CONSUMER PANACEA OVER INTERNET USAGE IN PAKISTAN

The present age is the era of information technology and everywhere microwaves are scattered. Everybody wants to explore itself with this information technology and happenings taking place of Internet for the purpose of education, awareness, entertainment and especially interaction with strangers. In Pakistan, the awareness of internet usage is increasing and people are gaining knowledge about online buying and selling. Although the Internet may well empower consumers, there is a paucity of systematic conceptual, analytical, or empirical research indicating that the Internet will in fact lead to more and better information, which in turn will lead to better consumer decision making. The Internet is not, in and of itself, a monolithic entity subject to broad generalizations. It is a complex phenomenon, unlike anything else in history and not completely understood. This research finds that consumers who have more positive beliefs about Internet apparel shopping have more positive attitude toward Internet apparel shopping than do consumers who have less positive beliefs about Internet apparel shopping and consumers who have more social support for Internet apparel shopping perceive more social acceptance of Internet apparel shopping than do consumers who have less social support for Internet apparel shopping.e-Marketing, internet usage.

Nature of crop contents of an amblyceran pigeon louse, Colpocephalum turbinatum (Phthiraptera: Insecta)

Selected haemetophagous phthirapterans have been convicted to act as reservoir and transmitter of pathogens among their hosts. Amblyceran Phthiraptera are generally believed to exhibit varying degree of haemetophagy. The microscopic examination of 100 adults (both sexes) and 47 nymphal instars of an amblyceran louse, Colpocephalum turbinatum revealed their non haemetophagous nature as any red content compatible with host blood was not detected in their crops. The crops of the lice were found packed with only feather barbules. On seven instances the pieces of egg chorion and in 20 cases the presence of epidermal tissue were also detected in crop contents. However, the presence of any triturating agent (any structure which can help in grinding the feather contents) was not noticed. SEM studies on the ventral side of the head of the louse do not indicate the presence of any pointed gear which can be used to pierce the skin blood vessels of host. Present study suggests that few amblyceran species of Phthiraptera are not in haemetophagous in nature

Climate and forest cover changes in district Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: A Community Perspective

The country, Pakistan has only five percent (5%) land cover is under forest which is on decline rapidly. Most of the forest is in the northern areas but several factors are influencing negatively. Climate change phenomenon has expedited deforestation. With increase in population, pressure on forest in Baltistan has also increased while climate change factors are unfavorable for its regeneration. Present study was aimed at investigation into community perception on climate change and forest cover changes in district Skardu, Baltistan. Research revealed that forest cover has on decline (either highly decreasedor decreased) like vegetation cover which has also decreased, particularly near villages more as compared to pastures. Similarly, temperature has increased in winter and spring as compared to summer and autumn. Snowfall has decreased during spring more as compared to winters. Contrast to snowfall, rainfall has increased in spring followed by winter, autumn and summer. Glacier sizes are shrinking and monsoon floods have highly increased flowed by melt water increase in channels. Due to change in other climatic factors, crop sowing, fruiting and harvesting periods have prolonged and have a backward shifting trend. Diseases on the plants have increase but in contrast annual yield has increased. Overall indigenous biodiversity has decreased but new bird species have increased. We conclude that there is a visible but unfavorable change is underway forcing every corner of life to shift and adjust itself with new adaptation strategies. Agro pastoral communities in the area feel a threat to their livelihood options if these pathetic changes continue in the future as their reliance has increased on natural resources and ecosystem services for their survival. Climate change and forest decline are some physically verifiable factors and phenomenon and not a simple scientific theory in the lives of rural communities of Baltistan like rest of Gilgit-Baltistan. Government, non-government and civil society organizations need to consider diversification of livelihood options and impacting on adverse factors contributing into climate change undesirably in the area

Climate Change and Agricultural Transformation in Shigar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan: A Commune-Scientific Perception

Climatic change is no more a theoretical paradigm but a scientific fact now. Its men fed incubation period has over and symptoms are evident not only across highland glaciated areas like Shigar Valley, Baltistan and rest of the world but also downstream areas. Communities living in Shigar Valley are agro-pastoral and depend on snow and glacier meld water for agriculture and other domestic uses. Their principal agriculture produce consists upon wheat, buck wheat and barley. Study revealed that over the last thirty years, inhabitants have gone through a transition towards new adaptation approaches caused by climate change in the valley. With a decline and decrease in glacial mass and agricultural produce local inhabitants seek more employments and off-farm activities rather than spending their time on fields. Temperature has increased and experienced throughout the year has winter has become short and mild followed by warmer prolonged summer experiencing 40°C+ hotness which previous generations has never experienced in their life time. A marking shift of 7-15 days of flowering time is visible. Rainfall has highly increased in its intensity during spring followed by winter. Snowfall has a marking shift from little fall in winter towards heavy fall in spring followed by an increase in monsoon flooding, floral diseases and fuel consumption. Vegetation cover has declined more near village as compared to pastures. Crop sowing, harvesting and snow melt periods have prolonged. Avian, mammalian and herpeto fauna have declined in terms of their species richness and population equally. A change impacting rural livelihood and food insecurity is visible. In a prevailing situation innovative folk wisdom grounded mitigation and adaptation strategies are needed

Dynamics of Viscous Dissipative Plane Symmetric Gravitational Collapse

We present dynamical description of gravitational collapse in view of Misner and Sharp's formalism. Matter under consideration is a complicated fluid consistent with plane symmetry which we assume to undergo dissipation in the form of heat flow, radiation, shear and bulk viscosity. Junction conditions are studied for a general spacetime in the interior and Vaidya spacetime in the exterior regions. Dynamical equations are obtained and coupled with causal transport equations derived in context of M$\ddot{u}$ller Israel Stewart theory. The role of dissipative quantities over collapse is investigated.Comment: 17 pages, accepted for publication in Gen. Relativ. Gra

Whether the idea of Single Member Company (SMC), is a device to exploit and to avoid the corporate liability by the Capitalist? A critical Analysis of Section 160 of (Pakistan) Companies Ordinance, 1984

The concept of Single Member Company (the “SMC”) was introduced in Company law of Pakistan in 2002. However, besides having created anomalies within the existing legislation that have already been analyzed by different academics, there remains potential for abuse of the concept of separate legal entity and/or the doctrine of limited liability at the hand of the single member of the SMC. In this view of matter, this article proposes to review the Section 160 of Companies Ordinance, 1984 to argue that there is no provision in the law in Pakistan to effectively place a mechanism of checks and balances so as to reduce the risk of escaping the corporate liability by the SMC in Pakistan. In the same context, this article also dilates upon the inadequacies of SMC legislation in relation to the concept of social, economic and environmental responsibilities of corporate entities

Design of a Figure-8 Spherical Motion Flapping Wing for Miniature UAV\u27s

Hummingbirds and some insects exhibit a Figure-8 motion, which allows them to undergo variety of maneuvers including hovering. It is therefore desirable to have flapping wing miniature air vehicles (FWMAV) that can replicate this unique wing motion. In this research, a design of a flapping wing for FWMAV that can mimic Figure-8 motion using a spherical four bar mechanism is presented. To produce Figure-8 motion, the wing is attached to the coupler point of the spherical four bar mechanism and driven by a DC servo motor. For verification of the design, a prototype of the wing and mechanism is fabricated to determine whether the design objectives are met. Additionally, experimental testing is conducted to determine the feasibility of this design with the wing driven at speeds ranging from 2.5 to 12.25 Hz. To determine the aerodynamic coefficients the wing experiences during the Figure-8 cycle, wind tunnel experimentation is conducted. The results show good correlation between the model and experimental testing

Light propagation in algae photobioreactors

V práci byl proveden výzkum metod CFD zaměřených na šíření světla ve fotobioreaktorech řas pomocí radiačních modelů v softwaru ANSYS Fluent. Software ANSYS Fluent nabízí různé modely záření, které lze použít pro simulaci šíření světla ve fotobioreaktorech. Tyto modely mimo jiné vyžadují různé parametry, absorpční koeficient, který by mohl popisovat účinek snížení intenzity světla s ohledem na vzdálenost od osvětlené stěny, hustotu řas a hydrodynamiku systému. Všechny tyto faktory mohou mít podstatný dopad na účinnost takového systému. V softwaru ANSYS Fluent jsou simulace CFD prováděny s některými z dostupných modelů pro daný případ s ohledem na intenzitu světla. Hodnocení těchto modelů je založeno na jejich teoretické schopnosti zohlednit gradienty světla a hustotu kultury řas, která je v přímém vztahu s absorpcí kultury. Různé modely nabízejí odlišné výstupy, ale cílem této práce je poskytnout nejvhodnější modely, uzavřít výsledky a navrhnout možná zlepšení budoucí práce.In the work, research concerning CFD methods focused on light propagation in algae photobioreactors using radiation models in ANSYS Fluent software has been carried out. ANSYS Fluent software offers various radiation models which could be used for the simulation of light propagation in photobioreactors. These models require various parameters among others, the absorption coefficient which could describe the effect of light intensity decrease with respect to the distance from illuminated wall, density of algae, and hydrodynamics of the system. All these factors can have substantial impact on the effectivity of such system. In the ANSYS Fluent software, CFD simulations are performed with some of the available models for the given case with respect to light intensity. The assessment of these models is based on their theoretical ability to account for the light gradients and density of algae culture which is in direct relation with the absorptivity of the culture. Different models offer distinguished outcomes but the aim of this work is to provide the most suitable models, conclude with the results and propose possible improvements in future work

Exploring the variability of root system architecture under drought stress in heat-tolerant spring-wheat lines

Background and aimsGlobal wheat production is under threat due to climate change, specifically heat and drought and their combination. This study aims to address the root trait responses of heat-tolerant wheat genotypes to drought.MethodsThe variability in root traits of CIMMYT wheat lines, which were previously developed for heat stress tolerance (HTWL), was evaluated alongside 10 Pakistani-approved varieties under three cultivation conditions and soil moisture levels.ResultsOur findings revealed that the plasticity of the wheat root system is highly pronounced, with rhizosphere conditions exerting a more substantial influence (5-49%) than the genotypic response (1-14%). Furthermore, in the hydroponic and pot system, we noted higher maximum-root length (1.5-1.8 fold) and root-to-shoot ratio (3.4-10.6 fold) as compared to field condition, while the root biomass was substantially higher in the field trial (3-57 fold). Nonetheless, persistent drought conditions exerted contrasting impact with reduction in most of the traits except specific root length and harvest index which were increased under drought.ConclusionsThe variation in root traits against drought indicates the potential for the development of improved genotypes that can withstand multiple stresses. Furthermore, it is crucial to consider rhizosphere conditions when selecting genotypes, as the plasticity of wheat roots may lead to misinterpretations if rhizosphere conditions are disregarded. Root dry weight and root-to-shoot ratio are more stable traits as compared to maximum root length and specific root length. It is recommended to evaluate a broader range of rhizosphere conditions to select tolerant genotypes

New Connection Details for Concrete Filled Tubes to Precast Concrete Elements for Accelerated Bridge Construction Applications

The synergistic interaction of steel and concrete in concrete filled tube (CFT) composite members improves structural performance by delaying local buckling of steel tube. Compared to localized confinement provided by discreet ties in reinforced columns, the steel tube provides continuous confinement to infill concrete which results in improved energy dissipation and ductility performance. Concrete filled tubes (CFTs) provide improved structural strength and ductility while minimizing the cost of column formwork. The construction sequence of CFT allows its use for accelerated bridge construction applications. The use of CFTs for bridges in the U.S. has been limited mainly due to lack of design provisions, particularly for seismic zones. This research proposes a new detail for column-to-footing connection using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Several details were studied, and a detail comprises of CFT embedded in a layer of UHPC located near the plastic hinge zone of the column is selected to for experimental and numerical study. Using experiments from existing literature, pretest finite element analysis was carried out on the design parameters including effect of confinement, tension pull out and shear behavior of the connectors. Three connection details were experimentally studied under a combination of constant axial and incremental lateral cyclic load. The proposed connection is desired to have a ductile behavior with the plastic hinge forming away from the footing which is typically designed as a capacity protected element. The results of the experiments and pretest analysis were used to carry out parametric finite element analysis. Further experimental and numerical study is proposed to recommend design and construction provisions