Tracing the causality between Livestock and poverty alleviation in the rural economy of Gilgit Baltistan-Pakistan

Livestock rearing and its production are deemed as a lucrative economic activity which provides livelihood and sustainable growth to rural population of Gilgit Baltistan . This sector not only delivers variety of food and non-food products but also contributes in income generation and subsequently diminishes the rural poverty. The fundamental aim of this research endeavor was to assess the poverty status and its determinants for livestock growers of the study area. The primary data was gleaned from 100 respondents through interview schedule following systematic sampling procedure. Uni-dimensional poverty estimates for sampled respondents employing Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) poverty index are incorporated as dependent variable to model the binary probability expressions through Logit. Out of Explanatory variables used in model, benefit from the livestock, age, form size and gender of household head, showed a significant but negative relationship with poverty status whereas, household size and education of household head had a insignificant influence on poverty. This study recommends, that increase in farm size and youth’s participation in livestock farming can elevate the household income. The capacity building of the livestock farmers through trainings and more women contribution in livestock sector should be encouraged to reduce poverty in the area which can play a remarkable role in sustainable economic growth

Tracing the causality between Livestock and poverty alleviation in the rural economy of Gilgit Baltistan-Pakistan

Livestock rearing and its production are deemed as a lucrative economic activity which provides livelihood and sustainable growth to rural population of Gilgit Baltistan . This sector not only delivers variety of food and non-food products but also contributes in income generation and subsequently diminishes the rural poverty. The fundamental aim of this research endeavor was to assess the poverty status and its determinants for livestock growers of the study area. The primary data was gleaned from 100 respondents through interview schedule following systematic sampling procedure. Uni-dimensional poverty estimates for sampled respondents employing Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) poverty index are incorporated as dependent variable to model the binary probability expressions through Logit. Out of Explanatory variables used in model, benefit from the livestock, age, form size and gender of household head, showed a significant but negative relationship with poverty status whereas, household size and education of household head had a insignificant influence on poverty. This study recommends, that increase in farm size and youth’s participation in livestock farming can elevate the household income. The capacity building of the livestock farmers through trainings and more women contribution in livestock sector should be encouraged to reduce poverty in the area which can play a remarkable role in sustainable economic growth

Toxicity of Fusarium solani Strains on Brine Shrimp ( Artemia salina )

Discovery of anticancer drugs that must kill or disable tumor cells in the presence of normal cells without undue toxicity is an extraordinary challenge. Cytotoxicity of plant or fungal materials is considered as the presence of antitumor compounds. Brine shrimp lethality for larvae (nauplii) is used as prescreening test for the antitumor compounds. In this study, culture filtrates of eight strains of Fusarium solani isolated from seeds of various crops were tested for the toxic effect on brine shrimp. Five of the strains (TS, S-29, B-17, C-10, W-5) showed highest toxic effect and three of the strains (SR, T-9, L-25) showed low toxic activity on brine shrimp. Toxic activity reduced when culture filtrates were diluted. However, F. solani strains TS, B-17, SR, T-9 and L-25 caused more than 30% mortality at 1:10 dilution. Toxic activity was slightly reduced when the filtrates were neutralized with sodium hydroxide indicating possible role of pH of culture filtrate on toxicity. Lyophilized filtrates of these strains showed less activity as compared to un-lyophilized filtrates. n-Hexane soluble fraction was obtained only in three strains which showed mild toxicity whereas chloroform soluble fraction was obtained in negligible quantity and could not further be proceeded. Toxic effect of these strains showed variation from strain to strain. Compounds from F. solani could be exploited for the development of toxic compounds

Locus for autosomal recessive nonsyndromic persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous

PURPOSE. To map the disease locus in a six-generation, consanguineous Pakistani family affected by nonsyndromic autosomal recessive persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (arPHPV). All affected individuals had peripheral anterior synechiae and corneal opacities with variable degrees of cataract and a retrolenticular white mass behind the lens. METHODS. Genomic DNA from family members was typed for alleles at more than 400 known polymorphic genetic markers, by polymerase chain reaction. Alleles were assigned to individuals, which allowed calculation of lod scores. RESULTS. A maximum two-point lod score of 4.07 was obtained with marker D10S1225 with no recombination. Two recombinations with marker D10S208 and D10S537 localized the disease within a region of approximately 30 centimorgans (cM). However, homozygosity across the region refined the arPHPV locus to 13 cM. CONCLUSIONS. Linkage analysis shows localization of nonsyndromic arPHPV to chromosome10q11-q21

Novel locus for autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy CORD8 mapping to chromosome 1q12-Q24

PURPOSE. To map the disease locus of a two-generation, consanguineous Pakistani family with autosomal recessive cone-rod dystrophy (arCRD). All affected individuals had night blindness, deterioration of central vision, photophobia, epiphora in bright light, and problems with color distinction. Fundoscopy revealed marked macular degeneration and attenuation of retinal vessels. Mild pigmentary changes were present in the periphery. METHODS. Genomic DNA was amplified across the polymorphic microsatellite poly-CA regions identified by markers. Alleles were assigned to individuals that allowed calculation of LOD scores using the Cyrillic (Cherwell Scientific, Oxford, UK) and MLINK (accessed from ftp://linkage. rockefeller.edu/softeware/linkage/) software programs. The cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2 (CRABP2), cone transducin alpha -subunit (GNAT2), potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 10 (KCNJ10), genes were analyzed by heteroduplex analysis and direct sequencing for mutations. RESULTS. A new locus for arCRD (CORD8) has been mapped to chromosome 1q12-q24. A maximum two-point LOD score of 4.22 was obtained with marker D1S2635 at recombination fraction of theta = 0.00. Two critical recombinations in the pedigree positioned this locus to a region flanked by markers D1S457 and D1S2681. A region of homozygosity was observed within the loci D1S442 and D1S2681, giving a probable critical disease interval of 21 cM. Mutation screening of the three candidate genes CRABP2, GNAT2, and KCNJ10 revealed no disease-associated mutations. CONCLUSIONS. The findings therefore suggest that this phenotype maps to a new locus and is due to an as yet uncharacterized gene within the 1q12-q24 chromosomal region

Exploring the diversity, physiochemical analysis and morphometric measurement of fish fauna of Khudo Khail stream District Buner Pakistan

The aim of this research to investigate the diversity, physiochemical analysis, and morphometric measurement of fish fauna of Khudo Khail stream District Buner Pakistan. The present study was conducted on the Khudo Khail stream District Buner during the period of October 2019 to October 2020 to explore the fish fauna of Khudo Khail stream. The study was conducted in 7 different localities in Khudo Khail stream that is Bato, Kalaan, Dambaray, Dhandar, Baba Berr, Qasam Khail and Totalai. During the study 94 specimens were together from the collection points. The collections were taxonomically treated in the result of 9 species of fish under 5 orders, 6 families and 9 genera. The species were Barilius pakistanicus (Mirza and Sadiq, 1978),Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758), Channa punctata (Bloch, 1993), Cyprinion watsoni (Day, 1872), Mystus bleekeri (Francis Day, 1877),Oreochromis mossambicus (W. K. H. Peters, 1852),Pinctus ticto (Hamilton, 1822),Wallagu attu (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) and Matacembelus armatus (Lacepede, 1800). The water quality parameters of the Khudo Khail stream were also analyzed and were found to be suitable for the survival of the fish fauna. It was found that the fish fauna of Khudo Khail stream is very rich.&nbsp

RP1 protein truncating mutations predominate at the RP1 adRP locus

PURPOSE. Recent reports have shown that the autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) phenotype linked to the pericentric region of chromosome 8 is associated with mutations in a gene designated RP1. Screening of the whole gene in a large cohort of patients has not been undertaken to date. To assess the involvement and character of RP1 mutations in adRP, the gene was screened in a panel of 266 unrelated patients of British origin and a Pakistani family linked to this locus. METHODS. Patients exhibiting the adRP phenotype were screened for mutations in the four exons of the RP1 gene by heteroduplex analysis and direct sequencing. Linkage of the Pakistani family was achieved using microsatellite markers. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were separated by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Alleles were assigned to individuals, which allowed calculation of LOD scores. Microsatellite marker haplotyping was used to determine ancestry of patients carrying the same mutation. RESULTS. In the 266 British patients and 1 Pakistani family analyzed, 21 loss-of-function mutations and 7 amino acid substitutions were identified, some of which may also be disease-causing. The mutations, many of which were deletion or insertion events, were clustered in the 5' end of exon 4. Most mutations resulted in a premature termination codon in the mRNA. Haplotype analysis of nine patients carrying an R677X mutation suggested that these patients are not ancestrally related. CONCLUSIONS. RP1 mutations account for 8% to 10% of the mutations in our cohort of British patients. The most common disease-causing mechanism is deduced to be one involving the presence of a truncated protein. Mutations in RP1 have now been described in adRP patients of four ethnically diverse populations. The different disease haplotype seen in the nine patients carrying the same mutation suggests that this mutation has arisen independently many times, possibly due to a mutation hot spot in this part of the gene

Connexin 50 mutation in a family with congenital "zonular nuclear" pulverulent cataract of Pakistani origin

Inherited cataract is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease that most often presents as a congenital autosomal dominant trait. Here we report linkage of a three-generation family of Pakistani origin with autosomal dominant cataract "zonular nuclear" pulverulent type (CZNP) on chromosome 1q21.1. Genome wide-linkage analysis excluded all the known cataract loci except on chromosome 1q. Significantly positive 2-point lod score values (Z=3.01 at theta=0) were obtained for markers D1S305 and D1S2721, which are known to flank the gene for connexin 50 (Cx50) or gap junction protein alpha-8 (Gja8). Previously a mutation in this gene has been reported in a British family with zonular pulverulent cataract (CZP). Here we describe a second mutation (E48K) in connexin 50 that confirms the involvement of this gene in cataractogenesis.The work described in this paper has been supported by Wellcome Trust grants 053416/Z/98/JRS, 044573/Z/ 95/Z/GM and 049571/Z/96/Z/JMW