University of Swabi

Cryptosporidium spp. is a globally significant protozoan parasite with profound implications for animals, humans, and environmental health. Despite extensive research, its distribution, prevalence, and diversity across Asia remain fragmented. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on studies published between 2015 and 2025, incorporating 329 investigations from 29 Asian countries and analyzing 142,484 animal specimens. Pooled prevalence was calculated, and molecular epidemiological data were synthesized to characterize species distribution and subtype diversity. The overall pooled prevalence of Cryptosporidium among animals across Asia was 12

This study investigates the inhibitory effects of 5 bioactive compounds isolated from Fernandoa adenophylla on two key enzymes involved in neurodegenerative diseases, Beta-secretase 1 (BACE-1) and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B). The compounds, namely lapachol (1), alpha-lapachone (2), peshawaraquinone (3), dehydro-alpha-lapachone (4), and the indanone derivative methyl 1,2-dihydroxy-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-3-oxoindene-1-carboxylate (5) were tested in vitro and investigated by means of computational tools. Lapachol (1) resulted to be the most effective BACE-1 inhibitor of the set, while peshawaraquinone (3) strongly inhibited MAO-B. Enzyme kinetic analyses were carried out, and the inhibitory mechanisms were also elucidated. Molecular docking studies showed that the compounds target key residues in the active sites of the enzymes and density functional theory (DFT) investigation suggested a higher reactivity of lapachol (1) towards electron transfer. Overall, the findings support the potential role of these natural compounds as BACE-1 and MAO-B inhibitors.

Water contamination by heavy metals threatens human and environmental health. This study evaluated Pistia stratiotes L. and Lemna minor L. for remediation of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr VI), and lead (Pb) applied at the rate of 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg L-1 under varying pH (6-8) and electrical conductivity (EC; 1,450 and 2,150 µS cm-1) in Hoagland solution. Higher moisture content was observed at neutral pH in Lemna minor L (98.1%) and Pistia stratiotes L. (96.8%) which were decreased with increasing EC and acidic pH. P. stratiotes sustained comparatively higher moisture between pH 6-8, proving its adaptability to pH stress. Heavy metal stress significantly decreased growth of both aquatic macrophytes. Higher growth (75% and 54.5%), tolerance index (41.9% and 62.1%), and plant growth rate (0.16 and 0.07) were recorded in L. minor and P. stratiotes respectively, at neutral pH. However, acidic pH and increasing heavy metal content adversely affected mentioned parameters. The potential of macrophytes for heavy metal absorption/uptake significantly varied between the species depending upon pH and EC. The P. stratiotes absorbed higher Cr (1,614 mg kg-1), Pb (1,469 mg kg-1), and Cd (487 mg kg-1) at pH 6-7, while L. minor showed higher accumulation (1,644 mg Cr kg-1, 617 mg Cd kg-1 and 593 mg Pb kg-1) under salinity stress. Both species showed hyper-accumulation having a bio concentration factor (BCF) > 1,000) of Cd, Cr, and Pb under acidic pH and elevated EC. The P. stratiotes exhibited greater overall adaptability across pH conditions while L. minor performed better under saline environments. Therefore, Pistia stratiotes is recommended for remediation of metal-contaminated waters across variable pH regimes, whereas Lemna minor is better suited for saline and alkaline environments.

Drought stress significantly limits rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and nutrient uptake. This study evaluated the effect of lysinechelated zinc (LCZ) on mitigating drought-induced stress in callus tissues of two rice genotypes, Bas-370 and Kashmir Basmati. One-month-old calli were treated for 15 days with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to simulate drought stress (0%, 10%, and 20% PEG), both with and without 20 & micro;M LCZ, under controlled conditions. PEG-induced stress led to a substantial reduction in callus fresh weight, relative growth rate (RGR), and the uptake of key nutrients, including phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe). In contrast, LCZ treatment improved callus growth and partially restored nutrient uptake under drought conditions. The results suggest that LCZ can alleviate osmotic stress effects at the cellular level and support nutrient assimilation. These findings indicate the potential of LCZ as a supplement to enhance drought resilience in rice, though further validation in whole plants is recommended.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a long-term metabolic disorder that poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems worldwide and is considered one of the top five leading causes of death globally. Objectives: The current study was designed to evaluate the two newly synthesized thiobarbituric acid analogues for anti-hyperglycemic potential. Method: In experimental animal diabetes was induced using alloxan. The compounds designated as SL1 and SL2 were fed to animals to ameliorate the symptoms of induced diabetes. Level of blood glucose and weight of animals along with other biochemical parameters were monitored daily for four weeks. Antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were also evaluated. Results: Safety profile of compounds SL1 and SL2 was confirmed up to 250 mg/kg. Groups treated with SL1 had a substantial reduction in blood glucose levels (127.25±4.81mg/dL and 115.61±4.65 mg/dL) at respective doses, whereas for SL2 the recorded values were 148.98±4.36 mg/dL and 129.81±4.59 mg/dL (p<0.001). The diabetic group of animals treated with SL1 and SL2 significantly reduced HbA1c (p <0.001), total cholesterol (p<0.001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (p<0.001), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and creatinine. Furthermore, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) was effectively enhanced in the treated groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Both the compounds were significantly effective in normalizing the symptoms of induced diabetes and changes brought about in other blood parameters in experimental animals.