Indoor radon concentration levels were measured in seven major cities of the Bahawalpur Division, Pakistan. These included Fort Abbas, Minchin Abad, Hasilpur, Bahawalpur, Liaqatpur, Rahimyar Khan and Sadiq Abad. In order to select houses for this survey, the inhabitants were approached through their school-registered children. Due to several constraints, only those 100 houses were chosen in each city that were relatively the best representatives of the built-up area. The selected houses were then divided into live categories according to the house locations and building characteristics. CR-39 detectors, placed in polyethylene bags. were installed at head height in bedrooms and sitting rooms of all the selected houses and were exposed to radon and its daughter products for 90 days. Four such measurements were performed over a year in order to average out the seasonal variation in radon levels. After exposure, all the detectors were etched and counted under an optical microscope. The track densities of four measurements were averaged out and related to radon concentration levels. The radon levels were found to be 20, 20, 26, 28, 34, 42, 47 Bq m(-3) in the bedrooms and 24, 26, 27, 26, 37, 40, 43 Bq m(-3) in sitting rooms of Hasilpur, Rahimyar Khan, Minchin Abad, Fort Abbas, Sadiq Abad, Bahawalpur and Liaqatpur respectively. The observed variation in the radon level may be attributed to the geological variation in the area. Based on the observed data, excess lung cancer risk was assessed using the risk factors recommended by the USEPA, UNSCEAR and the ICRP. According to the EPA model, the lifetime excess lung cancer risk due to the lifetime exposure is found to vary from 12-102 per million per year in the houses surveyed. This variation is from 16-114 and 26-62 per million per year if UNSCEAR and ICRP limits are applied respectively.

In developing nations, wealth and wellbeing is often linked to livestock. By extension, national food security depends on sustainable production. Natural disasters, disease, epidemics, and civil unrest create insurmountable obstacles for pastoral family herds. Providing preventative education for rural agronomists enables farmers to maintain herd health through challenging circumstances. Background: Continued decline in human and animal health, following the Haitian earthquake in January 2010, resulted in the formation of Veterinarians Abroad Supporting and Teaching (VAST). Facing some of the highest political instability, infant mortality rates, illiteracy rates, and infectious disease rates found globally, the Haitian ability to rebuild after large-scale natural disasters and wide-scale emergencies was weakened. Problematically, a cholera epidemic devastated the working population, impairing the restoration of normal structural functionality. Methods: VAST began work in Haiti in May 2012. This included building key relationships with government, local veterinarians, and national universities. Guest lectures occurred at two universities, and two animal health clinics were held in remote rural locations. In October 2013, additional clinics and workshops occurred in two other Haitian regions, and two more university classes were provided. Results: Lectures on disease surveillance, biosecurity measures, and basic zoonotic disease epidemiology were provided to more than 300 agronomy students in Haiti. Clinics and workshops supervising treatment of more than 550 food animals, and training 15 animal care workers in basic animal husbandry and disease, have occurred. Feedback shows ongoing improvement in food animal health and economic prosperity in the focus areas. Conclusion: Teaching animal husbandry workers recognition of key diseases, implementation of prevention strategies, and treatment of chronic cases improves long-term economic sustainability. Educating whole families on animal management and health improves living conditions. Empowering people through the animals that provide the foundation of their security provides resilient, informed, connected, and uplifted community longevity and stability.

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