Aspergillus flavus is a world-wide threat to human, animal and plant health due to the production of aflatoxins in many food and feed products. In first phase of the study, the incidence of aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus was evaluated in cattle feed, water and milk from three districts of Punjab province of Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Gujrat and Okara) due to high incidence of aflatoxins in dairy products of those areas. In total, 39 of the hundred samples collected were contaminated by A. flavus. Specifically, the incidence of A. flavus was 54.28 %, 53.3 % and 11.42 % in feed (n=35), water (n=30) and milk (n=35) samples, respectively. These strains were further investigated for their aflatoxigenic nature using cultural (fluorescence under UV-light and NH4OH vapor induced color change test) and molecular (PCR) methods. The UV method indicated aflatoxigenic potential in 62 % of strains, and the ammonia vapor test showed 54 % of samples to be positive for aflatoxin production. The UV test is more sensitive than the ammonia test; however, comparable results from both methods strengthened our confidence in the findings. PCR detection of aflatoxin producing cluster of A. flavus was done by employing primers for four structural genes i.e. nor-1, ver-1, omt-A, aflR and two primers were used to distinguish A. flavus from A. parasiticus. The omt-A and aflR genes were regarded as potential markers for aflatoxins production because these genes were amplified in all those strains that were regarded as aflatoxigenic based on cultural methods for aflatoxin detection. It was demonstrated that, in addition to feed, water also acts as a potential threat for aflatoxigenic A. flavus entry into the food chain of the studied region. Moreover, the combined use of cultural and molecular methods, used in this study, can provide a cheaper and faster way to detect aflatoxigenic A. flavus in food and feed samples in developing countries. Fungal secondary metabolites have long been investigated for their pathogenic and therapeutic roles. Numerous biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) have been studied in order to decipher the roles of these genetic clusters. A previous study found that Ralstonia solanacearum, a soil-borne bacterium produces a lipopeptide, ralsolamycin, that lowers the expression of a BCG, named as imq, in A. flavus. The transcription factor of this gene cluster, imqK, regulates the synthesis of tripeptide-derived alkaloids, imizoquins. In second phase of this study, imizoquins were found to promote spore germination in A. flavus and few related fungi by acting as endogenous antioxidants to provide protection against germination inhibitory effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition to their role in fungal development, imizoquins also counteract the delaying effects of ralsolamycin extracts on germination and inhibit the growth of R. solanacearum in a bacteriostatic manner. Thus, this study highlighted the role of secondary metabolites in bacterial-fungal interactions. In third phase of the study, the use of generally regarded as safe (GRAS) microorganisms for the biocontrol strategy against aflatoxigenic A. flavus was investigated. Thirteen Geotrichum candidum strains were used in the study, of which ten strains were locally isolated from dairy products and three strains were procured from University of the Caen, France. These strains were individually assessed for anti-A. flavus activity as well as in combination with four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains which included three Lactococcus garvieae strains QAULG01, QAULG02, QAULG03 and a Lactococcus lactis strain QAULG04. The antagonistic potential of G. candidum strains and their combinations with the lactic acid bacteria were assessed by well diffusion assays. G. candidum strain (QAUGC01) and the combination of QAUGC01+QAULG01 gave the best antagonism and yielded the inhibition zones of 19 mm and 30 mm, respectively. The organic extracts obtained from the cell free supernatants of the two samples i.e. QAUGC01 and QAUGC01+QAULG01 yielded the most promising results, and the organic extract from QAUGC01 provided 20 mm inhibitory zone against A. flavus mycelial growth. One of the active metabolites of the cell free supernatants of the two samples was identified to be a derivative of butanoic acid. In conclusion, it is demonstrated through these studies that microbial interaction studies provided useful information regarding the small biomolecules that microorganisms (e.g. LAB from cattle gut, G. candidum from dairy products and R. solanacearum from rhizosphere) use to antagonize and halt the proliferation of nearby residing microbial competitor (e.g. A. flavus in this study).
بیگم قدسیہ اعزاز رسول کی وفات یہ خبر رنج وغم کے ساتھ سنی جائے گی کہ یکم اگست کو بیگم قدسیہ اعزاز رسول کا طویل علالت کے بعد انتقال ہو گیا، ان کا آبائی وطن مالیر کوٹلہ تھا، ان کے والد یہاں کے معزز اور بڑے بااثر شخص تھے، ان کی شادی نواب اعزاز رسول سے ہوئی جو سندیلہ کے بڑے تعلقہ دار تھے۔ بیگم صاحبہ کی زندگی قومی، سیاسی، سماجی اور تعلیمی سرگرمیوں کے لئے وقف رہی۔ آزادی سے پہلے وہ اور ان کے شوہر مسلم لیگ سے وابستہ رہے، نواب صاحب یو۔پی مسلم لیگ کے جنرل سکریٹری تھے جن کا کئی برس پہلے ہی انتقال ہو چکا ہے۔ بیگم قدسیہ کا شمار کانگریس کے سرکردہ لوگوں میں ہوتا ہے، وہ ہندوستان کی دستور ساز اسمبلی کی رکن تھیں اور اب اس کی یہی ایک ممبر رہ گئی تھیں، ان کی وفات سے یہ یادگار بھی ختم ہوگئی۔ وہ عبوری پارلیمنٹ اور راجیہ سبھا کی رکن رہیں اور کئی بار سندیلہ اسمبلی حلقے سے کانگریس کے ٹکٹ پر یو۔پی اسمبلی کی ممبر منتخب ہوئیں اور وزیر بھی مقرر کی گئیں۔ بیگم صاحبہ اتر پردیش اقلیتی کمیشن کی چیر مین اور بر سوں آل انڈیا ویمنس ہائی ایسوسی ایشن کی صدر رہیں، انہوں نے سندیلہ اور لکھنؤ کے کئی علمی و تعلیمی اداروں کی سر پرستی اور نگرانی بھی کی۔ وہ قدیم تہذیب وشرافت کانمونہ اور قوم و ملت کی پرانی روایات واقدار کی حامل تھیں، اب قومی رہنماؤں میں بہت کم لوگ ہی ایسے رہ گئے ہیں۔ دارالمصنفین سے بھی لگاؤ تھا، اقلیتی کمیشن کے سر براہ کی حیثیت سے اعظم گڑھ تشریف لائیں تو یہیں اس کی میٹنگ رکھی اور اقلیتی نمائندوں سے تبادلۂ خیال کیا، اﷲتعالیٰ عالم آخرت میں قوم و ملک کی اس خدمت گزار کے درجات بلند کرے، آمین!! (ضیاء الدین اصلاحی،...
Today in the world, the human beings are crunch in crimes in developed society or in undeveloped society. As a result the whole world has become insecure and unsafe. A society and nation can perish and drowned due to its cruelty and crimes. The Muslim society is also being victims of such crimes. According to the scholars the basic reason of this issue is illiteracy and get for away from Islamic teachings while fearless from God and from the Day of Judgment, social injustice, instability, destabilization, disunity and dis-integrity, away from knowledge, negative role of media and impatience tolerance are also considered as major factors. The scholars and reformers are suggested to control the crimes through laydown of justice or establishment of Courts and spread of knowledge, bring awareness among the peoples, establishment of educational institutes in a society. In this article it has been point out the major causes of social crimes and their potential remedy in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah.
From Northern Arabian Sea bordering Pakistan this is the pioneer study on the diversity, density and effects of mangrove energy flux on zooplankton community structure. The study focusses on three aspects; Mesozooplankton (MZ) abundance, Copepod diversity and effect of mangrove energy flux on MZ. The study was conducted at four stations (OC, HS, SBM and HBM) covering the inshore waters of Manora channel. Annual and seasonal variations in density of 21 zooplankton group was estimated with respect to change in habitat with different environmental influences. Density of these groups were high at 5m depth. The Copepods were the most abundant meso-zooplankton group at all stations except at OC followed by cladoceran, gelatinous zooplankton, nematodes and polychaete larvae respectively. Cladoceran was high in density (127700 Ind-m-3) at OC. Salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and Chl a concentration was found to effect the distribution of MZ. Cladoceran showed strong relation with salinity and Chl a at OC and HBM. Temperature variation effect the distribution of gelatinous zooplankton strong (F=10.22; P=0.008). Highest density of nematode (12133 Ind-m-3) and polychaete larvae (35600 Ind-m-3) were recorded at HBM and HS respectively. Mangrove stations were highly diversified as compare to other two stations. Even though the high abundance was recorded from OC but highest diversity was attributed to the mangrove stations. High abundance and diversity of zooplankton was found during SWM monsoon season. MDS ordination reveals the 80% similarity between SWM and NEM seasons. Highest values of Chl a were obtained in December at mangrove stations HBM and SBM (59μg-L-1 and 72 μg-L-1 respectively). Classical relation of primary producers and zooplankton was recorded at all stations. From September to November the low concentration of phytoplankton biomass was recorded and at the same time the high zooplankton density was noted. Similarity was noted between SBM and HS as SBM receives hydrological influence from HS whereas, OC receives influence from HBM. A total of 69 species of copepods was recorded during this study. 47 species were identified under the order Calanoida, 17 species in order Cyclopoida and 3 species of harpacticoid copepods were identified. Out of 69 species, 23 species has been observed for the first time from Pakistani waters. The family Temoridae, Paracalanidae and Pseudodiaptomidae were the dominant among Calanoid. Within the cyclopoid copepods Corycaeidae, Oithonidae families were dominant throughout this study and 6 species of genus Oithona were recorded xii first time from Pakistan during this study. Euterpinidae family was the most dominant harpacticoid family with the single genus Euterpina acutifrons. Variations in diversity and density was noted between stations. Eucalanus bungii, Eucheata marina and Pontella securifer was totally absent from station HS. Candacia discaudata, Acartia ohatsukai and Copilia vitrea was totally absent at OC. Rhincalanus Sp., Clausocalanus minor, C. karachiensis, C. chierchiae, C. alocki, Candacia sp., Pontella securifer and Calanopia sp. were not recorded at HBM. Effects of mangrove energy flux on zooplankton community was accessed by the phytoplankton production and its trophic partaking to primary consumers which are zooplanktons. Major nutrients concentrations were determined to study the effects of nutrients on primary production. HS, a polluted station, was rich in NH4 and NO3 concentrations as compared to OC. At HBM substantial relation of NH4 was recorded with the phytoplankton biomass. Although nutrients provide energy for the growth of phytoplankton, other physical variables are also responsible for their growth such as temperature, DO and turbidity. Annual findings illustrate that the omnivore zooplankton were the major consumers in mangrove forest among the functional feeding groups of zooplankton. 56% and 59 % space was occupied by the Omnivore group at HBM and SBM respectively. Only 2-4% of the total zooplankton were detritivores. The tidal cycle was covered at HBM to study the mangrove influence. Overall nutrient concentration was high at MT and low at HT indicating outward flux of nutrients from mangroves. The same pattern was noted for phytoplankton biomass. Zooplankton density was high at HT and LTn as during night the zooplankton moves towards the surface. The phenomena of Dial-Vertical Migration was noted during tidal cycle as indicated through the high density of zooplankton during night sampling. The omnivore zooplankton were high during HT and MT. Inverted energy pyramids was formed at LTs where the detritivore zooplankton dominated the other groups. The out-welling of detritus from mangroves might be the possible cause of high abundance of detritivores at LTs. The results reveals that the study area supports high diversity and density of zooplankton. The variations in species composition between stations indicates the effect of environmental influences. The energy flux from mangroves appears to support the high diversity of zooplanktons not only within mangroves but to the surrounding waters outside the Manora Channel.