Tillage-induced changes in the physical properties of soil

Four tillage systems were used to measure the effects of tillage-induced changes on bulk density, penetration resistance, soil temperature, moisture content, surface roughness, and aggregate mean weight diameter. The four systems included, five passes with a cultivator, one pass with rotavator, two passes with disk, and one pass each with moldboard and disk. Wheat emergence count and yields were evaluated. Field experiments were conducted in three different agro-ecological regions of Pakistan. Soil types varied from sandy clay loam to clay loam. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was used at all sites. Prior to tillage, base line data for the above related physical properties were collected at three locations and at different depths in each plot. A complete randomized experimental design with three replications was used. Soil bulk density and penetration resistance were significantly affected by the tillage treatment at all three locations. A higher percentage changes in bulk density and in penetration resistance were observed in sandy clay loam than in clay loam soils. The lowest bulk density was observed for the rotavator treatment while the highest occurred in disk plots after tillage. Soil water content and soil temperature were affected by tillage. Surface roughness coefficients and water retention data indicated higher values for moldboard and lower for the rotavator. Mean weight diameters of soil aggregates were not significantly affected by the tillage treatments. Emergence was greatest in moldboard treatment followed by rotavator, then disk and cultivator treatments. Clay loam soil showed more yield differences due to tillage than did sandy clay loam soil. Higher yield in moldboard plowed plots corresponded to higher emergence, lowest penetration resistance and lowest bulk density, higher surface roughness coefficient and aggregate mean-weight-diameter. Minimum yield for cultivator and rotavator corresponded to lower emergence, higher penetration resistance and bulk density, and low surface roughness and lower aggregate mean-weight-diameter

The paradox of military rule in Pakistan

Arms Control & Domestic and International Security (ACDIS

Pakistan: Arms production and trade

Arms Control & Domestic and International Security (ACDIS

Pakistan: Ideology and foreign policy

Arms Control & Domestic and International Security (ACDIS

Memory and cognitive flexibility in physical therapy students of Karachi

Memory allows us to remember the skills that we have learnt and retrieve valuable information stored in the brain. Physical therapy is a multidimensional profession which demands efficient cognitive flexibility and decision-making skills with an excellent memory to help the therapist to multi-task

Auxilio: A Sensor-Based Wireless Head-Mounted Mouse for People with Upper Limb Disability

Upper limb disability may be caused either due to accidents, neurological disorders, or even birth defects, imposing limitations and restrictions on the interaction with a computer for the concerned individuals using a generic optical mouse. Our work proposes the design and development of a working prototype of a sensor-based wireless head-mounted Assistive Mouse Controller (AMC), Auxilio, facilitating interaction with a computer for people with upper limb disability. Combining commercially available, low-cost motion and infrared sensors, Auxilio solely utilizes head and cheek movements for mouse control. Its performance has been juxtaposed with that of a generic optical mouse in different pointing tasks as well as in typing tasks, using a virtual keyboard. Furthermore, our work also analyzes the usability of Auxilio, featuring the System Usability Scale. The results of different experiments reveal the practicality and effectiveness of Auxilio as a head-mounted AMC for empowering the upper limb disabled community.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures, 5 table

Biodistribution of charged 17.1A photoimmunoconjugates in a murine model of hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer

Optimizing photodynamic therapy involves attempting to increase both the absolute tumour content of photosensitizer and the selectivity between tumour and surrounding normal tissue. One reason why photodynamic therapy has not been considered suitable for treatment of metastatic tumours in the liver, is the poor selectivity of conventional photosensitizers for tumour compared to normal liver. This report details an alternative approach to increasing this selectivity by the use of antibody-targeted photosensitizers (or photoimmunoconjugates) to target intrahepatic tumours caused by human colorectal cancer cells in the nude mouse, and explores the role of molecular charge on the tumour-targeting efficiency of macromolecules. The murine monoclonal antibody 17.1A (which recognizes an antigen expressed on HT 29 cells) was used to prepare site-specific photoimmunoconjugates with the photosensitizer chlorine6. The conjugates had either a predominant cationic or anionic charge and were injected i.v. into tumour-bearing mice. Biodistribution 3 or 24 h later was measured by extraction of tissue samples and quantitation of chlorine6 content by fluorescence spectroscopy. The photoimmunoconjugates were compared to the polylysine conjugates in an attempt to define the effect of molecular charge as well as antibody targeting. The anionic 17.1A conjugate delivered more than twice as much photosensitizer to the tumour at 3 h than other species (5 times more than the cationic 17.1A conjugate) and had a tumour:normal liver ratio of 2.5. Tumour-to-liver ratios were greater than one for most compounds at 3 h but declined at 24 h. Tumour-to-skin ratios were high (> 38) for all conjugates but not for free chlorine6. Cationic species had a high uptake in the lungs compared to anionic species. The photoimmunoconjugates show an advantage over literature reports of other photosensitizers, which can result in tumour:normal liver ratios of less than 1. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Evaluating motor performance with the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency in impoverished Pakistani children

Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity of the modified Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test in identifying motor differences secondary to malnutrition and poverty.Methods: This longitudinal cohort study was conducted at Nowshero Feroze, Sindh from 2013 to 2014 and comprised data drawn from children who participated in a randomised controlled trial, that assessed responsive stimulation and nutrition interventions in the first two years of life. Outcome measures included motor development assessed using Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test, child anthropometry and household economic and demographic information. Data was analysed using SPSS 15 and STATA 12.Results: Of the 1058 children, 570(53%) were boys. Moderate-severe stunting was reported in 171(16.12%) subjects, while moderate-severe underweight was reported in 117(11.1%). Also, 591(56%) subjects belonged to poor families, 343(32%) had illiterate mothers, and 392(37%) were food-insecure. Malnutrition, socio-economic status and maternal literacy were significantly associated with a 6-item motor composite of the Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test (p\u3c0.05).Conclusions: The 6-item motor composite of the Brief Form of Bruininks Oseretsky Test was found to be a reliable tool to measure motor performance in Pakistani pre-school children