56 research outputs found
A novel binary composite of CuCoNi-MOF/MoO3 with exceptional capacitance as electrode material for supercapacitors
No full textMetal-organic framework (MOF), a new type of electrode material with a porous structure, has shown promise as a good choice for supercapacitors in the next generation of energy storage devices. These research endeavors initiated the development of a doping technique and the creation of a composite material using solvothermal synthesis. This study involves the successful synthesis of CuCo-MOF and CuCoNi-MOF by introducing Co and Ni metals into the Cu-MOF. The CuCoNi-MOF is then combined with MoO3 to form a novel binary composite known as CuCoNi-MOF/MoO3. These prepared materials are then subjected to several physiochemical and electrochemical characterization techniques. The electrochemical characteristics of the prepared samples are estimated using a three-electrode cell setup. The analysis included cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD). The examination of the CV reveals that the binary composite CuCoNi-MOF/MoO3 exhibits exceptional capacitance (937.5 Fg−1 at 5 mVs−1) in comparison to the other materials that were synthesized. Moreover, the GCD study reveals that it has a capacity of 1364.69 Fg−1 at 0.5 Ag−1. Furthermore, it retained 91.5 % of its capacity after 5000 cycles demonstrating its exceptional stability. Owing to the exceptional electrochemical properties of CuCoNi-MOF/MoO3, it is employed as the positive electrode and activated carbon (Actsingle bondC) as a negative electrode for device fabrication. The supercapattery (CuCoNi-MOF/MoO3||Act-C) showed an excellent specific capacitance of 218.83 Fg−1 at 1 Ag−1 along with an outstanding energy density of 59.57 Wh.kg−1 and power density of 704.9 W.kg−1. Moreover, the assembled supercapattery device shows remarkable stability of 95.2 % at 10 Ag−1 after 15,000 cycles
Synergistic effect of 3D porous tri-metallic MOF based electrode materials for highly stable asymmetric supercapacitors
No full textMetal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have captured huge consideration owing to their high porosity structure and large surface area for their utilization in supercapacitors. The synthesis parameters play a vital role in the morphological and structural features of MOFs. Herein, a trimetallic metal-organic framework with the morphology of flower-based hierarchical microspheres has been synthesized by solvothermal method with optimization of the reaction duration. The hierarchical structure with connected nanosheets can provide more electroactive sites that lead to exceptional electrochemical performance. NiCoMn-MOF prepared with a reaction time of 48 h (MOF-48) delivers the specific capacitance of 1905 F/g (1 A/g) with rate capability of 71.52 % (10 A/g). Furthermore, MOF-48||Act-C asymmetric supercapacitor displays a remarkable capacitance of 226 F/g (1 A/g) and keeps 97 % of initial capacitance after 15000 continuous cycles. This asymmetric device has a power density of 6945.4 W/kg (10 A/g) and an energy density of 61.52 Wh/kg (1 A/g). Therefore, this study offers an effective technique to improve the electrochemical effectiveness of MOF-based electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors.</p
Medina in the Ayyubid period and the Shi'a influence upon it
No full textThe underlying concern of this thesis is to shed light on the history of Medina during the Ayyubid period, discussing and analysing the Shi'a emergence in the city in that time, and the transfer to them of power, the judiciary and the key religious positions. It also discusses their influence over the various facets of life there. The study comprises an introduction, six central chapters and a conclusion. The first chapter includes a general introduction, beginning with a historical background of pre-Islamic Medina, and then proceeds to present an overview of the importance of the subject and the reasons for choosing it. It then moves on to an exposition of the key issues which the study will discuss, and the methodology which it follows. The second chapter provides a concise account of the significance of Medina in the Islamic sources (the Qur'an and the hadith), discussing the role of the city and its inhabitants in their support for and propagation of Islam. It also gives a short account of the history of Medina following the death of the Prophet up until the Umayyad period, and briefly discusses the key historical events during that period. The
third chapter examines the state of the Islamic World prior to and during the Ayyubid period, and discusses the key historical events that occurred in Medina at that time and
their connection with what was happening in the Islamic World. The fourth chapter studies and analyses the emergence of the Shi'a in Medina during the Ayyflbid period, and examines certain accounts of this. It also tracks the history of the Shia in Medina prior to the Ayyübid period by providing critical examples of some of the accounts on the subject. The reasons behind the emergence of the Twelver Shia doctrine in Medina during the
Ayyübid period will also be studied and analysed, and the chapter will explain how the Shi'a came to assume the key political and religious offices in the city. Their relations with other Shi'a sects will also be examined, and the way in which their control of Medina came to an end will be discussed. The fifth chapter discusses political life in Medina during the Ayyubid period and the influence of the Shia upon it, studies and analyses the political
relations between the emirs of Medina and each of the neighbouring tribes, the emirs of Mecca, the sultans of the Ayyubid state and those of the Banü Rasül in Yemen, and
explains the influence of the Shi'a on these relations and the role which they played in the political life in the city. The sixth chapter discusses social life in Medina during the Ayyubid period and the influence of the Shia upon it, by studying the composition of civil society and its groupings, the distinguishing features apparent in each grouping, and the elements of social life and its economic conditions, as well as the constructive interplay between them, in order to present an accurate picture of the city's social life. The seventh chapter discusses the state of learning in the city during the Ayyübid period and the Shia
influence upon it, by examining some of the accounts mentioned by certain historians and travellers. It will also include a refutation of these negative accounts by presenting a thorough, extensive description of the state of learning in Medina, through studying the teaching lectures which were current in the Prophet's Mosque and the madrasas of that time, the kuttabs, the syllabuses, the teaching methods, the most notable 'ulama' and their key works, the role of the Sunni 'ulama' in the flourishing of learned activity and, lastly, the Shi'a influence upon it. The eighth chapter summarises and discusses the study's most
important findings and draws conclusions from them, before making suggestions for future research
Potential Role of Plant Growth Regulators in Administering Crucial Processes Against Abiotic Stresses
No full textPlant growth regulators are naturally biosynthesized chemicals in plants that influence physiological processes. Their synthetic analogous trigger numerous biochemical and physiological processes involved in the growth and development of plants. Nowadays, due to changing climatic scenario, numerous biotic and abiotic stresses hamper seed germination, seedling growth, and plant development leading to a decline in biological and economic yields. However, plant growth regulators (PGRs) can potentially play a fundamental role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses and hence, contribute to plant adaptation under adverse environments. The major effects of abiotic stresses are growth and yield disturbance, and both these effects are directly overseen by the PGRs. Different types of PGRs such as abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), and jasmonates (JAs) are connected to boosting the response of plants to multiple stresses. In contrast, PGRs including cytokinins (CKs), gibberellins (GAs), auxin, and relatively novel PGRs such as strigolactones (SLs), and brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in plant growth and development under normal and stressful environmental conditions. Besides, polyamines and nitric oxide (NO), although not considered as phytohormones, have been included in the current review due to their involvement in the regulation of several plant processes and stress responses. These PGRs are crucial for regulating stress adaptation through the modulates physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes and activation of the defense system, upregulating of transcript levels, transcription factors, metabolism genes, and stress proteins at cellular levels. The current review presents an acumen of the recent progress made on different PGRs to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress such as heat, drought, salinity, and flood. Moreover, it highlights the research gaps on underlying mechanisms of PGRs biosynthesis under stressed conditions and their potential roles in imparting tolerance against adverse effects of suboptimal growth conditions.Fil: Sabagh, Ayman EL. Kafrelsheikh University; EgiptoFil: Mbarki, Sonia. National Institute Of Research In Rural Engineering; TúnezFil: Hossain, Akbar. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir. University Of Poonch Rawalakot; PakistánFil: Islam, Mohammad Sohidul. Hajee Mohammad Danesh And Technology University; BangladeshFil: Raza, Ali. Fujian Agriculture And Forestry University; ChinaFil: Llanes, Analia Susana. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Reginato, Mariana Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Rahman, Md Atikur. Grassland And Forage Division National Institute; Corea del SurFil: Mahboob, Wajid. Nuclear Institute Of Agriculture,; PakistánFil: Singhal, Rajesh Kumar. Indian Council Of Agricultural Research; IndiaFil: Kumari, Arpna. Guru Nanak Dev University; IndiaFil: Rajendran, Arvind. Vellore Institute Of Technology; IndiaFil: Wasaya, Allah. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Javed, Talha. Fujian Agriculture And Forestry University; JapónFil: Shabbir, Rubab. University Of Poonch Rawalakot; PakistánFil: Rahim, Junaid. University Of Çukurova; PakistánFil: Barutçular, Celaleddin. Institute Of Crop Science And Resource Conservation; AlemaniaFil: Habib Ur Rahman, Muhammad. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Raza, Muhammad Ali. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Ratnasekera, Disna. University Of Ruhuna; Sri LankaFil: Konuskan l, Ömer. Mustafa Kemal University; TurquíaFil: Hossain, Mohammad Anwar. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Meena, Vijay Singh. Indian Council Of Agricultural Research; IndiaFil: Ahmed, Sharif. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Ahmad, Zahoor. Bangladesh Wheat And Maize Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Mubeen, Muhammad. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Singh, Kulvir. Punjab Agricultural University; IndiaFil: Skalicky, Milan. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Brestic, Marian. Slovak University Of Agriculture; EslovaquiaFil: Sytar, Oksana. Slovak University Of Agriculture; EsloveniaFil: Karademir, Emine. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Karademir, Cetin. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Erman, Murat. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Farooq, Muhammad. College Of Agricultural And Marine Sciences Sultan; Omá
Characterization of indigenous barberry germplasm in Pakistan: variability in morphological characteristics and nutritional composition
No full textIntroduction.
Barberry (Berberis aristata DC.), a small fruit,
is found growing in the wild in the temperate region of northern
Pakistan. Materials and methods. Three different locations of
Azad Jammu and Kashmir, i.e., Topa, Banjosa and
Neriyan Sharif, were explored; thirty accessions of barberry were
identified and characterized on the basis of their growth habit,
flowering, fruiting and chemical composition of fruits. Results.
The accessions exhibited high diversity in their phenotypical/morphological
traits such as growth habit, intensity and time of flowering, fruit
setting, ripening time, productivity, and fruit shape and color.
The location had a great impact on quantitative parameters. Accessions
collected from Neriyan Sharif had significantly greater plant height,
higher number of branches per plant, extended flowering duration
(days), took more time to maturity (days) and had high fruit setting (%),
while those from Topa had large-sized leaves and fruits with greater
average fruit weight. The nutritional composition of fruits indicated
that the accessions from Topa had higher carbohydrate, ash, total soluble
solids and Mn contents, with significantly higher juice pH, and
lower acidity; while the accessions from Neriyan Sharif had significantly
higher moisture, protein, fat, fiber, K, Ca, Na, Fe, Cu, Pb and
Cr contents and were highly acidic. The accessions collected from
Banjosa were almost intermediate for the quantitative characteristics
studied. Conclusions. The results suggested that not
only the genotype but its growing location as well are the main
factors that determine the growing habit, productivity and nutritional
composition of barberry fruits, and this ultimately provides important
information on how to make the best use of them
Phytohormones as Growth Regulators During Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants
No full textPhytohormones (PHs) play crucial role in regulation of various physiological and biochemical processes that govern plant growth and yield under optimal and stress conditions. The interaction of these PHs is crucial for plant survival under stressful environments as they trigger signaling pathways. Hormonal cross regulation initiate a cascade of reactions which finely tune the physiological processes in plant architecture that help plant to grow under suboptimal growth conditions. Recently, various studies have highlighted the role of PHs such as abscisic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonates in the plant responses toward environmental stresses. The involvement of cytokinins, gibberellins, auxin, and relatively novel PHs such as strigolactones and brassinosteroids in plant growth and development has been documented under normal and stress conditions. The recent identification of the first plant melatonin receptor opened the door to this regulatory molecule being considered a new plant hormone. However, polyamines, which are not considered PHs, have been included in this chapter. Various microbes produce and secrete hormones which helped the plants in nutrient uptake such as N, P, and Fe. Exogenous use of such microbes help plants in correcting nutrient deficiency under abiotic stresses. This chapter focused on the recent developments in the knowledge related to PHs and their involvement in abiotic stresses of anticipation, signaling, cross-talk, and activation of response mechanisms. In view of role of hormones and capability of microbes in producing hormones, we propose the use of hormones and microbes as potential strategy for crop stress management.Fil: EL Sabagh, Ayman. Scientific And Technological Research Council Of Turkey; TurquíaFil: Islam, Mohammad Sohidul. Kafrelsheikh University; EgiptoFil: Hossain, Akbar. Hajee Mohammad Danesh And Technology University; BangladeshFil: Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir. University Of Poonch; PakistánFil: Mubeen, Mohammad. Comsats University Islamabad; PakistánFil: Waleed, Mirza. Comsats University Islamabad; PakistánFil: Reginato, Mariana Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Battaglia, Martin. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Ahmed, Sharif. International Rice Research Institute; FilipinasFil: Rehman, Abdul. The Islamia University Of Bahawalpur; PakistánFil: Arif, Muhammad. The University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Athar, Habib-Ur-Rehman. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Ratnasekera, Disna. University Of Ruhuna; Sri LankaFil: Danish, Subhan. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Raza, Ali. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Rajendran, Karthika. Vellore Institute Of Technology; IndiaFil: Mushtaq, Muntazir. Icar-national Bureau Of Plant Genetic Resources; IndiaFil: Skalicky, Milan. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Brestic, Marian. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Soufan, Walid. King Saud University; Arabia SauditaFil: Fahad, Shah. University Of Haripur; PakistánFil: Pandey, Saurabh. Guru Nanak Dev University; IndiaFil: Abdelhamid, Magdi T.. National Research Centre Dokki; Egipt
Mulla Sadra and the mind-body problem: A critical assessment of Sadra’s approach to the dichotomy of soul and spirit
No full textAbstract
The presence of some ambiguity about the two terms of soul and spirit, which up until now has not been considered, has been investigated in this research. This ambiguity has created problems in different fields of study such as philosophy, psychology and commentaries of religious texts. This is because the two words are usually used synonymously.
The main aim of this research is to investigate whether the human being has an independent spirit in addition to the body and the soul or not. In other words it is attempting to establish if man is a tripartite existence made of body, soul and spirit.
In order to attain this aim the ideas of various philosophers are discussed on different subjects regarding the soul with particular attention to the philosophical system introduced in the seventeenth century AD by the Muslim philosopher, Sadr al-din Shirazi. This consisted of two other philosophical systems in Islamic philosophy, peripatetic (mashā‟) and illuminative („ishrāq) combined with mystical and religious teachings. His idea about the soul was set as the basis for the arguments regarding the soul and the ideas of other philosophers were compared to it.
This research explores the principles that form Sadra‟s beliefs about the soul. One of Sadra‟s principles, the fundamentality of existence, is explained. This principle aims to prove the reality of the external world and the soul as one of these realities. The topics of motion and time and the views of philosophers about these are cited. In addition, another Sadra‟s important principles, trans-substantial motion, is mentioned and explained and it is suggested that the difference between Sadra‟s and other philosophers‟ ideas about the soul lies in accepting or rejecting motion in substance. According to Sadra, the soul which is material at the beginning of its creation moves towards immateriality by trans-substantial motion.
Then philosophers‟ ideas about the soul are mentioned as well as their disagreements regarding different issues such as immateriality, motion, origination of the soul etc. In addition, the problem that Sadra‟s philosophical system faces in regard to the soul is discussed in particular since it is the main aim of this research.
It is concluded that Sadra‟s idea is more complete than the other ideas regarding the soul. The existence of the soul found a better justification in this idea. The problem of dualism of the soul and body with which other philosophers were faced has been resolved. Meanwhile the problem of this philosophical idea which sees the soul to be the same as the spirit was investigated and it was stated that this problem has caused many diversities of opinion between philosophers in subjects related to the soul. The propounded solution for all the cases was to accept the dichotomy of the soul and spirit. Religious texts have been classified, analysed and used to support this idea and by using different evidences it was confirmed that the soul and the spirit are two independent substances and that the human being is a tripartite existence
PLoS One
No full textPakistan 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
Sectarian influences within Islam in Britain with special reference to community
No full textAlthough much is heard from the Media of the Muslim `community' in Britain, the latter is in fact far from presenting a united front. There are divisions between
generations and ethnic origins, and a diversity of religious practice and doctrine. There are many different religious groups at work that originate from the subcontinent, and reflect this wide range. Organisations like Young Muslims UK, Tabligh-i Jamaat, and schools of thought represented by the Deobandis and Barehvis,
to name but four, play a vital role in the life of many Muslims. They both link them back to their roots in the subcontinent and influence the direction that Islam will take in Britain.
The Muslim population in Britain is approaching two million. It is involved in a process of redefining itself as a minority in an alien culture. For the older generation
the conflict has been cultural, their own ethnicity being under seige from the values of the receiving culture. Islam becomes an important ally of ethnic identity. For many
Muslims born in Britain, however, the process is more complex. Their parents' values can seem as strange, or even stranger, than the values of the receiving culture. For
this increasing percentage of the population, their religion can offer an identity. Stimulated by Islam's global revival and the West's reaction to it, some Muslims are attempting to discover a faith stripped of cultural accretions which are considered to be unlslamic. In the process they hope to find the universal Islam which can be practised in any environment. They feel that this is the key to establishing a successful British Islamic community.
The ideal of ammah has always been central in Islam, but now becomes an important concept in the development of Islam in Britain. There are several questions to
be considered: To what degree does an unmrah exist? What is its form? How is it likely to change? What effect will it have on the development of Muslims seeking a more localised identity in Britain? Within this context, what will be the effect of the various organisations and schools of thought at work amongst Muslims? To what degree will they shape the development of Islam in Britain? Are they free from
'cultural accretion' or are they firmly rooted in idiosyncratic local expressions of the faith? Will Islam in Britain be moderate, or strongly revivalist in nature under their influence? Are they unifying or divisive forces? Can they hope to resolve traditional differences and work together in the new environment of Britain?
In spite of the increasing interest in the Muslim presence in Britain, very few
major works have looked at the influence of these various groups in the context of these questions. I know for myself that I could have used this kind of study when working for my M. A. in Religious Studies, and I know of many students in the same position. I feel that this study will therefore contribute not only to the study of Islam but also to the study of the various minority faiths found in Britain
Role of Metalinguistic Domains in English Language Performance A Study of Classroom Practices
No full textThis research delves into the perceptions of English language teachers from secondary schools in Lahore, Pakistan, regarding the role of metalinguistic awareness in their students' language learning and classroom performance. Through semi-structured interviews, the study explores how educators perceive metalinguistic awareness as fundamental for language mastery, an enhancer of problem-solving and critical thinking, a catalyst for improved communication and self-expression, and a means to tailor instruction and support individual learners. Additionally, the research underscores the necessity of considering cultural and contextual factors in the teaching of metalinguistic awareness. Findings from this study align with established research in the field and emphasize the significance of integrating metalinguistic awareness effectively into language instruction to nurture proficient, adaptable, and culturally aware language learners
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