Evaluation of Pakistanian Bacillus thuringiensis isolates against Scirpophaga incertulas and Cnaphalocrocis medinalis

Karim, Shahid,Malik, Kausar,Zafar, Uzma,Riazuddin, S. Korean Society of Applied Entomology 1999 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.2 No.1

A large number of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates separated from different ecological regions of Pakistan were characterized for crystal protein gene composition and pesticidal activity against two lepidopteran rice insect pests, the yellow stem borer (Scripophaga incertulas) and the rice leaf folders (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis). A representative seventeen isolates were and the rice leaf folders (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis). A representative seventeen isolates were selected on the basis of initial screening and further characterization of pesticidal activity was performed according to following criteria; colony and parasporal inclusion morphology, SDS-PAGE, western blot analysis and comparative biotoxicity assays to determine ${LC}_{50}$ values. All isolates produced parasporal inclusion bodies and spores in their cells. Immunoblotting results showed that Pakistanian isolates synthesized entomocidal proteins belonging to Cry1A and Cry2A toxin groups. the biological activity of local isolates demonstrated a wide range of ${LC}_{50}$ values against both target insects pests. The most potet isolates, INS 1.13, INS 2.25 and NW 4.1 against S.incertulas showed ${LC}_{50}$ values of 29.83, 30.37 and 24.77 ng/ml of toxin, respectively. The ${LC}_{50}$ values of 57.37 and 73.09 ng/ml of toxin were exhibited by local isolates, INS 2.25 and RL 4.8 against C. medinalis, respectively.

Epidemiology and Clinical Burden of Malaria in the War-Torn Area, Orakzai Agency in Pakistan

Karim, Asad Mustafa,Hussain, Irfan,Malik, Sumera Kausar,Lee, Jung Hun,Cho, Ill Hwan,Kim, Young Bae,Lee, Sang Hee Public Library of Science 2016 PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol.10 No.1

<▼1><P><B>Background</B></P><P>Military conflict has been a major challenge in the detection and control of emerging infectious diseases such as malaria. It poses issues associated with enhancing emergence and transmission of infectious diseases by destroying infrastructure and collapsing healthcare systems. The Orakzai agency in Pakistan has witnessed a series of intense violence and destruction. Military conflicts and instability in Afghanistan have resulted in the migration of refugees into the area and possible introduction of many infectious disease epidemics. Due to the ongoing violence and Talibanization, it has been a challenge to conduct an epidemiological study.</P><P><B>Methodology/Principal Findings</B></P><P>All patients were sampled within the transmission season. After a detailed clinical investigation of patients, data were recorded. Baseline venous blood samples were taken for microscopy and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) analysis. <I>Plasmodium</I> species were detected using nested PCR (nPCR) and amplification of the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (ssrRNA) genes using the primer pairs. We report a clinical assessment of the epidemic situation of malaria caused by <I>Plasmodium vivax</I> (86.5%) and <I>Plasmodium falciparum</I> (11.79%) infections with analysis of complications in patients such as decompensated shock (41%), anemia (8.98%), hypoglycaemia (7.3%), multiple convulsions (6.7%), hyperpyrexia (6.17%), jaundice (5%), and hyperparasitaemia (4.49%).</P><P><B>Conclusions/Significance</B></P><P>This overlooked distribution of <I>P</I>. <I>vivax</I> should be considered by malaria control strategy makers in the world and by the Government of Pakistan. In our study, children were the most susceptible population to malaria infection while they were the least expected to use satisfactory prevention strategies in such a war-torn deprived region. Local health authorities should initiate malaria awareness programs in schools and malaria-related education should be further promoted at the local level reaching out to both children and parents.</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Author Summary</B></P><P>The malaria epidemic and endemic in Pakistan is a present and ongoing threat to public health which could have an impact in the nearby regions as well. For the first time, we report a clinical assessment of malaria endemicity in the Orakzai Agency, which is Pakistan’s most neglected area due to Talibanization and war in Afghanistan. Febrile patient blood samples of the area were investigated to report the clinical assessment of malaria caused by <I>Plasmodium vivax</I> and <I>P</I>. <I>falciparum</I> infections. The nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) examination detected 154 (86%) and 21 (12%) <I>P</I>. <I>vivax</I> and <I>P</I>. <I>falciparum</I> infections, respectively. We found worsening hygiene conditions in FATA, likely caused by poor socioeconomics and the collapse of the public health infrastructure. Decompensated shock was a common and prominent clinical feature of malaria among all the clinical presentations caused by both <I>P</I>. <I>vivax</I> (53%) and <I>P</I>. <I>falciparum</I> (42.9%). Our results have significant implications for both public health and malaria control in FATA and Pakistan. Our findings illustrate higher prevalence of malaria in children compared to other age groups. Further research on sensible estimates of refugees is required, as well as resistance to anti-malarials.</P></▼2>

The Dynamics of Monetarists Versus Keynesians Perspectives and Their Role in Economic Growth of Pakistan

Abdul MANSOOR,Syed Tahir HUSSAIN,Syed Imran RAIS,Malik Fahim BASHIR,Yasir Bin TARIQ,Maria KAUSAR 한국유통과학회 2022 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.9 No.2

The study intends to investigate a short-run and a long-run causality among money, income, and prices in the Keynesian and Monetarists framework. This study emphasizes the importance of unrecorded money, which exists alongside legal monetary assets and plays a dual function in determining economic prosperity. The underground economy, which is a hidden component of aggregate economic activity, is determined using Tanzi’s monetary approach (Tanzi, 1980). This research uses a time series of annual data from 1990 to 2019 for this purpose. The data is extracted from the World Bank database for the monetary and development indicators. The study keeping in view the trending nature in data follows a unit root testing followed by the Autoregressive Distributive Lag Model (ARDL) to assess the long and short-run dynamics of causality among the variables. In both the pricing and income equations, the study finds a significant level link among the variables; however, there is no evidence of the presence of a level association in the money equation. The shortrun causal relationship provides evidence of bi-directional causation between the supply of money and national income. The outcome of this study advise that though the view point of both the Monetarist and Keynesian school holds in both short and long run, however, in Pakistan only the Monetarists’ role of money supply and income holds in Pakistan. This evidence would be of precise interest to the policy-makers.

Cassia Angustifolia Primed ASCs Accelerate Burn Wound Healing by Modulation of Inflammatory Response

Tasneem Saba,Ghufran Hafiz,Azam Maryam,Arif Amna,Bin Umair Musab,Yousaf Muhammad Amin,Shahzad Khurrum,Mehmood Azra,Malik Kausar,Riazuddin Sheikh 한국조직공학과 재생의학회 2024 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.21 No.1

Background: Thermal traumas impose a huge burden on healthcare systems. This merits the need for advanced but cost-effective remedies with clinical prospects. In this context, we prepared a regenerative 3D-construct comprising of Cassia angustifolia extract (SM) primed adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) laden amniotic membrane for faster burn wound repair. Methods: ASCs were preconditioned with SM (30 µg/ml for 24 h), and subsequently exposed to in-vitro thermal injury (51 °C,10 min). In-vivo thermal injury was induced by placing pre-heated copper-disc (2 cm diameter) on dorsum of the Wistar rats. ASCs (2.0 × 105) pre-treated with SM (SM-ASCs), cultured on stromal side of amniotic membrane (AM) were transplanted in rat heat-injury model. Non-transplanted heat-injured rats and non-heat-injured rats were kept as controls. Results: The significantly upregulated expression of IGF1, SDF1A, TGFβ1, VEGF, GSS, GSR, IL4, BCL2 genes and downregulation of BAX, IL6, TNFα, and NFkB1 in SM-ASCs in in-vitro and in-vivo settings confirmed its potential in promoting cell-proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, antioxidant, cell-survival, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing activity. Moreover, SM-ASCs induced early wound closure, better architecture, normal epidermal thickness, orderly-arranged collagen fibers, and well-developed skin appendages in healed rat-skin transplanted with AM+SM-ASCs, additionally confirmed by increased expression of structural genes (Krt1, Krt8, Krt19, Desmin, Vimentin, α-Sma) in comparison to untreated-ASCs laden-AM transplanted in heat injured rats. Conclusion: SM priming effectively enabled ASCs to counter thermal injury by significantly enhancing cell survival and reducing inflammation upon transplantation. This study provides bases for development of effective combinational therapies (natural scaffold, medicine, and stem cells) with clinical prospects for treating burn wounds. Background: Thermal traumas impose a huge burden on healthcare systems. This merits the need for advanced but cost-effective remedies with clinical prospects. In this context, we prepared a regenerative 3D-construct comprising of Cassia angustifolia extract (SM) primed adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) laden amniotic membrane for faster burn wound repair. Methods: ASCs were preconditioned with SM (30 µg/ml for 24 h), and subsequently exposed to in-vitro thermal injury (51 °C,10 min). In-vivo thermal injury was induced by placing pre-heated copper-disc (2 cm diameter) on dorsum of the Wistar rats. ASCs (2.0 × 105) pre-treated with SM (SM-ASCs), cultured on stromal side of amniotic membrane (AM) were transplanted in rat heat-injury model. Non-transplanted heat-injured rats and non-heat-injured rats were kept as controls. Results: The significantly upregulated expression of IGF1, SDF1A, TGFβ1, VEGF, GSS, GSR, IL4, BCL2 genes and downregulation of BAX, IL6, TNFα, and NFkB1 in SM-ASCs in in-vitro and in-vivo settings confirmed its potential in promoting cell-proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, antioxidant, cell-survival, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing activity. Moreover, SM-ASCs induced early wound closure, better architecture, normal epidermal thickness, orderly-arranged collagen fibers, and well-developed skin appendages in healed rat-skin transplanted with AM+SM-ASCs, additionally confirmed by increased expression of structural genes (Krt1, Krt8, Krt19, Desmin, Vimentin, α-Sma) in comparison to untreated-ASCs laden-AM transplanted in heat injured rats. Conclusion: SM priming effectively enabled ASCs to counter thermal injury by significantly enhancing cell survival and reducing inflammation upon transplantation. This study provides bases for development of effective combinational therapies (natural scaffold, medicine, and stem cells) with clinical prospects for treating burn wounds.