Advancements in Life Sciences (E-Journal, University of the Punjab)
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RETRACTED ARTICLE: Association Of BCR-ABL Alternative Splice Variants with Disease Progression, Treatment Response and Survival in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Treated with Firstline imatinib Monotherapy
Get PDFBackground: Alternative RNA splicing has diverse biological effects in heath as well as disease. It also contributes to cancer onset and progression. Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) results due to BCR-ABL fusion oncogene that is created due to chromosomal translocation t [9; 22] [q34; q11]). BCR-ABL is target of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). BCR-ABL through alternative splicing can generate b2a2, b3a2 and some other rare splicing variants. BCR-ABL variants may vary in their response to TKI treatment and disease progression potential, which is a major factor contributing to dismal treatment outcome in CML. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate correlation of BCR-ABL splice variants with TKI treatment outcome and survival in three phases of CML that has rarely been studied previously.Methods: BCR-ABL splice variants were studied using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). in 70 CML patients from three phases of CML who were receiving imatinib (TKI) treatment.Results: Frequencies of different BCR/ABL splice variants like b3a2, b2a2 and b3a2+b2a2 were 49 (70%), 15 (21.4%) and 6 (8.6%), respectively. Splice variant b2a2 were more common (53.3%) in chronic phase CML (CP-CML) while b3a2 had higher frequency in advanced phases of CML (44.9%). CML patients with b2a2 transcript had better complete cytogenetic response and major molecular response to TKI treatment overall (100% vs. 24.5%) as well as in CP-CML (100% vs. 85.7%) and superior survival when compared to patients with b3a2 splice variant. All patients who died had male gender, less than 33 years age, b3a2 transcript, advanced phases of CML and imatinib resistance.Conclusions: Splice variant b3a2 was associated with CML progression, poorer survival and inferior treatment outcome as compared to b2a2. Further investigations on BCR-ABL splice variants and their roles in CML pathogenesis can provide deeper insights into CML biology and new targets for BCR-ABL positive leukemia treatment. Keywords: CML; BCR-ABL splice variants; Progression; Survival; Treatment outcome Editorial Expression of Concern20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about suspected plagiarism. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of the errors as we reconcile the records.Editorial Note25 June 2025: While rerunning the Turnitin originality analysis, a similarity index of 29% was found for this article (7% from a single source). Editorial board of Advancements in Life Sciences has started the process of retracting this article due to the above post-publication findings. The process shall be concluded after registering responses from the authors. Meanwhile, full text of the article shall remain unavailable for citations (this notice has been updated following insights derived from relevant COPE cases and the industry standards). Show of cause notice has also been issued to the concerned editorial team member.Retraction Note20 July 2025: The Editor-in-Chief, upon the recommendation of the Inquiry Team, has retracted this article due to plagiarism. An internal audit revealed that several articles, including this one, exhibited a high similarity index without proper disclosure or attribution by the authors. This constitutes a breach of the journal’s editorial policy, and the article is therefore being retracted.The authors do not agree to this retraction
Macro-mineral concentration analysis of Acacia ehrenbergiana (Salam) from the origin of Fujairah, UAE, with staple food items as a mineral rich dietary supplement for arid and semi-arid lands of the world
Get PDFBackground: Acacia ehrenbergiana is native plant of the Emirates of Fujairah, UAE. It’s qualities of being salt tolerant and coping up with harsh condition makes it prime focus and one of the priority plants for the Higher authorities in Fujairah.Methods: The following study has assessed the nutritional values of Acacia ehrenbergiana and its comparison with staple foods used around the world. Proximate analyses were determined by international standard procedures (Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC 2001.11, AOAC 920.39, AOAC 962.29, AOAC 942.05). Mineral ICP-OES vegetation mapping NVDI done using data from Sentinel2 satellite.Results: The study highlighted the importance of this native plant as a potential source of potassium, calcium, and magnesium with higher values of these minerals as compared to the wheat, rice, soyabean and chickpeas. Expansion of vegetation has also been mapped which provide useful insight into the potential of Fujairah’s landscape in mass production of Acacia ehrenbergiana.Conclusion: Results shows that the Acacia ehrenbergiana is agro-economically favorable plant with nutritional values similar and mineral values higher than the widely used staple food crops. Moreover, the expansion of agriculture area in Fujairah provides more hope in expanding the production of Acacia ehrenbergiana and its use on industrial level to produce food items or dietary supplement as economically viable solution to malnutrition in world.Keywords: Acacia ehrenbergiana; Priority plant; Native; Fujairah; High potassium; Calcium; Magnesium; Vegetation; Mapping; Sentinel2; NVD
Morphological Identification and Resistance Profile of Antibiotic and Heavy Metals-Resistant Bacteria in Hospital Sewage of Peshawar
Get PDFBackground: Increased resistance of microorganisms to commonly prescribed antibiotics has emerged as a significant hurdle in contemporary medical practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared antibiotic resistance as a " major threat to public health.". In the present study, bacterial isolates were selected based on high antibiotic and heavy metal tolerance from a water sample taken from hospital sewage.Methods: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria were isolated through the disk diffusion method. Gram staining was done for morphological identification. For molecular identification, the 16s rDNA PCR amplification was done with universal primers. Results: The strain BC1 was resistant to ampicillin (10 µg/ml) and cefixime (5 µg/ml), while it was susceptible to kanamycin (30 µg/ml) and azithromycin (15 µg/ml), and showed an intermediate response to amoxicillin (30 µg/ml). The strain BC2 was resistant to ampicillin (10 µg/ml), cefixime (5 µg/ml), and kanamycin (30 µg/ml), while it was susceptible to amoxicillin (30 µg/ml) and showed an intermediate response to azithromycin (15 µg/ml). Both strains were also found resistant to heavy metals.Conclusion: The recent investigation on bacterial strains from hospital effluent identified interesting candidates for understanding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and for developing novel bioactive molecules to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance. The isolated strains may serve as a potential source of novel resistance genes; however, comprehensive molecular analyses are required for future advanced studies.Keywords: Multidrug resistance; Bacteria; Heavy metal; Hospital sewage; Amoxicillin; Archaea; AzithromycinEditorial Note: You are viewing the latest version of this article having language and data presentation corrections
Chemo-Modulatory Potential of Flaxseed Oil as Natural Anticancer Therapeutic
Get PDFBackground: Cancer is a disease which is characterised by uncontrolled cell proliferation and development. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and photodynamic therapy are the most frequent cancer treatments. On the other hand, there are many negative health impacts of radiation and chemotherapy that limit the efficient use of these therapies.Methods: This scenario needs natural treatments that are cost-effective and has no adverse effects. Flaxseed oil can be used as a nutraceuticals for the management of cancer. The current research was aimed on the exploration of the flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) oil for in vitro anticancer activity as a natural therapy for the management of cancer.Result: The flaxseed powder contained 36.6±0.04% oil contents with an average yield of 36.6±0.03% by using hexane as solvent for extraction. Moreover, the oil contained polyunsaturated fatty acid with omega 3 fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid) as a dominant content of the oil. In-vitro anticancer activity of flaxseed oil was observed by Cytotoxic (3T3 cell line) and Prostate Cancer (PC3 cell line) indicating that the oil possessed anticancer activity which was dose-dependent.Conclusion: On the basis of results, it was concluded that the flaxseed or its oil can be used for the management of cancer as a natural therapy by using optimized dose levels for a different types of cancer.Keywords: Flaxseed; Flaxseed oil; Human cancer; Nutraceuticals; Disease managementEditorial Note: You are viewing the latest version of this article having language and data presentation corrections
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Effects of Vitamin D3 level on the gene expression of Immune checkpoint Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes antigen-4 in Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Get PDFBackground: Rheumatoid arthritis is chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects synovium, rheumatoid arthritis. Antigen presentation cells (APCs) link B7-1 and B7-2 with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte related protein-4 (CTLA-4), the member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, that causes T-regulatory cells to cause APCs to produce an inhibitory signal to autoreactive T cells (Treg). This study looked at the effects of vitamin D3(Vit-D3) on the expression of the CTLA-4 gene in whole blood taken from RA patients.Methods: The case control study was conducted on 100RA patients acute and remission stages of the disease depending on DAS-28 and CDAI with respect to the level of vitamin D3. The cases and samples were obtained from Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq from Jun 2022 to January 2023. In addition,45 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Standardized gene expression at a level of a reference gene (GAPDH) and enumerated by the ∆Ct-value and fold change (2-∆∆Ct) method using qPCR. The ESR was measured in all subjects and serum CTLA-4, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP), RF was measured using ELISA techniques. The D3 level was assessed using immunofluorescent technique.Results: Significantly increased ESR and serum CTLA-4 levels, ACCP, CRP, RF in RA patients compared to controls (p≤0.05), respectively. The vitamin D3 was significantly reduced in acute cases and substantial raised in remission case compared to the controls (p≤0.05) fold change of gene expression was dramatically elevated in patients excepts in acute male cases compared to 1. There was a significant positive correlation between vitamin D3 and CTLA-4 expression.Conclusion: The current study showed that Vit-D3 up-regulates CTLA-4 gene expression as the defensive mechanism in contradiction of a severity of a disease and possible therapeutic targets through the action of Treg population and immunotolerance.Keywords: Vitamin D3; CTLA-4; RA; ELISA; RT-PCREditorial Expression of Concern20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about suspected plagiarism. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community of the errors as we reconcile the records.Editorial Note24 June 2025: Similar usage sequence of commonly used scientific terms and phrases in funding/acknowledgement sections have been found as major source of total verbatim similarity (25%). Therefore, it may not be considered as plagiarism. Hence, the Editorial Expression of Concern is revoked.Retraction Note24 Sept 2025: The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article due to the below mentioned scientific deficiencies.1. The paper marks key findings as statistically significant when the p-values provided in the very same table are greater than 0.05. This is a direct misrepresentation of the statistical results and amounts to making a false scientific claim.2. The manuscript has contradictions that make the entire dataset unreliable.The total number of patients is stated as 100 in the text but is consistently 55 in the data.The number of male and female control subjects is reported with two completely different sets of numbers.The paper presents three different, conflicting correlation coefficients for the same primary relationship it is investigating.It is impossible for a reader to know which, if any, of the reported numbers are correct.3. The combination of the above errors with a confusing study design, unprofessional typos ("deceptively healthy"), and severe grammatical issues that impede comprehension demonstrates a lack of scholarly rigor.The authors do not agree to this retraction
Evaluation of stress and its clinical correlation among the students of Allied Health Sciences
Get PDFBackground: Stress is a key indicator affecting the psychological and physical health of students throughout the world. The current study was planned to find out depression, stress, and anxiety and their impact on obesity and different clinical markers among the students of Allied Health Sciences.Methods: To assess stress, anxiety, and depression levels; the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS- 21) was utilized. A total of 1446 individuals participated in the current research project. After assessing the BMI of students, a blood sample of two hundred and two (202) obese students were collected. Spectrophotometry, latex agglutination, and flow cytometry were employed to determine the different clinical markers.Results: Stress was found in 63.10% population, while depression was 59.70% and the prevalence of anxiety was 61.90%. After analysis of the blood samples of students, a significant increase was seen in cholesterol and HDL, while VLDL was moderately decreased. LDL, triglycerides, and CBC showed no significant change. Random blood glucose was normal, and CRP was also found negative in all the participants. There was no significant correlation between serum lipid profile and CBC parameters during stress, anxiety, and depression in students.Conclusion: A significant stress level was found among the students of Allied Health Sciences. It is a dire need of time to be focused on the mental health of students. Psychological counseling should be provided in the institutes for the mental well-being of the students.Keywords: Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Dass-21, Health sciences students
Marine Life & Fish Management an Effective Tool of Blue Economy of Pakistan
Get PDFCurrently, all fishery-related operations in Pakistan are handled by four major fish harbors: Karachi Fish Harbor, Korangi Fish Harbor, Pasni Fish Harbor, and Gwadar Fish Harbor. Pakistan's fishing communities are not only home to generations of people who have relied on the industry to make a living, but also to a wealth of natural beauty. However, with a growing population comes a rise in demand, and as supplies dwindle, so does the world's ability to feed its people. It's a similar story in marine fisheries, where declining interest from local and foreign corporations and the use of antiquated methods of fishing have made it difficult for fishermen to earn a livable wage. Keywords: Fish harbor; Pasni; Gwadar; Korangi; Karachi; Fisher
Revealing the Yield and Quality Responses of Soybean Advanced Lines under Semi-Arid Conditions
Get PDFBackground: Soybean, as part of the human diet, is a rich source of protein and oil. It also plays a vital role in livestock and poultry industries. The objective of this study was to evaluate local soybean germplasm for semi-arid conditions.Methods: The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Plant × plant and row × row distance was maintained as 4 inch and 1ft respectively. At maturity data for plant height, days to 50% flowering, no. of branches, no. of pods, grains per pod and grain yield per hectare were recorded. Furthermore, oil percentage, protein percentage, omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, palmitic acid and stearic acids were also measured.Results: All genotypes showed highly significant difference from each other for selected traits. Grain yield per hectare was higher in genotypes such as CN-5, FS-10, E-402, and SH-1274 compared to Faisal soybean (check). Protein and oil percentages were significantly higher in CN-5, HS-17, and FS-10. Branches per plant significantly correlated with the yield but protein and oil percentage negatively correlated with each other. PCA indicated that only four out of 13 PCAs exhibited more than 1 Eigen value and showed 76.53 % variation. All traits for yield and quality were presented in PCA1, PCA2 and PCA3. Biplot indicated that genotypes CN-5, SH-1274, and HB-17 fall in a positive portion and perform well.Conclusion: Soybean genotypes CN-5 and FS-10 showed higher yield with high protein and oil percentages compared to the check variety and could be used in semi-arid environments.Keywords: Oilseeds; Soybean; Semi-arid; Yield; QualityEditorial Note: You are viewing latest version of this article having language and unit corrections
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from Placental Tissue and its Effect on Malondialdehyde Levels in Pregnant Women in Al-Anbar Province of Iraq
Get PDFBackground: Toxoplasmosis is recognized as among the prevalent ailments globally affecting mammalian creatures. Around a third of the Earth's inhabitants are afflicted with the condition. Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion or pregnancy loss, pertains to an unviable intrauterine pregnancy that occurs within 20 weeks of gestation. Early pregnancy loss, which occurs throughout the first trimester, is the most common miscarriage type.Methods: Alternative techniques that do not involve enzymes have been employed to separate the Toxoplasma gondii parasite from placentas that have been aborted or not in women with toxoplasmosis in Al-Anbar Province. The purpose of such techniques is to preserve the parasite's viability while it rapidly multiplies inside placental tissue. Moreover, the current investigation measures the amounts of malondialdehyde (MDA) to determine how the parasite affects lipid peroxidation.Results: Upon examining the pellet and suspension obtained from the placental solution, the microscopic analysis revealed the existence of bradyzoite in a majority of the identified specimens, along with the appearance of the swiftly reproducing tachyzoite phase in some. Lipid Peroxidation measurements showed that the infected samples' MAD levels had significantly increased relative to control samples.Conclusion: Non-enzymatic methods of isolating the toxoplasma parasite are better at maintaining the vitality of the different phases of the parasite. Moreover, the parasite's effect is evident in raising lipid peroxidation levels and increasing risk factors.Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; Malondialdehyde MDA; Lipid Peroxidation; AbortionEditorial Expression of Concern20 June 2025: Following publication of this paper, the internal audit (consequent to concerns on quality raised by Web of Science) notified Advancements in Life Sciences about problems in use of English language. By this Editorial Expression of Concern, we alert the scientific community as we address the errors.Retraction Note24 Sept 2025: The Editor-in-Chief has retracted this article due to the below mentioned scientific deficiencies revealed while doing language improvements.1. The paper's central conclusion is about the effect of the parasite on Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, but the quantitative data—the actual figure and table showing these results—is entirely absent. A study that does not present the data for its primary conclusion is unsubstantiated and scientifically invalid.2. It describes two different and unconnected groups of participants (one for a blood test, another for a placenta analysis) without explaining how they relate to each other. Furthermore, it reports using an incorrect statistical test (a paired t-test for independent groups), which invalidates any claims of statistical significance.3. The methodology describes using an impossibly large and incorrect dosage of an antibiotic ("100 grams"), which demonstrates a lack of care and brings the validity of all other reported values into question.The authors have not responded to correspondence regarding this retraction
Assessment of Morphoanatomical Modifications in Cucurbita pepo L. in Response to Combined Drought and Nickel Stress
Get PDFBackground: Nickel (Ni) is a toxic heavy metal and causes human health risks as well as plant abnormalities. The present study aimed to determine morpho-anatomical features of Cucurbita pepo L. var. fastigata under combined drought and Ni stress in greenhouse experiment.Methods: Seedlings were treated with four irrigation levels to induce drought stress 14 ml, 11.2 ml, 8.4 ml and 5.6 ml (abbreviated as S0, S1, S2 and S3) along with 25 ppm of Nickel.Results: The results were analyzed after 5th and 10th days and data revealed that seed germination rate and stem diameter was significantly (P≤ 0.05) increased while stem length, root length, root diameter, the number of secondary roots, leaf area, fresh weight, and dry weight were decreased. Among anatomical characteristics epidermis, xylem, phloem tissues, cortex, trichomes, medullary rays, endodermis, pericycle, palisade, mesophyll cells, and stem mid rib were adversely affected under water stress (S1 and S2) while plants under combined Ni stress showed significant (P≤ 0.05) reduction in cortex diameter, and increase in epidermis thickness, vascular bundles size except for S3 treatment level.Conclusion: It was concluded that combined drought and Ni stress positively affected the morphological features (roots, stem length, and leaf area) of the Cucurbita pepo plant as compared to separate water and Ni stress, preventing plant wilting.Keywords: Nickel, drought stress, anatomy, morphology, Cucurbita pepo L.