The essential oil of Reichardia tingitana L. of the aerial parts (stems and leaves) and flowers extract were obtained by hydrodistillation and extraction methods, respectively, then were analyzed by Gas Chromotography-Mass Spectrometry (GC / MS). Twenty-two components comprising 93.446% of the oil of the aerial parts and forty-five components comprising 98.056% of flowers extract were identified. The major components of aerial parts oil were cinnamaldehyde (29.78%), and undecane (12.99%). The flowers extract contained lanoleic acid ethyl ester (34.146%), hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester (20.6%) and linoleic acid methyl ester (8.05%) as the major components. Both oil and extract were examined for their anti-microbial activities against gram positive, gram negative bacteria and fungi. The results revealed the potent anti-microbial activity of the oil. Both oil and extract were studied for their cytotoxic activities against three different human cell lines. The oil showed potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cells.

The present work was conducted to find any relevance to the selenium (Se) content in soil, water and in an edible plant to the incidence of arsenicosis in some arsenic hotspots of the country where arsenicosis patients have been identified and where no arsenicosis patients have yet been reported. Soil, plant and water samples were collected from arsenic hot spots of five localit ies viz. Sonargaon, Manikgonj, Munshigonj, Jessore and Ishwardi. The collected plant was Arum (Colocasia esculenta) – a hyper accumulator of As and a very common edible vegetable all over the country. Soil, plant and water samples were analyzed to determine the content of arsenic and selenium in them. Analyses of soil, plant and water samples reveal that the average concentrations of As in the three niches at the locations where arsenicosis is prevalent are higher (3.56, 3.0 and 0.062 mg/kg respectively) than where the incidence of arsenicosis has not been reported (2.83, 2.66 and 0.053 mg/kg respectively). On the other hand, the Se contents showed a reverse phenomena – lower in the locations where patients are prevalent (0.082, 0.027 mg/kg and bdl respectively in three niches) than where no patients have been reported (0.156, 0.053 mg/kg and bdl respectively). The findings are suggestive of the implication of Se in alleviat ing As toxicity in human beings.

Oxidative damage is a factor in human diseases. In this study, effects of extract and fractions of Solanium aethiopicum leaves on certain liver function indices, anti oxidative and anti-lipid peroxidation potentials were investigated. Phenols, flavonoids, antioxidative potentials, enzyme assays were determined spectrophotometrically using standardized methods. Results showed rats fed methanol extract (ME) at 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight for 21 days showed significant (P<0.05) decreases in liver Malondialdehyde and cholesterol concentrations by 2.530±0.050, 1.780±0.020, 1.670±0.030, 1.480±0.040 mg/ml protein and 69.290±2.660, 46.980±2.500, 39.030±4.820, 34.650±1.660 mg/dl respectively. At these concentrations, ME exhibited significant (p<0.05) decreases in serum Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity by 3.810± 0.010, 2.380 ± 0.010, 2.020 ± 0.010 and 1.190±0.010 IU/L compared with controls (3.830 ± 0.020 IU/L). Phenols and flavonoids of ME, Ethyl acetate fraction (EF) and chloroform fraction (CF) were 3.000±0.003, 2.004±0.001, 1.722±0.005Mg/g Gallic and 6.900±0.065, 7.200±0.001, 8.400±0.075Mg/g Quercetin equivalence respectively. At 300.00?g/ml, extracts and fractions scavenged hydroxyl and DPPH radicals by 46.150±0.008%, 20.190±0.002%, 17.200±0.022% and 83.770±0.001%, 97.110±0.053%, 72.490±0.002 % respectively and inhibited lipid peroxidation by 80.360±0.029%, 84.390±0.003%, and 84.040±0.008%. Results inferred that plant contains bioactive agents with anti-oxidative, anti-lipid peroxidation and hepatoprotective properties

The present study implies the impact of dust emitted from a cement works on physico-chemical properties of soil and their impact on the mineral compositions of plants. The soil samples were collected from each plot before sowing and after harvesting and labelled separately. Their physico-chemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and manganese were estimated the result as a significant influence due to cement dust. Cement dust as an negative implication on soil and plants.

In the present work, studies on the distribution and status of freshwater turtles were conducted in Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera and Dera Ismail Khan Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, and Thatta, Badin, Sanghar and Sukkur districts of Sindh province. Eight species - Lissemys punctata, Pangshura smithii, Pangshura tectum, Chitra indica, Nilssonia gangeticus, Nilssonia hurum, Hardella thurjii, and Geoclemys hamiltonii were recorded. In Sindh, Geoclemys hamiltonii was recorded as rare in Badin, Sanghar and Sukkur districts, while other species were abundant, common or uncommon. Pangshura tectum was recorded only from Sukkur district while Chitra indica was recorded in all the four selected districts of Sindh. Geoclemys hamiltonii was recorded only in D.I. Khan district of KPK. Lissemys punctata was the most abundant and most widely distributed species in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Population of freshwater turtles in Sindh is much higher than that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Currently, due to habitat destruction, eutrophication, agricultural farming and other anthropogenic activities, population of Geoclemys hamiltonii has also decreased in Sindh.

The nutritional, anti-nutritional and mucilage contents of flour of leaves of two vegetables - Bombax costatum leaf (BCL) and Cissus populnea leaf (CPL) were investigated. Their protein (?19.0 g/100g in BCL and ?13.0 g/100g in CPL) and ash (?6.0 g/100g in BCL and ?11.0 g/100g in CPL) contents were significantly different at P < 0.05. Both leaves were rich in Ca (BCL, 102 ± 2.5 mg/100g; CPL, 113 ± 1.6 mg/100g) and P (BCL, 37.3 ± 2.0 mg/100g and CPL, 21.3 ± 0.2 mg/100g. The metal occurrence in both plant leaves followed the descending order - Ca>K>Mg>Fe>Na>Mn>Zn>Cu. The anti-nutrients (mg/100g) obtained in both plant leaves ranged between 0.07 (Tannin) to 26.3 (Oxalate); they were also very rich in mucilage (BCL, 46.5 g/100g; CPL, 29.8 g/100g). The leaves of both plants have high food values and are exploitable as industrial gums.

This paper describes the antimicrobial and corrosion inhibitive properties of synthesized polyesteramide resin from Moringa oleifera seed oil (MOSO). N,N\'-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) Moringa oleifera oil fatty amide (HEMA) was synthesized via aminolysis from MOSO. The fatty amide obtained from aminolysis (HEMA) undergoes polycondensation reaction with adipic acid to form polyesteramide (MOPEA). The synthesized polyesteramide resin was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), Carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) spectroscopic analyses and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Selected physico-chemical parameters of MOSO, HEMA and MOPEA were examined. Coating performance, thermal stability and antimicrobial properties of the cured resin (MOPEA) were evaluated.

Based on ethnomedicinal applications in treating tumour related ailments, effects of the methanol extracts of Brachystegia eurycoma (leaf and stem bark), Parquetina nigrescens and Struchium sparganophora (leaves) were evaluated on lung cancer cells at concentrations of 1-250 ?g/ml. Hexane, dichloromethane and aqueous fractions of P. nigrescens were tested on the cells at concentrations of 1-100 ?g/ml. While the extracts of B. eurycoma (leaf) and S. sparganophora did not have effect on the cells at the highest concentration tested, the other plant produced remarkably inhibited growth of the cancer cells at concentration of 100 ?g/ml. Fractionation of the methanol extract of P. nigrescens produced an enhanced activity over the crude extract as the dichloromethane fraction exhibited cytotoxic effects at concentration of 50 ?g/ml with GI50 of 14 ± 4.0, TGI of 30 ± 2.0 and LC50 of 45 ± 1.0 ?g/ml. The overall results showed that the methanol extracts of B. eurycoma (stem bark) and Parquetina nigrescens can be used to prevent the proliferation of lung cancer cells and hence justify the ethnomedicinal uses of the plants in treating tumour related ailments.

Thermal evaporation technique under pressure 10-6 torr is used to prepare Cuprous Sulphide (Cu2S) with different thicknesses on glass substrates. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM) are used to characterize the chemical composition and the structure of Cu2S. The dark dc electrical resistivity (?) is measured using two point probe method at different temperatures (from 303 to 423 K). The thermoelectric power (Seeback coefficient) was investigated in temperature range (303 – 373 K)

This paper derives the saddlepoint approximation for a linear combination of the convolution ? , where and ? are real constants and ? and ? denote Gamma and Exponential random variables, respectively, and are distributed independently of each other. We also discuss the generalization of this convolution (i.e., the convolution of the convolution for Gamma-Exponential random variables), which is unknown and extremely difficult to obtain. The associated saddlepoint approximation CDFs are derived, and plots of the CDFs and some measures of the center and spread of the new approximations are given.

An investigation of the plating quality effect of Allium cepa extract as addition agent on the electroplating of zinc on mild steel in acid chloride solution was done in the laboratory. Different extract concentrations, different plating time and fixed pH conditions were used to perform the experiments. A DC – supplier at defined operating parameters was used to perform the electroplating of zinc on mild steel. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) was used to examine the surface of the plated steel for surface morphology and surface elemental composition analysis. Variable surface characteristics were obtained depending upon the concentration of the additive and the plating time. Potential measurement, corrosion current and gravimetric methods were used to monitor and determine the corrosion resistance of the plated surface. The coating efficiencies were also determined. Entirely new and different metal substrate surface morphology were produced due to variations in the plating parameters used. The microstructural features of the plated surfaces showed that the quality of the electro-deposition of zinc was good.

Without concrete action Jordan will face a water series problem in the near future. Jordan is a naturally water scarce country. Its climate ranges from semi-arid in the northwestern part of the country to arid desert in its eastern and southern reaches. Jordan is subjected to periodic droughts; water supply from surface sources has declined substantially over the past years. The difficulty to solve water shortage is significant, but not insurmountable. In this study, this issue will be continued without taking real solutions from the government. This paper examines how construction of new dams may reduce the gap between the sources and water demands. Some important information is presented about the dams. Currently existing dams and those that will be constructed in the country in the future perspective plan may resolve the problem of the water shortage. Rainfall harvesting, ponds, and construction new dams in the near future will assist in the reduction gap between water sources and demand.

We showed in this work how the Hassanat distance metric enhances the performance of the nearest neighbour classifiers. The results demonstrate the superiority of this distance metric over the traditional and most-used distances, such as Manhattan distance and Euclidian distance. Moreover, we proved that the Hassanat distance metric is invariant to data scale, noise and outliers. Throughout this work, it is clearly notable that both ENN and IINC performed very well with the distance investigated, as their accuracy increased significantly by 3.3% and 3.1% respectively, with no significant advantage of the ENN over the IINC in terms of accuracy. Correspondingly, it can be noted from our results that there is no optimal algorithm that can solve all real-life problems perfectly; this is supported by the no-free-lunch theorem.

Accurate authentication is of major concern in real time applications such as an automatic authentication system in any organization. Even though there are many approaches for face recognition in the literature, no algorithm was analyzed with respect to authentication applications. In this paper, we have discussed PCA based approaches Kernel-PCA, Gabor PCA, Phase congruency PCA, Phase congruency-Kernel-PCA, Gabor-Kernel-PCA including classical PCA with Mahalanobis distance measure. The performances of these methods were analyzed with respect to important performance metrics, ROR, EER, and MER. We have also compared the percentage verification rate by varying the percentage FAR. Since we believe that the authentication or the verification rate is highly dependent on the size of available database, i.e., the number of images per subject, we have varied the size of training and testing datasets and accordingly we studied the performance of all the approaches mentioned ahead. All the observed results and graphical analysis of our results were provided in this paper. In our analysis, it was observed that Gabor-Kernel-PCA and Gabor- PCA approaches shows superior performance in recognition and verification rates with varying size of datasets. Hence these approaches are suitable for accurate authentication applications.

The problem of the determination of the relative premiums of a L level Bonus-Malus system while the risk parameters in the system satisfy ?1 < ?2 < ... < ?L is considered in this paper. In this paper used an MCMC Bayasian approach to estimating such constrained relative parameters. Also, several applications where estimation of such constrained relative parameters are needed have been given for some Bonus-Malus systems.

Heavy metal contamination poses a serious threat to human health due its biomagnifications, bioaccumulation and toxicity. It has caused widespread concern about human health, and therefore, the scientists are focusing their study on the levels of concentration of these metals in food consumed by humans, so as to evaluate the risk associated with heavy metals exposure. In the present study, concentrations of heavy metals (Cadmium, Lead, Copper, Nickel and Zinc) were determined in Poultry chicken Gallus domesticus from some selected areas in the cities like Karachi, Hyderabad and Thatta all in the province of Sindh. A total of 135 poultry organs (liver and meat) and blood were randomly collected from chicken, aged 8-10 weeks old, weighing 1.2 to 1.5 kg. The samples were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for detection of five heavy metals. All samples showed presence of Cadmium, Lead, Nickel, Zinc and Copper. The levels recorded in the samples were under the permissible limits recommended by the WHO, FAO and ANZFA, except that in the samples from Karachi, the levels of Ni and Pb exceeded the maximum permissible limits in liver, meat and blood. In the samples from Hyderabad, the levels of concentration of Ni and Pb in liver and meat, and only Ni in blood exceeded the permissible limits. In the samples from Thatta city, Ni and Pb in liver and meat, and only Pb in blood exceeded the permissible limits. The present study indicated that heavy metal contaminants come from unhygienic poultry feed material.

A great deal of research has so far been conducted on the analytical computation of induction machine inductances under different eccentricity conditions. However, they consider the radial non-uniformity and neglect the non-uniformity in the axial direction, but in practice the axial non-uniformity due to rotor misalignment (RM) fault is quite common. This paper presents an analytical model of three phases squirrel cage induction machine under RM fault. The proposed method is able to calculate the time varying inductances versus rotor angle for three phase squirrel cage induction machines under different RM conditions. Simulation results are compared to those obtained from ordinary method and experiments.