Toxicity induced by Solanapyrone A in Chickpea shoots and its metabolism through Glutathione/Glutathione-S-Transferase system

Solanapyrone A and C were isolated from a Pakistani isolate of Ascochyta rabiei, Pk-1. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the phytotoxic effects of the most potent toxin, solanapyrone A on chickpea cultivars and its subsequent detoxification through glutathion/glutathion-s-transferase(GST) system. When the shoots of cultivars were fed solanapyrone A, symptoms mimicking to Ascochyta blight appeared and extent of manifestation of symptoms varied with the cultivar. In the first experiment, the effect of three different plant ages of 2 cultivars with different levels of resistance to toxin was determined in terms of GST activity unit. GST activity in Balkasar-2000 (a resistant cultivar) increased 1.92 times, 1.72 and 1.65 times in two-week-old seedling, eight-week-old and adult plants (all treated) respectively as compared to their respective controls. In the highly susceptible cultivar, AUG-424, a slight increase (1.14 times) over control was noticed in GST activity at all the three ages. In the second experiment, where shoots of three cultivars were tested against 2 doses of the toxin, an increase in GST activity in Noor-91 (a moderately susceptible cultivar) and AUG-424 was significantly less than resistant cultivar, Balkasar-2000 showing direct relationship between resistance and activity of the enzyme. It may be concluded that it is a reason for difference in response of cultivars to the disease

An improved tip vortex cavitation model for propeller-rudder interaction

The paper starts with the computational modelling of the tip vortex cavitation in uniform flow conditions with an isolated propeller in detail and provides experimental validation. It then moves onto further modelling to include the effect of non-uniform flow and the presence of a rudder placed in the propeller slipstream. The propeller-rudder arrangement of the Newcastle University research vessel, The Princess Royal, and associated experimental data were used for Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD) analysis to validate the modelling. The cavitation simulations were conducted using commercial CFD software, Star CCM+. A new meshing technique, which utilizes a Mesh Adaptive Refinement approach for Cavitation Simulations (MARCS), recently developed by the authors, has been applied successfully to simulate the tip vortex cavitation, particularly to trace its extension up to the rudder in the propeller slipstream. The comparison of the CFD and EFD methods for the isolated propeller in cavitation tunnel conditions showed very good agreement in terms of the thrust and torque coefficients of the propeller as well as the sheet and tip vortex cavitation patterns observed. The cavitation simulations have been extended for the same propeller by using the new mesh refinement approach to include the effect of the hull wake and the presence of the rudder. Although the latter simulations fall short of the EFD results and hence they are still under development, the paper presents the developments and results so far to achieve the ultimate aim of this study, i.e. computational modelling of cavitating tip vortices of a propeller interacting with a rudder

Isolation of phytohormones producing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria from weeds growing in Khewra salt range, Pakistan and their implication in providing salt tolerance to Glycine max L.

Present investigation was made to isolate and characterize plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Rkh1 - Rkh4) from rhizosphere of four weeds: Chrysopogon aucheri, Lactuca dissecta, Solanum surratenseand Sonchus arvensis thriving under high salinity (EC: 2.3 dS/m) of Khewra salt range and the results were compared with strain Rak isolated from rhizosphere (EC: 0.2 dS/m) of Solanum surratense grown in arid area of district Attock. The tolerance of all the strains was checked against the salt present in culture media in the form of rhizospheric soil filtrate of weeds collected from Khewra salt range. The nutrient contents of rhizospheric soil of weeds were measured. All the strains were capable to producephytohormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3), trans-zeatin riboside (t-zr) and abscisic acid (ABA) in the culture media. Inoculation of strains on soybean seedlings treated with or without 20 dS/m NaCl resulted in better growth and higher proline contents than control plants. Thestrains isolated from weeds of Khewra salt range particularly Rkh3 appears more promising for potential biofertilizers in saline fields

A comparative study of efficacy, safety and compliance of oral iron versus intravenous iron sucrose in treatment of iron deficiency anaemia of pregnancy

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia and nutritional disorder worldwide. Oral iron therapy and blood transfusion has many drawbacks like noncompliance and risk of transmittable infections and transfusion reaction. The modern alternative therapy is treatment with intravenous iron. Present study compares the efficacy, safety and tolerability between intravenous iron sucrose and oral iron in iron deficiency anemia during 20-36 weeks of pregnancy.Methods: It was a randomized controlled study between December 2017 to September 2019. 200 patients attending antenatal OPD in Al Ameen Medical College, with haemoglobin levels between 7-9.9 gm/dl and serum ferritin of <15 ng/ml were enrolled. In intravenous group, 200 mg iron sucrose in 100ml normal saline was infused alternate day till the required dose was met. The oral group received 200 mg of oral iron ascorbate along with folic acid 1.5 mg per day for 6 weeks.  Treatment efficacy was assessed by Hb and serum ferritin after 3 and 6 weeks.Results: Out of 200 patients, an increase in Hb was observed in both groups, rising from 9.7 g/dl to 10.3 g/dl and 10.9 g/dl after 3 weeks and 6 weeks respectively in oral group and from 8.6 g/dl to 9.8 g/dl and 10.8 g/dl after 3 weeks and 6 weeks respectively in intravenous group. Similar results were seen in ferritin levels. Rise in Hb and ferritin levels were greater in intravenous group than in oral group.Conclusions: Intravenous iron sucrose appears to be a better treatment option in comparison with oral iron, without serious side effects, better compliance and improved efficacy in correction of anaemia of pregnancy

Assessment of antibacterial activity of three plants used in Pakistan to cure respiratory diseases

The in vitro antimicrobial activity of Justicia adhatoda, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Hyssopus officinalis extracts were studied against selected bacteria by using agar well diffusion assay. Methanol, ethanol, chloroform, diethyl-ether and aqueous extracts were tested in crude form for antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtillus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus. Maximum antibacterial activity was exhibited by all the three plant extracts. The results obtained with P. aeruginosa were particularly interesting since it was not inhibited by the antibiotic used but the tested plant extracts effectively inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. Themethanolic extract of J. adhatoda was effective against S. typhimurium. All the plants extract in water were effective against spore forming of B. subtillus while S. aureus and E. coli were not effectively inhibited by extracts of tested plants. The results of analysis of variance have shown significant differences between the species, treatments and interaction between the species and treatments. However, the differences were non-significant between the treatments for G. glabra. The results indicatethat J. adhatoda, G. glabra and H. officinalis present a noteworthy potential of antibacterial activities

Developing an ESP-Based Language Learning Environment to Help Students Improve Critical Thinking Skills in Written Output

In recent years, as a result of both research discoveries in the fields of foreign language acquisition and learning, the concept of teaching and learning has undergone a significant transformation. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is a learner-centered approach to teaching English as a foreign language that emphasizes developing communicative proficiency in niche industries such agronomy, commerce, academia, accountancy, education, engineering, and information technology. This concept of English-for-Teaching as a restricted form of ESP for the classroom builds on the knowledge that instructors already have about teaching while also introducing and validating specific classroom terminology. When students interact and cooperate with one another, ESP practice emerges naturally in a language learning setting. Two major aspects that ESP highlights are the growth of dialogical interaction and the establishment of ecologically complete learning environments. In this essay, we create an ESP to aid students in the development of their critical thinking (CT) abilities in written output. We combine the Synergy model, Brain-based learning, and the Flipped Classroom models to create an ESP environment. Students CT abilities and academic success served as the studys criteria. The Course Satisfaction Questionnaire and placement exams were used to obtain the statistical data. Using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient (CAC) and Spearman correlation coefficient, the test on CT data was interpreted, and the combined data was examined using SPSS (V 26.0). By immersing students in problem-solving- based learning (PBL), this paradigm helps students develop their CT skills. It also helps students achieve academically by elevating their sense of accountability for learning outcomes and promoting the use of a variety of learning strategies