Plant response to the altered environmental conditions usually includes initiations of several defense mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is the heat shock proteins (HSPs) production, a universal response. Chloroplast small heat shock proteins (Cp-sHSPs) are known to protect Photosystem II under stress conditions in plants. Cp-sHSPs production is positively correlated with the plant thermotolerance. While the protective role of HSPs has been greatly recognized against several physiological stresses such as heat, metals, cold and different developmental stages individually or in different combinations. Recent progress in this field has revealed unique aspects of regulations of these genes under stress. Cis-regulatory elements present in promoter regions with the combinations of several factors dictate the gene expression levels and specific patterns. Not much is known about the regulation and mechanism of action of Cp-sHSP genes in plant protection. We analyzed four novel promoters of Chenopodium album (two US ecotypes) Cp-sHSPs for the presence of putative cis-regulatory motifs (Shakeel et al., 2011). Interestingly we found more than one cis-regulatory elements in the promoter regions of these Ca-sHSPs and based on this unique promoter architecture, we proposed a differential regulation of a single Ca-sHSP gene under variety of different abiotic stresses including heat, metal, cold, drought and salt stresses individually. To analyze the Ca-sHSP gene expression patterns under different abiotic stress conditions, we treated C. album (Pakistani ecotype) plants at different abiotic conditions and initially studied the effect of above mentioned stresses on physiology of the plants. On the basis of physiological data, we decided the lower and upper limits of stress conditions for further analyses of Ca-sHSPs. Stress induced transcripts of Ca-sHSP genes were sequenced individually and analyzed; our data showed that one novel Cp-sHSP family member, CaHSP26.13p is regulated differently under different abiotic stresses. This observation was based on 100% amino acid sequence similarities among these transcripts. Expression of Chloroplast Small Heat Shock Proteins of C. album under Different Abiotic Stresses Relative abundance of transcript and protein levels was determined by real-time PCR analysis and immunoblotting of C. album leaf samples treated with and without stress conditions. Antibodies specific to methionine rich region were used for Cp-sHSPs detection by immunoblotting. Interestingly we detected 1-2 bands of precursor and processed Cp-sHSP proteins (~26 and 21KDa) depending upon the stress conditions, while only precursor protein (~26KDa) with differential expression was detected in all types of treatments suggesting the role of single Ca-sHSP in plant protection under heat, metal, cold, drought and salt stress. Due to the absence of correlation between transcript and protein levels in most of these cases, we speculate some role of post-transcriptional regulation in plant protection by this mechanism. This study demonstrates multiple roles of single C. album Cp-sHSP in variety of environmental conditions by differential regulation and can be used to develop stress tolerant plant species to face the challenge of next decade. The data presented here has been published in the following articles. 1. Samina Shakeel, Noor Ul Haq, Scott A. Heckathorn, E. William Hamilton, Dawn S. Luthe (2011). Ecotypic variation in chloroplast small heat-shock proteins and related thermotolerance in Chenopodium album. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 49: 898-908. 2. Noor Ul Haq, Sana Raza, Dawn S. Luthe, Scott A. Heckathorn, Samina N Shakeel (2012). Dual role for Chenopodium album chloroplast small heat shock protein: Photosystem II protection from heat and metal stresses. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, DOI 10.1007/s11105-012-0516-5. 3. Noor Ul Haq, Muhammad Ammar, Dawn S. Luthe, Scott A. Heckathorn, Samina N Shakeel. Molecular characterization of Chenopodium album chloroplast small heat shock protein and its expressions in response to different abiotic stresses. (Submitted to Plant Cell Reports).
سر شیخ عبدالقادر افسوس ہے کہ ہماری پرانی علمی و ادبی بزم کی ایک اور شمع گل ہوگئی اور گزشتہ ۹؍ فروری کو سر شیخ عبدالقادر مرحوم نے چھیتر سال کی عمر میں انتقال کیا، مرحوم کی ذات گوناگوں اوصاف کی جامع تھی، وہ اردو زبان کے مشہور ادیب اور اس کے پرانے محسن اور خدمت گزار تھے، ان کا مشہور رسالہ مخزن اپنے زمانہ کا اردو کا سب سے زیادہ ممتاز اور مقبول رسالہ تھا، اردو میں سنجیدہ نگاری اور اچھے اصحاب قلم پیدا کرنے میں اس کا بڑا حصہ تھا، مرحوم کا ادبی ذوق ہر زمانہ میں قائم رہا اور وہ کسی نہ کسی حیثیت سے برابر اردو کی خدمت کرتے رہے، مخزن کے جدید دور میں بھی وہ اس کے سر پرست تھے، پاکستان کے قیام سے پہلے تک وہ دارالمصنفین کے رکن تھے، ان علمی و ادبی کمالات کے ساتھ ان کو بڑے سے بڑے دنیاوی اعزاز بھی حاصل ہوئے اور وہ مختلف اوقات میں ہائی کورٹ کی ججی، وزارت تعلیم مرکزی پبلک سروس کمیشن کی رکنیت انڈیا کونسل کی ممبری وغیرہ جیسے مناسب جلیلہ پر فائز رہے، لیکن ان کی وضعداری میں کبھی فرق نہیں آیا، وہ نئی تعلیم کے ساتھ پرانی تہذیب و شرافت کا نمونہ اور ہر طبقہ و ہر فرقہ میں مقبول اور سب کے ساتھ ان کے یکساں تعلقات تھے، اب ایسی شخصیتیں مشکل ہی سے پیدا ہونگی، ایسی یادگاریں خواہ ہندوستان کی ہوں یا پاکستان کی کم از کم ایک دو نسلوں تک دونوں کی مشترک مِلک ہیں اور ان کی موت دونوں کا نقصان ہے، اﷲ تعالیٰ مرحوم کو اپنی رحمت و مغفرت سے سرفراز فرمائے۔ (شاہ معین الدین ندوی، مارچ ۱۹۵۰ء)
سر شیخ عبدالقادر ہندوستان و پاکستان کی تقسیم نے اب ایسا کردیا ہے کہ ایک جگہ کا حال دوسری جگہ مشکل سے معلوم ہوتا...
هدفت الدراسة للكشف عن مدى استخدام الأنظمة الإلكترونية في إدارة العمليات الإدارية والتعليمية بالتعليم المفتوح، من خلال تطبيقها على عمليات جامعة السودان المفتوحة، أُستخدم المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وتمثل مجتمع الدراسة في العاملين بجامعة السودان المفتوحة، حيث تم اختيار عينة قصدية قوامها 38 من موظفي الخدمة التعليمية بفروع الجامعة بولاية الخرطوم، ورئاسة الجامعة، وكانت أداة الدراسة الإستبانة التي تكونت من ثلاثة محاور بواقع 36 عبارة، تم تحليل البيانات بواسطة التحليل الإحصائي SPSS، وكانت أهم النتائج أنَّ لاستخدام الأنظمة الإلكترونية دور فعال في إدارة العمليات الإدارية والتعليمية والتقويمية، وأوصت الدراسة برفع كفاءة القوة البشرية العاملة في مجال الأنظمة الإلكترونية بالتأهيل والتدريب
Asthma and allergy are common and complex diseases often co-occurring within the same individual. Genetic as well as environmental factors such as consanguinity and early sensitization to allergens significantly influence the onset and progress of the disease. Aim of the following study was to investigate the association of environmental factors and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from candidate genes with asthma in Pakistani population. The studied population consisted of 368 genetically unrelated volunteers. Three SNPs from 2 genes Group Specific Component gene GC (rs4588 and rs7041) and Glutathione S-Transferase P1 gene GSTP1 (rs1695) were selected for genotype analysis by Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), whereas 15 SNPs form Interleukin 33 gene IL33 (rs1412426, rs1342326, rs992969, rs928413, rs2066362, rs996029, rs10815388, rs10975501, rs17498196, rs10975516, rs10975519, rs7047921, rs1332290, rs16924241 and rs8172) were selected for ABI’s Taqman 7900 genotyping. Mean age was 34.04± 16.30 for males and 33.89±13.15 for females whereas the mean BMI was 22.01±4.04 for males and 23.23±5.21 for females. About 68.20% subjects lived in urban areas and 31.79% lived in rural areas. Parents of 87.5% of the studied population had married within their own caste system, 60.05% of which were first cousins. Family history of Asthma was prevalent in 48.91% of the Asthmatic population. Total 60.86% asthma cases were classified as adult and 39.13% cases were classified as pediatric onset asthma, based on the age at which the diagnosis of asthma was concluded. Asthma severity was based on the percent predicted FEV1 and categorized as intermittent (2.71%), mild persistent (0.54%), moderate persistent (40.21%) and severe persistent (56.52%). Total serum IgE levels were 121±2.91 lU/mI for the control population and 584.2±4.61 lU/mI in asthmatics. Males had higher IgE levels (181IU/ml) than the females (99lU/ml). Amongst the atopic manifestations cough was the most prevalent symptom (82.06%) closely followed by wheeze (80.97%) whereas skin allergies were the least prevalent (22.82%). Seasonal variations were reported to be the most significant asthma trigger (95.65%) followed by dust (72.82%) and food allergies (60.32%). Asthma attacks were more frequent in winter season (57.06%) and in transitional period between changing seasons (48.36%). Only 3.80% reported no seasonal correlations with asthma. Smoking asthmatics constituted 11.41% of the studied asthmatic population whereas 62.5% were exposed to tobacco smoke for long periods of time, 51.08% asthmatics were exposed to tobacco smoke but never smoked themselves. Homeopathic medicine was used by 14.67% and 33.69% turned to Hakeems however; the use of complimentary alternate medication remained the most popular (39.13%) mostly due to the lack of side effects associated with such treatments. Total 18 SNPs from 3 candidate genes were genotyped using RFLP and ABI’s Taqman. RFLP was carried out in 2 genes (GC/VDBP, GSTP1). Significant association of GC/VBDP GC2 homozygote asthma was established (OR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.786 - 5.535, p = <0.001) through 90% reproducibility. GSTP1 Ile/Ile homozygote showed significant association with asthma (OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.347 - 4.043, p = 0.003) in Pakistani population. 15 SNPs from Interleukin-33 were genotyped on the ABI platform. rs17498196 (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.18- 2.68 p = 0.005) and rs992969 (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.99- 2.04 p = 0.05) were significantly associated with the risk of asthma, however the risk becomes non-significant with cousin parents removed rs17498196 (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.23- 4.74 p = 0.01) and rs992969 (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.80- 2.48 p = 0.23) respectively. These results highlight the importance of consanguineous unions in inheritance of asthma as a genetic disorder. LD analysis between the SNPs revealed strong linkage disequilibrium between rs10975516, rs10975519, rs7047921 and rs1332290 even with cousin parents removed remaining good predictors of each other. rs1412426, rs1342326, rs992969 and rs928413 showed moderate LD which further decreased with cousin parents removed, implicating consanguinity in the inheritance of asthma risk allele.