Violence against Children: A Challenge for Public Health in Pakistan

World Health Organization has identified violence against children as a growing public-health issue with a global magnitude. This paper explored violence against children as a challenge in the developing world using Pakistan as a case study. A systematic review of existing research and literature on violence against children was followed by assessing the magnitude of this challenge and its impact on policy. Most research done in Pakistan is observational, descriptive, and anecdotal with data collected through survey methods and interviews with small sample sizes. The findings suggest that the confluence of macro risk factors, such as poverty, poor legal protections, illiteracy, large family size, and unemployment, create an enabling environment for violence against children. Lack of empirical data makes it difficult to assess the magnitude of this issue. The health problems reported and the extent of human potential destroyed are unknown. Conclusion calls for focused research to examine the prevalence, potential interventions, and policies in Pakistan

Comparative changes in the rheological properties and cell wall metabolism in rind of healthy and creased fruit of Washington navel and navelina sweet orange ('Citrus sinensis' [L.] Osbeck)

Creasing is a physiological disorder in navel oranges and causes serious economic losses. In 2007, the comparative changes in rheological properties of the rind, levels of starch, phenolics, pectins and the activity of pectinesterase (PE) in albedo and flavedo tissues of the healthy and the creased fruit of ‘Washington Navel’ and ‘Navelina’ sweet orange at ripe stage were investigated. During 2009, dynamics of the activities of PE, exo and endo polygalacturonase (exo-PG, endo-PG), and endo-1, 4-ß -D-glucanase (EGase) enzymes in albedo and flavedo tissues of the healthy as well as the creased ‘Washington Navel’ sweet orange fruit at different maturation and ripening stages were researched. The rind hardness, stiffness and tensile force were substantially lower in the creased fruit than the healthy ones in ‘Washington Navel’ and ‘Navelina’. The levels of starch, total phenolics, total pectins and water insoluble pectins decreased in the albedo and flavedo of the creased than the healthy fruit in both the cultivars. The levels of water soluble pectins increased in the albedo and flavedo of the creased fruit when compared to the healthy ones in both the cultivars. The activities of PE in albedo and flavedo tissues were higher in the creased fruit when compared to the healthy fruit of ‘Washington Navel’ and ‘Navelina’ in 2007. The activities of PE, exo and endo PG and Endo-1, 4-ß -D-glucanase were higher in the albedo tissue of creased fruit of ‘Washington Navel’ orange at different fruit maturation and ripening stages.In conclusion, the higher activities of pectinesterase, exo- polygalacturonase, endo- polygalacturonase, and endo-1, 4-ß -D-glucanase in the albedo of creased fruit at commercial harvest seem to be associated with the enhanced loss of pectins and starch in the cell walls of albedo tissue, leading to cell wall loosening and cracks formation consequently reducing hardness, stiffness and tensile force of the rind

Violence Against Children: A Challenge for Public Health in Pakistan

World Health Organization has identified violence against children as a growing public-health issue with a global magnitude. This paper explored violence against children as a challenge in the deve-loping world using Pakistan as a case study. A systematic review of existing research and literature on violence against children was followed by assessing the magnitude of this challenge and its impact on policy. Most research done in Pakistan is observational, descriptive, and anecdotal with data col\uadlected through survey methods and interviews with small sample sizes. The findings suggest that the confluence of macro risk factors, such as poverty, poor legal protections, illiteracy, large family size, and unemployment, create an enabling environment for violence against children. Lack of empiri\uadcal data makes it difficult to assess the magnitude of this issue. The health problems reported and the extent of human potential destroyed are unknown. Conclusion calls for focused research to examine the prevalence, potential interventions, and policies in Pakistan

EFFECT OF EXOGENOUS GROWTH REGULATORS APPLICATION ON JUNE FRUIT DROP AND FRUIT QUALITY IN CITRUS SINENSIS CV. BLOOD RED

Two plant growth regulators gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and 2,4-D were exogenously applied in different concentrations alone and their combinations on Blood Red sweet orange trees two months after fruit set. June fruit drop and different fruit quality parameters were studied to evaluate the optimum concentration of the growth regulators. Fruit drop was non significant among treatments with a range of 10.87 % to 33.82 %. Fruit diameter and seed health was not affected by any of the treatments. Fruit weight was decreased by most of the growth regulator treatments compared with control. Juice quantity, TSS, total sugars and reducing sugars were improved by most of the treatments compared with control but in case of acidity and vit. C, there was not any clear cut trend of treatment effect

Climate policy accelerates structural changes in energy employment

The employment implications of decarbonizing the energy sector have received far less attention than the technology dimension of the transition, although being of critical importance to policymakers. In this work, we adapt a methodology based on employment factors to project future changes in quantity and composition of direct energy supply jobs for two scenarios - (1) relatively weak emissions reductions as pledged in the nationally determined contributions (NDC) and (2) stringent reductions compatible with the 1.5 °C target. We find that in the near-term the 1.5°C-compatible scenario results in a net increase in jobs through gains in solar and wind jobs in construction, installation, and manufacturing, despite significant losses in coal fuel supply; eventually leading to a peak in total direct energy jobs in 2025. In the long run, improvements in labour productivity lead to a decrease of total direct energy employment compared to today, however, total jobs are still higher in a 1.5 °C than in an NDC scenario. Operation and maintenance jobs dominate future jobs, replacing fuel supply jobs. The results point to the need for active policies aimed at retraining, both inside and outside the renewable energy sector, to complement climate policies within the concept of a “just transition”

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern among Patients Presenting with Acute Exacerbation of COPD

Background: The irrational use of antibiotics in outpatient as well as indoor patients without studying the culture and sensitivity patterns may have led to resistance in common organisms causing acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The objective of this study was to determine the culture and sensitivity patterns of bacteria in the sputum of patients presenting with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in our population.Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Medicine Department, Jinnah Hospital Lahore from 1st January 2018 to 25th June 2018. A total of 215 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD were collected through non-probability consecutive sampling technique. COPD was diagnosed on the basis of history, examination, chest X-ray and spirometry. Acute exacerbation was taken as an acute rise in one or more of the following; sputum volume and/or purulence, frequency and severity of cough and dyspnea. Two sputum samples were collected from each patient. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done as per CLSI guidelines. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 21.0. with p-value ≤ 0.05 considered as statistically significant.Results: Among 215 selected cases, 118 (54.88%) were males and 97 (45.12%) were females. A total of 110 (51.16%) cultures were positive and 105 (48.84%) were negative for bacterial growth. Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=69; 62.72%) was the most frequent microorganism in patient’s sputum followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=21; 19.1%) and Staphylococcus aureus (n=20; 18.2%). Regarding sensitivity pattern, amikacin was found to be the most sensitive antibiotic against these organisms followed by gentamicin and ciprofloxacin.Conclusions: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common microorganism in the sputum of patients presenting with acute exacerbation of COPD, while amikacin was reported to be most sensitive antibiotic against the microorganism.Key words: Acute exacerbation, Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, COP

Oxalic acid: A blooming organic acid for postharvest quality preservation of fresh fruit and vegetables

Oxalic acid (OA) is a unique organic acid that commonly occurs in plants with distinct functions in modulating metabolic processes. To date, the role of OA has primarily been studied in the deactivation of copper-containing preservatives, detoxification of aluminium toxicity and remediation of organic pollutants. During the last two decades, OA has been considered as an antioxidant compound with focus on its potential to enhance crop yield, improve fruit quality, boost nutritional profile, and delay postharvest senescence in fruit and vegetables. It has been established that pre- and postharvest OA application delays ripening and senescence by down-regulating physiological processes such as water loss, ethylene production and respiration. OA treatment controlled adverse storage effects including chilling injury, enzymatic browning, as well as flesh softening by lowering oxidative stress. OA application has also been found to reduce decay in fresh fruit and vegetables by inducing systemic resistance against pathogens, decontamination from surficial microbial load and pesticide residues. Additionally, OA treatments have shown to effectively improve enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and maintain attributes for eating quality. Effectively, OA application has been deemed to be a potentially food-safe natural and suitable alternative to synthetic chemicals for up-regulating bioactive compounds in harvested fruit and vegetables and extending storability within the postharvest supply chain. This extensive review covers aspects of OA including its: history, chemistry, biosynthesis in plants, quantification in fruit and vegetables, crosstalk with ripening physiology, past attempts and recent advancements in storage life extension, safety as well as quality management of fruit and vegetables

Inhibitory effect of Labisia pumila leaf extract on angiogenesis via down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor

Purpose: To investigate the anti-angiogenic activity of a methanol leaf extract of Labisia pumila (ME), and its bioactive water fraction (WF), using in vitro models.Methods: The antioxidant activity and total phenolic contents of ME and WF were assessed using DPPH and Folin–Ciocalteu reagents. Antiproliferative effects of extracts towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated using MTT assay. Isolated rat aortic ring and matrigel tube formation assays were performed to assess the antiangiogenic potential of Me and its WF. Levels of VEGF protein in the cell lysates were measured using ELISA kit.Results: Among all the extracts prepared, ME and its WF showed higher total phenolic contents and exhibited moderate antioxidant effects. Significant (p < 0.001) suppression of microvessels outgrowth with half-maximal concentration (IC50) values of 20 and 26 μg/mL for ME and WF, was observed in rat aortic ring assay. ME and its WF halted proliferation and tube formation capacity of HUVECs in in vitro assays. Marked reduction in VEGF levels was observed in lysates of HUVECs treated with ME and its WF.Conclusion: Labisia pumila leaf extract and its water fraction halted angiogenesis by blocking VEGF secretion leading to inhibition of endothelial cells proliferation and differentiation which is suggested to be due to its phenolic antioxidant contents.Keywords: Labisia pumila, Anti-angiogenesis, Antioxidant, Tube formation, Rat aort

Detecting Crop Health using Machine Learning Techniques in Smart Agriculture System

699-706The crop diseases can’t detected accurately by only analysing separate disease basis. Only with the help of making comprehensive analysis framework, users can get the predictions of most expected diseases. In this research, IOT and machine learning based technique capable of processing acquisition, analysis and detection of crop health information in the same platform is introduced. The proposed system supports distinguished services by monitoring crop and also managed its data, devices and models. This system also supports data sharing and communication with the help of IOT using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and maintains high communication standards even in bad communication environment. Therefore, IOT and machine learning ensures the high accuracy of disease prediction in crop. The proposed integrated system is capable of detecting health of crop through analysis of multi-spectral images captured through the IOT associated UAV. The various machine learning is also applied to test the performance of our system and compared with the existing disease detection methods