Carbon Zero by Off-grid Technologies

To mitigate the effects of climate change, low-carbon developments, such as zero-carbon building systems, are unavoidable in both existing and future structures. In this regard, a comprehensive analysis of four off-grid systems (Grey water system, Green curtain, Off-grid toilet, and Double roof house) was done in the off-grid tech lab at The University of Sydney. The mentioned systems were designed, constructed, and operated for a certain period (3 - 15 months), proving their credibility and effectiveness. Out of the four systems, only Double roof house was a scaled-down model (3:1). The work All prototypes collectively aimed to determine if off-grid systems can be operated in a way that does not compromise the quality of life. The research project embraced a biophilic approach, viewing each prototype as part of a larger system interacting with nature. Waste generation was minimized, and valuable performances were achieved with the least resource usage and minimal human interventions. The prototypes endorsed and demonstrated that sustainability and modernity can coexist without compromising on lifestyle. For instance, the Grey water system provided water to plants without any waste going out of the project boundaries, the Off-grid toilet functioned as a contemporary toilet while producing compost, the Double roof house roofing system powered appliances and ensured indoor comfort, and the Green curtain offered indoor comfort with indoor living greenery. These findings highlighted the feasibility of off-grid technologies without sacrificing modern-day conveniences

The influence of seasonal variations on yield components of sunflower

The wider adaptability of the crop and wide range of climatic conditions of Pakistan make it possible to have two crops of sunflower in a year. Field experiments, one in spring and one in autumn were conducted at the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, Pakistan to evaluate the influence of seasonal variation on yield and yield components of sunflower. Four sunflower hybrids were planted in randomized complete block design with three replications. Two central rows were harvested for the measurement of yield and yield components. It was observed that head size of spring crop was larger than autumn crop which was considered to be the result of overall better plant structure, length of crop life cycle, slow and gradual rise in cumulative degree days. Contrary to head size, thousand seed weight of autumn crop was found to be more than that of spring crop. Lesser seed weight of spring crop may be the result of competition for assimilates which left many seeds malnourished as larger head might have encouraged the initial setting of seeds. However, final yield of spring crop was greater than that of autumn crop. It led to the conclusion that having spring crop is the best option, however, autumn crop could be supplementary one to increase the production of oil seeds

Burden of care as perceived by informal caregivers of the patients receiving chemotherapy in tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Almost 32.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer annually. The huge number of cancer patients with deteriorating health renders a far greater number of informal caregivers bearing the burden of care in different forms and magnitude. The main purpose of the study was to explore the types of burden perceived by the informal caregivers and the factors associated with the caregiving burden.Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted to answer the research questions from April to May 2016. Around 200 informal caregivers were recruited from one of the tertiary hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan. The modified ZBIS was used to collect data which was analyzed by using Chi-square test to find the associations between the demographic characteristics of informal caregivers and the perceived burden of care. Results: Findings of the study identified the employment status (P ≤ 0.020) and the religion of the informal caregivers (P ≤ 0.027) as significant, demographic variables. The functional level of care receivers was also found to be significant (P ≤ 0.002). The study also recognized four forms of burdens, with significant mean values, including financial (2.85), psychological (2.50), social (2.58), and physical (2.44). Most of the participants reported experiencing a moderate magnitude of burden, ranging from 40 - 60, on the scale of 0 - 80. Conclusion: The study highlighted four different forms of burdens, that is, financial, psychological, social, and physical, along with their associated demographic factors. Health care agencies and public health personnel should work with informal caregivers to reduce burden of care

A neonate with upper GI bleeding

Bleeding in the newborn is often a serious problem because of cardiovascular effects associated with a loss of blood and/or the damaging effects of bleeding on neonatal tissues, especially the brain. Gastric polyps are described as abnormal lesions that originate in the gastric epithelium or submucosa and protrude into the stomach lumen. Clinical presentation of gastric polyps in children varies widely, from incidental endoscopic finding to massive gastrointestinal bleeding. However, acute gastrointestinal bleeding in association with hyperplastic gastric polyps has been reported very rarely. We report a case of unusual upper gastrointestinal bleeding in newborn baby on 2nd day of life, secondary to gastric polyp, which was diagnosed and resected through endoscopy

Confirmatory Analysis of the Factors of Competitiveness in the Textile Industry of Pakistan

This paper is focused on confirmatory analysis of  key determinants of competitiveness in the textile sector, with special reference to Pakistan. Researchers have conducted a survey that is designed to use financial side, productivity side, supply side, and demand side determinants to measure firms’ level Competitiveness. Primary data was collected at seven point scale from 354 respondents representing145 Listed Textile Companies at KSE. Collected data was then analyzed by using the confirmatory factor analysis to find out the rate of interdependency between the dependent and independent variables. The result shows that highest impact is being shown by the demand side determinants followed by financial side determinants. While the impact of productivity side and supply side determinants remained comparatively low

Confirmatory Analysis of the Factors of Competitiveness in the Textile Industry of Pakistan

This paper is focused on confirmatory analysis of  key determinants of competitiveness in the textile sector, with special reference to Pakistan. Researchers have conducted a survey that is designed to use financial side, productivity side, supply side, and demand side determinants to measure firms’ level Competitiveness. Primary data was collected at seven point scale from 354 respondents representing145 Listed Textile Companies at KSE. Collected data was then analyzed by using the confirmatory factor analysis to find out the rate of interdependency between the dependent and independent variables. The result shows that highest impact is being shown by the demand side determinants followed by financial side determinants. While the impact of productivity side and supply side determinants remained comparatively low