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Trace elements are essential components of biological structures, but alternatively, they can be toxic at concentrations beyond those necessary for their biological functions. Changes in the concentration of essential trace elements and heavy metals may affect acute hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of this study was to measure serum levels of essential trace elements [iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and magnesium (Mg)] and heavy metals [cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)] in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke. Twenty-six patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke and 29 healthy controls were enrolled. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry (UNICAM-929) was used to measure serum Fe, Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Co, Mn and Mg concentrations. Serum Cd, Pb and Fe levels were significantly higher in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke than controls (p < 0.001), while serum Cu, Zn, Mg and Mn levels were significantly lower (all p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to serum Co levels (p > 0.05). We first demonstrate increased Cd, Pb, and Fe levels; and decreased Cu, Zn, Mg, and Mn levels in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke. These findings may have diagnostic and prognostic value for acute hemorrhagic stroke. Further studies are required to elucidate the roles of trace elements and heavy metals in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke.

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MPV and MPV/P were found to be associated with RV dysfunction and clinical severity in acute PE. Low MPV and MPV/P levels may be an indicator of low risk and, high WBC levels may be an indicator of high risk in patients with acute PE. RDW levels may not reflect severity of acute PE.

The main purpose of this study was to assess the role of S100B protein, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the evaluation of hypoxic brain injury in acute carbon monoxide (CO)-poisoned patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients with acute CO poisoning who referred to the emergency department in a 1-year period. Serum levels of S100B protein, NSE, and GFAP were determined on admission. A total of 55 CO-poisoned patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 45 ± 20.3 years; 60% women) were included in the study. The control group consisted of 25 healthy adults. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether they were conscious or unconscious. The serum levels of S100B, NSE, and GFAP were higher in patients than that in the control group. There was no significant difference between unconscious and conscious patients with respect to these markers. There was a statistically significant difference between the conscious and unconscious patients and the control group in terms of S100B and NSE levels. There was also a statistically significant difference between the unconscious patients and the control group in terms of GFAP levels. Increased serum S100B, NSE, and GFAP levels are associated with acute CO poisoning. These biomarkers can be useful in assessing the clinical status of patients with CO poisoning.

Findings from the study suggest an association between increased oxidative stress levels, decreased antioxidant levels and increased prolidase enzyme activity in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke compared with controls. More studies are needed to elucidate mechanistic pathways on oxidative stress in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke.

Hypertension is a well‐known risk factor for the development and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. The authors conducted a study to investigate the prognostic value of admission blood pressure (BP) on prognosis in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Two hundred patients with SAH were divided into two groups according to Hunt Hess score (good prognosis: 1 to 3, and poor prognosis: 4 and 5) and according to death in hospital (surveyed and died). The prognostic factors of SAH and BP changes according to Hunt Hess scores in the acute stages of the event were evaluated. Admission mean arterial BP values of the patients who died in hospital were significantly lower than in the patients who were surveyed (P=.026). The admission mean arterial BP values were found to be lower in the poor prognostic patients (Hunt Hess score of 4 and 5) (P<.001). Decreased admission BP values were found to be associated with poor prognosis and mortality.

In the cotton zone of Punjab, Pakistan, only 20% of wheat is sown at the optimum sowing time, i.e. the first fortnight of November, while the remaining sowing is done from late November (30%) to December (50%) (Khan et al. 2002). Wheat has a determinate growth habit and a delay of each day in sowing from mid-November onward decreases the number of tillers, leaf area, and total dry matter. Moreover, late sowing of wheat also delays anthesis, which ultimately reduces grain yield at a rate of 30-40 kg day -1 ha -1 (Hussain et al. 1998;Akmal et al. 2011). Late-sown wheat has to complete its life cycle in a short duration because starch accumulation terminates at the same time in both normal and late-sown plants ( Khan et al. 2010). Late sowing results in poor germination and delayed emergence due to the prevalence of low temperatures at that time. In consequence, a weak crop stand and less tillering affect grain yields. Moreover, high temperatures at later growth stages enforce shortening of the grain filling period and early maturity.Limited availability of canal irrigation water and low precipitation are also common in the cotton-wheat cropping system of the South Punjab, Pakistan, and when coupled with late sowing, they severely affect wheat yields. Crop production in this region mainly depends on irrigation, but unfortunately per capita water availability is declining at an alarming rate, from 5260 m 3 in 1951 to 1066 m 3 in 2010, and it will be less than 870 m 3 per capita by 2025 (Ahmad et al. 2009). Due to scarcity in irrigation and water supply, and increasing competition for water demand from nonagricultural sectors, the focus is already shifting from maximizing the production per unit area towards the maximization of the production per unit of water consumed, often termed as water productivity (Fereres and Soriano 2007). For that purpose, and to optimize crop economic returns under conditions of less irrigation water use (irrigation supply below full crop water requirement, evapotranspiration [ETo]), new strategies should be developed. These challenges may be overcome either by minimizing the water losses or by improving the crop water use efficiency. These can be achieved by promoting a large and early canopy development of growing plants.