Patcharapun Wanitsumran¹, Det Wattanachaiyingcharoen², Apichat Vitta^3,4, Anan Kenthao^1,3 , Prattana Lopin^1,3 , Wandee Wattanachaiyingcharoen^1,3*

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

² Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment,

Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

³ Center of Excellence for Biodiversity, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

⁴ Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand

*Corresponding author’s email: wandeew@nu.ac.th

Received: 28 June 2024 / Accepted: 02 December 2024 / Published Online: 23 January 2025

Abstract

Golden apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1822)) and giant African snails (Achatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822)) are among the most harmful invasive species that have spread across Thailand and numerous other countries. This study investigated the biochemical changes in these snails after infection by indigenous Thai entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). Five indigenous EPN isolates were used: Heterorhabditis indica (eAUT13.2_TH), H. bacteriophora (eALN18.2_TH), Steinernema lamjungense (eALN11.5_TH), S. siamkayai (eAPL10.3_TH), and S. surkhetense (eALN6.3_TH). Two-, three-, and four-month-old golden apple snails and three- and five-month-old giant African snails were infected with the EPNs at a density of 300 IJs/1.0 ml per snail. Biochemical analyses was conducted at 12 hours, 24 hours, and ten days after infection to assess the impact of EPNs on the snails’ biochemistry. The results revealed significant changes in biochemical parameters after infection. After 12 and 24 hours, the average concentrations of total protein and uric acid decreased, while AST (Aspartate Transaminase) and ALT (Alanine Transaminase) levels increased. Furthermore, after ten days, AST and ALT concentrations continued to increase, while total protein and uric acid levels further declined. All tests indicated statistically significant differences between the control and infected groups. These findings demonstrate that EPN infections can significantly affect biochemical parameters in non-primary host snails, ultimately leading to the death of the infected snails.

Keywords: Pomacea canaliculata, Achatina fulica,Biochemical alteration, Mollusk pests

Yan Ji Teoh^1,2, Wan Hee Cheng^1,2*, Walton Wider^3,4, Kumar Krishnan^1,2, Chee Kong Yap⁵, Qijin Chen⁶, Leilei Jiang⁶, Thomas Man Tat Lei⁷, Tawatchai Tanee^8,9, Runglawan Sudmoon¹⁰, Shiou Yih Lee^1,2

¹Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

²Center for Health, Well-being, and Environmental Sustainability, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

³Faculty of Business and Communications, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

⁴Department of Applied Economic Sciences, Wekerle Sandor Uzleti Foiskola, Budapest, Hungary

⁵Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

⁶Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

⁷Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macau, 999078, China

⁸Faculty of Environmental and Resource Studies, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham 44150, Thailand

⁹One Health Research Unit, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44000, Thailand

¹⁰Faculty of Law, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand

*Corresponding author’s email: wanhee.cheng@newinti.edu.my

Received: 05 September 2024 / Accepted: 29 November 2024 / Published Online: 23 January 2025

Abstract

This current study assessed the toxicity of selected heavy metals in paddy and sediments of non-major production sites in Southern Peninsular Malaysia, complemented by bibliometric analysis of research trends and health implications of rice contamination. Paddy (grains, stems, roots) and soil samples were collected from seven selected sites in the Southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia and analyzed for their heavy metals content. The health risk assessments were conducted based on estimated daily intake, and the Web of Science database was used for bibliometric analysis. The results indicated elevated levels of manganese, Mn (0.4 ± 0.07), especially in the roots, compared to other heavy metals. Generally, the heavy metal levels in paddy grains were below FAO/WHO’s tolerable daily intake levels, indicating minimal non-carcinogenic risks to both adults and children. The bibliometric analysis indicated a significant increase in related publications, reflecting growing academic interest. This study highlights the potential of non-major sites to produce rice with lower contamination levels, provides insights into research trends, and identifies future investigation areas, especially for major production sites and post-COVID-19 periods. Therefore, this study offers a robust scientific context, identifies research gaps, benchmarks findings, and guides future research directions, ensuring an in-depth perception on heavy metal contamination and its health risks.

Keywords: Heavy metals risk assessment, ICP-MS, Bibliometric analysis, Rice contamination, Human health

Mahwish Raza¹*, Farid Asif Shaheen¹, Asim Gulzar¹, Muhammad Sheeraz Ahmad², Ambreen Maqsood³

¹Department of Entomology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

²Department of Biochemistry, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

³Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s email: mahwishraza1214@gmail.com

Received: 12 June 2024 / Accepted: 05 December 2024 / Published Online: 23 January 2025

Abstract

The saw-toothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) is one of the most destructive pests known to target foods that are stored. Due to cosmopolitan nature, it is practically certain to be present in any stored food. Excessive application of chemicals can interfere with natural pest control systems by developing resistance and requiring the use of stronger or higher concentrations of the chemicals. The present research was carried out to find a safe and environmentally sustainable substitute for synthetic insecticides to manage saw-toothed grain beetle. Entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae for suppressing the saw-toothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis was investigated by using varied fungal concentrations viz. 1×10⁴, 1×10⁶, 1×10⁸, 1×10¹⁰ and 1×10¹² spores/ml in stored split chickpea. Findings of this study have shown that fewer F₁ adults appeared in split chickpea when the highest concentration of B. bassiana was applied as compared to M. anisopliae. Less inhibition percentage of saw-toothed grain beetle adults being found when B. bassiana was applied. Weight loss was more in split chickpea when treated with lowest concentration of B. bassiana.  Adult saw-toothed grain beetles were found to be more susceptible towards M. anisopliae as compared to B. bassiana.  The concentration of 1×10¹² spores per ml of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae are suggested for management of O. surinamensis in stored split chickpea.

Keywords: Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Entomopathogenic, Fungi, Split chickpea

Marzouqah Almudayni¹, Raghad Aljohani¹, Sahar Khateeb¹*, Mody Albalawi¹, Kouther Alharthany¹, Noha Hamed²

¹Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia

²Nuclear Research Centre, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt

*Corresponding author’s email: skhateeb@ut.edu.sa

Received: 14 October 2024 / Accepted: 26 November 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

Radiation-related toxicity is a major concern for certain tissues and organs in radiation oncology practice. In abdominal tumor radiation treatment, the pancreas is particularly sensitive to radiation and should be considered at risk. The primary causes of acute pancreatitis after exposure to gamma radiation are oxidative damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of matcha silver nanoparticles (M-AgNPs) in mitigating oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by gamma radiation in the pancreas of female rats. Rats were exposed to 6 Gy of gamma radiation and subsequently administered an oral treatment with matcha (M) or M-AgNPs (10 ml/kg/day) for 14 days. We examined apoptotic markers such as caspase 3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2), and B-cell lymphoma-2-associated protein X (BAX) to evaluate their impact on cell survival. Additionally, the study investigated the modulation of antioxidants, glutathione S-transferases (GST), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The findings indicated that the administration of M-AgNPs for two weeks post-radiation exposure is more efficacious in diminishing lipid peroxidation and suppressing apoptotic indicators compared to conventional M treatments. M-AgNPs significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the elevation of MDA and demonstrated a considerable (p < 0.05) increase in GST. Moreover, it exhibited a markedly elevated level (p < 0.05) of BCL-2 and a significantly decreased level of Bax and caspase-3 (p < 0.05) in comparison to irradiated rats. The results of the histopathological investigations showed a notable enhancement in the histological characteristics of pancreatic tissue. In conclusion, the finding indicated that the AgNPs synthesized from matcha could potentially mitigate the adverse effects of radiation exposure. Further investigation is required to elucidate specific molecular pathways and their long-term consequences.

Keywords: Gamma radiation, Matcha, Silver nanoparticles, Oxidative stress, Apoptosis, Pancreas

Mohsen A. Khormi¹, Mohammed A. Alfattah¹, Mabrouk A. Abo-Zaid¹, Saif Elden B. Abdalla², A. El-Shabasy^1*

¹Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

²College of Medical Laboratory Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding author’s email: ael-shabasy@jazanu.edu.sa

Received: 09 August 2024 / Accepted: 27 December 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

The current study is to highlight the effect of natural phyto-product as Moringa oleifera Lam. oil and another artificial insecticide as cypermethrin on efficiency of two different organs of male rats related to different systems; testes and livers. The study utilized probit analysis to determine sub-lethal and lethal doses. Twenty-four male rats were divided into four experimental groups; G1: controlled group, G2 exposed to cypermethrin (CYP), G3 exposed to combination between Moringa oleifera Lam. oil and cypermethrin. G4 treated with moringa oil only. The biochemical analyses were performed as plasma glucose, total protein and albumin levels. ANOVA test besides histological features examined the parenchyma of both studied organs. Cypermethrin had detrimental effects on rats, leading to elevated serum glucose levels, reduced levels of total protein and albumin besides histopathological alterations observed in both studied organs. The molecular docking analysis of a specific testicular protein expressed the high affinity with Cypermethrin active bonds. The findings confirmed on the need of using natural products to overcome the spread of artificial chemicals in our environments.

Keywords: Insecticide, Medicinal plant, Edema, Hemorrhage, Histology, Toxicity, Anticancer

Wasba Sarfraz¹, Maria Khalid², Awais Rasheed¹, Tariq Mahmood^1*

¹Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

²Atta-ur-Rehman School of Biological Sciences (ASAB), National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s email: tmahmood@qau.edu.pk

Received: 27 December 2023 / Accepted: 10 July 2024 / Published Online: 13 January 2025

Abstract

Rapid change in global environmental conditions will increase the severity of salinity and drought stresses. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple crop worldwide and its production is affected by these two major abiotic stresses. Use of breeding and transgenic techniques facilitated the development of tolerant varieties able to withstand in drought and saline environments. This work investigated the role of Solanum lycopersicum proteinase inhibitor II (PI-II), SlPI-II, gene for mounting tolerance under salinity and drought stress in transgenic wheat. Significant increase of 6.41-fold (TL1) was observed in transgenic plants at 1 day post 100m NaCl treatment. A gradual increase in the expression was observed at 200 mM NaCl treatment. At 300mM treatment, 3.78-fold (TL5) increase in the expression level was recorded. The maximum fold change of 5.01 and 3.99 was observed in 6 days post treatment at 100 mM and 200 mM in TL1, respectively. The extended saline treatment (14 days post treatment) in transgenic lines resulted the higher SlPI-II induction than control wheat plants which showed the efficacy of this gene in salinity tolerance. SlPI-II expression in 15% PEG treated plants showed transcript up to 7.31 fold increase during 1 day post treatment, while at 25% PEG transgene expression ranged from 3.45 to 2.27 fold increase. Conclusively, the role of SlPI-II gene in drought tolerance was due to sustained transcript increment during PEG treatment. We demonstrated that modern day transgenic approaches utilizing plant-based proteinase inhibitors will provide the new opportunities for the development of tolerant varieties in future.

Keywords: Wheat, NaCl, Proteinase inhibitor, Transgenic wheat, PEG6000

Muhammad Khalid Mansoor*¹, Kashif Iqbal¹, Ali Hassan², Muhammad Saqib², Ali Zohaib¹, Sabiqaa Masood³

¹Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Science, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

²Department of Clinical Medicine & Surgery, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

³Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary & Animal Science, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

*Corresponding author’s email: khalid.mansoor@iub.edu.pk

Received: 13 September 2023 / Accepted: 5 April 2024 / Published Online: 13 December 2024

Abstract

Contagious Ecthyma (CE), also known as scabby mouth disease, is caused by an epitheliotropic parapoxvirus that primarily affects the goat and sheep populations worldwide. This study focused on investigating 12 outbreaks of CE in sheep and goat herds across various regions of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 35 samples were collected between March 2021 and May 2022, with 34 out of 35 samples testing positive for parapoxvirus through PCR. Subsequently, 24 complete sequences of the major envelope protein B2L gene were successfully obtained. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the ORF virus B2L gene were analyzed. The 1206bp amplicons, after Sanger sequencing revealed an open reading frame of 1137bp encoding 378 amino acids. The minimum and maximum nucleotide differences of 0 and 34, respectively, were observed, while the percentage similarity at the nucleotide level and amino acid level ranged from 97.98% to 100% and 97.62% to 100%, respectively, among the ORF strains in this research study. The results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed that all 24 ORF virus isolates from Pakistan belonged to Group-I ORF viruses. The comparative homology of Pakistani ORF virus strains with Indian, Chinese, and Turkish isolates was 99.03%, 98.59%, and 98.15%, respectively. This study contributes to understanding the circulation of Group I ORF viruses in Pakistan and their relationship with strains from neighbouring countries. Furthermore, these findings may offer insights into the genotype of the causative agent responsible for the contagious pustular dermatitis (CPD) outbreak in Punjab, Pakistan.

Keywords: B2L gene, Contagious, Contagious pustular dermatitis, ORF