Dealing with Local Tsunami on Pakistan Coast

Tsunami originating from a local source can arrive at Pakistan coastline within minutes. In the absence of a comprehensive and well-coordinated management plan, the fast-approaching tsunami might wreak havoc on the coast. To combat such a threat, a wide range of short- and long-term mitigation measures are needed to be taken by several government and private sector organizations as well as security agencies. Around 1000-km coastline is divided administratively into two provinces of Baluchistan and Sindh and further into seven districts. Most of the coastal communities were severely affected by an earthquake of magnitude 8+ on 28 November 1945 followed by a devastating tsunami. In contrast to the level of posed hazard and multiple-fold increase in vulnerabilities since then, the risk mitigation efforts are trivial and least coordinated. It is important to provide stakeholders with a set of prerequisite information and guidelines on standardized format to develop their organizational strategies and course of action for earthquake and tsunami risk mitigation in a well-coordinated manner, from local to the national level

Challenges and Opportunities for Reducing Losses to Fast- Arriving Tsunamis in Remote Villages Along the Coast of Pakistan

Fishing villages in coastal Pakistan would need to respond quickly to escape a tsunami from nearby parts of the Makran Subduction Zone. A previous Makran tsunami, in 1945, took hundreds of lives in this coastal area. The majority of those fatalities took place along tidal creeks of the Indus Delta, where the parent earthquake was scarcely felt. Today, many of the Delta villages must be reached by boat, and telecommunication is difficult. These circumstances add to the challenge of their receiving timely warning of an incoming tsunami—whether it is the immediate natural warning from a felt earthquake or a subsequent official warning from government agencies. A study supported by Oxfam GB underscores this challenge. Ten remote coastal villages, each visited by the study team, were found to have limited links to official warning systems through landlines, mobile phones, and the Internet. Two cities, by contrast, have International Maritime Satellite Organization sirens that can be set off by satellite. In addition to technological solutions, partial remedies currently available include improved tsunami awareness, training about natural warnings, and land use informed by hazard assessments

Morphological characterization, phytochemical profile, and cytotoxic and insecticidal activities of diverse parts of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.)

Purpose: To standardize Zakham-e-Hayat (Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam.) as well as determine its cytotoxic and insecticidal activity. Methods: Different parts of the plant (flowers, young leaves, old leaves and stem) and different solvents, viz, methanol, ethyl acetate and n-hexane were used for the extraction. Morphological characterization (macroscopic and microscopic), phytochemical screening for primary and secondary metabolites, and thin layer chromatography (TLC) using various solvent systems, namely, methanol/chloroform (MeOH/CHCl3), n-hexane/methanol/chloroform (n-hexane/MeOH/CHCl3), methanol/chloroform/water (MeOH/CHCl3/H2O), n-hexane/chloroform (n-hexane/CHCl3), n-hexane/ethyl acetate (n-hexane/EtOAc) were carried out. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was also performed. In addition, the extracts were evaluated for their cytotoxic and insecticidal activities. Results: The methanol fraction of the young leaves had 50% lethal dose (LD50) of 28.46 µg/mL while the ethyl acetate fraction of young and old leaves showed significant cytotoxicity at LD50 of 0.13 µg/mL and 142.68 µg/mL respectively. On the other hand, n-hexane fraction was inactive. The methanol fraction of the flower revealed the presence of carbohydrates, the ethyl acetate fraction showed the presence of carbohydrates and amino acids, while the n-hexane fraction showed the presence of carbohydrates as primary metabolites. Furthermore, alkaloids, flavonoid, saponins and resins were present in the methanol fraction, flavonoid and alkaloids in the ethyl acetate fraction, and alkaloids and resins in the n-hexane fraction as secondary metabolites. Conclusion: Methanol and n-hexane fractions of Bryophyllum pinnatum have some safe bioactive compounds which may exhibit potential health benefits

Efficacy of Topical 0.05% Isotretinoin Gel Versus 0.1% Adapalene Gel in The Treatment of Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris

Objective: To compare the efficacy of topical 0.05% Isotretinoin gel versus 0.1% Adapalene gel in treating mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Study Design: Quasi-Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Dermatology, Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi Pakistan, From Feb to Jul 2018. Methodology: A total of ninety-two patients aged 12 to 25 years with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris were enrolled and divided into two treatment Groups, Group-A (0.05% Isotretinoin Gel) and Group-B (0.1% Adapalene Gel). Efficacy was measured at 12 weeks post-treatment. Results: Treatment was found efficacious in 84.8% (n=39/46) of patients in Group-A and 50.0% (n=23/46) of patients in Group-B (p= 0.001). There were similar results when treatment efficacy in both Groups was disease severity. In all cases,efficacy was better in Group-A (p<0.05). Conclusions: The efficacy of topical 0.05% Isotretinoin gel was better than topical 0.1% Adapalene gel for treating mild to moderate acne vulgaris

Adapted behavioural activation for the treatment of depression in Muslims

Background Incorporating religious beliefs into mental health therapy is associated with positive treatment outcomes. However, evidence about faith-sensitive therapies for minority religious groups is limited. Methods Behavioural Activation (BA), an effective psychological therapy for depression emphasising client values, was adapted for Muslim patients using a robust process that retained core effective elements of BA. The adapted intervention built on evidence synthesised from a systematic review of the literature, qualitative interviews with 29 key informants and findings from a feasibility study involving 19 patients and 13 mental health practitioners. Results Core elements of the BA model were acceptable to Muslim patients. Religious teachings could potentially reinforce and enhance BA strategies and concepts were more familiar to patients and more valued than the standard approaches. Patients appreciated therapist professionalism and empathy more than shared religious identity but did expect therapist acceptance that Islamic teachings could be helpful. Patients were generally enthusiastic about the approach, which proved acceptable and feasible to most participants; however, therapists needed more support than anticipated to implement the intervention. Limitations The study did not re-explore effectiveness of the intervention within this specific population. Strategies to address implementation issues highlighted require further research. Conclusions The adapted intervention may be more appropriate for Muslim patients than standard therapies and is feasible in practice. Therapist comfort is an important issue for services wishing to introduce the adapted therapy. The fusion of conceptual frameworks within this approach provides increased choice to Muslim patients, in line with policy and research recommendations

Smartphone use and well-being in Pakistan: Comparing the effect of self-reported and actual smartphone use

Objective Past work has shown that smartphone use has negative effects on well-being. Yet, most evidence relies on self-reported measures of smartphone use and comes from Western democracies. We examined the relationship between both self-reported and actual smartphone use and well-being in Pakistan, a country that is under-researched in the Global South. Additionally, we investigated the moderating effect of the fear of missing out (FoMO). Methods We conducted an online survey among 427 Pakistani citizens. Participants reported their smartphone use and well-being (i.e., levels of depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction). At the end of the survey, participants were asked to upload screenshots of their respective ‘Screen Time’ (for iOS) or ‘Digital Well-being’ (for Android) apps, which we used to measure their actual smartphone use. Results We found a moderate association between self-reported and actual smartphone use ( r = .36); on average, participants underreported their daily smartphone use by 11 min. Actual smartphone use was negatively associated with well-being, while self-reported use showed no statistically significant association. FoMO was positively associated with actual smartphone use but not with self-reported use. Finally, FoMO moderated the relationship between self-reported use and well-being. Conclusion Our findings show that the relationship between smartphone use and well-being depends on how smartphone use is measured and is moderated by FoMO. Moreover, we find that mobile data donation is viable in Pakistan, which should encourage future research to use it as a complement to self-reported media use more often

Coastal Hazard Early Warning Systems in Pakistan: Tsunami and Cyclone Early Warning Dissemination: Gaps and Capacities in Coastal Areas of Balochistan and Sindh Provinces

If a large earthquake were to occur off the coast of Pakistan and trigger a tsunami, residents of fishing villages would need to act quickly in order to escape. A tsunami caused by an earthquake in this region in November 1945 claimed hundreds of lives. Most of the fatalities occurred along tidal creeks of the Indus River Delta, where people scarcely felt the original earthquake. Today, many of the villages in the Delta can still only be reached by boat, and telecommunications are limited. These circumstances add to the challenge of alerting local people to the danger of any incoming tsunami.This study, supported by Oxfam GB, underlines the extent of this challenge. It analyses the limitations of early warning dissemination systems in the coastal belt of Pakistan and investigates opportunities for strengthening them. It highlights the vulnerability of coastal communities in the face of natural hazards such as tsunamis and cyclones, due to their isolation, the limitations of communications infrastructure and limited awareness and preparedness of local authorities