Drinking water quality of various sources in Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat and Swat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan

Abstract The present study involves the chemical and bacteriological analysis of water from different sources i.e., bore, wells, bottle, and tap, from Peshawar, Mardan, Swat and Kohat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan. From each district, 50 water samples (10 samples from each source), regardless of urban and rural status, were collected from these sources and analysed for sulphates, nitrates, nitrites, chlorides, total soluble solids and coliforms (E. coli). Results indicated that majority of the water sources had unacceptable E. coli count i.e.> 34 CFU/100mL. E. coli positive samples were high in Mardan District, followed by Kohat, Swat and Peshawar district. Besides this, the some water sources were also chemically contaminated by different inorganic fertilizers (nitrates/nitrites of sodium, potassium) but under safe levels whereas agricultural and industrial wastes (chloride and sulphate compounds) were in unsafe range. Among all districts, the water quality was found comparatively more deteriorated in Kohat and Mardan districts than Peshawar and Swat districts. Such chemically and bacteriologically unfit water sources for drinking and can cause human health problems.

CHANGES IN IRISIN RELEASE IN RESPONSE TO PERIPHERAL KISSPEPTIN-10 ADMINISTRATION IN HEALTHY AND OBESE ADULT MEN

Context

Kisspeptin role in metabolism has been implicated recently. However, the nature of the signals that may connect body fat/muscle tissues with the central nervous system governing energy homeostasis remains to be elucidated.

Objective

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of peripheral kisspeptin-10 administration on irisin release in human males.

Subjects and methods

Kisspeptin-10 was administered to normal weight (n=8) and obese (n=8) men. Sequential blood sampling was performed for 30 minutes pre and 210 minutes post kisspeptin injection at 30 minutes interval. ELISA kit was used to detect plasma irisin levels.

Results

There is a significant (P<0.0001) effect of Kisspeptin-10 administration on irisin release in both normal weight and obese participants. Mean irisin levels (96.24 ± 1.351 ng/mL) at 210 minutes were significantly (P<0.0001) enhanced as compared to pre-kisspeptin (59.18 ± 4.815 ng/mL) in normal weight subjects. In obese subjects mean irisin levels (75.76 ± 4.06 ng/mL) were significantly (P<0.0001) elevated at 180 minutes post-kisspeptin when compared with pre-kisspeptin irisin levels (41.28 ± 2.89 ng/mL).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that kisspeptin may have a novel therapeutic potential to induce irisin release in humans which may have anti-obesity effects.

The pattern of invasive lobular carcinoma in the patients diagnosed with breast cancer from Balochistan

INTRODUCTION

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common type of breast cancer accounting for 5%-15% of all the breast cancer cases. The present study was performed on 171 breast cancer patients from Balochistan registered in CENAR (Center for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy), Quetta.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Written consent was obtained from the patients. The history of the disease was taken from the patients, and the patients' enrollment files were retrieved.

RESULTS

Of the 171 patients, 5 (2.96%) were diagnosed with ILC with tumor Grade II, and stage of the cancer reported was Grade III in all the 5 patients affected with ILC.

CONCLUSION

ILC is the second most common type of breast cancer diagnosed with comparatively lower grade but almost reported infiltrating.