Hepatitis C is the inflammation of the Liver caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the leading cause of the liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. About 3% of the people have been affected by HCV world wide and in Pakistan being an underdeveloped country; an estimated 10 million people have Hepatitis C infection (WHO). As hepatitis C infection is asymptomatic and due to untimely diagnosis it leads to severe liver diseases and anuualy a lot of affected individuals lose their lives. In order to cure the infection Food and Drug Agency (FDA) has approved the use of Interferon (IFN) as the treatment remedy. In Pakistan National Institute of Health (NIH) has also given the recommendation for the use of IFN as the therapeutic agent In KhyberPakhtunKhwa (KPK) mostly conventional IFN and Ribavirin combination therapy is considered due to the prevalence of responsive genotypes 2 and 3. Earlier no study has been conducted to sort out IFN response among chronic HCV patients in different districts of KPK province, therefore we attempted to find out response of conventional IFN combination therapy at districts level in KPK. Samples were collected from chronic HCV patients referred by clinician/laboratories of different regions of KPK. The samples were analyzed for screening by ICT (Immunochromatographic Technique) and ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Asaay) followed by confirmation through polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We have also done genotyping for some of the chronic HCV patients. PCR confirmed positive patients were given IFN and Ribavirin combination therapy keeping in mind the therapy exclusion criteria. The dose of IFN and Ribavirin was 3 Million Units thrice a week and 800-1200mg daily depending on the age of the patients, respectively. This therapy was continued for six months with repeated testing of ALT (Alanin Transaminase) and CBC (Complete Blood Count), during and after therapy. At the end of six months of therapy, PCR test was done for all course completed patients. Active HCV infection was present in 66.6% among 3075 anti-HCV positive patients while 33.3% anti-HCV positive patients were negative for HCV RNA. Rate of active iiHCV infection was comparatively more in districts Bunir (72%), Dir (70 %) and in Mardan (69%). While lower in districts Swabi (66%), Peshawar (64%) and Kohat (59%). HCV genotype analysis in chronic HCV patients of KPK revealed that the most abundant genotypes/subtypes among the patients analyzed were 2a followed by subtype 3a. Other common genotypes included the untypable type of the virus and genotype 3b. Response of IFN and Ribavirn combination therapy in the 1st trial among 174 PCR positive patients was 74.71% and the resistance was 25.28%. Among different districts, high end of treatment response (ETR) was shown by district Mardan patients population (89.18%), followed by Bunir (69.23%). While low response was present in case of district Peshawar (60%) and Federally Administered Triable Area (FATA) (55.55%). In the second trial of IFN therapy, out of total (341) selected patients for standard IFN- based therapy 81% showed ETR and 19% did not show response. Among the districts high ETR was shown by district Swabi (92%), followed by district Kohat (80%). Comparatively low response was present in case of district Bunir (71%). In genotype specific response of IFN based therapy, out of total 51 selected patients. Responsive genotypes among these were 2a followed by 3a. Response rate among different HCV genotypes were as, 2a HCV genotypes had high (77.72%) ETR, followed by 3a genotypes (72.22%). Comparatively low response was present in case of 3b and 1b genotypes (66.66%) and (33.33%) respectively. While untypable genotypes showed no response. Our results revealed that response of combination IFN therapy is good in some of the districts patients’ population. High ETR rate in these districts may be attributed to prevalence of responsive HCV genotypes 2 and 3. In case of non responsive genotypes some new effective remedies should be discovered. While untypable genotypes should be sequenced so as to adopt some new therapeutic agents against them.
اُس کا گاؤںسو، سوا سو کچے اور دو پکے گھروں پر مشتمل تھا۔ اُس کا گاؤں دریائے راوی کا وہ اندھا طاقت ور پانی تھا جو کبھی تو ارد گرد کی زمین پر بھی بھل ڈال کر اُسے اور بھی طاقت ور اور زرخیز بناتا تو کبھی لہلہاتی فصلوں، کچے مکانوں اور دیواروں کو اپنے ساتھ بہا کر لے جاتا۔گہرے مٹیالے رنگ کا وہ جھاگ والا ٹھنڈا پانی زندگی اور موت کا جدا جدا رنگ تھا۔اُس کا گاؤں وسیع و عریض برساتی نالے کے ریتلے پیٹ میں کہیں کہیں بنے ہوئے وہ جوہڑ تھے، جن کے نم آلود کناروں پر ریت کو کھود کھود کر ہل چلانے والے ، چرواہے اور مسافر چھوٹے چھوٹے گڑھے بناتے، وہ گڑھے نتھرے ہوئے پانی سے بھر جاتے تو وہ اِس پانی سے اپنی پیاس بجھا لیتے۔:وہ جوہڑ جو برساتی نالہ خشک ہو جانے پر بھی پانی سے بھرے رہتے تھے، وہ جوہڑ جن میں نوجوان چرواہے تپتی دھوپ میں چھوٹے چھوٹے گول سینگوں والی بھینسوں کو نہلاتے، ایک دوسرے کی دیکھا دیکھی بھینسوں کے جسم کو چمکاتے اور خود ڈبکیاں لگاتے ہوئے نہاتے۔ اُس کا گاؤں پورب کی وہ ٹھنڈی ہوا تھی جو شام کو چلتی تو سانپ اور دیگر کیڑے مکوڑے اپنی قیام گاہوں سے نکل کر لہلہاتے خوب صورت کھیتوں کی پگڈنڈیوں پر بے خوف لیٹ جاتے۔ اُس کا گاؤں جیٹھ ہاڑ کی چلچلاتی اور ویران دوپہروں کی طرح تھا جن میں کنوارے لڑکے اکیلے خوشبو لگا کر باہر نکلنے سے خوف کھاتے تھے کہ کہیں چڑیلیں اُن کا کلیجہ نہ نکال لیں۔ اُن گرم دوپہروں میں چرواہے اپنے مویشیوں کو ماؤں جیسے مہربان شیشم کے درختوں کی چھاؤں میں جگالی کرتے چھوڑ کر اُن کے پاس بیٹھ کر اڈہ کھڈہ کھیلتے یا پھر فحش گانے گاتے۔ اُس کا گاؤں ساون بھادوں کی ہواؤں کے وہ تیز جھونکے...
Islām is a religion of peace and it gives great importance to peace. Islamic teachings and laws are meant to create and maintain peace in the human society. But, unfortunately, Islām has been targeted as a source of terrorism, today. In this article, the author tries to defend Islām and differentiate between Jihād and terrorism. The word terrorism needs to be seen in its historical perspective. Different definitions of terrorism have been presented, but still it is an ambiguous term. In this paper, the author tries to define terrorism in the Islamic perspective. This paper discusses the points given below: m The concept of terrorism, its manifestations and types. M Encountering and prevention of terrorism from Islamic perspective. M Islām and the global brotherhood. M The punishment of terrorism. M The religious viewpoint against a cruel government. M The peaceful struggle against cruelty and injustice. Also, the difference between terrorism and jihad has been clarified. The rules and regulations of Jihād make it clear that it has nothing to do with terrorism, which is an unruly activity. A Muslim is supposed to be a peaceful citizen, who can never indulge in any act of terrorism. The rebellion against the rulers has also been discussed to draw the conclusion that it is not allowed except against the blatant kufr. The objectives of the Islamic punishments indicate the Islamic approach to minimize terrorism in the human society.
Phonological Problems, Faced by Sindhi Speaking Students (In Speaking English) at College Level in District Naushahro Feroze, Sindh It is generally conceded that one kind of interference behavior, phoneme substitution, occurs when a learner unconsciously identifies or categorizes as L2 sound as being the same as a particular L1 sound (even though it differs from the L1 sound in the perceptions of native speakers of the L2). So it is natural for phonological differences to exist in the pronunciation of a second language speaker and a native speaker of the same language. Thus phonological problems of the Sindhi speaking students in speaking English are obvious. Close observation of the students enthused the researcher to find out the difference of the SSS in pronunciation in speaking English from Received Pronunciation (RP) and the factors involved in the deviation. To find out and record ‘deviation’ of the Sindhi speaking students’ pronunciation of the English language from the Standard English sounds, the respondents were asked to read out common words, short paragraphs and a page of dialogues and their reading was recorded in audiocassettes. Later on the recording of the respondents was heard along with the supervisor very carefully and was written in transcription and analyzed. The result shows that the articulation of almost all the students was similar in English pronunciation (sounds), accent and intonation. The factors: interference of mother tongue, age, society, culture, and standard of education involve in the phonological problems. Besides the recording, a questionnaire consisting of eight questions was given to the SSS to fill up. Later on answers of the questions were analyzed and incorporated in the thesis.