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Xanthomonas citri sub sp. citri (Xcc) causes citrus bacterial canker (CBC), a highly destructive disease of citrus plants globally. A comprehensive survey commenced in seven locations of District Sargodha, Pakistan, to determine the incidence of CBC on Kinnow, Feutrell’s early (Citrus reticulata Blanco), and Musambi (Citrus sinensis) cultivars. Additionally, 47 citrus cultivars reached assessment for their response to Xcc for disease severity. The highest incidence of CBC emerged in Kinnow at Shahpur (57.3%), Bhera (40.5%), and Sargodha (35.0%). Feutrell’s early showed a higher incidence rate at Shahpur (35.0%), Bhalwal (35.0%), and Sargodha (30.0%). Meanwhile, Musambi plants exhibited an incidence of 15.0% at Shahpur and Bhera and 13.3% at Bhalwal. Among the 47 cultivars, Jaffa, Valencia Late, Sanguinello, and Musambi (Citrus sinensis) demonstrated resistance to CBC, as their severity levels were <4.0%. Tracco N (20.3%) and rough lemon (22.0%) proved susceptible cultivars. However, a high susceptibility to canker disease was notable in Shamber grapefruit (31.0%) and Chakotra (Pommelo) (34.6%). Understanding the susceptibility of diverse citrus cultivars to CBC provides valuable insights for breeding programs and integrated management of the CBC disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia's impact on post-liver transplant outcomes remains a subject of debate, with limited data from South Asia on its association with post-liver transplant hospital stays. This study aims to investigate sarcopenia's influence on post-transplant hospitalization duration in South Asians., Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, between January 2022 and January 2023 were included. Computed tomography (CT) images were used to assess the skeletal muscle index (SMI). The areas of the psoas, erector spinae, multifidus, quadratus lumborum, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and internal/external oblique muscles were quantified at the level of L3. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0 (IBM)., Results: There was a total of 84 patients. Mean age was 47.4 ± 12.0 years. There were 62 (73.8%) male patients and 22 (26.2%) female patients. Hepatitis C was noted in 36 (42.9%) patients. Twenty-two (26.2%) patients had hepatocellular carcinoma. Sarcopenia was identified in 58 (69.0%) patients. No significant association was observed between sarcopenia and intensive care unit (ICU) or general floor stays. Regression analysis identified pre-transplant model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) score as the sole significant factor associated with both ICU and total length of stay (P value .002; P value .009)., Conclusion: In our population, sarcopenia did not correlate with post-transplant ICU or overall hospital stay. The pre-transplant MELD-Na score emerged as the most influential predictor of length of stay. Therefore, delaying liver transplant procedures based on muscle mass estimations may not be a practical clinical approach for South Asian patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with high short-term mortality without liver transplantation (LT). The selection criteria for LT in these patients are not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine factors associated with post-transplant survival in ACLF., Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for ACLF between 2012 and 2022. Out of 1093 transplants, 110 patients had underlying ACLF, based on the European Association for the Study of the Liver-Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (EASL-CLIF) criteria. We looked at factors associated with 1-year posttransplant survival., Results: The median model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 33.5 (31-38), and the 1-year posttransplant survival was 72%. Six risk factors were associated with posttransplant survival, namely, body mass index > 30 kg/m 2 [HR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.8-10.7], platelet count < 66,000/μl [HR, 2.91; CI,1.2-6.6], poor response to medical treatment [HR, 2.6; CI, 1.1-5.7], drug-resistant bacterial or fungal cultures [HR, 4.2; CI, 1.4-12.4], serum creatinine > 2.5 mg/dl [HR, 3.4; CI, 1.5-7.7], and graft-to-recipient weight ratio < 0.7 [HR, 4.8; CI, 1.4-16.3]. The 1-year post-transplant survival was 84% in patients with 0-2 risk factors (n = 89) and was 6% with 3 risk factors (n = 15) ( P < 0.001). For 1-year posttransplant survival, the area under curve (AUC) for the current model was 0.8 (0.69-0.9). The AUC for CLIF-ACLF, Chronic Liver Failure-Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (CLIF-SOFA), and EASL-CLIF ACLF grades was < 0.5., Conclusion: In LT for ACLF, acceptable survival can be achieved when less than three high-risk factors are present., (© 2024 Indian National Association for Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Brown spot of citrus caused by Alternaria citri is one of the emerging threats to the successful production of citrus crops. The present study, conducted with a substantial sample size of 50 leaf samples for statistical reliability, aimed to determine the change in mineral content in citrus leaves after brown spot disease attack. Leaf samples from a diverse range of susceptible citrus varieties (Valentia late, Washington navel, and Kinnow) and resistant varieties (Citron, Eruka lemon, and Mayer lemon) were analyzed. Significant variations (p ≤ 0.05) in mineral contents were observed across reaction groups (inoculated and un-inoculated), types (resistant and susceptible), and varieties of citrus in response to infection of Alternaria citri. The analysis of variance showed significant changes in mineral levels of citrus leaves, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), sodium (Na), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu). The results indicate that the concentration of N and P differed by 6.63% and 1.44%, respectively, in resistant plants, while susceptible plants showed a difference of 6.07% and 1.19%. Moreover, resistant plants showed a higher concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Na, Fe, and Cu at 8.40, 2.1, 1.83, 2.21, 1.58, 2.89, and 0.36 ppm respectively, compared to susceptible plants which showed concentrations of 5.99, 1.93, 1.47, 1.09, 1.24, 1.81, and 0.31 ppm respectively. Amounts of mineral contents were reduced in both resistant as well as susceptible plants of citrus after inoculation. Amount of N (8.56), P (1.87) % while K (10.74), Ca (2.71), Mg (2.62), Zn (2.20), Na (2.08), Fe (3.57) and Cu (0.20) ppm were recorded in un-inoculated group of citrus plants that reduced to 3.15 and 0.76% and 3.66, 1.40, 0.63,0.42, 0.74, 1.13 and 0.13 ppm in inoculated group respectively. It was accomplished that susceptible varieties contained lower ionic contents than resistant varieties. The higher concentrations of ionic contents in resistant citrus varieties build up the biochemical and physiological processes of the citrus plant, which help to restrict spread of pathogens. Further research could explore the interplay between mineral nutrition and disease resistance in citrus, potentially leading to the development of new disease-resistant varieties., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Iqbal et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Flexible bronchoscopy (FB) often involves sedation, with the choice left to the bronchoscopist's discretion. Prior research on sedation in gastroscopic endoscopies yields conflicting information regarding the preferred method for FB. This study compares patient comfort levels during bronchoscopy with mindful sedation using fentanyl, nalbuphine, and midazolam versus monitored anesthesia care (MAC) using propofol, midazolam, and ketamine., Methods: This prospective observational study assessed 83 patients undergoing bronchoscopy under either conscious sedation (CS) (n=40) or MAC (n=43). Patient comfort, sedation levels, emotional state, recovery time, safety, and the impact of smoking history and comorbidities were evaluated. Data collection included direct patient questioning and observation using the Modified Observed Assessment of Alertness and Sedation (MOAA/S) form., Results: Comfort levels were similar between groups, with mean scores of 3.6±0.89 for CS and 3.3±0.54 for MAC. MAC induced deeper sedation (mean scores: 4.37±0.66 vs. 3.8±0.98). Recovery time and complications were comparable. Emotional states and medical history did not significantly differ between groups., Conclusion: CS is not inferior to MAC for bronchoscopy, providing comparable comfort and safety with less intense sedation and lower cost. These findings support the use of CS for bronchoscopy procedures, offering a cost-effective alternative without compromising patient comfort or safety., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Review Board & Ethics Committee of Shifa International Hospital issued approval IRB # 0301-22. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Hassan Kazmi et al.)

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici (Foc) poses a significant position in agriculture that has a negative impact on chili plant in terms of growth, fruit quality, and yield. Biological control is one of the promising strategies to control this pathogen in crops. Chili is considered as one of the most important crops in the Hyderabad region that is affected by Fusarium wilt disease. The pathogen was isolated from the infected samples in the region and was confirmed by morphological characteristics and PCR with a band of 488 bp. The bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere soil of healthy plant and also confirmed by PCR with a band of 1,542 bp.The molecular characterization of the fungal and bacterial strain has shown 99.9% homology with the retrieved sequences of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici and Bacillus subtilis from NCBI. The 1-month-old Ghotki chili plants were inoculated with 1×10 5 cfu spore/ml -1 suspension and confirmed that the FOC -1 is responsible for chili Fusarium wilt disease. Subsequently, among the 33 screened Bacillus strains, only 11 showed antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum . Out of these, only two strains (AM13 and AM21) have shown maximum antagonistic activity against the pathogen by reducing the infection and promoting growth parameters of chili plants under both in vitro and greenhouse conditions. The study suggested that biological control is the most promising control strategy for the management of Fusarium wilt of chili in the field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Iqbal, Syed, Rajput, Wang, Lodhi, Khan, Jibril, Atiq and Li.)

Evaluating educational climate (EC) is imperative for ensuring postgraduate trainees' competencies and quality in residency training programs. This study assessed the EC experiences of pathology postgraduate residents (PGRs) during their postgraduate training in pathology residency programs-a cross-sectional study design assigned EC scores in the pathology residency program at a prestigious institution in Islamabad, which were measured using the Dutch Residency Educational Climate Test (D-RECT) questionnaire. Scores from the D-RECT were employed to conduct descriptive statistics and comparison of means across groups to evaluate EC scores by years of training and compared to assess where the differences were located. Among FCPS-II pathology residents, most of whom were females (94.4%), the mean age was 28.11±2.91 years. A mean positive score was observed among all pathology residents (M≥3.6) for all D-RECT subscales except for the feedback subscale: the average score for feedback was below the average mean score of 3.6 (M = 3.19). A significant difference p = 0.016 was observed in EC scores across different groups through the Analysis of Variances (ANOVA) test. The most significant difference was between less than two and greater than two groups p = 0.027, followed by the difference between equal to two groups and greater than two groups p = 0.052. Overall, positive scores for EC in the pathology residency program were observed. Thus, targeted interventions are needed to increase feedback scores and address observed differences in EC scores by years of training., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ali et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: This qualitative study explores therapists' and participants' preferences for delivery methods (face-to-face and phone sessions) of a cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety delivered in a tertiary care hospital., Setting: The research was conducted in a randomized controlled trial in Pakistan, where a shift from face-to-face to phone-based therapy occurred during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic., Participants: Twenty in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted with participants and therapists, respectively. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: Participants generally preferred face-to-face sessions for rapport building, communication, and comprehension. However, barriers like venue accessibility, childcare, and lack of family support hindered engagement. Telephone sessions were favored for easy scheduling and the comfort of receiving the session at home, but there were challenges associated with phone use, distractions at home, and family members' limited mental health awareness. A mix of face-to-face and telephone sessions was preferred, with rapport from in-person sessions carrying over to telephone interactions., Conclusion: This study underscores the need for adaptable intervention delivery strategies that consider cultural norms, logistical challenges, and individual family dynamics. By combining the benefits of both delivery methods, mental health interventions can be optimized to effectively address prenatal anxiety and promote well-being in resource-constrained settings like Pakistan., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Eucalyptus camaldulensis is a multifunctional tree and is globally used for the reclamation of problematic lands. Eucalyptus camaldulensis is prone to attack by a number of pathogens, but the most important threat is the Fusarium wilt ( Fusarium oxysporum ). Keeping in view the importance of E. camaldulensis and to manage this disease, five plant activators, i.e ., salicylic acid (C 7 H 6 O 3 ), benzoic acid (C 7 H 6 O 2 ), citric acid (C 6 H 8 O 7 ), dipotassium phosphate (K 2 HPO 4 ), monopotassium phosphate (KH 2 PO 4 ) and nutritional mixture namely Compound (NPK) and nutriotop (Fe, Zn, Cu, B, Mn) were evaluated in the Fusarium infested field under RCBD in the Research Area, Department of Forestry and Range Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF). Among plant activators, salicylic acid and a combination of compound + nutriotop exhibited the lowest disease incidence and enhanced fresh and dry weight of leaves compared to other treatments and control. Results of the environmental study indicated maximum disease incidence between 35-40 °C (max. T), 6-25 °C (mini. T), 70-80% relative humidity and 1.5-2.5 km/h wind speed while pan evaporation expressed weak correlation with disease development. It was concluded that Fusarium wilt of Eucalyptus camaldulensis could be managed through activation of the basal defense system of the host plant with provision of salicylic acid and balanced nutrition by considering environmental factors. Recent exploration is expected to be helpful for future research efforts on epidemiology and ecologically sound intervention of Fusarium wilt of Eucalyptus camaldulensis ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Ahmad et al.)

Drinking water quality deteriorates rapidly due to anthropogenic activities and rapid population growth. These activities, in developing countries, will lead to water scarcity. In Pakistan, 70% of the population has no access to safe water, and people use canal water to drink. This study performed hydrochemical, hydrogeological, and cancer risk analyses on Tahsil Hasilpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Thirteen tube wells were selected for groundwater and borehole log study. Twenty-two drinking water quality parameters were analyzed using standard methods and quality checks. The borehole data (2D and 3D) shows the abundance of sand (fine and coarse) with some uniformities, which changes the groundwater quality. The results of water quality parameters show that the concentration of TDS (2064-11,159 mg/L), Cl -1 (213-4917 mg/L), As +3 (0.048-0.158 mg/L), Pb +2 (1.294-1.673 mg/L), and Cd +2 (0.008-0.053 mg/L) were beyond guideline values. The statistical analysis showed that the parameters have a moderate to strong correlation (Pearson correlation), which may be due to the same origin (ANOVA). The principal component analysis and cluster analysis confirm the multiple sources of pollutants in the groundwater of the study area. The Piper, Durov, Stiff, and Scholler diagrams confirm that the groundwater system has an abundance of Ca +2 and Mg +2 with Cl -1 . The Gibbs diagram showed that the groundwater is not saturated and tends to dissolve more minerals. The hazard quotient values are above 1.0, which indicates noncancer risk severity. The HQ trend was As +3  > Pb +2  > Cd +2  > Ni +2  > Cu +2  > Cr +2  > Zn +2  > Fe +2 . The cancer risk values showed that 3-5 people/100 population were exposed to cancer risk. The trend of CR was As +3  > Cd +2  > Cr +2  > Pb +2  > Ni +2 . The GIP mapping of pollutants showed that the concentration of pollutants near the canals was high compared to the locations away from the canal. The overall groundwater quality is alarming and needs immediate government attention., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)