1,823 research outputs found
Polymer-tethered glycosylated gold nanoparticles recruit sialylated glycoproteins into their protein corona, leading to off-target lectin binding
No full textUpon exposure to biological fluids, the fouling of nanomaterial surfaces results in non-specific capture of proteins, which is particularly important when in contact with blood for in vivo and ex vivo applications. It is crucial to evaluate not just the protein components but also the glycans attached to those proteins. Polymer-tethered glycosylated gold nanoparticles have shown promise for use in biosensing/diagnostics, but the impact of the glycoprotein corona has not been established. Here we investigate how polymer-tethered glycosylated gold nanoparticles interact with serum proteins and demonstrate that the protein corona introduces new glycans and hence off-specific targeting capability. Using a panel of RAFT-derived polymers grafted to the gold surface, we show that the extent of corona formation is not dependent on the type of polymer. In lectin-binding assays, a glycan (galactose) installed on the chain-end of the polymer was available for binding even after protein corona formation. However, using sialic-acid binding lectins, it was found that there was significant off-target binding due to the large density of sialic acids introduced in the corona, confirmed by western blotting. To demonstrate the importance, we show that the nanoparticles can bind Siglec-2, an immune-relevant lectin post-corona formation. Pre-coating with (non-glycosylated) bovine serum albumin led to a significant reduction in the total glycoprotein corona. However, sufficient sialic acids were still present in the residual corona to lead to off-target binding. These results demonstrate the importance of the glycans when considering the protein corona and how ‘retention of the desired function’ does not rule out ‘installation of undesired function’ when considering the performance of glyco-nanomaterials
Uptake of hazardous elements by spring onion (Allium fistulosum L.) from soil irrigated with different types of water and possible health risk
No full textBio-concentration of elements such as Mo, As, Se, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb was analyzed in spring onion (Allium fistulosum L.) in three different locations of central Punjab, Pakistan. At location GW, relatively low level of hazardous elements was found in spring onion, suggesting that groundwater is a safe source of water for irrigating food crops. The pH of soil at wastewater irrigation was found less acidic (pH 7.4) than the other sites. The range of concentration in the different samples of spring onion was as follows: 6.15–8.16 mg kg−1 for Mo, 2.77–4.28 mg kg−1 for As, 0.395–0.705 mg kg−1 for Se, 36.73–48.17 mg kg−1 for Fe, 10.58–16.26 mg kg−1 for Cu, 28.87–39.79 mg kg−1 for Zn, 6.66–8.75 mg kg−1 for Ni and 4.33–6.09 mg kg−1 for Pb, respectively. High bio-concentration of Zn (15.37) from soil to spring onion was found at canal water irrigated location. The estimated daily intake of metal for spring onion was less, but the health risk index was higher than 1 for Mo, As, Cu, Pb and Ni, respectively. This was due to higher proportion of spring onion in diet, which consequently increased the health risk index for metals. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid growing vegetables in untreated urban and rural wastewater containing elevated amounts of metals
Preparation and Characterization of Controlled-Release Floating Bilayer Tablets of Esomeprazole and Clarithromycin
No full textControlled-release effervescent floating bilayer tablets reduce dosage frequency and improve patient compliance with enhanced therapeutic outcomes. Generally, two different tablets of clarithromycin and esomeprazole, respectively, are given for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection and it might be worth incorporating both in a single tablet. In the current study, controlled-release floating bilayer tablets of clarithromycin and esomeprazole (F1–F4) were developed with different rates of polymeric materials by a direct compression method. During the formulation, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was performed for possible interactions between drugs and excipients. No interactions between drugs and excipients were noted. Moreover, the bilayer tablets’ thickness, diameter, friability, hardness, weight variation, dissolution, and percent purity were found within the acceptable limits. The floating lag time and total floating time of all formulations were found to be < 25 s and 24 h, respectively. The release of both the clarithromycin and esomeprazole started at the same time from the controlled-release floating bilayer tablets by anomalous non-Fickian diffusion, and the polymeric materials extended the drug release rate up to 24 h. In the case of F1, the results approached ideal zero-order kinetics. The dissolution profiles of the tested and reference tablet formulations were compared, but no significant differences were observed. It can be concluded that such controlled-release effervescent floating bilayer tablets can be efficiently used in clinical practice to reduce dosage frequency and increase patient compliance with continuous drug release for 24 h, which ultimately might enhance therapeutic efficacy
Have low irrigation service charges disadvantaged the poor?
No full textIrrigation waterWater ratesPricingPoverty
Radiation efficiency and nitrogen fertilizer impacts on sunflower crop in contrasting environments of Punjab, Pakistan
No full textJabran, Khawar/0000-0001-8512-3330; Rehmani, M.I.A./0000-0001-7922-1233; Rahman, Muhammad Habib ur/0000-0002-2823-9959; Amin, Asad/0000-0003-2242-8377; Ahmad, Ashfaq/0000-0002-9249-185X; Turan, Veysel/0000-0001-7805-8411; Shah, Ghulam Mustafa/0000-0003-1230-7029WOS: 000419944100076PubMed: 29103112Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is the leading non-conventional oilseed crop in Pakistan. Nitrogen fertilizer can affect plant growth and productivity by changing canopy size which has an effect on the radiation use efficiency (RUE) of the crop. The response of sunflower hybrids in terms of phenology, fraction of intercepted radiation (F-i), and RUE to nitrogenous rates (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg ha(-1)) was studied in three field experiments conducted in three various environments: Multan (arid), Faisalabad (semi-arid), and Gujranwala (sub-humid) during spring seasons 2008 and 2009. The treatments were laid out according to a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements, keeping the sunflower hybrids in main plots and nitrogen rates in subplots, and replicated three times. The results showed Hysun-38 took a maximum number of days to anthesis (101) as compared to Pioneer-64A93 (100) and Hysun-33 (99). The mean values of F-i were 0.850, 0.903, and 0.978, and the estimated values of RUE for total aboveground dry matter were 2.14, 2.47, and 2.65 g MJ(-1) at experimental locations of Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, respectively. The values of RUE for grain yield (RUEGY) were 0.78, 0.98, and 1.26 g MJ(-1) at experimental locations of Multan, Faisalabad, and Gujranwala, respectively. The average RUEGY values over three locations were 2.61, 2.60, 2.43, and 2.36 g MJ(-2) in N-4 (180 kg ha(-1)), N-5 (240 kg ha(-1)), N-3 (120 kg ha(-1)), and N-2 (60 kg ha-1) treatments, respectively. Increasing rates of N increased RUEGY over the standard treatment N-3 (120 kg N ha(-1)); however, the averaged values over three locations were 1.22, 1.08, 0.99, and 0.92 g MJ(-2) in N-4, N-5, N-3, and N-2 treatments, respectively. Therefore, optimum water and N doses are important for attaining higher RUE, which may enhance sunflower growth and yield.Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF); University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanThe first author is highly thankful to the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) for the partial funding to present this work in a second International Balkan Agriculture Congress at the Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag, Turkey (2017). Moreover, the first author is also appreciative to the Endowment Fund Secretariat, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, which was highly acknowledged for the partial financial support of this study
Certificate in Project Preparation and Project Management
No full textCertificate in Project Preparation and Project Management : a customized program for KP Revenue Mobilization & Public Resource Management Program (KPRMP).
Front Row- Left to Right: Ashfaq Ahmed, Ikhlaq Ahmed, Rida Haroon, Yusra Shoukat, Mohsin Chandna, Sarah Rehman, Sana Imtiaz, Aamir Bashir, Muhammad Ayaz Khan, Said Ul Amin, Javed Khilji
Middle Row- Left to Right: Aftab Ahmad, Yar Muhammad, Muqtida Bin Syed Gillani, Atta ur Rehman, Muhammad Riaz, Naveed Alam, Naveed Khan, Syed Hammad Haider, Muhammad Shiraz
Last Row: Left to Right: Saba Hameed, Kehkashan Mazhar, Munawar Jamal, Abdul Rehman, Zahid Ahmed, Jaydeephttps://ir.iba.edu.pk/training-events-gallery/1004/thumbnail.jp
پاکستانی رومانی افسانہ اور اشفاق احمد کا تصور ِ محبت: PAKISTANI ROMANTIC SHORT STORY AND ASHFAQ AHMAD’S CONCEPT OF LOVE
No full textRomance and romanticism has a great impact on Urdu Literature. Romantic Urdu afsana has been written before the partition of sub-continent. Many Pakistani short story writers has started their career as “Afsana Nigar” before the Pakistan came into being. After the partition of Hindustan, people were so much depressed and scattered in both sides of boarder. At that time, in Pakistan, many writers created some characters showing love and affection to console the Pakistanis in their hardest time of life. Ashfaq Ahmad, a renowned fiction and non-fiction writer of Urdu literature, is one of them. He has a mystical nature in his concepts of love. Ashfaq Ahmed has multidimensional aspects in his personality as an author. He was a short story writer, columnist, playwright, a translator, poet and played a famous character of Talqeen Shah in Radio drama. His short stories and dramas ‘collections like “ Aik Muhabbat Safo Asany” “ Subhaany Fsaney” “ Ujley Phool” “Tota Kahani” and “ Tilissim Hosh Afza” “ Aik Muhabbt So Dramay” “ Mann Chalay ka Sauda” etc. Present his philosophy of love and affection very deeply. His writings are a beautiful combination of love and Sufism and present different shapes of love. He knew well what the love is. He is a realistic writer. He presented love and affection in a very simple and pure way. This emotion makes a person a great human being, without the appropriation of religion. His philosophy of love and affection based on scarifies
In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Morphological Assessments of GO-ZnO against the MCF-7 Cells: Determination of Singlet Oxygen by Chemical Trapping
No full textGraphene-based materials have attracted considerable interest owing to their distinctive characteristics, such as their biocompatibility in terms of both their physical and intrinsic chemical properties. The use of nanomaterials with graphene as a biocompatible agent has increased due to an uptick in dedication from biomedical investigators. Here, GO-ZnO was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and Raman spectroscopy for structural, morphological, and elemental analysis. The toxic extent of GO-ZnO was noted by a methyl-thiazole-tetrazolium (MTT), while cellular morphology was observed towards the MCF-7 cells using an inverted microscope at magnification 40 x. The cytotoxic effect of GO-ZnO investigated the cell viability reduction in a dose-dependent manner, as well as prompted the cell demise /destruction in an apoptotic way. Moreover, statistical analysis was performed on the experimental outcomes, with p-values < 0.05 kept as significant to elucidate the results. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) demonstrated the potential applicability of graphene in tumor treatment. These key results attest to the efficacy of GO-ZnO nanocomposites as a substantial candidate for breast malignancy treatment
Advancements and challenges in the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and management of multiple sclerosis: a comprehensive review
No full textAbstract Background Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that damages the central nervous system through inflammation, loss of myelin, and progressive neurodegeneration. Its prevalence has been increasing worldwide, with variations that reflect genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and immune system dysregulation. Main Body Advances in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and the use of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers have enhanced the ability to detect early disease activity, monitor progression, and evaluate therapeutic response. Despite these improvements, challenges remain in understanding the mechanisms driving disease progression, particularly in progressive forms of multiple sclerosis where treatment options are limited. Barriers such as unequal access to therapies, variable long-term efficacy, and incomplete knowledge of disease pathways continue to hinder effective management. Current research emphasizes the need for personalized approaches that incorporate genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. Efforts are also being directed toward identifying neuroprotective and remyelinating agents, alongside integrating biomarkers into treatment strategies, in order to better tailor therapies and improve monitoring of disease activity. Conclusion Future directions in multiple sclerosis research should focus on precision medicine, the discovery of novel therapeutic targets, and the integration of biomarkers into clinical care. These strategies hold the potential to improve long-term outcomes, reduce disease burden, and enhance the quality of life for affected individuals. This review explores global epidemiological patterns, recent diagnostic innovations, and the effectiveness of emerging treatment strategies in multiple sclerosis
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