Abstract The highly selective, sensitive, and quick interference green synthesis-based sensing of possible milk adulterants i.e., salicylic acid has been reported here. Salicylic acid interacts with nanoparticles through strong bonding interactions, hence resulting in an interruption within the formation of selenium nanoparticles which is confirmed by UV-VIS spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction. This interaction in the synthesis of nanoparticles resulted in transmittance wavelength that decrease with the increasing amount of salicylic acid, showing strong binding of selenium nanoparticles with adulterant thereby permitting in-situ fast detection of salicylic acid from milk having a limit of detection at 10-3 mol and linear coefficient correlation of 0.9907.

Abstract Wheat is consumed as staple food by majority of population in Pakistan. This study was aimed to assess the effects of recently introduced five cultivars of wheat (Ojala 2016, Borlaug 2016, Johar 2016, Gold 2016 and Fatehjang 2016) for chapatti quality. Results for different physical, chemical, rheological and sensory parameters revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences between the cultivars studied. The flours obtained from wheat cultivars Fatehjang 2016, Borlaug 2016 and Gold 2016 demonstrated increasing tendency in protein content and dry and wet gluten. Wet gluten was significantly higher in Fatehjang 2016 (30.08%) and significantly lower (26.21%) in wheat variety named Gold 201. Fatehjang 2016 and Borlaug 2016 showed the most appealing physical properties among all cultivars. On the basis of rheological and sensory parameters, Fatehjang 2016 was found to be the most suitable variety for production of chapatti followed by Borlaug 2016.

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the quality and mineral contents of Moringa oleifera root-based tomato sauce. Results showed that roots of M. oleifera are highly enriched with essential nutrients including minerals, such as iron, sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc and vitamins specifically vitamin C. Thus, it is useful as a nutritional supplement to enhance the nutritional status of the people and communities especially the susceptible groups including children and women. The tomato sauce supplemented with moringa roots is an effective remedy of malnutrition. TSS, pH, % acidity, Vitamin C were showed highly significant differences among all the treatments and the effect of days on TSS and Vitamin C were also showed highly significant (p<0.05) differences while pH and % acidity showed significant effects and the interactive effect of treatments and days were found highly significant on Vitamin C while TSS, pH and % acidity all were found non-significant. T4 (tomato sauce supplemented with 35 g) showed improved or comparable sensory properties to those of control and mineral profile also showed increasing tendency with corresponding rise in moringa root juice.

Abstract Fruits and vegetables (F and V) are valuable for their micronutrients, but many F and V in diverse growth areas have not been scientifically validated for these components. The nutraceutical characteristics of the pulp of eight citrus fruits grown in Pakistan were, therefore, investigated. Expectedly, the fruits differed in moisture (86.9-88.9%), ash (0.37-0.53%), pH (2.9-5.8), total soluble solids (8.1-13.7 °Brix), titratable acidity (7.9-13.1%), total sugars (5.1-8.8%), reducing sugars (2.8-4.3%), and non-reducing sugars (0.3-0.5%) contents. Potassium, sodium and magnesium were the major minerals, while iron, zinc and manganese were present in minor fractions in the pulps. Phytochemical analysis (total phenolic content, 132-243 µg/g GAE; total flavonoids content, 4.2-12.1 µg/g QE; vitamin C, 36.3-62.3 mg/100 g) revealed antioxidant potential that was confirmed by a high 1, 1-diphenyl 1-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, showing a highly positive correlation (r2 > 0.921, 0.917, 0.807 p > 0.05) with the measured antioxidant components (Total Phenolics, Total Flavonoids and vitamin C). Principal component analysis shows a significant relationship between the citrus varieties and their quality parameters to guide their industrial potential as sources of nutraceuticals.

Abstract In conventional composite construction involving hot-rolled steel section, the composite action is usually achieved by using conventional headed shear studs connectors. However, use of headed studs is not practical for cold-formed steel (CFS) section due to its very thin form that is difficult to weld. A suitable bolt and nut type shear connector was proposed; experimental tests were carried out to evaluate its performance. This study also investigated the use of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) integrated with CFS by means of bolted shear connectors to develop composite action. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to investigate the performance of bolted shear connectors in SCC integrated with CFS section as composite beam system. Eighteen push-out test specimens comprising of M12, M14 and M16 sized bolted shear connector of grade 8.8 with longitudinal spacings of 150 mm, 250 mm and 300 mm centers were fabricated, cast and tested until failure. The experimental results showed that all bolted shear connectors possessed a good shear resistance capacity. Not much difference in strength capacity of specimens with M14 and M16 bolted shear connectors was found, perhaps due to CFS failure. Varying the size and longitudinal spacing of the bolted shear connectors revealed that the connectors' strength capacity changed slightly between M14 and M16 bolts specimens but, significantly for M12 bolt specimens.

In this work, plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis was achieved from leaf and internode derived callus of Wedelia calendulacea, an endangered medicinal plant. Primary callus was induced by culturing leaf disc and internode explant on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 of 2,4-D under light condition. Transfer of embryogenic callus on a reduced concentration of 2,4-D facilitated somatic embryo development while calluses remained unorganized at the same 2,4-D level. A histological analysis confirmed somatic embryo by revealing the presence of a closed vascular system in the developing embryos and lack of a vascularconnection with surrounding callus tissues. Somatic embryos germinated into plantlets upon transfer on MS medium containing 1.0 mg L-1 BAP plus 0.5 mg L-1 GA3. Plantlets were acclimatized successfully and survived under soil condition. This is the first on somatic embryogenesis of W.calendulacea. This result could facilitate genetic transformation of this important medicinal plant.

A simple and sensitive spectrophotomteric method has been developed for the determination of Sertraline in pharmaceutical and blood sample. The current method is depend upon the reaction between the sertraline and chloranilic acid in slightly alkaline medium, giving a purple colour complex having maximum absorbance at 527.5 nm. The reaction is selective for sertraline with 0.01mg/mL.The colour reaction obeys Beer's law from 0.1mg to 5mg/mL of sertraline and relative standard deviation is 0.19%. The quantitative estimation of sertraline in blood sample is also studied.