Dextromethorphan inhibits collagen and collagen-like cargo secretion to ameliorate lung fibrosis.

Excessive deposition of fibrillar collagen in the interstitial extracellular matrix (ECM) of human lung tissue causes fibrosis, which can ultimately lead to organ failure. Despite our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease, no cure for pulmonary fibrosis has yet been found. We screened a drug library and found that dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough expectorant, reduced the amount of excess fibrillar collagen deposited in the ECM in cultured primary human lung fibroblasts, a bleomycin mouse model, and a cultured human precision-cut lung slice model of lung fibrosis.

Phenotypic identification of different β-Lactamases in intrinsic and acquired colistin resistant uropathogenic gram negative bacteria.

Objective: Identification of MBL, AmpC and ESBLs in colistin intrinsic and acquired resistant uropathogenic gram negative bacteria.

Method: Urine samples were collected from Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar during 17 January to 30 June 2019. Collected urine samples were aseptically transported microbiology lab of Health Research Institution (HRI), National Institute of Health (NIH), Khyber Medical College, Peshawar and streaked on different media.

Effects of Drying Temperature and Solvents on In Vitro Diabetic Wound Healing Potential of Leaf Extracts.

The delayed healing of wounds among people with diabetes is a severe problem worldwide. Hyperglycemia and increased levels of free radicals are the major inhibiting factors of wound healing in diabetic patients. Plant extracts are a rich source of polyphenols, allowing them to be an effective agent for wound healing.

Species composition and population dynamics of some arthropod pests in cotton fields of irrigated and semi-arid regions of Punjab, Pakistan.

The present study aimed to record seasonal dynamics and diversity of different insect pests in cotton agroecosystems. Two well-known cotton growing districts i.e.

Ecofriendly phytosynthesized zirconium oxide nanoparticles as antibiofilm and quorum quenching agents against .

The worldwide increase of multi-drug resistance has directed the researchers to focus on ecofriendly ways of nanoparticles synthesis with effective antivirulence properties. Here, we report the antibiofilm and quorum quenching (QQ) potential of zirconium oxide nanoparticles (ZrO NPs) synthesized from aqueous ginger extract against multi-drug resistant (MDR) . The results indicated that ZrO NPs were of tetragonal shape with average diameter of 16 nm.

A DNA barcode survey of insect biodiversity in Pakistan.

Although Pakistan has rich biodiversity, many groups are poorly known, particularly insects. To address this gap, we employed DNA barcoding to survey its insect diversity. Specimens obtained through diverse collecting methods at 1,858 sites across Pakistan from 2010-2019 were examined for sequence variation in the 658 bp barcode region of the cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) gene.

Biofabrication of ZnO nanoparticles using Acacia arabica leaf extract and their antibiofilm and antioxidant potential against foodborne pathogens.

Emergence of multidrug resistant pathogens is increasing globally at an alarming rate with a need to discover novel and effective methods to cope infections due to these pathogens. Green nanoparticles have gained attention to be used as efficient therapeutic agents because of their safety and reliability. In the present study, we prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from aqueous leaf extract of Acacia arabica.

Outcome of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis using locking compression plate in long bone fractures.

Objective: To evaluate radiological and clinical outcome of minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) using locking compression plate in long bone fractures.

Methods: This was a prospective study for the long bones fracture managed by MIPO using locking compression plate in thirty patients from January to December 2017. All the skeletally mature patients and the patients with osteoporotic bones were included.

BIN overlap confirms transcontinental distribution of pest aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

DNA barcoding is highly effective for identifying specimens once a reference sequence library is available for the species assemblage targeted for analysis. Despite the great need for an improved capacity to identify the insect pests of crops, the use of DNA barcoding is constrained by the lack of a well-parameterized reference library. The current study begins to address this limitation by developing a DNA barcode reference library for the pest aphids of Pakistan.

Application of Organic Fertilizers Affect the Citrus Leafminer, (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) Infestation and Citrus Canker Disease in Nursery Plantations.

Citrus leafminer (CLM), Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), is one of the most important insect pests of Pakistan's citrus nursery stock and caused extensive damage to young flushes. The organic compost is a widespread technique used to manage insect pests and plant diseases. Different composts (biofert, tara root and vermicompost) at 0.

Assembling a DNA barcode reference library for the spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Pakistan.

Morphological study of 1,795 spiders from sites across Pakistan placed these specimens in 27 families and 202 putative species. COI sequences >400 bp recovered from 1,782 specimens were analyzed using neighbor-joining trees, Bayesian inference, barcode gap, and Barcode Index Numbers (BINs). Specimens of 109 morphological species were assigned to 123 BINs with ten species showing BIN splits, while 93 interim species included representatives of 98 BINs.

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in AFB smear-negative sputum specimens through MTB culture and GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important public health issue around the globe which is a chronic infectious disease and is still one of the major challenges for developing countries. The emergence of drug-resistant TB makes the condition worse and there is an urgent need of fast, highly sensitive diagnostic methods. This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and MTB culture for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in sputum smear-negative pulmonary TB/drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) suspects.

Insect diversity in the Saharo-Arabian region: Revealing a little-studied fauna by DNA barcoding.

Although insects dominate the terrestrial fauna, sampling constraints and the poor taxonomic knowledge of many groups have limited assessments of their diversity. Passive sampling techniques and DNA-based species assignments now make it possible to overcome these barriers. For example, Malaise traps collect specimens with minimal intervention while the Barcode Index Number (BIN) system automates taxonomic assignments.

Evaluation of potential RNA-interference-target genes to control cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcuidae).

RNA interference (RNAi) of vital insect genes is a potential tool for targeted pest control. However, selection of the right target genes is a challenge because the RNAi efficacy is known to vary among insect species. Cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, is a phloem-feeding economically important crop pest.

Antibiotic Sensitivity pattern of Bacterial Isolates of Neonatal Septicemia in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Background: Septicemia plays an important role in neonatal morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries.

Objective: To investigate the bacterial pathogens causing neonatal sepsis and their antibiotic susceptibility profile.

Methodology: A total of 2,685 neonates aged 0-28 days were included in the study.

Inoculation of Nicotiana tabacum with recombinant potato virus X induces RNA interference in the solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

Objectives: The chitin synthase 1 (CHS1) gene in Phenacoccus solenopsis (PsCHS1) was evaluated as a potential target of RNA interference (RNAi) by using Potato virus X (PVX) as a vector (recombinant PVX) for expressing RNAi triggering elements in Nicotiana tabacum L.

Results: RT-PCR analysis confirmed the expression of PsCHS1 in N. tabacum inoculated with recombinant-PVX-PsCHS1 (treated).

Botanicals, selective insecticides, and predators to control Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) in citrus orchards.

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri Kuwayama vectors pathogens that cause huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening devastating and economically important disease present in most citrus growing regions. Young citrus shoots are required for psyllid reproduction and development. During winter citrus trees produce little or no new growth.

DNA barcoding of Bemisia tabaci complex (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) reveals southerly expansion of the dominant whitefly species on cotton in Pakistan.

Background: Although whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci complex) are an important pest of cotton in Pakistan, its taxonomic diversity is poorly understood. As DNA barcoding is an effective tool for resolving species complexes and analyzing species distributions, we used this approach to analyze genetic diversity in the B. tabaci complex and map the distribution of B.

Analyzing mosquito (Diptera: culicidae) diversity in Pakistan by DNA barcoding.

Background: Although they are important disease vectors mosquito biodiversity in Pakistan is poorly known. Recent epidemics of dengue fever have revealed the need for more detailed understanding of the diversity and distributions of mosquito species in this region. DNA barcoding improves the accuracy of mosquito inventories because morphological differences between many species are subtle, leading to misidentifications.

Use of recombinant tobacco mosaic virus to achieve RNA interference in plants against the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae).

The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, is an important plant pest with a very broad plant host range. P. citri is a phloem feeder and loss of plant vigor and stunting are characteristic symptoms induced on a range of host plants, but P.

DNA barcode analysis of butterfly species from Pakistan points towards regional endemism.

DNA barcodes were obtained for 81 butterfly species belonging to 52 genera from sites in north-central Pakistan to test the utility of barcoding for their identification and to gain a better understanding of regional barcode variation. These species represent 25% of the butterfly fauna of Pakistan and belong to five families, although the Nymphalidae were dominant, comprising 38% of the total specimens. Barcode analysis showed that maximum conspecific divergence was 1.

Minimizing stochastic moiré in frequency-modulated halftones by means of green-noise masks.

In color halftoning, moiré is the low-frequency spatial artifact generated by the interference of superimposed primary color dot screens that adds an unwanted artificial texture to the printed image. When these overlapping dot screens are irregular, as in the case of stochastic dot screens, this interference pattern follows a random spatial distribution resulting in 'stochastic" moiré. This stochastic moiré is at its most visible when the overlapping dither patterns have the same relative spacing between dots.