The role of rhizospheric Aspergillus flavus in standing maize crop contamination in different ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Soil and un-husked maize samples were collected from 29 different locations belonging to three distinct ecological zones (Swat, Hazara and Peshawar) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The samples were evaluated for the incidence of aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus. The soil samples collected from Peshawar (100%) and Hazara (66%), and grain samples collected from Swat (64%) and Peshawar (55%) were severely infected with aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus. The strains isolated from maize kernels of Manyar, Jalala (Swat zone), Palosi and Takkar (Peshawar zone) produced the highest amount of aflatoxin B1 (324 to 514 μg g-1) and B2 (23 to 486 μg g-1). Similarly, the strains isolated from soils of Bannu (Peshawar) and Huripur (Hazara) were prominent in B1 (662 to 1323 μg g-1) and B2 (145 to 826 μg g-1). Microbial analysis of the surface sterilized grains showed that the strains isolated from Jalala (Swat) and Palosi (Peshawar) samples were high in B1 (62 to 79 μg g-1) and B2 (21 to 36 μg g-1). It was concluded, therefore, that A. flavus from soil might contaminate maize crop, but not directly from the same field. The most probable contamination occurred through air borne spores. It is thus recommended that protection from air borne spore should be devised.Keywords: Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin, ecology, maize crop, field, soil toxicolog

ENVISAGING KSE 100 INDEX USING THE BOX-JENKINS METHODOLOGY

Investment in stock portfolios has never been a risk-free course of action as countless factors impinge on the end result of such a venture. Although fairly rewarding, the element of uncertainty involved keeps many potential investors away as they fail to adequately forecast what moves the stock market is going to make in the near future. The enticement of receiving returns, however, is appealing enough for investors to have their money invested in the stock market. But the ability to forecast the market remains their major necessity. In operational terms, there are two ways of forecasting the current and future values of any time series including stock indices. One way is to regress stock returns over all those factors that have an effect on stock market performance. The other method is making predictions on the basis of the past performance of the stock market. The current paper has adopted the second method of forecasting and has made use of the ARIMA technique. Monthly stock returns data of KSE 100 Index was collected from 1997 to 2019 which translated into 266 observations. It was realized that the technique used in the study helped in adequately predicting stock returns, although only in the short run. The outcomes of this study may be of help for prospective stock market investors, specifically short-term, in deciding when, and when not, to extend their investments at Pakistan Stock Exchange

Open-Source and Proprietary Library Automation Software: A Comparative Academic Librarian's Perspective

The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of how academic librarians perceive open-source and proprietary library software. The researchers used a survey research approach and a self-constructed questionnaire as data collection tool. The study targeted 103 library professionals working at HEC-recognized degree awarding institutions (DAIs) and universities in Lahore, both public and private sectors, yielding an 84% response rate. To meet research objectives, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Study findings explored that library software should have the facility of advanced searching, library standards, and a user-friendly interface. Comparative analysis revealed that open-source library software contains more modules and requires highly skilled employees. On the other hand, human resources with minor skills can use proprietary software. Factors that prevent adopting OSS for academic libraries include a lack of technical support, skilled and motivated library professionals, inadequate cooperation between supervisors and subordinates, and insufficient training opportunities. Experienced library professionals should guide and offer full cooperation in the selection and implementation of software. Library schools and associations should play a decisive role through school curriculum and professional development programs in preparing graduates and practitioners for embracing modern technologies. Open-source software developers should also organize training programs for software users to work independently in libraries

Predictors of Acute Stent Thrombosis After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

OBJECTIVES To identify the specific predictors of acute stent thrombosis in patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.METHODOLOGY This retrospective study was carried out at the Department of Cardiology Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from 1st January to 30th June 2022. All consecutive patients with an angiographically confirmed stent thrombosis were enrolled. Patients gave informed consent for the inclusion of data in this registry. Stent thrombosis was categorized according to the timing of the event as acute (occurrence within the first 24 hours after the index procedure).RESULTSA total of 400 patients were included in the study. Age ranged between 35-70 years, with a mean age of 52.5. There were 260(65%) males and 140(35%) females, with male to female ratio of 1.8:1. All patients underwent primary PCI with stent implantation. According to the elapsed time since stent implantation, 42(10.5%) patients presented with acute stent thrombosis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The mean time to develop acute stent thrombosis after primary PCI was ±4.5 hours (range 3-6 hours). In most STEMI patients, 340(85%) received a loading dose of clopidogrel at the time of the index PCI. In 23(54.7%) patients, acute stent thrombosis occurred within 6 hours, 10(23.8%) within 12 hours, 6(14.2%) within 18 hours and 3(7.1%) after clopidogrel loading.CONCLUSIONInadequate stent expansion or mal-opposition, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and female gender were the strong predictors of acute stent thrombosis

Soil and transport factors in potential distribution systems for biofertilisers derived from palm oil mill residues in Malaysia

Oil palm provides an important source of edible oils and fats, accounting for >30% of total global production and >55% of the international trade in these foodstuffs. The palms produce fresh fruit bunches, comprising several hundreds of small fruitlets, which are compressed and steamed to extract the oil. Soil nutrients in oil palm estates become depleted after decades of heavy harvesting and require fertilisers. Liquid palm oil mill effluent, solid empty fruit bunches and other residues can have deleterious environmental impacts and require careful management. The problems of residue disposal and soil nutrient impoverishment can be linked and managed by composting the oil palm mill residues and distributing the biofertiliser produced back to the plantation. Using case studies from West Malaysia we present an early stage practical tool for the planning of the distribution component of such a cycle. The computer-based tool uses multiple field-based and remote sensing data sources to integrate the effects of local soil conditions, transport distances, environmental protection and management priorities and then models customised distribution plans. The tool operates at plantation level and can be augmented with detailed local data, but the approach is extensible and potentially applicable to regional or national planning

PHYSIO-CHEMICAL EVALUATION AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF AJUGA BRACTEOSA WALL. AND VIOLA ODOROTO LINN

Background: Ajuga bracteosa and Viola odorata are frequently used by the native people of Swat-Pakistan for the curing of fever, malaria, cough, urinary and stomach disorders with slightly different practice of usage like raw powdered, extracts, decoction etc. Methods and Materials: Disc Diffusion Method was used for determination of antimicrobial activities of both plants. Nutrient Agar Media was used for the culturing and growth of all microbial strains. Vitamin C and minerals contents were determined by standard method of AOAC. Na and K were analyzed by using flame photometric technique. Micro minerals i.e. “Ni, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ca, Pb, and Mg” were determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Total Soluble Solid (TSS) was determined by using abbe refractometer and pH was determined by using pH meter. Results: The present study demonstrates that both plants exhibited antibacterial activities against P. aeruginos, E. coli, S. typhi, B. subtilis and S. aureus. The examined plants showed zone of inhibition for aqueous fraction (50.90, 45.90 %) against P. aeruginosa; for EtOAc fraction (41.37, 57.62%) against C. Albicans and for hexane fraction (25.86, 40.57%) against K. pneumoniae, respectively. Total of 14 different minerals (Na, K, P, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cd) were determined and it was also observed that both the examined plants contained significant level of these analyzed minerals. The subject plants contained highest level of magnesium (295.75, 145.85 mg 100-1g) and calcium (212.49, 44.00 mg 100-1g) and potassium (152.6, 437.45 mg 100-1g) while moderate level P, Zn, Na and lower amount of Cd, Ni, Mn and Cu using Atomic Absorption, Flame Photometry and spectrophotometric techniques. V. odorata was found to contain a higher amount of vitamin C (64.05±12.37mg 100-1g) as compared to A. bracteosa (45.45 ± 7.29 mg 100-1 g). Conclusion: Findings of this study can persuade researchers for future comprehensive phytochemical study of these plants using state of art techniques and instruments, which include not only isolation of secondary metabolites from these plants but biological evaluation of isolated compounds both in vivo and in vitr

Role of MicroRNA in Endometrial Carcinoma

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a hall mark of gynecological malignancies that usually affects women above the age 50. It is one of the major causes of mortality in females with ever increasing prevalence and the mortality rate is 1.7 to 2.4 per 100000 and each year 10000 death occur due to ECs. MiRNAs regulate the expression of different proto-oncogenes and signaling pathways that are directly or indirectly involved in the development of cancer. Different miRNAs i.e. (miRNA-449, miRNA 370, miRNA-424, and miRNA-152) which gets up or down regulated during endometrial cancer are the potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of EC. Targeting this relationship between the miRNA and signaling pathways may help in the development of new treatment in endometrial cancer. In current study, we reviewed literature from PubMed using miRNA and endometrial cancer as keywords and outlined the synthesis of potent miRNA and role of different miRNAs involved in ECs. The study revealed different sub types of miRNA played crucial role in the development of cancer by up and down regulation of different metabolic pathways. Many evidences have supported that miRNAs play role in control and regulation of different pathways leading to cancer and targeting these pathways may bring changes in the diagnosis as well as in treatment of EC

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

PANC Study (Pancreatitis: A National Cohort Study): national cohort study examining the first 30 days from presentation of acute pancreatitis in the UK

Abstract Background Acute pancreatitis is a common, yet complex, emergency surgical presentation. Multiple guidelines exist and management can vary significantly. The aim of this first UK, multicentre, prospective cohort study was to assess the variation in management of acute pancreatitis to guide resource planning and optimize treatment. Methods All patients aged greater than or equal to 18 years presenting with acute pancreatitis, as per the Atlanta criteria, from March to April 2021 were eligible for inclusion and followed up for 30 days. Anonymized data were uploaded to a secure electronic database in line with local governance approvals. Results A total of 113 hospitals contributed data on 2580 patients, with an equal sex distribution and a mean age of 57 years. The aetiology was gallstones in 50.6 per cent, with idiopathic the next most common (22.4 per cent). In addition to the 7.6 per cent with a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, 20.1 per cent of patients had a previous episode of acute pancreatitis. One in 20 patients were classed as having severe pancreatitis, as per the Atlanta criteria. The overall mortality rate was 2.3 per cent at 30 days, but rose to one in three in the severe group. Predictors of death included male sex, increased age, and frailty; previous acute pancreatitis and gallstones as aetiologies were protective. Smoking status and body mass index did not affect death. Conclusion Most patients presenting with acute pancreatitis have a mild, self-limiting disease. Rates of patients with idiopathic pancreatitis are high. Recurrent attacks of pancreatitis are common, but are likely to have reduced risk of death on subsequent admissions. </jats:sec

Effects of fluoxetine on functional outcomes after acute stroke (FOCUS): a pragmatic, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial

Background Results of small trials indicate that fluoxetine might improve functional outcomes after stroke. The FOCUS trial aimed to provide a precise estimate of these effects. Methods FOCUS was a pragmatic, multicentre, parallel group, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial done at 103 hospitals in the UK. Patients were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, had a clinical stroke diagnosis, were enrolled and randomly assigned between 2 days and 15 days after onset, and had focal neurological deficits. Patients were randomly allocated fluoxetine 20 mg or matching placebo orally once daily for 6 months via a web-based system by use of a minimisation algorithm. The primary outcome was functional status, measured with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), at 6 months. Patients, carers, health-care staff, and the trial team were masked to treatment allocation. Functional status was assessed at 6 months and 12 months after randomisation. Patients were analysed according to their treatment allocation. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN83290762. Findings Between Sept 10, 2012, and March 31, 2017, 3127 patients were recruited. 1564 patients were allocated fluoxetine and 1563 allocated placebo. mRS data at 6 months were available for 1553 (99·3%) patients in each treatment group. The distribution across mRS categories at 6 months was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (common odds ratio adjusted for minimisation variables 0·951 [95% CI 0·839–1·079]; p=0·439). Patients allocated fluoxetine were less likely than those allocated placebo to develop new depression by 6 months (210 [13·43%] patients vs 269 [17·21%]; difference 3·78% [95% CI 1·26–6·30]; p=0·0033), but they had more bone fractures (45 [2·88%] vs 23 [1·47%]; difference 1·41% [95% CI 0·38–2·43]; p=0·0070). There were no significant differences in any other event at 6 or 12 months. Interpretation Fluoxetine 20 mg given daily for 6 months after acute stroke does not seem to improve functional outcomes. Although the treatment reduced the occurrence of depression, it increased the frequency of bone fractures. These results do not support the routine use of fluoxetine either for the prevention of post-stroke depression or to promote recovery of function. Funding UK Stroke Association and NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme