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National parks belong to one of the six categories of Protected Areas identified by the World Conservation Union. National parks play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity, scenic beauty or landscape and promotion of ecotourism. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province, Pakistan, has six National Parks. Ayubia National Park, District Abbottabad, KPK, holds a pivotal position in terms of its ecological and tourism value. We aimed to provide a synthesis of research conducted to date on this National Park, identify major gaps and suggest future research and management options. We searched available published literature on biodiversity and ecotourism of the National Park using internet search engines and other online sources by spending 4400 minutes. We downloaded a total of 65 articles, reports, and theses and retained 45 for this review. We extracted our required data from each selected article by thoroughly reading its objectives and results. We created a spreadsheet to make an overview chart of the extracted data. The available literature shows that mammals and flora have remained main focus of research on biodiversity. Likewise, work on the food habits and human-wildlife conflict has also been centered on mammals. Studies conducted to date report 22 species of mammals, 116 birds, 2 amphibians, 101 lepidopterans and 298 plants. The National Park attracted 120,000 visitors per year in early 2000s which rose to > 150,000 visitors per year in 2019. The studies so far on the aspects mentioned show following gaps: short duration, limited sampling, misidentification, and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphism in cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 enzyme is known to cause significant inter-individual differences in drug response and occurrence of adverse drug reactions. Different alleles of the CYP2C9 gene have been identified, but the notable alleles responsible for reduced enzyme activity are CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3. No pharmacogenetic data are available on CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 alleles in the Pakistani population. In Pakistan, pharmacogenetics, which examines the relationship between genetic factors and drug response, are in the early stages of development. We, for the first time, investigated the association between the CYP2C9 variant alleles CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 and the incidence of hypoglycaemia in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving sulphonylurea medications. A total of n = 400 individuals of Pashtun ethnicity were recruited from 10 different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan to participate in the study. The study participants were divided into two distinct groups: the case group (n = 200) and the control group (n = 200). The case group consisted of individuals with T2DM who were receiving sulphonylurea medications and experienced hypoglycaemia with it, whereas the control group included individuals with T2DM who were receiving sulphonylurea medication but did not experience sulphonylurea-induced hypoglycaemia (SIH). Blood samples were obtained from study participants following informed consent. DNA was isolated from whole blood samples using a Wiz-Prep DNA extraction kit. Following DNA isolation, CYP2C9 alleles were genotyped using MassARRAY sequencing platform at the Centre of Genomics at the Rehman Medical Institute (RMI). The frequency of CYP2C9*2 (low-activity allele) was more frequent in the diabetic patients with SIH compared to the control group (17.5% vs. 6.0%, p = 0.021). The frequency of its corresponding genotype CYP2C9*1/*2 was higher in cases compared to the control group (10% vs. 6% with p = 0.036); the same was true for genotype CYP2C9*2/*2 (7% vs. 3.5% with p = 0.028). Logistic regression analysis evidenced potential association of CYP2C9*2 allele and its genotypes with SIH. When adjusted for confounding factors such as age, weight, sex, mean daily dose of sulphonylurea, and triglyceride level, the association between the CYP2C9*2 allele and hypoglycaemia remained consistent. Confounding factors played no role in SIH (insignificant p-value) because both groups (cases and controls) were closely matched in term of age, weight, sex, mean daily dose of sulphonylurea, and triglyceride levels. Our study suggests that genetic information about a patient's CYP2C9 gene/enzyme can potentially assist physicians in prescribing the most suitable and safest drug, based on their genetic make-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide association studies significantly increased the number of hypertension risk variants; however, most of them focused on European societies. There is lack of such studies in developing countries, including Pakistan. The lack of research studies and the high prevalence of hypertension in the Pakistani community prompted us to design this study. Aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) was thoroughly studied in different ethnic groups; however, no such study has been conducted in the Pashtun population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In essential hypertension, the aldosterone synthase gene (CYP11B2) plays a significant role. Aldosterone synthesis is affected by both hereditary and environmental factors. Aldosterone synthase (encoded by the CYP11B2 gene) controls the conversion of deoxycorticosterone to aldosterone and, thus, has genetic influences. Polymorphisms in the CYP11B2 gene are linked to an increased risk of hypertension. Previous research on the polymorphism of the aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) gene and its relationship to hypertension produced inconclusive results. The present study investigates the relationship between CYP11B2 gene polymorphism and hypertension in Pakistan's Pashtun population. We used the nascent exome sequencing method to identify variants associated with hypertension. The research was divided into two phases. In phase one, DNA samples from 200 adult hypertension patients (of age ≥ 30 years) and 200 controls were pooled (n = 200/pool) and subjected to Exome Sequencing. In the second phase, the WES reported SNPs were genotyped using the Mass ARRAY technique to verify and confirm the association between WES-identified SNPs and hypertension. WES identified a total of eight genetic variants in the CYP11B2 gene. The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to estimate the minor allele frequencies (MAFs) and chosen SNPs relationships with hypertension. The frequency of minor allele T was found to be higher in cases compared to the control (42% vs. 30%: p = 0.001) for rs1799998 of CYP11B2 gene, while no significant results (p > 0.05) were observed for the remaining SNPs; rs4536, rs4537, rs4545, rs4543, rs4539, rs4546 and rs6418 showed no positive association with HTN in the studied population (all p > 0.05). Our study findings suggest that rs1799998 increases susceptibly to HTN in the Pashtun population of KP, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD) remains the top among Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs). Variations in Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and Paroxonase 1 (PON1) have been associated with Myocardial Infarction (MI) in several populations. However, despite the high prevalence of CAD, no such study has been reported in the Pashtun ethnic population of Pakistan. We have conducted a two-stage (i.e., screening and validation) case-control study in which 200 cases and 100 control subjects have been recruited. In the first stage, Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) was used to screen for pathogenic variants of Myocardial Infarction (MI). In the second stage, selected variants of both APOE and PON1 genes (rs7412, rs429358, rs854560, and rs662) were analyzed through MassARRAY genotyping. Risk Allele Frequencies (RAFs) distribution and association of the selected SNPs with MI were determined using the Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. WES identified a total of 12 sequence variants in APOE and 16 in PON1. Genotyping results revealed that APOE variant rs429358 (ɛ4 allele and ɛ3/ɛ4 genotype) showed significant association in MI patients (OR = 2.11, p value = 0.03; 95% CI = 1.25–2.43); whereas no significant difference (p˃ 0.05) was observed for rs7412. Similarly, the R allele of PON1 Q192R (rs662) was significantly associated with cases (OR = 1.353, p value = 0.048; 95% CI = 0.959–1.91), with particular mention of RR genotype (OR = 1.523, p value = 0.006; 95% CI = 1.087–2.132). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that rs429358 (C allele) and rs662 (R allele) have a significantly higher risk of MI after adjustment for the conventional risk factors. Our study findings suggested that the rs429358 variant of APOE and PON1 Q192R are associated with MI susceptibility in the Pashtun ethnic population of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is the most polymorphic and gene dense region of human DNA that has shown many disease associations. It has been further divided into HLA classes I, II, and III. Polymorphism in HLA class II genes has been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). It also showed association with T2D in different ethnic populations. However, a little is known about the relationship of HLA class I gene polymorphism and T2D. This study has evaluated the association of HLA-B (class I gene) variants with T2D in Pashtun ethnic population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In the first phase of the study, whole exome sequencing (WES) of 2 pooled DNA samples was carried out, and DNA pools used were constructed from 100 diabetic cases and 100 control subjects. WES results identified a total of n = 17 SNPs in HLA-B gene. In the next phase, first 5 out of n = 17 reported SNPs were genotyped using MassARRAY® system in order to validate WES results and to confirm association of selected SNPs with T2D. Minor allele frequencies (MAFs) and selected SNPs×T2D association were determined using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The frequency of minor C allele was significantly higher in the T2D group as compared to control group (45.0% vs. 13.0%) (p = 0.006) for rs2308655 in HLA-B gene. No significant difference in MAF distribution between cases and controls was observed for rs1051488, rs1131500, rs1050341, and rs1131285 (p > 0.05). Binary logistic regression analyses showed significant results for SNP rs2308655 (OR = 2.233 , CI 95 % = 1.223 ‐ 4.077 , and p = 0.009), while no considerable association was observed for the other 4 SNPs. However, when adjusted for these variants, the association of rs2308655 further strengthened significantly (adjusted OR = 7.485 , CI 95 % = 2.353 ‐ 23.812 , and p = 0.001), except for rs1131500, which has no additive effect. In conclusion, the finding of this study suggests rs2308655 variant in HLA-B gene as risk variant for T2D susceptibility in Pashtun population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex-segregated structure and conservative attitudes impede women's participation in public-space activities in the Pakhtun population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the District Dir Upper. In this region, women's political participation and voting are viewed as sinful, against the local traditions, and punitive. This paper aims to explore women's perceptions of factors barring their political participation in district Dir Upper, Pakistan. Data for the study were collected from 200 registered women voters from various age groups and social background in different union councils of district Dir Upper in 2016. The results reveal that entrenched patriarchal norms, misogynist attitudes, gendered secluded norms, shame and stigma factor, fear of victimization, and lack of support and facilities from the government and political parties have significant association (P=0.000) with women's political participation and voting. As a way forward, to ensure women's maximum political participation and their uninterrupted voting turn out, this study makes several recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are important micronutrients for the growth and development of plant. Improving N availability to plants improve biomass production and also increase the shoot Fe content and accumulation of Zn in wheat plants. Experiments were conducted at the Cereal Crop Research Institute (CCRI) Pirsabak, Noweshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan during 2014-15 and 2015-16 to study the response of wheat to N, Zn and Fe application. Treatments included three levels of N (90, 120 and 150 kg ha-1), three concentrations of Zn and Fe (i.e. 1, 2, 3 kg ha-1) each along with two controls i.e. no micro nutrients no water (control-I) and no micro nutrients + water (control-II). The N was soil applied and MN as foliar spray at booting stage. Days to anthesis, leaf area tiller-1, leaf area index, plant height, days to physiological maturity and biological yield were significantly increased by both N and Zn while the same parameters except days to anthesis, days to physiological maturity were also significantly enhanced by using Fe. Result revealed that higher leaf area tiller-1 (113 cm2), leaf area index (2.3), plant height (100 cm), biological yield (11431 kg ha-1) by 150 kg N ha-1, 3 kg Zn ha-1 and 1 kg Fe ha-1 of wheat as compared to the control-I. In conclusion, 16% increases in biomass production was observed with Zn and Fe at the rate of 3 and 1 kg ha-1 respectively along with 150 kg N ha-1 over no fertilization thus combination of the 150 kg ha-1, 3 kg Zn ha-1 and 1 kg Fe ha-1 is recommended for improving biomass and leaf area. Further studies are recommended to understand the mechanistic approach of such improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to investigate the public perception of the residents of Khyber Agency (FATA) about the causes, effects and elimination factors of militancy in the area. The researchers collected data from the three Tehsils of Khyber Agency called Barra, Jamrud and Landikotal, from both males and females. A questionnaire was used for the data collection to find out the opinion of the residents, while a simple random sampling technique was used. The response rate was 91 percent, while 457 questionnaires out of 500 respondents were received. To ensure impartiality in the findings of the research the researchers analyzed data through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. The results revealed that sectarianism is existed in FATA particularly in Khyber Agency due to the causes of corruption, non-mutual cooperation, double standard policy and black laws (FCR). It was also disclosed that American pressure is major cause in the dialogue failure. The finding also unvalued that the residents were effected both physically and psycologically by the militancy. The results also explored that because of militant attacks, clashes, suicides, ransom, kidnapping and car lifting, people of the area facing damages for their lives, families, houses, livestock's and convinces. The results of the Chi-Square tests also disclosed that the proportion of males who explore the causes of militancy is significantly different from the proportion of females who explore the causes of militancy. There appears to be no association between causes and gender. It has also explored that there is no significant association between gender and the community responsible for drone strikes in Pakistan. The Chi-Square findings also unveiled that there is no relationship between the causes of failure of military operation on the gender bases. It has also disclosed that there is no association between gender and favor of dialogue with militants. The results of Chi-square also revealed there is no relationship in the viewpoint of Pak-Afghan cooperation against militants in Khyber Agency on the base of Gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]