An Empirical Investigation of the Relationship between Food Insecurity, Landlessness, and Violent Conflict in Pakistan

This study is an attempt to examine empirically the association between socio-economic measures of deprivation—such as food insecurity, landlessness, unemployment, and human under-development—and the incidence of violent conflict as measured by the number of violent attacks across districts in Pakistan. The study uses a linear probability model in which the dependent variable is defined on the basis of the presence or absence of violent attacks in a particular district. The results of the study indicate that in addition to the provincial-level fixed characteristics, landlessness and food insecurity are positively and robustly associated with the probability of violent attacks across districts in Pakistan. Quite contrary to the general impression held, the number of madrassahs (religious seminaries), employment rate, and literacy rate appear to be statistically irrelevant, on average, in terms of determining the probability of the presence of violent conflict across districts in Pakistan. While emphasising the need to collect better data on the intensity of violent conflict— to take into account both the incidence as well as the origin of violent attacks across districts in Pakistan—the study raises some important questions regarding the role of landlessness and food insecurity that need to be investigated further in future studies on socio-economic drivers of violent conflict in Pakistan.Violent Conflict, Militancy, Food Insecurity, Landlessness, Pakistan

Geography, Institutions and Human Development: A Cross-Country Investigation Using Bayesian Model Averaging

This paper examines the role of long standing institutions – identified through geography, disease ecology, colonial legacy, and some direct measures of political and economic governance – on human development and its non income components across countries. The study employs a novel econometric technique called the Bayesian Model Averaging that allows us to select the relevant predictors by experimenting with a host of competing sets of variables. It constructs estimates as weighted average of OLS estimates for every possible combination of included variables. This is particularly useful in situations when there is model uncertainty and theory provides only a weak guidance on the selection of appropriate predictors. Of the 25 variables that we tried, three stand out in terms of their degree of importance and their robustness across various specifications. These include malaria ecology, KKZ index of good governance and fertility rate. Our finding on the dominant and robust role of malaria ecology in explaining differences in human development across countries, even in the presence of variables that directly and indirectly measure the quality of institutions, is extremely fascinating. It shows that malaria ecology has a direct negative impact on human development and this effect appears to be over and above its effect via institutions. Some of the other measures of climate and geography as well as those of colonial legacy are important as long as we do not control for some direct measures of the performance of political and economic institutions such as the KKZ index of good governance and democracy score. Once we control for these and other conditioning variables such as public spending on health and education; fertility rates; and measures of health infrastructure, the importance of geography and colonial legacy disappears.Human development; geography; institutions; Bayesian Model Averaging

Rhizobacterial mediated antimetabolites and their significant effect on human pathogens

Background: The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is increasing globally. Therefore, new strategies and exploration of new metabolites are need of the day to combat various diseases.  The aim of the current study is to isolate the rhizobacterial strains from medicinal plants to examine their antibacterial activity against human pathogens.Methods: The total 239 rhizobacterial isolates were screened with agar plug and well diffusion methods, characterized biochemically and identified by Bergey’s manual scheme. In chemical screening, metabolic extracts of rhizobacterial isolates were separated in thin layer chromatography (TLC) and further identified by HPLC. The ability of rhizobacterial strains for optimum metabolite production was checked in vitro under different environmental conditions.Results: Results showed that 31% isolates had antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, E. coccus, E. coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC20737, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Neisseria. Gonorrhea ATCC19424, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 1, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 6 and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 8.  Maximum rhizobacterial strains showed best antibacterial activity at 35ᵒC and at pH7. ST5 strain showed significant results against E. coli ETCC and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-7 (25mm zone of inhibition). The bands of ST5 and ST2 extracts on a TLC plate were detected at Rf value 4.7 and 4.8 respectively. In HPLC, different peaks at different retention times with maximum peak at 2.90 and 2.92 indicating the production of antimetabolites.Conclusion: These rhizobacterial isolates are valuable inputs in natural consortium to produce specific antibacterial metabolites. Demonstrating the structure and purification of these bioactive compounds may enhance the antimicrobial activities which further can be helpful in development of antibiotics.Keywords: Antibiotics; Rhizobacteria; Antimicrobial agents; MRSA; HPL

Relationship between fear, fall & balance in cummunity dwelling older adults

Background: In older population the risk of fall is always at high risk and there are many contributing factor which increase the prevalence of fall. The impaired balance leads to limited daily activities and confidence level. Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fall, fear and balance in older population. Method & methodology: The descriptive cross sectional study design was used and a sample of 271 older adult were recruited through purpose sampling technique. The detail demographic was noted, history of fall and other related co-morbidities were mention in performa. The standardized test Activity based confidence scale (ABC) and Time up & go (TUG) were used for proper assessment. Results: The result shows that 72% sample were composed of females and 28% were male. Majority 71% belong to age bracket 65-74 years and 79% have no history of fall. Only 19% have high level of physical function on confidence scale, 36% and 45 % were in moderate and low level of physical functioning respectively. The ralationship shows that the older adults who have impaire mobility on TUG have 30% (82) and 11.43% (31) low and moderate level of physical functioning on ABC scale respectively. Conclusions: The findings indicate that majority of older adults have no fall history but still most of them have low level of confidence & physical functioning on ABC scale. The confidence balance is associated with the physical functioning in older adults and need to improve the balance training for proper functioning

Role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in phytoremediation of heavy metals and effects on growth and biochemical activities of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants in Zn contaminated soils

The increase of metals pollution in soil is a worldwide problem that affects the health of humans and environment. The use of green technology such as phytoremediation is one of the environmental friendly techniques, in which plants and other microbes are used to reduce the level of metals contaminants in soil and lower its uptake towards plants tissues. Studies report that a number of cereal crops such as wheat accumulates heavy metals in their tissues at higher concentrations. In the present study, we investigated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on wheat plants with the increase of three different zinc (Zn) concentrations (0, 100, 300 and 900 mgkg-1) in soil. After eight weeks of pot experiment, roots colonization, shoot and root biomass, growth, heavy metals contents and other biochemical parameters were assessed. The results indicate mycorrhizal inoculated (M) plants performed better at moderate Zn concentrations (300 mgkg-1). In AMF associated plants, Zn contents were lower in shoot part of plants as compared to roots. In addition, higher P contents were observed in M treated plants as compared to NM plants. The decrease of nutrient contents, growth and antioxidant enzymatic activities were found at the highest applied Zn concentrations (900 mgkg-1). Results indicate that AMF inoculum exhibit different tolerance strategies to reduce metals toxicity in host plants. The effective mycorrhizal symbiosis was observed with wheat plants and can be useful for phytostabilization of Zn contaminated soils which can play a vital role in the increase of food productivity and safety.Key words: Wheat, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, phosphorus, nutrient contents, antioxidant enzymes

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

Endostatin concentration in plasma of healthy human volunteers

Background: Angiogenesis is involved in many cardiovascular and cancerous diseases, including atherosclerosis and is controlled by a fine balance between angiogenic and angiostatic mediators. Endostatin is one of the main angiostatic mediators, and inhibits angiogenesis and prevents progression of atherosclerosis. The available literature shows a broad range of concentrations in relatively small samples of healthy controls and is calculated by using different techniques. This study was aimed to determine the basal endostatin concentration in plasma of healthy volunteers, to fully understand its physiological role. Methods: Fifty healthy adult volunteers were recruited to the study. Participants were advised not to participate in any physical activity on the day before the blood sampling. The volunteers’ physical activity, height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure were recorded. The samples were analysed for plasma endostatin concentration, using ELISA. The participants were divided by gender and ethnic groups to calculate any difference. Results: Endostatin and other variables were normally distributed. Most of the participants had a moderate level of physical activity with no gender related difference (p=0.370). The mean value for plasma endostatin in all samples was 105±12 ng/ml with range of 81–132 ng/ml. For males, it was 107±13 ng/ml, while for females; 102±12 ng/ml. There were no significant gender or ethnicity related differences in endostatin concentration. Moreover, endostatin was not significantly related with any anthropometric and physical variable. Conclusion: This study gives endostatin levels in normal healthy people and show no gender and ethnicity related differences in endostatin levels. Endostatin was not related with any anthropometric and physical variable

Gastrointestinal helminthiasis presenting with acute diarrhoea and constipation: report of two cases with a second pathology.

Gastrointestinal helminthiasis in developing countries contributes to malnutrition and anemia. Diagnosis and treatment of helminthiasis, especially with low worm load is an unmet public health need in such settings. The infection may sometimes become manifest when a second pathology leads to purgation of the gastrointestinal tract. Two cases of helminthiasis are presented in which the infections only became amenable to diagnosis due to acute diarrhoea caused by giardiasis and lactulose administration. In the first case, acute giardiasis revealed Ascaris lumbricoides infestation, and in the second case primary helminthiasis (strongyloidiasis) was revealed by lactulose, and also led to Vibrio cholera bacteremia. These cases highlight the need to diagnose helminth infestations especially with low worm burdens by means of public health surveillance programmes. These cases highlight the need to diagnose helminth infestations especially with low worm burdens by means of public health surveillance programmes

Anti-mullerian hormone: Above and beyond conventional ovarian reserve markers

Management of ovarian dysfunctions requires accurate estimation of ovarian reserve (OR). Therefore, reproductive hormones and antral follicle count (AFC) are assessed to indicate OR. Serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a unique biomarker that has a critical role in folliculogenesis as well as steroidogenesis within ovaries. Secretion from preantral and early antral follicles renders AMH as the earliest marker to show OR decline. In this review we discuss the dynamics of circulating AMH that remarkably vary with sex and age. As it emerges as a marker of gonadal development and reproductive disorders, here we summarize the role of AMH in female reproductive physiology and provide evidence of higher accuracy in predicting ovarian response to stimulation. Further, we attempt to compile potential clinical applications in children and adults. We propose that AMH evaluation has a potential role in effectively monitoring chemotherapy and pelvic radiation induced ovarian toxicity. Furthermore, AMH guided ovarian stimulation can lead to individualization of therapeutic strategies for infertility treatment. However future research on AMH levels within follicular fluid may pave the way to establish it as a marker of quality besides quantity of the growing follicles