Publications by authors named "Saima Naz"

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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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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and are major ectoparasites affecting both humans and animals, causing significant economic losses to the dairy and agricultural sectors. This study aimed to evaluate the and efficacy of pistagremic acid (PA), a natural compound isolated from , against these parasites. Different concentrations of the compound were tested using the adult immersion test (AIT) and larval packet test (LPT) to assess their effects on mites and various tick life stages.

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Copper is an important element involved in the catalysis of many vital reactions in the body of an organism. However, excessive copper causes cellular damage by accelerating the production of reactive oxygen species and disrupting the physiological reactions. The present research was conducted to determine the toxicological effects including oxidative stress profile, concentrations of anti-oxidant enzymes and genotoxicity of three different doses (0.

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Iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs) hold immense promise in diverse fields, including medicine and environmental remediation. This study aims to develop a sustainable, biogenic synthesis of FeNPs using Pistacia khinjuk leaf extract and evaluate their multifunctional applications. The biogenically synthesized FeNPs were rigorously analyzed to confirm their properties - UV-Vis spectroscopy verified nanoparticle formation through characteristic absorption, XRD revealed the crystalline phase structure, PSA quantified the size distribution profile, and FTIR detected organic functional groups responsible for stabilization, while SEM visualized the surface morphology and aggregation behavior.

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Recent advancements in animal genetics, biotechnology, and bioinformatics can potentially contribute to the required improvement in fish production and quality. Current study explored for the first-time, various genes from Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) gene family which could play vital role in growth and development of Labeo rohita, an economically important freshwater fish. A number of tools and analysis like characterizing the selected genes, multiple alignment and clade-wise phylogeny, dual Synteny analysis and chromosomal distribution, characterization of proteins, secondary structure and 3D models of proteins, PROSITE scan analysis, and transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) of selected genes were performed to explore the relationship between selected genes from Labeo rohita and referenced species (Homo sapiens, Danio rerio, Oreochromis niloticus, Chelonia mydas, and Parus major).

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Objectives: To investigate the epidemiology, spectrum and ethno-demographic attributes of congenital anomalies (CA) in Okara district of Pakistan.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, individuals affected by CA were identified through door-to-door visits, surveys of public places, and district hospitals during the period 2015 to 2022 in Okara district of Punjab, Pakistan. Descriptive statistics were employed, and CA were classified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) databases.

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Aquatic toxicology, as a result of industrial and agrieqcultural effluences, has become a global concern impacting not only the well-being of aquatic organisms but human health as well. The current study evaluated the impact of four toxic trace elements (TTEs) Cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) in three organs (liver, gills, and muscles) of five fish species viz, Rita rita, Sperata sarwari, Wallago attu, Mastacembelus armatus, and Cirrhinus mrigala collected from right and left banks of Punjnad headworks during winter, spring, and summer. We investigated the accumulation (mg/kg) of these TTEs in fish in addition to the human health risk assessment.

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The reproductive efficiency of livestock is crucial for agricultural productivity and economic sustainability. One critical factor in successful fertilization and the viability of offspring is the quality of semen. Poor semen quality, especially in frozen-thawed semen used in artificial insemination (AI) have been shown to influence conception outcomes, resulting a negative impact on livestock production.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mountain landscapes, like those in Pir Chinasi National Park, face fragmentation from human activities (tourism, urbanization) and natural events (floods, landslides, climate change); the study focuses on this impact over 25 years.
  • A survey of 200 residents revealed that 60% noticed pressures on local vegetation, while NDVI analysis showed significant vegetation degradation, with over 34% of the area suffering from some level of land deterioration.
  • The research also noted that temperature increases correlate with vegetation changes, and although some areas saw improvements in plant cover, human activities were a major factor affecting the ecosystem.
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Protein malnutrition is a major public health concern in the developing world. The livestock products are a good source of high-quality protein, but the livestock industry is a source of pollution and one of the leading causes of climate change because the slaughtering of animals results in the accumulation of waste, offals, and several inedible body portions. The rapid increase in the human population and inadequate supply of traditional protein sources have driven a search for novel and alternative protein sources such as edible insects.

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  • Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) are increasingly used in biomedicine and agriculture but pose environmental risks, particularly concerning water ecosystems.
  • A study was conducted on grass carp to assess the toxic effects of MgO NPs, with fish exposed to varying concentrations (0.5 mg/L and 0.7 mg/L) over 21 days, while a control group remained unexposed.
  • Results indicated that higher doses of MgO NPs caused significant oxidative stress, DNA damage, and reduced antioxidant enzyme levels in the fish, highlighting adverse impacts on their physiological functions even at low concentrations.
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Background: Ficus benghalensis has been used by local health care practitioners to treat pain, inflammation, rheumatism, and other health issues.

Objective: In this study, the crude extract and diverse fractions, along with the isolated compound of F. benghalensis were examined for their roles as muscle relaxants, analgesics, and sedatives.

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Background: is extensively employed in traditional medicine. This study aimed to isolate and evaluate the therapeutic effects of 3'4'78-tetrahydroxy-3-methoxyflavone from crude extract.

Materials And Methods: The study utilized column chromatography for isolation.

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is used as a decorative tree and currently studied as a source of biofuels. Besides, its parts and extracts are endowed with several therapeutic uses which have been widely explored in traditional medicine and that are related to its rich composition in phytochemicals. Molecular docking and enzymatic inhibition tests were used to study the activity of eriodictyol, a flavonoid extracted from the barks of , against ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) and aldose reductase (ALR2).

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Fernandoa adenophylla, due to the presence of phytochemicals, has various beneficial properties and is used in folk medicine to treat many conditions. This study aimed to isolate indanone derivative from F. adenophylla root heartwood and assess in-vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic characteristics at varying concentrations.

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Cancer is one of the most demanding domains for innovative, effective, safe, and affordable therapeutically active chemicals. The main aim of this study is to research new phytochemicals with anticancer activity. The current experiment identified and analyzed six compounds for anti-cancer potential supported by molecular simulation studies.

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is locally practiced for treating diabetes, pain, inflammation, and erectile dysfunction. Therefore, the current studies subjected the crude extract/fractions and the isolated compound (2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-4H-chromen-4-one) to α-glucosidase inhibitor and anti-glycation activities. The development of long-term complications associated with diabetes is primarily caused by chronic hyperglycemia.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study focused on evaluating the potential of an extract and a specific compound, dinaphthodiospyrol S, as inhibitors of xanthine oxidase (XO), an enzyme linked to inflammation, using spectrophotometry and molecular docking techniques.
  • - The defatted chloroform extract showed the strongest XO inhibitory effect, while the isolated compound had a significant inhibition with an IC value of 1.09 µM, demonstrating strong interactions with key amino acids in the XO active site.
  • - Molecular studies highlighted the compound's electronic properties, indicating intramolecular charge transfer and providing insights into its reactivity, with oxygen atoms showing negative potential, suggesting they could be targets for electrophilic attack.
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The genus Neopsittaconirmus Conci, 1942 is a host-specific genus, found on both wild and captive parrots and love birds (order Psittaciformes). Two species of this genus: N. lybartota (Ansari, 1947) and N.

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Background: The aim of the current study was to investigate the anticancer potential of bioactive compounds isolated from the leaves of (). Lignans from were previously described to possess antibacterial, antileishmanial, and antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, the antiproliferative activity of cycloolivil (1), ferruginan (2), and ferruginan A (3) have not been investigated in depth.

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Heavy metal accumulation in freshwater ecosystem has become one of the major aquatic environmental concerns for freshwater flora and fauna due to their higher stability and bioaccumulation as well as bio-magnification properties. Furthermore, passing through the food web, these heavy metals affect human populations ultimately. This study assessed the heavy metal accumulation in in spring, autumn, and winter at different locations (I, II, and III) of Panjnad headwork.

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Objective: To compile a comprehensive national cancer registry report of Pakistan by merging and analysing cancer registration data received from major functional cancer registries in various parts of Pakistan.

Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Health Research Institute (HRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Islamabad, from 2015-2019.

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Maternal and foetal care has become an important concern in the wake of enormous global spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), but there is scarcity of information about maternal and perinatal outcomes. The current review was conducted from March to July 2020. Appropriate and related databases were searched electronically by using terms, like "COVID-19 and pregnancy", "pregnancy outcomes of COVID-19".

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