Wind farms selection using geospatial technologies and energy generation capacity in Gwadar

Pakistan has been a victim of energy crisis since last few decades. This energy crisis has adversely affected country’s socio-economic development and continues to do so. The continuously increasing demand–supply gap has negatively impacted the economic stability of the country. With the recent awareness and development of alternate energy resources like wind and solar, the current energy crisis can be minimized. However, proper planning is essential for successful execution of these renewable energy projects. This study aims to identify the suitable sites for wind farms in District Gwadar, Balochistan using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Web-based Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS). In this study, multi-criteria decision making is applied which assists breaking down the site selection complexity. Multi-Criteria evaluation methods provides different set of procedures that facilitate decision making by analyzing different alternatives. The underlying geospatial and ICT technologies used in this analysis form the core component of the planning process. Gwadar is currently drawing investor’s attention due to its geographical location, deep seaport, and proposed China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This research is useful for stakeholders of Wind Energy to explore the wind potentials using GIS as an interactive decision-making tool during the pre-feasibility stage.Furthermore, this research has considered the environmental, social and economic aspects during the decision-making process of wind farm development. This is the strength of multi-criteria evaluation as differently weighted scenarios provide different output, depending on the factors considered of highest importance. A detailed analysis of the sites in terms of their wind potential and energy generation capacity has also been reported in this study. This long coastline of Balochistan with huge wind energy potential has not been explored yet and therefore this study will assist researchers to further explore this area and can have a positive impact on CPEC.Qatar University Internal Grant No. IRCC- 2021-010

Clinical Risk Factors and Angiographic Pattern of Coronary Artery Disease in Young Females

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with the highest mortality in women around the world. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical risk factors and angiographic pattern of coronary artery disease in young versus old age females having CAD.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Cardiology, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi (CPE) Institute of Cardiology Multan, Pakistan from April 2018 to December 2018. All females with diagnosis of angina and consistent ischemic changes on ECG were enrolled in the study. A total of 230 females were included with 123 patients aged <45 years and 107 patients aged >45 years. Comparison of patient characteristics, clinical risk factors and angiographic pattern in young and old age females was done by using SPSS version 21 statistical software.Results: Prevalence of hypertension (P=0.001), dyslipidemia (P=0.06) and diabetes mellitus (P=0.007) was significantly higher in females of older age group (>45 years). Similarly, a larger number of older age females (32; 29.9%) presented with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) as compared to young female patients (22; 17.88%) (P=0.03). Regarding angiographic patterns of CAD, there was no difference in the prevalence of single vessel disease (SVD), double vessel disease (DVD) and triple vessel disease (TVD) between the groups. Normal angiogram was found in 13 (12.3%) old age females versus 35 (28.8%) young females, respectively (P=0.002).Conclusions: The risk factors profile and clinical presentation of CAD is different in young female patients with CAD. There is an essential need to determine the coronary atherosclerosis factors in young females and these women should be treated more aggressively to prevent adverse cardio-vascular outcomes.Key words: Angiographic Pattern, Coronary Artery Disease, Clinical Pattern, Young Female

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS FROM COMMERCIAL POULTRY IN PAKISTAN

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an immunosuppressive disease of young, growing chickens which results in impaired growth or mortality of rearing flocks. In the current era there is a re-emergence of very virulent Infectious Bursal Disease Viruses (vvIBDV) and classical variant (cv) IBDV strains which increased the financial losses of poultry industry worldwide. Recent studies were conducted to characterize the existing vvIBDVs prevailing in Pakistan. The suspected samples were collected from the field outbreaks during the period from 2014–2017. IBDV was detected by RT-PCR. The sequences of VP2 gene (hyper variable region) were determined and available details were aligned with sequences submitted inGenBank. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that both vvIBDV and classical variant strains were circulating in different regions of Pakistan. In Indo-Pak isolates, the presence of virulent markers, amino acids (A222, I242, Q253, I256 and S299) and “Serine rich- heptapeptide” indicated the presence of very virulent viruses. The presence of T284A isan indicator of vvIBDVs in local poultry farms. More than 99% similarity of Pakistani isolates with Indian sequences reflects the trans-boundary spread of IBD. In recent studies amino acid, Glutamine (Q) is present at position 221 (as reported in previous studies) rather than Histidine (H) in Pakistani sequences. It is investigated that Glutamic acid (E) is located at position 300 in minor hydrophilic region III of VP2 protein in all reported Pakistani isolates. It is the unique feature of indigenous strains. This study will be useful in understanding the origin and pathotypes of IBDV circulating in Pakistan

Synthesis of Bio-Metal Organic Framework-11 Based Mixed Matrix Membrane for Efficient Carbon Dioxide Separation

Mixed matrix membranes are thought to have the ability to separate gases. The current research investigates the isolation of CO2 from methane (CH4) and nitrogen (N2) using a mixed matrix membrane. Bio-MOF-11 was combined with polyether sulfone to establish a membrane (PES). Experiments were carried out to determine the efficiency of the established membrane. Results showed that the Lewis basic sites present in Bio-MOF-11, which have a higher affinity for CO2, increase the permeability and selectivity of pristine polyether sulfone. At 30% filler loading, CO2 permeability improved from 2.20 to 3.90 Barrer, while CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 selectivity improved from 9.57 to 11.14 with 30% filler loading. In addition, at 30% filler loading, CO2 solubility drops from 1.57 to 1.20

Babesia bovis in Large Ruminants in Pakistan - Molecular Detection and Haemato-Biochemical Alterations

Background: Babesiosis is endemic in Pakistan and is one of the most important bovine diseases that causes huge economic losses and high mortality in young animals. A hematobiochemical study was conducted to unveil the difference between diseased and healthy animals in selected districts i.e., Faisalabad (31° 25' 7.3740'' N and 73° 4' 44.7924'' E), Toba Tek Singh (30° 58' 9.7392'' N and 72° 27' 40.7484'' E) and Jhang (31° 16' 40.9656'' N and 72° 18' 42.3360'' E) of Punjab, Pakistan. Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 518 (Cattle = 360, Buffalo = 158) blood samples were collected. The samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting apocytochrome b-gene (Babesia bovis-gene) (CYTb) followed by haemato-biochemical analysis. Chi-square test for univariate analysis was used to analyze the data. In summer the PCR-based prevalence was 29.4 (53/180) and 24.05% (19/79) in cows and buffaloes, respectively. On the other hand, in winter results showed that 12.7 (23/180), 13.92 % (11/79) samples positive for Babesia genus from cows and buffaloes, respectively. The positive samples were further investigated for hematological and biochemical analysis. The results revealed that, the mean value of hematological parameters like RBCs, Hb, PCV, MCV and MCHC was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in infected animals (cows and buffaloes) as compared to the non-infected ones. While the biochemical parameters like Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cholesterol and Lactate dehydrogenase were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in infected animals as compared to healthy animals. This study is the first molecular and hematobiochemical evidence of Babesia bovis in dairy herds of Punjab province, Pakistan. Discussion: Bovine babesiosis is one of the important tick-borne diseases (TBD) affecting dairy industry. In bovines, among 3 Babesia species that cause the disease B. bovis is more pathogenic with high mortality and morbidity. Pakistan is situated in tropical and sub-tropical region where the humidity is high in some part of countries. This high humidity mostly favors the reproduction of the ticks thus higher prevalence of TBDs in this region. Initially the babesiosis was diagnosed by light microscopy using thin blood smear stained with Giemsa stain. Many studies verified that PCR is a more specific and sensitive tool than conventional techniques for the detection of carrier / asymptomatic ruminants. The haemato-biochemical profile is another valuable footprint to track the disease. Keeping in view the above-mentioned fact the present project has been planned to evaluate the haemato-biochemical alteration between health and Babesia infected cattle along with the molecular detection of Babesia species involved in bovine babesiosis. The mean values of haemato-biochemical parameters in clinically ill and healthy animals revealed that the mean values of hematological parameters like RBCs, Hb, PCV, and HCT were significantly decreased in diseased animals as compared to the healthy ones. All these might be due the fact that the parasite is intra-erythrocytic in nature and destruction of red blood cells results in significant (P < 0.05) decrease level of all the hematological parameters. The mean value of ALT in babesiosis infected cattle was significantly higher as compared to healthy cattle. The mean values of AST and LDH in babesiosis infected cows was significantly higher as compared to that in healthy cows. The elevation in liver enzymes in babesiosis may be due to the hepatic damage and lesions induced by the parasite during its multiplication in the blood followed by disturbed liver function. These enzymes are present in high concentrations in the muscles and liver. High level of these enzymes in the blood is indicator of organ necrosis or damage. Keywords: bovines, buffaloes, tick-borne diseases, babesiosis, liver enzymes, PCR

Recognition of Antibiotic Resistance in Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Caused by Escherichia coli in Liver Cirrhotic Patients in Civil Hospital Karachi

Introduction Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the most common life-threatening infection in patients with ascites due to liver cirrhosis. The infection is most commonly caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli, commonly referred to as E. coli. Over the past few years, the incidence of antimicrobial resistance against E. coli has risen drastically, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the pattern of resistance using variations of antibiotics against E. coli, to prevent its empirical usage and initiate an appropriate target antibiotic therapy. The data were collected from May 2017 to October 2017 and included a total of 184 patients. The patients had previously been diagnosed with chronic liver disease and had presented with E. coli-induced SBP in the medicine wards at Civil Hospital, Karachi, which is the largest tertiary care hospital in the city. All participants underwent diagnostic paracentesis, and the ascitic fluid samples were sent to labs for culture and sensitivity to antibiotics. Results The sample population consisted of 184 participants, of which two-thirds (63.6%; n=117/184) of the population consisted of males. The mean age of the participants was 47.6±10.7 years. More than half of the patients had hepatitis C (54.9%; n=101/184) while the remaining were diagnosed with hepatitis B (45.1%; n=83/184). The ascitic fluid showed varying percentages of resistance for drugs, with no resistance to imipenem and meropenem while ciprofloxacin showed the highest resistance in eradicating the bacterium, E. coli. Additionally, a statistical correlation was tested between drug resistance and factors like age, gender, duration of liver disease, and duration of ascites. Ciprofloxacin and tetracycline showed a positive correlation between the resistance of these drugs and the age, gender, and duration of chronic liver disease in the participants while trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and piperacillin/tazobactam showed a positive association with the duration of ascites. Conclusion A rapid diligent intervention of cirrhotic patients with complicated ascites is crucial to alleviate patient mortality. Due to the rising bacterial resistance, primarily, epidemiological patterns should be assessed and analyzed in our regional hospitals, and then, antibiotics should be prescribed meticulously

Molecular study of pathogenic and saprophytic fungal species on infected parts of Malus pumila L. of district Qilla Abdullah, Balochistan, Pakistan

Apple (Malus pumila L) of the family Rosaceae, most cultivated fruit in temperate regions of the world and is used fresh or processed. The apple production is affected by several pathogens including fungi.  The present study was designed to identify disease-causing agents that reduce fruit production in the district Qilla Abdullah of Balochistan, Pakistan, which is the main apple production area of the province. Three varieties of apple: ‘Tur-Kulu’ (‘Red Delicious’), ‘Shin-Kulu’ (‘Golden Delicious’), and ‘Kaja’ were selected. Infected leaf samples were collected from eight different sites of tehsil Gulistan, district Qilla Abdullah. The cultures of fungal micro-flora were grown on two media, potato dextrose agar (PDA), and malt extract agar (MEA) followed by incubation for one week. The resulting colonies were observed under a microscope and identified based on morphological characters. Predominant fungal species was identified through ITS marker and PCR amplification. The isolated pathogens belonged to Zygomycota and Ascomycota divisions. The pathogens found were Aspergillus niger, A. oryzae, A. terrus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium oxysporum, Mucor spp., Penicillium expansum, and one species of Absidia as well as Rhizopus. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were predominantly found in all varieties. Morphological and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the identity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. As a result of this study, the predominant pathogen species Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is one of the causes of leaf infection in apple varieties

IMU sensing–based Hopfield neuromorphic computing for human activity recognition

Aiming at the self-association feature of the Hopfield neural network, we can reduce the need for extensive sensor training samples during human behavior recognition. For a training algorithm to obtain a general activity feature template with only one time data preprocessing, this work proposes a data preprocessing framework that is suitable for neuromorphic computing. Based on the preprocessing method of the construction matrix and feature extraction, we achieved simplification and improvement in the classification of output of the Hopfield neuromorphic algorithm. We assigned different samples to neurons by constructing a feature matrix, which changed the weights of different categories to classify sensor data. Meanwhile, the preprocessing realizes the sensor data fusion process, which helps improve the classification accuracy and avoids falling into the local optimal value caused by single sensor data. Experimental results show that the framework has high classification accuracy with necessary robustness. Using the proposed method, the classification and recognition accuracy of the Hopfield neuromorphic algorithm on the three classes of human activities is 96.3%. Compared with traditional machine learning algorithms, the proposed framework only requires learning samples once to get the feature matrix for human activities, complementing the limited sample databases while improving the classification accuracy

Can Pharmacists’ Counseling Improve the Use of Inhalers and Quality of Life? A Prospective “Pre” and “Post” Education Analysis in Mardan, Pakistan

ntroduction: Asthma is one of the common major non-communicable respiratory diseases, and is associated with a lower health-related quality of life (QOL). Poor inhalation is a significant contributing factor to poor control of asthma. Community pharmacist has a vital role to play in assisting patients and ultimately improving their asthma conditions through the use of inhalers. Aim: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of "pre" and "post" educational intervention by a community pharmacist within a community pharmacy on asthma patients' QOL, inhaler technique, and adherence to therapy during the endemic phase of COVID-19. Methods: A "pre" and "post" interventional study was performed at a community pharmacy in the city of Mardan, Pakistan, in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients were divided into two groups, ie control and pharmacist-led education groups. After assigning patients to both groups, the baseline data were collected and followed for one month to compare the reduction in errors in the use of inhalers, QOL, and adherence to therapy. A paired sample t-test was performed, keeping a p-value <0.05 as statistical significance. Results: A total of 60 patients were recruited, majority (58.3%) were females, and 28.3% were from the age group of 46-55 years old. A statistically significant difference was observed in the pre- and post-education QOL score among patients in the pharmacist-led education group, from a mean ± SD at pre-education of 40.23±10.03 to a mean±SD at post-education of 48.10±5.68. Similarly, a statistically significant difference was observed for the correct use of inhalers, ie MDIs and DPIs. Similarly, a statistically significant difference was observed in the adherence status between pre-education and post-education by pharmacists. Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed a positive impact of community pharmacist-led education on QOL, inhaler technique, and adherence to therapy among patients with asthma

Changes in Vegetative and Reproductive Growth and Quality Parameters of Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cv. Chandler Grown at Different Substrates

Growth substrates (polyester wool, rice husk, and wheat straw), along with soil as control treatment, were compared for vegetative growth, yield, and quality of strawberry cv. Chandler. All growth substrates tested showed good results in terms of growth rate as compared with control. Strawberry plants grown in polyester wool showed the highest (89.50%) survival rate as compared to rice husk (70.50%), wheat straw (64.63%), and control (67.56%). Moreover, a significant increase was observed among number of flowers, fruits, and yield in plants grown in polyester wool. Besides, a significant high amount of total soluble solids (TSS) (12.38 ºBrix), titratable acidity (TA) (1.21%), ash (0.72%), vitamin C (37.39 mg/100 g), total carotenoids (3.90 μg/100 g), and total anthocyanins (3.47 cyanidine-3-glucoside/100 g) was recorded in fruits grown in polyester wool as compared to control. From these results, it can be concluded that the use of polyester wool as a growth substrate for strawberries can give higher yield and better fruit quality