Riphah International University

Lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors both depend on the utilization and fabrication of nanomaterials to enhance efficacy. For energy accumulation purposes, electrode materials were developed through these endeavors. This investigation entailed the synthesis and utilization of bimetallic PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) in supercapattery devices. In electrochemical examination, the PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) electrode exhibited a specific capacity of 1433 C/g at a current density of 1.0 A/g. The electrochemical performance is enhanced by the substantial specific surface area of 79.9 m²/g, as evidenced by BET analysis. The supercapattery device (PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs)//AC) is constructed with PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) and activated carbon which demonstrated a specific capacity of 126 C/g. It showcased a power density of 970 W/kg and an energy density 44.6 Wh/kg. Following 10,000 GCD cycles, the PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) device retained up to 89% of its capacity. In a hydrogen evolution reaction, the PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) composite exhibited the lowest over potential of 93.83 mV. The PANI@Sn-MOF/Ag(NPs) electrode exhibits significant potential for deployment in hydrogen evolution reaction applications and energy storage devices.

Labetalol is an anti-hypertensive medication available in both tablet and liquid injectable forms. However, a transdermal delivery system may offer a more convenient option for patients requiring this medication. Due to its solubility in organic solvents and high molecular weight, a transdermal patch could face challenges in effectively delivering the drug through the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. To overcome this challenge, labetalol-loaded nanoparticles were prepared using a solvent evaporation method and incorporated into dissolvable microneedle patches. The nanoparticles ensured controlled drug release, while microneedles facilitated drug penetration through the stratum corneum. The patches were formulated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and carbopol polymers and evaluated for their mechanical properties, penetration efficacy, drug loading, in vitro drug release, and biological safety. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed uniform nanoparticle distribution, and drug loading efficiency reached 95.25 ± 1.68%. The optimized formulation achieved a sustained in vitro drug release of 89.27 ± 2.34% over 24 h, significantly improving release efficiency compared to conventional oral and injectable labetalol formulations. In contrast to the burst release observed with oral and injectable formulations, the microneedle patch offered controlled and sustained release, enhancing therapeutic outcomes and reducing side effects. Penetration studies demonstrated successful nanoparticle delivery into deeper skin layers, while irritation studies confirmed the safety of the patches. These findings suggest that nanoparticle-loaded dissolvable microneedle patches provide a promising strategy for the transdermal delivery of labetalol, offering controlled drug release and enhanced patient compliance.

Didemnins, a class of cyclic depsipeptides derived from marine organisms exhibit notable anticancer properties. Among them, Didemnin B has been extensively researched for its strong antitumor activity and progression to clinical trials. Nonetheless, its clinical application has been impeded by challenges like poor bioavailability and dose-limiting toxicity. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the anticancer mechanisms of Didemnins, particularly Didemnin B, by examining studies that investigate their anticancer properties, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical outcomes, while exploring their potential as therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted using scientific databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. Didemnin B has been shown to exert its anticancer effects primarily through the inhibition of protein synthesis, induction of apoptosis, and disruption of cell-cycle progression. Despite promising preclinical results, clinical trials have revealed substantial toxicity, particularly neuromuscular and hepatic, which significantly constrains its therapeutic potential. Recent progress in developing semisynthetic derivatives, including Dehydrodidemnin B (Plitidepsin, Aplidin), have led to improved efficacy and reduced toxicity. Didemnins, especially Didemnin B, hold promise as anticancer agents. However, future research should focus on optimizing delivery methods, reducing toxicity, and exploring combination therapies to enhance their therapeutic potential in oncology. Graphical Abstract

Background The professional development of faculty members is essential for improving the quality of education. Faculty development programs play a very vital role in continued professional development of faculty. Reflective Critique writing is an important tool for evaluation of faculty development programs, as it provides opportunities for self-reflection, self-critique and self-awareness. The experience of Reflective Critique writing, needs to be explored in order to encourage the faculty to engage in this practice and pursue their personal & professional growth. Aim of study is to determine the effectiveness of Reflective Critique writing in improving the teaching skills of faculty members after a formal faculty development program & to explore their experience using reflective critique technique to improve their professional & personal life. Method It was a mixed method study and design used was Explanatory Sequential Design. Quantitative part is Quasi experimental studies and Qualitative part is Exploratory. Purposive sampling technique was used for Quantitative part (27 faculty members) & Convenience sampling technique (10 faculty members) for Qualitative part of the studies. Case based learning facilitation skills workshop was conducted as a part of faculty development program in which participants were also trained on writing Reflective Critique texts on the “what, so what & now what” model. Participants also went through pre & posttest of the workshop & wrote their first Reflective Critique text. First evaluation for seeing improvement in teaching skills, learning transfer & behavior changes with Reflective Critique writing was carried out after 3 months at workplace (round 1) & second evaluation on the same pattern was carried out after 6 months of workshop at workplace (round 2). Participants wrote 3 Reflective Critique texts in total. At the end of the study, participants experience of Reflective Critique writing was explored in depth by semi-structured interviews of 10 faculty members. Results Results included the grading of reflective capacity of participants on REFLECT rubric & comparison of pre & posttest results. REFLECT rubric grading showed that in 3rd Reflective Critique writing almost 80% of the participants became critical reflectors, improving from an initial 60% progress in first writing, showing the effectiveness of the training program & increased effectiveness of teaching skills, learning transfer & behavior change at workplace. Evaluation was taken up to level 3 of the Kirkpatrick model. Results of pre & posttest showed marked improvement in results with a significant p-value indicating the success of intervention. Hence the data analysis showed the improved teaching skills, enhanced learning transfer at workplace with a positive behavior change which clearly indicated the effectiveness of Reflective Critique in improving the teaching skills of the participants & behavior change at workplace as well as their personal & professional development. Participants experience of Reflective Critique writing was explored further in the qualitative part of the studies and results showed multiple themes including ongoing teaching skills, increased higher order thinking and making sense of experience. Participants labelled Reflective Critique as: The Game Changer. Conclusion Reflective Critique writing enabled the participants to get a deeper critical evaluation of the faculty development program, which in return enhanced their overall performance at workplace.

Integrating balance and cognitive training of varied intensities through exergame balance training may offer a distinct approach to enhancing balance and cognitive abilities in patients with mild cognitive impairment. The objective is to determine the relationship and effects of exergame balance training of different intensities on balance and cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this four‐arm parallel design Randomized Clinical Trial, ninety‐seven participants with mild cognitive impairments MoCA (18‐24), between the ages of 50 and 75 years, participated in novel exergame balance training. They were randomly assigned to one of four exergame balance training groups (mild, moderate, high, and control). All participants received twenty‐four sessions including forty minutes/sessions three times/week. The MoCA and BDNF were used to assess cognition, time up and go test (TUG), TUG dual task for functional mobility, Gait speed normal and fast for dynamic stability at baseline, after the 4th and 8th week. The correlation between cognition and balance was determined by spearman’s correlation. The mixed model analysis of covariance while fixing the baseline values as a covariate was used to determine interaction effects between interventions and time. Post hoc analysis was performed to investigate the findings between different complexity levels and the control group, and repeated measure ANOVA to determine within group differences. There was a strong relationship between MoCA and TUG, TUG dual task with (rs = 0.41), (rs = 0.43) respectively and moderate relationship between MoCA and slow and Fast gait speed (rs = 0.15), (rs = 0.24) respectively of high intensity group. A significant interaction effect of group and time was observed for MoCA, TUG (1,3) = 19.34, <0.001, η2 = 0.217, TUG dual task (1,3) = 21.24, <0.001, η2 = 0.233, gait speed fast tests (1,3) = 11.889, 0.001, η2 = 0.151. Post‐hoc analysis at different intensities demonstrated a significant difference between mild, moderate and high complexity groups with the control group for MoCA, TUG, TUG dual task, Gait speed normal and fast (p<0.01). The results indicate that exergame balance training of mild, moderate and high complexity influence the balance and cognition abilities differently with the improvement in the high intensity to a greater extent.

Controlled-release microparticles offer a promising avenue for enhancing patient compliance and minimizing dosage frequency. In this study, we aimed to design controlled-release microparticles of Glipizide utilizing Eudragit S100 and Methocel K 100 M polymers as controlling agents. The microparticles were fabricated through a simple solvent evaporation method, employing various drug-to-polymer ratios to formulate different controlled-release batches labeled as F1 to F5. Evaluation of the microparticles encompassed a range of parameters including flow properties, particle size, morphology, percentage yield, entrapment efficiencies, percent drug loading, and dissolution studies. Additionally, various kinetic models were employed to elucidate the drug release mechanism. Furthermore, difference and similarity factors were utilized to compare the dissolution profiles of the tested formulations with a reference formulation. The compressibility index and angle of repose indicated favorable flow properties of the prepared microparticles, with values falling within the range of 8 to 10 and 25 to 29, respectively. The particle size distribution of the microparticles ranged from 95.3 to 126 μm. Encouragingly, the microparticles exhibited high percent yield (ranging from 66 to 77%), entrapment efficiency (80 to 96%), and percent drug loading (46 to 54%). All formulated batches demonstrated controlled drug release profiles extending up to 12 hours, with glipizide release following an anomalous non-Fickian diffusion pattern. However, the drug release profiles of the reference formulation and various polymeric microparticles did not meet the acceptable limits of difference and similarity factors. In-vivo studies revealed sustained hypoglycemic effects over a 12-hour period, indicating the efficacy of the controlled-release microparticles. Overall, our findings suggest the successful utilization of polymeric materials in designing controlled-release microparticles, thereby reducing dosage frequency and potentially improving patient compliance.

The textile industry is striving versatile range of coatings, which imparts multifunctional properties to them. There are many fields where coated textiles perform effectively, where standalone nanoparticles or finishes fail to perform adequately. However, the chemicals, finishes, and synthetically produced nanomaterials currently in use have negative ecological impacts. Hence the review focused on current developments in ecologically friendly biosynthesis techniques for the magnesium oxide nanoparticles, their coating over the textile structures and outlining the potential and novel applications of textiles coated with MgO-NPs in different areas. Due to the rising need for green chemistry and the perspective of nanoparticles in a variety of uses, magnesium oxide nanoparticle production using sustainable and environmentally clean processes has gained popularity. Current advancements in the ecologically pleasant creation of MgO-NPs are those mediated by plants, microbes, and other natural processes. The objective of the current work was to gather all potential methods for the environmentally friendly synthesis of MgO-NPs. Secondly, elaborates on all possible novel applications that green synthetic MgO-NPs coated textiles could have in several industries. The various MgO-NP attributes including size, shape, surface area and their functional characteristics like flammability and antipathogenicity, biocompatibility and redox potential are discussed. The numerous uses of the MgO-NPs coated textiles are also highlighted, including their use as wastewater treatment agents, energy systems, drug delivery, catalysts, and biomedical fields. There is also discussion of these particles in some possible applications in other fields, like nanomedicine and food packaging. The current challenges and future directions in the environmentally friendly MgO-NP production along with applications are also addressed.

Flurbiprofen (FBP) is poorly water-soluble BCS class II drug with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, used to treat arthritis and degenerative joint diseases. This study was aimed to develop SNEDDS loaded with FBP. Six SNEDDS using two oils olive oil (F1OLV, F2OLV, F3OLV) and castor oil (F4CAS, F5CAS, F6CAS) with three different Smix ratios consisting of Tween 20 and PEG 400 (1:1, 1:2, 2:1) were prepared and characterized. Compatibility between FBP and polymers was investigated using FTIR. SNEDDS were characterized for physicochemical attributes. Two optimized formulations were investigated at 10 mg/kg dose given orally in Wistar rats for analgesic activity by hot plate and tail flick methods, and anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan induced paw edema method. Anti-inflammatory activity was further explored by motor coordination and motility by Rota rod and cage activity tests. Following anesthesia blood samples were collected before dissection to measure inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers. Sciatica nerves and hind paws of rats were also removed for histopathological evaluation. FTIR studies revealed compatibility of FBP with other components. Droplet size of F1OLV, F2OLV, F3OLV was 128.5 ± 0.7 nm, 202.5 ± 1.3 nm, and 541.5 ± 1.7 nm, whereas it was 142.5 ± 1.1 nm, 215.4 ± 1.2 nm and 349.9 ± 1.8 nm for F4CAS, F5CAS, F6CAS. %EE of F1OLV, F2OLV, F3OLV was found 85 ± 4.89%–91 ± 4.67%, whereas the %EE F4CAS, F5CAS, F6CAS was 84 ± 4.15%–90 ± 4.21%. DSC curves of F1OLV and F4CAS revealed amorphous nature of the FBP. SEM showed spherical shape of globules. % of drug released in the pH medium 1.2 for plain FBP, F1OLV and F4CAS was 25%, 59% and 57%. % drug released in the pH 6.8 for plain FBP, F1OLV and F4CAS was 59%, 85% and 83%. Oral administration of FBP-loaded SNEDDS (F1OLV and F4CAS) significantly decreased paw diameter and enhanced motor coordination in rats when compared to the disease control group. This was linked to the ability of FBP to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, with histological studies indicating decreased tissue damage in SNEDDS treated groups, implying the possibility of tissue recovery. Administration of both formulations started to demonstrate analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects after one hour of administration. In addition to anti-inflammatory effect, both formulations improved motor coordination, motility, and reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells in the inflamed paws. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were attributed to decreased serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, increased activity of SOD and reduced nitrite content in sciatic nerves. Histopathological evaluation revealed reduced vascularity, inflammation and synovial hyperplasia. The overall findings suggest that the FBP loaded SNEDDS can be used as carriers for improved delivery of FBP which can effectively be used to cure pain and inflammation.

Land use efficiency (LUE) is fundamental factor that significantly influences various dimensions of sustainable development goals, addressing critical areas such as hunger alleviation, driving economic growth through industrial upheaval, and safeguarding our precious environment. This study aims to deliver an in-depth and comprehensive review of the current state and anticipated future directions in land use efficiency-related research. It also intends to investigate the connection between total factor productivity (TFP) and its relevance in attaining the sustainable development goals. To achieve this objective, this study meticulously reviewed 122 relevant papers on land use efficiency published between 2015 and 2022, indexed in Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and the Science Citation Index Expended (SCIE). The study primarily focused on Africa and Asia which comprised 23% and 38% of the case studies, respectively. While studies from other continents were comparatively limited. Furthermore, the findings indicate a substantial rise in the number of studies on land use efficiency (LUE), with a predominant emphasis on overall land productivity and utilization. Specifically, 75.48% of these studies address the objectives of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Quantitative assessment provide insight that improving agricultural land use efficiency through sustainable practices can boost total food productivity while minimizing environmental degradation, supporting the target of sustainable food production systems under SDG 2. Consequently, efficient urban land use can enhance cities' total factor productivity by promoting compact development, reducing infrastructure costs, and strengthening the economies of agglomeration. Hence, this review will provide valuable insights for researchers and policymakers, facilitating the adoption of improved land management practices to increase productivity and ultimately contribute to achieving SDGs.

Introduction Accreditation in Health Professions Education is a pivotal process to ensure the quality of medical institutions and health professionals. ‘ Equity’ is an umbrella term reflecting the principles of justice and support to disadvantaged entities according to their needs. While commonly applied to various domains in medical education, there is potential to determine how ‘ equity’ is considered or discussed while practically implementing accreditation standards for Basic Medical Education (BME) globally. Methods and analysis The scoping review protocol has been drafted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Protocol (PRISMA-P) checklist. We will conduct a planned scoping review according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines for scoping review and adhere to the PRISMA-Scoping Review extension (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. A systematic literature search, from inception to May 2024, will be conducted across search engines and databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library and ProQuest, in collaboration with a qualified librarian. Peer-reviewed research articles, commentaries, opinion papers and reviews that explicitly or implicitly discuss equity in reference to accreditation standards will be eligible for inclusion. A qualitative inductive thematic analysis will be employed to systematically identify categories and themes from the extracted data and draw conclusions. The review team anticipates the development of a conceptual map that will evolve during the synthesis of the literature, as a description of the term ‘ equity’ in the implementation of BME accreditation standards. We also anticipate finding any methodological or theoretical framework that is used in the literature to discuss the concept of ‘ equity’ in the implementation of BME accreditation standards. Ethics and dissemination This scoping review aims to systematically map the literature on the burgeoning domain of accreditation in BME. The scoping review entails the collection and synthesis of literature and does not require ethical approval as per local regulations, as it does not involve primary data collection or interaction with human participants. The research findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, social media platforms, and academic presentations at workshops and conferences.

Background Voice barriers among frontline healthcare workers hinder safety related to work and patients. Understanding these barriers and practices is crucial to improve voice behavior in healthcare settings. Therefore, this study aims to identify the voice barriers and practices among healthcare workers in Pakistan. Research method The study has adopted a mixed-method research design. Data was collected from 15 frontline healthcare workers through semi-structured interviews to achieve study objectives. Descriptives and content analysis were conducted to explore voice barriers and alternative practices to solve their concerns. After that, a quantitative study was conducted to determine the statistical significance of the identified voice barriers and the magnitude of their effect. For this purpose, data was collected from 480 frontline healthcare workers in the primary, secondary, and territory healthcare units. A questionnaire survey was used for data collection. Then, multistage hierarchical regression analysis was employed for data analysis. Results Study findings highlight the determinants of two key factors: withholding patient safety concerns and withholding worker safety concerns. First, the study identifies several factors that increase the likelihood of healthcare workers withholding concerns about patient safety. These factors include professional designation, work experience, blackmailing, overconfidence, longer work tenure, feelings of insult, early career stage, fear of patient reactions, bad past experiences, job insecurity, and uncooperative management. Fear of increased workload also plays a significant role. Second, when it comes to work-related safety concerns, factors such as gender, shyness, lack of confidence, fear of duty changes, management issues, interpersonal conflicts, and resource shortages contribute to the withholding of concerns. To navigate these challenges, healthcare workers often resort to strategies such as seeking political connections, personal settlements, transfers, union protests, quitting, using social media, engaging in private practice, or referring patients to other hospitals. Conclusion Findings demonstrates that healthcare workers in Pakistan often withhold safety concerns due to hierarchical pressures, personal insecurities, and fear of repercussions. Their reliance on external mechanisms, such as political influence or social media, underscores the need for significant reforms to improve safety culture and management support. Addressing these issues is crucial for ensuring both patient and worker safety.

Political communication on X, formally known as Twitter, seems to be proliferating among Pakistani politicians and their followers. Fewer scholarly studies are available that demonstrate discursive practices in the online communication of politicians while in government and opposition. This study has employed an interdisciplinary framework that emanates theoretically from discourse and ethnological studies to analyze the nature of political communication and their followers’ responses within the digital discourse. The longitudinal data was drawn from the constellation of first- and second-generation Pakistani politicians with differing political ideologies. The data also captured how young adults reinforced and perpetuated discursive constructions in their responses to these politicians’ tweets. Findings indicate that power and subversion shape the discursive practices politicians choose to shape public opinion. Although only a fraction of the vast base of followers reacted to the tweets of these politicians, the data depicted an interesting communication trajectory between them in the digital discourse. When the politicians framed their discourse in positive or negative language, their followers reciprocated similar sentiments. Notably, dystopian discourse is most prevalent among young adults that tends to promote derogatory language toward government/establishment. The study emphasizes that politicians should create the content that may foster norms of dutiful citizenship.

The two basic prerequisites for encryption techniques based on block ciphers are confusion and diffusion. Substitution boxes( S-boxes) are used in contemporary block ciphers to create ciphertext by randomly disrupting the plaintext underneath. The resilience and security of a block cipher are strongly reliant on the quality of its S-box, which provides the essential nonlinearity and complexity to deter potential attackers. We introduced a new technique in this study that generates cryptographically resilient S-boxes by applying fractional transfor�mation on a finite field. Firstly, we introduced some bijective power functions on the Galois field of order 256. Later, we introduced a new function named Extended fractional transfor�mation (EFT) using the composition of Linear fractional transformation (LFT) and power functions. It includes a comprehensive assessment of the basic performance of the desig�nated S-box using benchmarking criteria. Achieving low differential uniformity, measuring strong nonlinearity, satisfying SAC and BIC features, and evaluating the linear approxima�tion probability are all part of these requirements. Furthermore, a developed S-box is used in a proposed medical image encryption method to effectively perform pixel substitution and shuffling. We conducted a number of tests to assess the proposed scheme’s strength. In terms of application, the proposed S-box outperforms S-boxes created using the LFT technique in terms of cryptographic strength without the need for additional permutations.

In data-based modeling, correlations between explanatory variables often lead to the formation of distinct gene blocks. This study focuses on identifying influential gene blocks and key variables within these blocks, with a particular application in mind: genotype-phenotype mapping in Saccharomyces. To overcome the challenges of a limited sample size, we use partial least squares (PLS). These gene blocks, which consist of combinations of genes, play a critical role in explaining phenotypic variations. Using partial least squares with multiple blocks, we propose a novel approach, weighted block importance on projection in partial least squares (BwIP-mbPLS), to identify influential gene blocks. Variable importance on projection is used to select significant genes within these blocks. Our study models copper chloride at 0.375mM and melibiose at 2% efficiency and rate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Analysis based on silhouette index and total distance within clusters using k-means shows the classification of 5629 genes into 18 gene blocks. Remarkably, BwIP-mbPLS identifies 4 gene blocks on average and significantly improves the prediction of efficiency-based phenotypes. In contrast, traditional block importance in partial least squares projection identifies 6 gene blocks on average and shows comparable or better performance than BIP-mbPLS for rate-based phenotypes. Remarkably, most gene blocks contain fewer than 10 influential genes. Both proposed variants consistently outperform conventional approaches such as partial least squares and multi-block partial least squares in predicting phenotypes. These results highlight the potential of our methods for advancing data-based modeling and genotype-phenotype mapping.

Steganography is used to hide sensitive types of data including images, audio, text, and videos in an invisible way so that no one can detect it. Image-based steganography is a technique that uses images as a cover media for hiding and transmitting sensitive information over the internet. However, image-based steganography is a challenging task due to transparency, security, computational efficiency, tamper protection, payload, etc. Recently, different image steganography methods have been proposed but most of them have reliability issues. Therefore, to solve this issue, we propose an efficient technique based on the Least Significant Bit (LSB). The LSB substitution method minimizes the error rate in the embedding process and is used to achieve greater reliability. Our proposed image-based steganography algorithm incorporates LSB substitution with Magic Matrix, Multi-Level Encryption Algorithm (MLEA), Secret Key (SK), and transposition, flipping. We performed several experiments and the results show that our proposed technique is efficient and achieves efficient results. We tested a total of 165 different RGB images of various dimensions and sizes of hidden information, using various Quality Assessment Metrics (QAMs); A name of few are; Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC), Image Fidelity (IF), Peak Signal Noise Ratio (PSNR), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Quality Index (QI), Correlation Coefficient (CC), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Mean Square Error (MSE), Entropy, Contrast, and Homogeneity, Image Histogram (IH). We also conducted a comparative analysis with some existing methods as well as security analysis which showed better results. The achieved result demonstrates significant improvements over the current state-of-the-art methods.