Recent energy crises of Pakistan have triggered the interest of researchers in co-gasification. Little research work is available on Pakistani low-grade high volatile coal and biomasses derived from agricultural waste. Pakistan stands 5th in world coal reserves. Currently, only the sugar sector is fully or partially using the abundantly available sugarcane waste (baggase) as fuel for their combined heat and power (CHP) plants. Rice husk and corncob are also being utilized inefficiently by textile and rice mills to meet their energy requirements. Hence, current low level use of these resources is due to the non availability of an efficient technology. The co-utilization of coal and biomass for gasification in CFB is a new emerging technique. Accordingly, the prime objectives of this research work were to develop and operate the Circulating Fluidized Bed Gasifier (CFBG) and to investigate the influencing parameters that affect the composition of the producer gas. Accordingly, the research work was comprised of two parts; In first part, variety of coal, biomasses and coal-baggase blends (85/15, 91/9 and 94/6) were characterized physically and thermally using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA-LECO 701). It was operated in non-isothermal mode from ambient room temperature to 950°C to characterized the coal and biomass under various operating conditions such as heating rate (40, 20 &15°C/min), feed composition and equivalence ratio (0.24, 0.30 & 0.35) and determined their impact on thermal conversion. The conversion of biomasses completed at lower temperature (750°C) than to coal and coal-baggase blends that completed at 950°C. Results revealed that biomasses had higher de-volatilization rate than to coal and coal-baggase blends due to presence of higher fraction of volatiles. Even though in sub-stoichiometric environment, increasing heat rate enhanced the conversion, however the optimum conversion was found at heating rate 20°C/min for coal- bagasse blend 91/9 and at equivalence ratio (ER) of 0.30. Further to above, heating values decreased with increasing biomass (bagasse) fraction in the blends. Arrhenius equation model was applied on TGA data to determine the kinetic parameters (activation energy and frequency factors) and observed that these variables also have very pronounced effects the kinetic parameters. The research work mainly focused to develop and operate a Circulating Fluidized Bed Gasifier (CFBG) using the result of characterization studies. Accordingly, a CFBG made of stainless steel (316) with internal diameter 81mm and total height 3900mm fitted with external gas preheater (EGH), stand pipe, cyclone and water cooled condenser was operated for temperature change 700°C to 950°C. The effect of operating parameters; temperature, ER values (0.25-0.38) and coal-bagasse blends (91/9 & 94/6) on the composition of producer gas were investigated. The temperature of the gasifier varied from 750°C to 875°C, a series of heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions took place and the gas composition obtained showed that up to the temperature 750°Cto 820°C the H2/CO molar ratio decreased from 0.82 to 0.77 but after this, H2/CO ratio began to increased and gained the values of 0.81 and 0.87 for temperatures of 850°C and 875°C respectively. Conversely, the molar ratio CO/CO2 increased from 0.57 to 0.67 with temperature variation (750°C-820°C), however a further increase in the temperature (>820°C to 875°C), decreased the CO/CO2 ratio and attained the fraction value 0.65 and 0.62 respectively. Increasing ER value not only enhanced the temperature and superficial velocity of particle but also caused to increase the fraction of CO2 and N2 in the producer gas and decrease in CO and CH4. However, increase in H2 and CO was observed at low ER value. Higher fraction of coal in feed stock, increased the molar fraction of CO2, however, the concentration of CH4 decreased due to decreasing fraction of volatile matters in blended feedstock, as biomasses contained more volatiles than to low rank coal.
“Whoever extinguishes the fire of the greed of “Nafs (self)” gets prosperous” is the leitmotif of Quran. Islam in its best is the religion of the oppressed, even itsworships rather than mere rituals are conduit of socioeconomic and political justice a panacea to social development. Prayers of community stay hypocritical ifpoverty, destitution and oppression prevail in community. Quran crushes the spirit of acquisitiveness and strikes moral order based on socio-economic andpolitical justice. For social equilibrium charity, Zakat and Sadaqat are recurrent theme of Quran. To the Dreamer and the Architect, Pakistan was poised tobecome an Islamic welfare state. So, this paper intends to portray what is needed to eliminate social inequalities in the social fabric of the state. What the people and the state ought to do in the light of Islamic ideals? To Shah Wali Allah, Zakat is a sure enough recipe to run a state and strike social equilibrium if employed to the spirit of Quran.
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary brain tumor. It accounts for more than 60% of all brain tumors in adults. Treatment options available for malignant gliomas include gross total resection, radiation therapy and chemotherapeutics, e.g., temozolomide, carmustin or carboplatin. In spite of the variety of modern therapies against GBM, it is still a deadly disease with extremely poor prognosis. Patients usually have a median survival of approximately 14-15 months. The development of new therapeutic strategies for the management of gliomas is therefore crucial. The present study is designed to analyze the therapeutic potentials of anti-inflammatory compound N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide (NA-2) and anti-hypertensive drug Verapamil (VP) in the treatment of GBM as well as their combine effect with standard drug Temozolomide (TMZ) on U87 human glioblastoma cells. MTT assay was used to determine the growth inhibitory effect of NA-2, VP and TMZ. It was observed that these three drugs inhibited growth of U87 in dose dependent manner. The IC50 doses of NA-2, VP and TMZ were found to be 1.7 mM, 0.45 mM and 0.134 mM respectively. To find out whetherapoptosis is involved in growth inhibition, cells were treated with IC50 doses of these drugs and the effect was observed on morphology, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation using phase contrast microscopy, DAPI staining and TUNEL assay respectively. In all three treatment groups cells showed apoptotic morphology, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation which are hallmarks of apoptosis. Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death regulated by pro-apoptotic (Bax) and antiapoptotic genes (Bcl-2). Deregulation of these genes is found to be linked to gliomagenesis. Hence an increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio favors the process of apoptosis. Caspase-3 is also an important protein that acts downstream to Bax/Bcl-2 and involved in the execution of apoptosis. Keeping in mind the importance of these apoptotic markers we also studied the effect of NA-2, VP and TMZ on these markers to find out their possible mechanism of action. Cells were treated with IC50 doses of these drugs for 24 hrs and RT-PCR was performed to see the mRNA expression of these markers in vehicle control and the three treatment groups. It was observed that after 24 hrs of treatment both NA-2 and VP downregulated Bcl-2 expression while TMZ has not shown any significant effect on the expression of Bcl-2 as compared to vehicle control. Baxand caspase-3 expression was found to be significantly up-regulated in NA-2, TMZ and VP as compared to control. Beside these proapoptotic and anti-apoptotic proteins we also studied the effect of these drugs on the expression of two other cellular markers that are involved in growth and proliferation of glioma i.e. HIF-1α and VEGF. Both NA-2 and VP inhibited the expression of VEGF and HIF-1α which is a transcriptional regulator of VEGF. While TMZ has not shown any significant effect on these markers. Next, the effect of NA-2 and VP was studied on growth inhibition after combining them with TMZ in various different concentrations. Coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) was also calculated. It was found that combination of 0.33 mMNA-2 with 0.1 mM of TMZ and 0.025 mM of VP with 0.1 mM of TMZ produced synergistic effect on growth inhibition with CDI value < 1. Combination doses that produced synergistic growth inhibitory activity were used for further studies. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptosis in combination treatment group (TMZ + NA-2 and VP + TMZ) and individual drug treatment groups i.e NA-2 (0.33 mM), TMZ (0.1 mM) and VP (0.025) using doses that produced synergistic effect. Results of TUNEL assay revealed that even low doses (mentioned above) of NA-2, TMZ and VP induced apoptosis and this apoptotic effect was more pronounced in combination treatment groups (TMZ + NA-2 and VP + TMZ) as compared to control and individual drug treatment groups. To determine the possible mechanism of action involved in synergism we studied the effect of NA-2, TMZ and VP individually and in combination (TMZ + NA-2 and VP + TMZ) on the same molecular markers that we studied at IC50doses of these drugs. Expression was analyzed at both mRNA and protein level using RT-PCR and Immunocytochemistry. NA-2, TMZ and VP (non significant mRNA) up-regulated the expression of Bax at both mRNA and protein level andthe expression was more pronounced in combination treatment group TMZ + NA-2 as compared to individual treatment of NA-2 and TMZ. In case of VP + TMZ no further increase in expression was observed as compared to TMZ only. In contrast to BAX, Bcl-2 was found to be down regulated after treatment with NA-2 and VP as compared to control while TMZ had no significant effect on the expression of Bcl-2. Moreover No further significant down-regulation of Bcl-2 was observed at protein level when NA-2 and VP alone treatment groups were compared with TMZ + NA-2 and VP + TMZ respectively. Increase in Bax expression by NA-2, TMZ and VP and down-regulation of Bcl-2 by NA-2 and VP only leads to dramatic increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and shifted the equilibrium of cells towards apoptosis. Apoptosis was further confirmed by analyzing active Caspase-3 expression. NA-2, TMZ and VP treatment also increased active caspase-3 expression and the expression was highest in combination treatment groups where Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and apoptosis was also highest as compared to control and individual treatment of the drugs. Here we concluded that the synergistic growth inhibition that was observed in combination treatment group may in part be related to increase in apoptosis. The expression of HIF-1α and VEGF was alsoanalyzed in combination treatment and found similar results that were observed at IC50 doses. Both NA-2 and VP inhibited the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF while TMZ had no effect on the expression of both these marker. No further significant down-regulation was observed when NA-2 + TMZ and VP + TMZ were compared with NA-2 and VP alone treatment group respectively. In contrast to NA-2 and VP, TMZ did not have any significant effect on the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF, it is possible that increase in efficacy and growth inhibitory activity of TMZ in combination treatment group might also be related to the NA-2 and VP mediated down regulation of HIF- 1α and VEGF as both the markers have role in growth and proliferation also. Based on our observations, we conclude that NA-2, VP and TMZ can inhibit the growth of U87 glioblastoma cells by inducing apoptosis. NA-2 and VP may also inhibit proliferation by down-regulating HIF-1α and VEGF expression. Synergistic growth inhibitory activity of NA-2 and VP with TMZ may in part be related to their apoptotic and anti-proliferative activity. In short NA-2 and VP both have growthinhibitory activity alone which was further refined in combination with TMZ and they can be exploited for therapeutic purposes.