Abstract The phytosociological survey was conducted during 2018-2020. The research area was classified into five ecological zones based on habitat, physiognomy and species composition. Pc-Ord software was used for cluster analysis and four vegetation communities were established. The Quercus baloot-Quercus incana community is situated in Sair at an altitude of 1196 (mean ± SE) m altitude with a 14.1 ± 0 slope angle and contains eleven tree species. The Pinus wallichiana- Ailanthus altissima community had a relatively small number of tree species reported in Shakawlie at 1556 (mean ± SE) with a 17.5 ± 0 slope angle. The Pinus wallichiana- Quercus incana community is distributed in Wali Kandao and Mangi Kandao at altitudes of 2030.5 (mean ± SE) m and the slope angle was 19.2 ± 1.4. This community possesses a total of twenty-one tree species and is highly diverse. Similarly, the Populus alba - Platanus orientalis group was present in Banr Pate, with an altitude of 1613 (mean ± SE) m and a 16.3 slope angle. The principal component analysis (PCA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination methods were applied to study the relationships between ecological and soil variables with trees species. The NMS ordination of axis 1 was significantly correlated with Sand% (p<0.2), Nitrogen% (p<0.1) and Pb (mg/kg) (r= 0.876751, p<0.05), while the ordination of axis 2 was significantly correlated with Silt% (p<0.2), Sand% (p<0.2), Organic matter% (p<0.2), K (mg/kg) (r=0.882433, p<0.02), Fe (mg/kg)(r=0.614833, p<0.2), Ca (mg/kg) (r=0.721712, p< 0.2) and Zn (mg/kg) (r=0.609545, p<0.2). Similarly, the PCA ordination of axis 1 revealed that it was significantly correlated with phosphorus, calcium and slope angle, while that of axis 2 was significantly correlated with altitude, zinc and manganese.

Resumo O levantamento fitossociológico foi realizado durante o período 2018-2020. A área de pesquisa foi classificada em cinco zonas ecológicas com base no habitat, na fisionomia e na composição de espécies. O software Pc-Ord foi utilizado para análise de agrupamento e quatro comunidades de vegetação foram estabelecidas. A comunidade Quercus baloot-Quercus incana está situada em Sair, a uma altitude de 1.196 m (média ± SE) de altitude, com um ângulo de inclinação de 14,1° ± 0, e contém 11 espécies de árvores. A comunidade Pinus wallichiana-Ailanthus altissima teve um número relativamente pequeno de espécies de árvores relatadas em Shakawlie, em 1.556 m (média ± SE) de altitude, com um ângulo de inclinação de 17,5° ± 0. A comunidade de Pinus wallichiana-Quercus incana está distribuída em Wali Kandao e Mangi Kandao, em altitude de 2.030,5 m (média ± SE) e ângulo de inclinação de 19,2° ± 1,4. Esta comunidade possui um total de 21 espécies de árvores e é altamente diversificada. Da mesma forma, o grupo Populus alba-Platanus orientalis esteve presente em Banr Pate, com altitude de 1.613 m (média ± SE) e ângulo de inclinação de 16,3°. Os métodos de análise de componentes principais (PCA) e ordenação de escala multidimensional não métrica (NMS) foram aplicados para estudar as relações entre variáveis ecológicas e de solo com espécies arbóreas. A ordenação NMS do eixo 1 foi significativamente correlacionada com as porcentagens de Areia (p<0,2), Nitrogênio (p<0,1) e Chumbo (mg/kg) (r=0,876751, p<0,05), enquanto a ordenação do eixo 2 foi significativamente correlacionada com as porcentagens de Silte (p<0,2), Areia (p<0,2), Matéria Orgânica (p<0,2), Potássio (mg/kg) (r=0,882433, p<0,02), Ferro (mg/kg) (r=0,614833, p<0,2), Cálcio (mg/kg) (r=0,721712, p< 0,2) e Zinco (mg/kg) (r=0,609545, p<0,2). Da mesma forma, a ordenação PCA do eixo 1 revelou que estava significativamente correlacionada com fósforo e cálcio, e ângulo de inclinação, enquanto a do eixo 2 estava significativamente correlacionada com zinco e manganês, e altitude.

PURPOSE: This study is an endeavour to find the effect of human resource development on organisational performance. Human resource development is essential for better organisational productivity and effectiveness. RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study specifically investigates the impact of organisational context, resourcing, training and development, skills, attitude and behaviour on organisational performance. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This research study focuses on manufacturing companies in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. A standardised questionnaire with a response rate of 85% was used to gather data from a random sample of 50 manufacturing companies. The structural equation modelling technique was used for data analysis. FINDINGS: Organisational performance has a positive association with all the independent factors studied in this article: resourcing, training and development, employees' abilities, employee attitudes, employee behaviour and the organisational context. In addition, the outcomes of this research support the idea that human resource development methods might have a favourable influence on manufacturing business performance. There is no direct correlation between resourcing and organisational performance, although training and development activities are favourably connected with it. CONTRIBUTION: For the first time, this research aims to evaluate how human resource management (HRM) influences organisational performance in Pakistan by examining theoretically created pathways between key exogenous and endogenous factors.

Resumen La literatura sobre factores heurísticos y rendimiento de la inversión no es muy precisa. Por eso es muy importante explorar y cuantificar el mecanismo de mediación de las anomalías del mercado de valores en un entorno volátil. Los datos para esta investigación se recopilaron a través de una encuesta a inversores bursátiles que participan activamente en la inversión. Los hallazgos de este estudio indican que los factores heurísticos, la disponibilidad, el conservadurismo y la ilusión de control tienen una relación directa significativa y positiva con el rendimiento de la inversión. Para factores heurísticos como el anclaje y la falacia del apostador, ha habido una relación directa insignificante con el rendimiento de la inversión. Mientras que la ilusión de control y el conservadurismo, en relación indirecta con el rendimiento de la inversión, generan anomalías tanto fundamentales como técnicas en el mercado y afectan el rendimiento de la inversión a través de ambas anomalías. El sesgo de anclaje, el sesgo de disponibilidad y la falacia del apostador no causan anomalías técnicas y fundamentales en el mercado. Las anomalías fundamentales y técnicas tienen una importancia y una relación positiva con el rendimiento de la inversión.

Abstract: The literature of heuristic factors and investment performance is less confirmatory. That is why it is quite important to explore and quantify the mediation mechanism of stock market anomalies in a volatile environment. For this research, the data were collected through a survey to stock investors who are actively involved in investing. The findings of this study show that heuristic factors, availability, conservatism, and illusion of control have a significant and positive direct relationship to investment performance. For heuristic factors like anchoring and gambler's fallacy, there has been an insignificant direct relationship to investment performance. While in indirect relationship to the investment performance, illusion of control and conservatism generate both fundamental and technical anomalies in the market, and they affect the investment performance via technical and fundamental anomalies. Anchoring bias, availability bias and gambler fallacy do not generate both technical and fundamental anomalies in market. Fundamental and technical anomalies have a significant and positive relationship to investment performance.

The aim of present work was to investigate blends of Eudragit® NE 30D with Aquacoat® ECD using different ratios to eliminate curing effect associated with individual polymers. Propranolol HCl 10% w/w was layered onto sugar cores using 5% w/w HPMC as a binder. Drug-layered-cores were coated either with pure or blends of Aquacoat® ECD: Eudragit® NE 30D in a fluidized bed coater to obtain 20% w/w coating level. Talc 35% w/w was used as anti-tacking agent. The pellets were characterized for in vitro dissolution studies, morphology, water uptake-weight loss, osmolality and adhesion of coating after curing at 60 °C or 60 °C/75% RH for 24 h. The findings revealed that Aquacoat® ECD coated pellets showed curing effect due to further gradual coalescence of polymeric particles which resulted into better film formation upon curing. In contrast, the curing effect of Eudragit® NE 30D coated pellets was caused by decrease in adhesion of coatings after curing which provided entirely different swelling behavior of uncured (localized swelling) and cured (uniform swelling) pellets. The undesired curing effect of individual polymers was eliminated by using their blends in appropriate ratio.

Resumo Vegetais minimamente processados podem ser preparados a partir de várias etapas de processamento como lavagem, toalete, retirada da casca, corte, seguidas por embalagem e armazenamento refrigerado. O presente estudo objetivou determinar os efeitos de diferentes na qualidade e na vida-de-prateleira de batata minimamente processada. Tipos diferentes de corte, tais como fatias, dadinhos, cubos e cunhas, foram selecionados para este estudo, com intuito de avaliar seu efeito na vida-de-prateleira das batatas. Batatas cortadas em diferentes formatos foram tratadas com cloreto de cálcio, ácido cítrico e metabissulfito de potássio (3%, 2% e 0,3%), armazenadas a 4 °C por 60 dias e depois avaliadas por análises físico-químicas (firmeza, perda de peso, pH, acidez titulável, sólidos solúveis totais (SST) e conteúdo de ácido ascórbico (AA)) e microbiológicas. Os melhores resultados foram obtidos para o corte em pequenos cubos, com mudanças mínimas em SST (5,31%), pH (5,65), acidez titulável (0,34%), perda de peso (9,04%) e conteúdo de AA (10,86%). A atividade microbiana em todos os cortes de batata permaneceu dentro de limites aceitáveis, durante o armazenamento refrigerado.

Abstract Fresh-cut vegetables can be minimally processed through cleaning/washing, trimming, peeling, slicing and dicing, followed by packaging and cold storage. This study aimed to verify the effect of different cuts on the quality and shelf life of fresh-cut potato. Different cut types, such as slices, dices, cubes and wedges, were selected for this study to evaluate the shelf-life response of potatoes. Potato pieces of these different shapes were treated with calcium chloride, citric acid, and potassium metabisulfite (3%, 2% and 0.3%, respectively), stored in plastic boxes at 4 ˚C for 60 days, and then physicochemically (firmness (N), weight loss (WL), pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and ascorbic acid (AA) content analyses) and microbiologically assessed. The best results were observed for the dice cut type, which showed minimal changes in TSS (5.31%), pH (5.65), TA (0.34%), WL (9.04%), and AA content (10.86%). Moreover, the microbial activity of all shapes of potato pieces remained within acceptable limits during cold storage.

ABSTRACT Zidovudine was the first drug approved for the treatment of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Its chemical name is azidothymidine (AZT). AZT use is associated with bone marrow toxicity. Shorter half-life and inability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier are the pharmacokinetic problems of this important drug molecule. Various modifications have been carried out in the structure of AZT. These include modification of hydroxyl and azido group, thymidine ring, preparation of phosphate and phosphonate derivatives, attachment of polymers and synthesis of hybrid molecules. Some of these changes produced compounds with significantly increased activity and less toxicity. This review highlights the various structural modifications of AZT and their influence on biological activities and pharmacokinetic properties.

ABSTRACT GeneXpert is one of the recent technological instruments used to diagnose tuberculosis in a short span of time. In this study, the performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) was compared with light-emitting diode Fluorescent Microscopy (LED-FM) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 737 EPTB samples were collected from tuberculosis (TB) suspected patients. Out of these samples, male to female ratio was 53% (n = 390) to 47% (n = 347) respectively. The sensitivity and specificity was 73% and 100% for GeneXpert, while 40% and 100% for LED-FM microscopy. This shows that the sensitivity of GeneXpert is 40–50%, higher than LED-FM microscopy. GeneXpert also detected low number of bacilli as compared to LED-FM microscopy.

Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenol produced by different plant species having a variety of biological activities. Synthesis of hybrid molecules of RSV with different natural and synthetic compounds has been studied. These hybrid molecules have been prepared by using fused or merged techniques or by using some linker groups. Wittig method was mostly applied by using the appropriate ylides to prepare the RSV core. The hybrid molecules prepared by these techniques exhibited anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-alzheimer, metal chelating and enzyme inhibitory activities. These hybrid RSV molecules can serve as a lead compounds for the future design of new drug molecules.

In this study, extracellular alkaline protease was produced from Rhizopus oryzae in submerged fermentation using dairy waste (whey) as a substrate. Fermentation kinetics was studied and various parameters were optimized. The strain produced maximum protease at initial medium pH of 6.0 medium depth of 26 mm, inoculum size of 2% at incubation temperature of 35ºC for 168 h of fermentation. Alkaline protease was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulphate fractionation followed by sephadex G-100 chromatography. The molecular mass of alkaline protease was 69 kDa determined by 10% SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature of alkaline protease was 9.0 and 40ºC, respectively. Metal profile of the enzyme showed that the enzyme was non-metallic in nature. The Km , Kcat , Vmax and Kcat/Km values of purified protease were 7.0 mg/mL, 3.8 x102S-1, 54.30 µmol/min and 54.28 s-1mg -1.mL respectively, using casein as substrate. The purified alkaline protease had stability with commercial detergents.

The main objective of this study was production of ethanol from three lignocellulosic biomasses like sugarcane bagasse, rice straw and wheat straw by Sacchromyces cervisae. All the three substrates were ground to powder form (2 mm) and pretreated with 3%H2O2 + 2% NaOH followed by steaming at 130 °C for 60 min. These substrates were hydrolyzed by commercial cellulase enzyme. The whole fermentation process was carried out in 500 mL Erlenmeyer flask under anaerobic conditions in submerged fermentation at 30 °C for three days of incubation period. FTIR analysis of the substrates indicated significant changes in the alteration of the structure occurred after pretreatment which leads to efficient saccharification. After pretreatment the substrates were hydrolyzed by commercial cellulase enzyme and maximum hydrolysis was observed in sugarcane bagasse (64%) followed by rice straw (40%) and wheat straw (34%). Among all these tested substrates, sugarcane bagasse (77 g/L) produced more ethanol as compared to rice straw (62 g/L) and wheat straw (44 g/L) using medium composition of (%) 0.25 (NH4)2SO4, 0.1 KH2PO4, 0.05 MgSO4, 0.25 Yeast extract by S. cervisae.