Evaluation of Ground Water Quality for Irrigation Purpose of the Areas of District Bahawalnagar, Pakistan

Water is life line for all living creation including human beings. Economy of Pakistan is agricultural based and it mainly dependent on canal supplies. Before the introduction of irrigation system the water table was sufficiently deep but due to lack of drainage facilities and improper management practices, adopting by the farmers, the water table came up resulting water logging & salinity problems. Indus basin abundant resources of ground water, the quality of which various from sweets to very saline in different tracts. However a thin layer of good quality is present almost everywhere, where exists an immense potential for the use of these water resources for agriculture, municipal and industrial use. Keeping in this view a detailed study was carried out to provide guidelines to farmers and researches for better crop production by adopting water management practices. Total 23600 water samples were collected from all the five tehsils of district Bahawalnagar during the year July 2003 to June 2010. These samples were analyzed and categorized according to suitability criteria of water quality evaluation. 38.64 percent water samples were found fit, 7.65 percent were marginally fit and 53.7 percent water samples were found unfit for irrigation purpose. Majority of water samples were found hazardous for irrigation purpose. Almost all the area has highly saline water, which is affected yield of various crops. Keywords: EC, SAR, RSC, Ground water, Bahawalnagar, Pakistan

Nosocomial infections and their control strategies

Nosocomial infections are also known as hospital-acquired/associated infections. National Healthcare Safety Network along with Centers for Disease Control for surveillance has classified nosocomial infection sites into 13 types with 50 infection sites, which are specific on the basis of biological and clinical criteria. The agents that are usually involved in hospital-acquired infections include Streptococcus spp., Acinetobacter spp., enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Legionella and Enterobacteriaceae family members, namely, Proteus mirablis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens. Nosocomial pathogens can be transmitted through person to person, environment or contaminated water and food, infected individuals, contaminated healthcare personnel's skin or contact via shared items and surfaces. Mainly, multi-drug-resistant nosocomial organisms include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia, whereas Clostridium difficile shows natural resistance. Excessive and improper use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, especially in healthcare settings, is elevating nosocomial infections, which not only becomes a big health care problem but also causes great economic and production loss in the community. Nosocomial infections can be controlled by measuring and comparing the infection rates within healthcare settings and sticking to the best healthcare practices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the methodology for surveillance of nosocomial infections along with investigation of major outbreaks. By means of this surveillance, hospitals can devise a strategy comprising of infection control practices

Rural Tourism, Income and Rapid Urbanization: Exploring the Nexus Using A MultiDisciplinary Approach for Hunza, Pakistan

Serving the purpose of an early warning, this paper provides a multi-disciplinary analysis of how thechanging dynamics of tourist arrivals can lead to rapid and unplanned urbanization. The improvements in infrastructureand communication systems under the aegis of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Gilgit-Baltistan have ledto exponential increase in tourists arrival in recent years. Does this increase lead to increase in incomes and spurring anunplanned and rapid urbanization? Hunza district is taken as a case study on the basis of evidence suggesting thataround 70 percent of total tourists Gilgit-Baltistan. To explore the relationship between tourists arrival and rapidurbanization, three types of data were used: survey data collected via questionnaires, secondary data from governmentsources, and Google images, Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 from remotely sensed data. Using cross-tabulations, this studysuggests that tourists arrival led to increase in incomes, which were then spent on building commercial infrastructure.To cross check these results, land use land change study using GIS mapping was conducted for the last ten yearsperiod. It shows that rapid and unplanned urbanization has profound social and environmental implications for Hunza,if not managed properly and timely

Irrigation Water Quality Assessment and Salinity Management Strategies in Bahawalpur Division, Pakistan

Economy of Pakistan is agricultural based and it mainly dependent on canal supplies. Due to rapid population growth, there has been a dramatic increase in the intensity of ground water exploitation leading to decline water table and deteriorate ground water quality. Tube well water is one of the most common resources to support the irrigation in situation of canal water scarcity. Considering the importance of tube well water, present study was conducted for the quality assessment of tube well water to provide guidelines to farmer and researches for better crop production by adopting water management strategies. Total 1400 water samples were collected from Bahawalpur division during the year 2017. These samples were analyzed and categorized according to suitability criteria of water quality evaluation. 38.64 percent water samples were found fit, 7.65 percent were marginally fit and 53.7 percent water samples were found unfit for irrigation purpose. Majority of water samples were found hazardous for irrigation purpose. There is need to analyze the existing water resources and recommending comprehensive conservation and management strategies in view of catering the planning requirements for the future. Keywords: Salinity, Sodicity, Ground water, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

RACIALIZED OTHER IN AFGHAN FICTION: IMPETUS FOR RACIAL DEHUMANIZATION IN KHALED HOSSEINI’S THE KITE RUNNER

This research study aims to explore the sociocultural analysis ofdehumanization in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. The findings of thisstudy show that Hazaras are dehumanized by Pashtuns for a few reasonsamong which the most important reason is their historical background. Thestudy highlights that other reasons for the dehumanization of Hazaras byPashtuns are their low economic and less powerful status, the difference inreligious beliefs, physical appearance, immigrant status, and illiterateness.This study explores that these incidents made Hazaras subordinatedpolitically, socially, economically as well as religiously. Based onSociocultural theory, this article uses a methodological approach based onclose textual reading to analyze the narrative structure of the novel. Usingclose textual reading analysis, this article investigates how Hazaras areothered in society. As a result of these incidents, Hazaras are completelyothered in society which is depicted by Khalid Hosseini in the novel throughthe prejudice and negative behaviors of Pashtun characters towards Hazaras.The Repercussion of dehumanization can be examined in The Kite Runnerwritten by Khaled Hosseini (2003). The after-effects of the dehumanization ofHazaras by Pashtuns resulted in racial discrimination, dehumanization,sexual abuse, religious conflict, socio-political conflict, and economic conflict.The repercussion of dehumanization can be observed in the novel throughdifferent characters such as Ali, Hassan, Baba, Sanaubar, and Sohrab.Through these different characters, the Hazaras are presented as enslaved byPashtuns, objectified, sexually abused, and dehumanized for no good reasonbut racial differences

Effectiveness of premedication at the time of separation from parent and mask induction in paediatric patients coming for congenital heart disease surgery

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of oral midazolam and chloral hydrate on anxiety and sedation at various stages of pre-operative period in congenital heart surgery patients. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Operating rooms of The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from October 2009 to December 2010. METHODOLOGY: Sixty-six patients between the ages of 6 months and 6 years received either chloral hydrate (Group C) or midazolam (Group M) pre-operatively. All congenital heart disease patients coming for cardiac surgeries were included while cases of emergency surgery and those patients in whom premedication was not given were excluded. Effect of premedication observed and documented by Anaesthesia Consultant. Documentation included demographics, level of anxiety and sedation at the time of separation from parent and at the time of mask application. RESULTS: Forty study subjects were male (61%) and 26 were females (39%). Eleven patients received oral midazolam while 55 received oral chloral hydrate. Sixteen patients were tearful and anxious (24%) while rests were calm and asleep. Thirty patients in group C (60%) were well sedated at the time of separation. Mask induction was satisfactory in 76% of chloral hydrate patients. Increase dose was suggested in 23 patients by anaesthetizing physician. Out of these 6 belonged to group M (54.5%) while 17 to low dose chloral hydrate group (30.9%) [\u3c 40 mg/kg]. CONCLUSION: Chloral hydrate provides comparable anxiolysis but superior sedation and mask acceptance scores when compared with midazolam. Higher doses of chloral hydrate (50 mg/kg) were required to keep these patients calm and peaceful at the time of mask application for inhalation induction

Satellite Derived Sea surface temperature fronts in relation with Tuna catch In EEZ of Pakistan

Sea surface temperature (SST) is an important parameter in marine ecosystem studies as its relations of Fishery and other marine resources. In this study SST fronts have also been studied with relate to tuna fish catch data of April and August 2014 was acquired. Satellite derived MODIS daily products have been used to derive thermal fronts in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Pakistan. Research results indicated that the Sea surface temperature gradually changed from 22C to 24C where Tuna catch is high and By Catch is low in frontal region. The further Relationship between these two data are discussed in this study and also made recommendations for in what way these two datasets should be handled. Remote sensing data and GIS tools are efficient and less time consuming for mapping and classifying sea surface temperature in a broader way. Survey of fishing resources is really time consumed and costly, Satellite Remote sensing data shows a promising tool to monitor fishery resources in a cost effective manner. Satellite data play an important role to identify fish aggregation zones and these techniques could also be used to forecast potential fishing zones by measuring oceanic parameters which influence on fish distribution on a broader scale and these techniques can help to local fisherman and fishery organizations to observe fishery resources

Early Breast-Feeding Initiation Using Point of Care Quality Improvement Model at Tertiary Care Hospital in AJK

ABSTRACT: Urgency and solely utility of breast feeding for six months is better for the provision of a healthy start to newborn and reduces infant mortality and morbidity. The prevalence of late lactation and other ways to formula or animal milk feeding the neonate in Pakistan is often observed other than the WHO recommendations. Early initiation of breast feeding is one of the indicators to express quality of Care in Maternal, and newborn Health. Among many approaches, point of care Quality improvement initiative (POCQI) is a simplified tool for learning the basics of quality improvement in the health care facilities. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of early initiation of breastfeeding among mothers in a tertiary care hospital in AJK, where POCQI has been piloted.  Methods: A quality improvement, cross sectional study before and after the implementation of POCQI model on two independent samples was carried out from August to November 2019. A total of 100 women (50 before intervention and 50 after intervention) who delivered neonates of 0-7 day’s age were included in study by using non-probability convenience sampling technique. The relevant information was gathered by using questionnaire. Mothers who did not start breast feeding within first hour did not receive any health education during antenatal visits. such women lack knowledge about benefits of colostrum. Hence an intervention was introduced by Researcher jointly in collaboration with POCQI team of the hospital by using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. Slogans and health education messages for promotion of early initiation of breast feeding were developed and message was spread to pregnant mothers who visited hospital for antenatal care or came for delivery in labor room.  Results: A total of 100 women (50 before intervention and 50 after intervention) who delivered newborn babies of 0-7 day’s age were selected purposively. Before POCQI intervention out of fifty only eleven (22 %) women breastfed their new born within one hour after birth. After POCQI intervention, out of fifty, thirty-seven women (74%) exclusive breastfed their new born within one hour. Thus, total increase in term of percentage was 54%.  CONCLUSION: The study gives evidence for more needs to enhance breastfeeding uptake in AJK. The prevalence of EIBS was low before implementation of POCQI model but it improved significantly after its applicatio

The Response of Land Surface Temperature to the Changing Land-Use Land-Cover in a Mountainous Landscape under the Influence of Urbanization: Gilgit City as a case study in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region of Pakistan

With growing urbanization in mountainous landscapes, the built-up areas dominate other land use classesresulting in increased land surface temperature (LST). Gilgit city in northern Pakistan has witnessed tremendousurban growth in the recent past decades. It is anticipated that this growth will exponentially increase in the nearfuture because of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives, as this city happens to be thecommercial hub of the northern region of Pakistan. The objective of present study is to explore the influence ofland use and land cover variations on LST and to evaluate the relationship between LST with normalizeddifference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference water index (NDWI), and normalized difference built -up index (NDBI) values. This study is carried out on data from Google earth and three Landsat images (Landsat 5-TM, Landsat 7-ETM, and Landsat OLI_TIRS-8) during the period from 1992, 2004 and 2016. Land use/coverclasses are determined through supervised classification and LST maps are created using the Mono -windowalgorithm. The accuracy assessment of land use/cover classes is carried out comparing Google Earth digitizedvector for the periods of 2004 and 2016 with Landsat classified images. Further, NDVI, NDBI, and NDWI mapsare computed from images for years 1992, 2004, and 2016. The relationships of LST with NDVI, NDBI, andNDWI are computed using Linear Regression analysis. The results reveal that the variations in land use and landcover play a substantial role in LST variability. The maximum temperatures are connected with built -up areas andbarren land, ranging from 48.4°C, 50.7°C, 51.6°C, in 1992, 2004, and 2016, respectively. Inversely, minimumtemperatures are linked to forests and water bodies, ranging from 15.1°C, 16°C, 21.6°C, in 1992, 2004, and 2016respectively. This paper also results that NDBI correlates positively with high temperatures, whereas NDVI andNDWI associate negatively with lesser temperatures. The study will support to policymakers and urban planners tostrategize the initiatives for eco-friendly and climate-resilient urban development in fragile mountainouslandscapes

Diagnostic Accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Arthrography and its Correlation with Arthroscopy in the Detection of Lesions Triangular Fibrocartilaginous Complex and Intrinsic Ligaments in the Wrist

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic validity and reliability of magnetic resonance arthrography in identifying the lesion of triangular intrinsic wrist ligaments and fibrocartilaginous complex based on arthroscopy as reference standard and preferred modality of imaging. Methodology: This was a retrospective validation study that was carried out at the Radiology department of PESSI (Punjab Employees Social Security) Hospital, Islamabad, between April 2019 and September 2022. A total of 11 patients with an age range 21-58 years, lesions of the triangular fibrocartilaginous complex (TFCC), and MR arthrography were included. MR arthrography images of the wrist were evaluated to assess the integrity of the intrinsic wrist ligaments, including those of the TFCC, scapholunate, and lunotriquetral ligament. MR arthrography injection was performed into the wrist joint, likely to help visualize the ligaments and other structures within the joint. The injection was performed under fluoroscopic guidance, and the size of the needle used for the injection was 20-24G. The data collected from the MR arthrograms and arthroscopy was analyzed using SPSS v 23. Results: The patient’s mean age was 40.0±12.31 years. Out of 11 patients, there were 6 (55.5%) males and 5 (45.5%) females. Sensitivity of MR arthrography is 71.4% and specificity that of 75% for detecting TFCC defects, and a 100% sensitivity and 85.7% specificity for diagnosing intrinsic ligament defects. MR arthrography had an overall accuracy of 73% for detecting TFCC, while the overall accuracy for detecting intrinsic ligament defects was 90.9%. Conclusion: MR arthrography was an adequate diagnostic tool for detecting defects of the intrinsic ligaments and the TFCC of the wrist when compared to diagnostic arthroscopy