Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University

A combination of humoral and cell-mediated immune system stimulation is essential for developing an effective HIV vaccine. Traditional treatment options and the challenges posed by drug resistance necessitate the discovery of a viable vaccine candidate capable of eliciting a robust immunological response. This research aims to develop an HIV vaccine with a multi-epitope component using a unique immunoinformatics approach. A subunit vaccine comprising B-cell, helper T-cell, and cytotoxic T-cell epitopes, along with appropriate adjuvants and linkers, was employed to identify conserved regions in the Pol, Vpr, Gag, Tat, Env, Nef, and Vif proteins. The HIV subunit vaccine demonstrated the potential to activate both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, indicating its immunogenicity. The application of homology modeling and refinement further enhanced the model’s accuracy. Subsequently, the molecular docking procedure utilized the refined model structure to bind to the immunological receptor TLR-3 in lymphocyte cells. Following this, the potential interactions of the subunit vaccine with TLR-3 were investigated using molecular dynamics modeling. The vaccine’s stability was improved through a meticulous disulfide engineering technique that involved inserting cysteine residues into highly flexible regions. Finally, in silico cloning was employed to validate the efficacy of translating and producing the vaccine in a microbiological setting. The vaccine shows promising results in terms of population coverage, reaching 82% of the global population, with extraordinary efficacy in Asia, covering up to 95% of the population. Our HIV vaccine candidate is highly stable and elicits a robust immune response against HIV-1.

Productive apiaries and apicultural research for high quality and quantity of honey depend on melliferous plant variety. This study uses light microscopy to explore the palyno-taxonomic significance of bee forage plants in selected taxa from North Waziristan. Both quantitative and qualitative pollen characteristics were analyzed to aid in taxonomic identification. Key quantitative traits measured include polar and equatorial diameters, P/E ratio, exine thickness, and colpi dimensions. The largest pollen diameter was recorded in Senna italica 39.90 μm, while the smallest was in Verbesina encelioides 19.16 μm. The highest exine thickness was observed in Catharanthus roseus (2.95 μm), and the lowest in Nerium oleander 1.12 μm. The highest P/E ratio of 2.1 was found in Launaea procumbens. Pollen shape varied across species, with the most common type being oblate-spheroidal, followed by prolate-spheroidal, sub-prolate, and prolate. Exine sculpturing patterns observed included scabrate, micro-echinate, and psilate. Additionally, pollen aperture types ranged from tricolporate to hexacolporate. These findings contribute valuable insights for plant identification and have practical applications in honey production and the beekeeping industry.

Background and Aim: Heat stress (HS) negatively impacts poultry production by reducing growth performance and compromising physiological health. Nutritional strategies, particularly amino acid supplementation, are explored to mitigate these adverse effects. This study evaluates the impact of high dietary threonine supplementation on growth performance, health biomarkers, oxidative status, meat quality, and intestinal histology in cyclic HS broilers. Materials and Methods: A total of 288 1-day-old Hubbard broilers were randomly allocated to six treatment groups: Thermoneutral, HS control, and HS supplemented with 125% (HS-125), 150% (HS-150), 175% (HS-175), and 200% (HS-200) of NRC-recommended threonine. Birds in the HS groups were exposed to cyclic HS (35°C, 75% relative humidity) from day 22 to day 42. Growth performance was recorded weekly, while physiological parameters, oxidative stress markers, and jejunal histology were analyzed post-exsanguination. Results: HS significantly reduced body weight gain and feed intake, while threonine supplementation did not improve these parameters. However, liver weight, serum albumin, and cholesterol levels improved at higher threonine doses (175%–200%). Threonine also reduced serum corticosterone and malondialdehyde levels, suggesting enhanced stress resilience. Superoxide dismutase activity, an indicator of oxidative defense, improved in threonine-supplemented groups. In jejunal histology, acidic goblet cells increased, and intraepithelial lymphocyte infiltration decreased in birds supplemented with 175%–200% threonine, indicating enhanced gut integrity. Meat quality attributes, including crude protein and oxidative stability, showed minor but inconsistent variations across treatments. Conclusion: Although high dietary threonine supplementation (175%–200%) improved stress resilience by enhancing oxidative status, intestinal health, and selected physiological biomarkers in HS broilers, however, it failed to enhance growth performance. These findings suggest that while threonine supports physiological adaptations under HS, its use as a growth promoter under HS conditions may not be economically viable. Further studies are warranted to optimize amino acid balance in HS broilers for improved productivity. Keywords: broilers, heat stress, intestinal health, meat quality, oxidative status, threonine.

Drought stress is a serious paramount threat to sustainable crop production worldwide. However, a novel strategy to increase water use efficiency is the application of biochar, aiding in reducing the effects of drought stress in an affordable manner. Current research aimed to determine whether biochar could cope with the drought stress in loki (Laginaria siceraria). Impact biochar concentrations (500, 1000, 1500 mg/L) on the growth of two varieties (Long and Round) of loki grown under drought stress were analyzed in the form of growth attributes, photosynthetic status by DUAL PAM as well as quantification of antioxidants (Proline, CAT & SOD). Although drought stress negatively influenced the plant growth, photosynthetic activities like Y (II), Y (I), ETR-I and ETR-II and antioxidant enzymes: CAT & SOD along with an accumulation of proline. Conversely, plants treated with biochar specifically with a concentration of 1500 mg/L had a profound effect on the protection of PS II through the protective component of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) with downregulation of electron transport rate (ETR) by lowering reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, the application of biochar enhances the development of NPQ indirectly preventing drought-induced photo inhibition and enhancing the plant’s photosynthetic efficiency. There is a synergistic effect of biochar in strengthening the growth and photosynthetic activity of L. siceraria, altering its physiological and antioxidant status under water deficit conditions. It is recommended that the use of biochar can be crucial under drought stress circumstances, improving vegetable crops’ capacity to withstand drought conditions at the field level.

Climate change, urbanization, and overpopulation are of a global concern that can hamper smooth food supply chain and security worldwide. There is an extreme need to enhance food security through increased production and improved produce quality that meets consumer demands for preferred taste and nutrition. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of nutrition, minerals, taste, and essential phytochemicals. Conventional breeding techniques in fruits and vegetables require longer periods to develop new desirable cultivars. Therefore, it is pivotal to improve fruit and vegetable crop plants with the new robust and precision breeding techniques including genome editing. Gene editing refers to the modification of gene sequences either replacement, deletion, or insertion of foreign DNA segments. Currently, genome editing tools such as ZFNs, mega nuclease, TALENs, and the advanced CRISPR/Cas9 technologies are being explored advancing fruit and vegetable production and quality. The integration of gene editing techniques has been globally recognized for sustainable crop production and quality traits enhancement e.g. color and aroma, shelf life, and biotic and abiotic stress resilience augmentation. This advanced kind of breeding approach has saved time and sped up the breeding processes. These target genome editing crop improvement techniques carry a positive impact on human health in mitigating malnutrition. However, these techniques are expensive and require technical expertise. There is also a need to provide awareness among people to resolve myths and concerns relevant to genetically modified crops, as these innovative techniques have remarkable potential for agricultural food chain sustainability at present and beyond.

Wheat threshing leads to increased frequency of airborne pathogens, a potential health hazard to farm workers and neighboring community. The present study gave insights about prevalence of allergens (bacterial and fungal) in straw dust. The study, conducted during 2023 at PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan, aimed to evaluate reduction of pathogens frequency through three newly developed dust control systems, viz. system-I (dust control chamber), system-II (cyclone separator), and system-III (misting) attached to wheat thresher and control (conventional wheat threshing). Airborne pathogens (fungal and bacterial) were sampled using Petri plates placed at different distances from wheat thresher’s outlet using each dust control system as well as conventional wheat threshing. Bacterial and fungal colonies were cultured, isolated and noted their frequency. Four fungal genera (Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium sp., Alternaria sp. and Penicillium sp.) were identified from straw dust based on morphological characteristics. The prevalence of Cladosporium sp. was generally higher compared to other genera. Frequency of bacterial and fungal colonies decreased as the distance from the wheat thresher increased. Mean pathogen frequencies of bacteria (15, 17, 18 and 18) and fungi (32, 40, 48 and 184) were recorded for system-I, system-II, system-III and control, respectively. Results revealed that frequency of fungal pathogens was higher than bacterial in straw dust in all treatments. Percent decrease in bacteria (16.7, 5.6 and 0) and fungi (82.6, 78.3 and 73.9) was found for system-I, system-II and system-III, respectively. Hence, it can be inferred from results that system-I (dust control chamber) can reduce pathogens frequency effectively. Besides, these findings suggest solution to minimize straw dust thereby protecting the health of farm workers and nearby communities against intensity of allergens causing respiratory issues and related infections. Graphical Abstract

In this paper, the wave propagation and reflection are studied in nonlocal solid under the impact of Moore Gibson–Thompson model. The governing equations are Helmholtzed and converted into the homogeneous algebraic system of equations. The algebraic equations have non-trivial solutions that can provide the dispersion relation associated with propagation speed. Two coupled longitudinal waves (P-waves and T-waves) and one transverse wave (SV-wave) can be obtained from the dispersion relation. In this case, the ratios of the amplitudes of the reflected waves are calculated analytically by imposing a given set of appropriate boundary conditions. The amplitude ratio and propagation speed are also plotted graphically. The influence of nonlocality and thermal relaxation time parameter on the gained results is examined and visualized through graphical representations. Optimal results are obtained by neglecting the thermal relaxation time parameter.

Bio-oil is increasingly recognized as a sustainable and eco-friendly energy source, offering a viable alternative to petro-diesel. This study evaluates the bio-oil production potential of a novel oleaginous strain, KM9 (Serratia surfactantfaciens YD25) compared with the known oleaginous species R. erythropolis. Growth conditions and nutrient requirements were optimized for both strains to maximize biomass production and lipid accumulation. Utilizing orange waste as a substrate not only contributes to waste minimization but also provides a renewable carbon source for microbial lipid synthesis. KM9 demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving 50% reduction in organic matter from the orange waste while simultaneously accumulating lipids upto 38% of its dry cell weight. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of the transesterified lipids revealed that both KM9 and R. erythropoliss produced comparable levels of saturated fatty acids (38.39% and 39%, respectively), when cultivated in limonene-modified media. Notably, the use of orange waste stimulated the production of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), particularly palmitic and stearic acids, resulting in a lipid profile closely resembling that of plant-based bio-oils. These findings highlight the promising potential of the oleaginous strain KM9 for producing microbial lipids from orange waste, contributing to sustainable biodiesel production and effectively valorizing a significant agricultural waste stream.

This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric and scientometric analysis of 1,586 publications on socially responsible investment (SRI) from the Scopus database. The results were visualized using R-studio and VOS viewer software through the use of a bibliometric technique. The results and patterns of research themes, present and future research orientations, co-occurrence, co-citations, and trends in collaboration were determined by scientometric analysis. The body of literature on SRI has seen a notable expansion from 1991 to 2023. There has been a significant increase in the quantity of publications related to sustainable and responsible investment (RI) from 2020 to 2023. The identified research trends and collaboration trends encompass green bonds, sustainable investment, climate finance, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations, as well as green finance. Additionally, we provide an extended framework for the research, grounded in a thorough evaluation of the body of current literature. The results of our study offer valuable insights for future researchers, organizations, and policymakers seeking to comprehend the prevailing patterns and prospective developments in the field of SRI research.

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is a highly invasive pest causing significant damage to maize and a wide range of other crops. Effective biological control is crucial for sustainable pest management. This study investigated the influence of host age and molting stage on the parasitism efficiency of two potential biocontrol agents: Microplitis manilae (Ashmead) and Bracon hebetor (Say), targeting S. frugiperda larvae. Choice and no-choice bioassays were conducted to assess parasitism rates, host-finding behavior, and progeny development using 2nd and 4th instar larvae at different ages (1-, 2-, and 3-days post-molt). Results demonstrated a significant increase in parasitism success on older larvae, with the highest rates observed on 4th instar larvae 3-days post-molt. Notably, a female-biased sex ratio was observed in the emerged adult parasitoid population, particularly for B. hebetor parasitizing 3-day-old 2nd instar larvae. These findings underscore the critical role of host age and molting stage in optimizing parasitism success and provide valuable insights for developing effective biocontrol strategies against S. frugiperda within integrated pest management programs.

Habitat fragmentation and loss are considered primary threats to common leopards (Panthera pardus) across their geographical range. We investigated anthropogenic and environmental factors influencing the habitat suitability of leopards in northern Pakistan using an ensemble model of direct and indirect leopard signs during 2014–2022. Using location data from 206 leopard sightings the ensemble model's performance was good (true skill statistic, TSS = 0.52). Habitat suitability was highest in forest cover and negatively related to the density of settlements and roads. Habitat suitability peaked at intermediate elevations (about 1000–2000 m). Based on the ensemble model, we estimated 4543 km² of leopard habitat in northern Pakistan, of which 3144 km² (69%) occurred in six contiguous patches of at least 58 km² (range = 65–951 km²), the minimum size to support one female leopard. There was one patch of leopard habitat at least 58 km² within a protected area, and overall, 36% of total protected areas were estimated as suitable. Our findings suggest that the current network of protected areas in northern Pakistan does not adequately represent suitable habitat for leopards; increasing forest cover and expanding the protected area network could improve leopard habitat suitability.

Soil erosion presents a substantial environmental obstacle for farmers, especially in the plains of the Indus Basin, which are characterised by rainfall scarcity. This study utilised remotely sensed data on Google Earth Engine (GEE) to estimate the yearly soil erosion by implementing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model in the Central Indus Basin. The study's primary objective was to determine the order of importance and execute conservation strategies. The input datasets were processed on GEE to produce essential factors, including soil erosivity (R), soil erod-ibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), land cover (C) and land management techniques (P), which are required for the model. The yearly soil erosion in the study area varied from 1 to 26.2 t ha À1 year À1. The combined area of regions with low, moderate , high, and extremely high rates amounted to 1 445 397 ha. More precisely, 8670 (0.6%), 263 062 (18.2%) and 468 310 ha (32.4%) were allocated as first, second and third-class priority areas, respectively. These areas were geographically dispersed across the northwest and eastern regions of the basin, including sandy dunes and infrequent agricultural cultivation. This study highlighted the usability of remotely sensed data on GEE for reliable soil erosion estimation on a large scale. This methodology amplifies the effectiveness of planning and conservation endeavours. K E Y W O R D S GEE, land degradation, remote sensing, RUSLE model, soil conservation

Pakistan is the 2nd largest country in buffalo population in the world. The current population of buffalo in Pakistan is 45.0 million heads whereas the current world buffalo population is 200 million heads. Pakistan is home to one of the best buffalo breeds in the world i.e., Nili, Ravi, Nili-Ravi, Kundi, and Azi Khaili. Moreover, Pakistan is ranked 2nd largest buffalo-milk-producing country in the world. Keeping in consideration, the tremendous role and importance of buffalo, the current study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the important genetic studies conducted up till now and the need to apply the latest genomic tools, gene editing, and reproductive biotechnologies for the improvement of these native buffalo breeds. The current research is limited to a few diversity studies, basic phylogenetics, evolution, and genetic characterization using only a few loci and phenotypic studies of limited productive traits. The current picture is gloomy as proper genetic characterization and diversity study of these breeds has never been made using reliable, accurate, and advanced genomic techniques. In a developing country like Pakistan where there is no comprehensive data collection coupled with scattered farming without any organized breeding system; genomic selection, gene editing, and application of advanced reproductive biotechnology techniques are the most promising techniques for rapid and sustainable development in the productive and reproductive potential of our Black Gold. Advancement in the methods of genotyping using commercially available SNP Chips at affordable prices along with improvements in reproductive biotechnology and genome editing techniques will provide the framework for the true genetic exploration and optimal utilization of precious native buffalo breeds potential. Conclusively, these techniques have great potential to revolutionize the world's buffalo population.

Salt stress is a potential constraint that perturbs plant physiological and osmolytic processes, and induces oxidative stress. The plant biostimulant, such as humic acid (HA) is capable to improve the wheat-tolerance to salt stress through triggering the plant defense mechanisms and regulating the genetic determinants. In this context the present study has comparatively evaluated the effect of HA on salt tolerant synthetic hexaploid (SH) and salt susceptible bread wheat (BW) genotypes. The experiment was performed in three replicates using randomized complete block design (RCBD) having two factorial arrangements, with HA treatment as one, while genotype as second factor. HA treatment significantly enhanced chlorophyll (33.33%–100%) and photosynthesis (31.25%–50%), and significantly reduced the glycine betaine (GB) (42.85%–77.77%), proline (20%–28.57%) and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio (33.33%–50%) in salt stressed SH and BW genotypes. Additionally, HA significantly increase the activities superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) by 57.14%–66.67%, 54.54%–83.33%, and 55.55%–80%, respectively in all salt stressed genotypes. The salinity associated genes TaNHX1, TaHKT1,4, TaAKT1, TaPRX2A TaSOD and TaCAT1 were upregulated, while TaP5CS was downregulated in SH and BW genotypes corresponding to their regulatory traits. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis including correlation, principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmap dendrogram further rectified the strong impact of HA on the strength of association and expression of stress marker traits. Overall, the SH genotypes showed more strong response to the HA and illustrated significant tolerance to salt stress based upon physiological, biochemical and genetic indicators. Conclusively, the SH can serve as a bridge to transfer alien genes associated with salt tolerance into elite bread wheat germplasm.

Recently biochar has widely been reported as carrier of SRFs. However, the performance of SRFs synthesized from pristine biochar is still low and could not achieve the significant benefits compared to conventional N fertilizers. To overcome this limitation and research gap, BSRFs were synthesized using modified / de-ashed biochar as N-carrier. We hypothesized that BSRFs would NUE especially in alkaline calcareous soils for whom there is no specific SRF exist previously. In this study, the efficacy of BSRF formulated with 1:1 mass ratio of de-ashed biochar and urea was compared with CU and CSRF for improving NUE under wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system in two different textured soils. The results showed that compared to CU and CSRF, the addition of BSRF significantly increased the retention of soil mineral-N (NH4⁺-N, NO3⁻-N) which, consequently, enhanced the crops’ N-uptake up to 23.71% in wheat and 26.55% in maize. It was further observed that SOC contents were increased up to 50.79% in wheat and up to 47.61% in maize at harvest. The addition of BSRF enhanced the CEC up to 32.95% under wheat and up to 27.73% under maize, compared to CU. Eventually, BSRF significantly increased the grain yield and NUE of wheat by 12.04% and 40.44%, while the maize grain yield and NUE increased by 21.06% and 45.56%, respectively. This study concludes that BSRFs had a stronger yield-increasing effect than CU alone attributing to enhanced N retention and crop uptake in alkaline calcareous soils. It was also found that the de-ashed biochar is a strong candidate to formulate new SRFs with improved performance.

Phosphate buffer system function in cellular physiology and its consequences in disease states are thoroughly examined in this review. The review defines, explains the concepts, and types of buffers, as well as the variables affecting buffer capacity, starting with an introduction to the importance of buffers in preserving pH homeostasis. Phosphate buffers’ biological processes and composition are then explored, with an emphasis on their vital function in intracellular pH control. The regulation of enzyme activity, protein stability, cellular signaling, and membrane integrity are among the many cellular processes in which phosphate buffers are involved, and they are covered in additional detail. Furthermore covered in the review are disorders including metabolic acidosis, neurological disorders, and chronic renal disease that are associated with phosphate buffer deregulation. At last, this review offers a thorough summary of the function of phosphate buffers in cellular physiology and their importance in disease states, together with possible therapeutic approaches.

Conservation agriculture plays a crucial role in sustainable agricultural systems, emphasizing the preservation of soil health, biodiversity, and natural resources. Implementing conservation tillage and strip intercropping is a forward-thinking strategy designed to optimize soil organic carbon sequestration, enhancing soil health, particularly in semi-arid regions. To examine the benefits of reduced tillage and legume-based strip intercropping on soil carbon fractions and sequestration. An experimental setup using a randomized complete block design was initiated. The main treatments were conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and reduced tillage (RT), with sub-treatments of sole cropping (wheat, chickpea, sesame, soybean) and strip intercropping (wheat-chickpea, sesame-soybean). The RT outperformed other tillage treatments in all carbon fractions. The total organic carbon (TOC) concentration was higher in sole chickpea (1.65 g kg −1) and wheat-chickpea strip intercropping (1.64 g kg −1) during the first season, and in sole soybean (1.68 g kg −1) and sesame-soybean strip intercropping (1.67 g kg −1) at 0-15 cm soil depth. RT with leguminous crops, both as sole and strip intercropping, showed greater soil carbon sequestration (up to 2.03 Mg ha −1 yr −1) compared to cereals. These findings suggest that farmers can not only boost the health of their soils but also contribute to mitigating climate change through enhanced soil carbon sequestration by adopting such sustainable agricultural practices. Graphical Abstract

Carbon sequestration by application of organic materials and biochar in soil is an important strategy to increase soil organic carbon (SOC), but the stability of SOC, particularly humic substances (HS) vary with the types of organic material. In this study, cotton straw and its derived compost and biochar were added with equivalent carbon content to soil and incubated for 180 days. The structural characteristics of humic acid (HA), fulvic acid (FA) and humin (Hu) were investigated using solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that biochar treatment increased the aryl C of HA, FA, and Hu by 1.38%, 1.68%, and 10.46% compared to straw treatment and increased the aryl C of HA, FA, and Hu by 1.46%, 1.99% and 2.01% compared to compost treatment. The O-alkyl C of HA was 10.59% and 10.65% in high biochar/straw and biochar/compost ratios respectively, while it was 9.81% and 9.61% in low biochar/straw and biochar/compost ratios. In addition, the O-alkyl C of FA was 62.83% and 58.48% in high ratios of biochar/straw and biochar/compost, respectively, while it was 55.85% and 55.94% in low ratios of biochar/straw and biochar/compost. These results suggest that biochar is advantageous for aryl C formation of FA and Hu due to its high aryl C content, whereas straw or compost is advantageous for alkyl C formation of HA. The stability of aryl C and O-alkyl C of HA, FA, and Hu can be improved in soils by incorporating biochar in combination with straw or compost. Graphical abstract