An evaluation of farmers' perception, awareness, and adaptation towards climate change: a study from Punjab province Pakistan / Uma avaliação da percepção, consciência e adaptação dos agricultores em relação às mudanças climáticas: um estudo da província de Punjab, Paquistão

Globally, all environmental sectors are threatened by climate change, most especially to the food and agriculture sectors. Pakistan is a developing country that is most vulnerable to extreme and harsh climatic conditions, especially in Southeast Asia. Climate change has often adverse effects on Pakistan because it is often affected by severe weather conditions. Although, some studies have reported on farmers' perceptiveness regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation, there is still insufficient awareness among Pakistanis' farmers. Key knowledge is very important for farmers to overcome the harsh climatic conditions for harvesting and saving crops. To bridge this gap, this research discovered the awareness level of climate change, weather conditions, and related factors among Pakistani farmers. Through a stratified random sampling technique, 500 structured questionnaires were distributed among the farmers in four districts of Punjab Pakistan for study analysis. The probit model was used to analyze the farmer's perception regarding climate change, socio-demographic and economic variables. The findings of this research showed that 75% of farmers are aware of climate change. Perception of climate change between farmers was directly associated with agriculture experience, farmers' age, land ownership status, level of education, information sources, and access to extension. Also, our research showed that farmers' assessment of adaptive behavior showed that farmers are actively implementing crop diversification, irrigation, and other adaptation strategies. Results of this study will help government agencies and policymakers in Pakistan and other regions to develop sustainable adaptation measures in the framework of climate change.

Globalmente, todos os setores ambientais estão ameaçados pelas mudanças climáticas, principalmente para os setores de alimentos e agricultura. O Paquistão é um país em desenvolvimento mais vulnerável a condições climáticas extremas e adversas, especialmente no sudeste da Ásia. As mudanças climáticas costumam ter efeitos adversos no Paquistão, porque muitas vezes é afetado por condições climáticas severas. Embora alguns estudos relatem a percepção dos agricultores em relação à adaptação e mitigação das mudanças climáticas, ainda há consciência insuficiente entre os agricultores paquistaneses. O conhecimento chave é muito importante para os agricultores superarem as duras condições climáticas para a colheita e economia de safras. Para preencher essa lacuna, esta pesquisa pretende descobrir o nível de consciência das mudanças e condições climáticas e fatores relacionados entre os agricultores paquistaneses. Por meio de uma técnica de amostragem aleatória estratificada, 500 questionários estruturados foram distribuídos entre os agricultores em quatro distritos de Punjab Paquistão para análise do estudo. O modelo probit foi usado para analisar a percepção do agricultor em relação às mudanças climáticas, variáveis sócio-demográficas e econômicas. Os resultados desta pesquisa mostram que 75% dos agricultores estão cientes das mudanças climáticas. A percepção da mudança climática entre os agricultores foi diretamente associada à experiência agrícola, idade dos agricultores, situação de propriedade da terra, nível de educação, fontes de informação e acesso à extensão. Além disso, nossa pesquisa mostrou que a avaliação dos agricultores sobre o comportamento adaptativo mostra que eles estão implementando ativamente a diversificação de culturas, irrigação e outras estratégias de adaptação. Os resultados deste estudo ajudarão agências governamentais e formuladores de políticas no Paquistão e em outras regiões a desenvolver medidas de adaptação sustentáveis no contexto das mudanças climáticas.

Synergy in penicillin, cephalosporin, amphenicols, and aminoglycoside against MDR S. aureus isolated from Camel milk

Abstract This study investigated the synergy testing of penicillin, cephalosporin, amphenicols, and aminoglycoside in the camel milk (n=768 samples), subsequently used for isolation of MDR S. aureus targeting mecA gene. Antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus showed >90% isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim and resistant against oxacillin, ampicillin, and cefoxitin. Further, 50-85% of the S. aureus were sensitive to gentamicin, oxytetracycline, and chloramphenicol and resistant against cefotaxime, vancomycin, and cefixime. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cefotaxime, (C) and ampicillin (A) in combination with gentamicin (G) was reduced by 99.34% and 70.46%, respectively, while with chloramphenicol (Ch), reduction was 57.49% and 60%, respectively. In addition, the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI) of G+A, Ch+C and Ch+G combinations showed synergy against 80%, 60%, and 30% of MDR S. aureus, respectively. Similarly, C+A and Ch+G displayed indifferent interaction against 70 % and 30% of isolates, respectively, while the later showed additive interaction against 10% of MDR S. aureus. Altogether, our results described effective combination of gentamicin and chloramphenicol with ampicillin and cefotaxime to combat MDR S. aureus

Pakistamide C, a new sphingolipid from Abutilon pakistanicum

The Abutilon genus from the Malvaceae family is of medicinal importance, and members of this genus are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and other parts of the world. Abutilon pakistanicum Jafri & Ali is mainly found in Pakistan. It has been used by different systems of traditional medicines to treat different diseases. Pakistamide C, a new sphingolipid, has been isolated from the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the methanolic extract of A. pakistanicum. Different spectroscopic techniques such as NMR (1H, 13C, COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC) and Mass spectrometry (EI-MS, and FAB-MS experiments) were used to elucidate the structure of pakistamide C.