Publications by authors named "Zafar I"

The research is aimed at exploring the potential of marigold petal tea (MPT), rich in polyphenol contents, against oxidative stress and obesity in a rat model following a high-fat-sugar diet (HFSD). The MPT was prepared through the customary method of decoction and was subjected to analysis for its polyphenol composition using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Two specific doses of MPT, namely, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (BW), were chosen for the study-referred to as MPT-250 and MPT-500, respectively.

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  • Current chemical drugs are ineffective for tick control and there are no effective vaccines, leading to the urgent need for new control strategies.
  • Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have potential to help control parasites, but their effectiveness is limited by challenges in getting them to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).
  • This study developed a delivery system using chitosan nanoparticles to successfully transfect siRNAs into parasites, which reduced target gene expression and inhibited parasite growth, opening new avenues for gene therapy and understanding host-parasite interactions.
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  • * A study focused on seven consanguineous families with azoospermia from rural Pakistan utilized whole-exome sequencing (WES) to find genetic variants linked to this condition.
  • * Researchers identified five harmful genetic variants across five families, contributing to the understanding of azoospermia's genetic basis, which could improve genetic counseling and lead to new treatments in the future.
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This study aimed to assess the impact of enriching argan oil (AO) ( L.) using the maceration technique with thyme ( L.) and oregano ( L.

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Dog owners are greatly concerned about tick infestations in their pets. The prevalence and dispersion of ticks and their disease-causing microorganisms have been limited from the viewpoint of dog owners in Vietnam. This study investigated the presence of tick infestation and the pathogens associated with it in canines that were brought to veterinary hospitals in Vietnam.

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The static compaction technique emphasizes the reduced activator dosage required to develop geopolymers. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend the optimal alkaline activator concentration for blending low-calcium precursor (fly ash) with high-calcium precursor (GGBS) to produce geopolymer blocks. This work was designed to optimize structural blocks' compressive strength and durability.

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In tropical regions, numerous tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) play a crucial role as causative agents of infectious diseases in humans and animals. Recently, the population of companion and pet dogs has significantly increased in Vietnam; however, information on the occurrence of TBPs is still limited. The objectives of this investigation were to determine the occurrence rate, risk factors, and phylogenetic characteristics of TBPs in dogs from northern Vietnam.

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  • Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease impacting livestock like camels, caused by parasites from the order Piroplasmida, with limited research on this issue in Egypt.
  • A study involving 181 blood samples from camels in Cairo and Giza found a 41.4% infection rate, identifying several piroplasmid species, including B. bovis, B. bigemina, and a first detection of T. equi genotype E in Egypt.
  • The research highlights the need for effective control strategies against piroplasmosis, particularly concerning B. microti, which poses potential risks to human health.
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Myocardial sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2) activity is critical for heart function. We have demonstrated that inhaled halogen (chlorine or bromine) gases inactivate SERCA2, impair calcium homeostasis, increase proteolysis, and damage the myocardium ultimately leading to cardiac dysfunction. To further elucidate the mechanistic role of SERCA2 in halogen-induced myocardial damage, we used bromine-exposed cardiac-specific SERCA2 knockout (KO) mice [tamoxifen-administered SERCA2 ( Tg (MHC-MerCreMer) mice] and compared them to the oil-administered controls.

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Enhancing the strength of fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer by increasing the alkaline activator content is a costly and unsustainable technique. Therefore, this work was designed to reduce the activator by employing the pressured catalysis (PC) technique, coupled with the use of minerals that have filler and occupying effects. The main objective was to enhance the strength of the mix with a lower alkaline-to-precursor (A/P) ratio and create a sustainable, load-bearing building block from it.

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In the current work, computational methods were used to investigate new isoxazole derivatives that could be used as tubulin inhibitors. The study aims to develop a reliable quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model, following the criteria set by Golbraikh, Tropsha, and Roy. As a result, seven candidate compounds were developed, all having higher activity than the well-established anticancer agent Cisplatin (Cisp).

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  • * A study collected 428 samples (62 ticks and 366 blood samples) from 20 areas in the plateau to detect various tick-borne pathogens, revealing a significant prevalence of infections particularly in Tibetan sheep and goats.
  • * This research is the first of its kind in the region concerning tick-borne bacterial pathogens in goats, cattle, horses, and donkeys, providing important data on the distribution and genetic diversity of these pathogens in China.
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  • The text discusses the genus Monoleptites within the subfamily Galerucinae, emphasizing the discovery of mitochondrial genomes for four species using high-throughput sequencing technology.
  • The newly sequenced mitogenomes range in size between 15,866 to 16,965 base pairs, containing typical gene components for Coleoptera, which include protein-coding genes and transfer RNA.
  • Phylogenetic analysis reveals that Monoleptites is a monophyletic group and highlights the evolutionary patterns among various species, suggesting future research should focus on refining the classification of related genera based on their mitochondrial data.
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The ability to navigate and orient in spatial surroundings is critical for effective daily functioning. Such ability is perturbed in clinically diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders, with patients exhibiting poor navigational skills. Here, we investigated the effects of depression and anxiety traits (not the clinical manifestation of the disorders) on the healthy population and hypothesized that greater levels of depression and anxiety traits would manifest in poorer spatial orientation skills and, in particular, with a poor ability to form mental representations of the environment, i.

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Vector-borne diseases indulge in severe economic losses in the livestock industry by adversely affecting cattle breeding in tropical and subtropical zone countries, including Turkey, encompassing a wide land area representing diverse climatic conditions. This study aimed to investigate significant bovine tick-borne piroplasm, rickettsia, and some other bacterial agents by genus- or species-specific PCR and nested PCR techniques in Turkey. A total of 210 cattle blood samples were collected from sixteen provinces in different geographical regions of Turkey.

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Understanding the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signalling pathway is essential in advancing treatments for neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. In this study, we investigate in-silico techniques involving computer-based methods to extract the MAPK1 sequence. Our applied methods enable us to analyze the protein's structure, evaluate its properties, establish its evolutionary relationships, and assess its prevalence in populations.

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Burn injuries including those caused by chemicals can result in systemic effects and acute lung injury (ALI). Cutaneous exposure to Lewisite, a warfare and chemical burn agent, also causes ALI. To overcome the limitations in conducting direct research on Lewisite-induced ALI in a laboratory setting, an animal model was developed using phenylarsine oxide (PAO) as a surrogate for Lewisite.

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The increasing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains responsible for morbidity and mortality worldwide; their effective diagnostic or treatment methods are of great interest to researchers. The use of NPs and nanocarriers in cardiology has drawn much interest. The present comprehensive review provides deep insights into the use of current and innovative approaches in CVD diagnostics to offer practical ways to utilize nanotechnological interventions and the critical elements in the CVD diagnosis, associated risk factors, and management strategies of patients with chronic CVDs.

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Breast cancer poses a significant global challenge, prompting researchers to explore novel approaches for potential treatments. For study we used thin layer chromatography (TAC) for phytochemical screening, total antioxidant capacity (TLC) assay for antioxidant capacity, and hemolytic activity test for toxicity of Neuropilins (NRPs). We performed bioinformatic analyses to predict protein structures, molecular docking, pharmacophore modeling, and virtual screening to reveal interactions with oncogenes.

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Background: Clustering of the receptors glycoprotein receptor VI (GPVI), C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (CLEC-2), low-affinity immunoglobulin γ Fc region receptor II-a (FcγRIIA), and platelet endothelial aggregation receptor 1 (PEAR1) leads to powerful activation of platelets through phosphorylation of tyrosine in their cytosolic tails and initiation of downstream signaling cascades. GPVI, CLEC-2, and FcγRIIA signal through YxxL motifs that activate Syk. PEAR1 signals through a YxxM motif that activates phosphoinositide 3-kinase.

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Ticks play a pivotal role in propagating a diverse spectrum of infectious agents that detrimentally affect the health of both humans and animals. In the present study, a molecular survey was executed of piroplasmids in ticks collected from small ruminants in four districts within Konya province, Turkey. Microscopic examination identified 1281 adult ticks, which were categorized into 357 pools based on their species, sexes, host animals, and collection site before DNA extraction.

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A new species of powdery mildew fungus Erysiphe ahmadii and a new record, Erysiphe populicola, on Salicaceae are described from Pakistan. In addition to light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy is also done to clearly demonstrate the surface characters of chasmothecia. E.

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Background: Clinical reasoning is reliant on students having acquired a strong foundation in the basic sciences. However, there remains uncertainty regarding whether medical students are maintaining this knowledge over the span of their degrees. Therefore, this project aimed to assess long-term retention of basic science knowledge within a cohort of students from an undergraduate medical school in the United Kingdom (UK).

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Malaria remains one of the most significant health issues worldwide, accounting for 2.6% of the total global disease burden, and efforts to eliminate this threat continue. The key focus is to develop an efficient and long-term immunity to this disease via vaccination or therapeutic approach, and innovative strategies would enable us to achieve this target.

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