For high selectivity in cancer therapy, molecular-targeted drugs such as gefitinib are used. But there is drug resistance to its use on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this case, chemotherapeutic drugs such as paclitaxel (PTX) will be used. However, multidrug resistance (MDR) occurs when the cancer cells resist chemotherapeutic drugs by pumping them out of the cells. MDR inhibitors such as cyclosporine A (CsA) can block MDR protein action and thus enhance the drug uptake in the cancer cells. This enhancement is clearly observed in real-time by conducting the same single cell analysis (SASCA) using a microfluidic biochip. The NSCLC cells such as NCI-H1650 were used for the study. By the SASCA method, the NCI-H1650 cell was found to have low initial PTX accumulation, and the treatment of the same lung cancer cell with PTX in the presence of CsA notably enhanced drug accumulation, indicating CsA is a MDR inhibitor. Moreover, gefitinib is found to be a MDR inhibitor and it enhances the drug accumulation in NCI-H1650 cells too. Therefore, we hypothesize when both paclitaxel and gefitinib are used in combination, NSCLC cells can be killed, whether they are gefitinib-resistant or multidrug resistant or not.

The etiology of infective diarrhea is polymicrobial, but erroneously attributable to teething in infants and young children in the community. In a resource limited setting, where diarrhea illness significantly contributes to hospitalization and mortality of children, we investigated the rapid simultaneous detection and epidemiologic profile of the four major enteric viruses of diarrhea, for prompt diagnosis, appropriate care / treatment, and prelude to instituting timely interventions to mitigate the burden of viral diarrhea disease in developing countries. In an hospital-based cross sectional descriptive study, convenience sampling was adopted to obtain 175 stool specimens after parental consent, from under -5 years children who sought treatment for acute diarrhea disease from August 2012 to July 2014 at a Tertiary teaching Hospital in Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. The specimens were tested for concurrent detection of concomitant infection by the target viruses, using the CerTest® 4th generation quadruple Immuno chromatographic assay, and the data generated were analyzed quantitatively. At least one viral agent was detected in 103/175 (59%) respondents. Single infection occurred in 87/103 (84.5%) and co-infections in 16/103 (15.5%), comprising 14/16 (87.5%) respondents with dual, and 2/16 (12.5%) with triple infections. The most prevalent virus was Rotavirus with a rate of 16% (28/175), Adenovirus was 12.6% (22/175), Astrovirus was 8.6% (15/175), while Norovirus was 12.6% (22/175). The prevalent age at infection by Rotavirus and Adenovirus were in children aged 0-6 months with 50% and 18.8% respectively, followed by Norovirus (27.3%) in children aged 19-24 months, while Astrovirus and Norovirus were 21.4% respectively in children aged 25-30 months. Coinfection by rotavirus + adenovirus was 6.3% in children 0-6 months; rotavirus + norovirus was 9.1% in children aged 19 - 24 months; adenovirus + norovirus was 3.6% in 13 - 18 months; astrovirus + norovirus was 7.1% in 25 - 30 months; and rotavirus + astrovirus + norovirus was 9.1% in children aged 13 - 18 months. The four viruses showed seasonal cluster in the dry months of Nov 2012 and 2013, followed by each of Rotavirus, Adenovirus and Norovirus in the months of December 2012 - February 2013, and December 2013 - February 2014. Rotavirus and Adenovirus slightly occurred year round with monthly peaks in Jan, Feb, and April. Astrovirus was detected consistently in the months of August - November 2012, and 2013, respectively. About 60% of acute gastroenteritis in hospitalized under-5 children were caused by at least one of the four major etiologies of viral diarrhea. Co-infection of children by the enteric viruses was high. A paradigm shift in preponderance from rotavirus to adenovirus or astrovirus is anticipated in the future. The concomitant infection by these viruses have significant implications for the burden of diarrhea disease, treatment outcomes, development of cocktail of viral diarrhea vaccines, implementation of immunization, and monitoring the success of vaccination in the children

This study focuses on the levels of heavy metals Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium (Cr) in seawater and selected bird Herring gull (Larus argentatus) tissues collected quarterly from selected field sites of coastal area of Hawksbay, Sandspit, and Korangi Creek, Karachi. All samples were examined using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Perkin Elmer. A. Analyst-700). Peak levels of Cd and Cr were found in seawater samples at Sandspit and Korangi Creek during 3rd and 4th quarter, respectively. While, minimum levels were detected at Korangi Creek and Hawksbay samples during 1st and 3rd quarter, respectively. Levels of Cd (18.758 ug/g) and Cr (18.77 ug/g) were elevated in kidney at Hawksbay and Korangi Creek during 2nd quarter. However, lowest value of Cr (0.66 ug/g) and Cd (2.767 ug/g) were in liver of Herring gull (Larus argentatus) at Korangi Creek during 4th and 1st quarter, respectively.

The aim of the work is to investigate the antioxidant capacity and antimalarial activities of unripe coconut water. Wistar Albino mice of either sex weighing 20–34 kg were housed in separate cages, acclimatized for one week and then divided into five groups of five mice each. Group 1 (positive control): was inoculated with malaria parasite (Mp+) and treated with 5 mL/kg body weight of normal saline. Group 2 (normal control) was not inoculated with malaria parasite (Mp+) and treated with 5 mL/kg body weight of normal saline. Group 3 (standard control) was inoculated with malaria parasite (Mp+) and treated with 5 mg/kg body weight of Artesunate (standard drug) whose mechanism of action is known. Group 4 was inoculated with malaria parasite (Mp+) and treated with 200 mL/kg body weight of the unripe coconut water. Group 5 was inoculated with malaria parasite (Mp+) and treated with 300 mL/kg body weight of the unripe coconut water. It was observed that unripe coconut water has antimalarial activities since it produced similar effect with Artesunate drug which served as the standard reference drug. Unripe coconut water was observed to have good antioxidant capacity in the serum part of the blood.

Pakistan has unique biodiversity, that belongs to a blend of habitat and types of ecosystem. These habitats support a variety of species that contribute to the overall biodiversity. In the present study, 87 species of mammals were recorded through Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in different prime habitats of wild mammals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The protected sites of the species have been listed, of which the National Parks found to be the most potential sites for the conservation of Woolly Flying Squirrel, Snow Leopard, Indian Pangolin, Indian Wolf, Leopard, Musk Deer, Black Bear, Brown Bear, Markhor, Striped Hyaena, Common Otter etc. The conservation status of the threatened /near threatened species, from IUCN Red List 2017 has been mentioned. A list of wildlife protected areas has also been provided for reference in future scientific studies. Habitat degradation and poaching were recorded as main threats to species. The need for regular monitoring of key species is urgently required for their sustainability.

The island supports large numbers of wintering birds, including Larus hemprichi and several species of terns. The island is an important site for Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata and for an Endemic Viper (Echis carinatus astoli). This paper deals with the data collected during a general survey regarding the fauna and flora of the first ever declared Marine Protected Area of Pakistan. During the present study, as many as 41 species of birds, eight species of reptiles and six dominant and widespread species of plants have been recorded from the site. 29 species of corals and 75 fin fish species have previously been reported from the area. The need to develop and revive the area as a Ramsar Site has been emphasized. In view of the fact that the island has been left over as a neglected site by the concerned Wildlife Department, the need for future monitoring and management is suggested, particularly for gulls, terns, cetaceans, corals, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and marine snakes and as an ecotourism hotspot.

The motion of light in a weak gravitational field is discussed. It is explained that the experimentally verified decreasing the speed of light in a gravitational field, which is theoretically grounded in general relativity, applies only to its phase velocity. It is proved that the group velocity of an electromagnetic signal does not decrease but increases near massive objects, contrary to general relativity. The new light beam equation is derived. Calculations of how the speed of light decreases with altitude is presented. An estimation of this effect is made on the operation of the GPS.

Numerical weather forecasting of tropical cyclones remains one of the most challenging tasks for numerical weather forecasters. This is because the complexity of numerical models, and the inability to account for all processes occurring in nature, means it is impossible to represent atmospheric events exactly by mathematical models. In present study we tried to investigate the sensitivity to three Convective Parameterization schemes for the Very severe cyclonic storm Phailin (9-14 Oct 2013) of Bay of Bengal using WRF (ARW) model and simulation of No Cumulus Parameterization (No Cu) was also undertaken to test model performance of simulating convection explicitly. All schemes were consistently performing better during the development phase, but as the cyclones matured the KF scheme showed cyclone as the most intense one. There was little separation between the KF, GD, and No CU schemes in terms of the central surface pressure and wind speeds of the simulated cyclones. The cyclone track in each scheme showed no variation in cyclone movement. Except the GD scheme all other schemes namely KF, BMJ, and No CU simulations all produced excess precipitation, especially in the eye wall region.

The article deals with such unusual quantum phenomenon as uncertainty, and its possible role in human consciousness is explored. It is discussed that the presence of uncertainty in the human consciousness makes humans fundamentally unlike robots. The hypothesis of the existence of Chaos outside the Universe and the connection of this Chaos with quantum uncertainty in the microcosm is considered. The possible influence of Chaos on human consciousness through quantum uncertainty is also discussed. This short work can be also useful for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students for some additional education.

The hypothesis of the equality of the speed of light squared and the gravitational potential of the Universe is considered. This equality explains why the speed of light does not depend on an observer?s motion. The physical meaning of Einstein\'s formula is revealed: the energy of a body at rest is enormous because it is equal to the potential energy of the body in the gravitational field created by all massive objects in the Universe. The equality of the inertial and gravitational masses is theoretically justified. It is proposed to test the new hypothesis in laboratory experiments by measuring the speed of light with high accuracy. It is proposed to solve the problem of the possible existence of black holes in a metrology laboratory.

The paper is concerned with the applicability of some new conditions for the convergence of Newton–kantorovich approximations to solution of a class of nonlinear singular integral equations with Carleman shift, forming the finite group of iterations preserving orientation, of Uryson type. The results are illustrated in generalized Holder space.