Sustainable food production in the changing global environment is a major challenge to the world community. Depleting water resources, shrinking arable land and population explosion are further worsening the situation. The agricultural extension is under threat mainly due to the environmental stresses like drought, salinity, changing rainfall pattern and warmer temperature due to enhanced atmospheric carbon dioxide. The adverse effects of drought stress may be alleviated by mineral nutrition of crops. In this experiment, Brassica napus L. seedlings were subjected to 10 days period of drought stress (Relative Water Content: 58.98 %), one week after supplementation with 30, 60 and 90 mM solutions of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O; 50, 100 and 150 mM solutions of KNO 3 and 30, 50 and 100 mM solutions of NH 4 NO 3 in three doses at alternate days. Certain physiological parameters like relative water content, rate of water loss from excised leaves and membrane leakage were used to quantify and estimate the intensity of drought stress. Samples were analyzed in triplicate and standard deviation was calculated. Imposition of drought stress was found to affect the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Brassica napus L. seedlings. Supplementation of the given minerals (Ca 2+ , K + and N) induced certain physiological and biochemical modifications in Brassica napus L. seedlings under irrigated and/or drought stress conditions. It was found that drought stress increased the rate of water loss and hence decreased the relative water content. Exogenous application of Ca 2+ and K + improved the water status of the seedlings by correcting these parameters, however, exogenous N showed a negative impact. The stressed seedlings suffered from damage as shown by higher level of membrane leakage (44.38 ± 3.07 %) and hydrogen peroxide accumulation (26.30 ± 3.21 μmol/g fresh weight). These effects of drought were however, mitigated in the seedlings subjected to exogenous supplementation of Ca 2+ and K + . An important compatible osmolyte, proline was produced in greater quantity (9.15 ± 0.74 μmol/g fresh weight) in stressed seedlings as compared to the control (02.00 ± 0.18 μmol/g fresh weight). In the stressed seedlings treated with all the given supplements, greater proline contents were observed, with the larger linear effect of Ca 2+ . The greatest proline content (23.93 ± 0.98 μmol/g fresh weight) was noted for the stressed seedlings supplemented with 90 mM Ca(NO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O. Under irrigated conditions, the viii seedlings treated with all the given supplements gave almost similar proline concentration as that of the corresponding control seedlings. Activities of catalases (EC: 1.11.1.6) and ascorbate peroxidases (EC: 1.11.1.11) were about 45.00 and 82.2 % higher in stressed seedlings than the control, both of which were further increased with the increasing supplementations of Ca 2+ and K + under stressed conditions. The seedlings showed about 47.75 and 41.58 % loss in fresh and dry weight respectively, under stress condition relative to the control and irrigated plants. It was found that exogenous Ca 2+ and K + decreased the fresh weight of the irrigated seedlings and slightly increased the fresh weight of the stressed seedlings with the significant increase at 90 mM Ca 2+ (23.26 % increase) and 150 mM K + (KNO 3 ) (24.67 % increase) relative to the respective control seedlings. Under both conditions, the dry weights of plants increased with increasing concentration of exogenous Ca 2+ and K + . The total chlorophyll content exhibited about 41.92 % loss due to drought stress, which was protected to some extent by the exogenously supplied Ca 2+ and K + in stressed seedlings. However, in no case, the total chlorophyll content reached the control level in stressed seedlings. Under irrigation condition, the seedlings at all treatments showed almost similar chlorophyll content. Protein content was found to decrease by about 28.38 % due to the imposition of stress period, which was substantially increased after supplementations with all minerals (Ca 2+ , K + and N). The mineral composition of Brassica napus L. seedlings was affected under drought stress as well as under exogenously provided supplements. The Ca, K, N, C, S, P, Mg, Fe and Na contents were decreased by about 3.45, 58.82, 28.40, 4.11, 21.64, 26.90, 1.61, 52.56 and 30.13 % respectively under drought stress. Supplementations differently affected these mineral elements. Supplemental Ca 2+ and K + increased the shoot-Ca, K, N, C, S and P contents under irrigated and drought stress conditions. Drought stress affected the fatty acid contents. The palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid contents were decreased by about 6.26, 2.25 and 24.00 % respectively, whereas, the oleic acid and linolenic acid contents were increased by 99.66 and 4.74 % respectively. Exogenous supplements variously affected the fatty acid composition. Under irrigated condition, increasing supplemental Ca 2+ concentration increased the stearic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid contents and decreased the oleic acid content. Under drought stress condition, supplemental Ca 2+ was found to increase the ix palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid contents. The fatty acid composition was affected by K + -supplementation. The concentrations of palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid were increased under both irrigated as well as drought stress conditions, whereas, the oleic acid content was increased only under irrigated condition. Drought stress also affected the free amino acids composition. The free amino acids like aspartic acid, threonine, serine, proline, valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, histidine, lysine, arginine and the total amino acids were increased by about 31.38, 19.47, 88.96, 507.09, 57.14, 34.09, 35.62, 6.04, 104.76, 4.42, 64.34, 2.68 and 57.68 % respectively, while, the glutamine, glycine, alanine and methionine were decreased by about 26.89, 21.18, 13.08 and 9.63 % respectively. Exogenous Ca 2+ mostly increased the concentration of aspartic acid, threonine, serine, glutamine, proline, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine and total amino acids under both irrigated as well as drought stress conditions. It was revealed that supplemental K + mostly increased the contents of aspartic acid, threonine, glutamine, proline, glycine, isoleucine, histidine, lysine, arginine and total amino acids under both irrigated as well as drought stress conditions.
مولانا شوکت علی مرحوم اسی مہینہ کادوسرا المناک سانحہ مولانا شوکت علی خادم کعبہ کی وفات ہے، شوکت علی مرحوم ہندوستان کے اُن پرچند مسلمانوں میں ایک تھے جن کی شہرت نہ صر ف ہندوستان تک محدود ہے بلکہ دنیائے اسلام کے دوردراز گوشوں تک ان کانام عزت واحترام کے ساتھ لیاجاتاہے اوریہ واقعہ ہے کہ مرحوم بجا طور پر اس شہرت و احترام کے مستحق تھے، پچھلے چند برسوں کوچھوڑ کر بلاخوف تردید کہا جا سکتاہے کہ مرحوم کی زندگی قربانی، ایثار، ولولہ اورجوش عمل کے اعتبار سے مسلمانوں کے لیے قابل تقلید نمونہ تھی،جنگ طرابلس اورجنگ بلقان سے لے کراب تک ہندوستانی مسلمانوں کی اجتماعی اورسیاسی زندگی کے جتنے دور گذرے ہیں مرحوم کی خدمات اُن تمام دوروں میں اس قدر نمایاں اوراس قدر روشن ہیں جنہیں کسی طرح فراموش نہیں کیا جاسکتا’’علی برادران‘‘ہندوستان کی دوشخصیتوں سے مرکب ایک ایسی حقیقت کانام ہے جس کے زبان پرآتے ہی کرداروعمل اورشجاعت وبسالت کاایک سبق آموز نقشہ آنکھوں کے سامنے آجاتاہے۔ صد حسرت وافسوس کہ ہندوستان اپنے ایک جانباز،بہادر سپاہی اورپرانے خادم سے ہمیشہ کے لیے محروم ہوگیا۔انا ﷲ واناالیہ راجعون۔ حق تعالیٰ مرحوم کی خدمات کوقبول فرمائے اوردامانِ رحمت میں جگہ دے۔ [دسمبر۱۹۳۸ء]
This article reports the wash-back of formative assessment on what students learn, how they learn and the depth of their learning in Saudi higher education context. Previous research indicates that assessment methods affect different aspects of learning either positively or negatively depending on the nature of assessment tasks. Observations indicate a clear association between Saudi students’ learning and how their learning is assessed; so this research was needed to determine how exactly the correlation looked like—positive or negative. The data in this study were collected from Saudi undergraduates by employing a student survey and semi-structured interviews. The survey included Likert scale items of agreement regarding research assignments, quizzes and midterm examinations administered to 250 English-major students. To validate the survey results, sixteen students from different levels with GPA 3 and above were interviewed. The results showed that formative assessment narrowed down the scope of learning materials. The students mostly adopted surface level learning strategies to prepare for formative assessment tasks. Higher order thinking skills were not tested in any of the formative assessment methods. Therefore, it is suggested that assessments tasks should be subjected to thorough validation and moderation. Sound assessment practices should be put in place and practiced judiciously. To achieve these objectives, sustained institutional and departmental professional backing is a prerequisite.
Our study consists of three parts. Part -1 deals with epidemiological study in which one year field survey of 2400 thoroughbred horses at Sahiwal, Lahore, Sargodha and Mandi Baha-ud-Din districts were surveyed revealing the prevalence of strongylosis as 40.83 %, 38.17 %, 43.33 %, and 39.83 % respectively. This study has drawn a compelling evidence that the disease is prevalent thoroughout Punjab province with remarkable overall prevalence of 40.54 %. We further explored that hot and humid environment favours its prevalence, age and sex of the horses has no effect on the prevalence and it is maximum in summer while lowest in winter. This study also demonstrates 79.58 % prevalence of internal parasitism among thoroughbred horses overall at Punjab province. Part -2 deals with study of haematology, serum enzymes and electrolytes on 30 thoroughbred horses suffering from large strongyles infection and treated with piperazine adipate. This study revealed a higly significant (p >0.05) decrease in RBC, Hb, Neutrophil percentage, Na, K and Mg in diseased horses. The decrease in RBCs and haemoglobin exhibited normocytic normochromic anaemia. There was a significant decrease in monocyte percentage in diseased animals. A highly significant (p >0.05) increase in eosinophils, SGPT, SGOT, LDH, and a significant increse in basophils percentage was recorded in diseased horses. No significant increase / decrease (p <0.05) was noted in the levels of TLC, lymphocyte percentage, CPK and Ca in diseased horses. Part 3 deals with therapeutic trials of allopathic and herbal drugs. This study was conducted on 110 thoroughbred horses suffering from large strongyles infestation. Present study revealed that aqueous extract of N. sativa seeds at the dose rates of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight is highly effective and showed 87.50 %, 87.82 % and 88.35 % efficacy 28 days post treatment respectively. Aqueous extracts of F.parviflora arial parts at the dose rates of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight showed 62.74 %, 80.68 % and 81.74 % efficacy 28 days post treatment respectively. Aqueous extracts of Fl. macrophylla arial parts at the dose rates of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg body weight exhibited 66.92 %, 73.38 % and 74.04 % efficacy 28 days post treatment respectively whereas 100 % efficacy rate of piperzine adipate (allopathic drug) at the dose rate of 110 mg/kg body was noted. Among the herbal drugs efficacy was found maximum in N.sativa followed by F.parviflora whereas the lowest with Fl. macrophylla.