Extraocular Muscle Imbalance and Outcomes of Scleral Buckling Surgery for Primary Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Objective: The objective was to study the muscle imbalance, restrictive motility in unlike gazes and the outcomes of the scleral buckling surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Study design: Prospective follow-up study Settings and duration: The study was conducted at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi from Aug 2015 to Jan 2016. Methodology: The patients were checked prior to surgery and two follow up visits were done afterwards. Thorough history was taken along with full orthoptic assessment and ocular motility in all four main gazes including elevation, depression, adduction and abduction. Vision, type and position of explants, site of detachment, and risk factors of detachment were also observed. Results: A total of 48 eyes of 46 patients were taken. Mean age of the study participants was 37.16±20.37 years. Horizontal, vertical and combined deviations were observed in study population. Exo deviation was most common deviation among patients. Most reported risk factors of retinal detachment included trauma, pseudophakia, aphakia and myopia. Motility limitations of all four gazes was observed and it was found out that after buckling the squint and restriction is been increased up till two months. Conclusion: Ocular restriction among the patients was observed over a period of 2 months and it depicted that encircling with sclera buckling elicited an increase in restrictive ocular motility from pre-operative to 1 week and 2 months after surgery

Pleasure, Politics, and Patriarchy: Women’s Intimacy in an Authoritarian Egypt

This research project explores the question: To what extent is Egypt’s patriarchal household structure, especially in regards to its treatment of female sexual autonomy, a pillar of authoritarianism and therefore an obstacle to democracy? This paper takes a deep look into the intimate sexual lives of Egyptians and explores its implications for regime type in the country. Widespread practices such as virginity testing, hymen reconstruction, female genital mutilation, etc. along with phenomena such as sexual dysfunctions, community morality policing and other normalized behaviors demonstrate the different ways in which women’s sexual autonomies are widely hindered. This is the result of historical and political conditions that stressed the maternal role of women in society, which underscored ties between virginity, moral family values, and national identity. The aim of this research is to use a combination of interviews, historical background, and socio-political analysis to identify the relationship between the personal and political when it comes to intimacy and democratization. Through theoretical frameworks and studies of practices in Egypt, we can see how authoritarian regimes use sex as a tool to maintain power and sustain systems of subjugation throughout the cornerstone of society- the household

Prospects of microalgal biodiesel production in Pakistan – a review

Biodiesel is an alternative, renewable, biodegradable and environmentally friendly fuel for transportation, with properties like petroleum-derived diesel, and can be used directly in a compression ignition engine without any modifications. The world's fossil fuel and crude oil reserves are going to dry up in the next few decades, but, contrariwise, an attractive, high quality, readily available and economically extractable oil from microalgae is a substitute feedstock to produce alternative biodiesel fuel for the transportation sector in the future. Microalgae have a higher biomass productivity (tons/hectare/year) and lipid yield (kg/kg of algal biomass) as compared to vegetable oil crops. To overcome the problem of energy deficiency in developing countries, like Pakistan, and boost their economic growth, alternative fuels are proving very important for environment-friendly and sustainable development, especially in the last few decades. Different research studies on microalgae cultivation, characterization of microalgae oil (lipids), and evaluations of its socio-economic feasibility to produce renewable biodiesel have been conducted in the past in Pakistan for its future prospects. This review paper includes the overall summary and compilation of the microalgae research conducted in Pakistan on biodiesel production and includes the algal biodiesel production cost analysis. The studies showed promising results for harnessing microalgae and using its lipids to produce biodiesel with favourable properties that were comparable to the conventional diesel in Pakistan. The information related to the microalgae research will help stakeholders and governmental organisations working in the renewable energy sector to consider its cultivation on a large scale, using waste water as a feedstock to produce biodiesel to meet the target set by the Government of Pakistan of using 10% blended biodiesel by the year 2025 in Pakistan

INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNICATION ON FACE BOOK: EXPLORING INTERACTION PATTERNS OF PERSONALITY AND ADULT ATTACHMENT STYLES

The study is intended to explore individuals’ involvementand interaction on Facebook as an outcome of personality dimensions,and attachment styles. Participants (N=383) Facebook users included 60.3% females with an age range of 18-27 years (means = 22.47±2.91). Results suggested that extraversion (β=.12, p<.05) and neuroticism (β=.15, p<.05) predicted Facebook usage (intensity), and effects of neuroticism is moderated by secure attachment style (β interaction= - .23, p<.01). Social interaction on Facebook was predicted by extraversion (β=.14, p<.05) and the effects was moderated by secure attachment style (β interaction= -.16, p<.05). It is concluded that computer mediated communication on social networking sites is a complex phenomenon and shall be studied as a consequence of interaction between personal and environmental factors

Comparison of simple and chelated amberlite IR-120 for preconcentration and Determination of Cu(II) from aqueous samples

In the present study, the efficiency of simple and chelating Amberlite IR-120 with α-nitroso β-naphthol (IR-αNβN) and with 8-hydroxy quinoline (IR-8HQ) has been compared for the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. The chelation was confirmed using different characterization techniques like SEM, TGA and FTIR. A number of experiments were carried out in batch system to determine the effect of different parameters on adsorption of Cu(II) like pH, contact time and sample volume. The results showed occurrence of maximum adsorption at pH 7 in 10 min with adsorption capacity of 71.5 mg g-1 at 298 K. The adsorption followed pseudo second order kinetic model among the four kinetic models applied. Maximum desorption from IR-8HQ was obtained with a mixture of 4.0 M HCl and 0.5 M HNO3. Furthermore, IR-8HQ was found to be most selective adsorbent among three adsorbents investigated. The developed preconcentration procedure was successfully applied to spiked tap water and real samples. KEY WORDS: Chelating adsorbent, Amberlite IR-120, α-Nitroso β-naphthol, 8-Hydrox quinoline, Preconcentration Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2016, 30(1), 39-54.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v30i1.