Quantifying Some Physiological and Productivity Indices of Canola (Brassica napus L.) Crop under an Arid Environment

Canola (Brassica napus L.) crop ranks third after soybean and palm among oilseed crops for production of vegetable oil and meal for human and livestock, respectively around the globe. The cultivars of canola crop vary greatly in their yield potential in response to eco-edaphic factors under different production environments. Therefore, research studies were undertaken to evaluate eight cultivars of canola crop 'Shiralee', 'Dunkled', 'Bulbul-98', 'Ac-Excel', 'Cyclone', 'Rainbow', 'DGL' and 'Faisal Canola' for quantifying some physiological and productivity indices  under normal growing conditions. The results showed that various cultivars of canola differed significantly amongst themselves with respect to biological yield, chlorophyll content, protein content, nutrient composition and components of seed yield. Among the cultivars, cvs. 'Bulbal-98' and 'Rainbow' produced maximum biological yield and seed yield,  respectively, Furthermore, maximum yield harvested from cv. 'Rainbow' was associated with higher total seed weight plant-1, while cv. 'Faisal Canola' maintained higher chlorophyll content than other ones. Cultivar 'Dunkled' contained higher K+ nutrient by 21.13 mg g-1 in leaf tissues compared to minimum (9.73 mg g-1) in 'DGL' cultivar. The higher amount of Na+ content (12.16 mg g-1) was determined in cv. 'AC Excel'. Cultivar 'Rainbow' maintained higher photosystem (II) activity and had greater partitioning ability of photo-assimilates in the seed tissues. Of various chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, quantum yield of photosystem II and electron transport performance index could be used as a selection criterion for breeding of canola cultivars

Photodegradation of levofloxacin in aqueous and organic solvents: A kinetic study

The kinetics of photodegradation of levofloxacin in solution on UV irradiation in the pH range 2.0–12.0 has been studied using a HPLC method. Levofloxacin undergoes first-order kinetics in the initial stages of the reaction and the apparent first-order rate constants are of the order of 0.167 to 1.807×10–3 min–1. The rate-pH profile is represented by a curve indicating the presence of cationic, dipolar and anionic species during the reaction. The singly ionized form of the molecule is non-fluorescent and is less susceptible to photodegradation. The increase in the degradation rate in the pH range 5.0–9.0 may be due to greater reactivity of the ionized species existing in that range. The rate appears to vary with a change in the degree of ionization of the species present in a particular pH range and their susceptibility to photodegradation. Above pH 9, the decrease in the rate of photodegradation may be result of deprotonation of the piperazinyl group. The levofloxacin molecule is more stable in the pH range around 7, which is then suitable for formulation purposes. The photodegradation of levofloxacin was found to be affected by the dielectric constant and viscosity of the medium

Nigella sativa provides protection against metabolic syndrome

The seeds of Nigella sativa have been used in folk medicine all over the world. The plant has been of interest due to its low degree of toxicity and beneficial pharmacological properties like antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic, antioxidant, along with significant anti-neuplastic activities. The present clinical study was undertaken to ascertain the adjuvant effect of Nigella seeds on various clinical and biochemical parameters of metabolic syndrome. After final diagnosis and considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, one hundred and fifty nine patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups. In Group I (standard group), patients were advised to take simvastatin 10 mg once a day, metformin 500 mg twice a day, Enalapril 10 mg once a day, Atenolol 50 mg once a day and clopidagrel 75 mg once a day for a period of six weeks. In Group II (Nigella seeds group), patients were advised the above standard medication plus Nigella seeds 250 mg twice daily for a period of six weeks. Blood sugar both fasting and postprandial, fasting lipid profile and different parameters of obesity were recorded before therapy and after completion of therapy. It was found that the addition of Nigella seeds provide beneficial effects in all the clinical and biochemical parameters for the adult’s treatment panel-III of metabolic disorders especially in fasting blood sugar, low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins. No sign of toxicity of the plant appeared in the Group II. Improvement in all other parameters like blood pressure, circumference of waist and serum triglyceride was also observed. Thus, Nigella seeds were found to be effective as an adjuvant therapy in patients of dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia.Keywords: Nigella sativa, toxicity, hyperglycemia, adjuvant, antihistaminic, antioxidant, patient

Clinical practice guidelines on the management of variceal bleeding

Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding occurs in 30 - 50% of patients of liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension, with 20-70% mortality in one year. Therefore, it is essential to screen these patients for varices and prevent first episode of bleeding by treating them with β-blockers or endoscopic variceal band ligation. Ideally, the patients with variceal bleeding should be treated in a unit where the personnel are familiar with the management of such patients and where routine therapeutic interventions can be undertaken. Proper management of such patients include: initial assessment, resuscitation, blood volume replacement, vasoactive agents, prevention of associated complications such as bacterial infections, hepatic encephalopathy, coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia, and specific therapy. Rebleeding occurs in about 60% patients within 2 years of their recovery from first variceal bleeding episode, with 33% mortality. Therefore, it is mandatory that all such patients must be started on combination of β-blockers and band ligation to prevent recurrence of bleeding. Patients who required shunt surgery/TIPSS to control the acute episode do not require further preventive measures. These clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been jointly developed by Pakistan Society of Hepatology (PSH) and Pakistan Society of Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD)

Postoperative outcomes in oesophagectomy with trainee involvement

BACKGROUND: The complexity of oesophageal surgery and the significant risk of morbidity necessitates that oesophagectomy is predominantly performed by a consultant surgeon, or a senior trainee under their supervision. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of trainee involvement in oesophagectomy on postoperative outcomes in an international multicentre setting. METHODS: Data from the multicentre Oesophago-Gastric Anastomosis Study Group (OGAA) cohort study were analysed, which comprised prospectively collected data from patients undergoing oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer between April 2018 and December 2018. Procedures were grouped by the level of trainee involvement, and univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to compare patient outcomes across groups. RESULTS: Of 2232 oesophagectomies from 137 centres in 41 countries, trainees were involved in 29.1 per cent of them (n = 650), performing only the abdominal phase in 230, only the chest and/or neck phases in 130, and all phases in 315 procedures. For procedures with a chest anastomosis, those with trainee involvement had similar 90-day mortality, complication and reoperation rates to consultant-performed oesophagectomies (P = 0.451, P = 0.318, and P = 0.382, respectively), while anastomotic leak rates were significantly lower in the trainee groups (P = 0.030). Procedures with a neck anastomosis had equivalent complication, anastomotic leak, and reoperation rates (P = 0.150, P = 0.430, and P = 0.632, respectively) in trainee-involved versus consultant-performed oesophagectomies, with significantly lower 90-day mortality in the trainee groups (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Trainee involvement was not found to be associated with significantly inferior postoperative outcomes for selected patients undergoing oesophagectomy. The results support continued supervised trainee involvement in oesophageal cancer surgery

Integrated Effect of Plant Density, N Rates and Irrigation Regimes on the Biomass Production, N Content, PAR Use Efficiencies and Water Productivity of Rice Under Irrigated Semiarid Environment

Two field experiments were conducted for two years (2000 and 2001) at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Pakistan. There were 15 treatment combinations for experiment-I having three plant densities, viz., one seedling hill-1 (PD1), two seedlings hill-1 (PD2) and three seedlings hill-1 (PD3) and five nitrogen rates, viz., 0, (N0); 50, (N50); 100, (N100); 150, (N150); and 200 (N200) kg N ha-1. Experiment-II also included 15 treatments having three plant densities, viz., one seedling hill-1 (PD1), two seedlings hill-1 (PD2) and three seedlings hill-1 (PD3) and five irrigation regimes, viz., 62.5 cm (I1), 77.5 cm (I2), 92.5 cm (I3), 107.5 cm (I4), and 122.5 cm (I5). A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was employed with three repetitions. The results for experiment-I revealed that the highest biomass (1438 g m-2), grain yield (497 g m-2), crop growth rate (15.36 g m-2 d-1), net assimilation rate (4.24 g m-2 d-1) were observed in the treatment having combination of two seedlings hill-1 and 200 kg N ha-1 (PD2N200). The agronomic and economic nitrogen and PAR use efficiencies were also higher in this treatment. In case of experiment-II, the highest biomass and grain yield were obtained in case of treatment having combination of two seedlings hill-1 and 107.5 cm irrigation regime (PD2I107.5). The irrigation application based water productivity ranged from 0.36 kg mm-3 to 0.61 kg mm-1, irrigation plus precipitation based water productivity ranged from 0.32 kg mm-3 to 0.55 kg mm-3 and evapotranspiration based water productivity ranged from 0.65 kg mm-3 to 0.84 kg mm-3 among 15 treatments combination of plant density and irrigation regimes. This study concludes that for increasing the benefits for the resource-poor growers, the integration of crop management practices is an optimum strategy to substantially increase the resources use efficiency under irrigated semiarid environment

SHEDDING OF FRUITING STRUCTURES IN COTTON: FACTORS, COMPENSATION AND PREVENTION

The fruiting potential of advanced cotton cultivars is not a limiting factor for achieving yield targets but retention of squares and flowers for successful maturation into bolls is major challenge. In this article, we focused on why shedding occurs, its mechanism, yield losses, plant self-compensation, effects on plant growth and possible management to ameliorate its adverse effects. We concluded that it is quite unfair to blame single factor, instead it is an integrated effect of plant and stress factors i.e., high temperature, drought, thick plant stand, insects and diseases etc. contribute to accelerate shedding which ranges about 40-50%. The stresses induce the excessive production of degrading enzymes like pectinase, cellulose and hydrolase, while ethylene and abscisic acid is produced excessively to hasten the degradation process for shedding. The physiological disturbance contributes 7-35 and 42-64% abscission of unopened flowers and bolls, respectively. The square and flower are more frequent to shedding at high temperature compared to immature bolls. The flowers and boll shedding up to 30% is tolerable limit because cotton can recover yield provided weather support the crop later in season. The self-regulated abscission of floral parts is not easy to control under field conditions, however, the adverse effects of stress mediated shedding can be ameliorated with girdling and avoiding pest and stressful conditions, application of plant growth regulator (PGR) to control vegetative growth  and abscisic acid (abscission promoter) and ethylene inhibitors like naphthalene acetic acid, silver thiosulfate and 1-methylcyclopropene

Regional climate assessment of precipitation and temperature in Southern Punjab (Pakistan) using SimCLIM climate model for different temporal scales

Unbalanced climate during the last decades has created spatially alarming and destructive situations in the world. Anomalies in temperature and precipitation enhance the risks for crop production in large agricultural region (especially the Southern Punjab) of Pakistan. Detailed analysis of historic weather data (1980–2011) record helped in creating baseline data to compare with model projection (SimCLIM) for regional level. Ensemble of 40 GCMs used for climatic projections with greenhouse gas (GHG) representative concentration pathways (RCP-4.5, 6.0, 8.5) was selected on the baseline comparison and used for 2025 and 2050 climate projection. Precipitation projected by ensemble and regional weather observatory at baseline showed highly unpredictable nature while both temperature extremes showed 95 % confidence level on a monthly projection. Percentage change in precipitation projected by model with RCP-4.5, RCP-6.0, and RCP-8.5 showed uncertainty 3.3 to 5.6 %, 2.9 to 5.2 %, and 3.6 to 7.9 % for 2025 and 2050, respectively. Percentage change of minimum temperature from base temperature showed that 5.1, 4.7, and 5.8 % for 2025 and 9.0, 8.1, and 12.0 % increase for projection year 2050 with RCP-4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 and maximum temperature 2.7, 2.5, and 3.0 % for 2025 and 4.7, 4.4, and 6.4 % for 2050 will be increased with RCP-4.5, 6.0, and 8.5, respectively. Uneven increase in precipitation and asymmetric increase in temperature extremes in future would also increase the risk associated with management of climatic uncertainties. Future climate projection will enable us for better risk management decisions