Public-private mix (PPM) DOTS is feasible in the cities of Pakistan. However, the cost, time and effort required to establish the programme is higher than in many other developing countries.

Background: Occupational exposures are one of the major causes of chronic respiratory symptoms and illnesses, where farming and its related activities make a significant contribution, especially in low-and middle-income countries such as Pakistan.Aims: This study aimed to estimate burden of chronic respiratory symptoms and illnesses among farmers and to identify associated factors. Methods: A translated version of American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Disease questionnaire (ATS-DLD-78A) was used among 381 farmers in Thatta District, Pakistan in 2011. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between socio-demographic and occupational risk factors and respiratory illnesses. Results: Chronic wheeze was reported in 65.9% of farmers exposed to pesticides compared to 34.1% of farmers not exposed (P-value: 0.10). Frequencies of other health events were almost similar among the two groups. On multivariable logistic regression analysis every 5 year increase in age of the farmer increased the risk of having respiratory illnesses by 18% (Adjusted OR [AOR]: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.03-1.35). Each 1000 Pakistani Rupees (PKR) increase in household income increased the risk of having respiratory illnesses by 10% (AOR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.25). Conclusions: Occupational Health and safety is a neglected area in many parts of the country especially when it comes to farmers. This study highlights the importance of factors other than pesticides impacting the respiratory health of the farmers, emphasizing on those who smoke tobacco.

This study highlights the importance of a multisectoral approach to dealing with psychiatric patients to help in bridging the treatment gap in mental health.

Objective: To determine the association between the consumption of carbonated drinks and development of kidney stones. Study Design: Matched Case-control study. Setting: Liaquat National Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. Period: June 2017 to December 2017. Material & Methods: We recruited patients of nephrolithiasis admitted in Nephrology ward at Liaquat National Hospital as cases and controls from General Surgery ward. The sample size calculated was 186, with 93 cases and 93 controls, matched for age. Descriptive statistics of socio-demographic variables were computed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the association between predictor and outcome variables. Results: A total of 186 patients participated in the study. Mean ages of the cases and controls were 34.92 (SD: 16.81) years and 31.76 (SD: 14.49) years, respectively. Around 66% of the cases and 75% of the controls had formal education. Approximately 16% of the cases and 10% of the controls were consuming soft drinks daily. Of them 77% were taking for more than 5 years. In multivariate analysis, we were unable to find significant associations between intake of carbonated drinks and kidney stones. However, the adjusted matched odds ratio (adj. mOR) for calcium intake was 6.36 (CI: 1.81- 22.33) and for caffeine intake was 7.9 (CI: 2.12 – 30.04). Those who had a past history of kidney diseases were at higher risk of developing kidney stones (mOR14.5; CI: 3.20- 65.76). Conclusion: The Study did not show any significant association of kidney stones with the intake of carbonated drinks. However, further longitudinal studies are required in order to confirm or refute any association between intake of carbonated drinks and nephrolithiasis.

In this paper, we establish strong convergence and ∆-convergence theorems for the class of generalized non-expansive multi-valued maps in a CAT(0) space. Our work extends and improves some recent results announced in the current literature.