Taxonomy of Temnothorax simlensis stat. nov. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with first description of sexual castes along with a mention of its plesiobiotic association with Himalayan species of genus Myrmica

The subspecies Temnothorax rothneyi simlensis (Forel) is raised to species rank as Temnothorax simlensis stat. nov. All three castes are recorded, with the queen and male castes described for the first time. This revision is based on the comparative data from morphometry, descriptions, digital images and distribution. In addition, we provide first-hand information about the plesiobiotic association of this species with Himalayan species of genus Myrmica. A revised key to the worker caste of known Indian species of Temnothorax is also provided

Two New Species of Stenamma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Indian Himalaya With a Revised Key to the Palaearctic and Oriental Species

Two new species of genus Stenamma viz Stenamma wilsoni sp. nov. and Stenamma jhitingriense sp. nov. are described from Indian Himalaya. This adds two more species to the genus from Indian Himalaya, with only Stenamma kashmirense Baroni Urbani, 1977 described earlier. A revised key to 26 species from Palaearctic and Oriental is provided here with

Etiology and outcome of pulmonary renal syndrome: Retrospective study from a tertiary care hospitaln

To determine the aetiology, clinical characteristics and outcome of patients admitted with pulmonary renal syndrome (PRS). This retrospective analysis was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital from 2011 to 2015. A total of 17 adult patients admitted with PRS were included and followed up for a period of one year for the outcome of PRS as recovery, dialysis dependency or death. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) was found to be the single most frequent cause in 13 (76.4%) patients. The c o mm o n e s t c a u s e o f A AV w a s fo u n d t o b e Granulomatous polyangitis (GPA) in 10 (58.8%) followed by Microscopic angitis in 3 (17.6%) patients. Around 12 (70.5%) patients survived, 11 (64.7%) recovered while 1 patient remained dialysis dependent. Mortality rate was 29.4% and all these patients had severe alveolar haemorrhages. None of our patient died or relapsed during one year follow up

Segmental excision versus intralesional curettage with adjuvant therapy for giant cell tumour of bone

Abstract PURPOSE: To review the functional outcome and local recurrence rate of 29 patients who underwent segmental excision or intralesionalcurettage with adjuvant therapy for giant cell tumour (GCT) of bone. METHODS: Records of 17 men and 12 women (mean age, 30.17 years) who underwent segmental excision (n=18) or intralesional curettage followed by adjuvant therapy (n=11) for GCT of the femur (n=13), tibia (n=8), radius (n=6), or ulna (n=2) were reviewed. Nine of the patients had recurrent GCT of bone and had undergone segmental excision (n=6) or intralesional curettage (n=3) elsewhere. Functional outcome was evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) scoring system. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 6.4 (range, 3-13.5) years. 14 patients were followed up for 3 to 5 years, 12 for 5 to 10 years, and 3 for \u3e10 years. Of 20 patients with primary GCT of bone, 12 underwent segmental excision and had no recurrence, and 8 underwent intralesional curettage, 2 of whom developed local recurrence. Of the remaining 9 patients with recurrent GCT of bone, there was one re-recurrence in each surgical option. Local recurrence was not associated with Campanacci grading or type of surgery. One of 18 patients with segmental excision and 3 of 11 patients with intralesional curettage had local recurrence (5.6% vs. 27.3%, p=0.139). The MSTS score was excellent in 7, good in 6, moderate in 2, fair in 2, and poor in one patient after segmental excision, whereas the score was excellent in 9 and good in 2 patients after intralesional curettage (p=0.206). The proportion of yielding an excellent outcome was higher after intralesionalcurettage (38.9% vs. 81.8%, p=0.0289). Nonetheless, the mean MSTS score of the 2 groups was comparable (74.17% vs. 86.36%, p=0.054). CONCLUSION: Local recurrence of GCT was not associated with the surgical option. Nonetheless, intralesional curettage resulted in better functional outcome

Side effect profile of hepatitis C treatment with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavarin

Background: The major types of side effects include fatigue, influenza-like symptoms, gastrointestinal disturbances, neuropsychiatric symptoms and hematologic abnormalities. These side effects may be treatment limiting and require dose reduction or drug discontinuation objectives of the study was to assess the side effect profile of hepatitis C treatment (peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavarin) in Kashmiri patients attending the Department of Gastroenterology skims.Methods: In this study, all consecutive patients of hepatitis C infection on peginterfron and ribavarin treatment were enrolled after written consent. The patients underwent intervention treatment taking pegylated interferon α-2b (Viraferon, Schering Plough Corp., Kenilworth, NJ) and ribavirin in accordance with the standard protocol. Patients were monitored through weekly referrals while taking the medications. A detailed history was taken and complete physical examination done each time the patient presented to the hospital necessary blood sampling was taken.Results: During the study period of 2 years,105 Patients were enrolled 55 (52.4%) were males with a male:female ratio of 1.1:1.0. and mean age 37.6 years with a range of 13-75 years 7 patients (6.6) had a history of needle pricks, 4 patients (2.2%) of sharing same razors at barber’s shop. 4 (3.8%) patients of drug abuse; out of which 3 (2.8%) were intravenous drug abusers, Anemia occurred in 17 (16.2%) patients with requirement of dose modification w in 11 (10.4%) patients and dose stoppage in 1 (0.95%) patient in whom Hb dropped to less than 7, thrombocytopenia occurred in 27 (25.7%) patients with requirement of dose modification in 13 (12.3%) patients and dose stoppage in 1 (0.95%) patients due to platelet count decreasing to less than 30,000. Neutropenia as defined by ANC less than 1500 occurred in 22 (20.9%) patients.Conclusions: Dose modification was required in 48 (45.7%) patients, 30 (28.5%) patients required dose modifications due to labortory abnormalities and 18 (17.1%) due to other side effects. In 8 (7.6%) patients dose was discontinued due to adverse events (including psychosis in 1, severe flu like symptoms in 3, dermatitis in 1, depression in 3)

Evaluation of Etiological Factors in Patients with Chronic Urticaria

In the last few decades, increasing understanding of the pathomechanisms involved in chronic urticaria has highlighted the heterogeneity of different subtypes, and chronic urticaria is now classified as chronic spontaneous urticaria and inducible urticaria. Although many factors are thought to be involved in chronic urticaria, the etiology is yet to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate etiological factors in patients with chronic urticaria.Five hundred patients with chronic urticaria, 351 women and 149 men, were studied for etiological factors. The autologous serum skin test was performed on 197 patients. Provocation testing for physical urticaria was performed on 354 patients. Patients with acute urticaria were excluded from the study.  We determined at least one focus of infection that might be involved in the etiology of the disease in 18.8% of cases. Patients with infections were treated, and symptoms resolved after treatment in six cases (5.3%). Autologous serum skin tests were positive in 125 patients (63.5%). Provocation tests for physical urticaria were positive in 131 (37%) patients with urticaria. We suggest that physical stimuli and autoantibodies play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of urticaria.</p

Predictors and Consequences of Human Resource Outsourcing; A Quantitative study of Higher educational institution of Baluchistan, Pakistan

Human Resource Outsourcing has become one of the familiar thoughts to the media and business terms. This research is focused on the predictor and consequences of human resource outsourcing in educational institutions. Further, it helped us to establish a framework which would clearly highlight the factors and consequences of human resource outsourcing in educational institution of Baluchistan “Quetta”, Pakistan along with advantages and disadvantages of Human resource outsourcing policies. The Baluchistan was taken for research because this province has very less literacy rate. The research comprises very latest empirical and theoretical work which directly addresses the predictors and consequences of Human Resource outsourcing. Human resource outsourcing positively increases these effects in higher educational institutions. The study found that human resource outsourcing has negative effect on time management and communication issues in higher educational Institutions thus it can be said because of human resource outsourcing organizations may feel time management conflicts and communication issues among their employees. The results of 2 sample t test concluded that human resource outsourcing level does not differ in public and private institutes of Quetta, Baluchistan

EFFECTS OF AEROBIC TRAINING ON TARGETED HEART RATE ZONE

Reduced targeted heart rate zone is an indication of fitness of an athlete andReduced targeted heart rate zone is an indication of fitness of an individualand the main purpose of the current study was to investigate the “effects ofaerobic training on targeted heart rate zone among college students”. Thestudy was experimental in nature. The population of the study comprised of allthose students (male) who were boarding in hostel with age range 18-22 yearsof Government Post Graduate College Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP),Pakistan. The sample of fifty (n-50) healthy, sedentary, and volunteer subjectsfor the study was determined through Physical Activity ReadinessQuestionnaire (PAR-Q). Resting heart rate of each subject was taken bydigital heart rate monitor as pre-test. Targeted heart rate zone was calculatedthrough the formula [(220-age-RHR) x percentage of intensity+ RHR]. Thesubjects were randomly divided into two equal groups each of 25 subjects. Theexperimental group underwent aerobic training at moderate intensity (50% to70% of the Maximum Heart Rate) for eight weeks while the control groupcarried on their routine life activities. There were four training sessions perweek and each session comprised of 30 minutes besides warm up and warmdown. After eight weeks aerobic training, the post-test of resting heart rate ofeach subject of both group was conducted as the procedure adopted for the prtest. The pre-test data and post-test date was analyzed with the help of SPSSversion 20 by applying the descriptive statistical sources mean, minimum,maximum and standard deviation to show the difference between pre-test andpos-test. The results of the study showed that there was descriptively decreasein targeted heart rate zone of subjects of the experimental group while controlgroup showed no improvement. In light of the findings of the study, it isconcluded that aerobic exercises play important role in the reduction oftargeted heart rate zone and this quality paves the way to show goodperformance in daily physical and sports activities

Ethnomedicinal uses of the Ferns of Shishikoh Valley, District Chitral, Pakistan

The indigenous communities of Shishikoh valley are often using various ferns taxa regularly. The current research work was intended for documenting the ethnomedicinal knowledge of ferns. A total of 18 taxa were recorded that belonged to 9 genera and 6 families being used in the treatment of different ailments. Pteridaceae was the leading family with 6 taxa (33.33%), followed by Aspleniaceae with 4 taxa (22.22%), Athyriaceae and Equisetaceae each with 3 taxa (16.67%) followed by Dryopteridaceae and Marsileaceae each with 1 taxon (5.56%). The reported ferns taxa were used as anthelminthic, anti-rheumatic, astringent and wound healing agents and in the treatment of different ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, diarrhea, dysentery, gonorrhea, hepatitis, infertility, influenza, kidney disorders, measles, oral ulcer, oral thrush, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, pharyngitis, scorpion bite, sinusitis, tonsillitis and tuberculosis. Ethnomedicinal knowledge is a valuable source for the innovation of different allopathic, homeopathic and herbal drugs that are used for the treatment of different ailments. The fern species may be used commercially for medicinal purposes through sustainable way. Their proper cultivation and awareness about medicinal values among local community leads to discover new drugs