New faunistic data on Diptera (Hexapoda, Insecta) from the Ziarat Juniperus forest ecosystem (Pakistan).

Background: This study presents the first faunistic record and DNA barcoding for some Diptera species recorded from the Juniperus forest ecosystem of Balochistan, Pakistan. DNA barcoding was used to explore species diversity of Dipterans and collections carried out using a Malaise trap between December 2018 to December 2019. This process involved sequencing the 658 bp Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene. New information: Amongst the collected Diptera specimens, nine families were identified, representing 13 genera. These species include Atherigonasoccata (Rondani, 1871), Atherigonavaria (Schiner, 1868), Chironomusdorsalis (Meigen, 1818), Eupeodescorollae (Linnaeus, 1758), Eristalistenax (Linnaeus,1758), Goniaornata (Meigen, 1826), Luciliasericata (Meigen, 1826), Paragusquadrifasciatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Polleniarudis (Fabricius, 1794), Raviniapernix (Thompson, 1869), Sarcophagadux (Thompson, 1869), Trupaneaamoena (Schiner, 1868) and Wohlfahrtiabella (Linnaeus, 1758). The families Syrphidae and Sarcophagidae exhibited the highest representation, each comprising three genera and three species. They were followed by the family Muscidae, which had a single genus and two species. Anthomyiidae, Chironomidae, Calliphoridae, Polleniidae, Tachinidae and Tephritidae were represented by only one genus and one species. A nique Barcode Index Number (BIN) was allotted to Tachinidae (specie i.e Goniaornata). The results indicated that barcoding through cytochrome oxidase I is an effective approach for the accurate identification and genetic studies of Diptera species. This discovery highlights the significant diversity of this insect order in study region. Furthermore, a comprehensive list of other Diptera species remains elusive because of difficulties in distinguishing them, based on morphology and a lack of professional entomological knowledge.

Molecular identification of Hymenopteran insects collected by using Malaise traps from Hazarganji Chiltan National Park Quetta, Pakistan.

The order Hymenoptera holds great significance for humans, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, due to its role as a pollinator of wild and cultivated flowering plants, parasites of destructive insects and honey producers. Despite this importance, limited attention has been given to the genetic diversity and molecular identification of Hymenopteran insects in most protected areas. This study provides insights into the first DNA barcode of Hymenopteran insects collected from Hazarganji Chiltan National Park (HCNP) and contributes to the global reference library of DNA barcodes. A total of 784 insect specimens were collected using Malaise traps, out of which 538 (68.62%) specimens were morphologically identified as Hymenopteran insects. The highest abundance of species of Hymenoptera (133/538, 24.72%) was observed during August and least in November (16/538, 2.97%). Genomic DNA extraction was performed individually from 90/538 (16.73%) morphologically identified specimens using the standard phenol-chloroform method, which were subjected separately to the PCR for their molecular confirmation via the amplification of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The BLAST analyses of obtained sequences showed 91.64% to 100% identities with related sequences and clustered phylogenetically with their corresponding sequences that were reported from Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, India, Israel, and Pakistan. Additionally, total of 13 barcode index numbers (BINs) were assigned by Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), out of which 12 were un-unique and one was unique (BOLD: AEU1239) which was assigned for Anthidium punctatum. This indicates the potential geographical variation of Hymenopteran population in HCNP. Further comprehensive studies are needed to molecularly confirm the existing insect species in HCNP and evaluate their impacts on the environment, both as beneficial (for example, pollination, honey producers and natural enemies) and detrimental (for example, venomous stings, crop damage, and pathogens transmission).

Advanced oxidation/reduction processes (AO/RPs) for wastewater treatment, current challenges, and future perspectives: a review.

Advanced oxidation/reduction processes (AO/RPs) are considered as effective water treatment technologies and thus could be used to solve the problem of water pollution. These technologies of wastewater treatment involve the production of highly reactive species such as •OH, H•, e-aq, SO4•-, and SO3•-. These radicals can attack the targeted contaminants present in aqueous media and result in their destruction. The efficiency of AO/RPs is highly affected by various operational parameters such as initial concentration of contaminant, solution pH, catalyst amount, intensity of light source, nature of oxidant and reductant used, and the presence of various ionic species in aquatic media. Among AO/RPs, the solar light-based AO/RPs are most widely used nowadays for contaminant removal from aqueous media because of their high environmental friendliness and cost effectiveness. By using these techniques, almost all types of pollutants can be easily removed from aquatic media within short intervals of time, and hence, the problem of water pollution can be solved effectively. This review focuses on various AO/RPs used for wastewater treatment. The effects of different operational parameters that affect the efficiency of these processes toward contaminant removal have been discussed. Besides, challenges and future recommendations are also briefly provided for the researchers in order to improve the efficiency of these processes.

Phyto- and bio-management of metal(loid)-contaminated soil by inoculating resistant bacteria: evaluating tolerance of treated rice plant and soil with its efficiency.

Anthropogenic activities are increasing the amount of heavy metals and metalloids in the environment on a global scale, harming all living things and necessitating the employment of bioremediation procedures. Metal-resistant bacteria were used to clean polluted soil and promote plant growth; this approach has gained attention in recent years for bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated systems. We studied the effects of chromium and lithium in Oryza sativa under controlled conditions. In the present study, lithium concentration was applied 50 ppm to 200 ppm according to the dose tolerance level, while the concentration of chromium was 10 ppm throughout the experimental setup due to its concentration observed up to 10 ppm in the targeted soil, which is present in Kasur area Punjab, Pakistan, for rice crop production in future perspective. The results reflect that plants with high lithium concentration have shown decreased plant growth and development, but due to bacterial presence, they thrived until harvesting stage. Due to increase in stress concentration up to 200 ppm, decline in plant growth was observed, but after bacterial inoculation, better growth was seen (chlorophyll content increased to 40, and panicle numbers were more than 13). Our findings reveal that lithium and chromium have a direct negative impact on Oryza sativa, which can be minimized by utilizing halophilic microbes (Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter cloacae) through soil-plant system.

Comparative Analysis of IgG Antibody Titers Induced by Three Different SARS-COV-2 Vaccines in Healthy Adults of Pakistan.

Covid-19 is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In order to control this disease, different effective vaccines have been developed. This study is an attempt to determine the strength and duration of immunogenicity of various established vaccines. This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted to compare the efficacy of three different vaccines; Pfizer BNT 162b2, Sinovac, and CanSino, respectively, after a duration of 3 months, in the healthy adult population of Pakistan. In this study 371 healthy participants (aged 12-25 years) of both genders (male and females) were enrolled. The blood sample was drawn 90 days after the complete vaccination process. The humoral response (IgG) was analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) method with Roche Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S analyzer kit. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics version 22 and P < 0.05 was considered significant. The mean antibody titer in Pfizer-group was 12,536.35 U/mL, followed by 5168.68 U/mL in the Sinovac group and 4284.32 U/mL in the CanSino group. The Pfizer-group showed gender-specific significant differences, with higher antibody levels in males (P = 0.006) as compared to Sinovac and Cansino groups. The Mean IgG antibody levels of the Pfizer-vaccinated group were significantly higher than the Sinovac-vaccinated group and the CanSino-vaccinated group (P = 0.000, each). However, the mean difference between the Sinovac-vaccinated group and the CanSino-vaccinated group was not significant. Vaccine-induced seropositivity was found in the whole cohort. The mRNA-based vaccine produced the highest immune response, and thus, it is recommended for future application.

Catalytic degradation of carbamazepine by surface-modified zerovalent copper via the activation of peroxymonosulphate: mechanism, degradation pathways and ecotoxicity.

In this research work, surface-modified nano zerovalent copper (nZVC) was prepared using a simple borohydride reduction method. The spectroscopic and crystallographic results revealed the successful synthesis of surface-modified nano zerovalent copper (nZVC) using solvents such as ethanol (ETOH), ethylene glycol (EG) and tween80 (T80). The as-synthesized material was fully characterized for morphological surface and crystal structural properties. The results indicated that EG provides an excellent synthesis environment to nZVC compared to ETOH and T80 in terms of good dispersion, high surface area and excellent catalytic properties. The catalytic efficiency of nZVC/EG was investigated alone and with peroxymonosulphate (PMS) in the absence of light. The degradation results demonstrated that the involvement of PMS synergistically boosted the catalytic efficiency of synthesized nZVC/EG material. Furthermore, the degradation products (DPs) of CBZ were determined by GC-MS and subsequently, the degradation pathways were proposed. The ecotoxicity analysis of the DPs was also explored. The proposed (nZVC/EG/PMS) system is economical and efficient and thus could be applied for the degradation of CBZ from an aquatic system after altering the degradation pathways in such a way that results in harmless products.

Titania/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (TiO2/rGO) as an efficient photocatalyst for the effective degradation of brilliant green in aqueous media: effect of peroxymonosulfate and operational parameters.

This study is focused on synthesis of highly efficient Titania/reduced Graphene Oxide (TiO2/rGO) nanocomposites by means of simple hydrothermal technique. The TiO2/rGO were synthesized in different ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3% by varying the concentration of rGO while the concentration of TiO2 was kept constant and the obtained samples were designated as TrG0.5, TrG1, TrG2, and TrG3 respectively. Different characterization techniques (SEM, TEM, HRTEM, XRD, EDX, TGA, UV-DRS, PL, EIS, and BET) showed high crystallinity, small crystallite size (18.4 nm), high thermal stability, high purity, low band gap energy (Eg = 3.12 eV), and high surface area (65.989 m2/g) for the as-synthesized TiO2/rGO nanocomposite. The efficiencies of TiO2/rGO were determined in terms of brilliant green (BG) dye degradation in aqueous media under UV light. The results revealed that 2% TiO2/rGO (TrG2) showed high efficiency for BG degradation with the kapp of 0.023 min-1 compared to TiO2 alone (kapp of 0.006 min-1). The rate of BG degradation was further synergised by the addition of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to the system. The degradation of BG was improved to 99.4% by the incorporation of PMS in aqueous media compared to TrG2 alone. Furthermore, the degradation of BG was also examined in various media (neutral, acidic, and basic). The results revealed that by increasing pH of the medium from 3.85 to 8.2 the degradation of BG was enhanced from 99.4 to 99.9% with the corresponding kapp of 0.0602 min-1. Moreover, the photocatalytic degradation of BG followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Radical scavenging experiments showed that ●OH and SO4●- were the main species responsible for the degradation of BG under UV light. Besides, for determining the efficiency of as-synthesized TrG2/PMS system, the degradation of BG was also performed in various water types (distilled water, tape water, synthetic wastewater, and industrial wastewater). The degradation products (DPs) of BG and their corresponding pathways were proposed, accordingly.

Melting Temperature Depression and Phase Transitions of Nitrate-Based Molten Salts in Nanoconfinement.

Hybrids of nitrate-based molten salts (KNO3, NaNO3, and Solar Salt) and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) with various pore sizes (between 25 and 380 nm) were designed for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants to achieve low melting point (<200 °C) and high thermal conductivity (>1 W m-1 K-1). AAO pore surfaces were passivated with octadecyl phosphonic acid (ODPA), and the results were compared with as-anodized AAO. The change in phase transition temperatures and melting temperatures of salts was investigated as a function of pore diameter. Melting temperatures decreased for all salts inside AAO with different pore sizes while the highest melting temperature decrease (ΔT = 173 ± 2 °C) was observed for KNO3 filled in AAO with a pore diameter of 380 nm. Another nanoconfinement effect was observed in the crystal phases of the salts. The ferroelectric phase of KNO3 (γ-phase) formed at room temperature for KNO3/AAO hybrids with pore size larger than 35 nm. Thermal conductivity values of molten salt (MS)/AAO hybrids were obtained by thermal property analysis (TPS) at room temperature and above melting temperatures of the salts. The highest increase in thermal conductivity was observed as 73% for KNO3/AAO-35 nm. For NaNO3/AAO-380 nm hybrids, the thermal conductivity coefficient was 1.224 ± 0.019 at room temperature. To determine the capacity and efficiency of MS/AAO hybrids during the heat transfer process, the energy storage density per unit volume (J m-3) was calculated. The highest energy storage capacity was calculated as 2390 MJ m-3 for KNO3/AAO with a pore diameter of 400 nm. This value is approximately five times higher than that of bulk salt.

Genetic Origins of the Two Canis lupus familiaris (Dog) Freight Dog Populations.

Despite periodic drops in popularity, Arctic sled dogs continue to play a vital role in northern societies, providing both freight transit and recreational race activities. In this study, we selected the Mackenzie River Husky, a freight dog of complex history, and the Chinook, an American Kennel Club recognized freight dog breed whose heritage reportedly overlaps that of the MKRH, for detailed population analysis. We tested each to determine their component breeds and used admixture analysis to ascertain their population structure. We utilized haplotype analysis to identify genomic regions shared between each population and their founding breeds. Our data show that the Alaskan Malamutes and modern Greenland sled dog contributed to both populations, but there are also unexpected contributions from the German Shepherd dog and Collie. We used haplotype analysis to identify genomic regions nearing fixation in population type and identify provocative genes in each region. Finally, in response to recent reports regarding the importance of dietary lipid genes in Arctic dogs, we analyzed 8 such genes in a targeted analysis observing signatures of selection in both populations at the MLXIPL gene loci. These data highlight the genetic routes that breeds of similar function have taken toward their occupation as successful sled dogs.

Toxicity assessment of emamectin benzoate and its commercially available formulations in Pakistan by in vivo and in vitro assays.

Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is generally considered a safe insecticide in agriculture and veterinary practices, yet, it can cause cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate toxic effects of 80% EMB and its commercially used formulations (Tycon 1.9% EC and Tycon plus 5% EW) in Pakistan and tested for acute toxicity in albino rats, rabbits and fish (Labeo rohita). Genotoxicity was investigated by in vivo comet assay and bone marrow micronucleues test in the rats. In vitro mutagenicity was tested in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. The tested EMB formulations were found moderately toxic (oral LD50: 122-168 mg/kg), causing severe eye irritation in rabbits, highly toxic to fish (LC50: 9-43 µg/L) and found non mutagenic. Oral administrations of EMB (80% and 5%) at 100 mg/kg of body weight to male rats reduced red blood cells, hemoglobin, and slightly increased the blood glucose, urea and liver enzymes levels but had no significant damage to DNA. EMB induced bone marrow toxicity was observed as reduction of polychromatic erythrocytes. Overall, EMB exposure was highly toxic to fish, and caused hemo- and hepatotoxicity in rats. These findings warrant cautious use of EMB formulations in agrochemicals and veterinary medicine.

Investigating degradation metabolites and underlying pathway of azo dye "Reactive Black 5" in bioaugmented floating treatment wetlands.

The direct discharge of azo dyes and/or their metabolites into the environment may exert toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects on exposed fauna and flora. In this study, we analyzed the metabolites produced during the degradation of an azo dye namely Reactive Black 5 (RB5) in the bacterial-augmented floating treatment wetlands (FTWs), followed by the investigation of their underlying toxicity. To this end, a FTWs system was developed by using a common wetland plant Phragmites australis in the presence of three dye-degrading bacteria (Acinetobacter junii strain NT-15, Pseudomonas indoloxydans strain NT-38, and Rhodococcus sp. strain NT-39). We found that the FTW system effectively degraded RB5 into at least 20 different metabolites with the successful removal of color (95.5%) from the water. The fish toxicity assay revealed the nontoxic characteristics of the metabolites produced after dye degradation. Our study suggests that bacterially aided FTWs could be a suitable option for the successful degradation of azo dyes, and the results presented in this study may help improve the overall textile effluent cleanup processes.

Biodegradation of chlorpyrifos using isolates from contaminated agricultural soil, its kinetic studies.

Extensive pesticides use is negatively disturbing the environment and humans. Pesticide bioremediation with eco-friendly techniques bears prime importance. This study evaluates the bioremediation of chlorpyrifos in soil using indigenous Bacillus cereus Ct3, isolated from cotton growing soils. Strains were identified through ribotyping (16s rRNA) by Macrogen (Macrogen Inc. Geumchen-gu, South Korea). Bacillus cereus Ct3 was resistant up to 125 mg L-1 of chlorpyrifos and successfully degraded 88% of chlorpyfifos in 8 days at pH 8. Bacillus cereus Ct3 tolerated about 30-40 °C of temperature, this is a good sign for in situ bioremediation. Green compost, farmyard manure and rice husk were tested, where ANOVA (P < 0.05) and Plackett-Burman design, results indicated that the farm yard manure has significant impact on degradation. It reduced the lag phase and brought maximum degradation up to 88%. Inoculum size is a statistically significant (P < 0.05) factor and below 106 (CFU g-1) show lag phase of 4-6 days. Michaelis-Menten model results were as follows; R2 = 0.9919, Vmax = 18.8, Ks = 121.4 and Vmax/Ks = 0.1546. GC-MS study revealed that chlorpyrifos first converted into diethylthiophosphoric acid and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP). Later, TCP ring was broken and it was completely mineralized without any toxic byproduct. Plackett-Burman design was employed to investigate the effect of five factors. The correlation coefficient (R2) between experimental and predicted value is 0.94. Central composite design (CBD) was employed with design matrix of thirty one predicted and experimental values of chlorpyrifos degradation, having "lack of fit P value" of "0.00". The regression coefficient obtained was R2 = 0.93 which indicate that the experimental vales and the predicted values are closely fitted. The most significant factors highlighted in CBD/ANOVA and surface response plots were chlorpyrifor concentration and inoculum size. Bacillus cereus Ct3 effectively degraded chlorpyrifos and can successfully be used for bioremediation of chlorpyrifos contaminated soils.

Advances in Optical Aptasensors for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Various Cancer Types.

Cancer is a life-threatening concern worldwide. Sensitive and early-stage diagnostics of different cancer types can make it possible for patients to get through the best available treatment options to combat this menace. Among several new detection methods, aptamer-based biosensors (aptasensors) have recently shown promising results in terms of sensitivity, identification, or detection of either cancerous cells or the associated biomarkers. In this mini-review, we have summarized the most recent (2016-2020) developments in different approaches belonging to optical aptasensor technologies being widely employed for their simple operation, sensitivity, and early cancer diagnostics. Finally, we shed some light on limitations, advantages, and current challenges of aptasensors in clinical diagnostics, and we elaborated on some future perspectives.

Sensitivity of PS/CoPd Janus particles to an external magnetic field.

The dual nature of Janus particles confers fascinating properties such as a response to multiple stimuli. In this communication, we systematically study the sensitivity to a uniform external magnetic field of isolated Janus rod-shaped and spherical particles in water confined to two dimensions. The Janus asymmetry of the particles is given by magnetic [Co(0.28 nm)/Pd(0.90 nm)]8 multilayer films deposited onto monodisperse polystyrene (PS) nanorods and microspheres, respectively. It is shown that the particles dispersed in water respond to weak magnetic field applied in in-plane direction. Here we demonstrate that a precise control of the in-plane particle orientation can be obtained for magnetic field strengths higher than 0.1 mT for microspheres and 0.4 mT for nanorods.

Genotoxicity of aluminium oxide, iron oxide, and copper nanoparticles in mouse bone marrow cells.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effects of Al2O3, Fe2O3, and Cu nanoparticles with chromosomal aberration (CA), micronucleus (MN), and comet assays on the bone marrow of male BALB/c mice. Three doses of Al2O3, Fe2O3 (75, 150, and 300 mg/kg), or Cu (5, 10, and 15 mg/kg) nanoparticles were administered to mice through intraperitoneal injection once a day for 14 days and compared with negative control (distilled water) and positive control (mitomycin C and methyl methanesulphonate). Al2O3 and Fe2O3 did not show genotoxic effects, but Cu nanoparticles induced significant (P<0.05) genotoxicity at the highest concentration compared to negative control. Our findings add to the health risk information of Al2O3, Fe2O3, and Cu nanoparticles regarding human exposure (occupational and/or through consumer products or medical treatment), and may provide regulatory reference for safe use of these nanoparticles. However, before they can be used safely and released into the environment further chronic in vivo studies are essential.

Functional microbiota in Chinese traditional Baijiu and Mijiu Qu (starters): A review.

Chinese traditional fermented foods have a very long and complex history. These fermented foods have fascinating characteristics. These are mainly produced by autochthonous fermentation, involving an autochthonous complex microbiota in these fermented products which confers amazing functional characteristics. These include desirable taste, aroma, texture, exopolysaccharides, α-galactosidase, ß-glucosidase, xylanase, antioxidants, and aglycone isoflavones which are produced along with other substances. Baijiu is a traditional Chinese spirit, which is widely consumed in East Asia, especially China, and is considered one of the most consumed spirits in the world. It is produced by autochthonously prepared traditional qu (starter culture), such as Xiaoqu, Daqu, Fuqu, and others. Microbial communities in various qu, thereof, have still not been properly characterized. There are several factors that contribute to microbial communities and to the final products of fermentation. This review shall succinctly describe recent scientific research on the production of flavor compounds by bacteria and fungi in Chinese traditional Baijiu qu (starter cultures), with special focus on the fungi and bacteria, and their functionalities with respect to flavor development in Baijiu.

Paper-based analytical devices for colorimetric detection of S. aureus and E. coli and their antibiotic resistant strains in milk.

Animal derived milk which is an important part of human diet due to its high nutritional value not only supports humans but also presents a growth environment for pathogenic bacteria. Milk may become contaminated with bacteria through udder infections or through contact within the dairy farm environment. Infections are treated with antibiotics, with ß-lactams most commonly used in veterinary medicine. However, their frequent use leads to the emergence of ß-lactam resistant bacterial strains, which causes difficulties in the treatment of infections in both humans and animals. Detection of pathogens as well as their antibiotic sensitivity is a pre-requisite for successful treatment and this is generally achieved with laboratory-based techniques such as growth inhibition assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) or polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), which are unavailable in resource-limited settings. Here, we investigated paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) for the presumptive detection of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and their antibiotic resistant bacterial strains in milk samples. The µPADs were fabricated on filter paper using wax printing, and then impregnated with chromogenic substrates, which reacted with bacterial enzymes to form coloured products. Limits of detection of S. aureus and E. coli and their antibiotic resistant strains in milk samples were found to be 106 cfu mL-1. Enrichment of milk samples in a selective medium for 12 h enabled detection as low as 10 cfu mL-1. The paper devices tested on a set of 640 milk samples collected from dairy animals in Pakistan demonstrated more than 90% sensitivity and 100% selectivity compared to PCR, showing promise to provide inexpensive and portable diagnostic solutions for the detection of pathogenic bacteria in resource-limited settings.

Genetic analysis of the modern Australian labradoodle dog breed reveals an excess of the poodle genome.

The genomic diversity of the domestic dog is an invaluable resource for advancing understanding of mammalian biology, evolutionary biology, morphologic variation, and behavior. There are approximately 350 recognized breeds in the world today, many established through hybridization and selection followed by intense breeding programs aimed at retaining or enhancing specific traits. As a result, many breeds suffer from an excess of particular diseases, one of many factors leading to the recent trend of "designer breed" development, i.e. crossing purebred dogs from existing breeds in the hope that offspring will be enriched for desired traits and characteristics of the parental breeds. We used a dense panel of 150,106 SNPs to analyze the population structure of the Australian labradoodle (ALBD), to understand how such breeds are developed. Haplotype and admixture analyses show that breeds other than the poodle (POOD) and Labrador retriever (LAB) contributed to ALBD formation, but that the breed is, at the genetic level, predominantly POOD, with all small and large varieties contributing to its construction. Allele frequency analysis reveals that the breed is enhanced for variants associated with a poodle-like coat, which is perceived by breeders to have an association with hypoallergenicity. We observed little enhancement for LAB-specific alleles. This study provides a blueprint for understanding how dog breeds are formed, highlighting the limited scope of desired traits in defining new breeds.

Iron deficiency anemia in reproductive age women: A survey study of district Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the foremost health issues among women of reproductive age. The study highlights to assess the level of awareness about the causes, symptoms, prevention and treatment of IDA among women of reproductive age in district Bahawalpur, province Punjab, Pakistan. A randomized study was conducted by using a self-designed standardized questionnaire disseminated to the hostels of female residents and homes in the immediate vicinity of Islamia University Bahawalpur. Females aged 18-45 years without any previous history of medical or gynecological problems were enlisted. A total number of 200 women were surveyed for awareness of iron deficiency anemia. Seventy three percent (73%) of women (n=146) were aware of the term IDA with the highest proportion of women falling in the age bracket 20-35 years. Most (66.9%) of the women were aware of the fact that their diet contains iron and its importance in health. It is concluded that, in reproductive age women the IDA can be prevented and treated through proper guidance and awareness through education.