15 research outputs found
Water: The Elixir of Life
No full textWater is a chemical compound made up of two elements, Hydrogen gas, which is combustible and Oxygen gas, which causes to burn. But the union of two atoms of Hydrogen and one atom of Oxygen results in a colourless and odourless liquid, known as water, which extinguish fire
First Death Anniversary of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam khan (1932-2023)
No full textProf. Dr. Muhammad Aslamkhan died peacefully on February 20, 2023, in Lahore, Pakistan. Prof. Aslamkhan was the founding head of the Human Genetics and Molecular Biology Department of the University of Health Sciences Lahore (UHS). He was also a Director of Sports and cocurricular activities at the UHS. His services to UHS were brought by the Higher Education Commission’s project entitled “strengthening of basic medical sciences at UHS, ” commonly known as SBMS as a project director. This project not only brought a lot of funding for the establishment of research facilities at the UHS but also employment opportunities for young people.
Prof. Aslamkhan received his Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.) in Genetics and Anthropology from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, in 1963, after his master's degree from Punjab University (1953). He was among the founding fellows of the Biological Society of Pakistan (1956) and the Zoological Society of Pakistan (1968). In 1968, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London. Later, the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences awarded him a fellowship in 1985. His professional services include academic and research affiliations with the provincial bodies of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
He served as Deputy Chief for the Division of Medical Entomology of the International Center for Medical Research and Training (ICMRT) at the Pakistan Medical Research Center, Lahore. Later, he became the Chief of Malaria Vector Research at ICMRT. This was the time when he studied the bionomics of mosquito species in Pakistan, which serves as a reference (1). While affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he extended his research towards vector-borne diseases of public health importance (2-10). After retirement from the University of Maryland, he worked as an independent consultant for several national and international bodies. Later, he joined the Higher Education Commission’s project SBMS as Project Director. During this affiliation, he also launched the first department of Human Genetics in the country at UHS Lahore. This department is still operational and produces many PhDs in human genetics, working at various reputable organizations in and outside the country. The department’s objective was to study the basics of genetic diseases in the country, and it has been doing very well until today. Prof. Aslamkhan’s research on genetic diseases has mainly focused on the role of consanguinity in gene pooling in the Pakistani population (11-13). Over the past several years, he has also voluntarily offered genetic counselling to patients with hemoglobinopathies at Sundas Foundation Lahore. He also studied the public health dynamics of blood donors at the Sundas Foundation in addition to genetic counselling (14, 15). He was also recognized as an Eminent Professor of Genetics by Higher Education Commission.
In 2017, he founded The International Journal of Frontier Sciences and became its first editor-in-chief until he died last year. I am publishing this obituary at his first death anniversary on February 20, 2024, praying for his eternal peace.
I wish him to rest in peace in his life in hereafter. Ameen
COVID-19 and our DNA
No full textOn December 31st 2019, Chinese Health Authorities in Wuhan city of their Hubei province, diagnosed 29 pneumonia cases of unknown etiology and informed WHO (World Health Organization). The unknown virus resembled SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), that occurred in China in November 2002, caused by a novel corona virus spilling over from an animal reservoir and transmitted by respiratory droplets. More than 8000 cases and 774 deaths were caused by SARS and circa US$20 billion coasted for its control
High Seropositivity of HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis in Prisoner Blood Donors than the General Population Volunteers from the Punjab, Pakistan –A Longitudinal 13 Years Study
No full textAbstract: Background: HBV, HCV, HIV and Syphilis are leading transfusion transmitted infections. Blood donors are screened against these infectious diseases before transfusion to patients. Methods: Data of general population and volunteer prisoner blood donors is retrieved from records of January 2007 to September 2009. Data is analysed using Epi Info version 3.5.1. Blood donors were screened using ELISA method against HCV, HBV, and HIV while VDRL method is used for screening against Syphilis. Results: Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis in general population blood donors is 3.3%, 4.7%, 0.51% and 0.47% respectively. Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis in prisoner blood donation is 7.81%. 15.42%, 1.17%, and 7.63% respectively. Conclusion: Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and Syphilis is high in prisoners as compared to general population
High Seropositivity of HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis in Prisoner Blood Donors than the General Population Volunteers from the Punjab, Pakistan –A Longitudinal 13 Years Study
No full textBackground: HBV, HCV, HIV and Syphilis are leading transfusion transmitted infections. Blood donors are screened against these infectious diseases before transfusion to patients.
Methods: Data of general population and volunteer prisoner blood donors is retrieved from records of January 2007 to September 2009. Data is analysed using Epi Info version 3.5.1. Blood donors were screened using ELISA method against HCV, HBV, and HIV while VDRL method is used for screening against Syphilis.
Results: Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis in general population blood donors is 3.3%, 4.7%, 0.51% and 0.47% respectively. Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis in prisoner blood donation is 7.81%. 15.42%, 1.17%, and 7.63% respectively.
Conclusion: Prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV and Syphilis is high in prisoners as compared to general population
Transmission and Epidemic of Dengue and its Abatement in Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
No full textDengue fever has become endemic in most parts of the country since past several years. The incidence of this
simmering epidemic has not been felt to the same extent in preceding years, as has been in 2011, with cases and
deaths. The district health authorities in Islamabad were well aware of the grave situation arising out of the major
outbreak in Lahore, under took measures trying to prepare for the prevention and control of Dengue Fever in
Islamabad, since the beginning of the epidemic. Immediate stringent measures were taken under the supervision of
Capital Administrative and Administrative Division (CA&DD) from the platform of a National Task force with the
collaborative support of many stake holders to pre-empt the situation mainly to prevent, control the Dengue Fever
spread in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Keeping in view the previous year's data and the fact that the expected
rapid human travel during the festival of Eid-ul-Fiter occurring in first week of September 2011, and suspected
transport of infected vector through goods may make the spilling of the infection in neighboring districts, effective
and timely pre-emptive measures were taken. As expected like many parts of the country the federal capital
experienced the epidemic of Dengue Fever with 1000 suspected cases of which 624 confirmed and there were 2
deaths as per data recorded on culmination of the 49" epidemiological week. The case fatality rate, however,
remained very low: 0.3%. The situation in Islamabad remained moderate as per evidence that the epidemic was
largely confined to Dengue Fever and not the Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever or Dengue Shock Syndrome
Colour Vision Deficiency and Consanguinity in Pakistani Pukhtoon Population
No full textBackground: Color vision deficiency is an X-linked recessive condition. This is more common among males as compared to females. This inherit from maternal grandfather to grandson usually. This study was aimed to find prevalence of color vision deficiency and consanguinity in Pukhtoon population of Pakistan.Methods: Three hundred and fourteen (314) high school individuals of both genders were screened for color vision deficiency using pseudoisochromatic Ishihara Plates. Consanguinity of parents were also recorded. Frequency of color vision deficiency over entire sample was used to calculate prevalence. Chi-square is used to see association between color vision deficiency and consanguinity.Result: Prevalence of CVD among males and females were 5.32% and 2.06%. Prevalence of consanguinity among parents of participants were 73.9%.Conclusion: Study showed prevalence of CVD among males as comparable to already reported but among females the rate is relatively higher. Rate of consanguinity among study population is also higher than previously reported ones.Keywords: Color vision deficiency; consanguinity; Pukhtoo
Mitochondrial DNA variation in the Sindh population of Pakistan
No full textThe present study was undertaken to investigate the control region of mitochondrial DNA for forensic discrimination and to explore the ethno-linguistic affiliations among ethnic groups of Sindh province, Pakistan. A total of 115 individuals, from six major ethnic/isonym groups, namely, Bijarani, Chandio, Ghallu, Khoso, Nasrani and Solangi, have been studied. We identified 88 haplotypes, defined by the particular set of nucleotides; of these, 70 haplotypes were unique in the investigated population. In addition, 82% sequences were observed once, 12% twice and 5.2% thrice. The most common South Asian haplogroup in six ethnic groups of Sindh, are; M (42%) and R (6.9%), whereas West Eurasian haplogroups were N (6.9%), W (6.9%), J (1.7%), U (23.4%), H (9.5%) and T (0.86%). A random match probability between two unrelated individuals was found to be 0.06%, while genetic diversity varied from 0.991 to 0.998. The high nucleotide diversity and the low random match probability of the mtDNA control region make it a beneficial tool for forensic discrimination as well as useful to the evolutionary biologist. This work is an important contribution towards establishing a National Mitochondrial DNA Database in Pakistan. Currently, the Human Genetic department at the University of Health Sciences Lahore has the depository.</p
Dichromacy: Color Vision Impairment and Consanguinity in Heterogenous Population of Pakistan
No full textAbstract:
Background and Objectives: Dichromacy, an X-linked recessive disorder is identified worldwide, more in males than females. In European Caucasians, its incidence is 8% in males and 0.5% in females. In India, it is 8.73% in males and 1.69% in females, and in Iran, it is 8.18% in males and 0.43% in females. Population based epidemiological data about dichromacy in different ethnic groups in Pakistan is not available. The aim of this study was to find out the population prevalence of inherited red-green dichromacy in a heterogenous population of the district of Chiniot, Punjab, Pakistan, and to determine the impact of consanguinity and ethnicity.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, boys and girls of the higher secondary schools were examined in the three tehsils of district Chiniot. Pseudoisochromatic Ishihara Test has been employed for detection of dichromacy in the study population. The sample size was calculated statistically as 260, which was expanded to 705 and divided by population density of the three tehsils.
Results: Screening of 359 males and 346 females revealed 19 (5.29%) dichromat males and only 2 (0.58%) females. The study population belonged to 23 castes / isonym groups. The consanguinity found in the district of Chiniot is 84.82% and in the dichromat families, it is 85.71%, of which 52.37% are first cousin.
Interpretation & Conclusion: The study has shown that the incidence of dichromacy could be reduced through genetic counselin
