Dynamics of A Polluted Tidal Estuary, Gizri Creek During South West Monsoon

Abstract: A 25 hours study was conducted in a polluted Estuary, Gizri Creek in order to investigate how current speed, salinity and water temperature stratification behaves under the influence of a polluted freshwater source. Vertically lunar hourly profiles of salinity, water temperature and current speed were obtained and the results indicate that the estuary is forced by semi-diurnal tides. The profiles of current intensity indicates that the flood currents slightly higher than the ebb ones, with maximum values of about 33.45 and 31.51 cms-1, respectively. The major flooding velocity was enhanced by the strong tidal currents. The lunar hourly variations of salinity and water temperature reveal that during the ebb, the vertical stratification increases, decreasing during the flood period. The salinity ranges between 28 and 41 ppt (parts per thousand) and the water temperature between 30.2 and 33.7 ºC. At surface and near the bed the salinity and water temperature increases during the flood periods, decreasing during the ebb. From the 25 hours observation of water column stratification or salinity vertical structure on the basi

Outcomes of surgical management of liver trauma at LUMHS Jamshoro

Background: Mortality from liver trauma remains high despite surgical advancements. The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of surgical management of liver trauma at LUMHS Jamshoro.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study using non-probability convenient sampling technique was done at department of surgery LUMHS Jamshoro for 18 months. Patients between 14 to 50 years with blunt hepatic trauma presenting to the E.R. within 04 hours of incident were included and hepatic trauma patients managed conservatively, having multiple trauma and hemo-dynamically stable were excluded. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis with mean and SD reported for qualitative and frequency and percentages for quantitative variables. Chi-square test was applied keeping p-value of < 0.05 as statistically significant.Results: From 136 patients with mean age of 32.33±1.23 years, 120 (88%) were male. 122 (89.7%) were admitted due to blunt trauma and 14 (10.3%) due to penetrating trauma. Peri-hepatic packing was performed in 116 (85.2%) and suture hepatorrhaphy in 20 (14.8%). Intra-abdominal sepsis was seen in 41 (30%) of patients followed by recurrent hemorrhage in 33 (24%) while 30 (22%) of patients died. Substantial differences (p < 0.001) were observed in terms of surgical technique and each of the complication i.e. sepsis, bile leak and recurrent hemorrhage among alive patientsConclusions: The most common post-operative complication was intra-abdominal sepsis followed by recurrent haemorrhage and bile leak. Significant mortality was observed in between type of complication as well as surgical technique

Complication rates in managing hepatic trauma: a cross-sectional study stratifying their outcomes

Background: Liver trauma is the most commonly observed injured organ in abdominal trauma. The objectives of this study was to determine and evaluate the rates of complication in the management of liver traumaMethods: This cross-sectional observational study using non-probability convenient sampling technique was done at surgical unit of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, for 06 months. After ethical approval from Institute’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), patients presenting to surgical emergency of the hospital between ages 16 to 60 years having blunt or penetrating liver trauma within 04 hours of incident, either road traffic accident, sustaining a fall, sporting injury, knife or stab wound were include while patients of liver trauma conservatively managed or had severe co-morbid, not fit for anesthesia, with multiple organs lesions (polytrauma) and all hepatic injury patients that were hemo-dynamically stable were excluded. SPSS version 23 was used for data analysis keeping p-value <0.05 as significant.Results: Among 136 patients with mean age 32.33±11.23 years, 120(88.2%) were males. 122(89.7%) of the patients were admitted due to liver trauma of blunt variety while 14(10%) with penetrating liver injury. Overall mean duration of hospital stay was 13.1±4.58 days. 41(30%) patients reported intra-abdominal sepsis, followed by recurrent hemorrhage in 33(24%) of patients while in 22(16%) of patients, biliary leakage was observed. An insignificant difference persisted in either surgical intervention in terms of the complication rates.Conclusions: Higher complication rates were observed in patients with peri-hepatic packing, however outcome of both surgical techniques in terms of complication rates were found to be insignificant. Further studies are needed to shed light upon the findings or this study

Growth Pattern and Morphological Variation of Labeo calbasu Found in Indus River, Sindh-Pakistan

The present work reports the length–weight relationships (LWR) and condition factor relationships for Labeo calbasu collected from Upstream (Matyari) Kotri barrage at, River Indus, Pakistan, because stock assessment helps the fisheries managers to conserve the commercially important fish. Morphological characters of fish as well as Length-weight relationship are an important tool for fishery management. The results of LWR (W= aLb), for L calbasu.  Representing negative allometric growth pattern. LWRs and condition factor relationships were found significantly correlated. A total of 200 and 190 specimens from upstream and downstream were collected, respectively. The assessed values of length-weight correlation and condition factor were calculated as Kn=39.663 (LeCren), and K=11.915 (Fulton) for upstream and Kn=44.066 and K=13.872 for downstream. Length-weight was found with a strong correlation of n= 2.892, a=0.0235 with r2=0.934 for upstream population then the downstream population.  The results of this work would be beneficial for sustainable management as well as fishery managers. 

Juvenile Batten disease (CLN3): Detailed Ocular Phenotype, Novel Observations, Delayed Diagnosis, Masquerades, and Prospects for Therapy

PURPOSE To characterize the retinal phenotype of juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL), highlight delayed and mistaken diagnosis, and propose an algorithm for early identification. DESIGN Retrospective case series. SUBJECTS Eight children (5 females) with JNCL. METHODS Review of clinical notes, retinal imaging including fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), electroretinography (ERG), and both microscopy and molecular genetic testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Demographic data, signs and symptoms, visual acuity, FAF and OCT findings, ERG phenotype, and microscopy/molecular genetics. RESULTS Subjects presented with rapid bilateral vision loss over one to eighteen months, with mean visual acuity deteriorating from 0.44 LogMAR (range: 0.20 - 1.78 LogMAR) at baseline, to 1.34 LogMAR (0.30 LogMAR - light perception) at last follow-up. Age of onset ranged from 3 to 7 years (mean 5.3 years). The age at diagnosis of JNCL ranged from 7 to 10 years (mean 8.3 years). Six children displayed eccentric fixation, and six had cognitive or neurological signs at time of diagnosis (75%). Seven patients had bilateral bull’s-eye maculopathy at presentation. Coats-like exudative vasculopathy, not previously reported in JNCL, was observed in one patient. OCT imaging revealed near complete loss of outer retinal layers, and marked atrophy of the nerve fibre and ganglion cell layers, at the central macula. An ‘electronegative’ ERG was present in four patients (50%), but with additional a-wave reduction; there was an undetectable ERG in the remaining four. Blood film microscopy revealed vacuolated lymphocytes and electron microscopy showed lysosomal (fingerprint) inclusions, in all eight patients. CONCLUSIONS In a young child with bilateral rapidly progressive vision loss and macular disturbance, blood film microscopy to detect vacuolated lymphocytes is a rapid, readily accessible, and sensitive screening test for JNCL. Early suspicion of JNCL can be aided by detailed directed history and high-resolution retinal imaging, with subsequent targeted microscopy/genetic testing. Early diagnosis is critical to ensure appropriate management, counselling, support and social care for children and their families. Furthermore, although potential therapies for this group of disorders are in early phase clinical trial, realistic expectations are that successful intervention will be most effective when initiated at the earliest stage of disease

Correlation and Regression Analysis for Yield Traits in Wheat

Abstract The present research work was carried out at Southern Wheat Research Station, Tandojam during the growing season 2013-14 in order to work out correlation and regression analysis for yield traits in wheat genotypes. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Eight bread wheat genotypes such as Mehran, Sarsabz, TJ-83, SKD-1, Inqlab, A. Sattar, Sehar and Sassui were used to examine correlation and regression. Seven traits, viz.; plant height, tillers plant −1 , spike length, spikelet&apos;s spike −1 , grains spike −1 , seed index and grain yield plant −1 were studied. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for plant height, tillers plant −1 , spike length, spikelet&apos;s spike −1 , grains spike −1 , seed index and grain yield plant −1 . Based on mean performance, variety Sarsabz gave maximum plant height (95.46), produced maximum tillers plant −1 (4.40), gave more grain spike −1 (63.13), TJ-83 gave highest seed index (47.260), and was next ranker in spike length −1 (12.07), spikelet&apos;s spike −1 (19.13), grains spike −1 (59.86), and grain yield plant −1 (9.86) among the genotypes. The phenotypic correlations revealed that tillers plant −1 and grains spike −1 were highly positively associated; hence these yield components can be used as reliable selection criteria to improve grain yield in wheat. Thus estimation of correlation and regression analysis among yield and yield components may provide effective selection criteria to improve wheat grain yield. The results from correlation and regression of plant height indicated significantly positive association with spikelet&apos;s spike −1 , tillers plant −1 and grains spike −1 which revealed that increase in plant height will cause corresponding increase in associated traits. A. H. Bhutto et al. 9

SEDATIVE AND ANALGESIC EFFECTS OF DETOMIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE IN GOATS

The sedative and analgesic effects of three dose rates of detomidine (40, 50 and 60µg/kg body weight) were studied in six goats. Moderate to deep sedation occurred after administration of 40µg/kg of detomidine as compared to deep sedation produced by 50 and 60µg/kg of detomidine. The degree, onset and duration of sedation and onset and duration of maximum sedation were all dose dependent. Skin analgesia and recumbency were produced in all animals with higher doses (50 and 60µg/kg) and in three animals with lower dose (40µg/kg). Duration of recumbency was 22.66 ± 1.45, 35.16 ± 1.68 and 55.66 ± 1.64 minutes after administration of 40, 50 and 60µg/kg of detomidine, respectively

Genome-wide linkage and haplotype sharing analysis implicates the MCDR3 locus as a candidate region for a developmental macular disorder in association with digit abnormalities

BACKGROUND: Developmental macular disorders are a heterogeneous group of rare retinal conditions that can cause significant visual impairment from childhood. Among these disorders, autosomal dominant North Carolina macular dystrophy (NCMD) has been mapped to 6q16 (MCDR1) with recent support for a non-coding disease mechanism of PRDM13. A second locus on 5p15-5p13 (MCDR3) has been implicated in a similar phenotype, but the disease-causing mechanism still remains unknown. METHODS: Two families affected by a dominant developmental macular disorder that closely resembles NCMD in association with digit abnormalities were included in the study. Family members with available DNA were genotyped using the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 250K Sty array. A parametric multipoint linkage analysis assuming a fully penetrant dominant model was performed using MERLIN. Haplotype sharing analysis was carried out using the non-parametric Homozygosity Haplotype method. Whole-exome sequencing was conducted on selected affected individuals. RESULTS: Linkage analysis excluded MCDR1 from the candidate regions (LOD < -2). There was suggestive linkage (LOD = 2.7) at two loci, including 9p24.1 and 5p15.32 that overlapped with MCDR3. The haplotype sharing analysis in one of the families revealed a 5 cM shared IBD segment at 5p15.32 (p value = 0.004). Whole-exome sequencing did not provide conclusive evidence for disease-causing alleles. CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not exclude that this phenotype may be allelic with NCMD MCDR3 at 5p15 and leave the possibility of a non-coding disease mechanism, in keeping with recent findings on 6q16. Further studies, including whole-genome sequencing, may help elucidate the underlying genetic cause of this phenotype and shed light on macular development and function

Unique noncoding variants upstream of PRDM13 are associated with a spectrum of developmental retinal dystrophies including progressive bifocal chorioretinal atrophy

The autosomal dominant progressive bifocal chorioretinal atrophy (PBCRA) disease locus has been mapped to chromosome 6q14–16.2 which overlaps the North Carolina Macular Dystrophy (NCMD) locus MCDR1. NCMD is a non‐progressive developmental macular dystrophy, in which variants upstream of PRDM13 have been implicated. Whole genome sequencing was performed to interrogate structural variants (SVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in eight individuals, six affected individuals from two families with PBCRA and two individuals from an additional family with a related developmental macular dystrophy. A SNV (chr6:100,046,804 T > C), located 7.8 kb upstream of the PRDM13 gene, was shared by all PBCRA‐affected individuals in the disease locus. Haplotype analysis suggested that the variant arose independently in the two families. The two affected individuals from family 3, were screened for rare variants in the PBCRA and NCMD loci. This revealed a de novo variant in the proband, 21 bp from the first SNV (chr6:100,046,783 A > C). This study expands the non‐coding variant spectrum upstream of PRDM13 and suggests altered spatio‐temporal expression of PRDM13 as a candidate disease mechanism in the phenotypically distinct but related conditions, NCMD and PBCRA