Biology subjects

Ahmad, M. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Ahmad, M. M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Mosquito Specie Composition and Pyrethroid Resistance Status in Daura, Maiadua and Sandamu LGAs, Katsina State

BackgroundMalaria and other mosquito-borne diseases remain major public health in Nigeria. Insecticide-based interventions are vital for disease control but their effectiveness is threatened by the limited knowledge of local mosquito species and their resistance to insecticides. AimThe aim of this research is to determine the specie composition and pyrethroid resistance status of mosquitoes in Daura, Maiadua and Sandamu local governments, Katsina state. Materials and MethodMosquito larvae were collected from different locations in the study area between July to October and reared to adults in general Biology lab, federal polytechnic Daura. The adult mosquitoes were identified and subjected for bioassay. Five different WHO insecticide-impregnated papers namely Alphacypermetrin, Deltametrin, Lambdacyhalothrin and Permethrin were used for this study. The impregnated papers were tested against the emerged adult mosquitoes using WHO standard operating procedure. Culex and Aedes were morphologically identified to specie level while Anopheles were molecularly identified. The kdr mutation was also assessed in the Anopheles mosquitoes. ResultsAll the three genera; Anopheles, Culex and Aedes were present in the study area with Anopheles being the dominant. Culex quinquifasciatus and Aedes aegypti were the dominant species of Culex and Aedes respectively, while Anopheles gambiae s.l. was the dominant Anopheles species. Bioassays revealed widespread resistance to all the tested insecticides across all genera and locations, with particularly high resistance to deltamethrin, (mortality rates 17-48%). molecular analysis showed a high frequency of the 1014 mutation in the Anopheles mosquito. Conclusion and RecommendationsAnopheles gambiae s. l., Culex quinquifasciatus and Aedes aegypti are the dominant mosquito species in the study area. Deltametrin was less effective than the other classes of pyrethroids. These findings are important for guiding malaria control programs in Nigeria particularly in selecting effective insecticides for vector management.

zoology↗

bioRxiv2021

TISON: a next-generation multi-scale modeling theatre for in silico systems oncology

Multi-scale models integrating biomolecular data from genetic, transcriptional, and translational levels, coupled with extracellular microenvironments can assist in decoding the complex mechanisms underlying system-level diseases such as cancer. To investigate the emergent properties and clinical translation of such cancer models, we present Theatre for in silico Systems Oncology (TISON, https://tison.lums.edu.pk), a next-generation web-based multi-scale modeling and simulation platform for in silico systems oncology. TISON provides a "zero-code" environment for multi-scale model development by seamlessly coupling scale-specific information from biomolecular networks, microenvironments, cell decision circuits, in silico cell lines, and organoid geometries. To compute the temporal evolution of multi-scale models, a simulation engine and data analysis features are also provided. Furthermore, TISON integrates patient-specific gene expression data to evaluate patient-centric models towards personalized therapeutics. Several literature-based case studies have been developed to exemplify and validate TISONs modeling and analysis capabilities. TISON provides a cutting-edge multi-scale modeling pipeline for scale-specific as well as integrative systems oncology that can assist in drug target discovery, repositioning, and development of personalized therapeutics.

systems biology↗

bioRxiv2019

No consistent evidence for microbiota in murine placental and fetal tissues

The existence of a placental microbiota and in utero colonization of the fetus has been the subject of recent debate. The objective of this study was to determine whether the placental and fetal tissues of mice harbor bacterial communities. Bacterial profiles of the placenta and fetal brain, lung, liver, and intestine were characterized through culture, qPCR, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These profiles were compared to those of the maternal mouth, lung, liver, uterus, cervix, vagina, and intestine, as well as to background technical controls. Positive bacterial cultures from placental and fetal tissues were rare; of the 165 total bacterial cultures of placental tissues from the 11 mice included in this study, only nine yielded at least a single colony, and five of those nine positive cultures came from a single mouse. Cultures of fetal intestinal tissues yielded just a single bacterial isolate: Staphylococcus hominis, a common skin bacterium. Bacterial loads of placental and fetal brain, lung, liver, and intestinal tissues were not higher than those of DNA contamination controls and did not yield substantive 16S rRNA gene sequencing libraries. From all placental or fetal tissues (N = 49), there was only a single bacterial isolate that came from a fetal brain sample having a bacterial load higher than that of contamination controls and that was identified in sequence-based surveys of at least one of its corresponding maternal samples. Therefore, using multiple modes of microbiologic inquiry, there was not consistent evidence of bacterial communities in the placental and fetal tissues of mice. IMPORTANCEThe prevailing paradigm in obstetrics has been the sterile womb hypothesis, which posits that fetuses are first colonized by microorganisms during the delivery process. However, some are now suggesting that fetuses are consistently colonized by microorganisms in utero by microbial communities that inhabit the placenta and intra-amniotic environment. Given the established causal role of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (i.e. intra-amniotic infection) in pregnancy complications, especially preterm birth, if the in utero colonization hypothesis were true, there are several aspects of current understanding that will need to be reconsidered including the magnitude of intra-amniotic microbial load required to cause disease and their potential influence on the ontogeny of the immune system. However, acceptance of the in utero colonization hypothesis is premature. Herein, we do not find consistent evidence for placental and fetal microbiota in mice using culture, qPCR, and DNA sequencing.

microbiology↗