Background. Vibration Therapy (VT) has been attributed to the reflex activation of alpha motor neurons resulting in improved neuromuscular performance (NP). Objective. Changes in muscular performance after VT was evaluated based on MVC grip strength, grip endurance time at 50% MVC and EMG activities of forearm muscles, viz., flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS); flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU); extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB); and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) in supine posture. Methods. Eight VT protocols (based on the different combinations of vibration frequency (35 and 45 Hz), amplitude (3 g ± 0.5 g and 9 g ± 0.5 g) and exposure duration (30 and 60 seconds)) were given to the participants for 4 days. Participants were from two groups (56/group): persons with a sedentary lifestyle (SL) and a group of construction workers (CW). Results. VT protocols had a significant effect on MVC grip strength (p < 0.001), grip endurance time (p < 0.05), % normalized EMG rms (p < 0.05) and neuromuscular efficiency (NME) (p < 0.001) in all muscles for both groups. VT protocol E (45 Hz, 3 ± 0.5 g, 30 s) had more positive effects on MVC grip strength for CW and less positive for SL. However, VT protocol B (35 Hz, 3 ± 0.5 g, 60 s) had more positive effects on CW grip endurance time. In addition, the highest increase in NME was found in FDS muscle for VT protocol H (45 Hz, 9 ± 0.5 g, 60 s) (212.8%) in CW and 78.55% in SL. Conclusions. VT protocols B, E, and H may be applied to workers involved in the construction industry. These interventions may improve NME, MVC grip strength, and grip endurance time. Findings may be used to form a clinical VT protocol for patients with weak muscle performances.

Academic stress is the most common emotional or mental state that students experience during their studies. Stress is a result of a wide range of issues, including test and exam burden, a demanding course, a different educational system, and thinking about future plans upon graduation. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between academic stress, psychological distress, coping and self-efficacy among undergraduate university students during COVID 19. The sample of the research was 302 undergraduate students (males=95 and females=207) with the age ranges 18 years to 25 years (M=1.41, SD=0.46), from the city of Karachi. Purposive Convenient sampling technique was used. All the participants were provided with the link of Google forms which comprised of the following measures: consent form, demographic form, Perception of Academic Stress Scale (Bedewy & Gabriel, 2015), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (Kessler & Mroczek, 1992) , coping scale (Hamby, Grych, & Banyard, 2015) and General self-efficacy scale (Schwarzer & Jerusalem, 1995) were used. For the statistical analysis SPSS version 22 was used. The analysis revealed that there is a significant predictive relationship of Academic Stress with Psychological Distress (R 2 = .039, F = 12.18, P<.05), whereas significant negative relationship of academic stress with coping and self-efficacy is found (p<0.01). Moreover, significant positive relationship is found between psychological distress and coping and significant negative relationship is found between psychological distress and selfefficacy (p<0.01). Also, significant gender difference is found in the scores of academic stress and psychological distress (p<0.05). This study will help researchers, faculty and psychologist to increase their awareness of sources of academic stress among students, their coping and level of psychological distress and to develop an intervention plan to reduce academic stress and psychological distress among students.

This study aims to investigate phytochemical constituents of Pulicaria laciniata extracts and determine their antioxidant activity using three methods; Phosphomolybdate, Reducing Power, and Metal Chelating. The phytochemical investigation showed various secondary metabolites such as Phenols, Glycosides, Flavonoids, Alkaloids, Tannins, and Terpenoids. The N-butanol extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity comparing with the other extract in all methods (0.51 and 0.65 mg/ml as A0.5 values of Phosphomolybdate, reducing power) and (1.65mg/ml for IC50 value of metal-chelating). In contrast, all the extracts showed week activity against the metal-chelating method.

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Phytochemical compounds are known to be components of many plants and herbs; they have received great interest from the public and scientists due to their health benefits as antioxidants. The aim of the present study was to reveal the bioactive compounds and evaluation of antioxidant activity of the dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and residual water extracts of Atractylis aristata. The bioactive compounds analysis was investigated using HPLC-UV analysis obtained at 254nm and optimized with 16 standards, ABTS and DPPH methods were used for estimating the antioxidant capacity. Thirteen bioactive compounds were identified in the extracts by comparing the retention time. Major compounds detected in the extracts were Acetylsalicylic acid, Ascorbic acid, Gallic acid, Quercetin and Vanillin. All extracts give an antioxidant capacity varied with polarity of solvents. The residual water extract demonstrated a significant amount of total phenolics, flavonoids and condensed tannins (3.544±0.738mg of GAE/g DW, 3.104±0.6760mg of QE/g DW and 2.692±0.561mg of CE/g DW, respectively). In two methods tested to evaluate the antioxidant activity, ethyl acetate extract displayed the highest antioxidant capacity (IC50 value: 0.097±0.003mg/ml in DPPH assay and IC50 value: 0.077±0.003mg/ml in ABTS assay).