Frequency of etiologies of acute kidney injury in Faisalabad and surrounding districts

Background: To find out the causes of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in population.Methods: A total of 150 patients were enrolled from medical, surgical, gynecology and obstetrics units of Allied Hospital and Madinah Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan. History, physical examination and investigations were recorded on specially designed proforma. Patients were evaluated to find out the etiologies of AKI. All patients were subjected to urine analysis, complete blood count, blood biochemistry (urea, creatinine, electrolytes, uric acid, calcium and phosphorus) and ultrasound scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Renal biopsy, immunological assays, such as hepatitis B surface antigen, anti-hepatitis C virus antibody, complements level, antinuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody were performed in selected cases.Results: Male (36%) and female (64%). Pre-renal AKI was most common and was reported in 80 patients (53.33%). Intrinsic Renal azotemia in 56 patients (37.33%). Post renal azotemia in 14 patients (9.33%). Among 80 patients of prerenal AKI, hemorrhage in 45(56.25%), gastroenteritis in 16(20%), sepsis in 8(10%), cardiac diseases in 4(5%), hepatorenal syndrome in 3 (3.75%), peritonitis in 2 (2.50%) and burns in 2(2.50%) were the main causes of Pre-renal AKI. Among 56 patients of intrinsic renal AKI, 40(71.4%) had acute tubular necrosis (ATN), 12(21.4%) with multifactorial causes and 4(7.14%) were found to have glomerulonephritis. Among 14 patients of post renal AKI, 6(42.9%) were having calculi, 6(42.9%) were to have enlarged prostate and 2(4.3%) were having stricture urethra. In this study, contribution of obstetrical, medical and surgical etiologies were recorded as 40%, 36% and 20% respectively.Conclusions: In contrast to study reported from neighbouring country, this study shows rather increase in pregnancy related AKI.

Development of Maize Haploid Inducer Lines and Doubled Haploid Lines in Pakistan.

The work on maize doubled haploid development has started at the Maize Research Station, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2010 in collaboration with University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. The aim of current study was to develop locally adopted maize haploid inducer lines utilizing cheap and easy source of Stock6 and indeterminate gametophyte mutant ig1 gene lines imported from Maize genetic Coop Stock Centre. The lines were later utilized to produce doubled haploid inbred lines. The environmental conditions of Faisalabad are extreme in nature. In spring crop during pollination period temperature may reach up to 45°C. Therefore, locally adopted haploid inducers are needed. Best performing local inbred lines were screened having branched heavy tassel, bold seed, good pollen shedding ability and vigor. These lines were utilized as female donor parent while imported lines as recurrent pollen parent in back cross breeding program until BC4 generation. These lines were selfed twice until BC4F2 and evaluated for haploid induction rate (HIR). Lines with high HIR were further intercrossed to achieve maximum transgressive segregation. Mass selection for the adaptation traits was exercised for individual F2 plants followed by ear-to-row plantation of selected progeny. Four best haploid inducer lines with HIR up to 5% having very good tassel size, height and heat stress tolerance were selected in 2014. Haploid seeds collected in different induction crosses until 2012, were used for colchicine doubling treatment. The doubling percentage of the haploid plants was very low 0.15% and out of 1000 treated seedling 15 survived and only 5 reached up to maturity, where only one D0 cob was harvested. This was successfully selfed and was grown in three different locations for next two seasons and there was no segregation in the successive generations. Developing countries that cannot afford costly haploid inducer lines can work on Stock6 and other cheap sources available free of cost and can develop their own haploid inducer lines well adapted to their own climatic conditions.

Molecular characterization of mutations causing β -thalassemia in Faisalabad Pakistan using the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS-PCR).

BACKGROUND : Faisalabad is the third biggest city of Pakistan. Majority of the population is Punjabi while other ethnic groups are in minority. AIMS : The present study was undertaken to find the mutations causing β -thalassemia in Faisalabad Pakistan. MATERIALS AND METHODS : A total of 285 β -globin alleles from 143 unrelated families having at least one transfusion-dependent child were analyzed by using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS-PCR). RESULTS : FSC-8/9 (+G) and IVS-I-5 (G ®C) were the most common mutations. The allele frequency for FSC-8/9 (+G) was 38.59% while frequency for IVS-I-5 (G ®C) was 37.89%. The high frequency (76.48%) of IVS-I-5 (G ®C) and FSC-8/9 (+G) on various alleles provides a strong evidence of intermarriages. CONCLUSIONS : By using ARMS-PCR, the mutations were successfully characterized in 95.79% of subjects, while 4.21% remain to be characterized. This study will facilitate the implementations of genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in the population of Faisalabad.