The transformative effect of training in counselling and its application, on the community counsellors themselves

Objective: To identify the changes in community counsellors\u27 own level of anxiety and depression as a result of learning counselling skills and to explore their subjective experiences after learning and providing counselling.Design: Quantitative: Repeated Measures. / Qualitative: Focus Group Discussions.SETTING: A lower middle class semi urban community of Karachi, Pakistan.PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one self selected women from the community.Results: Reduction was seen in the post training scores of anxiety and/or depression in the trainees. As a result of learning and then providing counselling the community counsellors\u27 self esteem, self confidence and sense of competence were enhanced and they developed a more positive attitude towards life.CONCLUSION: A minimal level of training in counselling skills and their application led to significant positive changes in the community counsellors themselves, though self-selection and information bias cannot be ruled out

Spontaneous recovery from depression in women: a qualitative study of vulnerabilities, strengths and resources

Objective: To gain insight into the perceived vulnerability and restitution factors for anxiety/or depression.Methods: Focus group discussion of seven married women recovered spontaneously from anxiety and/or depression, belonging to a lower middle class semi-urban community of Karachi.Results: Poverty, unemployment, abuse and on going difficulties were perceived as risk factors for depression. A reliable social support system, positive thinking approach, faith, prayers, and experiencing a turning point event were reported as factors that promoted recovery from anxiety and/or depression.CONCLUSION: Individual vulnerabilities, strengths and resources can have an important role in recovery from anxiety and/or depression in women

COMPARISON OF SUSTAINED PRESSURE VS ISCHEMIC COMPRESSION ON TRIGGER POINTS IN CHRONIC MYOFACIAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of different trigger points approaches in improving chronic myofascial pain. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in Railway General Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from July-December 2016. Patients were randomly divided into two treatment groups through lottery method, in which 37 male participants who full filled the inclusion criteria (persistent pain >6 months, gradual onset of pain and impaired level of activity) were randomly allocated to sustained pressure (Group A) and ischemic compression (Group B) treated groups. Both groups received eight treatments sessions. They were evaluated at baseline and after 8th visit through Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ). RESULTS: Within the group-A the pre and post-treatment mean for NPRS were 5.05±1.17 and 2.63±0.955 (p <0.001). Pre and post-treatment CPAQ activity engagement values were 32.00±2.42 and 41.74±2.53 (p <0.001). Pre and post-treatment CPAQ pain willingness values were 29.42±3.04 and 32.63±2.91 (p <0.001). Pre and post-treatment CPAQ sum was 61.42±3.67 and 73.84±3.64 (p 0.05). Pre and post treatment values for CPAQ sum were 64.61±2.42 and 75.72±1.12 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Improvement in pain relief was observed in both groups but there was no significant improvement in pain relief between ischemic compression and sustained pressure groups

Nanopesticides in comparison with agrochemicals: Outlook and future prospects for sustainable agriculture

Agrochemicals are products of advanced technologies that use inorganic pesticides and fertilizers. Widespread use of these compounds has adverse environmental effects, leading to acute and chronic exposure. Globally, scientists are adopting numerous green technologies to ensure a healthy and safe food supply and a livelihood for everyone. Nanotechnologies significantly impact all aspects of human activity, including agriculture, even if synthesizing certain nanomaterials is not environmentally friendly. Numerous nanomaterials may therefore make it easier to create natural insecticides, which are more effective and environmentally friendly. Nanoformulations can improve efficacy, reduce effective doses, and extend shelf life, while controlled-release products can improve the delivery of pesticides. Nanotechnology platforms enhance the bioavailability of conventional pesticides by changing kinetics, mechanisms, and pathways. This allows them to bypass biological and other undesirable resistance mechanisms, increasing their efficacy. The development of nanomaterials is expected to lead to a new generation of pesticides that are more effective and safer for life, humans, and the environment. This article aims to express at how nanopesticides are being used in crop protection now and in the future. This review aims to shed some light on the various impacts of agrochemicals, their benefits, and the function of nanopesticide formulations in agriculture

Consequences and Mitigation Strategies of Heat Stress for Sustainability of Soybean (<em>Glycine max</em> L. Merr.) Production under the Changing Climate

Increasing ambient temperature is a major climatic factor that negatively affects plant growth and development, and causes significant losses in soybean crop yield worldwide. Thus, high temperatures (HT) result in less seed germination, which leads to pathogenic infection, and decreases the economic yield of soybean. In addition, the efficiency of photosynthesis and transpiration of plants are affected by high temperatures, which have negative impact on the physio-biochemical process in the plant system, finally deteriorate the yield and quality of the affected crop. However, plants have several mechanisms of specific cellular detection of HT stress that help in the transduction of signals, producing the activation of transcription factors and genes to counteract the harmful effects caused by the stressful condition. Among the contributors to help the plant in re-establishing cellular homeostasis are the applications of organic stimulants (antioxidants, osmoprotectants, and hormones), which enhance the productivity and quality of soybean against HT stress. In this chapter, we summarized the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of soybean plants at various growth stages under HT. Furthermore, it also depicts the mitigation strategies to overcome the adverse effects of HT on soybean using exogenous applications of bioregulators. These studies intend to increase the understanding of exogenous biochemical compounds that could reduce the adverse effects of HT on the growth, yield, and quality of soybean

Phytohormones as Growth Regulators During Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Phytohormones (PHs) play crucial role in regulation of various physiological and biochemical processes that govern plant growth and yield under optimal and stress conditions. The interaction of these PHs is crucial for plant survival under stressful environments as they trigger signaling pathways. Hormonal cross regulation initiate a cascade of reactions which finely tune the physiological processes in plant architecture that help plant to grow under suboptimal growth conditions. Recently, various studies have highlighted the role of PHs such as abscisic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, and jasmonates in the plant responses toward environmental stresses. The involvement of cytokinins, gibberellins, auxin, and relatively novel PHs such as strigolactones and brassinosteroids in plant growth and development has been documented under normal and stress conditions. The recent identification of the first plant melatonin receptor opened the door to this regulatory molecule being considered a new plant hormone. However, polyamines, which are not considered PHs, have been included in this chapter. Various microbes produce and secrete hormones which helped the plants in nutrient uptake such as N, P, and Fe. Exogenous use of such microbes help plants in correcting nutrient deficiency under abiotic stresses. This chapter focused on the recent developments in the knowledge related to PHs and their involvement in abiotic stresses of anticipation, signaling, cross-talk, and activation of response mechanisms. In view of role of hormones and capability of microbes in producing hormones, we propose the use of hormones and microbes as potential strategy for crop stress management.Fil: EL Sabagh, Ayman. Scientific And Technological Research Council Of Turkey; TurquíaFil: Islam, Mohammad Sohidul. Kafrelsheikh University; EgiptoFil: Hossain, Akbar. Hajee Mohammad Danesh And Technology University; BangladeshFil: Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir. University Of Poonch; PakistánFil: Mubeen, Mohammad. Comsats University Islamabad; PakistánFil: Waleed, Mirza. Comsats University Islamabad; PakistánFil: Reginato, Mariana Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Battaglia, Martin. Cornell University; Estados UnidosFil: Ahmed, Sharif. International Rice Research Institute; FilipinasFil: Rehman, Abdul. The Islamia University Of Bahawalpur; PakistánFil: Arif, Muhammad. The University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Athar, Habib-Ur-Rehman. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Ratnasekera, Disna. University Of Ruhuna; Sri LankaFil: Danish, Subhan. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Raza, Ali. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Rajendran, Karthika. Vellore Institute Of Technology; IndiaFil: Mushtaq, Muntazir. Icar-national Bureau Of Plant Genetic Resources; IndiaFil: Skalicky, Milan. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Brestic, Marian. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Soufan, Walid. King Saud University; Arabia SauditaFil: Fahad, Shah. University Of Haripur; PakistánFil: Pandey, Saurabh. Guru Nanak Dev University; IndiaFil: Abdelhamid, Magdi T.. National Research Centre Dokki; Egipt

Elevated CO₂ Concentration Improves Heat-Tolerant Ability in Crops

The rising concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (aCO2) and increasing temperature are the main reasons for climate change, which are significantly affecting crop production systems in this world. However, the elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration can improve the growth and development of crop plants by increasing photosynthetic rate (higher availability of photoassimilates). The combined effects of elevated CO2 (eCO2) and temperature on crop growth and carbon metabolism are not adequately recognized, while both eCO2 and temperature triggered noteworthy changes in crop production. Therefore, to increase crop yields, it is important to identify the physiological mechanisms and genetic traits of crop plants which play a vital role in stress tolerance under the prevailing conditions. The eCO2 and temperature stress effects on physiological aspects as well as biochemical profile to characterize genotypes that differ in their response to stress conditions. The aim of this review is directed the open-top cavities to regulate the properties like physiological, biochemical, and yield of crops under increasing aCO2, and temperature. Overall, the extent of the effect of eCO2 and temperature response to biochemical components and antioxidants remains unclear, and therefore further studies are required to promote an unperturbed production system

Potential Role of Plant Growth Regulators in Administering Crucial Processes Against Abiotic Stresses

Plant growth regulators are naturally biosynthesized chemicals in plants that influence physiological processes. Their synthetic analogous trigger numerous biochemical and physiological processes involved in the growth and development of plants. Nowadays, due to changing climatic scenario, numerous biotic and abiotic stresses hamper seed germination, seedling growth, and plant development leading to a decline in biological and economic yields. However, plant growth regulators (PGRs) can potentially play a fundamental role in regulating plant responses to various abiotic stresses and hence, contribute to plant adaptation under adverse environments. The major effects of abiotic stresses are growth and yield disturbance, and both these effects are directly overseen by the PGRs. Different types of PGRs such as abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), and jasmonates (JAs) are connected to boosting the response of plants to multiple stresses. In contrast, PGRs including cytokinins (CKs), gibberellins (GAs), auxin, and relatively novel PGRs such as strigolactones (SLs), and brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in plant growth and development under normal and stressful environmental conditions. Besides, polyamines and nitric oxide (NO), although not considered as phytohormones, have been included in the current review due to their involvement in the regulation of several plant processes and stress responses. These PGRs are crucial for regulating stress adaptation through the modulates physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes and activation of the defense system, upregulating of transcript levels, transcription factors, metabolism genes, and stress proteins at cellular levels. The current review presents an acumen of the recent progress made on different PGRs to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress such as heat, drought, salinity, and flood. Moreover, it highlights the research gaps on underlying mechanisms of PGRs biosynthesis under stressed conditions and their potential roles in imparting tolerance against adverse effects of suboptimal growth conditions.Fil: Sabagh, Ayman EL. Kafrelsheikh University; EgiptoFil: Mbarki, Sonia. National Institute Of Research In Rural Engineering; TúnezFil: Hossain, Akbar. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir. University Of Poonch Rawalakot; PakistánFil: Islam, Mohammad Sohidul. Hajee Mohammad Danesh And Technology University; BangladeshFil: Raza, Ali. Fujian Agriculture And Forestry University; ChinaFil: Llanes, Analia Susana. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Reginato, Mariana Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas.; ArgentinaFil: Rahman, Md Atikur. Grassland And Forage Division National Institute; Corea del SurFil: Mahboob, Wajid. Nuclear Institute Of Agriculture,; PakistánFil: Singhal, Rajesh Kumar. Indian Council Of Agricultural Research; IndiaFil: Kumari, Arpna. Guru Nanak Dev University; IndiaFil: Rajendran, Arvind. Vellore Institute Of Technology; IndiaFil: Wasaya, Allah. Bahauddin Zakariya University; PakistánFil: Javed, Talha. Fujian Agriculture And Forestry University; JapónFil: Shabbir, Rubab. University Of Poonch Rawalakot; PakistánFil: Rahim, Junaid. University Of Çukurova; PakistánFil: Barutçular, Celaleddin. Institute Of Crop Science And Resource Conservation; AlemaniaFil: Habib Ur Rahman, Muhammad. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Raza, Muhammad Ali. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Ratnasekera, Disna. University Of Ruhuna; Sri LankaFil: Konuskan l, Ömer. Mustafa Kemal University; TurquíaFil: Hossain, Mohammad Anwar. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Meena, Vijay Singh. Indian Council Of Agricultural Research; IndiaFil: Ahmed, Sharif. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Ahmad, Zahoor. Bangladesh Wheat And Maize Research Institute; BangladeshFil: Mubeen, Muhammad. Sichuan Agricultural University; ChinaFil: Singh, Kulvir. Punjab Agricultural University; IndiaFil: Skalicky, Milan. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague; República ChecaFil: Brestic, Marian. Slovak University Of Agriculture; EslovaquiaFil: Sytar, Oksana. Slovak University Of Agriculture; EsloveniaFil: Karademir, Emine. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Karademir, Cetin. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Erman, Murat. Siirt University; TurquíaFil: Farooq, Muhammad. College Of Agricultural And Marine Sciences Sultan; Omá

Maize Adaptability to Heat Stress under Changing Climate

The rapidly increasing human population is an alarming issue and would need more food production under changing climate. Abiotic stresses like heat stress and temperature fluctuation are becoming key issues to be addressed for boosting crop production. Maize growth and productivity are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Grain yield losses in maize from heat stress are expected to increase owing to higher temperatures during the growing season. This situation demands the development of maize hybrids tolerant to heat and drought stresses without compromising grain yield under stress conditions. The chapter aimed to assess the updates on the influence of high-temperature stress (HTS) on the physio-biochemical processes in plants and to draw an association between yield components and heat stress on maize. Moreover, exogenous applications of protectants, antioxidants, and signaling molecules induce HTS tolerance in maize plants and could help the plants cope with HTS by scavenging reactive oxygen species, upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, and protection of cellular membranes by the accrual of compatible osmolytes. It is expected that a better thought of the physiological basis of HTS tolerance in maize plants will help to develop HTS maize cultivars. Developing HTS-tolerant maize varieties may ensure crops production sustainability along with promoting food and feed security under changing climate