Vitamin-D deficiency represents a global health problem affecting individuals across all life stages1. Hypovitaminosis D is largely due to inadequate cutaneous production from 7-dehydrocholesterol and, to a lesser degree, from low dietary intake or impaired intestinal absorption of vitamin-D. The physiological production in the skin of this vitamin-hormone is affected by the exposure to sunligh...

extended abstract 1. introduction within the economic structure of rural areas in developing countries, agriculture is considered the main pillar of people’s livelihood and, similarly, in most development plans, agriculture is the only and the most important aspect of any village’s economy. lack of diversity in economic infrastructure and job opportunities, specifically for the growing workforc...

Multifunctional agriculture (MFA) has emerged as a key concept in science and politics with respect to the future of agriculture and rural development in the recent decade. Overall, MFA implies that in addition to their main function in production and support of rural livelihood, the agricultural activities have some other advantages for the environment including the conservation of water and s...

If we’re lucky, we get old. Physical and mental decline are negative hallmark associations of aging. Imagine being born blind and, as you approach middle age, waking up with the ability to see. In this issue of PLOS Genetics, Cornils, Maurya, and colleagues discover such a phenomenon: age-related suppression of ciliogenesis defects [1]. Cilia are microtubule-based organelles that protrude from ...

(1) Why should Pakistan integrate itself into global markets? Why can’t we rely on our own domestic market of 145 million people? (2) If we decide to integrate, this will involve opening up our economy to products from other countries and deprotect our industry. Won’t this lead to de-industrialization of Pakistan? (3) Pakistan has a weak, narrow and inefficient industrial base. How can our indu...

For a large extent of historiography, the history of Spanish agriculture during the twentieth century is a story of success. However, this narrative has been built on monetary analysis, and it does not usually take into account the effects on rural society and agroecosystems. The aim of this paper is to analyze what has happened from a biophysical perspective to ascertain whether transformation...