ABO blood group system

By Fatima FarooqTHE CLASSIFICATION of human blood is based on the inherited properties of red blood cells (erythrocytes) as determined by the presence or absence of the antigens A and B, which are carried on the surface of the red cells. Persons may thus have type A, type B, type O, or type AB blood. The A, B, and O blood groups were first identified by Austrian immunologist Karl Landsteiner in 1901.ABO is the most important blood group system in human blood transfusion. It is a series of

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Are we on the verge of smarter computer?

THE AMOUNT of digital data around the world is doubling every two years, thanks in large part to innovative new ways to create and share information. Mobile devices, social networking, and the internet will contribute to a data glut of historic proportions by 2020, which according to market researcher IDC, will be 50 times greater than current levels.The question is, are we ready for all that data? Better yet, are our systems equipped with the innovative technology to manage it?What’s needed

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Tech Foresight for sustainable S and T, innovations

IN A recently held SAARC Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Planning Cooperation, NUST Rector, Lt. G. Engineer M. Asghar emphasized about the importance of S and T saying that agrarian economy is of less importance. The workshop also educated the youth and experts about focusing advanced technologies and modern practices in agriculture which are still said to be hazardous for health and economy due to the concept of corporate economy and chemicals used.The workshop

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IRENA Scholarship Programme at Masdar Institute of Sci. and Tech, Abu Dhabi

Study Subject(s):Subjects taught at University Course Level: MastersScholarship Provider: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)Scholarship can be taken at: United Arab Emirates Eligibility: Relevant undergraduate degree from a college, university or technical college of acceptable standing in the field of science, engineering or information technology. Minimum CGPA required: 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Competence in spoken and written English. Minimum TOEFL score: 91 (IBT) on the

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Pak vehicles emit 25 times more carbon than in US

STAFF REPORT IBD: The total 180 million population of Pakistan are at risk of going short of food due to the recent surge in the world food prices. Tens of thousands of people die prematurely every year as a result of air pollution, while many more suffer from breathing ailments, heart disease, lung infections and even cancer, statistics show.According to reports, air pollution has also become a major problem in most cities of the country. There are no controls on vehicular emissions, which

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Survival of cotton in Pakistan

By Muhammad Ibrahim Khan via AgriHuntTHE EXPORT quantum depends on cotton production, domestic consumption and exportable surplus during the year. This year, the government should ban purchase of cotton by CEC and cotton exporters totally because the production will only meet the requirements of the textile spinning industry. CEC should play its role in stabilising the cotton prices and safeguard the interests of growers, ginners, textile spinners and other consumers of cotton.Pakistan’s

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Wrong perception halting progress of solar panels

STAFF REPORT IBD: Wrong perception about the unreliability of technology is halting the progress of solar panels in Pakistan that needs to be removed in order to promote the solar energy option."The general public are led to believe that the technology runs the risk of developing faults," said Shaaf Mehboob, Director of Green Center, told this scribe.He said that the likelihood of their batteries running down earlier than expected and the effects of moisture, dirt and rain on solar

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Programmable logic controllers or industrial controllers

THIS ARTICLE provides you an interesting knowledge about an industrial control. I have searched its history and is giving you a little idea about this industrial control. In this era everything is computerized almost every industrial equipment is software based. Software consists of huge and more complex programming for a common man. To overcome the complexity technology gave us PLC (programable logic control). What is PLC?Every aspect of industry – from power generation to automobile painting

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Agriculture NPLs surge by 11pc

STAFF REPORT IBD: Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) of agricultural financing posted a surge of 11 per cent to Rs 32 billion as on December 31, 2011, reportedly, due to post-flood effects and high cost of production."Despite healthy growth in the agricultural sector followed by bumper crop of cotton and sugarcane, NPLs of agricultural sector are on rise," sources told this scribe.According to State Bank of Pakistan’s statistics, NPLs of agricultural financing have registered a pronominal

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Telecom operations pull out FDI from Pakistan

STAFF REPORT IBD: The telecom sector witnessed an outflow of $253.3 million Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in eight months of the current financial year 2011-12 as a result of closure and curtailment of their businesses and operations in Pakistan."The de-investment in the telecom sector, one of the leading contributors of FDI in Pakistan, was recorded 364 per cent in Jul-Feb compared with FDI landing $96 million in the corresponding period of the previous financial year," State Bank

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PSST confers awards on KUST doctors

STAFF REPORT PSH:The Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) has conferred awards on the faculty members of the Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) for their outstanding research work.The awards were given to Dr Murad Ali Khan, Dr Izhar-ul-Haq, Dr Ijaz Ahmad, Dr Iqbal Hussain, Dr Javid Hussain, Dr Sagheer Ahmad and Dr Arifullah Khan.In his remarks on the occasion, Prof Nasir Jamal Khattak, Vice Chancellor of KUST, said, "We are in competition with none but with

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Govt may opt for wheat export this year

STAFF REPORT IBD: The government estimates wheat production amounting to 24.02 million tons this year fairly sufficing to the country’s annual requirement of less than 24 million tons, an official told this scribe.However, he informed that there is no risk of shortage of the commodity in the country as the sufficient stock of carry forward is available collectively with the provincial and federal governments.Federal Secretary Shafaqt Hussain Naghmi said in this regards, this year the entire

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Conference highlights vitality of alternate energy resources

STAFF REPORT LHR: The alternate energy sources in Pakistan need to be utilized in order to meet the demand of the country. Pakistan is amongst the countries that divert the maximum amount of water for irrigation but has the minimum water productivity and researchers need to make their contribution in optimal use of water resources.This was the crux of the speeches delivered at a two-day international conference organized by the Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering, UET, Lahore, in

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Zinc biofortification of wheat combats low crop productivity

STAFF REPORT FBD: For enhancing awareness about the important of Zinc, a National Zinc Day has recently organized by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission at Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad. The event was sponsored by Harvest Zinc Fertilizer Project, being executed by NIAB since 2008. More than 250 farmers, agronomists, medical doctors, food technologists; fertilizer, food and feed industry personnel, agriculture extension experts, and postgraduate students from all

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CLCV still haunting bumper cotton crop

STAFF REPORT IBD: Despite having bumper cotton crop this year, the Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) still haunting the crop as it destroyed about three to four million cotton bales, official sources have disclosed.They also said that this year, the export of cotton has increased by 1.06 million bales. However, the cotton production could be further enhanced, if the CLCV is controlled.It is expected that CLCV would be controlled through this project, which would help increase cotton production in

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PARC remains headless for 20 months

STAFF REPORT IBD: The Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has been headless since August 2010 and is functioning on ad hoc basis, thus badly affecting the performance of the research body."The headhunt for PARC chairman is going on and twice some senior scientists were shortlisted and summaries were sent for the Prime Minister’s approval, but there was no progress," an official of the Council told this scribe.The PARC was established 30 years back with a mandate to undertake

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Miscalculation about cotton yield needs to be removed

STAFF REPORT IBD: Pakistan cotton production was around 15 million bales during the last season despite floods. This is indeed good news. It also proved that since Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) was less compared to previous years, therefore, cotton crop losses have been less.It is to be mentioned here that in 1992-93 season, Pakistan had achieved a bumper crop that became a benchmark."If we produced 15 million bales this season still it does not mean that we have broken the 1992-93 record,&

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