Pepper immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum is positively regulated by CaWRKY3 through modulation of different WRKY transcription factors.

BACKGROUND: Several WRKY transcription factors (TFs), including CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 are known to govern the resistance of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants to Ralstonia solanacearum infestation (RSI) and other abiotic stresses. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes remain elusive. METHODS: This study functionally described CaWRKY3 for its role in pepper immunity against RSI. The roles of phytohormones in mediating the expression levels of CaWRKY3 were investigated by subjecting pepper plants to 1 mM salicylic acid (SA), 100 µM methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and 100 µM ethylene (ETH) at 4-leaf stage. A virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) approach based on the Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) was used to silence CaWRKY3 in pepper, and transiently over-expressed to infer its role against RSI. RESULTS: Phytohormones and RSI increased CaWRKY3 transcription. The transcriptions of defense-associated marker genes, including CaNPR1, CaPR1, CaDEF1, and CaHIR1 were decreased in VIGS experiment, which made pepper less resistant to RSI. Significant hypersensitive (HR)-like cell death, H2O2 buildup, and transcriptional up-regulation of immunological marker genes were noticed in pepper when CaWRKY3 was transiently overexpressed. Transcriptional activity of CaWRKY3 was increased with overexpression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40, and vice versa. In contrast, Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000) was easily repelled by the innate immune system of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana that overexpressed CaWRKY3. The transcriptions of defense-related marker genes like AtPR1, AtPR2, and AtNPR1 were increased in CaWRKY3-overexpressing transgenic A. thaliana plants. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that CaWRKY3 favorably regulates phytohormone-mediated synergistic signaling, which controls cell death in plant and immunity of pepper plant against bacterial infections.

A basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor CabHLH113 positively regulate pepper immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum.

Pepper's (Capsicum annum) response to bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearm inoculation (RSI) and abiotic stresses is known to be synchronized by transcriptional network; however, related molecular mechanisms need extensive experimentation. We identified and characterized functions of CabHLH113 -a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor-in pepper immunity to R. solanacearum infection. The RSI and foliar spray of phytohormones, including salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), ethylene (ETH), and absicic acid (ABA) induced transcription of CabHLH113 in pepper. Loss of function of CabHLH113 by virus-induced-gene-silencing (VIGS) compromised defense of pepper plants against RSI and suppressed relative expression levels of immunity-associated marker genes, i.e., CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaHIR1 and CaABR1. Pathogen growth was significantly increased after loss of function of CabHLH113 compared with un-silenced plants with remarkable increase in pepper susceptibility. Besides, transiently over-expression of CabHLH113 induced HR-like cell death, H2O2 accumulation and up-regulation of defense-associated marker genes, e.g. CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaHIR1 and CaABR1. Additionally, transient over-expression of CabHLH113 enhanced the transcriptional levels of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY27 and CaWRKY40. Conversely, transient over-expression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY27 and CaWRKY40 enhanced the transcriptional levels of CabHLH113. Collectively, our results indicate that newly characterized CabHLH113 has novel defense functions in pepper immunity against RSI via triggering HR-like cell death and cellular levels of defense linked genes.

Molecular characterization and RSV Co-infection of Nicotiana benthamiana with three distinct begomoviruses.

Geminiviruses constitute a family of plant viruses with characteristic twinned quasi-icosahedral virions and a small circular DNA genome. Geminiviruses, especially begomoviruses, cause substantial economic losses in tropical and subtropical regions globally. Geminiviruses use the host's transcriptional mechanisms to synthesize their mRNAs. They are considered as an attractive model to understand the transcription mechanism of their host plants. Experiments were conducted to identify transcriptional start sites (TSSs) of the three begomoviruses, i.e., Cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMuV), Corchorus yellow vein virus (CoYVV), and Ramie mosaic virus (RamV). We first rub-inoculated Rice stripe tenuivirus (RSV), a segmented negative-sense RNA virus that uses cap-snatching to produce capped viral mRNAs, into N. benthamiana. After the inoculation, RSV-infected N. benthamiana were super-infected by CoYVV, CLCuMuV, or RamV, respectively. The capped-RNA leaders snatched by RSV were obtained by determining the 5'-ends of RSV mRNA with high throughput sequencing. Afterwards, snatched capped-RNA leaders of RSV were mapped onto the genome of each begomovirus and those matching the begomoviral genome were considered to come from the 5' ends of assumed begomoviral mRNAs. In this way, TSSs of begomoviruses were obtained. After mapping these TSSs onto the genome of the respective begomovirus, it was found very commonly that a begomovirus can use many different TSSs to transcribe the same gene, producing many different mRNA isoforms containing the corresponding open reading frames (ORFs).

Exogenous application of black cumin (Nigella sativa) seed extract improves maize growth under chromium (Cr) stress.

Accumulation of non-essential heavy metals like chromium (Cr) is among major abiotic stresses, which adversely affect crop growth. Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is the most dangerous form negatively affecting the growth and productivity of crops. This study evaluated the role of black cumin extracts (BCE) in improving growth and productivity of maize genotypes under different concentrations of Cr(VI). Two maize genotypes ("Neelum" and "P1543") were grown under 0, 4, 8 and 12 mg Cr(VI) kg-1 concentrations. The BCE was applied as foliar spray at three concentrations (0, 10 and 20%) at 25 and 45 days after sowing. Increasing Cr(VI) concentration significantly (p < 0.05) reduced seed germination, root and allometric traits, gas exchange attributes and relative water contents of tested genotypes. Hybrid maize genotype better tolerated tested Cr(VI) concentrations than synthetic genotype with lower Cr accumulation and better allometric and gas exchange traits. Exogenous application of 20% BCE proved effective in lowering the adverse effects of Cr(VI) toxicity on maize genotypes. It is concluded that 20% BCE could be used to improve maize performance through better allometric and gas exchange traits under different Cr(VI) concentrations. Nonetheless, actual mechanisms involved in improved Cr(VI)-tolerance of maize with BCE application must be explored. Novelty statement Black cumin has been widely used to reduce Cr toxicity in animals. However, the role of black cumin in reducing Cr toxicity in plants has never been studied. The present study was conducted to infer the role of different concentrations of black cumin extract in improving the growth of synthetic and hybrid maize genotypes under different levels of Cr stress. It is concluded that black cumin extract could be used to lower Cr toxicity in maize grown under Cr-contaminated soils.

CaWRKY30 Positively Regulates Pepper Immunity by Targeting CaWRKY40 against Ralstonia solanacearum Inoculation through Modulating Defense-Related Genes.

The WRKY transcription factors (TFs) network is composed of WRKY TFs' subset, which performs a critical role in immunity regulation of plants. However, functions of WRKY TFs' network remain unclear, particularly in non-model plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). This study functionally characterized CaWRKY30-a member of group III Pepper WRKY protein-for immunity of pepper against Ralstonia solanacearum infection. The CaWRKY30 was detected in nucleus, and its transcriptional expression levels were significantly upregulated by R. solanacearum inoculation (RSI), and foliar application ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA). Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CaWRKY30 amplified pepper's vulnerability to RSI. Additionally, the silencing of CaWRKY30 by VIGS compromised HR-like cell death triggered by RSI and downregulated defense-associated marker genes, like CaPR1, CaNPR1, CaDEF1, CaABR1, CaHIR1, and CaWRKY40. Conversely, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 in pepper leaves instigated HR-like cell death and upregulated defense-related maker genes. Furthermore, transient over-expression of CaWRKY30 upregulated transcriptional levels of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. On the other hand, transient over-expression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 upregulated transcriptional expression levels of CaWRKY30. The results recommend that newly characterized CaWRKY30 positively regulates pepper's immunity against Ralstonia attack, which is governed by synergistically mediated signaling by phytohormones like ET, ABA, and SA, and transcriptionally assimilating into WRKY TFs networks, consisting of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY22, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40. Collectively, our data will facilitate to explicate the underlying mechanism of crosstalk between pepper's immunity and response to RSI.

Ertapenem-induced encephalopathy in a patient with liver abscess and acute kidney injury.

A man in his late 70s, retired and independent, generally fit and well with a history of normal cognitive function baseline presented with liver abscess and acute kidney injury. He received meropenem 1 g three times a day for 15 days then subsequently changed to ertapenem 1 g one time a day in preparation for outpatient antibiotic treatment. After 2 days of starting ertapenem, the patient developed night-time delirium, decreased orientation and insomnia, loss of appetite, jerking and hallucination. Investigations have been done to investigate the cause of acute delirium, including lumbar puncture, CT brain, MRI brain, repeat CT abdomen and pelvis to monitor the liver abscess, and electroencephalogram but results were all unremarkable. Medication history during admission was reviewed and discontinued one by one the medications that were suspected to have caused the encephalopathy. Two days following the discontinuation of ertapenem, the patient's symptoms improved with a rapid return to his baseline and without neurological deficit.

Boron seed coating combined with seed inoculation with boron tolerant bacteria (Bacillus sp. MN-54) and maize stalk biochar improved growth and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) on saline soil.

Salinity exerts significant negative impacts on growth and productivity of crop plants and numerous management practices are used to improve crop performance under saline environments. Micronutrients, plant growth promoting bacteria and biochar are known to improve crop productivity under stressful environments. Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important cereal crop and its productivity is adversely impacted by salinity. Although boron (B) application, seed inoculation with boron-tolerant bacteria (BTB) and biochar are known to improve maize growth under stressful environments, there is less information on their combined impact in enhancing maize productivity on saline soils. This study investigated the impact of B seed coating combined with seed inoculation with BTB + biochar on maize productivity under saline soil. Four B seed coating levels [0.0 (no seed coating), 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 g B kg-1 seed], and individual or combined application of 5 % (w/w) maize stalk biochar, and seed inoculation with Bacillus sp. MN-54 BTB were included in the study. Different growth and yield attributes and grain quality were significantly improved by seed coating with 1.5 B kg-1 seed coupled with biochar + BTB. Seed coating with 1.5 B kg-1 seed combined with biochar + BTB improved stomatal conductance by 32 %, photosynthetic rate by 15 %, and transpiration ratio by 52 % compared to seed coating (0 B kg-1 seed) combined with biochar only. Similarly, the highest plant height (189 cm), number of grain rows cob-1 (15.5), grain yield (54.9 g plant-1), biological yield (95.5 g plant-1), and harvest index (57.6 %) were noted for B seed coating (1.5 g B kg-1 seed) combined with biochar + BTB inoculation. The same treatment resulted in the highest grain protein and B contents. It is concluded that B seed coating at 1.5 g B kg-1 seed combined with biochar + BTB inoculation could significantly improve yield and quality of maize crop on saline soils. However, further field experiments investigating the underlying mechanisms are needed to reach concrete conclusions and large-scale recommendations.

Evaluating the Safety and Quality of Diagnostic Colonoscopies Performed by General Surgeons: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Colonoscopy, which is a challenging procedure and requires adequate time to master the skill, is the procedure of choice to visualize colonic mucosa to rule out many colonic pathologies. There is a dearth of published information from real clinical experiences regarding successful procedures and limitations. The end point of colonoscopy is the visualization of the cecal pole by intubating the cecum. Many Europeans and English health organizations recommend that the procedure should have a completion rate of around or above 90%. Gut preparation is an important determinant for a successful procedure and obviates the need for further invasive and/or expensive procedures such as imaging. The majority of colonoscopies are being performed by gastroenterologists (GI) throughout the world, and the role of a surgeon as an endoscopist is in debate. Before this study, neither a retrospective nor a prospective evaluation of the general surgeon's (GS) endoscopy's quality and safety had been evaluated in our institution. Material and method This retrospective observational study was carried out from 1 January 2022 to 31 August 2022 in the Department of Surgery at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, to evaluate colonoscopy completion rates, reason for failure, and complications in terms of bleeding and perforation. All patients undergoing lower gastrointestinal endoscopy (LGiE), both elective and emergency, were included. Patients under 15 years of age and patients known to be hepatitis B-positive or hepatitis C-positive were excluded from the study. All relevant data were entered into a data sheet. Qualitative variables such as gender, cecal intubation, adjusted cecal intubation, gut preparation, reasons for failed colonoscopy, analgesia use, and complications (bleeding and perforation) were calculated as frequency and percentage. Quantitative data such as age and pain score were reported as mean and standard deviation (SD). Details obtained were tabulated and analyzed via the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY). Results A total of 57 patient data were collected; 35.1% (n=20) were female, and 64.9% (n=37) were males. The cecal intubation rate (CIR) was 49.1% (n=28), and the adjusted rate was 71.9%, excluding incompleteness due to mass obstructing lumen, 8.8% (n=5); planned left colonoscopy, 7% (n=4); sigmoidoscopy, 3.5% (n=2); distal stoma scope, 1.8% (n=1); and colonic stricture, 1.8% (n=1). The prevalent reason for failed colonoscopy was inadequate gut preparation (15.8% {n=9}). Other reasons include patient discomfort, 3.5% (n=2); looping of scope, 7% (n=4); and acute colonic angulation, 1.8% (n=1). No complications were recorded. Conclusion This study shows that colonoscopy can be done by general surgeons safely and effectively with adequate training. High rates of cecal intubation emerge during colonoscopies performed under deep sedation and by skilled colonoscopists. Adequate bowel preparatory regimen is compulsory for quality procedure.

Comparison Of Outcome Between Open Haemorrhoidectomy Versus Trans-Anal Doppler Guided Hemorrhoidal Artery Ligation With Recto-Anal Repair In 3rd And 4th Degree Haemorrhoids.

BACKGROUND: Haemorrhoids are very common but their exact prevalence is not known as most of the people suffering from them do not seek medical or surgical advice. The literature states their prevalence to be about 39% and commonly affect people aged between 45-65 years of age. Objective of the study was to compare the outcomes of open haemorrhoidectomy Vs Trans anal Doppler ultrasound guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation with recto-anal repair in 3rd and 4th degree haemorrhoids. It was a Randomized control trial, conducted at the Department of Surgery, King Edward Medical University, Lahore; from October 2019 to March 2021. METHODS: This was a randomized control trial study where the results of 70 patients of haemorrhoids including 3rd and 4th degree disease fulfilling the selection criteria, who underwent open haemorrhoidectomy (OH) and Doppler guided haemorrhoidal artery ligation with rectoanal repair (HAL RAR) procedure on elective and emergency operating lists, were analyzed with regards to post-operative pain, bleeding and hospital stay. RESULTS: From our seventy patients the minimum age was 23 and maximum age limit was 55 years (mean: 35.09±7.47). There were 49 (70%) males and 21 (30%) females. Mean post-op pain on day 7 for OH was 1.12±0.72 and for HAL RAR it was 1.06±0.52. Post-op bleeding (POB) occurred in 4 (10%) patients in OH group and 2(6.66%) patients in HAL RAR group. Mean hospital stay for OH group was 2±0.45 and for HAL RAR it was 1.20±0.40, for POB, it was 1.9±0.30 in OH group and 1.86±0.34 in HAL-RAR group. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in mean post-op pain on day seven, and post-op bleeding, but there was significant difference in terms of mean hospital stay between the two groups.

Weed infestation and productivity of wheat crop sown in various cropping systems under conventional and conservation tillage.

Introduction: Climate change, pest infestation, and soil degradation are significantly reducing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield. Wheat is cultivated in rice-wheat and cotton-wheat cropping systems and escalating global population is exerting substantial pressure on the efficiency of these systems. Conservation tillage and crop rotation could help in lowering soil degradation and pest infestation, and improving wheat yield. Methods: This three-year study evaluated soil properties, weed infestation and wheat yield under various tillage and cropping systems. Six different cropping systems, i.e., cotton-wheat, sorghum-wheat, mungbean-wheat, rice-wheat, sunflower-wheat, and fallow-wheat (control) and three tillage systems, i.e., conventional tillage (CT), zero-tillage (ZT) and minimum tillage (MT) were included in the study. Results: The individual and interactive effects of tillage and cropping systems significantly affected soil properties, weed infestation and yield of wheat crop. Overall, CT resulted in lower soil bulk density and higher porosity, while ZT behaved oppositely at all locations in this regard. Similarly, mungbean-wheat cropping system resulted in lower bulk density and higher porosity and nitrogen (N) contents, while fallow-wheat cropping system resulted in higher bulk density, and lower soil porosity and N contents. Similarly, ZT and CT resulted in higher and lower weed infestation, respectively. Likewise, lower and higher weed density and biomass were recorded in wheat-sorghum and wheat-fallow cropping systems, respectively at all locations. In the same way higher number of productive tillers, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and economic returns of wheat crop were recorded for CT, whereas ZT resulted in lower values of these traits. Regarding interactions, wheat-mungbean cropping system with CT resulted in lower bulk density and higher porosity and N contents, whereas wheat-fallow system with ZT behaved oppositely at all locations in this regard. Similarly, higher and lower values for yield-related traits and economic returns of wheat crop were noted for mungbean-wheat cropping system under CT and fallow-wheat and sorghum-wheat cropping systems under ZT, respectively. It is concluded that the mungbean-wheat cropping system improved wheat productivity and soil health and sorghum-wheat cropping system could lower weed infestation. Therefore, these cropping systems can be practiced to lower weed infestation and improve wheat yield and economic returns.

The Impact of Different Weed Management Systems on Weed Flora and Dry Biomass Production of Barley Grown under Various Barley-Based Cropping Systems.

Weeds are among the major issues responsible for reduction in yield and profit in any crop production system. Herbicides are the easiest and quickest solution of weeds; however, their frequent use exert negative consequences on environment, human health, and results in the evolution of herbicide-resistant weed species. Due to these reasons, alternative weed management methods that are less harmful to environment and human health are needed. This two-year study evaluated the impact of different weed management options, i.e., false seedbed (FS), allelopathic water extracts (AWE), chemical control (CC), weed-free (WF) weedy-check (WC) on weed spectrum in various barley-based cropping systems, i.e., fallow-barley (FB), maize-barley (MB), cotton-barley (CB), mungbean-barley (M*B), and sorghum-barley (SB). Data relating to density, diversity, and biomass production of weed species prevailing in the studied cropping systems were recorded. Interactive effect of weed management methods and barley-based cropping systems significantly altered weed diversity, and densities of individual, broadleaved, and grassy weeds. A total 13 weed species (ten broadleaved and three grass) were recorded during both years of study. The highest dry biomass, diversity, and density of individual, broadleaved, and grassy weeds were noted in WC treatment, whereas WF treatment resulted in the lowest values of these traits. Chemical control resulted in the highest suppression of weed flora and improved dry biomass production of barley followed by AWE. The SB cropping system with CC or AWE resulted in the least weed flora. The M*B cropping system with CC or AWE produced the highest dry biomass of barley. It is concluded that including sorghum crop in rotation and applying AWE could suppress weeds comparable to herbicides. Similarly, including mungbean in rotation and applying AWE could increase dry biomass production of barley. In conclusion, herbicides can be replaced with an eco-friendly approach, i.e., allelopathy and inclusion of sorghum crop could be helpful in suppressing weed flora.

Impact of different mulching treatments on weed flora and productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

The concerns on weed control through herbicides are increasing due to their negative impacts on environment and human health. Therefore, alternative weed management methods are inevitable for sustainable crop production and lowering the negative consequences of herbicides. Mulching is an environment-friendly weed management approach capable of substituting herbicides to significant extent. Therefore, this study evaluated the role of different mulching treatments on suppressing weed flora in maize (Zea mays L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crops. Furthermore, the impact of different mulching treatments on the productivity of both crops was also investigated. Three mulch treatments, i.e., plastic mulch (PLM), sorghum mulch (SM) and paper mulch (PM) along with two controls, i.e., weed-free (WF) and weedy-check (WC) were included in the study. Different mulch treatments significantly altered weed flora in both crops. The PLM and PM resulted in the highest suppression (43-47%) of weed flora compared to WC treatment in both crops. The highest and the lowest weed diversity was recorded for WC and WF treatments, respectively. Different allometric traits, i.e., leaf area index, crop growth rate and root length of both crops were significantly improved by PLM as compared to the WC. Overall, maize crop recorded higher density of individual and total weeds compared to sunflower with WC treatment. The density of individual and total weeds was significantly lowered by PLM compared to WC treatment in both crops. Similarly, higher growth and yield-related traits of both crops were noted with PLM compared to the rest of the mulching treatments. Results of the current study warrant that PLM could suppress weed flora and improve the productivity of both crops. However, PLM alone could not provide 100% control over weed flora; therefore, it should be combined with other weed management approaches for successful weed control in both crops.

Combined application of asparagine and thiourea improves tolerance to lead stress in wheat by modulating AsA-GSH cycle, lead detoxification and nitrogen metabolism.

Lead (Pb), like other heavy metals, is not essentially required for optimal plant growth; however, plants uptake it from the soil, which poses an adverse effect on growth and yield. Asparagine (Asp) and thiourea (Thi) are known to assuage the negative impacts of heavy metal pollution on plant growth; however, combined application of Asp and Thi has rarely been tested to discern if it could improve wheat yield under Pb stress. Thus, this experimentation tested the role of individual and combined applications of Asp (40 mM) and Thi (400 mg/L) in improving wheat growth under lead (Pb as PbCl2, 0.1 mM) stress. Lead stress significantly reduced plant growth, chlorophyll contents and photosystem system II (PSII) efficiency, whereas it increased Pb accumulation in the leaves and roots, leaf proline contents, phytochelatins, and oxidative stress related attributes. The sole or combined application of Asp and Thi increased the vital antioxidant biomolecules/enzymes, including reduced glutathione (GSH), ascorbic acid (AsA), ascorbate peroxsidase (APX), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR). Furthermore, the sole or the combined application of Asp and Thi modulated nitrogen metabolism by stimulating the activities of nitrate and nitrite reductase, glutamate synthase (GOGAT) and glutamine synthetase (GS). Asp and Thi together led to improve plant growth and vital physiological processes, but lowered down Pb accumulation compared to those by their sole application. The results suggest that Asp and Thi synergistically can improve wheat growth under Pb-toxicity.

The Influence of Different Crop Mulches on Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Productivity of Wheat under Conventional and Conservation Production Systems.

Pakistan and other South Asian countries rely on wheat for human nutrition. However, wheat yield is declining in the region due to several biotic and abiotic constraints. Weeds are among the major factors responsible for yield decrease and farmers manage them by intensive tillage practices. Several studies have investigated the impact of various tillage practices on weed management in wheat. However, weed suppression abilities of different mulch types are rarely tested. This three-year (2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22) study investigated the impact of different mulch types (prepared from different crops) on weed infestation, soil properties and productivity of wheat under conventional and conservation production systems at three locations (Multan, Hafizabad and Faisalabad) in Punjab, Pakistan. The mulches included in the study were cotton sticks mulch, mungbean straw mulch, sorghum straw mulch, rice straw mulch, sunflower straw mulch, plastic mulch, and no mulch (as control). The production systems opted for wheat cultivation were conventionally tilled wheat (CTW), zero-tilled wheat (ZTW) and zero-tilled wheat sown with happy seeder machine (HSW). The CTW resulted in the lowest soil bulk density and the highest soil porosity after wheat harvest, while ZTW behaved oppositely. Similarly, incorporation of crop mulches resulted in the highest soil porosity and the lowest soil bulk density, while no-mulch incorporation and plastic mulch recorded the highest bulk density and the lowest soil porosity. Regarding mulches by production systems' interaction, CTW with sorghum straw- and plastic mulches recorded the lowest weed density and biomass, while ZTW with no-mulch recorded the highest weed density and biomass at all locations. The CTW with mungbean straw- and plastic mulches resulted in the highest yield due to significant improvement in yield-related traits. However, ZTW with sorghum straw mulch and no-mulch resulted in the lowest wheat yield. Although sorghum straw mulch suppressed weed infestation, it negatively affected wheat growth. Economic analysis revealed that CTW with mungbean straw mulch resulted in the highest gross and net incomes and benefit:cost ratio (BCR), while the ZTW with rice straw- and sorghum straw mulches produced the lowest gross and net incomes and BCR at all locations. Therefore, mungbean straw mulch is a viable option to improve wheat productivity and net economic returns under different agro-climatic conditions of Punjab, Pakistan.

Accuracy of RIPASA and Lintula Scores in Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis Using Surgical Findings as the Gold Standard.

BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is an inflammation of the vermiform appendix's inner lining that spreads to its other sections. Appendectomy is still the standard way to cure appendicitis. The diagnosis of acute appendicitis is still clinical and supported by a raised neutrophilic count and imaging studies; moreover, scoring systems, such as the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Appendicitis (RIPASA) and Lintula scores, help the clinicians in the diagnosis. The main objective of this study was to establish the diagnostic accuracy of RIPASA and Lintula scores for acute appendicitis using surgical findings as the gold standard, in an Asian population. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Department of Surgery, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, and Department of Surgery, Services Hospital, Lahore. This study was conducted from January 2020 to January 2022, for the duration of two years. A total of 120 patients were enrolled after meeting the inclusion criteria, and demographic data were obtained. Lintula and RIPASA scores were recorded, and patients were classified as positive or negative based on histopathological findings. IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to evaluate all of the gathered data. RESULTS: The average age of the patients in this study was 37.39±14.36 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.14:1. Taking surgical finding as the gold standard, RIPASA scoring had a diagnosis accuracy of 91.67% while the Lintula score had a diagnostic accuracy of 79.17%. CONCLUSION: While both the RIPASA and the Lintula scoring systems were accurate, the RIPASA scoring system outperformed the Lintula scoring system when surgical findings were used as the gold standard.

Sustainable phosphorous management in two different soil series of Pakistan by evaluating dynamics of phosphatic fertilizer source.

Phosphorous (P) plays the prominent role to promote the plants storage functions and structural roles, as it is recognized as a vital component of ADP, ATP, Cell wall as well as a part of DNA. Soils acts as the sink to supply P to plants because soil pH and its physical condition are the main factor which regulate the solubility and availability P element. Phosphorus is not deficient in Pakistani soils but its availability to plants is the serious matter of concern. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate P dynamics in two different soil series of Pakistan (Bahawalpur and Lyallpur) using Maize as test crop. The treatments applied were T0: Control (without any fertilizer), T1: Recommended DAP @648 mg pot-1, T2: Half dose DAP @324 mg pot-1, T3: Recommended rate of TSP @900 mg pot-1, T4: Half dose TSP @450 mg pot-1. Soil analysis showed that Bahawalpur soil has sandy clay loam texture with 33% clay and Lyallpur series has sandy loam texture with 15.5% clay; furthermore, these soil contain 4.6 and 2.12% CaCO3 respectively. Results showed an increase in P concentration in roots (23 mg kg-1) with the application of half dose of TSP in Lyallpur series and lowest in Bahawalpur series (14.6 mg kg-1) at recommended dose of DAP. Concentration of P in shoots responded the same; increase at half dose of TSP (16.7 mg kg-1) and lowest at full dose of DAP in Bahawalpur series as (15.58 mg kg-1). Adsorbed P (17 mg kg-1) was recorded highest in Bahawalpur soil with more clay amount in pot with DAP application but lower in Lyallpur soil series (14 mg kg-1) with the application of applied TSP. The PUE was recorded highest in Lyallpur series with the application of half dose of TSP and it was 61% more than control and was Highest in Bahawalpur series was with the application of recommended dose of DAP is 72% more than control treatment. On estimation; results showed that applied sources made an increase in P availability than control, but TSP gave better P uptake than DAP unless of rates applied. Soil of Lyallpur series showed better uptake of P and response to applied fertilizers than Bahawalpur series which showed more adsorption of P by high clay and CaCO3 amount. Conclusively, the study suggested that soil series play a crucial role in choosing fertilizer source for field application.

Zinc biofortification potential of diverse mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] genotypes under field conditions.

Zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient for crop plants and essential for human health. The Zn-deficiency is an important malnutrition problem known globally. Biofortified foods could overcome Zn deficiency in humans. Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is an important, pulse crop frequently grown in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Mungbean could provide essential micronutrients, including Zn to humans. Therefore, it is very important to investigate the impact of Zn fertilization on the yield and grain biofortification of mungbean. Twelve mungbean genotypes (i.e., NM-28, NM-2011, NM-13-1, NM-2006, NM-51, NM-54, NM-19-19, NM-92, NM-121-25, NM-20-21, 7006, 7008) were assessed for their genetic diversity followed by Zn-biofortification, growth and yield under control (0 kg ha-1) and Zn-fertilized (10 kg ha-1) conditions. Data relating to allometric traits, yield components, grain yield and grain Zn contents were recorded. Zinc fertilization improved entire allometric and yield-related traits. Grain yield of different genotypes ranged from 439 to 904 kg ha-1 under control and 536 to 1462 kg ha-1 under Zn-fertilization. Zinc concentration in the grains varied from 15.50 to 45.60 mg kg-1 under control and 18.53 to 64.23 mg kg-1 under Zn-fertilized conditions. The tested genotypes differed in their Zn-biofortification potential. The highest and the lowest grain Zn contents were noted for genotypes NM-28 and NM-121-25, respectively. Significant variation in yield and Zn-biofortification indicated the potential for improvement in mungbean yield and grain Zn-biofortification. The genotypes NM-28 and NM-2006 could be used in breeding programs for improvement in grain Zn concentration due to their high Zn uptake potential. Nonetheless, all available genotypes in the country should be screened for their Zn-biofortification potential.

The impact of horse purslane (Trianthema portulacastrum L.) infestation on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] productivity in northern irrigated plains of Pakistan.

Horse purslane (Trianthema portulacstrum L.) is an important weed of soybean crop capable of causing significant yield reduction. Therefore, this study assessed the impact of horse purslane and other weeds' infestation on the productivity of soybean. Ten treatments, i.e., weed-free throughout the growing season, horse purslane-free till 20, 40 and 60 days after emergence (DAE), all weeds-free till 20, 40 and 60 DAE, weedy-check (excluding horse purslane), weedy-check (horse purslane alone) and weedy-check (all weeds) were included in the study. Data relating to density and dry weight of recorded weed species, and yield and related traits of soybean were recorded. Overall, infestation percentage of horse purslane was 33.10 and 51%, whereas dry weight was 12 and 44 g m-2 during 1st and 2nd year, respectively. The highest dry weight of all weed species was recorded at 45 DAE in weedy-check all weeds treatment during both years. The lowest relative density and frequency of horse purslane were recorded in the treatment where it was controlled until 20 DAE during 2018 at 30 DAE, whereas the same treatment recoded the lowest density of horse purslane at 45 DAE during 2019. The relative frequency of horse purslane was non-significant for weedy-check horse purslane and weedy-check all weeds treatments during 2018, whereas former treatment had higher relative frequency of horse purslane in weedy-check all weeds than the later during 2019. Yield and related traits significantly differed among different treatments used in the study. The treatment all weeds controlled until 40 DAE recorded higher number of pods per plant, 1000-seed weight and seed yield during both years. The yield reduction in weedy-check treatments was; weedy-check all weeds > weedy-check all weeds except horse purslane > weedy-check horse purslane only. It is concluded that horse purslane was not the sole weed interfering soybean fields and weed flora consisted of false amaranth [Digera muricata (L.) Mart.] and purple nut sedge (Cyperus rotundus L.). Hence, if the soybean fields in northern irrigated plains of Pakistan are infested with horse purslane or heavily infested with horse purslane or other weeds, these should be controlled in initial 40 DAE to improve soybean productivity.

The impact of different plant extracts on biological parameters of Housefly [Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae)]: Implications for management.

Housefly is a significant domestic pest, which causes nuisance. The use of insecticides is discouraged to manage housefly; therefore, alternative management strategies are inevitable. The current study investigated the impact of different plant extracts, i.e., Moringa oleifera (moringa), Allium sativum (garlic) and Piper nigrum (black pepper) on biological parameters of house fly. Two different concentrations (i.e., 25 and 50%) of the extracts were blended in larval diet made through mixing of wheat bran, yeast and dried milk powder. The results indicated significant differences for larval duration. Maximum larval duration was recorded for garlic followed by black pepper and moringa, respectively. In case of pupal duration, non-significant differences were observed among plant extracts. Increase rate of oviposition was noticed with moringa at 25% concentration, while decreased oviposition rate was noted for garlic with 50% concentration. Egg hatching percentage remained non-significant for the botanical extracts. The highest survival was observed with moringa, while garlic resulted in the lowest survival. The highest repellency was noticed for garlic followed by black pepper, whereas moringa resulted in the lowest repellency after 30, 60 and 90 min. Prolonged developmental time was observed for bot concentrations of garlic, whereas moringa noted the shortest developmental time. Thus moringa was found to be a promoter of housefly development. Minimum adult emergence was found with both concentrations of garlic followed by 50% concentration of black pepper. The 50% concentration of black pepper promoted the population of adult males, while both concentrations of moringa and 25% concentration of black pepper encouraged the population of female adults. Study outcomes depicted that tested botanical extracts had significant potential for disturbing biological parameters of housefly. The garlic extracts can potentially be used to manage housefly. However, further investigations on the larval and adult mortality are needed.

Chromium accumulation in soil, water and forage samples in automobile emission area.

Environmental contamination caused by various pollutants due to automobile emissions is an alarming issue. One important type of the pollutants are heavy metals, including chromium (Cr) added by the exhaust of toxic smoke of vehicles. These pollutants are added to forage crops cultivated near roadsides, soil and irrigation water. However, rare studies have been conducted to infer Cr accumulation near heavy automobile emission areas. This study was conducted to determine Cr concentration in irrigation water, soil and forage. Water, forage and soil samples were collected from area impacted by heavy traffic. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to appraise Cr values in the collected samples. Chromium values ranged from 0.50 to 1.14 mg/kg in water samples and from 0.04 to 2.23 mg/kg in soil samples. It was highest in Zea mays grown soil, whereas minimum in Brassica campestris soil. The Cr values in forages ranged from 0.09 to 1.06 mg/kg. Z. mays observed the highest Cr accumulation, whereas the lowest Cr accrual was noted for B. campestris. The pollution load index (PLI) was the highest for Trifolium alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. Bio-concentration factor (BCF) ranged from 0.14 to 8.63. The highest BCF was noted for T. alexandrinum, while the lowest for Z. mays. The highest and the lowest daily intake of metal (DIM) was noted for Z. mays at different sites. Health risk index (HRI) was highest for Z. mays and lowest for B. campestris. The results add valuable information on heavy metal accumulation in water, soil and forage samples near to automobile emission area.