Bacteriological quality assessment of drinking water available at the flood affected areas of Peshawar

Monsoon flooding occurred in the main areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan as well as parts of Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir in July 2010. Water-borne diseases such as cholera, enteric fever, and dysentery were common among the inhabitants of flood-affected areas which were selected for sample collection. In the present study, 10 sites in District Peshawar were selected and drinking water samples collected. These samples were analyzed for the total plate count (TPC), total coliform bacteria (TCB), total fecal coliform bacteria (TFCB), Escherichia coli (EC), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), Vibrio cholerae (VB), Salmonella Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus. The TPC ranged from 8 × 10¹ to 7 × 10⁴ CFU/ml. The TCB ranged from <1.1 to 280 MPN/100 ml. Twenty percent of the samples were contaminated with TFCB, EC, Salmonella, Shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus, while only one sample contaminated with PA. Forty percent of the samples were contaminated with VB. The surface and well water was greatly contaminated by flooding and major improvements on priority basis are essential.     

园林工人割灌作业职业性肌肉骨骼疾患的工效学研究

职业性肌肉骨骼疾患是园林工人的常见职业病,严重影响园林工人的工作效率和身体健康。对18名从事园林割灌作业的工人通过NMQ北欧肌肉骨骼系统问卷调查表进行调查,统计得出园林割灌作业的下背痛患病率约在60%左右,从事割灌整枝作业工人下背痛患病率为25%,从事割草作业下背痛患病率达444%,割草作业的下背痛患病率明显高于割灌整枝操作者。应用SPSS190软件进行下背痛的危害因子分析,得出下背痛的发生主要与重复动作、工龄、日提举负荷等有关。     

Setting up an early warning system for epidemic-prone diseases in Darfur: a participative approach

In April-May 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) implemented, with local authorities, United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), an early warning system (EWS) in Darfur, West Sudan, for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The number of consultations and deaths per week for 12 health events is recorded for two age groups (less than five years and five years and above). Thresholds are used to detect potential outbreaks. Ten weeks after the introduction of the system, NGOs were covering 54 camps, and 924,281 people (IDPs and the host population). Of these 54 camps, 41 (76%) were reporting regularly under the EWS. Between 22 May and 30 July, 179,795 consultations were reported: 18.7% for acute respiratory infections; 15% for malaria; 8.4% for bloody diarrhoea; and 1% for severe acute malnutrition. The EWS is useful for detecting outbreaks and monitoring the number of consultations required to trigger actions, but not for estimating mortality.     

The comparative study of the effects of 4 Hz Electromagnetic Fields-, Infrasound-treated and hydrogen peroxide containing physiological solutions on Na pump-induced inhibition of heart muscle contractility

The effects of 4 Hz extremely low frequency Electromagnetic Fields (ELF EMF), Infrasound (IS) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) on Na⁺–K⁺ pump-induced transient inhibition of heart muscle contractility was studied. It was documented that EMF-treated and H₂O₂-containing physiological solution had synergic depressing effect on Na⁺–K⁺ pump-induced inhibition of muscle contractility, while the IS had elevation effect on it. On the basis of the obtained data the H₂O₂ could be suggested as the messenger through which the stimulation effect of EMF on heart muscle is realised, while the relaxing effect of IS on heart contractility is due to the decrease of CO₂ solubility of muscle bathing aqueous medium.     

Nature and COVID-19: The pandemic,the environment,and the way ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought profound social, political, economic, and environmental challenges to the world. The virus may have emerged from wildlife reservoirs linked to environmental disruption, was transmitted to humans via the wildlife trade, and its spread was facilitated by economic globalization. The pandemic arrived at a time when wildfires, high temperatures, floods, and storms amplified human suffering. These challenges call for a powerful response to COVID-19 that addresses social and economic development, climate change, and biodiversity together, offering an opportunity to bring transformational change to the structure and functioning of the global economy. This biodefense can include a “One Health” approach in all relevant sectors; a greener approach to agriculture that minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and leads to healthier diets; sustainable forms of energy; more effective international environmental agreements; post-COVID development that is equitable and sustainable; and nature-compatible international trade. Restoring and enhancing protected areas as part of devoting 50% of the planet’s land to environmentally sound management that conserves biodiversity would also support adaptation to climate change and limit human contact with zoonotic pathogens. The essential links between human health and well-being, biodiversity, and climate change could inspire a new generation of innovators to provide green solutions to enable humans to live in a healthy balance with nature leading to a long-term resilient future.     

沙尘天气对呼吸系统疾病日入院人数影响的时间序列研究(1995～2003年)

为了探讨沙尘天气,特别是沙尘暴对人群呼吸系统健康的影响,对过去9年(1995～2003)沙尘暴高发地区甘肃省武威市的6所大中型医院沙尘天气高发季节(3月1日～5月31日)每日呼吸系统疾病入院人数进行了调查.采用半参数广义相加模型(Semi-parametric generalized additivemodel,GAM),在控制了长期趋势、日历效应(calendar effect)以及气象因子等混杂因素后,考虑到具体年份的差异,分别对每年建立GAM回归模型(滞后7d)并进行分析.然后应用Meta-分析方法的固定效应模型对各年GAM分析结果(即相对危险度RR)进行效应量合并,计算合并效应量(RR ),以此表示沙尘天气对呼吸系统疾病日入院人数的综合影响.结果表明:(1)对于沙尘暴的影响,各年呼吸系统疾病日入院相对危险度(RR)合并效应量(RR )随沙尘暴滞后天数的不同而不同,且在滞后3、4、5 d时每天的RR 均有统计学意义,其RR 分别为1.40(95%CI为1.06～1.86)、1.34(95%CI为1.01～1.77)、1.73(95%CI为1.35～2.23);(2)扬沙天气在其滞后第6天RR 有统计学意义(RR 为1.14(95%CI为1.01～1.30);(3)浮尘天气与扬沙天气类似,也在其滞后第6天RR 有统计学意义,其RR 为1.12(95%CI为1.00～1.25).(4)沙尘天气对人群健康的影响,可根据滞后不同天的RR 值变化,分为滞后早期效应、滞后中期效应和滞后后期效应三类;(5)沙尘天气引发和加重的呼吸系统疾病主要为各种肺炎、上呼吸道感染和感冒以及急、慢性支气管炎.这些结果表明,呼吸系统日入院人数沙尘天气,特别是沙尘暴与有关联系,且均表现为滞后效应,而且沙尘暴的影响强度大于扬沙天气或浮尘天气的影响.     

农作物病虫害气象环境成因研究进展

简要概述了近年来农作物病虫害气象环境成因研究方面的最新进展,包括农作物病虫害发生流行的气候背景指示及其影响机制、与气象条件的关系和气候变化对病虫害发生流行的可能影响等.结果表明:海温、厄尔尼诺事件、大气环流等大尺度因子对病虫害的发生流行具有明显的前兆性指示;温度、湿度、降雨、风、光照等气象要素,对促进或抑制某种病虫害的发生、发展、流行及其危害程度都可能产生显著的影响;气候变化可能造成病虫害危害的地理范围扩大,程度加剧.