Molecular Characterization of FLT3 Mutations in Acute Leukemia Patients

Ishfaq, Mariam,Malik, Arif,Faiz, Mariam,Sheikh, Ishfaq Ahmad,Asif, Muhammad,Khan, Muhammad Nasrullah,Qureshi, Muhammad Saeed,Zahid, Sara,Manan, Abdul,Arooj, Mahwish,Qazi, Mahmood Husain,Chaudhary, Ade Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.9

Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) performs a vital role in the pathogenesis of hematopoietic malignancies. Therefore in recent times, the focus of several studies was on use of FLT3 as a prognostic marker. The present study investigated the molecular characterization and incidence of FLT3 mutations in acute leukemia patients in Pakistan. A total of 55 patients were studied, of which 25 were suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 30 were suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The polymerase chain reaction demonstrated FLT3/ITD mutations in 1 (4%) of 25 ALL patients, a male with the L2 subtype. In AML cases the rate was 4 (13.3%) of 30, three males and one female. The AML-M4 subtype was found in three and the AML M2 subtype in the other. In the AML cases, a statistically significant (p=0.009) relationship was found between WBC (109/L) and FLT3/ITD positivity. However, no significant relationship was found with other clinical parameters (p>0.05). In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) $FLT3/ITD^+$ mutation was more prevalent in elderly patients 31-40 age groups, 21-30 and 51-60 age groups respectively. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) statistically no significant relationship was found between clinical features and FLT3/ITD positivity (p>0.05). However, in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) $FLT3/ITD^+$ mutation was more commonly found in age groups of 21-30.

Diversity of pollinators and their role in the pollination biology of chickpea, Cicer arietinum L. (Fabaceae)

Abdul Latif,Saeed Ahmad Malik,Shafqat Saeed,Naeem Iqbal,Qamar Saeed,Khalid Ali Khan,Chen Ting,Hamed A. Ghramh 한국응용곤충학회 2019 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.22 No.2

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important source of food for people worldwide. In the current study, we studied its pollination biology with special reference to floral visitors along with their visitation rate, frequency and pollen load during 2012 and 2013. We also explored the effect of floral visitors on the capsule weight, seed weight, seed numbers and seed germination. Results revealed three bees, two wasps, five flies, one moth and three butterfly species on the flowers of chickpea. Apis dorsata, A. florea, Amegilla sp. and Eristalinus aeneus were the major species with 434–474, 223–311, 69–74 and 81–136 individuals, respectively in both years. Floral visitors differed significantly in term of visitation frequency with A. florea as the most frequent visitor (9.13–9.86 visits/flower/5 min) followed by E. aeneus (5.43–5.58 visits/flower/5 min) and A. dorsata (1.72–2.31 visits/ flower/5 min) in both years. Similarly, A. florea had statistically highest visitation rate (16.85–19.99 flowers visited/min) followed by E. aeneus (9.73–10.68 flowers visited/min). A. dorsata had significantly higher pollen load on its body (84629–85,104 pollen grains) followed by A. florea (64940–65,135 pollen grains) and Amegilla sp. (64020–65,120 pollen grains). The open-pollinated flowers had significantly higher capsule weight (0.27 ± 0.01 g), seed weight (0.18 ± 0.01 g), seed numbers (1.67 ± 0.07 seeds) and seed germination (95 ± 1.38%) as compared to flowers deprived of pollinators in cages. The results suggested A. florea, A. dorsata and E. aeneus could be effective pollinators of chickpea. Hence these three species can be properly utilized on commercial scale to increase crop yield.

Biochemical characterization of cotton stalks biochar suggests its role in soil as amendment and decontamination

Younis, Uzma,Athar, Mohammad,Malik, Saeed Ahmad,Bokhari, Tasveer Zahra,Shah, M. Hasnain Raza Techno-Press 2017 Advances in environmental research Vol.6 No.2

Cotton is the major fiber crop in Pakistan that accounts for 2% of total national gross domestic product (GDP). After picking of cotton, the dry stalks are major organic waste that has no fate except burning to cook food in villages. Present research focuses use of cotton stalks as feedstock for biochar production, its characterization and effects on soil characteristics. Dry cotton stalks collected from agricultural field of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan were combusted under anaerobic conditions at $450^{\circ}C$. The physicochemical analysis of biochar and cotton stalks show higher values of % total carbon, phosphorus and potassium concentrations in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The concentration of nitrogen was decreased in biochar. Similarly biochar had greater values of fixed carbon that suggest its role for carbon sequestration and as a soil amendment. The fourier transformation infrared spectroscopic spectra (FTIR) of cotton stalks and biochar exposed more acidic groups in biochar as compared to cotton stalks. The newly developed functional groups in biochar have vital role in increasing surface properties, cation exchange capacity, and water holding capacity, and are responsible for heavy metal remediation in contaminated soil. In a further test, results show increase in the water holding capacity and nutrient retention by a sandy soil amended with biochar. It is concluded that cotton stalks can be effectively used to prepare biochar.

CA 15-3 (Mucin-1) and Physiological Characteristics of Breast Cancer from Lahore, Pakistan

Begum, Mumtaz,Karim, Sajjad,Malik, Arif,Khurshid, Rukhshan,Asif, Muhammad,Salim, Asmat,Nagra, Saeed Ahmed,Zaheer, Ahmad,Iqbal, Zafar,Abuzenadah, Adel Mohammed,Alqahtani, Mohammed Hussain,Rasool, Mahmo Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.10

Background: High incidence of breast cancer and its fatal effect has reached an alarming stage across the globe, including the third world countries. Many factors have been reported to be associated with the development of breast cancer but detailed structural and functional information is missing. CA 15-3 is one of the known potential tumor marker of breast cancer; however little is known about structure and functional site of this protein. Present study aims to investigate the functional role of CA 15-3 in breast cancer, especially in development and metastasis. Material and Methods: Hundred female breast cancer patients confirmed by histopathological reports were included in the study. Their physiological characters were recorded in a performa. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to estimate serum CA 15-3 level. Immunohistochemistry was done for estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and Her2/neu receptors expression. Results: The study revealed the details of physiological characteristics of female breast cancer. Mean age was $37.72{\pm}5.99$ and $55.05{\pm}7.28$ years and serum CA 15-3 (MUC1) level was $60.47{\pm}8.59$ and $63.17{\pm}4.58$ U/ml in pre and post-menopause respectively, and both groups of women had sedentary life style. Their receptor status especially of progesterone, estrogen and HER-2/neu were positive in 50% of premenopausal women and 65% of postmenopausal women. Conclusion: There are multiple physiological factors promoting breast cancer. High serum CA 15-3 level and hormonal imbalance of ER, PR and Her2/neu appears to be the main cause of breast cancer. It may be possible that the functional sites of these proteins may be altered which may increase the chances of metastasis in breast cancer.

Pollination biology of Callistemon viminalis (Sol. Ex Gaertn.) G. Don (Myrtaceae), Punjab, Pakistan

Abdul Latif,Naeem Iqbal,Muhammad Ejaz,Saeed Ahmad Malik,Allah Bakhsh Gulshan,Abid Mahmood Alvi,Khaliq Dad 한국응용곤충학회 2016 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.19 No.2

A research was conducted to find out the floral traits and pollinator's community of bottle brush (Callistemon viminalis: Myrtaceae). Total numbers of pollen grains, pollen grain viability, stigma receptivity, nectar volume and nectar concentration, numbers of ovules and pollen/ovule ratio were recorded. The pollinators' abundance, visitation rate and frequency were also observed. In field experiment, capsule weight, seed setting and seed numbers in open and caged flowers were also evaluated. The results revealed a total of 128,139 pollen grains/ flower. Among total pollen grains, viable pollen grains were 84.3% and non-viable were 15.69%. There were 275 ovules/flower and pollen ovule ratio was 472.50. Stigma receptivity was decreased with the age of the flowers and stigma remained receptive for about 6 days. The nectar volume and nectar concentration were 13 μL and 29%, respectively. The flowers were visited by nine Hymenopteran, four Lepidopteran, one Dipteran and one bird species. Among all pollinators, bees represented the most abundant species (1290) and showed the highest visitation rate (3.6–13.8 numbers of flowers/min) and visitation frequency (0.22–1.92 individuals/ branch/5 min). Open-pollinated flowers showed statistically higher capsule weight (0.0824 ± 0.001), seed setting (0.052 ± 0.0001) and seed numbers (242.4 ± 2.87) as compared to flowers in cages.