576 research outputs found
FROM INTERVENTION TO EXIT: AN ANALYSIS OF POST-9/11 US STRATEGIES IN AFGHANISTAN
Get PDFFollowing the US exit from Afghanistan, the debate revolves around why US intervention in Afghanistan, the longest and one of the most expensive in its history, has failed in defeating the Taliban and realising a durable state-building. The debate considers endogenous factors that explore US and Taliban strategies and exogenous factors that underline the role of regional and extra-regional actors in determining the outcome of the Afghan conflict. This paper, therefore, focuses on faults and inconsistencies within and across US strategies in Afghanistan, i.e., the use of military force, political settlement, and state-building. It also examines US strategies vis-à-vis conflict in Afghanistan under four US administrations – from Bush to Biden – to ascertain why these strategies proved ineffective. These strategies have been analysed by following the conceptual framework of Game Theory. The paper argues that US strategies for entering Afghanistan were detached from the ground realities, which was the critical factor for its failure to achieve the desired outcome of the conflict.
Bibliography Entry
Shad, Muhammad Riaz, and Sajid Iqbal. 2021. "From Intervention to Exit: An Analysis of Post-9/11 US Strategies in Afghanistan." Margalla Papers 25 (2): 23-34
In situ tailoring the morphology of In(OH)(3) nanostructures via surfactants during anodization and their transformation into In2O3 nanoparticles
No full textThe present work reports the effect of various surfactants on the morphology of In(OH)(3) nanostructures prepared via anodization. In-sheets were anodized in an environmentally benign electrolyte containing a small quantity of CTAB, CTAC, and PDDA surfactants at room temperature. The produced nanostructures were characterized using XRD, HRTEM, SAED, and EDAX. The morphology of indium hydroxide (In(OH)(3)) nanostructures was successfully tailored in situ with the help of surfactants in 1 M KCl aqueous electrolyte. XRD results confirmed the formation of In(OH)(3) and indium oxyhydroxide (InOOH) nanostructures in the pristine form which were transformed into single-phase cubic In2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) after calcination. HRTEM analyses showed that the morphology and size of the In(OH)(3) nanostructures can be tuned to form nanorods, nanosheets and nanostrips using different surfactants. The results revealed that CTAC and PDDA surfactants have a profound effect on the morphology of In(OH)(3) nanostructure compared to CTAB due to the higher concentration of Cl- ion. The possible mechanism of surfactants effect on the morphology is proposed. Furthermore, annealing converted the In(OH)(3) nanostructures into spherical In2O3 NPs with uniform and homogeneous size. We anticipate that the morphology of other metal-oxides nanostructure can be tuned using this simple, facile and rapid technique. In2O3 NPs prepared without and with CTAB surfactant were further explored for the non-enzymatic detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Electrochemical measurements showed enhanced electrocatalytic performance with fast electron transfer (similar to 2s) between the redox centers of H2O2 and electrode surface. The In2O3 NPs prepared using CTAB/Au electrode exhibited about 4-fold increase in sensitivity compared to the bare Au electrode. The biosensor also demonstrated good reproducibility, higher selectivity, and increased shelf life.
Optimizing Biochemical and Phytochemical Attributes in Peaches through Foliar Applications of Silicon and Zinc
No full textPeach production faces significant pre-harvest challenges, including low moisture, nutrient deficiencies, flower drop, physical damage, and surface discoloration, which can limit yield and fruit quality. To mitigate these issues, the present study hypothesized that foliar applications of silicon and zinc could enhance peach growth, yield, and quality due to their known roles in improving stress tolerance, nutrient uptake, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, this research aimed to identify optimal concentrations of silicon and zinc for quality peach production. Ten-year-old peach trees of uniform size were sprayed with four levels of silicon (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) and zinc (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) for two consecutive growing seasons, at the berry and pit hardening stages, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The averaged data from the two years showed that the pre-harvest foliar application of silicon significantly improved all yield and quality attributes of peaches. The foliar application of silicon at 0.3% notably enhanced fruit growth, yield, and biochemical attributes. Additionally, the highest fruit growth, yield, and quality of peach fruits were observed at the 0.75% zinc concentration. Maximum antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and catalase activity were observed in fruits from plants treated with 0.3% silicon, which were statistically on par with 0.2% silicon. However, peroxidase activity was highest at 0.2% silicon. Regarding zinc levels, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, proline content, and peroxidase activity were highest in fruits treated with 0.75% zinc, while catalase activity was superior when fruits were sprayed with 0.50% zinc. The interaction between silicon and zinc concentrations was found to be non-significant for most parameters, except for titratable acidity, TSS–acid ratio, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity, flavonoid content, and peroxidase activity. In conclusion, the foliar application of 0.3% silicon and 0.75% zinc independently enhanced all yield and quality characteristics of peaches. For the agro-climatic conditions of Peshawar, 0.2% silicon and 0.50% zinc are recommended for optimal peach production
Outcome of everted end-to-end urethroplasty in traumatic bulbar and membranous urethra.
Get PDFIntroduction: Numerous options are available for the surgical management of urethral strictures. Everted End-to-end anastomosis is the utmost effective management for bulbar and membranous urethral strictures with a documented high success rate with low postoperative morbidity.
Methodology: This study was conducted at department of Urology, Lahore General hospital, Lahore from May 2012 till May 2014. Total 30 patients were included in the study. Procedure was done by a single surgical team and Uroflowmetry and subjective evaluation was done on 2nd week, 1st month and 4th month and 12th month post operatively.
Results: Mean age of patients was 24.43±12.39 years. Mean stricture length preoperatively was 1.83±0.63 cm. On follow up 50% of patients were in each grade whose subjective grading were 1 and 2 at 2 week post operatively. After 1-month post operatively 76.67% patients had Grade-1 and 6.67% patients had Grade-2. After 1 month follow up 63.34% patients presented with grade-1, 20% with Grade-2 and 6.67% presented with Grade-3. Only 80% of the patients at 4th month and 1-year post operatively presented with grade-1 subjective improvement. 10% of the patients had stricture recurrence at 1-month follow up and another 10% had recurrence at 4 months of follow up.
Conclusion: Everted End-to-end urethroplasty is treatment of choice for short traumatic bulbar and membranous urethral strictures with a high success rate.
Key Words: Urethral Strictures, Everted End-to-end Urethroplasty, Bulbar Urethra, Membranous Urethr
د ډاکټر اقبال نسيم خټک مذهبي شاعرۍ ته يوه کتنه
No full textIt's fascinating how literature often mirrors the society and beliefs of its time, including religious influences. Professor Iqbal Naseem Khattak's poetry seems to reflect a deep engagement with religious concepts and ideas, offering insights into how spirituality shapes individuals and communities .In this article, the religious poetry of Iqbal Naseem Khattak has been researched
Development of sulfonated polystyrene resin-supported tungsten oxide for Pb2+ ion sequestration
No full textA sulfonated polystyrene resin-supported tungsten oxide (SO3-PSWO) was synthesized and evaluated for its efficiency in removing lead (Pb2+) from aqueous solutions. Morphology, phase purity, structural properties, thermal stability, and elemental composition of SO3-PSWO, are evaluated using SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and CHNS analyzers. The ICP-OES technique was utilized for quantitative measurements of the Pb2+ ions. The influence of key parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, metal ion concentration, temperature, and interference of competing ions on Pb2+ removal is systematically investigated. Under optimum conditions (pH 3.5-5.5), SO3-PSWO achieved a maximum Pb2+ removal efficiency of 99.7% within one hour and demonstrated an exceptional adsorption capacity of 386 mg g-1, as described by the Langmuir isotherm model. Kinetic analysis revealed a pseudo-second-order mechanism, highlighting chemisorption as the predominant process. Thermodynamic studies indicated an exothermic and spontaneous adsorption behavior. With its easy synthesis, cost-effectiveness, rapid kinetics, high adsorption capacity, and superior efficiency, SO3-PSWO emerges as a promising material for the remediation of Pb2+ contamination in water treatment applications.
Modifier genes in microcephaly: a report on WDR62, CEP63, RAD50 and PCNT variants exacerbating disease caused by biallelic mutations of ASPM and CENPJ
Get PDFCongenital microcephaly is the clinical presentation of significantly reduced head circumference at birth. It manifests as both non-syndromic - microcephaly primary hereditary (MCPH) - and syndromic forms and shows considerable inter- and intrafamilial variability. It has been hypothesized that additional genetic variants may be responsible for this variability, but data are sparse. We have conducted deep phenotyping and genotyping of five Pakistani multiplex families with either MCPH (n = 3) or Seckel syndrome (n = 2). In addition to homozygous causal variants in ASPM or CENPJ, we discovered additional heterozygous modifier variants in WDR62, CEP63, RAD50 and PCNT - genes already known to be associated with neurological disorders. MCPH patients carrying an additional heterozygous modifier variant showed more severe phenotypic features. Likewise, the phenotype of Seckel syndrome caused by a novel CENPJ variant was aggravated to microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPDII) in conjunction with an additional PCNT variant. We show that the CENPJ missense variant impairs splicing and decreases protein expression. We also observed centrosome amplification errors in patient cells, which were twofold higher in MOPDII as compared to Seckel cells. Taken together, these observations advocate for consideration of additional variants in related genes for their role in modifying the expressivity of the phenotype and need to be considered in genetic counseling and risk assessment
می سوزم: تاریخ، عورت اور مزاحمت
No full textThe current research is a critical and textual analysis of Dr. Humaira Ashfaq's novel Me-Sozam. The novel along with being a work of literature also portrays the realistic picture of women in the cultural background of Khuzdar. The story reveals the revolutionary and rebellious struggle of a poetess Rabia who comes from the ruling class of the area. In the social set-ups of the world, matriarchy exists only in traces; rather the variegated views of societies, through the lens of history reveal the suppressed status of women. On the other hand, women dignity and decorous fight against the odds is also a traceable reality historically. The lives of the Queen of Jhansi, Razia Sultana, and Fatima Sughra are a few of the examples and one similar character is princess Rabia who is the central character of Dr. Humaira Ashfaq's novel. The female protagonist despite being a member of royal family becomes the mouthpiece of the crushed multitudes against the unwarranted customs and the exploitation of the ruling class. Dr Humaira Ashfaq has artistically woven a real tragic event into a piece of literary work
شیراز دستی کے ناول ’’ساسا‘‘ کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ
No full textMind boggling incidents of post modernism left multidimensional and multifaceted effects on Urdu novels writing. Contemporary political, economical and cultural changes put a challenge before art of novel writing. in order to tackle these challenges, the novel writer of the present era expressing their artistic abilities in different ways. changes which occurred due to new world order made prominent the clashes between civilization many complicated questions are placed before universal and humanities values. Love which was an essence of man's existence is breathing its last. Rather it has become a rare phenomena. The same pangs of ending love is echoing on pages of novel "Sasa". The novelist tried to search at in between the comparison and clashes of two divergent civilization. The novelist described opt expressions which were really needed to express the feeling of love
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