Studies were conducted with the first aim to understand field evolved resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis and conventional insecticides. As an eco-friendly alternative, experiments were conducted to fully understand the nature of toxicity of Nucleopolyhedroviruses to insecticides resistant and susceptible Heliocverpa armigera Hübner populations and their impact on fitness of the insect. The most virulent strain synergised the activity with new chemistry insecticides such as spinosad and abamectin. Furthermore the most virulent HearNPV suppressed insecticides resistant H. armigra in the field. Helicoverpa armigera Hübner is one of the most destructive pests of several field and vegetable crops, with indiscriminate use of insecticides contributing to multiple instances of resistance. In the present study we first assessed whether H. armigera had developed resistance to Bt cotton and compared the results with several conventional insecticides. Furthermore, the genetics of resistance was also investigated to determine the inheritance to Cry1Ac resistance. To investigate the development of resistance to Bt cotton and selected foliar insecticides, H. armigera populations were sampled in 2010 and 2011. The resistance ratios (RR) for Cry1Ac, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, cypermethrin, spinosad, indoxacarb, abamectin and deltamethrin were 580-fold, 320-, 1110-, 1950-, 200-, 380, 690, and 40-fold, respectively, as compared with the population marked laboratory susceptible (Lab-PK). Selection of the field collected larval population with Cry1Ac in 2010 for five generations increased RR to 5440-fold. The selection also increased RR for deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, cypermethrin, spinosad, indoxacarb, abamectin to 125-fold, 650, 2840, 9830, 370, xxxi 3090 and 1330-fold respectively. The estimated LC50s for reciprocal crosses were 105 μg/ml (Cry1Ac-SEL female × Lab-PK male) and 81 μg/ml (Lab-PK female × Cry1Ac-SEL male) suggesting that the resistance to Cry1Ac was autosomal; the degree of dominance (DLC) was 0.60 and 0.57 respectively. Mixing of enzyme inhibitors significantly decreased resistance to Cry1Ac suggesting that the resistance to Cry1Ac and other insecticides tested in the present study was primarily metabolic. Resistance to Cry1Ac was probably due to a single but unstable factor suggesting that crop rotation with non-Bt cotton or other crops could reduce the selection pressure for H. armigera and improve the sustainability of Bt cotton. As an eco-friendly alternative to insecticides, HearNPV when tested for Lab-PK, field and Cry1Ac populations, there exist significant variation in LC50 values for these three populations with 0.91, 1.88 and 2.99x106 OBs, respectively. Field population required two times and Cry1Ac selected population needed about three times the concentration to kill 50% larval population. However, when SpltNPV was given to these three populations of H. armigera, there was insignificant variation in these values and their fiducial limits overlap each other. These revealed high efficiency of HearNPV against H. armigera than that of SpltNPV. There was an additive effect on the toxicity of co-infection of insecticides when mixed with HearNPV. This addition impact shows to be beneficial because insecticides vary in their mode of action and speed to kill as compared to that of HearNPV. However, this might be synergistic if observed after time enough for HearNPV to show its actual kill. Abamectin and spinosad are most commonly used insecticides against H. armigera and they showed lower LC50 xxxii values proving their high toxicity. However, their mixtures with HearNPV at sublethal concentrations showed more response of these insecticides than HearNPV. For UNSEL H. armigera population, development period of larvae and pupae was insignificantly variable for all the treatments when compared with control. However, total development period was less in control and more in abamectin with 5 days increase. Least adult life was on HearNPV mixture with spinosad and abamectin. Preovipositon period was of 3.8 days for UNSEL H. armigera population. For HearNPV SEL H. armigera population, development period of larvae and pupae was also insignificantly variable for all the treatments with total development period less in control and more in abamectin and spinosad. Least adult life was on HearNPV mixture with spinosad and abamectin. However, preovipositon period was insignificantly different for all the treatments. Three different bacteria were observed in dissected guts of H. armigera larvae with and without HearNPV treatment and compared with control, whose presence was observed in both treatments. The impact of HearNPV treatment on the production of occlusion bodies and liquefaction of H. armigera larvae was observed. HearNPV treatment increased the rate of occlusion bodies production up to 1000 times as compared to untreated which seems to be due to positive impact of these virions on gut flora activities. Survival rate comparison showed almost similar population trend in all treatments before application of insecticides. Spinosad was the most effective insecticide 24 hr post application followed by abamectin which remained statistically non-significant with HearNPV alone and or xxxiii mixed with insecticides. Data after 48 hours showed spinosad, abamectin and HearNPV with spinosad the most toxic. Third and fourth days after application proved both spinosad and abamectin as most toxic and did not differ from their mixtures with HearNPV. 5th, 6th and 7th days observations proved all the single and mixtures as the most toxic to H. armigera. The highest mortality was in spinosad followed by other single and mixtures when compared with control. Present studies revealed the efficacy of NPVs against Lepidopteran pests especially Helicoverpa armigera and the results proved it as alternate eco-friendly control and resistance delaying strategy for Helicoverpa armigera.
مری آہ و فُغاں سُن کر خفا دربار ہیں مُجھ پر مَیں باغی ہوں مگر پہلے بغاوت کا سبب جانو اِدھر بے زار ہوں مَیں حاشیہ بردار ٹولے سے اگر حکمِ اطاعت ہے تو پھر یہ یاد رکھ لینا سُبُک سر لوگ بستی کے مرا اب خوں بہاٸیں گے اسیری میں حُرِیَّت کی فضا میں خود بناٶں گا مَیں بیعت کر تو سکتا ہوں مگر پھر جھوٹ پر مبنی مرے لفظوں میں رنج و غم سمٹ آتا ہے اُمَّت کا نہ سمجھو کھیل لفظوں کا یہ دل کو چیر نکلے ہیں
یہ لکھتے اُن کی جانب سے کٸی اخبار ہیں مُجھ پر وگرنہ ہتھکنڈے اوچھے سبھی بے کار ہیں مجھ پر اُدھر ظِلِّ اِلٰہی بھی بڑے قہار ہیں مُجھ پر حُسینی ہوں کٸی واجب ابھی انکار ہیں مجھ پر کہ کھینچے شش جِہَت سے تیر اور تلوار ہیں مجھ پر فلک تک پھر اُٹھاٸے جو دَر و دیوار ہیں مُجھ پر قصیدے شاہ کے لکھنا بڑے دُشوار ہیں مجھ پر کہ ماضی حال و مستقبل سبھی بیدار ہیں مجھ پر وَرُودِ جسم و جاں عاجز جو بھی اشعار ہیں مجھ پر
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory, once in life time, on adult Muslims having physical and financial capacity. Historically, ‘Hajj’ has been a rigorous undertaking. Although technological advancement has made it easier in many ways, yet there are hardships owing to ever increasing number of pilgrims visiting Makkah Mukkaramah i.e. A city with finite resources including all available resources. The Government of Pakistan, being a facilitator, endeavors to make the Hajj experience as comfortable as is possible within the resources available and standards affordable by Pakistani Hujjaj by making extensive arrangements, through a transparent process, so that the pilgrims could perform their manasik-e-Hajj as enshrined in Quran and Sunnah. The Pilgrim accounts stress that the Hajj leads to a feeling of unity with fellow Muslims. It increases belief in equality and harmony among ethnic groups and Islamic sects and leads to more favorable attitudes toward all the people of Pakistan including women with greater acceptance of female education and employment. Hajjis show increased belief in peace, and in equality and harmony among adherents of different religions. The evidence suggests that these changes are more a result of exposure to and interaction with Hajjis from around the world, rather than religious instruction or a changed social role of pilgrims upon their return to Pakistan.
After stroke epilepsy is the second most common neurological disorder. It occurs due to abnormal neuronal discharge. It is characterized by unprovoked and recurrent seizures which are known as epileptic seizures. Clinically it is manifested in variety of ways from minor physical convulsions to severe tonic-clonic seizures with or without loss of consciousness. Status epilepticus is an acute exacerbation of common epilepsies and life threatening medical emergency, it must be treated or else it may cause serious damage to the brain and even death in many cases. For the management of epilepsy, the antiepileptic drugs, including second and third generations have extensively widened the choice of the drugs for the physicians; however, the efficacy and the antiseizure effects of these drugs are not satisfactory. There is limited choice of drugs for the management of status epilepticus. Keeping these challenges in mind the present study was carried out to investigate the synergistic anti-seizure/antiepileptic effects of combined regimens of Pregabalin with Amlodipine (PGB/AML) and Pregabalin with Nimodipine (PGB/NMD )on acute and kindled models of epilepsy in mice. Current research suggests that calcium influx in neurons plays important role in the genesis of seizures, therefore, the calcium antagonists have potential to be used as anticonvulsants. Anti-seizure actions of PGB can be augmented/potentiated or modified if given in combination with calcium channel inhibitors AML and NMD.The rationale for selecting this combination was based on facts thatAML and NMDhave synergisticanti seizure effects s on PGB and calcium channel blockers have inhibitory effects on voltage-gated calcium channel blockers. we designed the working hypothesis for the present study stating that the in combination-therapies AML and NMD would potentiate and enhance the anti-seizure effects of PGBby theirinhibitory and modulating effects on the calcium channels of the CNS.We examined and analyzed the combination therapy from multiple dimensions both in acute model of seizures as well as in kindled model of epileptogenesis.Our proposed hypothesis that anti-seizure actions of PGB can be augmented or modified if given in combination with AML and NMD had been substantiated by our results. The Combination regimens we employed in the instant experimental animal study were novel and demonstrated significant seizure protection. Our study has established that in both in-vivo models of seizures the combined regimens have demonstrated synergism between PGB and both calcium channel blockers (AML and NMD) incrasing the latent periods,reducing the duration of seizuresand increasing the mortality protection in mice.. We are inclined to hold that PGB:AML and PGB:NMD provided synergistic antiseizure effects in both seizure models. PGB:AMLin acute as well as inkindled modelsprovidedupto 100 percent seizure protection and complelety abolished the generation of seizures at the doses of 5055mg/kg of PGB with 12.5-15 mg/kg of AML(fifth and sixth doses)comparable to reference drugsVPT, PHTand DZ. PGB:NMDprovided 100 percent seizure protectionat the dose of 55mg/kg of PGB with 15 mg/kg (sixth dose) onlyin Kindled model of seizure. PGP:AML demonstratedmore efficacious and potent anti seizure effects as compared to PGB:NMD. We presume that both the calcium channel blockersexhibited their anti seizure effects by potentiating the antiseizure effects of PGB in both combined regimens.In the light of present study the major advantage of combination therpy would be that low doses of PGB could be employed that would be atleast six times in potency to itsindividual effects, thus reducing the doses of the PGB.The combination regimens broader spectrum of antiepileptic usage as compared to ther AEDs is another advantage.This study has provided some basic ground-work guidelines for the future clinical use of combination therapies of PGB with AML and NMD in various forms of epilepsies both for the short term management in conditions like status epilepticus and non epilepticus seizures as well as for the long term management of epilepsy. AML and NMDdeserves attention from a clinical point of view, as a potentially favorable drugs that could be applied in epileptic patients treated with PGB, who additionally requires calcium channel antagonist for reasons other than epilepsy such as hypertensive patients. Though, presently intravenous/ parenteral preparations of PGB is not available, however, it can be hoped that in near future the the availability of PGB parenteral formulations would provide alternate treatment options as combination therapies with calcium antagonist for the management of acute seizures