Mathematics pre-service teachers (PSTs) need opportunities to learn best practices in teaching mathematics, e.g., productive struggle. Productive struggle happens when students work through ...challenging problems that are not straightforward. This paper describes mathematics PSTs' engagement with productive struggle in a mathematics methods course. PSTs critiqued high cognitive demand tasks, planned and implemented them, and reflected on their experience focusing on productive struggle. Findings have implications for mathematics teacher preparation.
In the present study, two mediational mechanisms, religious self-regulation and self-determination, were hypothesized to account for the relationship between self-resilience and conflict management ...strategies across a sample of Muslim international students in Pakistan. This correlational study collected data from a university-based sample of 330 young adults (M
age
= 22.53, SD = 1.90) enrolled in different programs in Pakistani universities. The study findings suggested that self-resilience was related to religious self-regulation, self-determination, and conflict management strategies. The strength of the relationship ranged from moderate to strong (.25 to .57). Results revealed that religious self-regulation fully mediated the path between self-resilience and conflict management style (e.g., collaborating). Self-determination demonstrated a partially but significantly mediated effect on the conflict management style (i.e., compromising). The current study suggests that religious self-regulation may play an imperative role in learning and executing effective conflict management strategies in international students in Pakistan. Directions for future research and study implications and limitations are also discussed.
Ahrendt is a medicinal plant known to have potential for the treatment of various diseases. In the present study, the ethanolic extracts of the bark, leaves, and roots of
plant were evaluated for
...antimicrobial, anti-leishmanial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. The antibacterial and antifungal activities were determined by agar mix and agar well diffusion method. All extracts showed potential activity against the target bacteria (
,
,
,
,
,
,
, and
) and fungal strains (
,
, and
).
proved to be the most sensitive strain for each extract, with a maximum zone of inhibition for bark at 23 ± 0.12 mm, for leaves at 22 ± 0.36 mm, and for root extracts at 20.21 ± 0.06 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration values of
bark, leaves, and roots for different target bacterial strains ranged from 1.56 to 25 mg ml
, and the minimum bactericidal concentrations were in the range of 3.12 to 25 mg ml
, respectively. The root extract possessed potent antifungal activity against
with 83% of growth inhibition,
with 80%, and
with 73%. The bark extract was found active against
with 86% of inhibition, followed by 70% against
and 60% against
The leaf extract showed a significant response by 83% inhibition against
, followed by
and
with 73 and 72% inhibition, respectively. In an anti-leishmanial bioassay, the inhibitory concentration (IC
) was observed for each extract against
. The bark showed good activity (IC
= 4.95 ± 0.36 mg/ml), followed by the roots (IC
= 7.07 ± 0.18 mg/ml) and the leaves (IC
= 8.25 ± 0.29 mg/ml). An evaluation of anticancer activity was done by using MTT cell assay against HeLa cell line. Upon comparing the values of each extract to the standard, it was revealed that the ethanolic bark extract showed the highest anticancer activity with IC
= (12 ± 0.15 μg/ml), followed by the roots (14 ± 0.15 μg/ml) and the leaves (17 ± 0.21 μg/ml), respectively. The anti-inflammatory assay was undertaken by the inhibition of albumin denaturation activity, proteinase inhibitory activity, and heat-induced hemolysis activity. The IC
value for protein denaturation of the bark was IC
= 0.64 ± 0.25 mg/ml, followed by the roots (0.67 ± 0.21 mg/ml) and the leaves (0.73 ± 0.13 mg/ml). The proteinase inhibitory activity of the bark extract was IC
= 0.55 ± 0.12 mg/ml, followed by the leaves (0.62 ± 0.23 mg/ml) and the roots (0.69 ± 0.15 mg/ml), respectively. For heat-induced hemolysis assay, the bark showed the lowest IC
value (0.48 ± 0.15 mg/ml) compared to the leaves (0.52 ± 0.35 mg/ml) and the roots (0.58 ± 0.05 mg/ml) of the plant. All analyzed parts of the
plant showed significant biological activities which make the plant medicinally important and a good candidate for the isolation of antimicrobial, inflammatory, and anticancer compounds. Further studies may lead us to determine the active compounds responsible for the biological activities of the plant extracts.
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of land use land cover (LULC) changes on carbon sequestration in the Hayat-ul-Mir subtropical scrub reserve forest, Pakistan. Supervised maximum likelihood ...classification of Landsat satellite imagery was done to assess spatio-temporal changes in LULC during 2007, 2013 and 2019. The CA–Markov model was used to simulate LULC of 2030. Spatial LULC data and carbon pools data was processed in Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) carbon model to investigate the effect of LULC on future carbon dynamics. The analysis revealed increase in cover of
A. modesta
and
O. ferruginea
and decrease in agriculture, built up and barren area of forest during 2007–2019 and 2030. The analysis also showed that the forest would additionally sequester 111 Mg C with an overall Net Present Value of $4112.05 in year 2030. The analysis revealed LULC changes on 25% area with increase and decrease in the value of ecosystem service (at some location) from carbon storage and loss as CO
2
emissions respectively depending on the type of LULC converted. The study is helpful in identifying areas of potential carbon sequestration to maximize net benefits from management interventions.
The dynamic interplay between urbanization and its impacts on climate is a subject of recent concern, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities of Pakistan. This research investigated the ...spatio-temporal effects of urban growth in terms of Land Use Land Cover changes on the thermal environment (Land Surface Temperature) of the Sialkot city, Pakistan using satellite data spanning four distinct time periods (1989, 2000, 2009 and 2020) and predicted changes for year 2030 by employing Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model. Satellite imagery (Landsat 5, 7 and 8) was processed, and maximum likelihood supervised classification was done to generate LULC maps for each of the aforementioned years. In addition to LULC classification, thermal bands of satellite data (for summer and winter) were processed to compute Land Surface Temperature (LST) of the city. The prediction of LULC changes and LST was done for year 2030 using Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model. The accuracy of classified and prediction maps was checked using Kappa Index. The LULC analysis revealed 4.14% increase in the built-up area and 3.43% decrease in vegetation cover of the city during 1989 to 2020. Both land covers are expected to change in the future (year 2030) by + 1.31% (built-up) and - 1.1% (vegetation). Furthermore, a declining trend in the barren land and water bodies was also observed over time. These LULC changes were found affecting the LST of study area. The transformation of vegetation cover into built-up area resulted in an increase in LST over time. A notable rise of 4.5 °C (summer) and 5.7 °C (winter) in the mean LST of Sialkot was observed during 1989 to 2020 and further increases are anticipated in year 2030. This study calls for attention of the policy makers to reduce human impact on the local climate of the city. The study will also help city developers in analyzing the urban population growth trend, finding suitable location to built new infrastructure by governmental authorities and how the rising temperature can affect energy demand and agriculture production of the city in future.
Abstract
Kitchen waste is increasing globally, similarly in Pakistan bulk of municipal solid waste comprises of kitchen waste specifically, tea waste. Composting of kitchen waste is one of the ...promising ways to convert waste into useful product, resulting into zero waste. This study is aimed to convert waste (kitchen waste) in to a resource (compost) using bulking agents (tea waste and biochar) for reducing maturity time. Secondly, compost application on
Solanum lycopersicum
(tomato) was also tested. Four compost treatments were designed under aerobic composting conditions for 30 days. Tea waste and biochar have accelerated the maturity rate and produced a nutrient rich compost. Final compost had Electrical Conductivity of 2mS/cm, Carbon Nitrogen ration of 15, 54% of organic matter, 15% of moisture content, 48% of cellulose content, and 28% of Lignin content. With the use of Co-compost the
Solanum lycopersicum
showed 133% germination index, 100% germination, 235% Munoo-Liisa Vitality Index and 1238% seed vigor index. Co-compost also improved the soil total nitrogen by 1.4%, total phosphorous by 2%, total potassium by 2.1% and bulk density by 2.6 gcm
−3
. This study successfully used tea waste and biochar as bulking agents to reduce maturation time to 30 days. Tea waste and biochar enhanced the organic matter degradation, lignocellulose degradation, water holding capacity, porosity, seed’s vigor, germination index. This research can be helpful in developing home composting and home gardening to combat solid waste management and food security issue in developing countries.
Vitis vinifera L., commonly known as grape is a major fruit crop in the world. Grapes seem to confer health benefits due to their chemical components, biological and antioxidant activities. The ...present study is conducted to evaluate the biochemical constituents, antioxidant, and antimicrobial potential of ethanolic grape peduncles (EGP) extract. The result of phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various phytochemicals such as flavonoid, tannin, carbohydrates, alkaloids, cardiac glycoside, phenol, steroid, terpenoids, quinones and anthraquinones. Furthermore, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) were 7.35 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g (Gallic Acid Equivalent per gram) and 29.67 ± 0.13 mg QE/g (Quercetin Equivalent per gram) respectively. DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay revealed IC
= 159.3 μg/mL. The antibacterial and antifungal study disclosed that the extract was highly potent against Salmonella typhi with maximum zone of inhibition of 27.2 ± 1.60 mm and Epidermophyton floccosum with 74 ± 1.81% inhibition. The extract was analyzed for its cytotoxicity and antileishmanial activity and showed no activity against HeLa cell line and promastigotes of Leishmania major. Elements Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and approximately 50 compounds were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Current work suggest that grape peduncles can be a promising source of bioactive medicinal component.
Heavy metals in cosmetics pose a high threat to human health. In the current study, heavy metals were detected in 15 locally manufactured lipsticks purchased from the native markets in Lahore, ...Pakistan, using three different techniques. Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cr and Ni were quantified using atomic absorption spectrometry whereas Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, As and Pb were detected qualitatively using proton induced x-ray emission. X-ray diffraction identified presence of sodium erbium fluoride, quartz (SiO
2
), bornite (Cu
5
FeS
4
), halite (NaCl), calcite (CaCO
3
), sucrose (C
12
H
22
O
11
), green cinnabar (Co/Zn oxides), silicon and silica (SiO
2
). The health risk assessment showed that there exist a potential threat to consumers due to presence of these elements in lipsticks. All samples contained heavy metals in concentrations exceeding the safe limits provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The aim of this study was to report the genotype and allelic frequency at rs438228855 (G > T) in SLC35A3 receptor gene and its association with a complex vertebral malformation (CMV) in the enrolled ...Pakistani cattle. Our results indicated that allelic and genotype frequency at rs438228855 varied non‐significantly (p > .05) among the three enrolled cattle breeds. GT (heterozygous) genotype was most abundant (0.54) followed by GG (wild type) genotype (0.45) while the mutant genotype (TT) was not observed among the enrolled cattle. It was observed that the Holstein Friesian breed had more GG (wild) than GT (heterozygous) genotypes while Sahiwal and cross cattle breed had more heterozygous (GT) combination at rs438228855 than the wild (GG) genotype. Significant variations in white blood cell count, % lymphocytes, red blood cell count, % monocytes, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were observed when compared between the enrolled cattle breeds. Most of the studied haematological parameters showed no association with the genotype at rs438228855. In conclusion, the heterozygosity at rs438228855 is not limited to the Holstein Friesian breed as local Sahiwal and crossbred cattle had also higher heterozygosity at rs438228855. We recommend that animals must be genotyped for rs438228855 before their selection as breeders to prevent economic losses.
This study investigated the short-term impacts of projected climate warming on two dominant tree species of the Hayat-ul-Mir subtropical scrub forest of Pakistan. Seedlings of Acacia modesta and Olea ...ferruginea were exposed to ambient (To) and warming temperature (To + 2.3°C and To + 4.5°C) with control (M15%) and elevated (M20%) soil moisture in plant growth chamber for 90 days. To + 4.5°C induced detrimental effects on both species inhibiting seed germination and reducing their growth rate, biomass accumulation and allocation, however promoted development of root nodules (12 ± 4,0 nodules/root) in A. modesta. To + 2.3°C with M20% was beneficial for O. ferruginea with significant increase in stem height (4.8 ± 1.4 cm), elongated roots (31.2 ± 3.4 cm), branch development (9 ± 1.7), biomass accumulation (8.69 ± 0.4 g) and higher foliar nutrient concentration but for A. modesta it only promoted root elongation (16.5 ± 1.3 cm) and biomass accumulation in stem (1.05 ± 0.1 g) and foliage (0.08 ± 0.001 g). A. modesta grew better under To with significantly high germination and survival rate. A future 2.3°C warming could be ecologically significant to induce shifts in the structure and function of the Hayat-ul-Mir forest. Cette étude a évalué les effets à court terme du réchauffement climatique projeté sur deux espèces arborescentes dominantes de la forêt arbustive subtropicale Hayat-ul-Mir au Pakistan. Des plantules de Acacia modesta et de Olea ferruginea ont été exposées à la température ambiante (To) ou à des réchauffements (To + 2,3°C et To + 4,5°C), selon une humidité du sol témoin (M15%) ou élevée (M20%) dans des chambres de croissance pendant 90 jours. To + 4,5°C a eu des effets délétères sur les deux espèces, empêchant la germination des graines et réduisant la croissance, l'accumulation et l'allocation de biomasse. Toutefois, To + 4,5°C a favorisé le développement de nodules racinaires (12 ± 4,0 nodules/racine) chez A. modesta. To + 2,3°C avec M20% a été bénéfique pour O. ferruginea, entraînant une augmentation significative de la hauteur des tiges (4,8 ± 1,4 cm), l'élongation racinaire (31,2 ± 3,4 cm), le développement de branches (9 ± 1,7), l'accumulation de biomasse (8,69 ± 0,4 g) et une concentration foliaire en nutriments plus élevée. Toutefois, chez A. modesta, To + 2,3°C avec M20% a seulement favorisé l'élongation racinaire (16,5 ± 1,3 cm) et l'accumulation de biomasse dans les tiges (1,05 ± 0,1 g) et dans les feuilles (0,08 ± 0,001 g). A. modesta a cru davantage sous To, affichant une germination et un taux de survie significativement élevés. Un réchauffement futur de 2,3°C pourrait être significatif écologiquement en entraînant des changements de structure et de fonction de la forêt Hayat-ul-Mir.
