ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT TRANSPORT LOAD IN GOMAL RIVER AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GOMAL ZAM DAM LIFE SPAN

This paper estimates the sediment load transported by Gomal River at Khajuri Katch and Kot Murtaza on yearly-basis. An eight years sediment data (1981-88) compiled by the surface water hydrology division of WAPDA was analyzed and model of power relation was chosen to be fitted to the collected data. Regression analysis was used to establish a correlation between water discharge and sediment load. The model is an attempt to ascertain the rate of erosion in the catchment of the Gomal River since no generalized model has so far been developed to explain the nature of such weathering activities and all such works are situation specific. Relation between the water discharges to sediment load that it carries has been developed to signify the Gomal River catchment’s erosion. The analysis shows that the catchments is  eroding at the rate of 1.67 acre-feet and the sediment water ratio is 3.0% which is the second highest value the world over after Yellow River in China. The variation of different parameters in sediment-water system i.e. water discharge, sediment load, sediment concentration and sediment quality have been estimated from the actual data and are shown by histograms and bar graphs. The relations developed are applicable only to the Gomal River system. It is hoped that the study will invite interest and attention of planners, researchers, and all those concerned with the problems and menace of soil erosion, sediment load concentration in hydraulic structures and its impact over the life span of hydraulic structures i.e. dams deemed to be constructed across the river with the objective to minimize the sedimentation problems

Ex-situ Management Study of Some High Value Medicinal Plant Species in Swat, Pakistan

researchAn ex-situ experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of six medicinal species (Aconitum laeve Royle, Bunium persicum B. Fedtsch., Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch., Podophyllum hexandrum Royle, Delphinium roylei Munz and Hypericum perforatum L.) from upper Swat, Pakistan. Experiments were conducted at four different locations in the upper Swat valley at altitudes ranging from 1200 to 1900 m.a.s.l. The objectives were; 1) to determine the suitability of ex-situ cultivation of different medicinal species, and; 2) to assess the economic feasibility of growing medicinal plants in the area. A highest mean survival of 80.7% across all locations was observed for H. perforatum followed by 58.7% for B. persicum. The remaining four species exhibited very poor survival rates, although D. roylei, did show encouraging signs of growth and flowered, before experiencing high mortality rates late in the trial. Altitude generally seemed to enhance the degree of sprouting for all species except H. perforatum. However, the productive yield of H. perforatum was certainly not reduced, but rather slightly enhanced in the higher altitude sites. Overall, cultivation of only two of the investigated species, B. persicum and H. perforatum, appeared successful and potentially economically viable under farmland conditions at upper Swat

Stentless pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children

Introduction Stenting after pyeloplasty is an established practice and helps in  ensuring a patent anastomosis until healing has completed. Stents, however, may cause complications such as infection and displacement and increase the cost of management; therefore, stentless pyeloplasty is now considered as feasible  alternative.Patients and methods From August 2008 to October 2010, we retrospectively analyzed the results of stentless surgery in patients with ureteropelvic junction  (UPJ) obstruction. In all, 42 patients with UPJ obstruction were managed. Nine patients who were treated conservatively, one who underwent nephrectomy, and one pyelostomy for pyonephrosis in solitary kidney were excluded. Age range at surgery was 14 days–12 years with a mean age of 12.7 months.Results There were 23 male patients and eight female patients with a male-to-female ratio of 3 : 1. Fourteen patients had left, 12 right, and five had bilateral UPJ obstruction. A total of 34 pyeloplasties were performed in 31 patients. Of the five patients with bilateral UPJ obstruction, three underwent bilateral pyeloplasty and remaining two underwent unilateral pyeloplasty with conservative management on the opposite sides. Two patients underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasties and32 pyeloplasties by open technique. Double J stent was placed at initial surgery in three patients and 31 stentless pyeloplasties were performed. The mean operative time was 75 min. The mean perinephric drain removal time was 2 days. None of the patients had persistent urinary leak. The mean hospital stay was 3.2 days. Reduction in anteroposterior diameter was noticed in 91% cases on 12 weeks  follow-up scan. Complications included persistent or increase in hydronephrosis in three (9%) patients. In all the three patients, cystoscopic stenting was attempted. In two patients, size 4 Fr double J stent was passed easily into the renal pelvis. Onepatient improved, whereas other still has a dilated pelvis with static anteroposterior diameter after removal of stent at 6 weeks; patient is kept on close surveillance on regular ultrasonography. Re-exploration was performed in one patient, which showed kinking at the anastomosis site. Pyeloplasty was revised and patient improved. Other complications included lumbar hernia in one patient, which improved at 6-month follow-up, and stitch granuloma in one patient, which improved after removal of residual stitch.Conclusion Stentless surgery for UPJ obstruction is a safe and feasible technique; it reduces the cost of surgery and avoids multiple procedures. Keywords: management, pyeloplasty, stentless, ureteropelvic junction obstruction

ASSESSMENT OF SEDIMENT TRANSPORT LOAD IN GOMAL RIVER AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GOMAL ZAM DAM LIFE SPAN

This paper estimates the sediment load transported by Gomal River at Khajuri Katch and Kot Murtaza on yearly-basis. An eight years sediment data (1981-88) compiled by the surface water hydrology division of WAPDA was analyzed and model of power relation was chosen to be fitted to the collected data. Regression analysis was used to establish a correlation between water discharge and sediment load. The model is an attempt to ascertain the rate of erosion in the catchment of the Gomal River since no generalized model has so far been developed to explain the nature of such weathering activities and all such works are situation specific. Relation between the water discharges to sediment load that it carries has been developed to signify the Gomal River catchment’s erosion. The analysis shows that the catchments is  eroding at the rate of 1.67 acre-feet and the sediment water ratio is 3.0% which is the second highest value the world over after Yellow River in China. The variation of different parameters in sediment-water system i.e. water discharge, sediment load, sediment concentration and sediment quality have been estimated from the actual data and are shown by histograms and bar graphs. The relations developed are applicable only to the Gomal River system. It is hoped that the study will invite interest and attention of planners, researchers, and all those concerned with the problems and menace of soil erosion, sediment load concentration in hydraulic structures and its impact over the life span of hydraulic structures i.e. dams deemed to be constructed across the river with the objective to minimize the sedimentation problems

Effect of Strenuous Exercise on Various Blood Parameters in Polo Horses at High Altitude (3,734 M)

Horses require heaps of energy in order to perform well. Proper care and management should therefore be provided to the racehorses so as to keep they perform at their optimum. The experiment used for normal horses. The blood samples were collected in the morning before subjecting the horses to polo match/ strenuous exercise and immediately after the physical activity. Various blood tests such as the complete blood count, lipid, protein tests were done. Significant elevations in the white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb) and some serological parameters in the blood polo horses were recorded after exercise. This study confirmed the findings of exercise on different blood parameters which can be possibly used as an index of fitness in horses

Proactive Personality, Motivation and Employee Creativity in the Public Sector Hospitals of Peshawar City

Numerous practitioner-oriented investigations have argued that employees should be more proactive and creative on their jobs, as these behaviors are significant for job performance. Organizational investigations on the antecedents of proactivity and creativity have appeared differently and have explored various approaches in defining, determining and understanding proactivity and creativity. This investigation examines the mediating role of motivation between proactivity and creativity among the doctors in the public sector hospitals. To give a rigorous test of the hypotheses, a grounded study is conducted taking a sample of 220 doctors. The results confirm a positive significant relationship between proactive personality and creativity, and report a significant relationship with motivation too. Additionally, the study demonstrates that motivation does not mediate the relationship of these variables. The study discusses the implications of the findings for enhancing motivation. Keywords: Proactivity, Motivation, Creativity, Doctors JEL Classifications: G22, G12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.951

Biallelic variants in CHST3 cause Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with joint dislocations in three Pakistani kindreds

Background Skeletal dysplasia is a heterogeneous group of disorders. Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasias comprise one subgroup. Deficiency of carbohydrate sulfotransferase 3 has been reported in a small number of patients with recessively inherited spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia with joint dislocation, short stature and scoliosis. We report here molecular and clinical findings of affected individuals in three consanguineous Pakistani families. Affected individuals in all three families had a uniform phenotype including severe short stature, multiple dislocated joints, progressive scoliosis and facial dysmorphism. Methods Clinical evaluation was done for three unrelated families. Radiological survey of bones was completed for patients from two of the families. Whole exome sequencing index patients from each family was performed followed by Sanger sequencing for validation of segregation of identified variants in respective families. In-silico analysis for determining pathogenicity of identified variants and conservation was done. Results Whole-exome sequencing revealed biallelic variants c.590 T > C;p.(Leu197Pro), c.603C > A;p.(Tyr201Ter) and c.661C > T;p.(Arg221Cys) in CHST3 (NM_004273.5) in the three families with eight, five and two affected individuals, respectively. Contrary to previous reports, affected individuals in none of the families exhibited a hearing loss. Conclusion We describe genotypic and phenotypic findings of three unrelated families with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Our study confirms phenotypic variability and adds to the genotypic spectrum of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia.Peer reviewe

High Y-chromosomal differentiation among ethnic groups of Dir and Swat districts, Pakistan

The ethnic groups that inhabit the mountainous Dir and Swat districts of northern Pakistan are marked by high levels of cultural and phenotypic diversity. To obtain knowledge of the extent of genetic diversity in this region, we investigated Y‐chromosomal diversity in five population samples representing the three main ethnic groups residing within these districts, including Gujars, Pashtuns and Kohistanis. A total of 27 Y‐chromosomal short tandem repeats (Y‐STRs) and 331 Y‐chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (Y‐SNPs) were investigated. In the Y‐STRs, we observed very high and significant levels of genetic differentiation in nine of the 10 pairwise between‐group comparisons (RST 0.179–0.746), and the differences were mirrored in the Y‐SNP haplogroup frequency distribution. No genetic differences were found between the two Pashtun subethnic groups Tarklanis and Yusafzais (RST = 0.000). Utmankhels, also considered Pashtuns culturally, were not closely related to any of the other population samples (RST 0.451–0.746). Thus, our findings provide examples of both associations and dissociations between cultural and genetic legacies. When analyzed within a larger continental‐scale context, these five ethnic groups fall mostly outside the previously characterized Y‐chromosomal gene pools of the Indo‐Pakistani subcontinent. Male founder effects, coupled with culturally and topographically based constraints upon marriage and movement, are likely responsible for the high degree of genetic structure in this region

Ethnobotanical and Economic Observations of Some Plant Resources from the Northern Parts of Pakistan

researchA study on the economic value of plants being extracted from a coniferous forest of the Miandam valley of District Swat was conducted during Spring and Summer 2008. The aim of the study was to identify non-timber forest product plants being used from the target area, to identify the trade network that they are sold into, and to evaluate their value as they move within that network in order to make recommendations for socio-economic development of the area. Information was learned through semi-structured questionnaires and participatory interviews with resource uses and traders. 214 species in 79 families were identified as being useful in traditional livelihood. Of these, 150 were herbs, 36 trees, 26 shrubs and 4 climbers. Plant species are locally used as medicinal (115), multipurpose (35), fodder (31), fuel (30), vegetables (12), tools (12), timber (9), poisons (7), roof thatch (7), wild fruits (6), fences/ hedges (5), veterinary (5), mud supporter (5), foods (4), spices/condiments (4), religious (4), honey bee (3), brooms (3), and evil repellent (1). Twenty out of 115 medicinal species are collected to sell. The gatherers have very little marketing skills and are often not aware of the high market value. As a result, most of collected materials are sold to local middlemen at low prices. The study revealed that the availability of important medicinal and aromatic plant species is decreasing and the number of rare and threatened species among the medicinal and aromatic plants is increasing. Further study is, therefore, required to quantify the availability of species and to suggest suitable method for their production and conservation. Recommendations are, therefore, given in the spheres of training in identification, sustainable collection, value addition, trade monitoring and cooperative system of marketing

Major Barriers to Manufacturing SMEs Growth and Survival: Evidence From Emerging Economy Pakistan

SMEs play a tremendous role in increased national economic development and consider the backbone of the economy around the world. It contributes a great share in the GDP of Pakistan and a huge number of the workforce involved. However, despite such great importance, the SMEs growth in Pakistan face numerous challenges for access to financial resources, market information, and procurement contract. Hence the main aim behind this study is to investigate the influence of these barriers on manufacturing SMEs' growth and survival. A structured questionnaire was distributed among 172 managerial level employees of manufacturing SMEs to explore the influence of financial resources, market information, and procurement contract on the growth of SMEs by incorporating the Structural Equation Model (SEM). The study shows that the lack of access to financial resources, market information, and procurement contract negatively influence the growth and survival of SMEs. Therefore, it needs a certain action to eliminate such barriers for SMEs' sustainable growth and survival. This study suggestion will help to contribute to policymakers and industry players to overcome such barriers.&nbsp