Farmers’ Perceptions of Agricultural Land Values in Rural Pakistan

Pakistan’s agriculture sector is crucial because it is responsible for providing food, shelter, and clothing to a massive population of 180 million people which is growing at a rate of 2 percent per annum. Land is a valuable asset and a symbol of prestige for the rural population in Pakistan. According to the recent Pakistan Economic Survey of 2013- 14, the agriculture sector contributes around 21 percent to GDP and provides employment for around 45 percent of the work force, who are primarily based in rural areas. The total geographic area of Pakistan is approximately 79.6 million hectares. Around 27.7 percent of Pakistan’s land is currently under cultivation and the cultivatable waste lands offer good possibilities for crop production. The total cropped area of Pakistan increased from 21.82 million hectares in 1990-91 to 22.72 million hectares in 2010-11 [Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan (2010-11)] and the total population of Pakistan increased from 118 million to 175 million during the same time period. Similarly the tenancy status of land management and land ownership pattern has changed over time. For example, large landowners are shifting their preferences from managing their land on their own towards leasing or sharecropping the land to be managed by others [Agricultural Census (2010)]

A History of P.E.N. in Pre-independence India and the Bombay-Calcutta Rivalry

P.E.N. International, the international organisation of writers established in London in 1921, established its branch in India in 1933. The main branch in India, officially considered directly under the London branch and officially called “P.E.N. India Centre”- was established in Bombay under the leadership of the theosophist Sophia Wadia. Another branch, officially designated as the P.E.N. India Centre’s “Bengal chapter”, was opened in Calcutta with the historian Kalidas Nag at the helm of affairs. Letters and documents archived in the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin and the British Library in London show that the early history of the P.E.N. in India is one riddled with conflict between these two branches. Unlike organisations like the Progressive Writers’ Association, the P.E.N. in India was aligned to the mainstream nationalist movement, with top office bearers of the Indian National Congress like Nehru and Sarojini Naidu playing important roles. People who participated in the activities of the P.E.N. in India went on to hold influential positions in the post-independence era. This article presents a short history of the early days of this important yet forgotten organisation

Diagnostic Accuracy of Umbilical Cord Bilirubin Measurement in Development of Significant Hyperbilirubinemia in Healthy Neonates

Background: To determine the diagnostic accuracyof umbilical cord blood bilirubin in determining thedevelopment of significant hyperbilirubinemia onthe 3rd day of life in healthy full term newborns,keeping serum bilirubin as a gold standard.Methods: In this cross sectional study babiesdelivered consecutively were taken.Any conditionwhich can aggravate hyperbilirubinemia and anypatient with congenital abnormality were excluded.Cord blood sample was collected from the neonatalend of the umbilical cord after it had been cut andinvestigated for serum total bilirubin (STB).Venous sample was taken on the 3rd day of life andsent for serum total bilirubin. Babies were thendischarged or admitted for treatment depending ontheir serum total bilirubin levels. Mean serum totalbilirubin in cord blood and mean total serumbilirubin on 3rd day of life was calculated. A 2 x 2table was constructed to determine sensitivity,specificity positive and negative predictive values.Results: The mean cord STB was 2.0 mg/dl ± 0.6.Out of the 115 babies, 26% developed significanthyperbilirubinemia requiring phototherapy, onlyone needed exchange transfusion. The resultsshowed that cord blood bilirubin ≥2.5mg/dl had thehigh sensitivity (87%) and specificity (98%) topredict the newborn that would develop significanthyperbilirubinemia. At this level the negativepredictive value was 95%. The diagnostic accuracy ofcord bilirubin 94.8%.Conclusion: A cord blood STB of ≥2.5md/dl ispredictive of significant hyperbilirubinemia on the3rd day of life in healthy neonate

Numerical study of a regenerative counter flow evaporative cooler using alumina nanoparticles in wet channel

The use of Maisotsenko Cycle (M-Cycle) has enhanced the domain of evaporative cooling technologies to sub-wet bulb temperature cooling while ensuring moisture control. Several studies have demonstrated the use of cross-flow heat & mass exchanger (HMX) offers higher cooling capacity; however, it has lower cooling effectiveness and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). In contrast, a counter-flow (HMX) offers high cooling effectiveness with lower cooling capacity. In this paper, the performance of counter-flow HMX is enhanced by addition of alumina nanoparticles in feed water due to enhanced heat and mass transfer characteristics of nanofluids compared to original base fluid. Here, a mathematical model is formulated by incorporating the nanofluids in a selected control volume. The developed model is solved numerically on a discretized HMX length. Initially, the model is benchmarked against previously published results using water as base fluid. A comparison between HMX performance using water and alumina nanofluid is performed in terms of Performance Enhancement Ratio (PER). PER indicates 1-18% increase in cooling effectiveness, 18-43% increase in cooling capacity and 9-19% increase in EER by using alumina in water when working air temperature is increased from 20°C to 45°C. Similarly, an increase in PER is also observed by changing air velocity. Increase of 41% is observed in cooling capacity and 18% increase in EER is observed by changing particle volume fraction from 0 to 2 percent. This research identifies ways to reduce the carbon emissions of a building by increasing the energy efficiency of existing evaporative cooling technology using nanofluids

Thermal performance enhancement of a cross-flow-type maisotsenko heat and mass exchanger using various nanofluids

© 2018 by the authors. The incorporation of a Maisotsenko (M) Cycle into an indirect evaporative cooler has led to the achievement of sub-wet bulb temperature without any humidification, thus making it a possible green and sustainable alternative for handling the cooling load of a building. In this work, the thermal performance of a cross-flow heat and mass exchanger (HMX) is enhanced by the addition of nanoparticles in the wet channel because they significantly influence the heat and mass transfer characteristics of the base fluid. A governing model for the temperature and humidity variations of the HMX is numerically simulated. Initial benchmarking is achieved using water properties. Afterward, a comparative study is conducted using aluminum-oxide-, copper-oxide-, and titanium-oxide-based nanofluids. Enhancements of 24.2% in heat flux, 19.24% in wet bulb effectiveness, 7.04% in dew point effectiveness, 29.66% in cooling capacity, and 28.43% in energy efficiency ratio are observed by using alumina-based nanofluid as compared to water in the wet channel of the cross-flow HMX. Furthermore, a particle volume concentration of 1% and a particle diameter of 20nm are recommended for maximum performance

Inclusive Agricultural Growth in Pakistan— Understanding Some Basic Constraints

Inclusive agricultural growth is important for overall economic growth and particularly critical for rural socio-economic stability and poverty reduction in Pakistan. The majority of Pakistan‘s population and 44 percent of the overall labour force are dependent upon agriculture which only accounts for a little over 20 percent of national GDP. The paper highlights some basic constraints that have not been explicitly addressed in the policy research and implementation and have impeded inclusive agriculture growth. A descriptive analysis based on data from the Agriculture Census of Pakistan and the Pakistan Household Income and Economic Survey—both of which were conducted in 2010-11—is used to show how high levels of poverty and its disparity across regions, combined with the declining size of operated holdings and associated fragmentation especially in the smallest size categories which now form over 60 percent of the agricultural holdings in Pakistan, are fundamental constraints. Poverty is both the result as well as the consequence of fragmented markets, weak institutions including governance; and, inadequate policy research and implementation. A better research based policy understanding of some basic constraints, and the variations across regions in such factors such as the declining size and fragmentation of operated farms, rural poverty; and, the levels of market development and institutions is essential along with effective implementation. One size fits all policies have not and will not work. JEL Classification: O40, Q15, I32, P46 Keywords: Inclusive Growth, Land Holding, Land Tenure, Income Distribution, Povert

Instrumentation and Control Design for a Solar Powered Reverse Osmosis Desalination System for a Community in Pakistan

Accessibility of fresh water is the biggest challenge of today’s world. In order to meet the increasing demand of clean water without impacting the environment renewable energy needs to be integrated with reverse osmosis (RO) system to provide a clean drinking water system. This paper provides system design which includes selection of renewable energy system, reverse osmosis system and control system that can be integrated together to form a complete clean drinking water system. This paper further provides an elaborative instrumentation system design system that will fulfill the needs of water for a community in Pakistan. Furthermore, control system strategy is discussed to ensure that all process parameters are measured that will enable the system to work at its required capacity. Lastly, the hardware prototype setup designed in the lab is discussed to measure process parameters and ensure the system is fulfilling the operational and control requirements

In-vitro antiviral activity of Solanum nigrum against Hepatitis C Virus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatitis C is a major health problem causes liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. The current treatment of standard interferon in combination with ribavirin, has limited benefits due to emergence of resistant mutations during long-term treatment, adverse side effects and high cost. Hence, there is a need for the development of more effective, less toxic antiviral agents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The present study was designed to search anti-HCV plants from different areas of Pakistan. Ten medicinal plants were collected and tested for anti-HCV activity by infecting the liver cells with HCV 3a innoculum. Methanol and chloroform extracts of <it>Solanum nigrum </it>(SN) seeds exhibited 37% and more than 50% inhibition of HCV respectively at non toxic concentration. Moreover, antiviral effect of SN seeds extract was also analyzed against HCV NS3 protease by transfecting HCV NS3 protease plasmid into liver cells. The results demonstrated that chloroform extract of SN decreased the expression or function of HCV NS3 protease in a dose- dependent manner and GAPDH remained constant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that SN extract contains potential antiviral agents against HCV and combination of SN extract with interferon will be better option to treat chronic HCV.</p

Factors Influencing Choice of Energy Sources in Rural Pakistan

Modernisation of the agricultural and industrial sectors in Pakistan over the last thirty years, increased village electrification, increasing use of energy appliances by domestic users, and the usage of modern technology in all sectors, caused energy demand to increase more rapidly than energy supply. Sources of energy vary between urban and rural populations, across income groups, and by type of households. Pakistanis consume energy from both modern and traditional sources for different purposes, such as lighting, cooking, heating, and transportation. Modern sources of energy include electricity, oil, gas and coal, while traditional sources consist of animal/plant residue (firewood, crop residue and animal waste). Using a multinomial logit regression model, this study analyses how rural households make choices among different energy alternatives. The results suggest that because of the limited access to modern energy sources, households rely on traditional sources excessively, which may have a negative impact not only on human and animal health but also on the environment. These results suggest that the conversion of traditional energy sources into modern ones, such as, biogas, use of energy efficient appliances, etc. can have a positive impact on the environment and sustainable economic growth. JEL Classification: R20, D11, Q43, Q42, Q5 Keywords: Rural, Households, Energy Consumption, Energy Sources, Environmen

Pattern of Angulations and Common Indications for Extraction of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar at KMU-Institute of Dental Sciences, Kohat

Background: The extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar (MTM), with associated pathologies or clinical manifestations is an important and one of the most frequent decisions in dentistry. The angle formed by the longitudinal axis of second and third molar is used to determine angulation of impacted MTM. The aim of this study was to identify the pattern of angulations of impacted mandibular third molar and common indications for extraction associated with these angulations.Material and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Department of Oral &amp; Maxillofacial Surgery, Khyber Medical University Institute of Dental Sciences, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from November 2017 to July 2018. A total of 349 patients presenting with impacted mandibular third molars were included in this study. Name, age, gender, address, the angulation of the impacted tooth and the indication for extraction of the impacted tooth were recorded. Data comprising of qualitative and quantitative variables were analyzed using SPSS version 17.Results: Out of 349 patients, 206 were male and 143 females, with the male to female ratio of 1.4:1. The age range of the patients was from 18 years to 60 years with a mean age of 26 ± 6 years. The most common age group with impacted third molar was ≤ 25 years followed by 26 to 30 years’ age group. The most common angulation was mesioangular followed by vertical, horizontal and distoangular impacted mandibular third molar. Pericoronitis was the most common indication for extraction in all angulations except horizontal impaction where root resorption of the second molar was more common.Conclusion: Mesioangular is the most common angulation in impacted mandibular third molars. Pericoronitis is the main indication for all angulations of impacted mandibular third molars except horizontal angulation, occurring mostly in the third decade of life