46 research outputs found
Socio-Economic Barriers to Women's Higher Education: A Study of Tribal Area Barthi
The aim of the present had to identify the various barriers females face in their higher education. The main issue women are facing in their higher education is a tradition of that culture. Education improves the socio-economic status of women and gives them awareness in life. Tehsil Taunsa Sharif was selected as the universe for research. All the female of tehsil Taunsa Sharif was the target population of this research. The sample size of this research was 100 families of Taunsa Sharif. The researcher had selected the respondents with the help of Simple Random Sampling. Pakistani society has complex dynamics due to the diversity in cultures and traditions in the whole of the country. Findings of research evidence indicate that in the effect of varieties of initiatives some positive changes and progress have been made in making education accessible to all
Characterization of metals in feed, litter and air of intensive poultry farming facilities
Poultry industry is progressing worldwide due to cheap sources of proteins and it is also considered as the center of various organic and inorganic emissions. The current study was designed to see the release of different metals from the poultry farms. Air samples both from indoor and outdoor along with the litter and feed samples of ten poultry houses were collected from the outskirts of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Poultry farms were varied in feed and grouped into three categories: Group A (using Feed A), Group B (using Feed B) and Group C (using Feed C). All collected samples were digested with aqua regia and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Fourteen metals were detected and categorized as essential (Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg)), trace (Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn)) and heavy metals (Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb)). In general, the concentration of all essential, trace, and heavy metals was found to be highest in feed followed by litter and air samples. However, Cr, Hg and Pb were higher in litter samples of group A as compared to feed and air. All the samples were statistically analyzed using one way ANOVA. A significant difference of feed was present with litter and air samples within groups (p<0.05) however, no significant differences were recorded among different groups. Overall it was noticed that the concentration of metals in feed samples were reflecting in litter and air. So, there is a need to ensure intervention and management policies in intensive poultry farming facilities to establish standards for metal in feed to reduce their bioaccumulation in the environment
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Comparative study of combustion product emissions of Pakistani coal briquettes and traditional Pakistani domestic fuels
A comparative emissions study was conducted on combustion products of various solid domestic cooking fuels; the objective was to compare relative levels of organic and inorganic toxic emissions from traditional Pakistani fuels (wood, wood charcoal, and dried animal dung) with manufactured low-rank coal briquettes (Lakhra and Sor- Range coals) under conditions simulating domestic cooking. A small combustion shed 12 m[sup 3] internal volume, air exchange rate 14 h[sup [minus]1] was used to simulate south Asian cooking rooms. 200-g charges of the various fuels were ignited in an Angethi stove located inside the shed, then combusted to completion; effluents from this combustion were monitored as a function of time. Measurements were made of respirable particulates, volatile and semi-volatile organics, CO, SO[sub 2], and NO[sub x]. Overall it appears that emissions from coal briquettes containing combustion amendments (slaked lime, clay, and potassium nitrate oxidizer) are no greater than emissions from traditional fuels, and in some cases are significantly lower; generally, emissions are highest for all fuels in the early stages of combustion
Perspectives from remote sensing to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic: A future-oriented approach
As scientific technology and space science progress, remote sensing has emerged as an innovative solution to ease the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. To examine the research characteristics and growth trends in using remote sensing for monitoring and managing the COVID-19 research, a bibliometric analysis was conducted on the scientific documents appearing in the Scopus database. A total of 1,509 documents on this study topic were indexed between 2020 and 2022, covering 165 countries, 577 journals, 5239 institutions, and 8,616 authors. The studies related to remote sensing and COVID-19 have a significant increase of 30% with 464 articles. The United States (429 articles, 28.42% of the global output), China (295 articles, 19.54% of the global output), and the United Kingdom (174 articles, 11.53%) appeared as the top three most contributions to the literature related to remote sensing and COVID-19 research. Sustainability, Science of the Total Environment, and International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health were the three most productive journals in this research field. The utmost predominant themes were COVID-19, remote sensing, spatial analysis, coronavirus, lockdown, and air pollution. The expansion of these topics appears to be associated with cross-sectional research on remote sensing, evidence-based tools, satellite mapping, and geographic information systems (GIS). Global pandemic risks will be monitored and managed much more effectively in the coming years with the use of remote sensing technology
Action Mechanism of Inhibin α-Subunit on the Development of Sertoli Cells and First Wave of Spermatogenesis in Mice
Inhibin is an important marker of Sertoli cell (SC) activity in animals with impaired spermatogenesis. However, the precise relationship between inhibin and SC activity is unknown. To investigate this relationship, we partially silenced both the transcription and translation of the gene for the α-subunit of inhibin, Inha, using recombinant pshRNA vectors developed with RNAi-Ready pSIREN-RetroQ-ZsGreen Vector (Clontech Laboratories, Mountain View, Calif). We found that Inha silencing suppresses the cell-cycle regulators Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E and up-regulates the cell-cycle inhibitor P21 (as detected by Western blot analysis), thereby increasing the number of SCs in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and decreasing the amount in the S-phase of the cell cycle (as detected by flow cytometry). Inha silencing also suppressed Pdgfa, Igf1, and Kitl mRNA levels and up-regulated Tgfbrs, Inhba, Inhbb, Cyp11a1, Dhh, and Tjp1 mRNA levels (as indicated by real-time polymerase chain reaction [PCR] analysis). These findings indicate that Inha has the potential to influence the availability of the ligand inhibin and its antagonist activin in the SC in an autocrine manner and inhibit the progression of SC from G1 to S. It may also participate in the development of the blood–testis barrier, Leydig cells, and spermatogenesis through its effect on Dhh, Tjp1, Kitl, and Pdgfa. Real-time PCR and Western blot analyses of Inha, Inhba, and Inhbb mRNA and Inha levels over time show that Inha plays an important role in the formation of round spermatid during the first wave of spermatogenesis in mice
Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study
Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research
Screening Disinfection Byproducts in Arid-Coastal Wastewater: A Workflow Using GCĂ—GC-TOFMS, Passive Sampling, and NMF Deconvolution Algorithm
Disinfection during tertiary municipal wastewater treatment is a necessary step to control the spread of pathogens; unfortunately, it also gives rise to numerous disinfection byproducts (DBPs), only a few of which are regulated because of the analytical challenges associated with the vast number of potential DBPs. This study utilized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) passive samplers, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS), and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) spectral deconvolution for suspect screening of DBPs in treated wastewater. PDMS samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of the chlorination unit in a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Abu Dhabi, and their extracts were analyzed using GC×GC-TOFMS. A workflow incorporating a multi-tiered, eight-filter screening process was developed, which successfully enabled the reliable isolation of 22 candidate DBPs from thousands of peaks. The NMF spectral deconvolution improved the match factor score of unknown mass spectra to the reference mass spectra available in the NIST library by 17% and facilitated the identification of seven additional DBPs. The close match of the first-dimension retention index data and the GC×GC elution patterns of DBPs, both predicted using the Abraham solvation model, with their respective experimental counterparts—with the measured data available in the NIST WebBook and the GC×GC elution patterns being those observed for the candidate peaks—significantly enhanced the accuracy of peak assignment. Isotopic pattern analysis revealed a close correspondence for 11 DBPs with clearly visible isotopologues in reference spectra, thereby further strengthening the confidence in the peak assignment of these DBPs. Brominated analogues were prevalent among the detected DBPs, possibly due to seawater intrusion. The fate, behavior, persistence, and toxicity of tentatively identified DBPs were assessed using EPI Suite™ and the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. This revealed their significant toxicity to aquatic organisms, including developmental, mutagenic, and endocrine-disrupting effects in certain DBPs. Some DBPs also showed activity in various CompTox bioassays, implicating them in adverse molecular pathways. Additionally, 11 DBPs demonstrated high environmental persistence and resistance to biodegradation. This combined approach offers a powerful tool for future research and environmental monitoring, enabling accurate identification and assessment of DBPs and their potential risks
Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNAs in the Mammary Parenchyma and Fat Pad of Pre-Weaning Heifer Calves: Identification and Functional Analysis
Enhanced plane of nutrition at pre-weaning stage can promote the development of mammary gland especially heifer calves. Although several genes are involved in this process, long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are regarded as key regulators in the regulated network and are still largely unknown. We identified and characterized 534 putative lincRNAs based on the published RNA-seq data, including heifer calves in two groups: fed enhanced milk replacer (EH, 1.13 kg/day, including 28% crude protein, 25% fat) group and fed restricted milk replacer (R, 0.45 kg/day, including 20% crude protein, 20% fat) group. Sub-samples from the mammary parenchyma (PAR) and mammary fat pad (MFP) were harvested from heifer calves. According to the information of these lincRNAs’ quantitative trait loci (QTLs), the neighboring and co-expression genes were used to predict their function. By comparing EH vs R, 79 lincRNAs (61 upregulated, 18 downregulated) and 86 lincRNAs (54 upregulated, 32 downregulated) were differentially expressed in MFP and PAR, respectively. In MFP, some differentially expressed lincRNAs (DELs) are involved in lipid metabolism pathways, while, in PAR, among of DELs are involved in cell proliferation pathways. Taken together, this study explored the potential regulatory mechanism of lincRNAs in the mammary gland development of calves under different planes of nutrition