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The global cryosphere is experiencing accelerated melting due to climate change. Currently, the Karakoram anomaly is under discussion with a debate about the possibility that the anomaly may have recently ended. This study aims to evaluate the up-to-date changes in snow cover in the western Karakoram region. We observed the snow cover changes in Passu and Ghulkin valleys in the Hunza River basin (HRB) of the Karakoram through multi-temporal Landsat satellite data between 1995 and 2022. We found a significant reduction in snow cover in these valleys, with an average reduction rate of 0.42 km2/yr, resulting in a total reduction of ∼11.46 km2 between 1995 and 2022. This reduction in snow cover is consistent with the mass loss of glaciers in the Karakoram region in recent years. The decline in snow cover in these valleys is also consistent with the meteorological data. The temperature in summer (June) has significantly increased whereas the precipitation in the accumulation season (March) has decreased. These rapid changes suggest that it is crucially important to monitor the snow cover on a regular basis to support downstream management of snowmelt runoff. In addition, there is a need of planning for mitigation and adaptation strategies for snow-related hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Health Organization guidelines prioritize the detection of coliform bacteria as indicators of water contamination. However, non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria, which pose a potential contamination risk, are not included in these guidelines. This study aimed to isolate and identify these bacteria in public hospital water supply systems in Sulaymaniyah city and evaluate their susceptibility to antibiotics. Water samples were collected from four hospitals, and non-fermentative gram-negative colonies were isolated using two media: MacConkey and Chromogenic Coliform agar (CCA). The identification of these colonies was performed using the automated system VITEK 2. The bacterial isolates' sensitivity to 10 antibiotics was determined using a Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Test. Five species of non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria were identified, including Moraxella lacunata, Achromobacter denitrificans, Brevundimonas diminuta, Acinetobacter lwoffii, and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Notably, Moraxella lacunata was found in all hospitals and was resistant to six of the antibiotics. The other four species exhibited a distribution pattern across the different hospitals and showed varying degrees of sensitivity to the ten used antibiotics. Significantly, the successful implementation of CCA media, typically utilized for the isolation and identification of E. coli and coliform bacteria, proved advantageous in isolating Non-Fermenting Gram-Negative Bacteria during this study. This study emphasizes the risk of non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria in hospital water systems for vulnerable patients. Current WHO guidelines do not prioritize monitoring these bacteria. Regular monitoring and proper management are crucial to prevent infections from these waterborne pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cryosphere in high mountain Asia (HMA) not only sustains the livelihoods of people residing downstream through its capacity to store water but also holds the potential for hazards. One of these hazards, avalanches, so far remains inadequately studied, as the complex relationship between climate and potential triggers is poorly understood due to lack of long-term observations, inaccessibility, severe weather conditions, and financial and logistical constraints. In this study, the available literature was reviewed covering the period from the late 20th century to June 2022 to identify research and societal gaps and propose future directions of research and mitigation strategies. Beyond scientific literature, technical reports, newspapers, social media and other local sources were consulted to compile a comprehensive, open-access and version-controlled database of avalanche events and their associated impacts. Over 681 avalanches with more than 3131 human fatalities were identified in eight countries of the region. Afghanistan has the highest recorded avalanche fatalities (1057), followed by India (952) and Nepal (508). Additionally, 564 people lost their lives while climbing peaks above 4500 m a.s.l., one-third of which were staff employed as guides or porters. This makes it a less deadly hazard than in the less populated European Alps, for example, but with a considerably larger number of people affected who did not voluntarily expose themselves to avalanche risk. Although fatalities are significant, and local long-term impacts of avalanches may be considerable, so far, limited holistic adaptation or mitigation measures exist in the region. These measures generally rely on local and indigenous knowledge adapted to modern technologies. Considering the high impact avalanches have in the region, we suggest to further develop adaptation measures including hazard zonation maps based on datasets of historic events and modelling efforts. This should, however, happen acknowledging the already existing knowledge in the region and in close coordination with communities, local government and civil society stakeholders. More research studies should also be attempted to understand the trends and drivers of avalanches in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cryosphere in high mountain Asia (HMA) not only sustains livelihoods of people residing downstream through its capacity to store water but also holds potential for hazards. One of these hazards, avalanches, so far remains poorly studied as the complex relationship between climate and potential triggers is poorly understood due to lack of long-term observations, inaccessibility, severe weather conditions, and financial and logistic constraints. In this study, available literature was reviewed covering the period from the late 20th century to June 2022 to identify research and societal gaps and propose future directions of research and mitigation strategies. Beyond scientific literature, technical reports, newspapers, social media and other local sources were consulted to compile a comprehensive, open access and version controlled database of avalanche events and their associated impacts. Over 681 avalanches with more than 3131 human fatalities were identified in eight countries of the region. Afghanistan has the highest recorded avalanche fatalities (1057) followed by India (952) and Nepal (508). Additionally, 564 people lost their lives while climbing peaks above 4500 m a.s.l., one third of which were staff employed as guides or porters. This makes it a less deadly hazard than in the less populated European Alps for example, but with a considerably larger number of people affected who did not voluntarily expose themselves to avalanche risk. Although fatalities are significant, and local long-term impacts of avalanches may be considerable, so far, limited holistic adaptation or mitigation measures exist in the region. These measures generally rely on local and indigenous knowledge adapted with modern technologies. Considering the high impact avalanches have in the region we suggest to further develop adaptation measures including hazard zonation maps based on datasets of historic events and modelling efforts. This should however happen acknowledging the already existing knowledge in the region and in close coordination with communities and local government and civil society stakeholders. More research studies should also be attempted to understand trends and drivers of avalanches in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the contamination level and risk associated with toxic trace elements in springs’ water from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Toxic trace elements, including Hg, As, and Zn, were analyzed by metalyzer, HM 2000 serial no. MY-011-006, while elements such as Cr, Al, B, Ni, Cu, Mn, and Fe were analyzed using Metalometer HM 2000 serial no. MM005-007, the United Kingdom. The mean concentrations of TTEs in water samples from Skardu were ordered as, Mn < Cu < Fe < Zn < Al < Cr < As < Ni < Hg, in Gilgit, Mn < Cu < Zn < Ni < B < Cr < Fe < As < Hg, in Ghizer Cu < Mn < Zn < Ni < Cr < Fe < As < Hg, while in Nagar the concentration of TTEs in water samples were ordered as Cu < Mn < Fe < Ni < Al < Cr < Zn < As < Hg. Results obtained from this study showed that the concentrations of As, Hg, Ni, Cr, Al, and Mn in some water samples were higher than the limits recommended by WHO and Pak-NDWQS. However, the chronic daily intake indices (CDIs) and health risk index (HRI) in all samples were found below the US-EPA standards. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association among different elements, which revealed that the sources of TTES in water samples were mainly geological strata and anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aims to provide epidemiological features of the COVID-19 patients that admitted to Shahid Dr Hemin Teaching Hospital in Sulaimani city, Iraq. To carry out this work, cross-sectional method was used. A convenience sampling method was applied for data collection which started from 2nd October to 31th December 2020. The current study included only 371 patients who admitted for having COVID-19. The data were collected from patient’s medical record and a direct interview method was used for filling in the questionnaire forms. The collected data were statistically analysed by SPSS program with considering a p-value ≤ 0.05 as a significant interpretation. The findings show that the age of patients ranged from 19-95 years old and mean age of the participants was (63.69±12.73). The majority of patients 159 (42.9%) were between 65-79 years old and followed by 124 (33.4%) of them were between 50-64 years old. Male to female ratio was 2:1. Most of the patients were retired 119 (32.1%) in comparison to other occupations and illiterate patients 151(40.7%) were dominance over other patient’s education levels. In addition, majority of patients had hypertension 278(74.9%), diabetes 132 (35.6%) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) 130 (35.0%). On the other hand, regarding to condition of patients 230 (62.0%) and 141(38.0%) of them were in severe and moderate stage of disease respectively. Also, a. significant association were observed between the age group, occupation, education level, stage of the disease and patients’ outcome, while for gender, marital status and residency there were statistically non-significant. The presence of CVD, hypertension and diabetes increase the mortality rate among the patients. In conclusion, the age of COVID-19 patients has a great impact on increasing mortality rate and the presence of comorbidities among the COVID- 19patients significantly raise the mortality rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on detailed multidisciplinary field investigations with the use of the Alpine River and Stream Ecosystems (ARISE) Classification to assess spatial and temporal patterns of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in relation to altitudinal and channel stability gradients. We expected the field validation through the use of an innovative ARISE classification approach of alpine aquatic ecosystems by collecting physicochemical variables and benthic macroinvertebrate community data from various stream locations of Khunjerab National Park (Pakistan). The significant differences in physicochemical habitat structure and altitudinal changes of benthic macroinvertebrate communities (i.e., richness, abundance, and diversity) were observed among the ARISE classification categories. For instance, the early spring categories had high Shannon-Wiener index (1.377) than summer (1.267), while summer season categories had high turbidity (>5NTU). Early spring mercury nival (0.00083 mg/L) and aluminum nivo-kernal (0.25 mg/L) were also found above permissible levels according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The multivariate statistical techniques showed a strong correlation among physicochemical and biological parameters of stream classification categories suggesting the increased applicability of the use of the ARISE classification approach. This study is expected to contribute to the advancement in the method of the stream monitoring program and improve conservation and management of the alpine benthic macroinvertebrate diversity further in Pakistan, the Asian Himalayas, and beyond. The ARISE categories of alpine streams were evaluated using physicochemical and biological indicators in Khunjerab National Park, Pakistan. The distinctive ARISE classification reflects community composition and structure (density, diversity, evenness, and richness) and additionally biotic and diversity indices. Baseline information is presented to understand the current features for the conservation and management of alpine lotic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry is a system of land utilization that describes trees with different crops fused in a single area for farmers' net income. One or more agroforestry practices in one particular area usually have biological, environmental and economical interaction between the compounds. Whilst the main aim of the AFS is not only economic benefits but also modern studies show that AFS could be used as a prime source carbon pool. Up to 12-228-ton ha-1, with an average of 95 ton ha-1, can be stored via the AFS. Trees with crops can raise the carbon stocks to several folds compared to monocrop systems. In order to meet the CO2 assimilation targets anticipated at Kyoto while simultaneously maintaining sustainable farm production and preventing further deforestation, integration of agricultural practices and systems in C Sequestration and C trade projects can be highly useful. Pakistan is a low middle income with an average annual rate of growth of 216.6 million people. Agroforestry has a very important role and is a key part of Pakistan's daily life, particularly rural people. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa agroforestry is practiced in various models and shapes from the protection of naturally growing trees to the artificial cultivation of trees on agricultural lands. Agroforestry is an important timber and fuelwood source, with 70 percent of the urban and 97 percent of the rural domestic fuel wood being the main energy source in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for centuries. Two different agroforestry systems i.e. Agri-silviculture system and Agri-horti-silviculturesystem were selected at District Charsadda Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Moisture content was calculated by oven dry method. pH and EC was obtained from mettler Toledo meter. Organic matter was obtained by loss on ignition method in laboratory. To calculate soil organic carbon it was assumed that total organic matter contains 58% organic carbon contents or a relation i.e. organic carbon =SOM% multiply by 0.58. Statistical Analysis were conducted using. The jamovi project (2021) Version 1.6. The mean value of SOC for AHS system is 1.76% while that of AS system is 0.916%. The means of two systems are different from each other, the mean SOM value for AHS system was found to be 3.03% and for AS system it is 1.55%. Our results show that soil organic carbon had an inverse relationship with soil pH. High density of carbon in agricultural Lands including agroforestry is related to the high tree diversity that increases plant production hence increased biomass. Litter fall also contributes to C stock accumulation in Soil. It is the most important known pathway Connecting vegetation and soil and is a good indicator of aboveground productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pediculosis is a common parasitic public health issue. Many socio-demographic and economic factors affect the pattern and prevalence of pediculosis. It is widely spread among pupils, particularly those in elementary schools. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Pediculus capitis infestation and its related risk factors in primary school children in Sulaimani Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, overall, 2064 primary school children (aged 5–14 years) during the period from October 2019 to February 2020 were randomly examined for the presence of any stage of Pediculosis capitis in both urban and suburban areas. The schools were selected by multistage sampling methods. A questionnaire was sent to the parents to get consent and fill in for every single pupil. The results were computed using the chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of head lice infestation was (9.16%). The study found a significant association of Pediculosis capitis infestation with gender, parents’ education level, mother’s employment, number of siblings, and previous infestation. The older age of children (≥12 years old) and the higher-grade pupils (4th to 6th class) were more infested. Conclusion: Head lice remain a health problem for school children. It needs collaboration of many sectors for decreasing and early detection and treatment in both urban and suburban areas since they have a close rate of infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic (As) is a global public health and environmental problem because of its non-degradable and toxic nature. This study was carried out to assess the As contamination and potential health risk through water intake in rural and urban areas. Water samples were collected from urban and rural areas of Kahror Pacca, Punjab, Pakistan, and then, analyzed for As concentration. The concentrations of As in water samples were 1.62 − 35.28 and 3.23 − 45.62 μg/L for the rural and urban areas, respectively. The spatial distribution of As-rich shallow groundwater specifies their direct contamination through anthropogenic influence and agricultural practices. The chronic risk exposure was evaluated based on the determined As through hazard quotient, average daily dose, and cancer risk. Results disclosed that hazard quotient values were > 1 in studied drinking water samples. The cancer risk due to As consumption surpassed the threshold limits defined by the United States environmental protection agency (1.0E-04 to 1.0E06). Statistical analyses, including principal component analyses and Pearson correlation, suggested that As contamination in drinking water was imputed to both geogenic and anthropogenic reasons. It is revealed that intake of As contaminated water might result in various cancer problems to the community in the future. Arsenic concentration surpassed WHO drinking water guidelines Arsenic has hazard quotient values > 1 through electric pump water consumption Statistical analysis revealed geogenic and anthropogenic activities contributed to water contamination [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations of microbial communities over arsenic-polluted soils in an alpine stream are vital to collect pieces of evidence for their in situ-mediated bioremediation. It is the first time that microbial community activities are described in arsenic-polluted soils due to natural and anthropogenic sources along the alpine stream. Greater than 40 phyla from domain bacteria the 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing amplicons are exposed. In overall samples, Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) states that the most dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Our result described that canonical correspondence analysis was used to elaborate more geochemical factors including arsenic, sulfate, total organic carbon, redox potential, and pH influence on the distribution of microbial groups in studies soil samples. Furthermore, Spearman's rank correlation demonstrates a positive correlation between several specific taxonomic groups, refers to the phylotypes' possible role in arsenic biogeochemical cycling. The present research could link the knowledge gap and facilitate our understanding for the bioremediation of arsenic at contaminated sites. We described the microbial communities in arsenic-contaminated soils. CCA revealed that chemical parameters organized microbial communities. The effects of geochemical conditions on microbial community composition were examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a new type of coronavirus causing a pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-2). Coronaviruses are very diverting genetically and mutate so often periodically. The natural selection of viral mutations may cause host infection selectivity and infectivity. Methods: This study was aimed to indicate the diversity between human and animal coronaviruses through finding the rate of mutation in each of the spike, nucleocapsid, envelope, and membrane proteins. Results: The mutation rate is abundant in all 4 structural proteins. The most number of statistically significant amino acid mutations were found in spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) which may be because it is responsible for a corresponding receptor binding in a broad range of hosts and host selectivity to infect. Among 17 previously known amino acids which are important for binding of spike to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, all of them are conservative among human coronaviruses, but only 3 of them significantly are mutated in animal coronaviruses. A single amino acid aspartate-454, that causes dissociation of the RBD of the spike and ACE2, and F486 which gives the strength of binding with ACE2 remain intact in all coronaviruses. Discussion/Conclusion: Observations of this study provided evidence of the genetic diversity and rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 as well as other human and animal coronaviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth stimulating bacteria are very effective in immobilization of metals and reducing their translocation in plants through precipitation, and adsorption. A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of chitosan- and hematite-modified biochar and bacterial inoculations on the immobilization of nickel (Ni) in polluted soil under wheat cultivation. Application of modified biochars and inoculation with Pseudomonas putida significantly increased both wheat root and shoot dry matter yields but decreased Ni phytoextraction efficiency. The Ni concentration, translocation factor and uptake in wheat shoot and root significantly decreased the application of either modified or unmodified biochars. Bacterial inoculation significantly decreased mean translocation factor and also root and shoot concentration and the uptake Ni in the shoot. Chitosan-modified biochar was the most influential treatment in decreasing Ni uptake by wheat followed by P. putida inoculation treatment. The results demonstrated positive effects of chitosan modified biochar and inoculation with P. putida in increasing dry matter yield and decreasing Ni uptake in wheat grown on Ni-contaminated soil. According to the results of present study, modified biochars application and bacterial inoculation are influential treatments which prevent Ni toxicity probably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current investigation, a number of chromatographic methods with the accurate, precise and specific criteria have been developed and validated for diclofenac sodium and lidocaine hydrochloride Commitment of their large quantities ampule of pharmaceutical dosage form. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system was performed at 25 ° C; with appropriate chromatographic isolation accomplished through the use of Waters Symmetry SB-C7 column with a mobile phase containing 0.1 M sodium acetate and methanol (40:60) (v/v). During development the portable stage was delivered at a stream rate of 1 mL/min, the wavelength was adjusted at 254 nm. First of all, the retention times for diclofenac sodium and lidocaine HCl were about 4.1 and 10.8 min accordingly. A performance and technical demonstration of the suggested Revers phase-HPLC method has been numerically challenged with support to process appropriateness, verticality, scales, simplicity, repeatability, sensitivity, stability, discovery and limits of quantification. In addition, the calibration curves for diclofenac sodium active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) with linear regressions > 0,999895 obtained linear in the distances 1870-5600 μg / mL. Moreover, for determining of lidocaine HCl drug, a range of 500 - 1500 μg/mL of working standard was used, the result showed for lidocain HCl that a linear curve with correlation coefficients of > 0.99980. Finally, the both drugs were isolated and resolute with selective and stable characteristics by the proposed technique. In the conclusion, successful validation of the HPLC approach has been demonstrated with high precision and accuracy for the assessment of both the mixed dosage form type of both diclofenac sodium and lidocaine HCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thallium (Tl) is a typical toxic element, whose biological effects and geochemical behavior are closely related with its chemical speciation in the environment. In this context, the objective of the present study was to develope an effective method for separation of Tl (I) and Tl (III) based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) using anion exchange resin AG1-X8 as a sorbent and ICP-MS measurement. In this proposed method, Tl (I) and Tl (III) could be separated by selective adsorption of Tl (III)-DTPA in the resin, while Tl (III) was eluted by the solution mixed with HCl and SO2. The validity of this method was confirmed by assays of standard solutions of Tl (I) and Tl (III), as well as with spike of contaminated samples. The present study results revealed that higher concentration of Tl (I) (245.48 μg/l) and Tl (III) (20.92 μg/l) had been found near the acid mine drainage (AMD) sample of sediment pore water. The results revealed that Tl (I) of 61.47 μg/l and Tl (III) of 9.73 μg/l were present in the river water contaminated by acid mine drainage. This thallium speciation analysis implied that the dominant Tl (I) species in the river water studied might be due to the weathering of sulfide mineral–bearing rocks, mining, and smelting activities in the studied area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 9 months of age with chronic nonbloody, mucus-like diarrhea, severe malnutrition and Failure to thrive (FTT). It discusses that initially diagnosed with cow milk protein intolerance and gastroesophageal reflux, with no resolution of symptoms following ranitidine and trials of both soy-based and elemental formulas. It also mentions central and peripheral hypotonia with head lag and gross motor delay including inability to sit unsupported.

Antibiotic resistance phenomena among pathogenic bacteria considered as a major health problem and associated with increased mortality or long-term hospitalization, which lead to open a new era by using plant and herbal extracts as an alternative source of various chemotherapeutic drugs, also to increase antibiotic efficiency by combining with plant extract for obtaining a powerful and broad spectrum action. The current investigation aims to investigate antibacterial actions of fixed oils of (Olea europaea L., Ricinus communis L. and Linum usitatissimum) and volatile oil of (Nigella sativa, Curcuma longa L and Zingiber officinale) against both Staphylococcus aureus strain (6734151) and Escherichia coli strain (5344572). This study conducted on antibacterial effect of six different extracted oils from medical herbs. The findings revealed that the oil extracts have different antibacterial activities with efficacy. Bacterial inhibition zone was detected by using disk diffusion method. Furthermore, volatile oil of N. sativa showed a great inhibitory action against resistant S. aureus, which was (27.7± 1.2 mm). The antimicrobial effects of other fixed and volatile oils against S. aureu, the inhibition zone was (10 ± 1.0 mm) for (Zingiber officinale), (9 ± 1.0 mm) for Ricinus communis L., (7.7 ± 0.6 mm) for Olea europea L., (7.3 ± 0.6 mm) for Linum usitatissimum and for Curcuma longa L. was (6.7 ± 0.6mm). Moreover, antimicrobial effect of N. sativa against E. coli was more active in comparison with other oils, while other oils showed a slight antibacterial effect. In conclusion, volatile oil of N. sativa reveals great antibacterial activities in comparison with other extracted oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crohn disease has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and rarely can present with complications such as a bowel stricture or fistula. In this case report, we describe a 17-year-old male who presented with a history of recurrent anterior abdominal wall abscesses and dysuria. He was diagnosed with Crohn disease and also found to have a fistulous communication between the terminal ileum and a patent urachus. An ileocecectomy with primary anastomosis and complete resection of the abscess cavity was performed. He is on azathioprine for maintenance therapy and currently in remission. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for this complication in Crohn disease patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of urachal anomalies such as suprapubic abdominal pain, dysuria, umbilical discharge, and periumbilical mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several million people are exposed to fluoride (F−) via drinking water in the world. Current review emphasized the elevated level of fluoride concentrations in the groundwater and associated potential health risk globally with a special focus on Pakistan. Millions of people are deeply dependent on groundwater from different countries of the world encompassing with an elevated level of fluoride. The latest estimates suggest that around 200 million people, from among 25 nations the world over, are under the dreadful fate of fluorosis. India and China, the two most populous countries of the world, are the worst affected. In Pakistan, fluoride data of 29 major cities are reviewed and 34% of the cities show fluoride levels with a mean value greater than 1.5 mg/L where Lahore, Quetta and Tehsil Mailsi are having the maximum values of 23.60, 24.48, > 5.5 mg/L, respectively. In recent years, however, other countries have minimized, even eliminated its use due to health issues. High concentration of fluoride for extended time period causes adverse effects of health such as skin lesions, discoloration, cardiovascular disorders, dental fluorosis and crippling skeletal fluorosis. This review deliberates comprehensive strategy of drinking water quality in the global scenario of fluoride contamination, especially in Pakistan with prominence on major pollutants, mitigation technologies, sources of pollution and ensuing health problems. Considering these verities, health authorities urgently need to establish alternative means of water decontamination in order to prevent associated health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infection that caused by an obligated intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii of many types of tissues, including nervous, muscular and intestinal epithelial tissue. Congenital toxoplasmosis is most severe condition when occurs in early period of pregnancy. The main aim of this study is to determine prevalence of toxoplasmosis among aborted women in Garmian region by using both Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The study was carried out in Kalar General Hospital to detect Toxoplasma antibodies among 350 samples, in which 250 samples were from aborted women and 100 samples were from normal birth women as a control. Participants' age was range from < 18 to > 35 years old. The data were collected form 15th January 2009 to 25th June 2010 by using a special questionnaire form to obtain full information from each participant. For statistical analysis of the data, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 was used. The study showed that (112) cases out of 250 were seropositive for Toxoplasma gondii by using LAT, (65) cases for IgG and (50) cases for IgM by using ELISA. In the abortion group, it showed (87) cases out of 150 were seropositive by using LAT, (51) cases for IgG and (40) cases for IgM (26.6%), whereas in normal birth group (control), it showed (25) case out of 100 were seropositive by using LAT, (14) case for IgG and (10) case for IgM by using ELISA. A High seropositivity percentage was recorded among housewives (35.2%) than teachers and employees (29.4%), (28.5%) respectively. Furthermore, a higher percentage of Toxoplasma seropositivity was recorded in rural area than urban area. The aborted women who were in contact with soil showed the higher rate of Toxoplasma seropositivity (38.7%) than those were not in contact with soil (25%). This study concluded that the prevalence of toxoplasmosis was higher in Garmian region and especially among those women who have lower education level and who live in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet (UV) and blue light are affecting eyes during the daily time and may cause many eye's problems and diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the awareness of patients with ophthalmological problems on UV/blue light protection measures and to evaluate their knowledge and protection measures about radiation that emits from sun light and other electronic devices. It comprised a cross-sectional survey on a representative target population with eye diseases who visited the Shahid Aso Eye Hospital at Sulaimani city (sample size = 500). A special designed cross-sectional questionnaire was performed on a random sampling for data collection from 9th September 2017 to 1st January 2018. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. There was an even distribution between male and female participants across the groups. The highest percentage of patients with light sensitivity was (79.6%) and the lowest percentage with eye injury was (7.8%). Most of participants had knowledge about the effects of UV/blue light on eye diseases by (52%), cataract (57.8%), glaucoma and red eye with percentage of (45.8%) and (43.4%) respectively. There was a significant difference for the males who were more game-player and using electronic devices like smartphone/tablet /iPad than females. There was a significant difference between male and female participants about the knowledge on harmful effects of radiation from electronic devices. Furthermore, only the patients with sun light sensitivity and cataract had a significant knowledge about harmful effects of radiation from electronic devices on human eyes. Finally, most of the patients with dry eyes, eye/lid infection and glaucoma and cataract had significantly more practices for taking visual breaks when using electronic devices. This study concluded that the patients with ophthalmological problems show a low level of knowledge and protection measurements on the harmful effects of UV/blue light on human eyes and radiation protection. Additionally, this study has discovered that sun protection measures are commonly inadequate among the participants and on a regular basis only a small portion of participants were used the sun protection requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge and practice of public, especially patients about eye diseases are important to reduce magnitude of human blindness. Vision and sight are very essential because they allow us to connect to each other's. In accordance to the recently published data; the estimation of 253 million people lives with vision impairment, 36 million are blind and 217 million suffer from moderate to severe vision impairment. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Shahid Dr. Aso Hospital in Sulaimani city-Iraq, from April to August 2017 by face-to-face interview through close ended questionnaire for data collecting. All data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22.0 software. P-value of < 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant. A total of 430 patients were randomly chosen to participate in the study. They were 254 (59.1%) males and 176 (40.9%) females. 76.7% of respondents was worrying about vision loss, 0.7% was worrying about hair loss. Of the participants, 32.8% was with a good knowledge level and 40.5% was with a poor knowledge level, as well as 3.1% was in a good practice and 58.8% was in a poor practice level. Female knowledge mean score was 9.53±4.96 and male knowledge mean score was 8.42±5.45, the practice mean score of males was 4.33±1.96 and mean practice score of females was 4.13±1.93. The study data indicate the worrying of participates about vision loss is in the highest proportion and the awareness and practice of patients about eye diseases is unsatisfactory. Health education campaigns are needed to improve personal awareness about vision related problems and for better eye health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary research was conducted to evaluate the alpine stream health by using water quality as an indicator in Khunjerab National park of the Karakoram ranges located in Pak-China boarder Pakistan having altitude of 3660 m. This study investigated the stream health in the context of the presence or absence of sensitive species, their diversity, and their taxa richness. The water and macroinvertebrate samples were collected from 17 different locations from upstream and downstream of the river by using random sampling method. Macroinvertebrate samples were obtained using kick net (500-μm mesh size) and hand-picking method (NYSDEC). A total of 710 counts including 41 families of macroinvertebrates were recorded comprising of 7 orders including: Ephemeroptera (46%) being the most dominant group, Plecoptera (33%), Trichoptera (5%), Chironomidae (Diptera) (14%), Heteroptera (1%), and Coleoptera (1%). Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, and Plecoptera (EPT) were found in abundance at the main source, Qarchanai, Dhee, and Tourqeen Nullah, as compared to the other locations of the stream. The most dominant macroinvertebrate was Ephemeroptera whose relative abundance is Pi = 0.49 by using the Shannon index. However, different statistical tools, including principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), ANOVA, and linear regression model, show a strong correlation between water quality and macroinvertebrates. The overall results of the biological indicators showed better ecological health at downstream compared to upstream. This study will provide basic information and understanding about the macroinvertebrates for future researchers, and the data will be helpful for upcoming research programs on alpine streams for the discovery and occurrences of macroinvertebrates and associated fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]