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INTRODUCTION Among the protected areas, national parks and nature reserves cover about 12 of the earth s surface, which acts as a backbone for biodiversity conservation. National parks provide a primary source of safe ecosystem services in addition to their recreational role, essential for healthy well-being. These national parks, also, serve as a diversified habitat for many valuable medicinal plants. Many researchers focused on the study of important medicinal plants present in National parks of Pakistan and document their

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Hemodialysis (HD) is the most commonly used treatment in patients with end-stage renal failure or disease (ESRD) worldwide. Blood-borne viral diseases are the major causes of mortality and morbidity in patients on HD. This study aims to analyze the prevalence and to concentrate on the key risk factors that are responsible for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in patients on HD visiting two dialysis centers in the city of Quetta in southwestern Pakistan. The overall incidence of HBV was found to be 16.1%, the overall incidence of HCV was found to be 43.2%, and two patients (1.6%) were found to be positive for both HBV and HCV. HIV was not found among patients seen at both hospitals during the study period. The main risk factors for development of a viral infection were the length of time on HD (p = 0.007), number of sessions (p = 0.001), and level of education (p = 0.092). Biochemical and hematological parameters including urea, creatinine, uric acid, and calcium levels, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, and platelet count were also studied in patients on HD. HD is becoming one of the major factors causing a viral infection because a patient can possibly become infected during an HD session via a blood transfusion, dialysis machines, instruments and/or other contaminated equipment. In order to control the spread of viral infections, increased public awareness, vaccinations, and health education programs for both health care providers and patients are needed, and proper screening programs should be instituted before dialysis is performed.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple food of Pakistan and constitutes 60% of the daily diet of a human being in Pakistan. Production of wheat can be improved by using marginal lands and the salt affected areas by silicon supplementation and improving fertilizers. As Nanotechnology has brought revolutions in agriculture, therefore silica nanoparticles (SiO2 Nps) have been used in this study to reduce the salinity stress. Seeds of four wheat varieties, Umeed and Raskoh (salt tolerant) and Zarghoon and Shahkar (salt sensitive) were grown in Hydroponics. Hoagland's Nutrient Solution (HNS) was used as control while treatments included CRF (Controlled Release Fertilizer), CRF with SiO2 Nps, sodium silicate, SiO2 Nps and silicic acid. Salt stress of 100 mM NaCl was induced. Data was recorded for TDS, germination rate, length of root and shoot, fresh and dry weight and chlorophyll content. All results were statistically significant at 0.05 level, sodium silicate and SiO2 Nps were found to control salinity. Excellent results were achieved using CRF and CRF containing SiO2Nps. It has been concluded that SiO2 Nps or its CRF can be useful to compete the salinity and drought stress for growing wheat in the marginal and salt affected land in Pakistan.