Search

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites are common across the globe, particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries. The incidence of these parasites is high in semi-urban and rural settings. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are two main intestinal parasites that infect humans and domestic and wild animals. Dogs and cats play an important role as reservoir hosts in transmitting these parasites to other hosts. There is a lack of published information on molecular research in Pakistan that examines the incidence of these parasites in cats and dogs and associated risk factors. Using a simple random sampling procedure, 384 fecal samples were obtained from cats and dogs in four towns in the District of Faisalabad (as defined by an epidemiological sample size calculation algorithm). Data on the related risk variables of GI protozoal infections were acquired using a pre-designed questionnaire with closed-ended questions. Centrifugal flotation was used to extract parasitic oocysts from feces. From isolated parasite oocysts, DNA was extracted. Genus-specific primers (18S rRNA gene) were used for PCR analysis. Giardia spp. was found to be present in 35 of the total samples, with a prevalence rate of 9.11%, while Cryptosporidium spp. was found to be present in 15 of the total samples, with a prevalence rate of 3.91%. Lyallpur town has the greatest frequency of Giardia spp., 12.22% followed by Iqbal town 10.11%, Madina town 8.42%, and Jinnah town 6.36%. Similarly, Lyallpur town has the greatest incidence of Cryptosporidium spp., followed by Jinnah town, Iqbal town, and Madina town (5.56, 3.64, 3.37, and 3.16%, respectively). Animals less than a year old had considerably (P=0.005) greater rates of infection with the abovementioned parasites. In the research area, stray dogs were more likely to have the infection as compared to stray cats. In conclusion, in order to stop the spread of these zoonotic diseases, adequate preventative measures are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture being the major user of water resources, accounts for 70% of global freshwater demand. With the rise in demand of clean water, the need to implement more efficient strategies for water management in irrigated agriculture increases. A field study was carried out to produce maize crop at the Water Management Research Center, Postgraduate Agricultural Research Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Total forty-two (42) indigenized soil moisture sensors (15.24 cm & 30.48 cm long) of copper, brass, and steel were installed for monitoring irrigation efficiency of seven maize production treatments. The indigenized sensors and irrigation system were integrated with Arduino Microcontroller and Raspberry Pi3 for irrigating maize crop. Arduino Mega was coupled with Arduino Ethernet Shield for transformation of soil moisture data on cloud. Drip irrigation treatments (T6 = 390.8 mm and T7 = 387.2 mm) required significantly lower mean amount of water than all the other treatments and the flood irrigation treatments (T1 = 659.6 mm and T2 = 644.5 mm) required the greatest (α = 0.05) amount of mean irrigation depth. Drip irrigation treatments (T6 and T7) produced higher mean water productivity values (19.55 and 19.2) than those under flood irrigation treatments (T1 = 9.2 and T2 = 9.72) and perforated pipe irrigation treatments (T3 = 17.3, T4 = 17.11 and T5 = 16.38). The mean yield of maize grain over two years was greater under drip irrigation treatments (T6 = 7634.0 kg/ha and T7 = 7430.5 kg/ha) than those under flood (T1 = 6072.8 kg/ha, T2 = 6263.1 kg/ha) and perforated pipe irrigation treatments (T3 = 7209.3 kg/ha, T4 = 7097.6 kg/ha, T5 = 6793.1 kg/ha). Perforated pipe irrigation treatments had significantly greater (α = 0.5) maize grain yield than those under flood irrigation treatments. The indigenized sensors proved to be a viable tool to monitor real time soil moisture at 15.24 cm, 30.48 cm, 60.96 cm and 91.44 cm depth in the root zone for promoting precision irrigation to improve water productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the efficacy of oral steroids and intracarpal steroids in treating carpal tunnel syndrome. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Neurology department, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad Pakistan, from Jul to Dec 2020. Methodology: Patients of either gender, >18 years of age having carpal tunnel syndrome were included and divided into two groups. The oral steroids group received 20mg Prednisone tablets for two weeks and 2cc 0.9% Saline injection locally in the carpal tunnel on the affected hand by a neurologist. Intracarpal steroids group received 40mg Methylprednisolone locally in the carpal tunnel on the affected hand and placebo tablets for two weeks. Global symptom score was calculated at baseline and four weeks of treatment. Nerve conduction studies were conducted at baseline and four weeks of treatment. Result: A total of 106 patients were included in the study. There was a statistically significant improvement in the oral steroids group and intracarpal steroids group at four weeks follow up in mean sensory conduction velocity, mean global symptom score, mean motor conduction velocity and mean sensory latency (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the efficacy of oral Prednisone and intracarpal Methyl prednisone in the groups (p-value 0.579). Conclusion: Oral steroids and intracarpal steroids are effective as conservative treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome in decreasing symptoms on global symptom score (GSS) and improving the nerve conduction parameters of carpal tunnel syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real time soil moisture monitoring using sensors has potential to save irrigation water and improve water productivity. Field experiments were carried out for two successive years (2016-17 and 2017-18) to produce wheat crop at the Water Management Research Center, Postgraduate Agricultural Research Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Field irrigation methods included flood irrigation (canvas pipe), perforated pipe irrigation, and drip irrigation under different planting geometries and irrigation designs. The sensor-based irrigation systems were developed using locally available material to minimize the cost of equipment development and energy consumption for crop irrigation. Seven wheat crop treatments used in this experiment were T1-flood irrigation flat sowing by rabi-drill, T2-flood irrigation bed furrow planting with 0.254 m furrow, T3-perforated pipe irrigation bed furrow planting with 0.254 m furrow, T4-perforated pipe irrigation bed furrow planting with 0.203 m furrow, T5-perforated pipe irrigation bed furrow planting with 0.152 m furrow, T6-drip irrigation flat with 0.914 m lateral spacing and T7-drip irrigation on beds with 0.914 m lateral spacing. An IT-based web server was developed for monitoring soil moisture status to serve as decision support system for applying irrigation to the crops. The developed sensors sent soil moisture signals on cloud for data storage, reuse and sharing purpose using coding. The irrigation was applied based on soil moisture status. The system based on micro-controller was tested for irrigating wheat crop. Raspberry Pi-3 (Model B) controlled hardware in distribution box (DB) made excellent use of indigenized soil moisture sensors for calibration and irrigation water management. Type-I (Single probe) and Type-II (Double probe) steel sensors performed best due to high R² values of about 0.99 and RMSE in the range of 3.30% - 3.50% during calibration. The calibration further improved the accuracy of both steel and copper sensors. Since the sensors were designed, developed, and calibrated during the 1st year (2016-17) and properly installed in 2nd year (2017-18), therefore, have affected crop and soil parameters positively. Drip irrigation treatments (T6 = 359.56 mm and T7 = 358.65 mm) required significantly lowest mean amount of water than those by all the other treatments and the flood irrigation treatments (T1 = 431.55 mm and T2 = 424.95 mm) required significantly greatest (α = 0.05) amount of mean irrigation depth. Drip irrigation treatments (T6 and T7) produced high mean water productivity values (14.30 and 14.20) than those under flood irrigation treatments (T1 = 9.6 and T2 = 10.30) and perforated pipe irrigation treatments (T3 = 12.66, T4 = 12.43 and T5 = 12.30). The mean yield of wheat grain over two years was greater under drip irrigation treatments (T6 = 5145.1 kg/ha and T7 = 5091 kg/ha) than those under flood (T1 = 4139 kg/ha, T2 = 4371 kg/ha) and perforated pipe irrigation treatments (T3 = 4969 kg/ha, T4 = 4872 kg/ha, T5 = 4775.7 kg/ha). Perforated pipe irrigation treatments had significantly greater (α = 0.5) wheat grain yield than those under flood irrigation treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan faces surface water and groundwater shortage which are the main reason for assessing more appropriate method of irrigation water use. Subsurface drip irrigation plays an important role to conserves irrigation water and enhances crop yields by reducing surface water evaporation in Pakistan. Two years (2019-20) trials were carried out at "Water Management Research Center" (WMRC), Mansoor Malangi road Faisalabad, under randomized complete block design (RCBD). Maize (Zea mays L.) hybrid variety "YH-1898" was selected for this experiment with sandy loam soil. Sub-surface drip laterals were buried manually at different depths of 0.15, 0.25 and 0.35 m. The results of subsurface drip irrigation for crop water productivity and maize grains yield were compared with surface drip and gravity irrigation methods (furrow-bed and furrowridge). The outcomes showed that maximum grain yield (8753 and 8860 kg/ha) was achieved in both the seasons in 2019 and 2020, respectively under sub-surface drip irrigation installed at a depth of 0.15 m. Similarly, the results of water productivity also revealed that the highest water productivity (2.074 and 2.085 kg/cm3) was concluded both the years in 2019-20, respectively under subsurface drip irrigation installed at a depth of 0.15 m. It is concluded that maximum grain yield and water productivity can be accomplished by the installation of sub-surface drip laterals at 0.15 m depth for maize crop in a semi-arid region of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was conducted to estimate the combined effects of delayed irrigations under increased Management Allowed Depletion (MAD) level and moisture conservation practices on the yield and water productivity of maize crop. The experiment was carried out at Water Management Research Center (WMRC), University of Agriculture, Jhang Road Faisalabad. Total eight treatments, including conventional ridge sowing (CRS) without mulch (CRS + no mulch), conventional ridge sowing with mulch (CRS + mulch), bed-furrow sowing (BFS) without mulch (BFS + no mulch), bed-furrow planting with mulch (BFS + mulch), bed-furrow planting without mulch and with 60% MAD (BFS + no mulch + 60% MAD), bed-furrow planting with mulch and 60% MAD (BFS + mulch + 60% MAD), bed-furrow planting without mulch and 70% MAD (BFS + no mulch + 70% MAD), bed-furrow planting with mulch and 70% MAD(BFS + mulch + 70% MAD) were randomly allocated in randomized complete block design (RCBD). Each treatment was further replicated thrice in order to reduce the experimental error. Results showed that BFS + mulch + 60% MAD treatment increased the grain yield by 23% to 25%, total dry matter (TDM) by 7% to 10%, plant height by 11% to 12% and harvest index by 16% to 19% as compared to CRS + no mulch treatment. Furthermore, BFS with 70% MAD under with and without mulch resulted a significant reduction in plant traits. Additionally, delayed irrigation application reduced the water use by maize due to decrease in application losses on BFS under wheat straw mulch. It is concluded that mulching in BFS could be beneficial to harvest maximum yield of maize under deficit as well as normal irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This observational interventional study was conducted at Department of Gynecology, Allied/DHQ Civil Hospital, Faisalabad from 01st April 2017 to 30th Sep 2017 with an objective to assess the frequency and cytological pattern of abnormal pap-smear in women visiting Hospital outpatient. Among females between 20 - 65 years of age, Pap-smear test was performed from the transformation zone. A total 68.75% females were noted with pap-smear abnormalities, of which 60% patients were found to have inflammatory changes and remaining 8.75% patients had cytology for malignant or premalignant changes. Among patients showing pre-malignant and malignant changes 42.85% patients were CIN I (LSIL), 28.57% patients were CIN II (HSIL), 21.42% patients were CIN III (HSIL) and 7.14% patients were with invasive cancer. Conclusion: High prevalence rate of abnormal pap smear and of pre-invasive cervical cytological changes particularly with low grade have been observed as compared to the literature values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenized soil moisture sensors can be viable tools to improve water productivity through precision irrigation application. This study was conducted at Water Management Research Center, Postgraduate Agricultural Research Station, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Three types of soil moisture sensors were designed and fabricated using copper, brass, and steel. These sensors comprised a bottom tapered tip, middle tube/rod, and top handling part (packing foam). The length of the sensors was 30.48 cm, with bottom tip tapered at 33o over the length of 14.22 mm. The working principle was based on soil dielectric property through +ve electrode at the top and -ve electrode at bottom tip of the sensor tube. Type-I sensor had one probe, Type-II had two probes and Type-III had two insulated probes of galvanized steel. The electric current (mA) measured in response to the soil moisture status in the root zone was converted into digital form using microcontroller. These sensors were tested and calibrated against Gravimetric Method. The evaluation of Type-I, II, and III sensors showed that MBE (Mean Bias Error) was found to be within the acceptable limit of 2.5%, whereas RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) was lesser than 5% only in case of steel sensors and was out of the limit for all other sensors. The cost incurred on the indigenized sensors manufacturing was 10 times lesser than that of the imported. These research findings indicate that indigenized soil moisture sensors made of steel is relatively more accurate and can monitor real time soil moisture for promoting precision irrigation to improve water productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]