آہ! ڈاکٹر ظفر الہُدیٰ
ڈاکٹر ظفر الہدیٰ ایم، اے۔ پی، ایچ۔ ڈی، علامہ شبلیؒ کی بڑی پوتی کے شوہر تھے، ان کا آبائی وطن تو اعظم گڑھ ضلع ہی میں تھا، مگر ان کے گھر کے لوگ دربھنگہ (بہار) منتقل ہوگئے تھے، اس لئے پٹنہ یونیورسٹی میں اپنی انگریزی تعلیم کی تکمیل کی، وہاں سے فارسی اور اردو میں ایم، اے کرنے کے بعد ڈھاکہ یونیورسٹی میں لکچرار ہوگئے، وہیں سے پنشن پاکر ڈھاکہ میں مقیم تھے کہ ۷؍ مارچ ۱۹۷۸ء کو اﷲ کو پیارے ہوئے، ان کی وفات علامہ شبلیؒ کے خاندان کا ایک المناک سانحہ ہے، وہ اپنے شاگردوں اور یونیورسٹی کے رفقائے کار میں اپنے اخلاق، اخلاص، محبت اور میٹھی زبان کی وجہ سے بہت مقبول تھے، اسی لئے جب بنگلہ دیش میں خونیں انقلاب آیا تو وہاں کی سفاکانہ اور بیرحمانہ خونریزی میں ہر طرح محفوظ رہے، ان کے اور رفقائے کار تو کراچی منتقل ہوگئے، لیکن انھوں نے ڈھاکہ ہی میں رہنا پسند کیا، بنگالیوں نے غیر بنگالیوں کے ساتھ جو بے رحمانہ سلوک کیا تھا، اس کی وجہ سے بنگلہ دیش کے لوگوں کے خلاف ہندوستان کے مسلمانوں میں بڑا سخت ردعمل تھا، اس کو ڈاکٹر ظفر الہدیٰ اپنے خطوط میں یہ لکھ کر دور کرنے کی کوشش کرتے رہے کہ آخیر یہ لوگ بھی مسلمان ہیں، وہاں کے مسلمانوں کے لئے اسلام کا صالح لٹریچر پیش کرنے کی خاطر شبلی اکیڈمی بھی قائم کی، دارالمصنفین کی مطبوعات کو بنگلہ زبان میں ترجمہ کرانے کی علمی مہم شروع کی، ان کا کام کچھ چل نکلا تھا کہ وہ وہاں پہنچ گئے، جہاں ایک روز سب کو جانا ہے۔
ان کو دارالمصنفین اور اس کے وسیلہ سے میری حقیر ذات سے بڑی محبت رہی ہے، جب کبھی ڈھاکہ گیا تو وہ مجھ سے سگے بھائی کی طرح ملے اور خاطر تواضع میں...
Menstruation is a normal physiological process unique to females. Pre-menarche is characterized by physiological, cognitive, and psychological transitions which may be initiated from the midst of their second decade. The onset of puberty/ menstruation in girls tends to change their role in society. Overall inadequate awareness levels accompanied by socio-cultural taboos and prevailing myths and misconceptions about menarche and menstruation have played havoc on human society. Objective: To diagnose and compare the prevailing level ofknowledge, attitude, and practices of adolescent girls studying in government and private schoolstowards menstrual hygiene and management. Methods: This Analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted at Government Jouhar Girls High School and Shiblee Grammar School System, Gulberg Branch (private) Faisalabad. A self-administered survey-based questionnaire was developed. Prior formal written approval from school authorities was followed by the pre-planned scheduled visits, explaining the purpose of the study, assuring confidentiality of acquired information, and self-administration of survey-based questionnaires. Results: The results indicated that the mean age at menarches of the girls was 13.69±0.95 years. A relatively more percentage of government (59.6%) school respondents followed by private school respondents (57.1%) had satisfactory knowledge about their age of first menarche (p = 0.806). Motivated by the socio-cultural taboos and /or fear or shame a majority of government (59.6%) and private school respondents (57.1%) had satisfactory knowledge about their age of first menarche (p = 0.806). A strong prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) was found in private school girls 87(49.2%) and 21(11.9%), followed by respective percentages of 78(43.8%), 16(9.0%) amongst the government school respondents who recorded their responses as agreed and strongly agreed about the development of reproductive tract infection in the post-menstruation period. As far as the adoption of hygienic practices is concerned a relatively high percentage of government school 28(15.7%) followed by private school 14(7.9%) girls strongly disagreed about changing their absorbent material on daily basis. The development of skin abrasions like rashes, itching, and urinary tract infection was found in a relatively high proportion amongst the government school girls 30(16.9%) followed by private school respondents 18(10.2%) in the post-menstruation period. A most common and alarming unhygienic practice prevalent amongst the government and private school girls was the reuse of absorbent cloth, who responded as agreed and strongly agreed in respective terms as 43(24.2%), 22(12.4%), and 69(39%) and 28(15.8%). Conclusions: The study concluded that the persistent myths, misconceptions, socio-cultural taboos, and unhygienic practices i.e. Use of old clothes as absorbent, reuse of absorbent material, and delaying tendency of changing absorbent, amongst the adolescent school girls of government and private institutes which may pose direct adverse health and life quality concerns for the female Pakistani community. The current situation calls for active participatory contributions from education communities to initiate various communication and awareness campaigns regarding pre-menarche knowledge and menstruation management which may aid to strengthen and transform their role as a significant representative of society.
Pakistan is reporting high number of polio cases during the last few years and the disease is continuously spreading. Poliovirus 2A protease (2Apro) is multifunctional proteinase performing vital roles during viral replication and cellular damage. RNA from polio infected blood samples and also from live attenuated polio vaccine was extracted followed by 2Apro amplification cloning and sequencing. The sequences were compared against the standard consensus 2Apro sequence obtained from Genbank to analyse mutations. In order to understand more concerning PV2Apro the protein was over-expressed in bacteria following amplification using sense and antisense primers and cloning in pET15b. Several expression hosts were tested and BL21 (DE3) pLysS cells gave the best expression of PV2Apro with minimal unwanted protein expression following IPTG induction. The 2Apro protein was purified to homogeneity using column chromatography, its solubility determined and its molecular weight and composition determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The purified protein had a slightly lower molecular weight than predicted. Several attempts were made to concentrate the protein using different buffers for ion exchange and crystallization procedures. However after every buffer change to reduce imidazole concentration, protein was gradually degraded. The 3D structure of 2Apro was determined and optimized by homology modelling followed by an energy minimization protocol. Structural validation programs VADAR and QMEAN were used to verify the 2Apro model. Analysis of protein stability changes of poliovirus 2A protease-mutated sequences using various servers was also performed. Furthermore, mutation pattern, intrinsic disorder regions (IDRs), hydrophobic regions, drug binding sites (DBS) and subcellular localization were identified. Hydrophobicity results confirmed the suitability and reliability of 2A protease as a potential drug target. Less IDRs were observed in the protein. In order to predict the molecular basis of interaction of small molecular agonists, docking simulation was performed on a structurally diverse dataset of known inhibitors of PV2Apro. Docking results were employed for missense mutations to predict extremely damaging to the protein structure as well as the function of the protease. Intrinsic disorder regions (IDRs), drug binding sites (DBS), and protein stability changes upon mutations were also identified among them. Our results demonstrated dominant roles for Gly 1, Lys 15, His 20, Cys 55, Cys 57, Cys 64, Cys 109, Gly 110 and Gly 111 within the binding pocket of PV2Apro. Upon subjecting these sites to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, we observed that out of 155 high risk SNPs, 139 residues decrease the protein stability. We conclude that these missense mutations can affect the functionality of the 2A protease, and that identified protein binding sites can be directed for the attachment and inhibition of the target proteins. Mutations detected in this study were also found to be interacting with the inhibitors proving them to be valuable tool for in formulating new drugs to inhibit polio virus replication. We have identified residues which would be helpful in the development of future selective drugs along with as important inhibitors to inhibit the replication of poliovirus.