Nowadays, nutritional awareness has promoted the concept of dietary diversity among the people with shift towards diet enriched with natural therapeutics. Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is beneficial for well-being of humans with special reference to heart and brain disorders therefore, their inclusion in the diet is mandatory. The fish and flaxseed oils being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, thus hold significant nutritional profile. However, their incorporation in foods is at great challenge owing to low oxidative stability, poor solubility in water and fluctuating bioavailability. Microencapsulation is a promising way for overcoming these hurdles. In this context, spray drying is significant technique for achieving the goal. For the purpose, a suitable encapsulating material is critically important for encapsulating any food. The mandate of current investigation was microencapsulation of fish and flaxseed oil by spray drying, further evaluating the stability of resultant emulsions and microcapsules through various testing. Moreover, shielding materials gum arabic and maltodextrin were employed with varied combinations and evaluated for physicochemical parameters of resultant encapsulates. Later, these encapsulated entities were used for manufacturing of Ω-3 enriched bars. The hedonic response, storage behavior and physicochemical stability of the product was also conducted. Afterwards, the obtained data were statistically inferred to check the significance level. Initially the raw oils were evaluated through some tests for indication of their quality. The HPLC quantification of tocopherol and fatty acids predicted significantly higher quantities of tocopherol (0.61±0.34), whereas amount in fish oil was also comparable (0.52±0.01). Regarding fatty acid profile α-linolenic acid was the prominent omega-3 of flaxseed (19.0±2.2) whilst, eicosapaentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were abundant omegas of fish oil. Overall, polyunsaturated fatty acids were abundant in flaxseed oil (43.3±1.22) in comparison to fish oil (14.61±1.22). Assessment of peroxide, anisidine and TBA values of both oils exhibited less rise of peroxide in case of fish oil in comparison to flaxseed oil, wherese, anisidine and TBA values were higher in fish oil. TBA used to measure auto oxidation in oils exhibited great variation in fish oil probably due to more extent of unsaturated EPA and DHA of this oil and the value ranged from 0.96±0.15 to 5.74±0.54 mg MA/kg for fish oil during storage and with varying conditions. The values of flaxseed oil on the other hand were 0.43±0.21 to 3.54±1.43 mg MA/kg for 7-21 days of storage. Furthermore, emulsions were formulated from these oils by homogenization and wall materials employed were gum arabic and maltodextrin. The values attained for both parameters were within permissible limits suggested for safe oils by various experts. It can be indicated from results of the oxidative stability of both oils that flaxseed oil being rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids PUFAs) as evident from compositional fatty acid profiling, has more values of the oxidative stability parameters indicating its rapid oxidation of constituent (PUFAs). Fish oil also experience oxidation but the extent was somewhat lower than flaxseed oil. The oils were employed for emulsion formulation, the initial step of encapusltes production. Initially, the determination of emulsions parameters exhibited good stability with minute phase separation. Overall, emulsions prepared by gum arabic encapsulating material were best in terms of stability, viscosity and droplet size, however, combination of GA and maltodextrin (MD) revealed comparable results. Emulsion viscosity, for fish oil however was greatest (5.26±0.34 cps) for treatment (T1F) with gum arabic only as covering material, while lowest (3.72±0.31 cps) for treatment T3F with maltodextrin only. Treatment T2F with combination of both encapsulating substances exhibited value of (4.70±0.48 cps). The values were 16.758±1.75 for treatment T1FS and 13.08±0.37 for treatment T3FS of flaxseed oil with intermediate value 14.585±0.86 shown by T2FS. Obviously the gummy and sticky thick gum arabic is contributing feature for high viscosity of emulsions with this constituent. The size of emulsions as shown by fish emulsions was greatest for T1F (1.70±0.06 µm) followed by T2F (1.48±0.06 µm) and T3F 1.45±0.03 µm. Similar trend was exhibited by flax emulsions with greatest size shown by T1FS (1.74±0.13 µm) and lowest by T3FS (1.49±0.09 µm). The photographic images taken by plane polarized light microscopy showed quite stable emulsions with oil droplets dispersed well inside water. These emulsions were then spray dried for microcapsules production and resultant encapsulates were assessed by several physico-chemical tests. The encapsulation effectiveness was highest for fish oil encapsulated with gum arabic T1F (85.38±0.27%) followed by T2F (83.39±1.14%) and T3F (75.44±0.33%). Accordingly, flax oil powder with highest efficiency for T1FS (87.15±0.23) lowest in case of T3FS (78.09±0.09) was recorded. The powder flowability potential was assessed by evaluation of Carr’s index (CI) and Hausner ratio (HR) which are indication of the powder’s behavior during processing operations. The morphology of microcapsules as exhibited by scanning electron microscopy manifested relatively spherical shape of droplets with fewer dents. The particles covered by gum arabic were showing more folds due to sticky nature and great molecular weight of the covering substance than maltodextrin encapsulated. The particles encapsulated by maltodextrin were relatively of smooth walls and overall all particles were exhibiting hollow structures and processing conditions of spray dryer were contributing factors for this. Moreover, powdered nature of the particles with absence of crystals was confirmed by wider peaks of X-ray diffractogram. The peroxide value of oil extracted from powders confirmed little change in value at 45 days of storage with more variation in values of maltodextrin encapsulated powder (0.037±0.02 to 2.01±0.11 meq O2/kg of oil for fish oil whereas variation for flax oil powder was from (0.016±0.01 to 2.32±0.02 meq O2/kg of oil). The values were observed with less variability in T1F which were (0.037-1.143 meq O2/kg oil) for fish and (0.016 to 0.154 meq O2/kg of oil) for flaxseed oils. Great emulsification capacity of gum arabic as protective material was confirmed by its less value of peroxide giving a prediction that it is more efficient for protection of oxidation of encapsulated oils. Afterwards, the microcapsules with best performance in terms of efficiency and protection from oxidation were utilized for a stable product i.e. omega-3 bars preparation employing different formulations of the pre-mentioned powders which was gum arabic encapsulates for both oils. The addition of fish and flaxseed microcapsules influenced the physical attributes like color, flavor, texture, chroma and hue angle of prepared omega-3 bars significantly. The rise in concentration of microcapsules raised CIELab values except for b*, which was highest in bars enriched with fish microcapsules and lower in bars incorporated with flaxseed encapsulates, yellow color of fish oil probably contributed to this behavior which although was encapsulated but during processing imparted some color leached from the microcapsules. The L* value demonstrate lightness that was more in flaxseed oil enriched bars whereas, a* showed declining trend with increased concentration of added encapsulates in both type of encapsulated bars probably due to some grayish color imparted by encapsulating gum arabic moiety. Mean squares for hedonic response varied highly momentously with respect to treatment and storage while non-momentous impact was revealed by their interaction. During storage incline in PV was from 0.248±0.03 to 0.53±0.21. P-anisidine value on the other hand exhibited parallel trend with lowest value exhibited by B5 (3.42±0.02) with B2 (4.04±0.02) and B0 (3.31±0.02) with minor fluctuation. Again, the stability is lowest in B3 (6.18±0.01), B1 (6.09±0.02) and B4 (5.79±0.03). Storage inclined p-anisidine value from 4.73±0.01 to 5.27±0.01. All these variations regarding stability of the product were negligible confirming the preparation of a stable product. Conclusively, fish and flax oils holding plentiful nutraceutics with massive impact on health and wellbeing of people can be protected well through microencapsulation of these oils by spray drying. Furthermore, applying beneficial food grade encapsulating substances can participate to their shelf stability. The resultant microcapsules reveal better performance in terms of stability and efficiency that was significant for gum arabic encapsulated powder in both oils. The combination of gum arabic and maltodextrin imparted compatible results, therefore, gum arabic can be replaced effectively with maltodextrin. Due to powdered nature of resultant oils these can be processed, handled and kept quite easily with long shelf life. The inclusion of this powder in bakery product especially bars can be a good initiative to enhance the omega-3 intake. The formulation with 5% concentration of both powders i.e. fish and flaxseed encapsulate imparts higher stability and sensory score. For future exploration it is recommended that resultant product must be analyzed for nutrikinetic, bioavailability and efficacy trial. Moreover, it suggests an opportunity for food professionals to boost encapsulated foods in Pakistan with acceptable sensory attributes." xml:lang="en_US
میلاد النبی صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہٖ وسلم ایک باوقار ،خودمختار، ذی شعور اور زندہ و بیدار قوم کا یہ شعار ہوتا ہے کہ وہ خود کو فعال و سرگرم اور پر جوش رکھنے کے لیے قومی اہمیت کے حامل دنوں کو کبھی فراموش نہیں کرتی بلکہ انہیں ہمیشہ یاد رکھتی ہے اور جب بھی سال بعد وہ دن آتا ہے تو پورے جوش و جذبے اور ذوق وشوق کے ساتھ اسے مناتی ہے تا کہ نئی نسلیں بھی اس کی افادیت و اہمیت سے آگاہ ہوں اور ان کے اندر بھی اللہ تعالیٰ کا شکر ادا کرنے کا داعیہ پیدا ہو جس نے انہیں اور ان کے آباؤ اجدادکو اورپوری قوم کو اس نعمتِ عظمیٰ سے نوازا، حریت فکر، مقام ِبندگی اور حصولِ سعادت کے آداب سے آشنا کیا اور یہ ذوق و دیعت کیا کہ میدان میں آئیں اور اپنی آزادی و بقائ، عقائد ونظریات اور تہذیب وشعار کی حفاظت میں کوئی دقیقہ فروگذاشت نہ کریں اورکسی کوقومی وجود کی طرف دستِ تعدی دراز کرنے اور نظریاتی سرحدوں پر شب خون مارنے کی اجازت نہ دیں۔ حضور نبی کر یمصلی اللہ علیہ و آلہٖ وسلم پیر کے دن روزہ رکھا کرتے تھے جب آپ صلی اللہ علیہ و آلہٖ وسلمسے پوچھا گیا کہ آپ اس دن روزہ کیوں رکھتے ہیں تو آپصلی اللہ علیہ و آلہٖ وسلم نے فرمایا (’’اَنَاوُلِدْتَ‘‘) میں روزہ اس لیے رکھتا ہوں کہ اس میں میری ولادت ہوئی ہے۔ اُمت کے لئے اس سے بڑھ کر قومی اہمیت کا دن اور کوئی نہیں ہوسکتا۔ اس لیے اپنے نبیصلی اللہ علیہ و آلہٖ وسلم کی ولادت کے دن کو دھوم دھام سے منانا، جائز حدود کے اندر رہ کر خوشی کا اظہار کرنا، غربا و مساکین کو کچھ کھلانا، روزہ رکھنا ، عبادت کرنا، دُرودوسلام کا نذرانہ پیش کرنا، اس دن کے...
Nation-building is an evolutionary socio-political process. It not only provides security, dignity and ownership to a community, but also ensures democratic participation of people within the state to claim rights and perform duties. It enables a state to defend its sovereignty, achieve economic goals, and protect national interests at regional and global levels. Since 9/11 incident, terrorism has become a global challenge. To counter this menace Pakistan also aligned and provided land routes to foreign forces to get access to a landlocked Afghanistan. Across the Pak-Afghan border, through the tribal belt known as FATA, terrorism has spilled over Pakistan. The exclusive status of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), in the past seventy years of Pakistan’s history, had deprived fundamental rights to the people of FATA. These tribal areas were governed by a separate law known as Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) made by the British in 1901. This law has proved as the main obstacle in bringing FATA in to the mainstream of Pakistan. After examining the historical and geographical aspects of FATA, the article shows how FATA remained outside the nation-building process in Pakistan. In this connection it seeks to see the position of FATA in the constitutions of Pakistan, including state initiatives to own this western belt and obstacles faced in merging FATA with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). It narrates the events that led to the merger of FATA with the KPK and high lights future challenges as well. It recommends that FATA’s merger would help establish a strong line of defence against terrorism. ______
The study, presented in the thesis, is an effort to explore genetic basis of disorders of ectodermal appendages in different ethnic populations living across Pakistan. Hereditary hypotrichosis and ectodermal dysplasias are large, complex and heterogeneous groups of heritable conditions characterized by congenital abnormalities of ectodermal appendages. They can broadly be characterized into two groups depending upon the absence (isolated) or presence (syndromic) of associated defects in other organ/organ systems. Discovery of genes responsible for these disorders is the key source of insight into the molecular mechanisms of development and differentiation of ectodermal appendages. Focus of the present study was to identify and characterize genes causing hereditary disorders of ectodermal appendages in fifteen families (A-O) of Pakistani origin. Eleven of these families (A-K) were segregating various types of hair loss disorders and four families (L-O) ectodermal dysplasias. Combination of various techniques including microsatellite and SNP genotyping, Sanger sequencing and exome sequence analysis assisted in establishing linkage and identifying disease causing variants in the families. Four families (A, B, C, D) with non-syndromic hair loss failed to show linkage to the known genes. Subsequently, three of them were subjected to whole-genome SNP genotyping. Human genome scan mapped a novel disease locus of 10.85 Mb on chromosome 2q31.1–q32.2 in family A. Sequencing of the three selected putative candidate genes (ITGA6, PRKRA, ATF2), mapped in the linkage interval, did not reveal any functional variant in the family. Family B showed linkage to chromosome 6p25.1–p23, and subsequently a novel variant (c.1493C>T; p.Pro498Leu) in the DSP gene was identified upon sequencing. Whole-genome SNP genotyping coupled with whole exome sequencing identified two compound heterozygous deletions, a novel (c.278_278delA; p.Lys93Argfs*9) and a previously reported (c.659_660delTA; p.Ile220Argfs*25), in the LIPH gene in family D. Genetic Mapping and Mutation Analysis of Genes Causing Disorders of Human Ectodermal Appendages xixAbstract Six families (E, F, G, H, I, J) with non-syndromic hair loss showed linkage to previously reported genes (LIPH, LPAR6, HR) involved in causing hypotrichosis. Linkage in four of these families (E, F, G, H) was established to the LIPH gene on chromosome 3q26.33–q27.3. Sequence analysis of the LIPH revealed a previously described deletion (c.659-660delTA; p.Ile220Argfs*25) in three families (F, G, H). However, sequence analysis failed to detect variant in the LIPH gene in family E. Haplotype analysis showed linkage of the family I to the LPAR6 gene on chromosome 13q14.11–q21.32. Sequence analysis of the gene revealed a previously described variant (c.562A>T; p.Ile188Phe) in the family. In the family J, linkage was established to the HR gene on chromosome 8p21.3. Sequencing of the gene revealed a previously reported variant (c.2070C>A; p.Cys690*). In the family K, segregating novel features associated with hair loss, exome sequence analysis led to the identification of a novel rare variant (c.898G>A; p.Glu300Lys) in ITGB6 gene that co-segregated with the phenotype in the family. Four families (L-O) showed features of different forms of ectodermal dysplasias. The family L showed features of pure hair and nail ectodermal dysplasia (PHNED). Haplotype analysis mapped the family to the previously reported locus on chromosome 12p13.11–q21.1. Three genes (KRT85, HOXC13, KRT74), known to cause PHNED lie in this region, were screened but found to be negative for any potential sequence variant. Haplotype analysis established linkage to the previously proposed locus on chromosome 4q32.3–q34.3 in family M segregating isolated form of congenital nail clubbing (ICNC). HPGD, a cause of ICNC, lies in this region, was sequenced but found to be negative for any potential variant. Genome-wide homozygosity mapping complimented with whole exome sequencing identified a previously reported variant (c.5314C>T; p.Arg1772Trp) in COL7A1 segregating autosomal recessive form of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) in the family N. In family O, segregating variegate porphyria (VP), exome sequence analysis led to the identification of a previously described sequence variant (c.502C>T; p.Arg168Cys) in the PPOX gene that co-segregated with the disease.