Obesity is an increased and undesirable fat accumulated in a body and overweight is high body weight that is checked with height while keeping in mind the desirable weight as per age. The main objective of the present study was to find out the causes and consequences of obesity among school-going children in rural and urban areas of Punjab. The study was conducted in two districts of Punjab namely Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. Total 12 schools were selected, randomly, from each district considering the area i.e. Posh Private, Public and Rural Schools. Total 24 schools were considered for the study. Respondents were male students from grade 5 to 9 in each school. Sample size of the study was 600, 300 respondents from Faisalabad and 300 respondents from Rawalpindi district. A sample of 25 respondents was carefully selected from each school to make a total sample size of 600. The data was collected through a well-structured (including open and closed ended questions) pre-tested interviewing schedule. In addition, the height and weight of each student was measured using calibrated scales. Body Mass Index (BMI = weight (kg)/height2 (m2)) was calculated for each student. Precautions were taken to make sure that all recordings were accurate and precise. The collected data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and multivariate analysis. Results show that for both rural and urban areas, obesity of the children was significantly affected by mother’s education, family type, waist of the respondents, school distance, playing facility at school, TV watching, Internet use, junk food, weekly time spent in sports, weekly time spent in walk, family history and mode of travelling. Families with higher economic status were having obese children than to those having low economic status. The obesity of the children was highly affecting students’ academic performance and also their psychological health in rural and urban areas. Government should start National Childhood Obesity Prevention Program and cascade it to all provinces, divisions, districts, Tehsils and union councils. A separate dedicated management team should run this program. Media should send social messages through advertisements which show the problems of obesity and the chronic diseases it carries in future lives of children. Media should organize periodic talk shows in which doctors and health experts should come and tell the public about healthy life styles and eating habits.
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway is the most commonly studied signaling mechanisms, consisting of different groups of protein kinases that participate in regularly connecting interpretation of external stimuli that can change in gene expression or cellular organization within eukaryotic systems. The MAP kinase pathways functions in plants cell signaling (intra- and extra). MAPK cascades follow a response system. MAP kinases are the component of kinase constituents that deliver signals from sensors to responders in eukaryotes including plants. Several pathways are activated under different environmental stresses. Stimulating agents may be biological (biotic) like microbial infections or environmental (abiotic) like temperatures threshold, high salt concentration, drought, heavy metal, Ultra-violet radiation, ozone gases and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The involvement of MAPK signaling pathway in different stresses has been widely studied. In this review we also try to highlight MAPK cascades, its regulation, functions and recent findings in various cellular processes against stress conditions.
Pakistan has a big livestock population in all provinces. Cattle breeds infected by diseases according to their environment. Balochistan is the warmest region of Pakistan. We studied seroprevalence of Brucellosis, Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS) and FMD in Tharparker and Bhagnari cattle breeds of Sindh and Balochistan province of Pakistan. Brucellosis is an infectious disease, mainly caused by Brucella abortus bacteria. Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS) is a major bacterial disease of cattle and buffaloes, caused by Pasteurella multicoda. Foot and Mouth Disease is severe, highly contagious, viral disease. FMD affects cloven hoofed animals including cattle. Thirty five blood samples of Tharparker and Bhagnari cattle were collected from the Sindh and Balochistan province, respectively. These samples were diagnosed against Brucellosis, HS and FMD by using different serological tests. Brucellosis was diagnosed by RBP (Rose Bengal Plate) test and confirmed with ELISA test. Hemorrhagic Septicemia was diagnosed by indirect haemagglutination (IHA) technique. To diagnose FMD ELISA test was carried out. As a result, Brucellosis and HS was not found in all samples but 60 percent cattle were affected with FMD. It was recorded cattle were vaccinated against Brucellosis and HS. However, cattle were not vaccinated for FMD. So, It was concluded that Tharparker and Bhagnari cattle can be infected equally but on the basis of this study, Tharparker cattle sampled from different private farms was found more infected by with FMD because the Bhagnari cattle at Govt. Livestock farm was vaccinated routinely against FMD. This fact justifies that following study in the field of Brucellosis, HS and FMD identification will help to effectuate control measures. Regular disease surveillance was recommended to have a healthy cattle population.