Advancements in Life Sciences (E-Journal, University of the Punjab)
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Estimation of Genetic Divergence in 40 Elite Cotton Germplasm
Get PDFBackground: Identification and development of superior cotton genotypes and their further improvement has been one of the primitive aims of plant breeding programmers. Therefore, necessity of analyzing the agro-morphological and yield attributes of advanced lines of cotton is doubtless.Methods: Mean performance and correlation between ten different morphological, yield and fiber related attributes of forty cotton genotypes from all over the Pakistan under National Coordinated Varietal Trial were studied at Central Cotton Research Institute of Multan. Selected traits included several sympodial and monopodial branches, plant height, number of bolls per plant, staple length, seed cotton yield, boll weight, fiber strength, percentage ginning out turn and micronaire value.Results: Statistical analysis of variance disclosed highly significant (p<0.01) differences among all cotton genotypes for majority of the characteristics. Basic descriptive statistical analysis of selected agronomic traits revealed the presence of substantial genetic variation among 40 genotypes of cotton for 10 selected traits. The correlation coefficient was determined both at p<0.05 and p<0.01 levels and the observations demonstrated that some of the characteristics exhibited positive correlation, while others displayed negative correlation with each other. Micronaire showed highly significant positive association with percentage ginning out turn (0.3412) and boll weight (0.2421 g) as well as highly significant negative association with fiber strength (-0.5973).Conclusion: Convincingly, mean performances and correlation of different traits with one another can be utilized in cotton breeding programs in future to improve the yield of cotton seed and to select fiber related attributes with desired characteristics.Keywords: Gossypium hirsutum; Morphological agronomic traits; Statistical analysi
Prevalence of Nemathelminthes in Cart Pulling Camels
Get PDFBackground: Camels are multipurpose animals, raised for the source of animal protein and transportation. Pakistan is also a major camel raising country and its population is one million. Parasitic disease cause impaired camel production, although the camels are less affected by the parasites, but some helminths affect them.Methods: The present study aimed to determine camels’ gastrointestinal helminths (nemathelminthes) in Sakrand, Sindh. The study was carried out in a total 100 dromedaries. The samples were collected and processed through the direct smear and floatation techniques.Results: The overall data showed a high infestation of nemathelminthes (62%) with the presence of following parasites; Trichostrongylus, Moniezia, Ostertagia, Haemonchus, Marshallagia, Trichuris, Toxocara, Ascaria, Escaria.Conclusion: To conclude nemathelminthes are major problem in camels under traditional husbandry. Regarding the high prevalence of infection use of parasitic control programmes are essential to improve camel health and productivity because camels play an important role in human lives by helping in transportation, work and provide production
Efficacy of Pelargonium graveolens essential oils against some postharvest fungal diseases of apple
Get PDFBackground: Postharvest diseases that occur in apples are often caused by various pathogenic fungi, causing serious economic loss. The pathogenic fungi Penicillium expansum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Botrytis cinerea are among the most common pathogens in apples. The goal of this study was to see whether Moroccan Pelargonium graveolens essential oil (PGEO) could protect apple fruits from fungal infections after they were harvested (in vitro).Methods: PGEO was characterized by GC-MS and for antifungal assessment, in vitro poisoned food (PF) and volatile activity testing (VA) were carried out.Results: The investigation revealed that PGEO was effective against the three tested phytopathogenic fungi in a dose-dependent manner and this antifungal activity increased with the volatile activity test. The MIC value was 2 µL/mL for B. cinera, and R. stolonifer, and 1 µL/mL for P. expansum. Volatile fraction stops the growth of B. cinera at 40 µL / disc (QMI = 40 µL / disc), and of P. expansum and R. stolonifer at 80 µL / disc (QMI = 80 µL / disc).Conclusion: The current findings show that Moroccan PGEO has powerful antifungal activities, suggesting that it might be used instead of synthetic fungicides to combat apple post-harvest infections.Keywords: Pelargonium graveolens; Antifungal activity; Essential oil; Poisoned food; Volatile activity test; Apple 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 38% 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.Rescinded: Editorial Expression of Concern23 July 2025: Editorial expression of concern issued on 20 June 2025 is hereby rescinded on account of author's explanation of the found similarity in light of COPE guidelines. Author's justification reads "The claim of 38% plagiarism is scientifically unfounded and grossly misleading. A thorough breakdown demonstrates that the majority of the flagged content consists of properly cited references, self-referenced material from our prior publications and widely used scientific terminology, even the title, our names, and the declarations at the end of the article". During reanalysis, total similarity was found within the permissible limit i.e., <20%. But one count was specially highlighted where 11% content of the subject article was similar to an article published in 2017 by some authors of this study.Authors, later, suggested to process this article under Text Recycling guidelines of COPE with the following comment "According to COPE guidelines, limited reuse of text from previous work is tolerated, provided it is transparent, cited, and used in a new context (which is the case for the article published in your journal). This is "text recycling" to describe the same experimental framework, not to artificially multiply publications."Concluding remarks: In light of the Text Recycling guidelines of COPE, the inquiry team concurs with the authors seeing details of the similarity between both articles (this one and the article published in 2017).The board has decided to keep the contents of this article unchanged
Indigenous Curd as a Functional Food: A Source of Potential Pathogenic Bacterial Control
Get PDFBackground: Dahi is a functional food that is largely consumed in our community. The current study was designed to explore the efficacy of antibacterial agents that are present in the local indigenous curd of Lahore, Pakistan.Method: Dahi was collected from various areas in Lahore. Bacterial cultures were isolated from this local curd and identified using a molecular technique that used 16S rRNA gene primers in PCR and sequencing. The antibacterial assay was carried out using the agar well diffusion method. Out of all the characterized bacteria isolate P26 displayed the best results for the control of pathogenic bacteria. Bacteriocin from isolate P26 was partially purified and its antibacterial assay was performed against sixteen indicator organisms and kanamycin was used as a standard for this experiment. Characterization of bacteriocin was performed at various temperatures, pH, and treating with enzymes.Result: After the molecular characterization through 16S rRNA, Strain P26 was characterized as Bacillus vallismortis. A protease-sensitive antimicrobial substance was produced by Bacterial strain P26 (Bacillus vallismortis), isolated from local curd (Dahi). This isolate has a broad-spectrum inhibitory activity that can inhibit the growth of both food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. According to results It was clear that protease-sensitive antimicrobial substance produced from strain P26 is more effective as compared to the antibiotic kanamycin. Maximum activity was shown against Staphylococcus species, a pathogen that is a common cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. This substance was active at 100 ºC for 30 minutes and pH (2-9). The activity was lost after treatment with proteases, so it is classified as bacteriocin.Conclusion: Bacteriocin P26 is a more effective antibacterial agent than kanamycin, and it can be produced cheaply using local cardkey.Keywords: Protease; Bacteriocin; Staphylococcus carnosus; Kanamyci
Assessment of antimicrobial, antialgal and cytotoxic activities of crude extracts from rhizospheric and freshwater cyanobacterial strains
Get PDFBackground: This study describes the evaluation of antimicrobial, antialgal and cytotoxic activities of crude extracts from cyanobacterial strains isolated from rhizospheric and freshwater environment.Methods: Four cyanobacterial strains were isolated from freshwater and rhizospheric samples collected from various sites of University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Selected strains were identified by 16S rDNA ribotyping as species of genera, Cyanothece (CY1), Synechococcus (CY2), Leptolyngbya (CY3) and Synechococcus (CY4). The organic extracts i.e., methanolic, ethanolic and acetonic of selected cyanobacterial strains were checked for antibacterial and cytotoxic activity. Antibacterial and antialgal activities of cyanobacterial extracts were determined against, four Gram positive and three Gram negative bacteria using Muller-Hinton (MH) agar well diffusion assay and two algal species using 96-well microtiter plate respectively. Cytotoxic activity was determined against Vero cells and Huh-7 cells.Results: The results showed that all cyanobacterial extracts showed activities against Gram positive bacteria while some of the extracts showed activity against Gram negative bacteria. Acetonic extract of CY4 and CY2 showed moderate discoloration against Chlamydomonas sp. and Chroococcus sp. respectively. In cytotoxicity bioassay, methanolic extracts of strain CY1 and CY2 were most active with an IC50 of 0.625 mg/ml against Vero cells while acetonic extract of strain CY1 showed highest activity against Huh-7 cells (p<0.05).Conclusion: The data of current study conclusively suggest that selected cyanobacteria may be an excellent source for further fractionation to obtain novel antibacterial, antialgal and anticancer substances.Keywords: Cyanobacteria; MTT bioassay; Microtiter plates; Antimicrobial activity; Cytotoxicity
Serum Anti-Nuclear Antibodies and their patterns on immunofluorescence in patients with joint pain from Lahore, Pakistan
Get PDFBackground: Autoimmunity is the deviation of the immune system from its natural course and evoking a potent inflammatory response against organs or systems of its own body. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are an important marker for the diagnosis of autoimmune. The incidence of autoimmune diseases is increasing globally due to advancements in civilization, so it becomes crucial to monitor its trends. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of ANA and its specific pattern in individuals with joint pain.Methods: The duration of this cross-sectional study was 6 months, from December 2018 to May 2019. ANA profiles of 155 subjects were evaluated using the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) technique.Results: Amongst 155 enrolled subjects 101(65.2%) were females and 54(34.8%) were males. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 61 (39.3%) patients. ANA was found positive in 35 (22.5%) individuals, 5(14.3%) males, and 30(85.7%) females. Homogenous pattern was positive in 25(71.4%), 5(14.3%) fine speckled, 5(14.3%) centromere, and 1(2.8%) presented nuclear dots. The most frequent titer observed was 1/320 in 14(40%) individuals.Conclusion: The homogenous pattern was frequently observed patterns ANA positive subjects. There was also a significant relationship between age group and their patterns. The homogenous pattern was most frequent among the 60-69-year age group
Appraisal of various approaches to produce biohydrogen and biodiesel from microalgae biomass
Get PDFThe need for fossils fuels, including oil, coal and natural gases, has increased dramatically due to a vast expansion in human population and economic growth. The emission of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels leads to disastrous alterations in the earth's climate. In a few decades, fossil fuels will run out because of their non-renewability. Many researchers are motivated to develop new renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels. Recent research has identified microalgae as a promising resource for the production of biohydrogen and biodiesel. Biohydrogen production affords an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to generate clear, clean and reliable energy from renewable resources. Green microalgae use sunlight to convert water molecules into oxygen and molecular hydrogen under special conditions. Microalgae have also been reported as a promising feedstock for biodiesel production, as biodiesel is considered the best alternative to petroleum-derived diesel. In the present review, the production of biohydrogen and biodiesel from microalgae through different methods, including indirect and direct biophotolysis, transesterification and lipid synthesis, enhancement approach, is briefly discussed. This article is critical for exploring ideas for future research that can be applied in the commercialization of biohydrogen and biodiesel from microalgae biomass.Keywords: Biohydrogen; Biodiesel; Biophotolysis microalgae; Transesterificatio
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Investigations on molecular determinants of durable molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia patients
Get PDFBackground: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a blood cancer, is caused by translocation between chromosomes 22 and 9 that gives rises to fusion oncogene BCR-ABL. In 20th century, CML was a deadly disease, but tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) led to complete remission in over 80% CML patients. Nevertheless, TKIs are expensive, and discontinuation of treatment is required in patients with very stable treatment response. As no molecular markers of durable TKI response exist, this study was conducted to find out molecular determinants of durable response in CML patients treated with TKIs.Methods: Peripheral blood and clinical data were collected from CML patients with durable treatment response, along with appropriate controls. DNA was extracted and whole exome sequencing (WES) carried out to screen novel genes mutated only in experimental groups and absent in control groups. Mutations were confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.Results: Although WES detected 10 genes mutated exclusively in CML patients with durable treatment response, Sanger sequencing could confirm mutations only in RAI1 gene (GC deletion at nucleotides 837-838, a frameshift mutation).Conclusions: Our study shows that mutations in a novel gene (RAI1) are associated with durable response in CML patients. RAI1 gene is active throughout the body and controls functions of many genes involved in daily rhythms. Our studies provide first important insights into molecular factors associated with long-term treatment response in CML that can serve as novel biomarker to identify patients eligible for TKI cessation in many ongoing CML STOP-TKI trials.Keywords: CML; TKI therapy; Durable response; Molecular biomarkers; STOP-TKI 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 47% was found for this article (10% 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 Note23 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
Seroprevalence and Risk factor of Brucella Abortus in Cattle (Indigenous and crossbred) in District Layyah
Get PDFBackground: Brucellosis is very important infectious, zoonotic disease all over the world affecting variety species, causing severe economic losses in animals and severe illness in human beings. This study was planned to find the seroprevalence and associated risk factors with Brucella Abortus in indigenous and crossbreed cattle of District Layyah.Methods: The blood sample were collected from 350 blood animals and screened by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) using anti-Brucella antibodies. The seropositive samples were confirmed through indirect ELISA tests. The information on risk factors associated with brucellosis were collected on pre-designed questionnaires.Results: The result of the present study showed the overall prevalence of 6.97% in cattle in district Layyah. It was more prevalent in the age group of 2-5 years (14.6%) as compared to that of the age group 5-10 years (6.25%). The prevalence was significantly higher in the cattle with history of abortion (52.38%) as compared to the non-aborted cattle (3%). The crossbreed animals were found to be more affected than indigenous animals.Conclusion: There is a dire need to eliminate the seropositive animals by application of proper control programme and eradicate this zoonotic disease in developing countries especially in Pakistan.Keywords: Brucellosis; Cattle; Seroprevalence; Layyah
Antibacterial Evaluation of The Roots of Moroccan Aristolochia longa Against Referenced Gram-positive and Gram-negative Bacteria
Get PDFBackground: Interest in medicinal plants has recently risen as a consequence of its therapeutic capabilities, which require further investigation. Aristolochia longa (A. longa) roots are commonly employed in traditional Moroccan medicine as an anticancer agent and against some cutaneous infections, but little is known about their antibacterial capabilities.Methods: The disc-diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods were carried out to determine the antibacterial activity of aqueous and methanol extracts of A. longa roots against several reference bacterial strains.Results: Both aqueous and methanolic extracts had antibacterial activity to varying degrees with the disc-diffusion assay, however the methanolic extract shown significant activity at a higher dosage (200 mg/ml). Escherichia coli (22.0 mm) was the most sensitive bacterium tested, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (16.0 mm) and Bacillus subtilis (12.0 mm). The bacteria with the lowest susceptibility were Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Micrococcus luteus, which all had a 10.0 mm zone of inhibition. The MIC values corroborated these observations, with E. coli MICs of 6.25±1.5 mg/ml, S. aureus MICs of 25±1.02 mg/ml, M. luteus MICs of 12.5±1.25 mg/ml, K. pneumonia MICs of 50.0±0.75 mg/ml, and B. subtilis MICs of 100±0.6 mg/ml, respectively. The findings of the methanolic extract were statistically significant and equivalent to those of the antibiotics studied.Conclusion: Roots of A. longa have significant broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, notably in the methanolic extract, which validated their applications in Moroccan folkloric medicine to treat soft-tissue and skin infections.Keywords: Aristolochia longa; Antibacterial activity; Aqueous extract; Methanolic extract; Disc-diffusion; Minimal inhibitory concentratio