This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in ... more This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in sediments, shells, tissues of three gastropod Viz Rapanarapiformis, Chicoreus virgineus and Hemifusus pugilinus, using AAS. We ensure that the heavy metals found in sediment are high concentration in this study area followed by tissue and shell of gastropod. The homogeneity, samples Cr not present. But tissue samples having the diverge the concentration as well as order. The high concentration of heavy metals found in the sediment is due to the anthropogenic inputs and fishing activity. This study conclude that even though the accumulation of heavy metals found in the samples are in low concentration, we should take some measurements to save our marine system in the form of reducing the pollution loads into the marine environments.
The toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) at increasing concentrations was studied with special attention ... more The toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) at increasing concentrations was studied with special attention being given to the root morphological and ultrastructural changes in two transgenic cotton cultivars viz. BR001 and GK30 and their wild relative viz. Coker 312. In comparison to their respective controls, low concentration (10 and 100microM) of Cd greatly stimulated seed germination, while it was inhibited by highest concentration of Cd (1000microM) in case of two transgenic cultivars. However, in Coker 312 the seed germination percentage progressively decreased over the control at all Cd levels. Various physiological and morphological parameters of the root and whole plant in both transgenic cotton cultivars and their relative wild cotton genotype respond differently towards the Cd toxicity. Bioavailability of Cd was concentration-dependent where seedling root captured more Cd as compared to shoot. BR001 accumulated more Cd followed by GK30, while Coker 312 was less Cd accumulator. The ultrastructural modifications in the root tip cells of both the transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative were also dose-dependent. With the increase in Cd levels, the fine structures of their root cells also invariably changed. Increase in plasmolysis of the plasma membrane, greater number of nucleoli and vacuoles and enlarged vacuoles could be observed in both transgenic cotton cultivars. In comparison to them, Coker 312 showed relatively well developed ultrastructures of the root tips except enlarged vacuoles and greater number of mitochondria. Moreover, the accumulation of Cd in the form of electron dense granules and crystals both in vacuoles and attached to cell walls were visible in both transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative. These results suggest that both transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative cotton genotype responded positively towards Cd stress at seedling stage, the internal Cd-detoxification might be through apoplastic and symplastic binding. Moreover, as a whole BR001 proved to be sensitive whereas; GK30 and Coker 312 were found as tolerant.
The concept of localized surface plasmon resonance has been applied to increase the absorption ef... more The concept of localized surface plasmon resonance has been applied to increase the absorption efficiency of dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSCs) by using various photoanode structures. A three-dimensional model for a photoanode of the DSSC based on composite materials was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Spherical-, rod- and triangular-shaped aluminum nanoparticles were employed in the core of SiO2 to examine the influence of morphology on the performance of DSSCs in the 350–750 nm wavelength range. The UV-Vis absorption results indicated that aluminum nanoparticles with spherical, rod and triangle morphologies had 39.5%, 36.1% and 34.6% greater absorption capability than aluminum-free nanoparticles. In addition, we investigated the effect of plasmonic absorption in DSSCs for photoanodes made of TiO2, SiO2 and bilayer TiO2/SiO2 with and without covering aluminum nanoparticles. The TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles had fixed diameters of 90 nm each. The UV-Vis absorption and Tauc curves ...
International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2015
Background: Herbal medicines have been practiced for thousands of centuries by tribes all over th... more Background: Herbal medicines have been practiced for thousands of centuries by tribes all over the world. We aim to study extraction, fractionation, antibacterial and antifungal activity of micromeriabiflora. Methodology: Sample was washed properly with de-ionized water, solvents used (i.e. chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-hexane and methanol) were filtered and added. Some amounts of dehydrated reagents to purify the solvents before using. Shad dried plant powder was chopped and soaked in methanol for 10 days Dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) was used as solvent because it did not show any activity against bacteria and also it possess polar and non-polar groups therefore, in dimethyl sulfoxide most of the polar and non-polar compounds are soluble. The antibacterial bioassay was done by Agar Well Diffusion method, by measuring the zone of inhibition against the test microorganisms. Two fungal strains i.e. Alternaria, Fusariumoxysporium were used for antifungal activities. Results: At 5mg/mm the ...
Study of heavy metals including Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb in Albizia lebbeck collected from d... more Study of heavy metals including Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb in Albizia lebbeck collected from different environmental sites i.e. industrial site, heavy traffic site, residential site and non residential site of karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan was performed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Dry digestion method was applied for the digestion of plant samples. Highest level of Fe (45.10 ppm), Zn (31.25 ppm) and Mn (23.89 ppm) were recorded in plant samples collected from non residential area while high concentration of Ni (5.08 ppm), Cr(1.10 ppm), and Cd (0.41 ppm) were found in plant samples collected from industrial area and lead content was high (12.19 ppm) in sample of heavy traffic site. The results showed that the accumulation of heavy metals in medicinal plants depends upon the climate of locality, air pollution, soil contamination and other environmental factors where the plants grow. The implication of the investigation was to make attentiveness among the community abou...
The aim of this research work was to find out the biodiversity of fish fauna of Sarki Lawaghar da... more The aim of this research work was to find out the biodiversity of fish fauna of Sarki Lawaghar dam, Takhte-Nasrati district, karak kpk, Pakistan. During the study about four species Labeo rohita, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Cirrhinus mrigala, Tor khudree class Actinopterygii, order Cypriniformes and Cyprinidae species were identified. From the obtained results it may be concluded that Sarki Lawaghar dam have rich fauna of cyprindae species.
This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in ... more This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in sediments, shells, tissues of three gastropod Viz Rapanarapiformis, Chicoreus virgineus and Hemifusus pugilinus, using AAS. We ensure that the heavy metals found in sediment are high concentration in this study area followed by tissue and shell of gastropod. The homogeneity, samples Cr not present. But tissue samples having the diverge the concentration as well as order. The high concentration of heavy metals found in the sediment is due to the anthropogenic inputs and fishing activity. This study conclude that even though the accumulation of heavy metals found in the samples are in low concentration, we should take some measurements to save our marine system in the form of reducing the pollution loads into the marine environments.
Plasmodium species are protozoan parasites causing the deadly malaria disease. They have develope... more Plasmodium species are protozoan parasites causing the deadly malaria disease. They have developed effective resistance mechanisms against most antimalarial medication, causing an urgent need to identify new antimalarial drug targets. Ideally, new drugs would be generated to specifically target the parasite with minimal or no toxicity to humans, requiring these drug targets to be distinctly different from the host’s metabolic processes or even absent in the host. In this context, the essential presence of vitamin B6 biosynthesis enzymes in Plasmodium, the pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis enzyme complex, and its absence in humans is recognized as a potential drug target. To characterize the PLP enzyme complex in terms of initial drug discovery investigations, we performed structural analysis of the Plasmodium vivax PLP synthase domain (Pdx1), glutaminase domain (Pdx2), and Pdx1–Pdx2 (Pdx) complex (PLP synthase complex) by utilizing complementary bioanalytical techniques, such a...
Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is seriously affected by mungbean yellow mosaic disease (MYMD) caused by... more Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is seriously affected by mungbean yellow mosaic disease (MYMD) caused by Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) in the Indian subcontinent. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) for the management of MYMD and to find their role in inducing alteration in different biochemical parameters in susceptible mungbean genotype VC3061A. Exogenous application of the elicitors resulted in delayed symptom development and reduced disease severity (DS). The severity index (SI) was higher on positive control plants while the minimum was observed in post combined application of BTH+SA, followed by BTH and SA application. Total phenolic contents (TPC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly in virus inoculated plants of all treatments as compared to their healthy controls. SOD activity was increased significantly in BTH+SA treated plants but decreased in disease control and BTH treated vir...
The study was done to check the antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activity of different parts of Ba... more The study was done to check the antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activity of different parts of Ballota pseudodictamnus (L.) Benth. These activities were then compared with the heavy metals toxicity of different parts, which plants accumulate in different concentrations in different parts. In in-vitro antileishmanial results ethanolic extract, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions in roots of Ballota pseudodictamnus (L.) Benth showed antileishmanial activity. The ethanol, n-butanol and ethyl acetate fraction in stem revealed inhibition of amastigote form of leishmania. The ethanolic extract, chloroform, and n-butanol fraction in leaves showed inhibition of leishmanial parasite. In heavy metals study, Chromium was above permissible value in all parts except in leaves. Nickel was above WHO limit in roots. Cadmium and lead were beyond permissible limits in entire plant parts. Results revealed that different parts of the plant have different inhibition properties. So each part of plant ...
Obesity is an important risk factor for sleep disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the associa... more Obesity is an important risk factor for sleep disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association of leptin, zinc and tryptophan (TRP) in obese subjects with sleep deficits [sleep apnea (SA), insomnia (IN)]. In this cross sectional case control, with the verbal and written consent 206, obese with sleep deficits and 30, non-obese/normal identified from various areas of Karachi, Pakistan. The socio-demographic data including; age, body mass index (BMI), education and residence, of participants was collected. After providing informed consent, fasting blood samples were taken and serum was collected. The serum concentration of leptin, zinc and TRP were analyzed by ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), FAAS (Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer) and HPLC (High performance liquid chromatography) respectively. A significant correlation was found between BMI (body mass index) and leptin, BMI and zinc, BMI and TRP. The correlation between leptin consecutively was significantly ...
Climate change threatens to impact wheat productivity, quality and global food security. Maintain... more Climate change threatens to impact wheat productivity, quality and global food security. Maintaining crop productivity under abiotic stresses such as high temperature is therefore imperative to managing the nutritional needs of a growing global population. The article covers the current knowledge on the impact of post-anthesis heat on grain yield and quality of wheat crops. The objectives of the current article were to review (1) the effect of post-anthesis heat stress events (above 30.0 °C) on wheat grain yield, (2) the effect of heat stress on both the physical and chemical quality of wheat grain during grain development, (3) identify wheat cultivars that display resilience to heat stress and (4) address gaps within the literature and provide a direction for future research. Heat stress events at the post-anthesis stage impacted wheat grain yield mostly at the grain filling stage, whilst the effect on physical and chemical quality was varied. The overall effect of post-anthesis he...
The present study describes cadmium-induced alterations in the leaves as well as at the whole pla... more The present study describes cadmium-induced alterations in the leaves as well as at the whole plant level in two transgenic cotton cultivars (BR001 and GK30) and their wild relative (Coker 312) using both ultramorphological and physiological indices. With elevated levels of Cd (i.e. 10, 100, 1000 microM), the mean lengths of root, stem and leaf and leaf width as well as their fresh and dry biomasses linearly decreased over their respective controls. Moreover, root, stem and leaf water absorption capacities progressively stimulated, which were high in leaves followed by roots and stems. BR001 accumulated more cadmium followed by GK30 and Coker 312. Root and shoot cadmium uptakes were significantly and directly correlated with each other as well as with leaf, stem and root water absorption capacities. The ultrastructural modifications in leaf mesophyll cells were triggered with increase in Cd stress regime. They were more obvious in BR001 followed by GK30 and Coker 312. Changes in morphology of chloroplast, increase in number and size of starch grains as well as increase in number of plastoglobuli were the noticed qualitative effects of Cd on photosynthetic organ. Cd in the form of electron dense granules could be seen inside the vacuoles and attached to the cell walls in all these cultivars. From the present experiment, it can be well established that both apoplastic and symplastic bindings are involved in Cd detoxification in these cultivars. Absence of tonoplast invagination reveals that Cd toxic levels did not cause water stress in any cultivars. Additionally, these cultivars possess differential capabilities towards Cd accumulation and its sequestration.
Proteome analysis of grafted cotton exposed to low-temperature stress can provide insights into t... more Proteome analysis of grafted cotton exposed to low-temperature stress can provide insights into the molecular mechanistic of chilling tolerance in plants. In this study, grafted and non-grafted cotton plants were exposed to chilling stress (10 °C/5 °C) for 7 d. After the stress, rootstock and scion samples were labeled by 8-plex iTRAQ (isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification), followed by two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation and tandem mass spectrometry identification. In total, 68 differential proteins were identified that were induced by low-temperature stress and grafting, and these proteins regulate physiological functioning. Under low-temperature stress, in the cotton seedlings, the proteins responded to the MAPK signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway enhanced, the metabolisms of carbohydrate, lipid, nucleotide, and amino acid had a tendency to intensify, the proteins related to protein folding and degradation were activated, along with the s...
Wheat is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, particularly during pollen meiosis and early-... more Wheat is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, particularly during pollen meiosis and early-to-mid grain filling. The impact of heat stress greatly depends on the plant developmental stage. Thus, germplasm ranking for heat tolerance in field trials may be confounded by variations in developmental phase between genotypes at the time of heat events. A photoperiod-extension method (PEM) was developed allowing screening of 35 diverse genotypes at matched developmental phase despite phenological variations. Paired trials were conducted to compare the new PEM against conventional field screening in plots. In the PEM, plants were sown in single rows or small plots. Artificial lighting was installed at one end of each row or plot to extend day length, inducing a gradient of flowering times with distance from the lights. Individual stems or plot quadrats of each genotype were tagged at flowering. Late-sown plants received more heat shocks during early to mid grain filling than earlier s...
This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in ... more This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in sediments, shells, tissues of three gastropod Viz Rapanarapiformis, Chicoreus virgineus and Hemifusus pugilinus, using AAS. We ensure that the heavy metals found in sediment are high concentration in this study area followed by tissue and shell of gastropod. The homogeneity, samples Cr not present. But tissue samples having the diverge the concentration as well as order. The high concentration of heavy metals found in the sediment is due to the anthropogenic inputs and fishing activity. This study conclude that even though the accumulation of heavy metals found in the samples are in low concentration, we should take some measurements to save our marine system in the form of reducing the pollution loads into the marine environments.
The toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) at increasing concentrations was studied with special attention ... more The toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) at increasing concentrations was studied with special attention being given to the root morphological and ultrastructural changes in two transgenic cotton cultivars viz. BR001 and GK30 and their wild relative viz. Coker 312. In comparison to their respective controls, low concentration (10 and 100microM) of Cd greatly stimulated seed germination, while it was inhibited by highest concentration of Cd (1000microM) in case of two transgenic cultivars. However, in Coker 312 the seed germination percentage progressively decreased over the control at all Cd levels. Various physiological and morphological parameters of the root and whole plant in both transgenic cotton cultivars and their relative wild cotton genotype respond differently towards the Cd toxicity. Bioavailability of Cd was concentration-dependent where seedling root captured more Cd as compared to shoot. BR001 accumulated more Cd followed by GK30, while Coker 312 was less Cd accumulator. The ultrastructural modifications in the root tip cells of both the transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative were also dose-dependent. With the increase in Cd levels, the fine structures of their root cells also invariably changed. Increase in plasmolysis of the plasma membrane, greater number of nucleoli and vacuoles and enlarged vacuoles could be observed in both transgenic cotton cultivars. In comparison to them, Coker 312 showed relatively well developed ultrastructures of the root tips except enlarged vacuoles and greater number of mitochondria. Moreover, the accumulation of Cd in the form of electron dense granules and crystals both in vacuoles and attached to cell walls were visible in both transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative. These results suggest that both transgenic cotton cultivars and their wild relative cotton genotype responded positively towards Cd stress at seedling stage, the internal Cd-detoxification might be through apoplastic and symplastic binding. Moreover, as a whole BR001 proved to be sensitive whereas; GK30 and Coker 312 were found as tolerant.
The concept of localized surface plasmon resonance has been applied to increase the absorption ef... more The concept of localized surface plasmon resonance has been applied to increase the absorption efficiency of dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSCs) by using various photoanode structures. A three-dimensional model for a photoanode of the DSSC based on composite materials was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Spherical-, rod- and triangular-shaped aluminum nanoparticles were employed in the core of SiO2 to examine the influence of morphology on the performance of DSSCs in the 350–750 nm wavelength range. The UV-Vis absorption results indicated that aluminum nanoparticles with spherical, rod and triangle morphologies had 39.5%, 36.1% and 34.6% greater absorption capability than aluminum-free nanoparticles. In addition, we investigated the effect of plasmonic absorption in DSSCs for photoanodes made of TiO2, SiO2 and bilayer TiO2/SiO2 with and without covering aluminum nanoparticles. The TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles had fixed diameters of 90 nm each. The UV-Vis absorption and Tauc curves ...
International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2015
Background: Herbal medicines have been practiced for thousands of centuries by tribes all over th... more Background: Herbal medicines have been practiced for thousands of centuries by tribes all over the world. We aim to study extraction, fractionation, antibacterial and antifungal activity of micromeriabiflora. Methodology: Sample was washed properly with de-ionized water, solvents used (i.e. chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-hexane and methanol) were filtered and added. Some amounts of dehydrated reagents to purify the solvents before using. Shad dried plant powder was chopped and soaked in methanol for 10 days Dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) was used as solvent because it did not show any activity against bacteria and also it possess polar and non-polar groups therefore, in dimethyl sulfoxide most of the polar and non-polar compounds are soluble. The antibacterial bioassay was done by Agar Well Diffusion method, by measuring the zone of inhibition against the test microorganisms. Two fungal strains i.e. Alternaria, Fusariumoxysporium were used for antifungal activities. Results: At 5mg/mm the ...
Study of heavy metals including Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb in Albizia lebbeck collected from d... more Study of heavy metals including Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd and Pb in Albizia lebbeck collected from different environmental sites i.e. industrial site, heavy traffic site, residential site and non residential site of karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan was performed by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Dry digestion method was applied for the digestion of plant samples. Highest level of Fe (45.10 ppm), Zn (31.25 ppm) and Mn (23.89 ppm) were recorded in plant samples collected from non residential area while high concentration of Ni (5.08 ppm), Cr(1.10 ppm), and Cd (0.41 ppm) were found in plant samples collected from industrial area and lead content was high (12.19 ppm) in sample of heavy traffic site. The results showed that the accumulation of heavy metals in medicinal plants depends upon the climate of locality, air pollution, soil contamination and other environmental factors where the plants grow. The implication of the investigation was to make attentiveness among the community abou...
The aim of this research work was to find out the biodiversity of fish fauna of Sarki Lawaghar da... more The aim of this research work was to find out the biodiversity of fish fauna of Sarki Lawaghar dam, Takhte-Nasrati district, karak kpk, Pakistan. During the study about four species Labeo rohita, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Cirrhinus mrigala, Tor khudree class Actinopterygii, order Cypriniformes and Cyprinidae species were identified. From the obtained results it may be concluded that Sarki Lawaghar dam have rich fauna of cyprindae species.
This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in ... more This study was aimed to analyze six heavy metals such as Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr and estimated in sediments, shells, tissues of three gastropod Viz Rapanarapiformis, Chicoreus virgineus and Hemifusus pugilinus, using AAS. We ensure that the heavy metals found in sediment are high concentration in this study area followed by tissue and shell of gastropod. The homogeneity, samples Cr not present. But tissue samples having the diverge the concentration as well as order. The high concentration of heavy metals found in the sediment is due to the anthropogenic inputs and fishing activity. This study conclude that even though the accumulation of heavy metals found in the samples are in low concentration, we should take some measurements to save our marine system in the form of reducing the pollution loads into the marine environments.
Plasmodium species are protozoan parasites causing the deadly malaria disease. They have develope... more Plasmodium species are protozoan parasites causing the deadly malaria disease. They have developed effective resistance mechanisms against most antimalarial medication, causing an urgent need to identify new antimalarial drug targets. Ideally, new drugs would be generated to specifically target the parasite with minimal or no toxicity to humans, requiring these drug targets to be distinctly different from the host’s metabolic processes or even absent in the host. In this context, the essential presence of vitamin B6 biosynthesis enzymes in Plasmodium, the pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis enzyme complex, and its absence in humans is recognized as a potential drug target. To characterize the PLP enzyme complex in terms of initial drug discovery investigations, we performed structural analysis of the Plasmodium vivax PLP synthase domain (Pdx1), glutaminase domain (Pdx2), and Pdx1–Pdx2 (Pdx) complex (PLP synthase complex) by utilizing complementary bioanalytical techniques, such a...
Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is seriously affected by mungbean yellow mosaic disease (MYMD) caused by... more Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is seriously affected by mungbean yellow mosaic disease (MYMD) caused by Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) in the Indian subcontinent. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA) and benzothiadiazole (BTH) for the management of MYMD and to find their role in inducing alteration in different biochemical parameters in susceptible mungbean genotype VC3061A. Exogenous application of the elicitors resulted in delayed symptom development and reduced disease severity (DS). The severity index (SI) was higher on positive control plants while the minimum was observed in post combined application of BTH+SA, followed by BTH and SA application. Total phenolic contents (TPC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly in virus inoculated plants of all treatments as compared to their healthy controls. SOD activity was increased significantly in BTH+SA treated plants but decreased in disease control and BTH treated vir...
The study was done to check the antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activity of different parts of Ba... more The study was done to check the antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activity of different parts of Ballota pseudodictamnus (L.) Benth. These activities were then compared with the heavy metals toxicity of different parts, which plants accumulate in different concentrations in different parts. In in-vitro antileishmanial results ethanolic extract, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions in roots of Ballota pseudodictamnus (L.) Benth showed antileishmanial activity. The ethanol, n-butanol and ethyl acetate fraction in stem revealed inhibition of amastigote form of leishmania. The ethanolic extract, chloroform, and n-butanol fraction in leaves showed inhibition of leishmanial parasite. In heavy metals study, Chromium was above permissible value in all parts except in leaves. Nickel was above WHO limit in roots. Cadmium and lead were beyond permissible limits in entire plant parts. Results revealed that different parts of the plant have different inhibition properties. So each part of plant ...
Obesity is an important risk factor for sleep disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the associa... more Obesity is an important risk factor for sleep disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association of leptin, zinc and tryptophan (TRP) in obese subjects with sleep deficits [sleep apnea (SA), insomnia (IN)]. In this cross sectional case control, with the verbal and written consent 206, obese with sleep deficits and 30, non-obese/normal identified from various areas of Karachi, Pakistan. The socio-demographic data including; age, body mass index (BMI), education and residence, of participants was collected. After providing informed consent, fasting blood samples were taken and serum was collected. The serum concentration of leptin, zinc and TRP were analyzed by ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), FAAS (Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer) and HPLC (High performance liquid chromatography) respectively. A significant correlation was found between BMI (body mass index) and leptin, BMI and zinc, BMI and TRP. The correlation between leptin consecutively was significantly ...
Climate change threatens to impact wheat productivity, quality and global food security. Maintain... more Climate change threatens to impact wheat productivity, quality and global food security. Maintaining crop productivity under abiotic stresses such as high temperature is therefore imperative to managing the nutritional needs of a growing global population. The article covers the current knowledge on the impact of post-anthesis heat on grain yield and quality of wheat crops. The objectives of the current article were to review (1) the effect of post-anthesis heat stress events (above 30.0 °C) on wheat grain yield, (2) the effect of heat stress on both the physical and chemical quality of wheat grain during grain development, (3) identify wheat cultivars that display resilience to heat stress and (4) address gaps within the literature and provide a direction for future research. Heat stress events at the post-anthesis stage impacted wheat grain yield mostly at the grain filling stage, whilst the effect on physical and chemical quality was varied. The overall effect of post-anthesis he...
The present study describes cadmium-induced alterations in the leaves as well as at the whole pla... more The present study describes cadmium-induced alterations in the leaves as well as at the whole plant level in two transgenic cotton cultivars (BR001 and GK30) and their wild relative (Coker 312) using both ultramorphological and physiological indices. With elevated levels of Cd (i.e. 10, 100, 1000 microM), the mean lengths of root, stem and leaf and leaf width as well as their fresh and dry biomasses linearly decreased over their respective controls. Moreover, root, stem and leaf water absorption capacities progressively stimulated, which were high in leaves followed by roots and stems. BR001 accumulated more cadmium followed by GK30 and Coker 312. Root and shoot cadmium uptakes were significantly and directly correlated with each other as well as with leaf, stem and root water absorption capacities. The ultrastructural modifications in leaf mesophyll cells were triggered with increase in Cd stress regime. They were more obvious in BR001 followed by GK30 and Coker 312. Changes in morphology of chloroplast, increase in number and size of starch grains as well as increase in number of plastoglobuli were the noticed qualitative effects of Cd on photosynthetic organ. Cd in the form of electron dense granules could be seen inside the vacuoles and attached to the cell walls in all these cultivars. From the present experiment, it can be well established that both apoplastic and symplastic bindings are involved in Cd detoxification in these cultivars. Absence of tonoplast invagination reveals that Cd toxic levels did not cause water stress in any cultivars. Additionally, these cultivars possess differential capabilities towards Cd accumulation and its sequestration.
Proteome analysis of grafted cotton exposed to low-temperature stress can provide insights into t... more Proteome analysis of grafted cotton exposed to low-temperature stress can provide insights into the molecular mechanistic of chilling tolerance in plants. In this study, grafted and non-grafted cotton plants were exposed to chilling stress (10 °C/5 °C) for 7 d. After the stress, rootstock and scion samples were labeled by 8-plex iTRAQ (isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification), followed by two-dimensional liquid chromatography separation and tandem mass spectrometry identification. In total, 68 differential proteins were identified that were induced by low-temperature stress and grafting, and these proteins regulate physiological functioning. Under low-temperature stress, in the cotton seedlings, the proteins responded to the MAPK signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway enhanced, the metabolisms of carbohydrate, lipid, nucleotide, and amino acid had a tendency to intensify, the proteins related to protein folding and degradation were activated, along with the s...
Wheat is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, particularly during pollen meiosis and early-... more Wheat is highly sensitive to elevated temperatures, particularly during pollen meiosis and early-to-mid grain filling. The impact of heat stress greatly depends on the plant developmental stage. Thus, germplasm ranking for heat tolerance in field trials may be confounded by variations in developmental phase between genotypes at the time of heat events. A photoperiod-extension method (PEM) was developed allowing screening of 35 diverse genotypes at matched developmental phase despite phenological variations. Paired trials were conducted to compare the new PEM against conventional field screening in plots. In the PEM, plants were sown in single rows or small plots. Artificial lighting was installed at one end of each row or plot to extend day length, inducing a gradient of flowering times with distance from the lights. Individual stems or plot quadrats of each genotype were tagged at flowering. Late-sown plants received more heat shocks during early to mid grain filling than earlier s...
Mat rush (Juncus effusus L.) is a cosmopolitan, emergent macrophyte that inhabits fresh to bracki... more Mat rush (Juncus effusus L.) is a cosmopolitan, emergent macrophyte that inhabits fresh to brackish marshes, wetlands and meadows. It is an ecologically and economically important plant grown for reclamations of land, mitigation and constructed wetlands while its stem is used as raw material for the production of various products. Keeping in view the importance of the mat rush plant a series of experiments was conducted to induce genetic variations and to improve the quality of the plant using in vitro mutagenesis techniques. An efficient tissue culture protocol was developed in the first step as a prerequisite of in vitro mutagenesis. Plants were grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium and effects of hormonal combinations and medium innovation on the tissue culture system were investigated. The positive effect of the addition of benzylaminopurine (BA) in the medium was observed on callus proliferation, plant regeneration and its multiplication. 0.5 mg L-1 concentration of BA in the medium resulted in the highest callus induction (90.48). Also, various growth regulators combinations with successive subculturing (medium replacement) were found to be essential to developing embryogenic calli and regenerating shoots. Among different combinations of growth regulators tested in the study, the combination of 0.1 mg L-1 BA and 2 mg L-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in MS medium was determined the best for callus proliferation. Medium innovation was also found necessary for successful plant regeneration. Our results suggested the importance of the ratio of auxin (IAA) to cytokinin (BA and KT) in the manipulation of shoot regeneration in J. effusus L. The maximum plant survival frequency and multiplication rate (90.97 %) were recorded in the presence of 0.5 mg L-1 BA in the 1/2 MS multiplication medium for the variety of Nonglin-1. In vitro mutagenesis study was carried out using the tissue culture protocol developed in the first study to induce genetic variability in mat rush and to unveil the mutagenic effects of ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS at 0.1-1.0 % for 12 and 24 h) and ultraviolet (UV for 15, 30 and 45 min) on physiological characteristics and ultra-structural responses of the plant. The basal culms of plants were treated with EMS and UV radiations and then transferred to 1/2 Murashige and Skoog media to grow and multiply. Physiological and ultrastructural alterations of leaves were observed in the leaves of treated plants. A large number of mutants with changes in leaf colour, length, size and growth rates were found. With the increase in the level of mutagens, the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased invariably, however, at their higher level these activities showed a downward trend. Plant growth and biomass were significantly reduced at the higher doses of both mutagens. Further study of the selected mutants showed a greater reduction in chlorophyll contents as well as noticeable changes at the ultra-cellular levels. Overall reduction in the size of cell and chloroplast, the appearance of a large number of oil bodies in chloroplasts and disruption of the thylakoid integrity were some of the obvious changes in resultant mutants. The present study suggests that both EMS and UV mutagens caused mutation at functional and ultra-structural levels that can be effectively used to create genetic variations in this crop. Some useful mutants with novel morphological and physiological characteristics have been identified and utilized in the breeding programmes as well as for further genetic studies.
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Papers by Najeeb Ullah
In vitro mutagenesis study was carried out using the tissue culture protocol developed in the first study to induce genetic variability in mat rush and to unveil the mutagenic effects of ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS at 0.1-1.0 % for 12 and 24 h) and ultraviolet (UV for 15, 30 and 45 min) on physiological characteristics and ultra-structural responses of the plant. The basal culms of plants were treated with EMS and UV radiations and then transferred to 1/2 Murashige and Skoog media to grow and multiply. Physiological and ultrastructural alterations of leaves were observed in the leaves of treated plants. A large number of mutants with changes in leaf colour, length, size and growth rates were found. With the increase in the level of mutagens, the activities of antioxidant enzymes increased invariably, however, at their higher level these activities showed a downward trend. Plant growth and biomass were significantly reduced at the higher doses of both mutagens. Further study of the selected mutants showed a greater reduction in chlorophyll contents as well as noticeable changes at the ultra-cellular levels. Overall reduction in the size of cell and chloroplast, the appearance of a large number of oil bodies in chloroplasts and disruption of the thylakoid integrity were some of the obvious changes in resultant mutants. The present study suggests that both EMS and UV mutagens caused mutation at functional and ultra-structural levels that can be effectively used to create genetic variations in this crop. Some useful mutants with novel morphological and physiological characteristics have been identified and utilized in the breeding programmes as well as for further genetic studies.