Resilience is ones’ ability to bounce back in distressing situations and gains interest of healthcare practitioners from across the world as an important factor influencing treatment adherence, quality of life, treatment outcome and psychological distressed particularly in chronic and terminal conditions. Present study was part of an elaborated research project exploring several dimensions of People living with HIV/AIDS in Lahore. Present study was designed to explore the level of resilience and its associated demographic factors in HIV/AIDS positive people residing in Lahore. A sample of 300 HIV/AIDS positive people was taken from treatment centres of Punjab AIDS control program including men, women and transgenders. Findings show an interesting set of associations observed between resilience and demographic characteristics of the participants particularly age, gender, education, marital status, monthly income and family system. The findings were discussed in the light of previous researches conducted to study the same phenomena in HIV/AIDS positive people and found to be helpful to gain insight into this pertinent area of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Resilience, Gender, Family Systems and Adaptation.

The main objective of this study is to explore the relationship between average rainfall over the 15 districts of Victoria, Australia, for individual months of winter (MJJA) season and respective mean sea level pressure fields over the Indian Ocean and the western Australian region for the period of 1951 to 2015. It was found that dry conditions from May to August were associated with high-pressure systems that occupied large areas around the 20S to 35S over the Indian Ocean and the continent over the era. It also found that the occurrence (frequency) or interval of time of high-pressure systems tended to decrease gradually from May to August which enabled rainfall to increase gradually from May to August over the state. During the wet conditions below 1016 hpa pressure fields observed over most of the Indian Ocean and the Australian region, these low-pressure systems caused more rainfall over the state. During normal rainfall conditions very slight to negligible pressure departures are observed over the Indian Ocean and the western Australian region which maintained the rainfall at the average scale over the state. This analysis explores the relationship between monthly sea level pressure patterns and the district average winter (MJJA) rainfall over Victoria, Australia.

Keywords: Victoria’s Rainfall, Winter Precipitation, Indian Ocean High (IOH), Mean Sea Level Pressure (MSLP), Cool Season (MJJA), Center of Action Approach (COA).

Addition of nanoparticles to the engine oil is an advanced practice to improve the thermal properties (thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and volumetric heat capacity) of engine oil and the lubricants. This study analyzes the effect of Cerium oxide nanoparticles on the thermal conductivity (k) of engine oil. The samples were prepared by means of probe sonicator in weight-by-weight composition of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7% and 0.9%. The tests were performed in two ways, in the first case it was just after preparation of samples and in second case, when these prepared samples were run in engine for 12 hours. Data was recorded from these samples in both the cases (before and after engine operation) and were tabulated relative to the base engine oil with 0% mass fraction of CeO2. Thermal conductivity shows improvement against the mass fraction and the peak changes were observed at 0.9% mass fraction. The overall results obtained showed that, thermal conductivity improved by 4.3% at 0.9% mass fraction while at mass fraction of 0.5% the thermal conductivity increased 2.8%.

Keywords: Nanoparticles, Engine Oil, Cerium Oxide, Thermal Conductivity.

Water is an important natural resource to helps growers cultivate agriculture and is the main component for the survival of life. Infrequent water supply impacts wheat crops and is responsible for socioeconomic challenges among growers in Pakistan as well as in Sindh Province. Agriculture is the backbone of the rural economy, 77% agricultural area of the Sindh Province is irrigated by the Canal Irrigation System (CIS). The Taluka Kamber is located at the eastern slope of the Khirthar Mountain range in Sindh. The irrigation system of Pakistan has a wide range to cover a large area to cultivate the Indus Plain and dry lands. However, a few parts of Pakistan are being away from Canal Irrigation Systems. A few parts of the study area are among those uncultivated regions of Sindh, where the entire area cannot be cultivated through CIS. The majority of the population of the study area is engaged in agriculture. The research reveals that water scarcity and its impacts on wheat crops and arable land in the research period. Primary and secondary data were used to acquire the results. Close-handed questionnaires were designed to collect the data from the concerned growers, while recent literature and departmental reports on agriculture, and irrigation were used for secondary data collection. The Data Analysis was carried out by SPSS, and MS Excel. The research shows that 12% of fertile land has been degraded and reduced wheat productivity in the research period.

Keywords: Water Supply, Wheat Crop, Socioeconomic, Pakistan.

This study addresses the pressing issue of paraplegia, a debilitating condition characterized by the loss of voluntary lower limb movement due to spinal cord injuries. Drawing upon data from the Paraplegic Center Peshawar's, Pakistan Annual Report (2019-2020), revealing that 67.5% of reported spinal injuries pertain to paraplegic patients, this research emphasizes the urgency of developing effective interventions for this population. Conventional approaches, including physical therapy and passive assistive devices, have demonstrated efficacy in cases of incomplete paraplegia. However, to address the limitations of existing methods, this study proposes the integration of active assistive technology, with a specific focus on powered exoskeletons. These innovative devices employ a sophisticated array of sensors, microcontrollers, and actuators to facilitate the attainment of a normative gait pattern, thus enhancing the performance of daily life activities. Despite the demonstrable benefits of powered exoskeletons, their commercial availability remains limited, particularly in developing nations. This research project endeavors to bridge this gap by conceptualizing and fabricating a locally-sourced prototype, marking the initial stride toward realizing this vital technology. Through an exhaustive exploration of the existing literature, it was discerned that a dearth of South Asian-specific guidance exists for aspiring developers of this technology. Additionally, the scarcity of essential hardware components, such as rotary actuators and batteries, in the local market posed a formidable challenge. The endeavor undertaken herein demanded substantial temporal and financial resources, rendering the pursuit seemingly daunting and, in some respects, unrealistic. However, against the odds, the project achieved its primary objectives, underscoring its feasibility and potential for further refinement and expansion. This study serves as a beacon of progress, illustrating that despite inherent challenges, transformative advancements in assistive technology for paraplegic patients can be realized.

Keywords: Actuators, Robotics, Microcontrollers, Rehabilitation, Exoskeletons.

Hypoxia, a common feature of the tumor microenvironment, plays a crucial role in tumor progression and therapy resistance. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are key transcriptional regulators that mediate cellular responses to hypoxic conditions. In cancer, hypoxia promotes the maintenance and expansion of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subpopulation of cells implicated in tumor initiation, metastasis, and recurrence. This quantitative analysis investigates the role of HIFs in stem cell maintenance among cancer patients. Utilizing data from clinical studies and experimental models, statistical analyses, including correlation and regression analysis, were conducted to elucidate the relationship between HIF expression, CSC markers, and clinical outcomes. Preliminary analyses revealed a significant correlation between hypoxia-inducible factor expression and the presence of CSC markers in tumor tissues from cancer patients (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). Regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between HIF-1α expression and CSC marker expression (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), as well as overall survival (β = -0.25, p = 0.012). Similarly, HIF-2α expression showed a significant association with CSC marker expression (β = 0.28, p = 0.003) and overall survival (β = -0.21, p = 0.028). Subgroup analyses based on cancer type and stage further elucidated the context-specific roles of HIFs in regulating CSC maintenance and therapeutic resistance. These findings underscore the significance of targeting the hypoxic microenvironment and HIF signaling pathways to disrupt CSCs and improve therapeutic strategies in cancer management.

Keywords: Hypoxia-inducible, Hypoxia Factors, Stem Cell Maintenance, Cancer.

This study investigates the effectiveness of microbiological remediation in industrial wastewater and contaminated soils, employing quantitative analyses, multivariate techniques, and risk assessments. Results demonstrate significant reductions in hydrocarbon and heavy metal concentrations following microbial application, with hydrocarbon concentrations decreasing by 60% (from 1200 mg/kg to 480 mg/kg) and heavy metal levels reduced by 60% (e.g., lead concentrations decreased from 25 mg/L to 10 mg/L). Multivariate analyses reveal intricate relationships between microbial diversity and environmental variables, such as Actinobacteria and Firmicutes exhibiting increased abundance post-remediation. Positive changes in soil and water quality parameters are observed, with soil pH increasing from 5.2 to 6.8 and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater decreasing from 800 mg/L to 300 mg/L. Continuous monitoring of environmental variables and rigorous risk assessments indicate the safety and feasibility of microbial remediation strategies. However, research gaps persist, highlighting the need for further investigations into long-term efficacy, microbial diversity, and the impact of environmental variables. This study contributes valuable insights to the field, offering a holistic understanding of microbiological remediation's potential and informing future advancements in sustainable pollution mitigation.

Keywords: Pollution Mitigation, Risk Assessment, Microbiological Remediation, Quantitative Analysis.

A successful hemodialysis therapy depends on the cannulation of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). The common fistula cannulation technique i.e. rope-ladder is challenging for patients having limited or shorter fistula length. On the other hand buttonhole technique is safe and easy for cannulation but it can only be applied to native fistulas, and a "single-sticker" is the best tool for cannulation. The purpose of this research was to assess how both cannulation approaches affected the survival of AVF patients. Our study aim is to identify the impact of cannulation techniques on arteriovenous fistula survival in Hemodialysis patients as well as to identify which cannulation technique has a lower rate of AVF complication. This is a cross sectional descriptive study carried out in the duration of four months.the sample size in this study was 154 patients in institute of kidney disease Peshawar. The result of this thesis is prepared through proforma,which having 14 question. A comparison was made between 59 patients who used the rope-ladder approach and 95 frequent hemodialysis patients with AVF who followed the BH technique. The following parameters were registered: hematoma occurrence, redness, swelling, aneurysm formation, the use of sharp or dull needles, miscannulations, and interventions. A verbal rating scale (VRS) was used to evaluate needle pain and puncture phobia. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS version 23. A total of 154 patients were enrolled in which 88(57.1%) were males, 66(42.9%) were females who had hemodialysis access with BHC or RL technique were included in the study.The AVF survival in buttonhole cannulation technique is 50(58%) while in rope ladder cannulation technique is 59(85%)..The frequency of infection in buttonhole cannulation is 36 while in rope ladder cannulation is 20. Results concluded a significant. This investigation showed that patients who are male, younger in age, non-diabetic, have a lower BMI, have no history of cardiovascular disease, and can help with compression have a substantial benefit for access survival. Comparing the BH approach to the rope-ladder method, access infections were more common, which was a drawback.

Keywords: Arteriovenous Fistula Survival, Buttonhole Cannulation, Rope Ladder Cannulation, Hemodialysis.