RESUMO: Exportar a fruta fresca orgânica (FF) para a Europa e América pode ser considerada uma grande oportunidade para pequenos proprietários e fornecedores de Gilgit Baltistan, Paquistão. No entanto, as terras agrícolas orgânicas globais e o número de produtores orgânicos continuam a crescer. Até o momento, pouco se sabe sobre o comportamento dos agricultores paquistaneses em relação à produção de frutas frescas orgânicas. O objetivo deste estudo, portanto, foi examinar e determinar os fatores que influenciam a tomada de decisão dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas sobre a conversão para a agricultura orgânica (COF). Este estudo usa a teoria do comportamento planejado de Ajzen (TPB) para prever o comportamento dos pequenos produtores de frutas frescas do Paquistão. A análise de caminho examinou a utilidade da versão estendida do modelo TPB para antecipar as intenções comportamentais de 277 agricultores de pequena escala em relação à adoção da agricultura orgânica (AOF) e sua perspectiva de converter sua fazenda em produtos orgânicos nos próximos três anos. O presente estudo descobriu que a atitude dos pequenos proprietários (ATT), as normas subjetivas (SN), o controle do comportamento percebido (PBC) e a participação do grupo de agricultores (FGP) foram positivamente correlacionadas com a intenção do agricultor de adotar a agricultura orgânica, enquanto a participação do grupo de agricultores correlação significativa com seu comportamento em relação à produção de frutas orgânicas. O presente estudo justifica o uso do modelo de participação de grupos de agricultores em políticas que encorajam deliberadamente os pequenos produtores de frutas frescas a adotar a agricultura orgânica, para aumentar a renda agrícola e diminuir a pobreza.

ABSTRACT: Exporting the organic fresh fruit (FF) to Europe and America could be regarded as great opportunity for smallholders and suppliers of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. Yet, the global organic farmland and the number of organic producers are continued to grow. To date, little is known about the behavior of Pakistani farmers towards organic fresh fruit production. This study examined the factors that influence the decision-making of fresh fruit smallholders concerning the conversion to organic farming (COF). This study uses Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict the behavior of Pakistani smallholders of fresh fruit. Path analysis examined the utility of the extended version of the TPB model to anticipate 277 small-scale farmers’ behavioral intentions towards the adoption of organic farming (AOF) and their prospect of converting their farm to organic produce within the next three years. The present study reported that the smallholders’ attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), and farmer’s group participation (FGP) were positively correlated with farmer’s intention to adopt organic farming, while group participation of farmers has significant correlation with their behavior regarding production of organic fruits. The present study justifies using the model of farmers’ group participation in policies that deliberately cheer up smallholders of fresh fruit to adopt organic farming, to raise farm incomes and to alleviate poverty.

The electrochemical behaviour of nicotine extracted from commercial cigarette tobacco were studied in a blood media, at a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), using cyclic voltammetry technique. The nicotine compound oxidized the blood component in neutral media, at pH 7.4. The response was evaluated with respect to different pH values, scan rates, concentrations and temperatures. From the voltammogram of nicotine in a blood medium, it was found that the oxidation current peak of nicotine was +999 mV in acidic and alkaline media, which enhanced about twice in an acidic medium and disappeared in an alkaline medium. In its turn, at highly acidic media, three reduction current peaks appeared in the nicotine voltammogram in blood media. The electrochemical behavior of nicotine was investigated using cyclic voltammetry technique; the method was successfully applied for the determination of the nicotine compound which had a reversible redox couple in a blood medium from the peak potential separation of 100 mV. Also, it was found that the average value of the diffusion coefficient at the cathodic electrode was 4.075x10(11) cm-2 s-1, and 22.625x10(11) cm-2 s-1 at the anodic electrode.

ABSTRACT Magnetotactic bacteria are mostly microaerophilic found at the interface between oxic-anoxic zones. We report a magnetotactic bacterial strain isolated from an oil refinery sludge sample that grows aerobically in simple chemical growth medium, 9K. They open a new window of isolation of magnetic nanoparticles through an easy natural living system.

ABSTRACT The anticancer potential of aqueous extracts of tropical plants Ficus deltoidea and Labisia pumila were tested on human prostate carcinoma (DU145) cells. The effects of these extracts on the cells were observed through several tests such as cytotoxicity MTT assay, trypan blue exclusion assay (for cell viability), fluorescence and morphological observations. Both of the plant extracts had a growth repression effect on the cells with different concentrations. The best concentration (1x10-3 μg/mL) was chosen by determining their cytotoxic effects on human prostate cancer as well as fibroblast (normal) cells. The F. deltoidea extract showed more potency and killed the cells faster than L. pumila. Morphologically both extracts affected the cells in a similar way, i.e. the cells became irregular shaped, detached themselves and kept floating in the medium.