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Consanguineous marriages and genetic ailments in Pakistan

Suhail Yusuf
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Consanguineous marriages and genetic ailments in Pakistan

Samina is a nineteen years old girl from Hunza, Pakistan. She has been facing problems in body movement those are increasing with each day and now she can no more raise arms in front of her face. Understabely, her muscles are fading slowly just like an eroding wall gradually losing its bricks. A genetic time bomb hides inside her body cells.

Around three years ago, Samina started feeling weakness in her muscles. After a couple of tests, she diagnosed with an incurable genetic disease called “Muscular Dystrophy.” Mukhtar her father, who is also a heart patient, sells snacks at a rented shop, the only work he can do due to his ailment.

Samina desperately needed highly priced drugs and medical tests on a regular basis and a fully formatted house in her steep village with easy access to things and a transformed toilet. It was nearly impossible for her family who can not even afford the medical expense of Mukhtar.

Later on, a few donors proceeded and helped the family in some expensive medical tests (worth 200 thousand rupees) to further evaluate the situation. The results revealed a bleak picture as they suggest the worst situation for this brave girl and predicted severe cardiopulmonary problems and even her death at the age of 30. But there was another challenge awaiting the family because Sarah – the younger sister of Samina – is also on the same way of Muscular Dystrophy.

Samina’s parents are close cousins and even their parents or Samina’s grandparents were also close cousins who shared the same genetic pool.

Pedigree of a rare recessive phenotype-a classical case of interfamily marriages

Pakistan – a hub of genetic disorders

Marriages among close relatives are common in Pakistan and responsible for many genetic ailments and a majority of them are still needed to be further investigated. According to a research paper, 50 percent of marriages are consanguineous or take place between common family members in Pakistan.

Recently, a new genetic mutation, responsible for eye defects leading to blindness in Pakistan, has been unearthed with the collaboration of Pakistani and Swiss scientists.

Marriages among close relatives are common in Pakistan and responsible for many genetic ailments and a majority of them are still needed to be further investigated

Geneticists from the University of Geneva Medical School (UNIGE) and the Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, have analyzed the genome of many families having mutant – changed or abnormal copies – in a new gene called MARK3.

They found mutations in the MARK3 gene in a family having three affected children. Both parents were cousins, dubbed as a consanguineous family in medical term. The infected children inherited two copies of genetic mutation, both from the mother and father.

Genetics and molecular biology of autosomal recessive disorder

The mysterious eyeball disappearance disease was unexplainable until this research. Now, we have found that the mutation is responsible for the shrinking eyeballs in children leading to the blindness. These findings published in the journal, Human Molecular Genetics.

“We found a pathogenic mutation in a new gene – that was not linked to any disease before – named as MARK3 in a Pakistani family of three affected individuals. These individuals developed progressive Phthisis bulbi (shrinkage of the eyeball),” says Muhammad Ansar, a researcher at the Department of Genetic Medicine and Development at UNIGE.

The mutation is also responsible for the disease as eyeball of a sibling was almost reduced to vanish by the time he reached the age of 30.

ADCY3 genetic defects – discovered in the UK and confirmed in Pakistan

A decade ago, the geneticist from the Imperial College London, discovered that adenylate cyclase or ADCY3 gene is responsible for abnormal obesity and other problems when it was first tested in mice when they applied deformed or mutated copies of the gene in their bodies. These animals were abnormally fat and found with a poor sense of smell.

In 2018, the mice model was confirmed by human subjects in Pakistan. Scientists found some very obese children with deformed ADCY3 gene in Punjab because of the high level of consanguinity (inter-family marriages) in its population.

“Besides being severely obese and lacking in sense of smell, subjects with ADCY3 mutations suffer from mild to moderate intellectual disability and are slow learners. There is also evidence that the affected children may predispose to have diabetes at a later stage of life,” says Sadia Saeed, a researcher in the study. A campaign is much needed to aware of the health risks of cousin marriages in Pakistan, she added

“Genetic counseling of the affected families is undoubtedly an effective way to deal with the alarmingly high rate of genetic disorders. Moreover, in cases that have a family history of genetic disorders, the couple should undergo genetic testing before getting married. Such initiatives can help reduce the number of children afflicted with severe hereditary disease. These measures are already mandatory in several inbred countries that have a high rate of consanguinity,” she further added.

In particular, Pakistan needs a mass campaign to aware the people about the problems of interfamily marriages. Electronic and print media can play a vital role to curb the interfamily marriages

National institute of genetic diseases

Geneticists from Kohat University of Science & Technology set Pakistan’s first Genetic Mutation Database, that covers 1,000 mutations of 120 disorders and syndromes. Surprisingly many of them only discovered in Pakistan. Our country urgently needs a national center for genetic disorders with clinical geneticists and state of the art research labs to ensure a healthy future of the next generation.

The policymakers should set at least 4 to 5 centers across Pakistan to find the unexplored genetic disorders in Pakistan. Also, a rural community should be made in focal areas because the consanguinity level is relatively very high there as compared to major cities and towns of Pakistan.

In particular, Pakistan needs a mass campaign to aware the people about the problems of interfamily marriages. Electronic and print media can play a vital role to curb the interfamily marriages. For a healthy and disease free generations, we need efforts a clarion call.

Note: The names and location of the characters are changed to ensure privacy.

Naeem Qureshi says polythene bags pose a serious threat to the environment

Muhammad Abdullah Khan
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Naeem Qureshi says polythene bags pose a serious threat to the environment

Mohammad Naeem Qureshi is the most prominent and skilled name of environment sector in Pakistan. Currently, he is serving as the editor Energy Update magazine and President National Forum for Environment. He is an experienced managing editor with a demonstrated history of working in the oil and energy industry, renewable energy, advocacy in climate change and corporate social responsibility. Here are some excerpts of his recent talk with Muhammad Abdullah Khan, an active team member of Scientia magazine for our special environment edition. He briefly talked on his efforts for bringing environmental awareness in Pakistan.

What according to you is the biggest environmental threat today?

In my own assessment, the constant and unchecked usage of polythene bags in Pakistan poses a serious threat to the environment. This menace should be curbed at the earliest. All the measures brought about in the past to counter this problem remained unsuccessful. Take for instance the recent announcement of Sindh cabinet, a few months back to ban the use of polythene bags in Sukkur district. The Sukkur city supposed to become the first district in Sindh to implement the decision of the provincial government to ban the use of polythene bags. Later on, the ban planned to be extended to other districts of the province as well.

Meanwhile, in the last session of Sindh Assembly, Sindh Environment Minister while speaking in the question hour, conceded that no progress has made in implementing the decision of Sindh cabinet to ban the use of polythene bags in Sukkur in the first phase. He said that paper bags should not replace the polythene bags as consumption of paper bags will encourage tree cutting as instead shopping bags made of bio-degradable plastic should be introduced as an alternative which is also very suitable for the environment.

How can it be overcome?

All the concerned stakeholders should come together to discourage and disallow the use of polythene bags. A concerted strategy should be implemented to reduce or ban altogether use of polythene bags. The provincial governments, to which the subject of Environment has devolved after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, alone could not tackle this problem. The provincial environmental watchdog, civil society police, district and divisional administration, municipal organizations, local government representatives, legislators of the area, should all be collectively involved in this effort.

Mohammad Naeem Qureshi is the most prominent and skilled name of environment sector in Pakistan

The provincial assemblies should pass proper legislation in this regard. Under the provincial environmental rules and regulation, an effective ban could be implemented with the coordination of local communities and civil society. In this regard, a proper campaign should conduct to raise awareness among masses and all the concerned quarters in the society including shopkeepers and traders should make aware of the environmental hazards caused due to constant use of polythene bags. Apart from the police and district administration, the provincial environmental protection agencies should prepare a proper law-enforcement mechanism to introduce and implement this ban in a gradual manner. Such a system should contain the provision of a penal system to punish those who violate this ban.

What inspired you to become an environmentalist?

As we always used to say every challenge, every opportunity contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth. The large scale environmental degradation in urban areas of Pakistan highly motivated me to work for this cause. I thought that the government and relevant state agencies alone could not tackle this issue. The concerned civil society should come forward to extend a helping hand towards the government instead of criticizing only. The like-minded forces in civil society should adopt a proactive approach to safeguard the environment. With this background and philosophy in mind, I used whatever resources I had at my disposal to do an organizational effort though in the non- governmental sector to safeguard the environment. And from the date of inception of my efforts, I was encouraged by my friends, family, government authorities, fellow civil society activists, the regulator, as that enabled me to continue my efforts to save the environment.

Naeem Qureshi is an active member of various environmental organizations in Pakistan

How far can technology help save the situation?

As far as our concern is Pakistan, a lot of efforts are required to extensively use the technology for the conservation of the environment. The current situation is so dismal that the provincial environmental watchdogs even lack the equipment and technology to monitor air quality to check the level of pollutants in our environment. In the modern era when information technology and digital media is extensively using in society, with the effective support of Government, startups those mainly focus on environmental safeguards could launch.

It should provide exclusive financial assistance for the purpose. With smart cellular phones are extensively using in society, special phones applications should develop and launch to make people aware of air quality and the extent of the damage being done to the ambient environment. With the advent of modern telecommunication and related technologies, the government is not required to seek any special assistance package from any of the foreign donor agencies, as the establishment of endowment funds let’s say by the Ministry of Climate Change could do wonders in this regard. Such an endowment fund to support the use of technology to safeguard the environment should be a permanent feature as proper legislation should adopt to formalize it so that the change in government should not disturb or reverse such arrangements.

What do you think a layman can do to help the environment?

I think a common citizen at least can make sure that the domestic waste generated by household should be properly disposed of. The citizens should make sure that the domestic waste does not add towards the menace of unattended municipal garbage that seen in almost every locality. Everyone should take care that the household should not cause littering or overflow of sewerage or potable water in the street or road outside their homes. In such a manner, they will contribute a lot towards safeguarding the environment. The cleanliness is a key to saving our environment and to prevent the outbreak of many infectious diseases especially among the children.

Why would you ask a student to join the environmental sector?

If a student decides to join a movement, which supports environmental activism then in such a manner he/she is trained and sensitized from the early phase of his/her life to works for the cause of environmental protection. This will be a great way to make the future generation aware of the importance of the environment in our lives.

Mr. Qureshi pictured here with Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, CEO The Indus Hospital

What future do you see for environmentalists?

Hopefully, with the advancement of the economy and development activities getting accelerated in the country, environmentalists will have to play an important role to regulate all such activities so that they should not cause harm to our environment. With infrastructure development in full swing and many development projects being implemented as part of the CPEC, hopefully, there will be several job opportunities for the environmentalists all across the country in the future. Consequently, the presence of environmentalists is necessary to make sure that the developmental activities should conform to the national and provincial environmental laws. In this regard, the provincial environmental watchdog will increase the employment of environmentalists to effectively monitor the phenomenon of environmental degradation.

What are some of the environmental projects you have taken up?

We have been engaged in an extensive tree plantation campaign in Karachi for the last many years, which conducted with the support of the provincial government, its relevant agencies, and like-minded non-governmental organizations. We have been active partners in the initiative of both the federal and provincial governments to promote greenery and urban forestry in the country. We have been an active supporter and partner in the Clean and Green Pakistan initiative of the federal government, which aims to plant 10 billion trees in the next five years. We have taken part in a number of tree plantation activities as well. We extensively do tree plantation campaigns in the city with the support of the office of Commissioner Karachi, Sindh Forest Department, Environment Department and other government agencies every year during spring and rainy season. In this regard, we lend extensive support to many relevant NGOs and other institutions willing to take part in the tree plantation campaign in the city and other areas of Pakistan.

He urges the government to step up and properly deal with environmental issues

Apart from this, we have been organizing an annual summit on the environment with regularity for the last several years. We organized seminars, symposia, workshops, and moots on every occasion, which relates to the environment like World Environment, Earth Day, and Earth Hour, etc. Our teams actively participate in almost every public hearing organized by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency regarding any upcoming mega development and construction project in the province.

Do you think the government is doing enough to deal with such issues?

No, in fact, a lot has to be done in this regard as the mere establishment of the Ministry of Climate Change, provincial Environment departments, and environmental watchdogs are not enough. The environmental degradation is getting worsened with each day passing while there is no measure in place to reverse it.

In one statement, what message do you have to the coming generation?

The new generation should be vigilant for the environment protection which relates to their own health and safety and of their loved ones.

Environment Newsbite

Scientia Pakistan
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Environment Newsbite

1)    Popular Germany political party turns against young climate activist

Climate Activist Greta Thunberg

The rightwing populist group in Germany has endorsed a campaign that labels global warming as a hoax and makes fun of the young Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg. The AfD or Alternative fur Deutschland party wants to attack climate science and disregard any debate regarding this global issue in the German parliament. This is a frightening situation as being one of the leading parties of the country, AfD can influence the public greatly and its members have also been seen handing out posters that deny climate change. The surge in their denial came after Greta came center stage to this global debate and condemned world leaders for not taking it too seriously.

2)    UN Secretary-General predicts disastrous consequences if global warming debate not addressed


Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, argues that the lack of concern over global warming is haunting and the planet is going towards a catastrophe. He urges for action and impressed upon the need of going towards and using eco-friendly fuel to limit the incidence and increase in the number of the harmful gases that leads towards the warming of the earth. The Secretary-General wants to tour different places including the Pacific Islands to see the aftereffects. He wishes to call upon a meeting of the world leaders in the UN in September and explain the need for doing more efforts to combat this problem. Going towards a green economy was one of the solutions he proposed. Another goal was to make sure that by 2050, no more greenhouse gases are released in the air by human practices so that the rise in temperature can be controlled within time.

3)    Biggest Glacier in Greenland surprisingly starts to thicken

Glaciers have been majorly affected by global warming

In astonishing news, the largest glacier in Greenland has been found to be increasing in thickness over the recent years, much to the surprise of the scientists. Greenland has the biggest ice sheet in the world after Antarctica and continuous global warming has majorly affected these causing an overall increase in the sea-level. The Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier, which is quite famous because it is believed to have calved the iceberg that caused the Titanic to sink, was also observed to be affected by it until new research showed that it was regaining some amount and its melting has slowed down. It is now flowing slowly and instead of going towards the mainland it is moving back towards the ocean. It is still causing a rise in sea level, but the extent is much smaller than before.

4)    Famed natural historian claims plastic responsible for deaths of a million people a year

Plastic is a major threat to human health and environment

The renowned naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, has warned that plastic pollution is now more than ever and is having damaging effects on the environment and is responsible for killing around a million people every year. New reports and research have also presented this disturbing number saying that diseases and poor management of plastic waste are the main causes. Sir David has been working his entire life for the protection of environment and animals and says that the issue of plastic pollution has been neglected for a long time and there is a dire need of taking some action to control it. It is our responsibility that we do that because it is important for the well-being of the planet and organisms living on it including humans.

5)    Study shows the positive impact of woodland walks on mind and body

Studies show woodland walks are great for health

In England, forest keepers are introducing a drive that will encourage people for woodlands walks which can help in the improvement of mental and physical health. Their research shows that even a short walk to the woods can noticeably improve the workings of mind and body. They are also working to remove negative notions people have about the woodlands such as it being a scary and a dark unsafe place. Data has shown that going to a forest can enhance one’s mood and attention span and speedup stress recovery at least within the psychological parameters. Walking among trees causes the reduction of a stress hormone called cortisol and boost the immune system through breathing in of the compounds that trees emit for their protection called phytoncides. Research is being continued to observe the overall patterns woodland walks have on a person.  

Islamabad witnesses first-ever science festival

Scientia Pakistan
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Islamabad witnesses first-ever science festival

The first-ever two-day science festival held in Islamabad at Aiwan-e-Quaid F-9 Park for government schoolchildren and families in the capital city to explore, learn and celebrate discoveries in science and scientific milestones in Pakistan. The festival is a collective effort of a recently launched campaign called Campaignistan, whose focus centers on science popularization and digital inclusion in Pakistan, in collaboration with the District Commissioner Islamabad, Federal Directorate of Education, Graana, Coca Cola, ECO Science Foundation and Uber.

DC Islamabad Hamza Shfqat with Farhad Jarral

Islamabad Science Festival, inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, is intended to be a platform for government schools to showcase their talent in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and to provide children with an enabling environment to pursue and absorb high-quality learning outside of a traditional government school setting. This year, over 40 government schools participated to display their science models and conduct experiments. Universities such as National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and Institute of Space Technology (IST) are also exhibiting at the Festival, while several private and public STEM-based organizations including Engineering for Kids, Science Fuse, Learn-O-Bots, Robo Minors and the Pakistan Science Foundation have arranged for a series of enthralling science and robotics activities.
During the media talk, DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat emphasized on building a government-backed culture of celebrating and studying science that helps create school-university and school-industry linkages to have young students pick up interest in fields of science.

Residents of Islamabad showed great interest in the festival

Farhad Ahmed Jarral, the CEO of Campaignistan that has taken up the responsibility of popularising maths and science, spoke of world nations using maths and science to empower their citizens with higher incomes and to help grow their economies. He said, “specialized education in these two areas is not only integral to Pakistan’s prospects for economic growth, but also, to its ability to defend its people from the threat of violence, both globally and locally.”
The performance of students in the whole country in maths and science subjects is indeed a cause for concern. The standard of education in the capital can be judged from the most recent available data. According to Pakistan Education Statistics 2017, 51% of Class 5 students of Islamabad are unable to solve a 2-digit division, while students of Class 8 have an average score of 47.4 in science.

Students with their model

Mr. Jarral believes that students do maintain interest and talent in science but government schools lack the resources to support their interests and subsequently, fail to improve learning outcomes.
Previously, the team behind Campaignistan has been involved in successfully executing science festivals and activities in Tharparkar, Larkana, Gwadar, Mardan, Swat, and Faisalabad. These events proved to be huge successes, with over 100,000 students and teachers participating altogether. These were appreciated and covered by national and international media, as well as endorsed by major political parties of Pakistan.

Displayed models

The second day of the festival also included a panel discussion on ‘Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Sustainable Development’ by renowned science experts.

Deforestation and climate changes

Saadeqa Khan
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Deforestation and climate changes

The beautiful valley of Ziarat about 133 kilometers away from Quetta, is a holiday resort, famous for its residency where Quaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah spent the last days of his life. The valley stays refreshingly cool in summer and snow clad in winters. But rains and snowfall in the winter season are now going down steadily especially northern parts of Baluchistan have thirty-eight percent fewer rains and snowfall for the last five years. As a result of this drastic drought condition, the annual rate of production in local orchards has gone down steadily.

The living fossils, Ziarat’s Juniper forests

Though the condition is getting a little bit better with the continuous downpour in the entire province, these ill-timed rains are equally alarming for researchers. Moreover, the beautiful valley of Ziarat hit by a late seasonal snowfall in the morning of 16th April 2019, widely featured across the social media since the valley had not experienced such an event around five decades.

The remarkable longevity of Juniper trees in Ziarat valley considers as significant for the ancient weather patterns and ecosystem. The Juniper forests lie on hilly areas ranging from more than 1000m to 3500m above the sea level, in some cases, reported as 5000m. These trees have been playing important ecological roles like helping in mitigate climate changes, providing a hub to some of the rare species.

These forests are the natural absorber of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Although the majority of local residents from district Ziarat and nearby have been migrating to other areas for three to four months in extremely cold weather, those left behind have no other option than to cut down the trees for their survival.

The Juniper forests of Ziarat considered [not officially declared] as the second largest juniper forests in the world.” this tree grows one inch per year and includes in the region that hosts world’s oldest, most bio-diverse forests, located an area of around 1,11,000 hectares. Although, not a proper ecological study has done in recent years but as per estimation more than half of the trees have mercilessly cut down and the hills once famous for its greenery and scenic beauty now looks barren.

According to global forest watch researchers, around 30 million acres of forest lost worldwide in 2018, mainly the primary forests those considered as mature woodlands. Though widespread global efforts are carried out for forest conservation, the key region that hosts the world’s oldest and most bio-diverse forests are trending in the entirely wrong direction and Pakistan includes in these countries.

Mount Everest: “The high altitude rubbish dump”

Mohammad Faizan Ali
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Mount Everest: “The high altitude rubbish dump”

Human activities have contaminated every place on this beautiful blue planet including, rivers, oceans, deserts and even atmosphere and even sky.
The case is also the same for the beautiful mountains as we are adding rotten rubbish to these highlands. From the Alps to the Brooks Range, almost every mountain range observed atrocities from the most intelligent species: the human or Homo sapiens. Among the most polluted mountain on the entire planet is called the Mount Everest.

Sitting like a king on the throne of the world’s highest Himalayan mountain range, Mount Everest in surely the highest and mightiest of all. The word Himalayan means “The House of Snow” and this surely can be seen by observing the majestic Everest. This mountain extends to a 1500-mile (2,414.016 KM) curve with an elevation of 1,000 feet (305m) above sea level and its many parts are spread widely as 200 miles (321 Km). Mount Everest (29,035 feet or 8,849 m.), With the height of29,035 feet or 8,849 m is situated between Tibet and the kingdom of Nepal. Interestingly the Mount Everest is growing with a rate of 4 mm per year.

Mount Everest base camp

Everest is a climate generator and none can deny as it is a hub of clean and fresh water which in turn also supply food as well. Mount Everest also plays an important role in plate tectonics and geology of the region.
It is also a home of several animals belongs to rare species, for instance, snow leopard, black bear, red panda and deer and many more. Everest is a great place for precious and unexplored flora like pine, juniper, figs and large rhododendrons. On the other hand, it is a great place of herbs, shrubs, and grass with healing powers yet to explore.

As for the locals, Mount Everest offers lucrative earning opportunities. These locals are aware of the geographic of the mountains and carry humans waste – mostly from tourists and garbage in containers carried down from the mountains to earn money. The Sherpas equally accumulating their fortunes by guiding tourists, throughout that whole journey.

The Nepal government is the highest beneficiary of Everest tourism. Entering Nepal only costs around $30 which is obviously just the beginning of a tab. For climbing, an individual need to acquire the permit license from the government which will urge a person to spend $3,350 which is not a small amount. If someone thinks that he can now start climbing that is still a dream as every route has a separate hefty cost to pay separately to the government. This is to be noted that lodging, food & extra supplies are not covered in this amount.

Tourist camps

While every individual along with the government feels extremely happy when they fill their pockets with money. However, this adventure brings some serious consequences for the environment, surrounding and for the mount Everest itself. Tourists after disbursing so much money and resources treat this natural gift with irresponsible behavior. Throwing food canes, water bottles, climbing gears, oxygen cylinders, garbage and excessive campings by tourists have dented this masterpiece quite drastically. Furthermore, inappropriate treatment of human excrement has made things worse. Human bodies can also be included in the garbage piles on Everest. 

Large heap of garbage on Mount Everest

Government has miserably failed to take care of their mountain’s rubbish and it seriously affecting the natural beauty. Human waste generally mixes with water flowing streams and causing gut problems, infections and other ailments among local residents. Tourists use wood for heat which is also a great issue of environmental degradation.

Almost 35000 thousand tourists visit Mount Everest annually, but among them, few are active climbers. This situation has turned Mount Everest into the highest trashbin on the planet.
However, the government has taken a few good steps to keep clean the mountain from the garbage. Tourists bound to carry at least eight kilograms (17.6 pounds) of their own waste which they are bound to give it to the officials. The aim for that policy is to prevent Everest from getting more of a dustbin. However, there are many problems to implement these laws and regulations. For instance, if a person wants to save his life he or she will not care about the burden of the garbage in the whole journey.

Tourist camps after their departure from Everest’s base camp

However, some other steps have been decided to stop garbage on Mount Everest.
• The ladder on the Hillary Step to reduce waits times and bottlenecks.
• Dual ropes for up and down traffic.
• Rescue team at Camp 2 to save climbers in trouble.
• An Integrated Service Center at base camp to represent the government’s administration on the ground.
• Liaison Officers be at base camp throughout the entire expedition.
• Nepal military set a base camp to maintain peace among climbers.
• Climbers required announcing beforehand if they planned to set any record.
• Helicopters barred to go to base camp except for medical evacuations.
• Trekkers required to have tracking beacons.
• Trekking guides required to have up to date weather forecasts.
• Everest permits revenue shared with local villages.
• Climbers must always be accompanied by a guide – no solo climbs.
• Climbers must have summited a 7,000-meter peak prior to attempting Everest.
• People over the age of 75, blind and double amputees are banned from climbings.
• Sherpas will also get a summit certificate after the climb.

The government along with locals and even tourists need to show the responsibility to keep Everest beauty alive. This is the only way to save mother nature’s gift to becoming a gigantic piece of rotten rubble.

Air Pollution: The Invisible Murderer

Haniyah Bilal
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Air Pollution: The Invisible Murderer

On February 2013 Ella Kissi-Debrah, a 9 nine-year-old girl died of what was thought to be  respiratory failure due to a severe asthma attack.

However, Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, Kissi-Debrah’s mother believed otherwise. Years later, after much researching and hard work powered by sheer dedication, a report was compiled. It showed that her severe asthma attacks coincided with the fluctuating and dangerously high levels of air pollution near her residence. After taking the scientific report into consideration, the court granted an inquest to decide upon a court ruling. This made Ella Kissi-Debrah the first person with the prospect of having “air pollution” as her legal and written direct cause of death.

However, Ella Kissi-Debrah isn’t the only one to have suffered from air pollution. In fact, every year 543,000 children under the age of 5 die from respiratory diseases linked to air pollution, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).  All around the world, children between the ages of 5-18 have asthma due to factors including air pollution. Apart from this, 1/3rd of the deaths caused by strokes, lung cancer, and heart diseases are due to air pollution. Lastly, scientists have now found links between cognitive impairment and air pollution between both adults and children.

Unfortunately, this continues to be a problem for everyone worldwide, as air pollution is not constricted or limited to one area. In fact, 9 out of every 10 people in the world breathe polluted air! (WHO)

Types of Air Pollutants and their Effects:

Air pollution contains many different pollutants, each of which has its own harmful effects and causes. Air pollutants are divided into two types; primary pollutants and secondary pollutants. Primary pollutants are substances that directly harmful to the atmosphere when released into the atmosphere. Secondary pollutants are substances that must react with primary pollutants and/or the atmosphere to be created and become harmful.

Primary Pollutants:

Carbon oxides are commonly found in the air and contain both carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Both are considered greenhouse gases as they contribute to the greenhouse effect and increase global warming. Carbon monoxide is known to be toxic to both plants and animals and is released into the air by vehicle emissions. It can cause poisoning which includes the symptoms of dizziness, weakness, confusion, chest pain, upset stomachs, vomiting, and headaches. It can also lead to death when inhaled during sleep.

Nitrogen oxides are also common pollutants in the air. This includes both nitrogen oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). They are both greenhouse gases and contributors to acid rain.  They are created when nitrogen and oxygen combine at hot temperatures. Their release into the atmosphere is caused by the hot exhaust gas from vehicles, power plants, and factories. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the “Clean Air Act” overview states that exposure to nitrogen oxides create respiratory problems that are linked with an increase in emergency hospital visits. Additionally, nitrogen dioxide can severely affect the lungs. It can irritate and inflame the lining of airways causing flare-ups of asthma or Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Symptoms can include coughing and having difficulty breathing. It can make one more susceptible to respiratory infection or reactions to allergens. Lastly, the elderly and children are more at risk from them.

Sulfur oxides are also major pollutants. They include both sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfur trioxide (SO3). Sulfur oxides are created when coal is burned and reaches the air. They are major components of acid rain. Sulfur dioxide can cause health problems, especially among people with other heart or lung conditions. Sulfur dioxide can worsen and harm one’s lungs and respiratory system. It can irritate the lining of the nose, throat, and lungs and reduce the flow of air to the lungs by constricting and narrowing the airway passages. Additionally, it inflames the lungs, thus increasing mucus and causes coughing. It causes people to become more susceptible to chest infections. It worsens conditions such as asthma and COPD, making people with these conditions more sensitive towards it. High concentrations of this will cause flare-ups to take place and result in having difficulty breathing for those with asthma and COPD.

Lead is also a harmful air pollutant. It was once widely used and can cause brain damage or blood poisoning. When present in the body at high concentration can cause immune system problems, reproductive issues, kidney diseases, and cardiovascular issues. Young children and in fact are most sensitive and susceptible to it.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also pollutants. They include a dioxin a persistent and dangerously toxic chemical.  It can be absorbed into human fat and remain there for long periods of time. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that the lower concentrations in the air can cause skin lesions and affect the liver, immune, nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems.

Lastly, particulates are present to a large scale amidst the air. These are solid particles consisting of ash, dust, fecal matter as well as other waste. They are mostly formed by the combustion of fossil fuel and produce smog. They are also known as particulate matter (PM) which is defined by the EPA as a term that meant, “a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air”. There are two common particulate matters; “PM10” and “PM2.5” the respective numbers representing the number of micrometers. The size of the particle is linked to how big the health threat it is. The smaller the particle, the easier it is for it to slip through the body’s defense systems. PM10 can reach into one’s airways. However, PM2.5 poses a greater threat since its size is smaller. It can pass through the lungs into the bloodstream and carry toxic chemicals that are linked to causing cancer. It can worsen asthma and other heart conditions by irritating the nose, throat, and lungs. It may cause early deaths from lung cancer or heart disease. Evidence from scientists shows that it can also cause the development of lung cancer and asthma. Once PM2.5 gets into the respiratory tract and into the lungs it can cause short-term symptoms/problems such as the shortness of breath and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. Long-term exposure to particulate matter pollution results in the following health issues; decreased lung function, worsened asthma, increased respiratory symptoms (coughing or difficulty breathing), development of chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive lung disease, irregular heartbeat, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease.

Secondary Pollutants:

Ozone, also known as O3, is a greenhouse gas and secondary pollutant. It is created when a chemical reaction takes place between the vehicle exhaust and in the presence of the sun. It is considered one of the most dangerous pollutants. Because it is such a harsh irritant, it narrows the airways, making it harder for the respiratory system to obtain oxygen thus making it work harder. Ozone is a major cause of asthma and trigger symptoms among people with asthma. Higher levels of it a lower lung capacity and cause discomfort and pain breathing and coughing. It can reduce resistance to infection and cause weakness, fatigue, chest pain, and nausea. Higher levels of ozone are linked to asthma and COPD related health-issues and admittance to the hospital. After immediate exposure, short-term health issues can result, such as skin irritation and irritation to the respiratory system.  

Conclusion:

Air pollution is a man-made issue. Due to mankind’s love for technological advancements of comfort and ease, we have created an issue of grave importance. It is because of this ‘gradual rotting of our air’ that humans all around the globe are suffering.  Air pollution isn’t simply a hazard, it’s a man-made killer. We are the ones who created this problem, thus the responsibility of fixing it lies on our shoulders. How many more lives must be lost before we realize our error? It’s time to end this.

The Revival of the Indus River Dolphins

Maham Maqsood
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The Revival of the Indus River Dolphins

It unusual to hear about the reappearance of a species at risk. Luckily one such beautiful organism now seems to be in recovery and on its way to the original count. A rare mammal and an endangered species – the Indus River Dolphin have increased in quite a large number due to the efforts of the conservatory authority and community members. It was expected to become extinct had the efforts of WWF and committed community members not begun on time.

The Indus River Dolphin is a precious animal that has a long history in the region of Sindh. Around 1000 types of these Dolphins exist near the lower region of the Indus River. These are one-of-a-kind organisms and are among the four dolphin species and subspecies on the planet that live in freshwater. They are blind by sight and use sounds and echolocation to communicate and hunt smaller water organisms like prawns and catfish etc.

The decline in its population occurred due to many reasons that gradually became a combined threat to its existence. It once existed on roughly 3500 km region, that spanned the Indus River and its side channels. Due to the rise in the agriculture industry, 80 percent of its habitat was lost and it was limited to less than 200 km. Water pollution is one of the major reasons and which has now extended from oceans and beaches to rivers, which were previously not that much affected because of being at a distance from the urban areas.

Poaching and construction of canals that are used for irrigation is another major issue. The region is fertile and rich for growing crops and it plays a big role in the agronomic income of the country. Framers use water from the five rivers and Indus being the biggest of them all, contributes a large quantity. Due to the creation of the irrigation canals for crop fields, the water is diverted leading to a damaged habitat for the Indus Dolphin. Sometimes, the dolphins get trapped in the canals and are unable to make a way out. They also get trapped in the fishing nets and are left to die for they have no place in the market for those fishermen.

WWF workers are saving Indus Dolphin

Many projects for the conservation and protection of these dolphins started under the banner of World Wide Fund Pakistan, in collaboration with the Government. The help of local communities was deemed necessary especially those who lived near its identified habitats. Handing the management over to them proved to be successful not just for the dolphins but for the community as well who got a chance to work in their own area for a good cause.

WWF noticed that this initiative that recruited young as well as experienced individuals, who were trained about the conservation methods, was the best practice for the long-term survival of the species. Named the “Dolphin Rescue Volunteers”, these people were tasked to routinely check the habitat and make reports that can then be evaluated to improve the conservation methods. A survey conducted by WWF showed that there was approximately a 50% rise in the number of the Indus River dolphins, which was more than the estimated amount at the beginning of this millennium when they were about to go extinct. In a time when it seems rather impossible to protect the animals who are in danger, this seems rather astonishing and remarkable how working together with locals, conservationists and governments can save them.

There is also one interesting savior of these dolphins. Along with the efforts of the conservation departments and wildlife organizations, poaching of these animals was unexpectedly reduced due to an amusing reason. In the 1980s, thief groups rose in Sindh and ruled some areas around the coast of the Indus River. They slowly rose in number and kidnapped and robbed passengers on highways and the people living in the nearby areas, many of whom were poachers of the Indus Dolphin. Because of these thieves, the local fisherman left the area and moved to other regions for safety. Once they left, the Dolphin was no more hunted and managed to regain a bit of its endangered population.

Currently, the authorities are also studying and figuring out whether the transport of these dolphins is possible or not. These organisms can survive out of water for only three hours and it is necessary to provide them a wet environment. Translocating it through air and land is not possible as dolphins are sensitive to noise which can disrupt their echolocation mechanisms. In this regard, research is still being done to see how feasible it can be and whether the new habitat will be good enough for their survival or not.

The increase in number doesn’t mean that all efforts should be put to hold. This is just the beginning and there is a need of continued work and action to bring the number of these Indus Dolphins back to original. There are many ongoing dams and construction projects on the Indus River which still pose a great deal of threat to these dolphins. Different organizations have joined in the efforts to restore the habitats and halt any decrease in their population. Hotlines have been introduced where people can report if they observe dolphins in discomfort. Protection laws are also being introduced along with the awareness campaigns that teach people how to rescue and protect the dolphins that are in trouble. More than two hundred (and still counting) dolphins have been rescued from the irrigation canals and are released back into their niches.

It is indeed a great sight to see these dolphins jolt up and down in the Indus River. Such efforts need to be started for other endangered species as well so that the wildlife and nature are restored back to normal. We should all try to play our part in spreading awareness about such animals and undo the damage to Mother Nature!

A power and energy system for living on the moon

Muhammad Abdullah Khan
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A power and energy system for living on the moon

NASA planned to establish a permanent sustainable outpost on the moon by 2028 for the purposes of landing, living and exploring the surface of our celestial neighbor. Teams of scientists have been working on developing technologies that will enable astronauts to maintain a sustainable outpost and carry out research. The most important thing required for establishing such a human habitat on the moon, will be the provision of power and electrical energy on the cold and dark celestial body.

Kilopower system for living on the moon

A Team of scientists at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Cleveland won a Gears of Government President’s Award for developing Kilopower―a power and energy system. The system was proved and demonstrated in a test called Kilopower Reacting Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY).

Kilo-power is a small, light-weight fission reactor which can provide electrical energy up to 10 kilowatts to a small community of several households for at least ten years. According to Kilopower’s lead engineer, Marc Gibson, the innovative power system is ideal for extreme places and environments like the moon where power generation from sunlight is very difficult because a lunar night is very long and equivalent to 14 days on earth.

Lee Mason, the NASAs principal technologist for power and energy storage, said, “On the Moon, Kilo-power could be deployed to help search for resources in permanently shadowed craters”. He further explained other areas of application by saying that, “Kilopower also opens up the full
the surface of Mars, including the northern latitudes where water may reside.”

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of deaths worldwide

Muhammad Abdullah Khan
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Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of deaths worldwide

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 17.9 million people die every year due to CVDs, 31% of global deaths. Often times, a heart transplant is the only option available for
patients in severe cases, but the limited number of donors is a constraint.

What if doctors can print out a new heart? Researchers from the University of Tel Aviv made an announcement that they successfully used a 3-D bio-printer and created a full rabbit-sized heart with human tissues and blood vessels. Though this 3D printed heart has some limitation especially related to thumping, still it is a big breakthrough which could be beneficial in future heart transplants.

Initially, a biopsy of tissue sampled from the patient. Later, the materials, such as molecules including collagen and glycoproteins, separated and processed into a hydrogel, which used as a printing “ink”. The hydrogel further mixed with stem cells, taken from the tissues to create a patient-specific heart with blood vessels. Such a heart would be less susceptible to organs rejection by the body.

The study published in the Journal of Advanced Science which will particularly important in the heart transplant. Until now, the researchers were only able to print simple tissues that lacked any blood vessels. A team that includes highly qualified researchers stated that they are planning for culture printed hearts and then transplanting them into animals body. Though these printed hearts still cannot use in humans heart transplant in the near future. It would further need many years for the perfection of this technology and solve problems of thumping in such an artificial heart.

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