Trichogramma chilonis, an effective egg parasitoid for control of white stem borer Scirpophaga innotata (Walker), (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in rice

Rice an important staple food crop of the world, which is attacked by the various insect pests, among them the stem borers are the most destructive pests, distributed in all rice growing areas of the world and cause the severe losses. This research investigated the efficacy of the parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) to control the white stem borer (Scirpophaga innotata) in rice. In this respect the field studies were conducted in lower Sindh, Pakistan for the year, Kharif - 2017 and 2018. Trichogramma egg parasitoid over 230 species are reported to have been remained in biological control of insect pests of over 200 insect species belonging to 70 different families, mainly the order Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Orthroptera and Thysnoptera, in order to manage the white stem borer of rice the Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii) was used as a bio-control agent. The Studies revealed that T. chilonis proved an effective biocontrol strategy against white stem borer of rice. The result of this study could be useful in an integrated pest management program for the management of white stem borer of rice the Trichogramma chilonis. Keywords: Stem borer, Biocontrol, Parasitoid, Population suppression.

Effects of Staphylococcus aureus hemolysin toxins on blood cells and association with skin and soft tissue infections

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is gram positive, catalase positive cocci which belongs to the family of Staphylococcaceae and is long known as clinical and foodborne pathogen. The emergence of multidrug resistance strain of S. aureus which is methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) challenges the health care system because it can cause wide variety of hospital and community acquired skin and soft tissue infections which are difficult to treat. The virulence of S. aureus is because of different factors which includes toxins, enzymes and superantigens. S. aureus produce variety of exotoxins, enterotoxins and exfoliative toxins which contributes to the virulence of S. aureus. Hemolysin toxins produce by S. aureus strains are associated with different skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) and can cause the lysis of RBCs. Hemolysins are regulated by accessory gene regulator (agr) and is required for the enhanced expression of virulence factors secreted by S. aureus. Hemolysins have leucolytic activity and can help in iron scavenging from host. The most important toxin is alpha hemolysin which can induce the apoptosis and cause the lysis of epithelial cells, erythrocytes and keratinocytes. Human immune cells are affected by beta hemolysin and gamma hemolysin is a biocomponent toxin. Delta hemolysin is low molecular weight exotoxin which belongs to the class of phenol soluble modulins. Keywords: MRSA, Exotoxins, Hemolysins, SSTIs

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Hospital Environment

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of disease and death particularly in cystic fibrosis patients and also considered resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, it is very difficult to remove the Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the hospital environment by using simple techniques. In the contemporary study, biofilm mediated mechanism of various antimicrobial responses were analyzed. For this purpose, different Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates were collected from Pakistan medical institute Islamabad (PIMS) hospital and were investigated for pellicle formation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were studied for different groups of antibiotics including imipenem, meropenem, ceftazidime, amikacin, tobramycin, gentamicin, piperacillin, cefoperazone, and cefotaxime. The goal was to check antimicrobial susceptibility of pseudomonas aeruginosa which shows resistant to tobramycin, imipenem, meropenem, amikacin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, piperacillin, ceftazidime, cefoperazone. Additionally, in this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains were also investigated for pellicle formation. In conclusion, this research work wills highlights the useful mechanism of antibiotics resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in clinical practice. Keywords: Antibiotics, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, antibiotics, Biofilm, Peliclle.

Vegetation conditions in various plant communities and their performance in district Tharparkar, Sindh, Pakistan

Six villages were registered for the experimental purpose/plantation where more than 25,000 plants were planted to develop range forest. These plants were developed at Marvi nursery PARC-Arid Zone Research Institute, Umerkot and some were purchased from private nursery situated at Mirpurkhas. Results revealed that maximum plants mortality rate was found at village Ratnore and lowest mortality of plants was observed at Mithrio Charan. Plants damaged due to unknown reason (natural), termite attack and diseases. In various locations most of plants were affected by termites than others biotic and abiotic factors. The most influenced plant was Prosopis cinerera. Maximum plants survived numbers of grafted ber was found at village Ratnore, the biomass production of green and dry grasses was taken after harvesting. A highest green grass weight 21812.58 kg and dry 3439.83 kg were observed from elephant grass stock and lowest green weight 5001.92 kg from Gatten grass and dry weight 477.57 kg per acre were recorded from Rhode grass 1 (Sabri). Gatten grass and Rhode grass 1 (Sabri) were found lower weight. All these seven grasses showed excellent performance except Elephant grass and Gatten grass. These two grasses needed more water as compared to remaining five species. These grasses when fed by goats their milk production was increased and goats like to feed these grasses. The pictures of these grasses showed their appearance and health irrigated by underground brackish water with more than 2200 ppm. Keywords: grown, plants, performance, Tharparkar.

Identification of Vancomycin Resistance Determinants in Twin Cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad

Vancomycin resistant Enterococci have emerged rapidly in the recent years leading to treatment failure. The aim of this work was to identify vancomycin resistance determinants; vanA and vanB genes in Enterococci. The blood, urine and throat samples were collected from 150 patients from local hospitals of twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Forty-nine phenotypically confirmed isolates were further confirmed by PCR amplification for vancomycin determinants (genes for vanA and vanB) for vancomycin resistant Enterococci. Dependence and frequency distribution of VRE and VSE bacteraemia with respect to age, gender and source was also studied. Phenotypically resistant strains were positive for vanA while negative for vanB. vancomycin susceptible enterococci (VSE) could be isolated more from urine samples as compared to blood whereas vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) was found more prevalent in the blood samples (p value= 0.000). VRE was more frequently isolated from patients aged 50 or above whereas VSE prevalence was same in both age groups (p value=0.002). Gender was not found to have any significant impact on VRE or VSE bacteraemia. This study reports vanA gene cluster responsible for resistance in Pakistani population and frequently isolation of VRE from blood samples. Keywords: Enterococcus, Vancomycin resistant Enterococci, Pakistan

Isolation and Purification of Thrombolytic Enzyme Extracted from Earthworm Punjab, Pakistan

The Cardiovascular disease due to thrombus (clot) formation is the major factor of death throughout the world. Earthworms being the eco engineers has thrombolytic enzyme that can be used for thrombolysis. The thrombolytic enzyme was isolated and purified from supernatant of earthworm Apporectodea longa by column chromatography. Six Strain BKT 11, BKT 15, BKT 17, BKT 26, BKT 27 and BKT 28 shows the thrombolytic activity 791.64 U/mg, 1362.39 U/mg, 1205.4 U/mg, 710.63 U/mg, 529.66 U/mg and 625.00 U/mg respectively. Thrombolytic activity was confirmed by blood clot lysis method. Different concentrations 50 ?l,100 ?l, 150 ?l, 200 ?l and 250 ?l of extracted enzyme were applied on 25mg of wet blood clot along with control where distill water used. These fractions of extracted enzymes represent the dissolution of clot (thrombolysis). The molecular weight 32 KDa was determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Results show that extracted elute have potential of fibrinolytic activity in this specie of earthworm and it can serve as a suitable therapeutic agent. Keywords: Thrombolytic activity, Casein plate assay, Blood clot lysis, spectrophotometry, Gel electrophoresis.

Dietary intake to help prevent Covid-19 implications: The devil is in the detail

One of the most frequent antecedents of mortality in world is coronavirus that proceeds multitude metabolic disorders and is consequence of damaged lungs that is ultimately caused by contagious infection and virus called coronavirus. It effects people of every age mostly dominating in child, aged, people who have already poor immune system and lungs related disorders. It has tremendous effects on body affecting physical, emotional, cognitive and intellectual abilities as well. It leads to various clinical moderate to severe complications including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pneumonia, coughing up blood, persistent chest pain, fever, SOB (shortness of breath), coughing up sputum, chills, sore throat, respiratory sputum production (phlegm), loss of sense and smell, headache, muscle aches, rashes and diarrhea etc. One of the most imprudent factors examined in these patients is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as well which refers to respiratory failure, a mechanism in which body is unable to respond normally sequentially results by high level of widespread inflammation in lungs. Penurious immune system which contributes to higher rate of mortality worldwide present strong association with COVID-19. Metabolic disturbances contribute to the development and progression of respiratory distress, as well as they have serious consequences in next stages of life that can have harmful effects on health. In this review we will discuss the pathophysiology as well as the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, the morbidities related to this disease and the treatment required controlling this disorder. Keywords: Covid-19, Diet, Health Benefits.

Thermal stable and proteinase-K resistant insecticidal toxins produced by Photorhabdus luminescens

Photorhabdus is lives in a mutualistic association with nematodes from the family Heterorhabditis. Bacteria of the Photorhabdus can survive independently and cause toxicity in a larger variety of insects. In the present study, insecticidal activity of non-portentous heat-stable metabolites of Photorhabdus luminescens was evaluated against Galleria mellonella. For this purpose, the culture extract of P. luminescens was injected into the G. mellonella larvae, which killed almost 90% of larvae within 48 h. The extract showed 100% insecticidal activity after heat treatment of 70 C for 30 min and even 60% and 40% activity lasted at 80 C and 90 C respectively. The extract also showed a high degree of thermal stability and was 100% actives after 60 min at 70 C. In addition, insecticidal activity was preserved up to 100% after all proteinase-K treatments (0 ?g/mL to 50 ?g/mL). The results revealed that the extracts were non-portentous and showed high thermal resistance and stability. Keywords: Photorhabdus, insecticidal activity, toxins, heat stable non-proteinaceous

Assessment of Detection and Treatment Response of Hepatitis C viral Infection in District Mardan Pakistan

Hepatitis C virus is known to be major public health issue around the globe. The aim was to investigate the treatment and detection of HCV infection in general population of District Mardan. Presently no standard treatment is available for the cure of Hepatitis C viral infection, attributed possibly to the hyper variations in HCV genome, expressing several distinct HCV genotypes. For a period of 5 months (June 2016 - November 2016), 270 suspected individuals visited the main hospital of Mardan Medical complex (MMC), were interviewed. Among them 100 individuals were diagnosed by ELISA and PCR for HCV detection at the diagnostic laboratory of MMC. A total of 170 HCV patients were treated at the MMC, with oral medicine or interferon vaccines and the response were monitored by PCR after treatments. Our result showed that high sensitivity for genome-based PCR detection of HCV in comparison to viral coat protein detection by ELISA. The assessment of treatment strategies for HCV showed high response for presently available medicines i.e., Sovaldi, Sofiget, Sofohil, Ocvir and sofosbuvir in comparison to interferon and pig interferon. The accurate and early diagnosis of the HCV infection is crucial for effective treatment strategies. Thereby PCR detection should be the proffered method for specific and accurate detection of HCV infection. The standard medicine available presently proved better treatment method for HCV infection in comparison to interferon vaccination. Keywords: Vaccine, Medication, Sovaldi, Mardan, Interferon, Sofohil, HCV.