Analyzing past and future trends in Pakistan's groundwater irrigation development: implications for environmental sustainability and food security.

Since the last four decades, groundwater irrigation has played a critical role in improving crop production and rural livelihoods. However, the flawed policies have allowed farmers to install private tube wells relentlessly, resulting in a slew of water quality and environmental issues. This study aims to investigate the key trends in temporal development of groundwater irrigation and its consequences in Pakistan. The dataset, which spanned 38 years (1981 to 2018), included variables such as the number of tube wells, wheat area and production, farm size, total cultivated area, and total irrigated area in Punjab province. Our results show that, while the number of government-installed tube wells has decreased over time, the number of private tube wells has increased by 579% since 1981. About 85% of these privately owned tube wells are diesel tube wells, while the remaining 15% are electric tube wells. The ARDL regression results show that groundwater development, as a result of growth in private tube wells, has significantly aided wheat production in both the short and long run. However, the results of ARIMA model show that, in the absence of any regulatory mechanism to limit private tube well growth, the number of private tube wells in Punjab will increase by 43% over the next two decades, potentially jeopardizing the country's groundwater sustainability and food security. To ensure the sustainability of groundwater use, farmers' incomes, and the food security of the population, there is an urgent need to devise policy options to limit the growth of probate tube wells in the province. In addition, the new regulations should consider the equity implications and the economic shock to poor farms and households.

[Effects of Geranium sibirum extracts on liver metastases in nude mice with colonic cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To establish nude mice models with the liver metastases of colonic adenocarcinoma and study the effects of Geranium sibirum extracts on them. METHODS: Nude mice liver metastases model of colonic cancer was established with human colonic cancer cells line( Ls 174t) inoculated into mice spleen. 36 nude mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, containing control group, Geranium sibirum extracts group and hydroxycamptothecine group. The weight and size of the mice and growth of the carcinoma were recorded. All specimens were examined histologically. pS2 in blood in nude mice with liver metastasis of colonic carcinoma was detected with nested RT-PCR. RESULTS: The incidence of liver metastasis was 100% in this intrasplenic injection model. The pathological results showed that tumour cells of liver metastases were poorly differentiated human colonic adenocarcinoma. In Geranium sibirum extracts group, the tumor number and the weight of liver metastases were significantly lower than those in hydroxycamptothecine group (P < 0.05). Using semiquantitative examination,in Geranium sibirum extracts group,the relative value of pS2 expression in blood was significantly higher than that in hydroxycamptothecine group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Geranium sibirum extracts can effectively inhibit the occurrence of liver metastases carcinoma and decrease the positive expression of pS2, it also has better effect than hydroxycamptothecine so that Geranium sibirum extracts may become the potential therapeutic strategy for liver metatstases of colonic cancer.

Effect of volatile oil of amomum on expressions of platelet activating factor and mastocarcinoma-related peptide in the gastric membrane of chronic gastritis patients with helicobacter-pylori infection.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of volatile oil of amomum (VOA) on the expressions of mastocarcinoma-related peptide (PS2) and platelet activating factor (PAF) in helicobacter pyloriassociated gastritis (HPG) and to analyze its potential mechanism. METHODS: Eighty patients with HPG were randomly assigned to two groups, 42 patients in the treated group treated with 0.5 mL VOA, thrice per day; and the 38 patients in the control group receiving Western tertiary medicinal treatment. Gastroscopic picture and helicobacter pylori (HP) infection (by quick urease and Warthin-Starry stain) of the gastro-membrane, expressions of PS2 and PAF (by immunohistochemical assay and Western blotting) as well as the contents of aminohexose and phospholipid (by Neuhaus method) in the gastric membrane of all patients were detected before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment. The clinical efficacy in the two groups was compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate in the treated group was 88.1%, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (78.9%, P<0.05). After treatment, in the treated group, gastric membranous contents of aminohexose and phospholipid was increased, expression of PS2 elevated but that of PAF lowered, all showing significant difference as compared with those in the control group (P<0.01). In the control group, the expressions of PS2 and PAF changed insignificantly. The radical eliminating rate of HP in the treated group and the control group was insignificantly different between them (76.1% vs. 65.8%, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The mechanism of VOA for anti-gastritis might be related with its action in increasing the expression of PS2 and decreasing the expression of PAF, and thus regulating the hydrophobicity of the gastric membrane.

[Observation on the expression of PS2 and platelet activating factor affected by Jianwei Yuyang granules and study its potential mechanisim against peptic ulcer].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influences of Jianwei Yuyang (JWYY) granules on expressions of PS2 and platelet activating factor (PAF), and analyze its potential mechanism. METHODS: 76 gastric ulcer patients were final diagnosed by gastroscope. They were randomly devided into 3 groups, including JWYY group (36 cases), Ranitidine group (36 cases) and Normal group (12 cases). Detection on Biospy Specimens of gastric mucosa to obseve the change of PAF, PS2 and the contents of aninohexose and phosphatide in ulcerated gastric mucosa for Immunohischemical and Western blotting. RESULTS: The contents of aninohexose, phosphatide of PU patients increased in JWYY group. There was significant difference between JWYY group and Ranitidine group (P < 0.01). The Immunohischemical and Western blotting methods showed that there was a linear correlation between the the contents of phosphatide, anino-hexose and the expression of PAF, PS2 in PU patients (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: JWYY granule can prevent the occurrence and relaps of ulcer and affect the hydrophobicity of gastic mucosa and strengthen the stability of myxo-gellayer by reducing the expression of PAF, elevating the expression of PS2 and effecting the contents of phosphatide and aninohexose, that may be one of the mechanisms of JWYY to heal ulcer quickly.

[Observation on non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation for treatment of Bell's palsy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore non-invasive therapy for treatment of Bell palsy. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-six were randomly divided into two groups, a treatment group and a control group, 138 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation at Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Sibai (ST 2), Qianzheng (Extra), Dicang (ST 4), and the control group with routine medicine (prednisone, dibazol, vitamine B complex and Qianzheng Powder), once each day, 10 days constituting one course. After two courses, their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: The cured rate and the effective rate were 83.3% and 99.3% in the treatment group, and 48.5% and 88.4% in the control group respectively with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Non-invasive electrode pulse electric stimulation at facial points has obvious therapeutic effect on Bell palsy.