Abstract Background: Protective role of salicylic acid against drought has been widely reported, but its effects on Zinnia elegans remain unknown. Hypotheses: Foliar salicylic acid (SA) improves water status, pigments, and antioxidant systems of Zinnia plants under drought stress. Studied species: Z. elegans (cv. Dreamland) were purchased from Chanan Seeds Store Lahore, Pakistan. Study site and dates: MNS University of Agriculture, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan; March-May, 2018. Methods: After two weeks of transplanting, one set of seedlings was exposed to drought stress (60 % field capacity, FC) while other control set was maintained at 100 % FC. Foliar SA (100 mg L-1) was applied to plants at drought initiation. Results: Foliar SA treatment to water stressed plants (60 % FC) increased the leaf area (46.89 cm2), shoot and root lengths (25 cm and 26.67 cm, respectively), leaf relative water content (75.98 %); chlorophyll a (0.68 mg g-1), chlorophyll b (0.38 mg g-1) and carotenoid concentrations (1.10 mg g-1); and catalase (116.67 U min-1 mg-1 protein), guaiacol peroxide (72 U min-1 mg-1 protein) and superoxide dismutase (93 U min-1 mg-1 protein) activities. Conclusions: Foliar SA could be used to minimize impacts of water stress in Zinnia plants.

Resumen Antecedentes: Se ha informado ampliamente sobre el papel protector del ácido salicílico (AS) contra la sequía, pero aún se desconocen sus efectos sobre Zinnia elegans. Hipótesis: El AS foliar mejora el estado del agua, los pigmentos y los sistemas antioxidantes de las plantas de Zinnia bajo estrés por sequía. Especies estudiadas: Z. elegans (cv. Dreamland) se adquirió en Chanan Seeds Store Lahore, Pakistán. Lugar de estudio y fechas: Universidad de Agricultura MNS, Multan, Punjab, Pakistán; marzo-mayo, 2018. Métodos: Después de dos semanas del trasplante, un grupo de plántulas se expuso a estrés por sequía (60 % de la capacidad de campo, CC) mientras que el otro grupo de control se mantuvo al 100 % de CC. Se aplicó AS Foliar (100 mg L-1) a las plantas al inicio de la sequía. Resultados: El tratamiento foliar con AS a plantas con estrés hídrico (60 % CC) incrementó el área foliar (46.89 cm2), la longitud de tallo y de raíz (25 cm y 26.67 cm, respectivamente), contenido relativo de agua de la hoja (75.98 %); concentraciones de clorofila a (0,68 mg g-1), clorofila b (0,38 mg g-1) y carotenoides (1,10 mg g-1) y la actividad de la catalasa (116,67 U min-1 mg-1 de proteína), el peróxido de guayacol (72 U min-1 mg-1 de proteína) y el superóxido dismutasa (93 U min-1 mg-1 de proteína). Conclusiones: AS foliar podría usarse para minimizar los impactos del estrés hídrico en las plantas de Zinnia.

This study is carried out to find novel active drug candidates which can effectively bind to key residues of main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. We performed molecular docking of fifty-seven (57) ligands from two classes: vanillylacetone and its derivatives and beta-hydroxy ketone derivatives against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2. We also docked three antiviral drugs as reference/benchmark drugs including remdesivir (RDV), chloroquine (CQ), and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against Mpro for comparison of inhibition tendencies of selected ligands. Binding energies of our reference drugs are as: CQ = -5.1 kcal mol-1 (with predicted inhibition constant (Ki pred) = 177 μmol), HCQ = -5.7 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred = 64.07 μmol) and RDV -6.3 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred = 13.95 μmol). We got remarkable results for our docked ligands as 79% of total ligands indicated binding energies better than CQ, 39 % better than both HCQ and CQ, and 19 % better than all reference drugs. More interestingly interaction analysis of eight best-docked ligands showed that they interacted with desired key residues of Mpro. We further selected the four best-docked ligands L1 = -6.6 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred =13.95 μmol), L6 = -7.0 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred = 7.08 μmol), L34 = -6.0 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred = 38.54 μmol), and L50 = -6.6 kcal mol-1 (Ki pred =13.95 umol) for further analysis by quantum chemical study, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations and ADMET analysis. We have also carried out MD-simulations of six more docked ligand L2, L14, L20, L36, L46 and L48 some of which were showing weak binding affinities and some average binding affinities to check their simulation behavior. Their RMSD, RMSF and binding free energy results were also quite satisfying. We believe the current investigation will evoke the scientific community and highlights the potential of selected compounds for potential use as antiviral compounds against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2.

Antipsychotic Drugs (APDs) are being widely prescribed to treat various disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; however, abnormal glucose metabolism and weight gain have been reported with Atypical Anti-Psychotic drugs (AAPDs) that can lead to insulin-resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study was designed to assess various biochemical parameters including insulin and blood sugar before and after exposure to APDs in order to exclude the involvement of psychiatric disorders and certain other factors in metabolic dysregulations. Fifty seven APDs-naïve patients with first episode psychosis were divided into six groups who received olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, aripiprazole, haloperidol or combination of olanzapine with escitalopram and haloperidol. The serum samples were taken before the intake of the first dose and then on follow-up. Decrease in the level of elevated insulin and glucose was observed post-treatment in some patients, while others were observed whose insulin and glucose levels increased post-treatment, yet some patients did not show any disturbance in the insulin and glucose levels. It is concluded that psychiatric disorders by itself, narcotics, cigarette smoking and use of oral snuff may be also be implicated in metabolic dysregulations. The effects of APDs on insulin and glucose in healthy volunteers might be different than in patients with psychiatric disorders.

Olanzapine and risperidone are widely prescribed atypical antipsychotics used in the treatment of schizophrenia and various other psychiatric disorders. Both of these drugs have been extensively reported to cause Type 2 diabetes mellitus and pancreatitis, however, the mechanism of olanzapine and risperidone-induced toxicity has not been so far unveiled. We, therefore, compared the streptozocin-induced pancreatic damage with that of pancreas isolated from olanzapine and risperidone treated rats. It was noticed that fibrotic growth, necrosis and derangement of the pancreatic islet cells caused by streptozocin were more pronounced than olanzapine and risperidone.

Organic and inorganic nutrients are important for crop productivity and soil health. Present study investigated the effects of organic and inorganic manures on maize and their residual impacts on soil physico-chemical characteristics. Sheep manure (SM), poultry manure (PM) and farmyard manure (FYM) were applied as organic nutrient source while urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP) and sulphate of potash (SOP) were used at different concentrations as inorganic nutrients source viz., T1: Unfertilized control; T2: NPK at 250-150-125 kg ha-1; T3: SM at 15 t ha-1; T4: FYM at 16 t ha-1; T5: PM at 13 t ha-1; T6: NPK at 150-85-50 + 8 t ha-1 SM; T7: NPK at 150-85-50 + 8.5 t ha-1 FYM and T8: NPK at 150-85-50 + 7 t ha-1 PM. Results showed that growth and yield of maize were substantially improved by fertilizer application alongside organic manures whereas soil total organic C and total N, P, K contents increased when inorganic fertilizers were applied alone or in combined with organic manures. However, soil pH and soil bulk density decreased due to application of organic fertilizer and showed a negative correlation with grain yield. Further, a significant and positive correlation (R²= 0.52, 0.91 and 0.55) was observed among maize grain yield and available N, P and K contents, respectively in the soil. Conclusively, integration of inorganic fertilizers with organic manures can be used with optimum rates to improve crop productivity on sustainable basis. This study will be helpful in crafting sustainable nutrient management programs in future to enhance crop productivity with high efficiency and minimum nutrient loss.

Grazing management of rangeland systems has not been well researched in Pakistan; grazing system the most sustainable is not known. In order to evaluate various grazing systems, a study was performed at Pabbi Hills Reserve Forest, Kharian, Punjab. Four simulated grazing treatments, viz. ungrazed control, continuous grazing, seasonal deferred grazing, and rotational deferred grazing, were tested in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Response variables included species composition, fresh herbage yield, dry herbage yield of grasses and forbs, basal cover, and ground cover. Of the three grazing systems, the six-month seasonal deferred grazing system resulted in a marked increase in basal cover, but had no changes in relative species composition. A significant increase in grass cover and herbage production were also observed in this grazing system, suggesting that the 6-mo seasonal deferred grazing system is the most sustainable rangeland system.

El manejo del pastoreo de sistemas de praderas no ha sido bien estudiado en Pakistán y no se sabe cuál sistema de pastoreo es más sustentable. Con el fin de evaluar los diferentes sistemas de pastoreo se realizó un estudio en la Reserva Forestal Pabbi Hills, Kharian, Punjab. Se probaron cuatro tratamientos de pastoreo simulado: control sin pastoreo, pastoreo continuo, pastoreo estacional diferido, y rotación de pastoreo diferido, en un diseño en bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. Las variables de respuesta fueron: la composición de especies vegetales, rendimiento de forraje fresco y de forraje seco de gramíneas y herbáceas, rendimiento de forraje basal y la cobertura del suelo. De los tres sistemas de pastoreo, el sistema de pastoreo estacional diferido 6 meses resultó en un marcado aumento en la cobertura basal, pero no cambios en la composición relativa de las especies. Un aumento significativo en la cobertura de pastos y la producción de forraje se observaron también en este sistema de pastoreo, lo que sugirió que el sistema de pastoreo diferido por 6 meses en la temporada fue el sistema más sustentable de los pastizales.