435 research outputs found
Correction to: Strategic crossing of biomass and harvest index—source and sink—achieves genetic gains in wheat
No full textAbstractThe original article was corrected. Author Muhammad Kundi should instead read: Muhammad Sohail.</jats:p
Correction to: Strategic crossing of biomass and harvest index—source and sink—achieves genetic gains in wheat (Euphytica, (2017), 213, 257, 10.1007/s10681-017-2040-z)
No full textThe original article was corrected. Author Muhammad Kundi should instead read: Muhammad Sohail
Determination of Toxic Elements in Cannabinoid and Opioid Drugs and Their Impact on Addicts’ Health: A Comparative Study
No full textDrug addiction is associated with significant health risks, including cardiovascular complications, cancer, and mental disorders. Illicit drugs, such as cannabinoids and opioids, including prescription medications, are widely consumed and have profound health consequences. Understanding the health effects of the toxic elements in these substances is critical for overdose prevention and effective recovery strategies. This study aimed to determine toxic elements, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and nickel (Ni), in cannabinoid and opioid drugs and in biological samples (whole blood, scalp hair, and serum) from 311 male drug abuse patients aged 15–60 years with a history of drug abuse. The participants were categorized into three age groups. The comparative analysis involved 113 reference subjects of the same age groups. The sample preparation employed microwave-assisted acid digestion, and the toxic elements were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Accuracy was ensured using certified reference materials for hair, whole blood, and serum samples. Drug-addicted subjects had significantly higher concentrations of toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and nickel) in biological samples than referent subjects (p > 0.001). Elevated levels of these toxic elements may increase susceptibility to infections, possibly due to malnutrition, drug-related effects, and additional contaminants. These findings necessitate further studies to explore the long-term health outcomes, potential treatment options, and broader socioeconomic impacts of substance abuse. This study serves as a baseline for future research in this critical public health field
Health risk assessment of heavy metals in wheat using different water qualities: implication for human health
No full textIn the recent years, the use of sewage water for irrigation has attracted the attention of arid and semi-arid countries where the availability of fresh water is poor. Despite the potential use of sewage water in crop irrigation as effective and sustainable strategy, the environmental and human risks behind this use need to be deeply investigated. In this regard, an experiment was carried out under field conditions in Nursery, University College of Agriculture Sargodha, to evaluate the possible health risks of undesirable metals in wheat grains. Wheat variety Sarang was cultivated and irrigated with different combinations of ground (GW) and sewage water (SW). The concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Ni, and Pb) and trace elements (Cu, Zn, and Fe) in wheat grains as well as in soil were determined. Moreover, the pollution load index (PLI), accumulation factor (AF), daily intake of metals (DIM), and health risk index (HRI) were calculated. Results showed that the concentration trend of heavy metals was P
Relationship between work environment support for training and organizational commitment: The moderating role of trainees’ characteristics and mediating role of training transfer
Full text linkThe student, Muhammad Khan, accepted the attached license on 2019-04-11 at 11:00.The student, Muhammad Khan, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2019-04-11 at 11:13.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2019-04-18 at 15:16.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #13561 on 2019-08-22 at 16:21:02Made available in DSpace on 2019-08-23T20:44:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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Previous issue date: 2019-04-18Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 112299
Lift date: 2021-08-23T20:44:50Z
Reason: Author requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemDespite the importance of work environment support for training variables (training opportunities, supervisory support for training, peer support for training and opportunity to use training), there is limited understanding of how these variables influence employees' organizational commitment. This study aims to explore the relationship between work environment support for training and employees' organizational commitment in Pakistan’s banking sector. Social Exchange Theory (SET) was utilized as a framework where work environment support for training is considered as a favor from organization and organizational commitment was considered as a reciprocal attitude of employees. The study also explored whether training transfer mediates a relationship between work environment support for training and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the study explored whether the trainees’ characteristics such as training self-efficacy, training motivation, perceived utility of training, and training retention moderates the relationship between work environment support for training and organizational commitment. An online survey based on validated instruments used to collect data from the employees (n=334) working in one of the largest banks of Pakistan. Multiple regression analysis, among other statistical techniques, was used to test the hypotheses and determine significant relationships. The results showed that banking employees in Pakistan were not found to experience affective commitment; that is, no significant relationship was found between work environment support for training variables and affective commitment. Rather, the study found a positive relationship between (i) training opportunities and continuance commitment, (ii) opportunity to use training and continuance commitment, and (iii) supervisory support for training and normative commitment. All four trainee characteristic—e.g., training self-efficacy, training motivation, perceived utility of training and training retention—were found to moderate the relationship between training opportunities and continuance commitment. Training motivation also moderated the relationship between peer support for training and normative commitment. Several implications of these findings, limitations, and future research suggestions are discussed.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2021-05-01Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 112299
Lift date: 2021-08-23T20:46:41Z
Reason: Author requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemEmbargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 112299
Lift date: 2021-08-23T20:47:38Z
Reason: Author requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemEmbargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 112299
Lift date: 2021-08-23T20:48:32Z
Reason: Author requested closed access (OA after 2yrs) in Vireo ETD systemLimited Restriction Lifted for Item 112299 on 2021-08-24T09:15:24Z
Author Profiling from Short Romanized Urdu Messages: A Preliminary Investigation using Transfer Learning Models
Full text linkAuthor profiling, a crucial task in natural language processing, involves identifying various attributes of an author, such as gender and age, from text. This study examines how transfer learning models in the context of author profiling from Roman Urdu text. We conduct experiments employing prominent models such as ELECTRA , BERT, RoBERTa, XLNet, Distil Bert, Distil RoBERTa,. Our analysis reveals superior performance in gender prediction using BERT, attaining an accuracy of 0.74698, precision of 0.7505, recall of 0.7462, and F1 score of 0.7456. On the other hand, RoBERTa demonstrates remarkable proficiency in age prediction with an accuracy of 0.8221, precision of 0.8215, recall of 0.8221, and F1 score of 0.8215. These findings showcase the effectiveness of transfer learning models in author profiling tasks offer insightful analysis for further research and applications in this domain.
Reader Response Criticism: Background, Basic Concepts and Problems
No full textThe major division of literary theory is presented in a parable, which includes the author, the text and the reader. All critical theories are derived separately from the author, the text and the reader. The only way to understand the text is to understand the author.It ignored the text and the functionality of the reader. Critical theories that relied entirely on the text rejected the author and the reader. Discussions related to Reader response criticism have given rise to new questions. These questions have emerged as issues of reading.This article presents the ideas and concepts in the context of Reader Response criticism, interpretive angles, the importance of reader and the problems of reading. Questions have been raised which will make it possible to look at and understand this critical school of thought from a new angle.</span
PLoS One
Full text linkPakistan harbors high disease burden of gastro-enteric infections with majority of these caused by rotavirus. Unfortunately, lack of proper surveillance programs and laboratory facilities have resulted in scarcity of available data on rotavirus associated disease burden and epidemiological information in the country. We investigated 1306 stool samples collected over two years (2008-2009) from hospitalized children under 5 years of age for the presence of rotavirus strains and its genotypic diversity in Lahore. The prevalence rate during 2008 and 2009 was found to be 34% (n\u200a=\u200a447 out of 1306). No significant difference was found between different age groups positive for rotavirus (p>0.05). A subset of EIA positive samples was further screened for rotavirus RNA through RT-PCR and 44 (49.43%) samples, out of total 89 EIA positive samples, were found positive. G and P type prevalence was found as follows: G1P [4]\u200a=\u200a3(6.81%); G1P [6]\u200a=\u200a9(20.45%); G1P [8]\u200a=\u200a1(2.27%); G2P [4]\u200a=\u200a21(47.72%); G2P [8]\u200a=\u200a1(2.27%); G9P [4]\u200a=\u200a1(2.27%); G9P [6]\u200a=\u200a1(2.27%) and G9P [8]\u200a=\u200a7(15.90%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the VP7 and VP4 sequences clustered closely with the previously detected strains in the country as well as Belgian rotaviruses. Antigenic characterization was performed by analyzing major epitopes in the immunodominant VP7 and VP4 gene segments. Although the neutralization conferring motifs were found variable between the Pakistani strains and the two recommended vaccines strains (Rotarix\u2122 and RotaTeq\u2122), we validate the use of rotavirus vaccine in Pakistan based on the proven and recognized vaccine efficacy across the globe. Our findings constitute the first report on rotavirus' genotype diversity, their phylogenetic relatedness and epidemiology during the pre-vaccination era in Lahore, Pakistan and support the immediate introduction of rotavirus vaccine in the routine immunization program of the country.20131063
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