a three-dimensional network, forming R 2 2(20) ring motifs

How Knowledge and Financial Self-Efficacy Moderate the Relationship between Money Attitudes and Personal Financial Management Behavior

This study finds the impact of money attitudes on the personal financial management behavior and check the moderating effect of financial knowledge and financial self-efficacy on their relationship. The sample for this research was young adults (University students) who were also employed. From five universities where two universities were from the public sector  and three were from private sector 500 respondents were selected through purposive sampling. Hierarchal Regression and factor analysis were employed to derive the results. The following are the results which are generated from this research study. Money attitudes and Financial Knowledge have a significant positive impact on the personal financial management behavior of young adults, and financial knowledge has a positive moderating impact on the relationship of money attitudes & personal financial management behavior. It was found that 20.9% Personal Financial Management Behavior is explained by money attitudes at significance level of 5 %. Financial Self-efficacy has a positive impact on the personal financial management behavior and it has positive moderating impact on the relationship of money attitudes & personal financial management behavior

Use of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) Success Score to Predict the Outcome of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Obstructive Hydrocephalus

Object: In February 2011 Abhaya V. Kulkarni et al. reported endoscopic third ventriculostomy success score in order to predict the outcome of obstructive hydrocephalus. After ETV the object of the present study was to evaluate this predictive value in our own setup, prospectively.Materials and Methods: From April 2011-November 2012, 110 endoscopic third ventriculostomy procedures were performed for obstructive hydrocephalus of different etiologies at the department of pediatric neurosurgery, the Children’s Hospital Lahore. All of these cases were more than 6 months old and the data was analyzed by the senior author.Results: A total number of 110 patients were operated between April 2011 – November 2012. The patients’ ages ranged from 6 months – 13 years. No child below 6 months was included in this study. Children were stratified into 4 age groups: 6 months – 1 year (Group – 1), 1 year – 2 years (Group – 2), 2 years – 10 years (Group – 3) and more than 10 years (Group – 4). The score was calculated for each patient before surgery according to ETVSS and at the end of 6months the success or failure of the ETV was determined by clinical, radiological measures. Out of 110 patients, only 80 were available at the completion of 6months period after surgery. The ETV was successful in 56 patients (70%). Patients below 1 year achieved lowest success. Of the ten patients with a high probability of ETV success, eight (80%) were successfully treated.Conclusion: The results show that EVT success can be predicted very well by ETVSS and it should help in establishing surgical selection criteria in order to obtain high success rate. It can also help in preparing the patients and their families to the expected outcome

Early Treatment of Craniosynostosis by Using Endoscopic – Assisted Minimally Invasive Techniques

Object: The conventional calvarial remodeling procedures are being replaced by minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted suturectomies across the globe. The object of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of these minimally invasive techniques of strip craniectomies in our population.Material and Methods: A total of 70 patients, below 4 months of age, with metopic, coronal or sagittal suture premature fusion were treated during a period of three years from Nov. 2009 – Nov. 2012, using minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted techniques.Results: The sagittal suture synostosis group consisted of 28 patients, 19 males and 9 females with a mean age of 3 months. The group with coronal synostosis consisted of 17 patients, 8 males and 9 females with a mean age of 3.2 months. Metopic group consisted of 25 patients, 17 males and 8 females with a mean age of 2.3months. All these patient were chosen for minimally invasive strip craniectomies with the help of rigid neuroendoscope instead of conventional suturectomy. There were 4 intra-operative and 3 post-operative blood transfusions (10%). The mean surgical time was 55mins. All but 3 patients were discharged on 1st post-operative day (96%).Complications included 3 dural tears, 2 sagittal sinus injuries and 2 pseudo-meningoceles (10%). 2 cases had superficial wound infection of the skin and there was no mortality. Using anthropometric measurements and photographic assessment, excellent results were obtained in 78%, good results in 14% and poor in 8%.Conclusion: Coronal, metopic and sagittal synostosis can be treated at a very early age satisfactorily with minimally invasive endoscopic-assisted technique with good cosmetic results and limited blood loss