Linkage of Financial development with electricity-growth nexus of India and Pakistan

This paper tries to identify the indirect linkage between intermediary development with energy-growth nexus for India and Pakistan. In this succession the study employ system based GMM approach along with principal component analysis for development of intermediary index. Findings of the study demonstrate the positive and significant impact of economic growth on electricity consumption of both nations. However a miscellaneous trend for urbanization and negative trend for prices with electricity consumption has also been found in this study. On the other hand, the linkage between financial development through growth on electricity consumption is positive and significant for both nations. These findings have important implications for the policy makers. They can use these Findings to ensure long term structural development to control future power constraints, which leads them towards higher level of sustainable development.    &nbsp

The evaluation of various soil conditioners effects on the amelioration of saline-sodic soil

The soil salinity and sodicity collectively are the major problems in the soils of Pakistan and proved a continuous threat for the sustainability of agriculture.  A pot study was planned to ameliorate such problematic soils and for this purpose different soil conditioners were used viz. gypsum @ 39.078 g pot-1 soil gypsum requirement, Citric acid (CA) @ 29.067 g pot-1, H2SO4 @ 11.24 ml pot-1 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) @ 19.98 g pot-1 and control without any amendment and wheat was grown as a test crop. The results showed that maximum decrease in pH and SAR were 8.31 and 12.04 (mmol L-1)1/2 by application of H2SO4 and citric acid respectively. Similarly H2SO4 and citric acid treatment show significant results related to crop growth and yield. The maximum plant height (63.33cm), number of tillers (4.63), photosynthetic rate ((2.83 µmolm-2s-1), transpiration rate (0.63 molm-2s-1), stomata conductance (0.53 molm-2s-1), were by application of H2SO4. while the results related to grain yield were as maximum grain yield by H2SO4 was (15.67 g) and minimum grain yield was observed with control (6.73g). Moreover the decrease in grain yield was as H2SO4 (9.98 g) > citric acid (8.33 g) > PVA (7.36 g) > gypsum (6.12 g) > control (5.53g). From this experiment it was concluded that H2SO4 showed quick impact on soil physicochemical properties and growth parameters but gypsum and citric acid were long term and sustainable source to reclaim and to make saline-sodic soils more productive as compare to other soil conditioners. Keywords: soil conditioners, amelioration, saline-sodic soi

Mediating Role of Death Anxiety between Supernatural Beliefs and Life Satisfaction among Muslim Adults

The belief in supernatural forces is so pervasive in Pakistani society that it is nearly universal among illiterate and semi-literate people. Few literate individuals also subscribe to the idea of supernatural beings and entities. Such beliefs may invoke anxieties resulting in reduced satisfaction with life. In the current study, a cross-sectional survey of Muslim people was used to examine the potential mediation effect of death anxiety between supernatural beliefs and life satisfaction. A purposive sample (N = 220; with equal representation of both genders) of adults was recruited from different areas of district Sargodha. The supernatural Belief Scale, Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety, and Satisfaction with Life Scale were employed for assessing supernatural belief, death anxiety, and life satisfaction, respectively. Path analysis in Amos revealed the positive direct effect of supernatural belief on death anxiety and the negative direct effect of death anxiety on life satisfaction. Supernatural beliefs also demonstrated a negative indirect effect on life satisfaction through death anxiety. Overall, we found that individuals with supernatural beliefs were more likely to feel death anxiety, which might make them less satisfied with their life. Clinicians and mental health practitioners must envisage such therapeutic strategies as could counter the supernatural beliefs of the clients so that they might enjoy a more fulfilling and satisfying life

Growth and Ionic Composition of Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus L.) in Response to Soil Salinity and Water Stress

Salinity and bad quality irrigation water is very common problem in Pakistan due to limited rainfall, more evapo-transpiration and high temperature. So, there is need to select salt and drought tolerant plants. In view of that a pot experiment was conducted to study the growth performance and ionic composition of Conocarpus erectus L. under saline and water stress conditions. Eight treatments (Control, 10 dSm-1, 20 dSm-1, 40 dSm-1,  water stress, 10 dSm-1 + water stress, 20 dSm-1 + water stress, 40 dSm-1 + water stress) were evaluated in order to assess their effect on plant growth and ionic composition . At T8 (40 dSm-1 + water stress), plants did not survive. The data regarding growth parameters and physiological were recorded at different stages of plant growth. Plant ionic parameters including Na+, K+ were determined in stem, leaves and root after harvesting. The data were analyzed statistically. It is concluded that Conocarpus erectus L. can tolerate salinity up to 40dSm-1 with full water but at salinity and water stress level of 40 dSm-1 + water stress, there was no survival of even a single plant. Keywords: Growth, potassium status, buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus L.), soil salinity, water stres

Cable Television Drama and Adoption of Urdu Language in Pakistan

This research aims to scrutinize the role of Urdu TV dramas on the women, residents of Lahore-Punjab. In order to examine this aspect of television dramas,a qualitative research was undertaken and ten Punjabi speaking women aged between 18-45 years were interviewed via stratified sampling. Those ladies were found the regular Urdu television drama viewers being televised during 2018. Research was conducted to learn the interviewees' leaning toward specific content being presented on the television drama with much respect to Urdu language their time of watching those particular dramas in imbibing Urdu as a tool of communication in the area. It was of great wonder to find them exceedingly influenced by those dramas in adopting Urdu language after watching Urdu television dramas on regular basis. This adoption had a clear reflection in their communication language.</p

Positive Predictive Value of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Intradural Spinal Tumors Taking Histopathology as Gold Standard

Objective: To observe the positive predictive value of MRI, taking histopathology as gold standard in detecting spinal intradural tumors.Materials and Methods: Total 180 cases were included through non-probability purposive sampling, at Ganga Ram Hospital, Radiology department, Lahore. The radiological diagnosis obtained through MRI, was observed. The cases fit in inclusion criteria were underwent surgery and their histopathological findings were observed. Comparison between the outcomes of MRI and histopathology were undertaken, keeping histopathology as gold&nbsp;&nbsp;standard. Positive predictive value of MRI in the diagnosis of intradural spinal tumor was calculated andpresented in the form of percentages and frequency.Results: There were total 180 patients presenting in OPD with the mean age of 45.71 ± 13.57 years. There were 112 (62%) male. Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. There were 134 (74.4%) cases who were positive for malignant spinal intradural tumor on histopathology showing the PPV of MRI as 74.4%.Conclusion: Magnetic Resonance Imaging is very beneficial imaging tool for early diagnosis of spinal cord tumors

Problems and Challenges of Internally Displaced Persons in the wake of Operation Zarb-e-Azb: Case Study of District Lakki Marwat

The Operation Zarb-e-Azb was a full-scale operation launched against terrorists and their hideouts in North Waziristan. The operation resulted in massive number of IDP’s displaced from their homes. They settled in many different parts of Pakistan, including Lakki Marwat. They have experienced severe problems and challenges since the time they were displaced from their native area. The most prominent were the homes, food and&nbsp;health as their basic needs and problem. These problems were coupled with a lot of other related problems like hygiene, access to education, loss of property, identity issues, and the problem of assimilation, security threats and a denial of political rights on a general scale. The paper will try to discuss and analyze the level and extent of these problems and the response of the government and other non-government agencies to tackle with these issues. Key Words: Identity, IDP, s, Hygiene, Food, Health, Political right

Do financial development and energy efficiency ensure green environment? Evidence from R.C.E.P. economies

The issue of climate change and environmental degradation has been prevailing for the last few decades. Yet economies are further expanding due to free trade agreement which accelerates the trade of energy and carbon intensive commodities across the regions. A prominent example of such free trade is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (R.C.E.P.), which mostly remains ignored. The current research study explores the influence of financial development (F.D.) and energy efficiency (E.N.E.F.) on carbon emissions in the R.C.E.P. economies. Also, this study analyses the role of economic growth and renewable energy on environmental quality during the period from 1990 to 2020. Panel data approaches such as slope heterogeneity, crosssection dependence, and the second-generation panel unit root test are used. The non-normally distributed variables are found cointegrated. Therefore, a novel method of moments quantile regression is used. The results demonstrate that F.D. and economic growth are positively associated with CO2 emissions. At the same time, E.N.E.F. and renewable energy consumption (R.E.C.) significantly reduce the emissions level and promote a green environment in all quantiles. The environmental Kuznets curve is found valid in the R.C.E.P. economies. These results are robust as validated by Fully-Modified Ordinary Least Square – a parametric approach. A two-way significant causal association exists between carbon-economic growth, carbon-F.D., carbon- R.E.C., and carbon-E.N.E.F.. The findings suggest an enhancement in R.E.C., improvement in the E.N.E.F. approaches, and implications for green F.D. in the region

Studies on wound healing activity of some Euphorbia species on experimental rats

Background: Plants of Euphorbiaceae are used in folkloric medicines in variety of ailments and well known for chemical diversity of their isoprenoid constituents. This study was carried out to explore the preliminary wound healing potential of four Euphorbia species (E. consorbina 1, E. consorbina 2, E. inarticulata, E. balsamifera and E. schimperi).Materials and Methods: Excision wound surface of the animals were topically treated with ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of plants at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight for twenty days. Povidone-iodine ointment was used as a reference drug. Wound contraction measurement and period of epithelialization were used to assess the effect of plants extracts on wound repairing.Results: The groups treated with methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi showed profound effects, high rate of wound contraction (100%) and decrease in epithelization period 19.00±0.40 and 18.50±0.64 respectively, followed by methanol extracts of E. consorbina 2, ethyl acetate extract of E. inarticulata and ethyl acetate extracts of E. consorbina 2 which showed significant (P &lt;0.001) wound contraction and decrease in epithelization period. Conversely ethyl acetate extract of E. consorbina 1, E. balsamifera and E. schimperi and methanol extract of E. Consorbina 1 and E. Inarticulata treated groups was not showing significant wound healing. Methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi were also tested for their safety margin and found safe up to dose of 2000mg/kg body weight.Conclusion: Topical application of methanol extracts of E. balsamifera and E. schimperi have potential wound healing activity which is identical with standard drug Povidone-iodine.Keywords: Wound healing, excision wounds, Euphorbia, extract

Efficacy of exogenous application of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) on growth and yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

The growth and yield promotion of mungbean in response to the use of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D) was investigated through a pot study which was arranged in the wire house of Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The study was comprised of five treatments and three replications (control, 0.2 ppm 2, 4-D, 0.5 ppm 2, 4-D, 0.8 ppm 2, 4-D, and 1 ppm 2, 4-D). The suggested dose of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) was applied at the amount of 20, 60 and 25 kg ha-1 added as Urea, DAP and SOP, respectively at sowing time. The data regarding growth (plant height, root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh and dry weight, and total biomass), yield (grain weight, number of grains plant-1) and NPK analysis in plants and soil was recorded and statistically analyzed. The response of exogenous application of 2, 4-D was significant at all levels in improving the performance of all the growth parameters and yield as compared to untreated control treatment. Maximum performance of all the parameters was recorded at 0.8 ppm application of 2, 4-D. As the concentration of 2, 4-D increased the development of plants also showed positive effect but up to 0.8 ppm application after that it started to decrease which showed that at higher concentrations 2, 4-D acts as growth retardant