Preface
Each time one reads the Quran his or her understanding deepens. One may be blessed to have a command of the Arabic language and read the Quran in the language exactly as revealed from Allah to the Prophet through the Angel Gabriel. However, for most Muslims around the world, even if we know Arabic, the beauty and depth of the Quran eludes us. Therefore, we often rely on the tafseer (explanation) and translations to help us gain an understanding to guide us in our lives. Brother Hashemi continues from his previous works to carefully delineate in the translated text which words or phrases are a mere translation and which few words or phrases were added for easier reading and understanding.
As a revert to Islam, and a humble but imperfect follower of the teachings of Prophet Mohamed, I tried to learn from authenticated sources: The Quran, The Hadiths (substantiated sayings of the Prophet), and Sunnah (practices of the Prophet as witnessed from endorsed sources). Having information does not make someone knowledgeable. Even with authentic sources readily available, it takes a lifetime of study to consolidate the information into knowledge. And, being knowledgeable does not necessarily mean one uses this knowledge to guide one’s life. However, with works like those produced by Brother Badr Hashemi, we can become that much closer to understanding the body of knowledge and incorporating that knowledge in our daily lives.
Allah used his messengers to relay His message to humans and jinn (unseen creation) in order to guide us. The last messenger, Prophet Mohamed was given the final and irrevocable message to mankind, the Quran. It was revealed in the language spoken by the Prophet and the people of Arabia. The Quran confirms...
Background No review consolidating available evidence of the various interventions for preventing MERS-CoV transmission in healthcare settings has been published to inform practice. The MERS-CoV outbreak in Saudi Arabia led to wide-scale hospitalisations and, among other individuals at risk, healthcare workers (HCW) were one of the most affected groups. This study evaluates the effectiveness of various interventions implemented to prevent MERS-CoV transmission to HCW and MERS-negative patients in Saudi Arabian healthcare settings. Methods This review summarises and evaluates the effectiveness of MERS-CoV infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in Saudi Arabian hospital settings. Instead of using ‘best quality/evidence’ studies, the review has included as many relevant studies as possible. Results Various IPC measures were deemed effective. However, since no analysis of their effectiveness had been undertaken, it was not possible to determine the interventions’ level of effectiveness as applied in hospital settings. The studies appeared to rely on the assumption that the extent of MERS-CoV transmission control observed was a direct reflection of the implemented IPC measures. Conclusions Robust studies, using empirical methods, should be conducted to measure the effectiveness of the various IPC measures developed and implemented to control MERS-CoV transmission
Phosphorus (P) is one of the indispensable element for plants to regulate key biochemical processes like photosynthesis, respiration, energy storage and transfer, cell division and cell enlargement. Although, sufficient amount of P is present in agricultural soils but generally it is unavailable for plant growth and development due to fixation and immobilization. Potato is used as a staple food in most part of the world and popular in Pakistan as well. Microorganisms with P-solubilizing ability have substantial ability to provide P, required for healthy plant growth. Present study was carried out to isolate P-solubilizing rhizobacteria from major potato growing areas of Punjab, Pakistan with the hypothesis that the P-solubilizing rhizobacteria would improve growth and yield of potato on inoculation. Out of 116 isolates, 31 were characterized as P-solubilizers with varying ability of tri-calcium phosphate solubilization (16.57 to 140.38 μg ml-1) in vitro. Fifteen isolates showed P-mineralizing potential with extracellular (0.9×10-10 kat to 6.07×10-10) and intra-cellular (0.32×10-10 kat to 3.65×10-10) phytase activity. Of 31 P-solubilizing rhizobacteria, 20 isolates showed IAA (0.5 to 13.84 μg ml-1) producing potential. Taxonomically these bacteria were identified on the bases of 16S rRNA gene and belongs to ten different genera. Gene considered for P-solubilization pqqE, was successfully amplified in four (P. brassicacearum KPS-5, Pseudomonas sp.KPS-7, Serratia sp. KPS-8 and S. plymuthica KPS-10) bacterial strains while ß-propeller gene (encoding alkaline phytase) was confirmed in two (P. brassicacearum KPS-5 and B. subtilis KPS-11) bacterial strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, pqqE and ß-propeller genes showed their phylogeny at genus level. Phenotypic microarray analysis of potent P-solubilizers revealed their metabolic diversity and potential. P-solubilizers exhibited organic acids (gluconic, oxalic, tartaric, malic and lactic acids) production ability in varying amount. P-solubilization and organic acid production attributes were positively correlated (r= 0.9412 to 0.9912) with pH decline in culture medium. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of phosphobacterial strains P. brassicacearum KPS-5, Pseudomonas sp.KPS-7 and Serratia sp. KPS-8 showed their colonization potential xv with potato roots. These bacterial strains were labelled with yellow fluorescent protein (yfp), inoculated to potato seedlings and observed under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) which further confirmed their root colonization potential. Fifteen promising P-solubilizing bacterial strains were selected for plant inoculation test. All inoculations enhanced potato growth parameters. However, P. brassicacearum KPS-5, Pseudomonas sp.KPS-7 and Serratia sp. KPS-8 showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher potato growth compared to other inoculated and un-inoculated plants. In another experiment, conducted in soil supplemented with phytate, two rifampicin resistant derivatives of bacterial strains P. brassicacearum KPS-5 and B. subtilis KPS-11 were successfully recovered from potato rhizosphere and rhizoplane at different time intervals up to 60 days after inoculation which showed their survival and colonization potential. Both bacterial strains significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the potato growth parameters in comparison with un-inoculated plants. Field experiments were conducted at three different localities (Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Rawalakot) to evaluate plant growth promoting potential of selected rhizobacterial strains under field conditions. Bacterial inoculums of P. brassicacearum KPS-5, Pseudomonas sp.KPS-7 and Serratia sp. KPS-8 supplemented with half dose of P fertilizer significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the growth and yield of potato when compared with un-inoculated plants with same level of P fertilizer as well as un-inoculated treatments with full dose of rock phosphate (RP). It is concluded on the basis of in vitro and in vivo studies that P. brassicacearum KPS-5, Pseudomonas sp.KPS-7 and Serratia sp. KPS-8 are potential P-solubilizing rhizobacterial strains that can enhance growth and yield of potato by making unavailable forms of phosphorus to bioavailable form. These bacterial strains can be used as P-solubilizing bio-inoculants with reduced dose of P fertilizer for potato crop.