Application of modified cloud point extraction method for the chromium speciation in artificial saliva extracts of different snuff products

Asma Akhtar,Tasneem Gul Kazi,Hassan Imran Afridi,Mustafa Khan,Muhammad Bilal,Noman Khan 한국공업화학회 2018 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.59 No.-

A modified cloud point extraction method (m-CPE) was developed for the speciation of chromium species (Cr3+ and Cr6+) in artificial saliva extracts (ASE) of snuff products. In this method, Cr3+ was complexed with 8-hydroxyquinoline, which was trapped in nonionic surfactant (Triton X-114), prior to analyzed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer (ETAAS). Whereas, the total extractable Cr was determined by reducing Cr6+ to Cr3+ using Na2SO3 as a reducing reagent. Several parameters were optimized for the developed m-CPE. Under the most favorable conditions, enrichment factor, enhancement factor and limit of detection for the proposed method were 60, 134 and 0.04 μg L−1, respectively having relative standard deviation <5%. Health risks associated with the intake of total Cr in snuff products was also assessed. Estimated daily intake of Cr via sniffing 10 g/day of dry and moist snuff products was found below the maximum tolerable daily intake whereas the calculated risk for cancer due to Cr was observed in the acceptable range of 10 E−6–E−4.

Mushroom varieties found in the Himalayan regions of India: Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities

Asma Ashraf Khan,Adil Gani,Mudasir Ahmad,Farooq Ahmad Masoodi,Furheen Amin,Shaheen Kousar 한국식품과학회 2016 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.25 No.4

This study evaluates the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities ofmushroom varieties (Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Coprinus atramentarius) found in theHimalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir, India. All three mushroom varieties exhibited antioxidantactivity. A. bisporus showed the highest diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl inhibition activity (87.88±5.6%), C. atramentarius showed the highest reducing power (0.49±0.01) and metal chelating ability (48.57±0.38%), and P. ostreatus contained the highest phenolic (5.25±0.14 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram)and flavonoid content (64.39±0.73 μg rutin equivalent per gram). C. atramentarius showed maximumantibacterial activity against all the pathogenic strains and the highest zone of inhibition was against S. typhi (7.45±0.5 mm). P. ostreatus exhibited the highest cell proliferation inhibition against Colo-205and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. The structural analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopyindicated the presence of β-configuration in carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, and protein, whichimpart nutraceutical properties to mushrooms.

Sustaining Low-Carbon Emission Development: An Energy Efficient Transportation Plan for CPEC

( Asma Zubedi ),( Zeng Jianqiu ),( Qasim Ali Arain ),( Imran Memon ),( Sehrish Khan ),( Muhammad Saad Khan ),( Ying Zhang ) 한국정보처리학회 2018 Journal of information processing systems Vol.14 No.2

Climate change has become a major challenge for sustainable development of human society. This study is an attempt to analyze existing literature to identify economic indicators that hamper the process of global warming. This paper includes case studies based on various countries to examine the nexus for environment and its relationship with Foreign Direct Investment, transportation, economic growth and energy consumption. Furthermore, the observations are analyzed from the perspective of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and probable impact on carbon emission of Pakistan. A major portion of CPEC investment is allocated for transportation. However, it is evident that transportation sector is substantial emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Unfortunately, there is no empirical work on the subject of CPEC and carbon emission for vehicular transportation. This paper infers that empirical results from various other countries are ambiguous and inconclusive. Moreover, the evidence for the pollution haven hypothesis and the halo effect hypothesis is limited in general and inapplicable for CPEC in particular. The major contribution of this study is the proposal of an energy efficient transportation model for reducing CO2 emission. In the end, the paper suggests strategies to climate researchers and policymakers for adaptation and mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG).

Photocatalytic degradation of dyes using semiconductor photocatalysts to clean industrial water pollution

Asma Rafiq,Muhammad Ikram,S. Ali,Faiza Niaz,Maaz Khan,Qasim Khan,Muhammad Maqbool 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.97 No.-

Textile industry represents a pollution problem worldwide due to the accidental discharge or dumping ofpolluted wastewater into the waterways, which is having a major influence on the quality of waterresources. Around 17–20% of industrial water pollution arises from textile dyeing and treatmentaccording to the World Bank report. This represents a large environmental challenge for textilemanufacturers. With growing environmental awareness, there is a need for environmentally-friendlytechnology to remove dyes from the industrial and local wastewater. The photo decolorization of dyes isconsidered as a favorable technology for industrial wastewater treatment techniques owing to itsenvironmentally friendly method, low cost, and lack of secondary pollution. The efficiency ofphotocatalysis system depends on the operational parameters that govern the adsorption andphotodegradation of dye molecules. This comprehensive review examines the operational factorsinfluencing the photo decolorization of dye molecules. Our study aims to review and summarize thepreviously published works and R&D progress in thefield of photocatalysis of various water pollutantssuch as the toxic organic compounds (cationic and anionic dyes) using various semiconductornanoparticles under visible, solar and UV irradiation. This paper examines the effects of operatingparameters on the photocatalytic degradation of textile dyes using various photocatalysts. Ourfindingsshowed that various parameters, like initial pH of the solution to be degraded, photocatalystconcentration, reaction temperature, dye concentration and dopants content exert their individualinfluence on the photocatalytic degradation of any dye. By investigating previous research to elucidatethe most significant active species for optimal photo decolorization reactions, this review providesguidelines that can be applied to the development of effective photodegradation systems. The results ofour study will help determine the most effective and economical options for removal of dyes in industrialwastewater.

Poster Session : Effectiveness of somatodendritic and postsynaptic serotonin 1A receptors following Longterm administration of buspirone and diazepam in rats

( Asma Khan ),( Darakhshan Jabeen Haleem ) 생화학분자생물학회 2007 생화학분자생물학회 춘계학술발표논문집 Vol.2007 No.-

Mushroom varieties found in the Himalayan regions of India: Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities

Khan, Asma Ashraf,Gani, Adil,Ahmad, Mudasir,Masoodi, Farooq Ahmad,Amin, Furheen,Kousar, Shaheen 한국식품과학회 2016 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.25 No.4

This study evaluates the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities of mushroom varieties (Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Coprinus atramentarius) found in the Himalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir, India. All three mushroom varieties exhibited antioxidant activity. A. bisporus showed the highest diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl inhibition activity ($87.88{\pm}5.6%$), C. atramentarius showed the highest reducing power ($0.49{\pm}0.01$) and metal chelating ability ($48.57{\pm}0.38%$), and P. ostreatus contained the highest phenolic ($5.25{\pm}0.14mg$ gallic acid equivalent per gram) and flavonoid content ($64.39{\pm}0.73{\mu}g$ rutin equivalent per gram). C. atramentarius showed maximum antibacterial activity against all the pathogenic strains and the highest zone of inhibition was against S. typhi ($7.45{\pm}0.5mm$). P. ostreatus exhibited the highest cell proliferation inhibition against Colo-205 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. The structural analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of ${\beta}-configuration$ in carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, and protein, which impart nutraceutical properties to mushrooms.

Sustaining Low-Carbon Emission Development: An Energy Efficient Transportation Plan for CPEC

Zubedi, Asma,Jianqiu, Zeng,Arain, Qasim Ali,Memon, Imran,Khan, Sehrish,Khan, Muhammad Saad,Zhang, Ying Korea Information Processing Society 2018 Journal of information processing systems Vol.14 No.2

Climate change has become a major challenge for sustainable development of human society. This study is an attempt to analyze existing literature to identify economic indicators that hamper the process of global warming. This paper includes case studies based on various countries to examine the nexus for environment and its relationship with Foreign Direct Investment, transportation, economic growth and energy consumption. Furthermore, the observations are analyzed from the perspective of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and probable impact on carbon emission of Pakistan. A major portion of CPEC investment is allocated for transportation. However, it is evident that transportation sector is substantial emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Unfortunately, there is no empirical work on the subject of CPEC and carbon emission for vehicular transportation. This paper infers that empirical results from various other countries are ambiguous and inconclusive. Moreover, the evidence for the pollution haven hypothesis and the halo effect hypothesis is limited in general and inapplicable for CPEC in particular. The major contribution of this study is the proposal of an energy efficient transportation model for reducing CO2 emission. In the end, the paper suggests strategies to climate researchers and policymakers for adaptation and mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG).

Assessment of microbial quality in household water tanks in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Munawwar Ali Khan,Asma Mohammad Abdulrahman Ahma 대한환경공학회 2017 Environmental Engineering Research Vol.22 No.1

Provision of safe, accessible, and good water quality in the community is an important step towards reducing various waterborne illnesses. However, improving the quality of water should include spreading awareness to the public regarding the importance of cleaning their household water tanks. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial quality of water of household water tanks in Dubai. The water samples from household water tanks were collected from forty houses, and a questionnaire was given to the residents to determine the history of the water tanks. The membrane filtration technique was used to quantify heterotrophic and total coliform bacteria on plate count agar and the violet red bile agar respectively. The overall results of this study have shown that 18 out of total 40 household water tanks contained different types of bacteria concentration level beyond local and widely accepted international standards. The overall results of this study indicated that there is a lack of awareness among residents regarding the importance of maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene of the household water tanks.

Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations of Malaria in Aligarh, India

Umm-e Asma,Farha Taufiq,Wajihullah Khan 대한기생충학열대의학회 2014 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.52 No.6

Calpain-1 knockout reveals broad effects on erythrocyte deformability and physiology.

Wieschhaus, Adam,Khan, Anwar,Zaidi, Asma,Rogalin, Henry,Hanada, Toshihiko,Liu, Fei,De Franceschi, Lucia,Brugnara, Carlo,Rivera, Alicia,Chishti, Athar H Biochemical Society 2012 Biochemical journal Vol.448 No.1

<P>Pharmacological inhibitors of cysteine proteases have provided useful insights into the regulation of calpain activity in erythrocytes. However, the precise biological function of calpain activity in erythrocytes remains poorly understood. Erythrocytes express calpain-1, an isoform regulated by calpastatin, the endogenous inhibitor of calpains. In the present study, we investigated the function of calpain-1 in mature erythrocytes using our calpain-1-null [KO (knockout)] mouse model. The calpain-1 gene deletion results in improved erythrocyte deformability without any measurable effect on erythrocyte lifespan in vivo. The calcium-induced sphero-echinocyte shape transition is compromised in the KO erythrocytes. Erythrocyte membrane proteins ankyrin, band 3, protein 4.1R, adducin and dematin are degraded in the calcium-loaded normal erythrocytes but not in the KO erythrocytes. In contrast, the integrity of spectrin and its state of phosphorylation are not affected in the calcium-loaded erythrocytes of either genotype. To assess the functional consequences of attenuated cytoskeletal remodelling in the KO erythrocytes, the activity of major membrane transporters was measured. The activity of the K+-Cl- co-transporter and the Gardos channel was significantly reduced in the KO erythrocytes. Similarly, the basal activity of the calcium pump was reduced in the absence of calmodulin in the KO erythrocyte membrane. Interestingly, the calmodulin-stimulated calcium pump activity was significantly elevated in the KO erythrocytes, implying a wider range of pump regulation by calcium and calmodulin. Taken together, and with the atomic force microscopy of the skeletal network, the results of the present study provide the first evidence for the physiological function of calpain-1 in erythrocytes with therapeutic implications for calcium imbalance pathologies such as sickle cell disease.</P>