Distribution of Helminth Parasites in Intestines and Their Seasonal Rate of Infestation in Three Freshwater Fishes of Kashmir

The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of helminth parasites in fishes with special reference to water quality parameters in Dal Lake and River Jhelum and correlate the observations. Water, fish, and parasite samples were collected during different seasons from various sites and processed. Three fish species, namely, Schizothorax niger Heckel 1838, Schizothorax esocinus Heckel 1838, and Schizothorax curvifrons Heckel 1838, were recovered from these water bodies. The physicochemical parameters temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and free carbon dioxide showed variation vis-à-vis the season and location of the stations in water bodies. Acanthocephalan parasite Pomphorhynchus kashmirensis Kaw 1941 (27.47%) and two intestinal cestodes Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti 1934 (30.63%) and Adenoscolex oreini Fotedar 1958 (32.43%) were recovered from all the three species of Schizothorax. All the three parasites showed higher prevalence during summer and the least prevalence during winter. Parasitic infections were prevalent more in male fishes compared to females. The presence of the parasites had reduced the condition coefficient of the infected fishes in both water bodies. The study also showed that some of the physicochemical features showed a significant positive correlation with the prevalence

Gender Differences in Perceived Stress and Mental Health

Abstract Objective: To investigate the gender differences in perceived stress and mental health in medical students of Lahore, Pakistan. Methodology: The current study was cross-sectional in nature conducted at two private medical colleges in Lahore. Data was collected using stratified random sampling. Sample size was 300 (150 males & 150 females) students selected from all five years of two medical colleges. For assessment purpose Demographic form, Perceived Stress Scale for Medical Students (PSSMS) for stress assessmentand Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) for mental health evaluation were used.Results: For statistical analysis descriptive statistics was used for demographics details and from inferential statistics t-test was used for a clear picture of gender differences in perceived stress and mental health issues. Results revealed that in PSSMS scale only one subscale of burnout showed significant differences (p=.001) which revealed that males were more burnout than females. Significant gender differences were found for DASS Total (p=.007), and its subscale of Stress (p=.000), and Depression (p=.004). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that females demonstrate high level of stress, depression and on the whole more mental health issues than their male counterparts. On the other hand in Perceived Stress Scale for Medical Students (PSSMS) there were no significant differences in dimensions of social stressors, academic stressors and mistrust. Burnout was only one dimension in which male showed high burnout than female students. Gender appeared to influence the mental health of students

CLINICAL EVALUATION OF UNANI DRUGS MAJOON MUQAWWI RAHIM IN THE SAYALAN AL RAHIM (SIBYANI) PRE PUBERTAL VAGINAL DISCHARGE: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

The pre-pubertal vulvo vaginal discharge (sayalan al rahimsibyani) is increasing slowly but steadily in young girls has been a well-known disease among young women since ages. Now a day’s almost all Unani physicians at from Hippocrates 360 BC down to Shiekh Abu Ali Sina 910 AD Ibn –ul-Nafees, Ibn e Zuhr and Indian origin physicians like Hakeem Shareef Khan, Hakeem Akbar Arzani, Hakeem Mohd Azam Khan and Hakeem Abdul Aziz have mentioned the disease in there treatise and suggested single as well as compound drugs for internal and external use, The study has been conducted successfully by the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine Lucknow, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Unani drugs in the treatment of the disease. The pre pubertal vaginal discharge is not a new phenomenon in young girls, but due to the social stigmait is discussed in Indian society. Some studies suggest that various internal and external factors are causing the disease but to the best of over knowledge only a few studies have been conducted in the Indian sub-continent hence the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine, ministry of AYUSH Govt. of India took upon itself the responsibility and conducted a clinical trial on 22 young girls with consent of their parents and Majoon muqawwi rahim an Unani pharmacopeial formulation was administrated orally in semi solid form and the results are so encouraging that CCRUM may plan a bigger study in large scale and lead the country in the treatment of PPV through herbal Unani formulation and provide relief the suffering young girls

Spectroscopy of gadolinium ion and disadvantages of gadolinium impurity in tissue compensators and collimators, used in radiation treatment planning

Abstract. Intense ultraviolet emission from gadolinium doped amorphous aluminum nitride thin films deposited on Si (111) substrate is studied with cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence. The purpose of the study is to find the merits or demerits of gadolinium ions if added intentionally or present as unintentionally added impurity in tissue compensators or collimators in radiation treatment planning. These films are deposited by reactive sputtering at liquid nitrogen temperature, using 100-200 W RF power, 5-8 mTorr nitrogen, and a metal target of aluminum and gadolinium. Thermal annealing was performed at a temperature of 900 • C. A sharp ultraviolet peak is observed at 314 nm corresponding to 6 P 7/2 → 8 S 7/2 transition. The ultraviolet emission is intense enough to harm human tissues if it is used as tissue compensator. Intense ultraviolet emission is observable even if the concentration of gadolinium is less than 0.5%. Thermal annealing further enhances the intensity of ultraviolet emission, indicating that longer use of such tissue compensators or collimators containing gadolinium ions will provide more harm and damage to human body. Radiation Therapists, Oncologist and industries making tissue compensators and collimators are strongly suggested to test any compensator or collimator for gadolinium impurities

Ultrasound Imaging of Testes and Epididymides of Normal and Infertile Breeding Bulls

Echotexture of testes and epididymides from 10 slaughtered male buffaloes was studied. Diameter of testis and mediastinum testis was measured by ultrasound and compared with respective values taken by calipers. Testes and epididymides of another 10 fertile and 10 infertile breeding bulls were examined in vivo through manual palpation and ultrasound imaging. Semen quality of these bulls was also monitored. There were significant (P<0.01) positive correlations between ultrasound and calipers values of all parameters. The testicular parenchyma of fertile bulls was uniformly homogeneous and moderately echogenic. Epididymal tail was more heterogeneous and less echogenic, while epididymal head was homogeneous and less echogenic, than the testicular parenchyma. The epididymal body appeared as hypoechoic structure with echogenic margin. Among 10 infertile bulls, nine had poor semen quality, while one bull failed to give any ejaculate. On ultrasonography, six bulls showed abnormalities in their scrotal echotexture. Among these, one had an abundance of hyperechoic areas scattered in the testicular parenchyma, some of these showed acoustic shadowing, showing testicular degenerations with mineralization. The second bull showed many anechoic areas in the testes and epididymal head, demarcated from the rest of the organ by well defined margins. In the third bull, three-fourth of the right testis showed hyperechoic areas, suspected of testicular degeneration with mineralization. The fourth bull had two anechoic areas in one testis assumed to represent dilated blood vessel. The fifth bull showed small hyperechoic areas within the testicular parenchyma. The sixth bull showed an anechoic area with distinct hyperechogenic margin below the testicular tunics. The remaining four bulls had normal echogenicity of testes and epididymides in spite of poor semen quality. In conclusion, diagnostic ultrasound may be included in breeding soundness examination of breeding bulls

Low-Cost Resistivity Meter for Groundwater Exploration Using High Voltage Experimentations

26 March, 2018 Accepted: 17 September, 2019Abstract: Resistivity survey is very well known for the exploration of groundwater and to determine the depth ofbedrock. Generally, in Pakistan local drillers rarely use resistivity meter due to high cost of commercially availableequipment. Therefore, most of the wells for groundwater are drilled without any feasibility survey, which causeseconomic and time loss. An inexpensive resistivity meter has been developed that can help the local community toconduct a survey for groundwater. This designed equipment is handy, portable, easy to operate and can bemanufactured locally. This equipment costs 500 US Dollars (USD), whereas commercially available equipment costs2500 to 50000 USD. The designed portable device comprises of a 12V DC battery, an inverter, multiplier circuit,DPDT switch and electrodes. A 12V DC battery is fed to an inverter to achieve AC supply of 220V. The achieved ACvoltage is rectified to DC-voltage which is further enhanced up-to 1300 volts using voltage multiplier circuit. This highDC voltage is called High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC). HVDC is switched at very low frequency of 1Hz.Automatic switching is being accomplished by means of DPDT relay and its control circuitry. HVDC at low frequencyis applied to the earth through electrodes to determine resistivity for different materials lying inside the ground with apenetration depth of 100 meters. This portable instrument would be useful to map surface lithological layers, determinequality of groundwater and bedrock level in accurate and inexpensive way

Personality factors and burnout among medical students and house officers

Objective: To determine the personality factors relevance with the burn out among health professionals.Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted government medical colleges and hospitals of Lahore, from Feb 2017 to Nov 2017. &nbsp;Participants were selected through purposive sampling assessment of burnout. The abbreviated nine items inventory “abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) was used and the short form of “Zukerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire” (ZKPQ) was used to assess the personality characteristics of participants. “Regression Analysis” was used for assessment of predictive relationship between personality and burnout.Results: A total of 240 participants were included. Two personality factors Neuroticism-anxiety (N-anx) and Activity (Act) appeared as significant predictor of “Emotional Exhaustion” among house officers and final year medical students (p&lt;.001) and other personality factors of Impulsive sensation seeking (ImpSS), Aggression-hostility (Agg-host), and Sociability (Sy) showed non-significant relationship with “Emotional Exhaustion”. Neuroticism-anxiety (N-Anx) appears as significant predictor of “Depersonalization” among house officers and final year medical students (p&lt;.00)1, Activity (Act) appears as significant predictor of “Personal Accomplishment” among house officers and final year medical students (p &lt;.003).Conclusion: Combination of high neuroticism-anxiety and high activity are the predicting personality factors for burnout