6 research outputs found
The Impact of Social Media and Texting on Language Use and Communication Styles among Students in Punjab
This study explores the impact of social media and texting on language use and communication styles among university students in Punjab, Pakistan. With digital platforms becoming central to daily interactions, students increasingly engage in linguistic adaptations that blend traditional norms with digital influences. Using a qualitative methodology, this study involved semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a purposive sample of 10 students from multiple universities in Punjab. Data analysis through NVivo revealed nine key themes: Language Innovation, Code-Switching, Informal Tone, Brevity and Efficiency, Emotional Expression, Identity and Self-Expression, Conversational Dynamics, Cultural and Social Influence, and Academic Influence. The findings illustrate how students use abbreviations, emojis, and code-switching to communicate more efficiently while reflecting cultural and social identities. Additionally, students' informal tone in digital contexts often extends into academic settings, blurring lines between formal and casual language. Cultural dynamics, including peer influence and the interplay between Urdu and English, further shape digital communication practices, highlighting a generational shift in linguistic adaptability. This study contributes to the understanding of digital language evolution, offering insights into the educational and social implications of digital communication. It also underscores the need for educators to support students in navigating these linguistic shifts, balancing digital fluency with academic standards. Limitations include the sample size and focus on a specific region, suggesting future research could broaden demographic and contextual perspectives to further explore intergenerational dynamics in digital communication
Effect of Neem Products and Synthetic Insecticides against Sucking Insect Pests of Cauliflower under Field Conditions
:A field study was carried out during 2015 at Muhammad Bachal farm at Bakrani District Larkana. Four treatments with three replications were applied. The treatments were: T1=Chemical control (Diamond 20SP), T2=Neem oil, T3= Neem kernel, T4= Untreated (Control). Two insect pests were found infesting Cauliflower including white fliesand thrips. Pre-treatment- and post-treatment observations were recorded. The results revealed that against thrips, the first spray of chemical control (Diamond) showed highest reduction percent (50.61%) followed by neem oil (43.33%), neem kernel (40.42%), and lowest for untreated control (10.31%); while in the second spray also, chemical control (Diamond) showed highest effect against thrips (58.51%); followed by neem oil (57.88%), neem kernel (52.43%) and least by untreated plot (14.77%). Against white flies chemical control (Diamond) showed highest effect (82.89%) as observed during 1st spray, followed by neem oil (72.47%), neem kernel (72.68%), and untreated control (5.12%), while after second spray also chemical control (Diamond) showed highest reduction percent (85.53%) followed by neem oil (74.34%), neem kernel (72.26%), and the lowest was resulted by untreated control (4.11%). Chemical control (Diamond) showed its superiority in effect to combat sucking insect pests studied in cauliflower, followed by neem oil, neem kernel, and untreated control remained the least.</jats:p
Effect of Natural Enemy (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens) against Sucking Insect Pests of Okra
An experiment effect of natural enemy (Chrysoperla carnea Stephens.) against sucking insect pests of Okra was carried out at Latif Farm, Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam during 2014.The results showed that overall maximum mean population of jassids (1009.5 ± 78.12/plant) was recorded in pre-treatment treated plot followed by thrips (706.17 ± 34.26/plant), mites (572.5± 33.00/plant) and whiteflies (209.83 ± 19.76/plant) respectively. Whereas, the overall maximum mean population of jassids (1322.44 ± 8.6/plant6) was recorded in pre-treatment control plot, followed by thrips (828.05 ± 6.77/plant), mites (640.55 ± 5.95/plant) and whiteflies (267.38 ± 4.74/plant) respectively. However, the overall maximum mean of jassids (434.27 ± 4.91/plant) were recorded in post-treatment control plot, followed by thrips (278.11 ± 3.93/plant), mites (134.11 ± 2.63/plant) and whiteflies (18.83 ± 0.99/plant), respectively. The results further revealed that the statistical analysis of data through paired T-test between treated and control plot of jassids, whiteflies, thrips and mites showed significantly different at (P<0.05) level. Whereas, the statistical analysis of data through paired T-test between pre-treatment and post-treatment of jassids, whiteflies, thrips and mites also showed significantly different at (P <0.05) level.</jats:p
In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory, Anticancer (MCF-7, 3T3, and HeLa Cell Lines), and Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay and FTIR Analysis of the Extract and Fractions of the Whole Plant of Heliotropium europaeum
In this study, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, brine shrimp lethality, and FTIR studies were evaluated. The oxidative burst assay using the chemiluminescence technique, MTT assay, brine shrimp lethality assay, and FTIR analysis were the methods used for the evaluation of anti-inflammatory, anticancer, brine shrimp lethality, and FTIR studies, respectively. The whole-plant butanol fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WBFHE) showed anti-inflammatory activity on ROS having IC5014.7±2.5 while the extract and other fractions of the whole plant of Heliotropium europaeum exhibited no anti-inflammatory activity. None of the extract and fractions of the whole plant of Heliotropium europaeum exhibited anticancer (MCF-7, 3T3, and HeLa cell lines) activities. The whole-plant aqueous fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WAFHE) and whole-plant butanol fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WBFHE) showed lethality at high concentration while at low concentration, no toxicity was shown. The whole-plant methanolic extract of Heliotropium europaeum (WMEHE) and whole-plant n-hexane fraction of Heliotropium europaeum (WHFHE) exhibited no toxicity. FTIR interpretation showed the functional groups for the aromatic compounds, phenols, carboxylic acids, esters, alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, alkyl halides, sulfate esters, phosphines, silanes, nitriles, thiols, amines, phosphoric acids, and nitro compounds
In Vitro Biological and GC-MS Analysis of Whole Plant Calotropis procera
Calotropis procera is a medicinal, traditional, and therapeutic plant in Pakistan. In this research study, the biological activities, for instance, anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and brine shrimp lethality assay and GC-MS are studied. MTT assay, antileishmanial bioassay, microplate Alamar Blue assay, agar tube dilution method, oxidative burst assay using chemiluminescence technique, B-hatching techniques, and triple quadrupole acquisition method MS parameters were the methods used for anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, brine shrimp lethality assay, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 69.1% of the growth of HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 3.1 ± 0.4 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant and aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited the growth by 70.2% and 65.2% with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 0.3 and 17.1 ± 1.0. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 70.1% of the growth of the PC3 cell line with an IC50 value of 5.1 ± 0.3 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited 61.6% and 59.7% with IC50 values of 3.7 ± 0.5 and 16.4 ± 1.0. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed anticancer activities against the 3T3 cell line. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) exhibited lethality at the highest concentration while other fractions did not exhibit lethality. GC-MS studies revealed that the whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) consists of 11 compounds, whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) consists of 9 compounds, and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) consists of 7 compounds
