Publications by authors named "Muhammad Farooq"

Nitrogen (N) is essential for plant growth, but excessive fertilizer use decreases nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and raises environmental concerns. This study investigated the effect of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA; 50 μM) application on rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) plants under hydroponic conditions with high (7.

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Mosquito-borne diseases pose significant public health challenges, necessitating the development of effective and sustainable vector control strategies. This study investigated the feeding preferences of 4 mosquito species (Aedes aegypti Linnaeus, Aedes albopictus Skuse, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus Say) for various fruit juices using a home-made choice chamber. We also assessed the impact of combining biogents lure and boric acid into attractive toxic sugar baits to enhance mosquito attraction and mortality.

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Plant roots secrete various compounds to attract beneficial microbes from soil, enhancing resilience to environmental stresses. The mechanisms by which perennial grasses accumulate specific plant-beneficial bacteria under organic pollution remain unclear. We conducted a pot experiment using ryegrass grown in diesel-contaminated soils (0-15 g/kg) to analyze rhizosphere bacterial community and root exudate, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and untargeted metabolomics.

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The yak () is a key species in high-altitude rangelands of Asia. Despite their ecological and economic importance, yak production faces persistent challenges, including low milk yields, vulnerability to climate changes, emerging diseases, and a lack of systematic breeding programs. This review presents the genomic, physiological, and environmental dimensions of yak biology and husbandry.

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Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) severely impair rice growth, yield, and grain quality. This study assessed the role of exogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in mitigating Pb and Cd toxicity in aromatic rice 'Guixiangzhan'. Treatments included the control (no Pb, Cd, or GABA), GABA (1 mM), Pb (800 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Cd (75 mg/kg of soil)+GABA, Pb+Cd+GABA, Pb, Cd, and Pb+Cd without GABA.

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Potatoes are one of the world's most widely cultivated crops, but their yield is coming under mounting pressure from early blight, a fungal disease caused by . Early detection and accurate identification are key to effective disease management and yield protection. This paper introduces a novel deep learning framework called ZeroShot CNN, which integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and ZeroShot Learning (ZSL) for the efficient classification of seen and unseen disease classes.

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The house fly, Musca domestica, is a major mechanical vector of several pathogens, posing significant public health risks. Due to the hazards associated with indoor use of synthetic insecticides, biopesticides offer an eco-friendly alternative. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) flower bud extract contains bioactive insecticidal compounds; however, a comprehensive study of its sublethal effects on M.

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Climate change causes significant challenges to the neurological system due to both gradual and immediate environmental changes. This paper explores the various issues facing by the brain because of climate change, such as increased cases of heat-related diseases, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, altered patterns of diseases, and phenomena associated with very severe weather conditions. A comprehensive literature search was conducted.

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The forkhead box (FOX) gene family of transcription factors regulates muscle development, immune responses, and metabolic processes across species. Despite extensive studies on FOX genes in other organisms, their evolutionary and functional roles in Labeo rohita, an economically and ecologically important freshwater fish, remain unclear. Owing to its unique physiological and ecological traits, L.

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Background Undiagnosed hypertension among young adults is a growing public health concern, contributing silently to long-term cardiovascular morbidity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension (Stage 1-2, previously unrecognized) and to assess statistically significant associations with lifestyle risk factors in a community-based young adult population. Methods A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted at Hazrat Bari Sarkar (HBS) Medical and Dental College, Islamabad, Pakistan, from January to December 2023.

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Silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized by reducing silver and gold ions using previously unexplored stevia extracts prepared with water, methanol, and ethanol as solvents. These extracts served as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The nanoparticles were characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, which confirmed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 400-450 nm for AgNPs and 500-550 nm for AuNPs, with an additional peak at 650-700 nm.

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Background Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a growing threat to global tuberculosis (TB) control efforts, particularly in high-burden countries like Pakistan. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MDR-TB among adult pulmonary TB patients and evaluate its association with previous treatment history and other potential risk factors. Methods A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, from January to June 2024.

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Background: In the current era, the importance of pharmaceutical technology and research in innovating novel drugs and formulations is undeniable.

Objective: This study aimed to produce a nanoscale drug delivery system for the simultaneous delivery of repurposed disulfiram (DSF) and celecoxib (CXB).

Methods: The co-formulation was prepared utilizing the emulsification ultrasonication technique to enhance the anti-cancer activity through NLCs.

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The present study investigates the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic characteristics of apicomplexan parasite, Isospora sp., in the blood samples of common quails (Coturnix coturnix) sampled from both wild (n = 237) and farmed (n = 230) populations across six districts (Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Layyah and Multan) in Punjab, Pakistan, during 2022 to 2023. Additionally, effect of parasite was documented on the complete blood count (CBC) of the hosts.

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Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays demand a high computation cost to process the high-resolution content without optimizing the power usage. This paper presents a power-aware visual contrast enhancement (PAVE) method that efficiently processes high-resolution images, reduces computation costs, and optimizes the display's power. The proposed method utilizes original and low-resolution images to extract multilevel features.

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This research seeks to improve the viability and stability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus by microencapsulating it in polymeric microgels doped with magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles. The main aim was to explore the ability of MgO-doped sodium alginate microgels to enhance the resistance of the probiotic under gastrointestinal and refrigeration conditions. Microgels were prepared by emulsification method with sodium alginate (2% w/v) and cross-linked with 2% w/v calcium chloride, whereas MgO nanoparticles were added at levels between 0.

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Prediction of stable nanocluster structures remains a significant challenge in materials and nanocluster research due to the complex nature of potential energy surfaces (PES). To overcome this complexity, a novel deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework was employed to efficiently scan the PES and identify the global minimum of the Ptnanocluster alongside other low-energy configurations. The DRL agent iteratively learns to generate energetically favorable configurations by adjusting atomic positions based on feedback from a reward function designed to promote structural stability and discourage unrealistic geometries, such as overlapping or dissociating atoms.

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Brucellosis is a highly contagious, neglected, and re-emerging zoonotic bacterial disease that poses significant health and economic challenges globally for both humans and animals. Extensive literature is available for various diagnostic strategies; however, no comprehensive meta-analysis comparing the diagnostic tests used has been published. The present study aimed to estimate the relative risk (RR) of diagnostic tests used in humans and animals published between 2013 and 2023.

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Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are complex and affect a large part of the world's population; early accurate and timely prediction is also complicated. Typically, predicting CVDs involves using statistical models and other forms of standard machine learning. Although these methods offer some level of prediction, their black-box nature severely hinders the ability of the healthcare professional to trust and use the predictions.

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Cinnamaldehyde, a component of cinnamon bark extract, acts as a potential antioxidant by enhancing the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in various cell and animal models. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of cinnamaldehyde on the quality of Kajli ram sperm at 4°C and after freezing. Semen samples were obtained from 12 Kajli rams through an artificial vagina maintained at 42°C.

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Left ventricular pseudoaneurysms (LVPA) are rare complications of myocardial infarction (MI), occurring in less than 1% of cases. Diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific symptoms, particularly in large aneurysms. Imaging modalities like echocardiography, CTA, and CMR are vital for identifying LVPA, especially in atypical presentations involving massive aneurysms.

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Self-assembly offers a promising approach for producing functional nanomaterials from renewable biomass sources, as demonstrated in this study investigating two hardwood birch ( Roth) bark extractives: suberin hydrolysate (SH) and betulin fraction (BF). Using solvent inversion self-assembly with acetone, ethanol, and γ-valerolactone as solvents and water as an antisolvent, we prepared nanoparticles with tunable properties. Comprehensive characterization using FESEM image analysis revealed that SH formed predominantly rod-like structures (77-587 nm), while BF formed spherical particles (14-74 nm), with morphologies significantly influenced by solvent type and concentration.

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Despite decades of research, cancer remains a growing global health challenge. Nanomaterials-based therapeutics have shown promise, but their clinical applications are often limited by poor selectivity and undesirable side effects. Recently, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) based nanomachines have gained attention as intelligent drug carriers due to their ability to precisely target specific organelles.

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Background One of the main preventable risk factors for cardiovascular disease is hypertension, which is becoming more common in older persons. Objective The objective of the study is to determine the prevalence of hypertension and assess the level of awareness regarding the condition among older adults aged 60 years and above. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Bacha Khan Medical College, Mardan, from January to December 2023.

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