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Imbalanced nutrient application has resulted in low productivity and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) for radish (Raphanus sativus L.) production in China. This study aims to introduce a science-based, cost-effective, and reliable nutrient management approach to resolve the problem. A radish database from 247 published and unpublished studies with on-farm experiments from 2000 to 2017 in the main radish-producing regions in China was established to develop Nutrient Expert (NE) system for radish nutrient management and field experiments were conducted to evaluate its feasibility. The relationships among indigenous soil nutrient supply, yield response (YR), agronomic efficiency (AE), and relative yield were investigated for the establishment of NE system. Results showed that the average indigenous supply of N, P, and K in soil was 118.7, 28.2, and 208.8 kg ha-1, respectively. The mean YR of radish to N, P, and K was 17.7, 10.4, and 10.3 t ha-1, respectively; while the AE of them was 104.7, 105.0, and 69.5 kg kg-1. Significantly negative exponential relationship between YR and indigenous nutrient supply and linear correlation between YR and relative yield were observed. Results demonstrated a quadratic curve relationship between YR and AE. The NE system for radish was developed based on YR and AE, and field experiments validified that NE system significantly enhanced fleshy root yield of radish, profitability, and NUE over those obtained under farmers' practices (FP). The NE system for radish demonstrated a promising method and will assist Chinese radish growers in achieving effective fertilizer use and higher yield goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia sinensis is being used for decades for its therapeutic efficacies against physiological problems and microbial infections. This study was undertaken to investigate the antibacterial and antifungal potential of aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis. Antibacterial activity was determined by disc and well diffusion assay. MIC and MBC were calculated by broth dilution method. Miles and Misra technique was used to find out colony forming unit per/ml. All the test organisms revealed a diverse range of vulnerability against aqueous extract. Among Gram positive, MRSA showed to be the most sensitive with least MIC and MBC while among Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited the highest sensitivity. In Miles and Misra, a progressive decline in log of CFU/ml was observed. In time-kill assay, a decline was noted in the viable count of S.aureus after exposure to 18% aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis. In the present study aqueous extract of Camellia sinensis found to be effective against Gram positive, Gram negative and fungi. The most important finding of this study is its aqueous extract inhibitory effect against drug-resistant microorganisms e.g. MRSA and P. aeruginosa and Candida albicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the complications of Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy procedure among the patients of grade 3 and 4 hemorrhoids at a tertiary care teaching hospital of Pakistan. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from 01 Jan 2018 to 31 Oct 2018. Material and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 87 patients of grade 3 and 4 hemorrhoids diagnosed by consultant surgeon undergoing Stapled Hemorrhoidectomy at surgical unit of CMH RWP during the study period. Longos technique was used to perform the hemorrhoidectomy. Detailed assessment regarding all the complications was done immediately after the procedure at 48 hours, at time of discharge and two weeks after the procedure. VAS score was applied to assess the post-operative pain. Results: A total of 87 patients were included in the final analysis that underwent the staple hemorrhidectomy. Male to female ratio was 1.71:1. Post-operative pain was the commonest complication among the target population followed by bleeding. Mean age of patients who underwent the surgery was 41.13 (± 5.995). Most of the patients had grade three hemorrhoids. Out of 87 patients, 06 (6.9%) had bleeding, 11 (12.6%) had postoperative pain, 04 (4.6%) had prolapse and 03 (3.4%) had anal stenosis. Conclusion: Stapled hemorrhidectomy emerged as a safe and feasible technique for grade 3 & 4 hemorrhoids in our population. It should be preferred over the conventional hemorrhoids surgery in order to minimize the postoperative complications and improve the comfort of the patient. Special attention should be given on the pain relief modalities after the surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the association of CA-125 levels with the peritoneal dissemination among the patients of colo-rectal carcinoma at a tertiary care surgical oncology unit of Pakistan Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgical Oncology, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Duration of ten months, from Jan 2018 to Oct 2018. Patients and Methods: A total of 83 cases of colorectal carcinoma were included in the study, which were diagnosed by consultant oncologist after relevant histological and radiological investigations. Peritoneal dissemination was confirmed during the surgery. CA-125 levels were assessed before the surgery and cut off of 35U/mL was used. Relationship of age, gender, raised CA-125, tumor metastasis and tumor differentiation was assessed with the presence of peritoneal dissemination among the patients suffering from colo-rectal cancer. Results: Fifty nine patients were males and 24 were females. Mean age of the patients was 51.17 (±3.395). Out of 83 patients of colo-rectal cancer, 37.3% showed the presence of peritoneal dissemination while 62.7% had no peritoneal dissemination at the time of surgery. Forty one patients had raised levels of CA-125 while 42 had levels within the normal range. After applying the logistic regression we found that raised levels of CA-125 and metastatic illness had significant association with the presence of peritoneal dissemination among the patients of colo-rectal cancer. Conclusion: CA-125 concentration emerged as a strong predictor of peritoneal dissemination of colo-rectal cancer in our study analysis. Routine checking of levels of this marker among the patients of Colon cancer may help in early recognition of the advancement of disease and help the surgical oncologists to manage it in a more effective way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Casuarina equisetifolia L. is an important medicinal plant widely used to treat various diseases particularly ulcers, diabetes, cough, diarrhea and many infectious and skin diseases. The aim of this research study was to examine the killing mechanism and killing kinetics assay of methanolic bark extract of C. equisetifolia against some highly resistant human pathogens. The comparison on antibacterial activity of extract was firstly done with six different well reputed antibiotics using disk diffusion method. The broth dilution method was used to measure the MIC and MBC values. The mechanism of killing was identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. Results showed that higher inhibitory zones were produced by methanolic plant extract than that of some tested antibiotics. The lower MIC and MBC values indicated the antibacterial potency of plant extract. The extract of C. equisetifolia produced a more drop in optical density of S. aureus, MRSA B. subtilis and S. epidermidis up to 12 hrs. The complete destruction of the cell membrane of MRSA was observed after 12 h treatment with plant extract. It is concluded that crude bark extract of C. equisetifolia is potent antimicrobial agent and produced both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. Its killing time was extremely faster especially against MRSA. The cell membrane rapturing is a suggested killing mechanism of plant extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): This study was designed to determine the relationship of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli isolates in multispecies biofilms and their individual phenotypic characters in biofilm consortia. Materials and Methods: The subject isolates were recovered from different food samples and identified on the basis of growth on differential and selective media. Tube methods, Congo-red agar method, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study biofilms phenotypes. The hydrophobicity of the strains was evaluated by the adhesion to apolar solvent. Results: The results showed that E. coli dominated the pre-biofilm stage. It has been observed that E. coli adopted biofilm life much before S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. However, after adopting biofilm lifestyle, slowly and gradually, P. aeruginosa dominated the consortia and dispersed other stakeholders. The subject isolates of P. aeruginosa produce cis-2-decanoic acid to disperse or inhibit S. aureus and E. coli biofilms. Gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry results showed that cis-2-decanoic was higher in the co-culture condition and increased at late log-phase or at stationary phase. Although majority of S. aureus were unable to compete with P. aeruginosa, however, a minor population competed, survived, and persisted in biofilm consortia as small colony variants. The survivors showed higher expression of sigB and sarA genes. P. aeruginosa showed comparatively higher hydrophobic surface properties. Conclusion: Comparative analysis showed that cell surface hydrophobicity, growth rate, and small colony variants (SCVs) are correlated in biofilm consortia of the P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid fractions that are extracted from condiments have a wide array of biological potential and are commonly utilized for medicinal and culinary applications. This investigation aims at determining the antimicrobial potential of lipid fractions isolated using two different solvent systems against five foodborne pathogens. The antibacterial efficacy was tested after 0, 1, 2, 3 and 24 h of incubation with the active agent. The leakage of cellular content was assessed at 1 and 2 h of incubation. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were obtained after 18 h of contact time with lipid fractions at their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). From the results obtained from time-kill and cell constituents release tests, it could be concluded that during 3 and 1 h of incubation, the lipid fractions were more potent against Gram-negative isolates (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739). However, prolonged incubation with the active agent inhibited Gram-positive isolate, i.e. Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 13932. SEM images of treated microorganisms also confirmed the inhibitory action of selected lipid fractions against all the tested pathogens. The cellular morphology of the bacteria was completely altered after 18 h of incubation with the lipid fractions. The results of the present study corroborate significant inhibitory effects and disruption in bacterial cell integrity following prolonged incubation with these lipid fractions. The results also affirm the use of the tested lipid fractions in food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid fraction from four different culinary condiments namely black seed (Nigella sativa), fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare), bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) and coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) were investigated for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, total flavonoid content, total flavonol content and antibacterial attributes. Antimicrobial properties were determined against food-borne bacteria through agar well diffusion, drop agar diffusion, macrobroth dilution with simultaneous determination of their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and changes in cellular morphology was analyzed through Scanning electron microscopy. Generally, ethanolic lipid fractions were more effective bioactively as compared to methanolic EOs. Parallel results were obtained for antibacterial activities with the highest antibacterial activities exhibited by ethanolic EOs. The results positively support the use of these lipid fractions in generating new systems to inhibit bacterial growth, extend the shelf life and enhance the safety of the packaged food product. The examined oils can also be used for therapeutic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Envelope curves developed by plotting the largest flood peaks versus the catchment area can be used in estimating peak flood discharges. This study, therefore, provides a basic understanding of the relationship between the basin area and the peak flood. Envelope curve developed for Indus and Jhelum River basins is obtained by using the recent data as well, can be used for the estimation of peak flood discharge that has occurred in the specific region within these catchments and compared with the curve for Danube River basin. This work is also helpful for the improvement of flood frequency analysis at high return periods. Purpose of this work is deriving an upper bounds and to use them in the distribution function. By this approach, the estimation of discharge for higher return periods seems to provide more realistic discharge estimation for higher return periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily rainfall data of Gujjar khan for a period of 30 years (1961-1990) were collected from Pakistan meteorological department (PMD), Lahore. Annual maximum one day precipitation was sorted from the precipitation data to compute the probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for 1-day duration. The Hershfield technique and Gumble distribution of extreme values were used for the estimation of 1-day probable maximum precipitation based on frequency factor. The frequency factor was used to compute for 1-day PMP values in the study area. The PMP for Gujjar khan was estimated to be 357.39 mm and the ratio of the 1-day PMP to highest 1-day precipitation was 1.19. The maximum 1-day precipitation for different return periods 2, 5 10, 20, 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 years were also estimated. The estimated maximum rainfall and PMP values could be useful in designing of soil and water conservation practices, design of small dams in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the accuracy of Pederson and Parant Scale for predicting the difficulty level of mandibular third molar extraction. Prospective cross-sectional, 6 months from January 2012 to June 2012. All consecutive patients who presented for the extraction of impacted third molars were included in the study. Orthopantomograms (OPGs) were advised and on these OPGs third molars were classified as easy, moderate or difficult according to standard Pederson scale. Similarly modified Parant scale was utilized to predict the difficulty of removal of third molars. Root pattern was also noted on the OPG. These parameters were then compared with peri-operative parameters like time taken for extraction and need for crown or root sectioning using Chi Square test. A p value of <0.05 was taken as significant. A total 50 patients were included in the study. Out of these 24 were males and 26 females with a male to female ratio of 1:1.08. The age ranged from 18-38 years with a mean of 26.32+5.43 years. The pre operative predictions for Pederson's and Modified Parant's Score were compared with per operative findings using Chi-Square test. The results were insignificant in terms of Pederson Scale (p value>0.05) while significant results were obtained in case of Parant Scale (p value<0.05). Statistically significant results were seen for root pattern and level of difficulty (p value<0.05). These scales failed to predict difficulty level of tooth removal accurately especially in cases of distoangular impactions. When combined with root pattern, the accuracy of prediction gets significantly better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to assess the frequency of xerostomia in patients infected with hepatitis B and C presenting to the oral and maxillofacial surgery department of Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad from October 2011 to February 2012. It was carried out as a prospective cross sectional study. All patients who gave the history of being infected with hepatitis B or C were included in the study. They were asked about the sensation of dryness of mouth and then were clinically evaluated for the presence of xerostomia by putting a mirror against the mucosa. Sticking of mirror to the mucosa was taken as a positive result. 38 patients presented to the oral surgery department, out of these, 6 were males and 32 females (1:5.3). Eight (21.1%) had hepatitis B while 30 (78.9%) were suffering from hepatitis C. Xerostomia was seen in 8 (26.7%) patients with hepatitis C. None of the patients with hepatitis B presented with xerostomia. Chi Square test was used to analyze the association of xerostomia with therapy for hepatitis but no statistically significant association was observed (p>0.05). Xerostomia may be a finding in patients with chronic liver disease and treating clinicians should be aware of it and should treat it to improve patients' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Acinetobacter sp. is a Gm-ve bacteria which is a major cause of serious infections. Today it has emerged as multidrug resistant organism. The aim of current study was to evaluate the trend of sensitivity/resistance pattern of Acinetobacter spp. against broad spectrum antibiotics. Method: Standard Kirby bauer Disc Diffusion method was adopted to conduct the study according to the CLSI 2013 Standards. Total 52 isolates were collected from different sites of inpatients admitted to renowned tertiary care hospital from Feb 2014-March 2014 and sensitivity/resistance pattern was observed against 08 broad spectrum antibiotics of different classes. Result: It is observed that 61.5% of all samples were obtained from male patients while, the mean range of age group among both the gender frequently found infected was 51-75 yrs. The highest percentage of isolate was obtained from tracheal aspirate (55.76%) of both the genders. Both Colistin and Polymixin were found to be most effective against 9 8% isolates each, while Imipenem was the least effective broad spectrum antibiotic. Thus, the isolates were highly resistant to 05 antibiotics traditionally used to treat infections caused by Acinetobacter spp. Surprisingly, more than 32% of isolates showed Intermediate sensitivity to Fosfomycin. Conclusion: Due to emerging trend of developing resistance among Acinetobacter spp. and spread of hospital acquired infections. There is a serious need to take necessary steps by hospital officials to ensure cleanliness. Patients should also be educated about the proper use of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Armatans A (1) and B (2), new isoflavans, have been isolated from the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the MeOH extract of Colutea armata Hemsl. & Lace, along with sativan (3), 6-hydroxyisosativan (4), ferulic acid (5), and caffeic acid (6), isolated for the first time from this species. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques including MS and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The new compounds 1 and 2 showed significant antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was undertaken for the evaluation of soil erosion using the semi-distributed basin scale SWAT model for four subcatchments of the Dhrabi River Catchment (DRC), which is located in the Pothwar Plateau region. Two subcatchments (catchment-25 and -31) are characterized by gullies while the other two (catchment-27 and -32) are managed with terraced landuse system. The performance of the model was satisfactory with coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.67 to 0.91 and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (ENS) = 0.54 to 0.85 for both surface runoff and sediment yield during the calibration (2009-2010) and validation (2011) periods. The PUSLE factor was found to be the most sensitive parameter during model calibration. It was observed that all of the rainfall-runoff events occurred during the monsoon season (June to September). The estimated annual sediment loss ranged from 2.6 t/hm² to 31.1 t/hm² over the duration of the simulation period for the non-terraced catchments, in response to annual precipitation amounts that were between 194.8 mm to 579.3 mm. In contrast, the predicted annual sediment levels for the terraced catchments ranged from 0.52 t/hm² to 10.1 t/hm² due to similar precipitation amounts. The terraced catchments resulted in 4 to 5 times lower sediment yield as compared to non-terraced catchments. The results suggest that there is a huge potential for terraces to reduce soil erosion in the DRC specifically and Pothwar area generally, which have proven to be an efficient approach of establishing soil and water conservation structures in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new hybrid model VMD-ICEEMDAN-LSTM was proposed for ultrashort term wind speed forecasting. • Multi-metrological data were used as input. • Seven machine-learning models provided a comparative analysis. • Experiments validated the outstanding performance and the statistical significance of the proposed model. Wind speed forecasting (WSF) accuracy is vital for exploiting renewable and environment-friendly wind energy. Therefore, a hybrid WSF model, namely VIL (VMD-ICEEMDAN-LSTM), was constructed in this study. VIL is a three-layered structure utilizing variational mode decomposition (VMD), improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with additive noise (ICEEMDAN), and a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network optimized using a differential evolutionary algorithm (DEA). The VIL was trained on multivariate meteorological data collected from Sujawal station, Pakistan. The partial autocorrelation function (PACF) analysis and an ensemble of VMD and ICEEMDAN techniques were employed to determine the appropriate input variables. The forecasted results obtained through LSTM were combined to create an ensemble forecasting model for the WSF. Seven other models including radial basis function (RFB), support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), extreme learning machine (ELM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and LSTM were developed as benchmarks for comparison purposes. As per the results, the VIL model revealed the lowest statistical errors, the best goodness-of-fit, the consistency of variation trend following the pattern of the observed wind speed, and the nearly matched probability distribution with the observed wind speed data. VIL reduced MAPE compared to RFB, SVR, RFR, ELM, XGB, GRU, and LSTM models by 7.297%, 5.704%, 4.993%, 5.233%, 6.514%, 5.013%, 5.204%, respectively, during testing. Similarly, VIL revealed highest R2 = 0.984 value during testing compared to the counterpart models including RFB (R2 = 0.911), SVR (R2 = 0.927), RFR (R2 = 0.930), ELM (R2 = 0.932), XGB (R2 = 0.931), GRU (R2 = 0.934), and LSTM (R2 = 0.935). The results validated the efficacy and statistical significance of the VIL model over the seven other constructed standalone models. The superior results of the VIL model compared to the counter developed models highlight the viability of integration of VMD and ICEEMDAN decomposition approaches and LSTM deep learning network for multivariate WSF. Therefore, the VIL model is performant for WSF and has good prospects for the energy-environment-transportation-health nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Rhizobium rhizogenes-mediated root proliferation system in Sedum alfredii has been established. Twenty strains of R. rhizogenes were screened for root proliferation. A significant difference (P < 0.01) was observed in plant morphological characters under influence of different bacterial strains. The highest root fresh weight (3.236 g/plant) was observed with strain AS12556. Furthermore, significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the chemical composition of organic acids, Tartaric acid (TA), Succinic acid (SA), Malic acid (MA), Citric acid (CA) and Oxalic acid (OA), pH, Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and soluble sugars in root exudates with different R. rhizogenes mediated roots. Furthermore, a series of hydroponics experiments were conducted with varying concentrations of Cd (25, 50 and 75 µM) and Zn (100, 200 and 500 µM) to assess the phytoextraction efficiency of proliferated roots with Rhizobium. Several plants with proliferated roots showed enhanced growth and improved metal extraction efficiency. Five strains (LBA 9402, K599, AS12556, MSU440 and C58C1) were identified as potential strains for root proliferation in Sedum alfredii. R. rhizogenes strain AS12556 improved Cd/Zn phytoextraction by exogenous production of phytochemicals to promote root proliferation, improved shoot biomass, lowered oxidative damage and enhanced phytoextraction efficiency in S. alfredii. Therefore, it has been selected as a potential microbial partner of S. alfredii to develop extensive rooting system for better growth and enhanced phytoremediation potential. Results suggest that R. rhizogenes mediated root proliferation system can be used for optimizing metal extraction from contaminated soils. [Display omitted] • Rhizobium rhizogenes -mediated root proliferation system was developed in Sedum alfredii. • 20 different R. rhizogenes strains were screened for high root biomass production and metal uptake efficiency. • Several strains showed different behavior in terms of metal uptake and metal accumulation. • The microbial strains AS12556, ATCC11325, LBA9402 and C58C1 were identified as high root proliferating strains. • R. rhizogenes strain AS12556 was selected as a potential microbial partner of S. alfredii for, improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates a new strategy for designing the local static anti-windup (AW) compensator for nonlinear systems with one-sided Lipschitz (OSL) nonlinearities under saturating actuators and exogenous disturbances. The static AW strategy is designed such that the resulting closed-loop system with OSL nonlinearity, actuator saturation, and exogenous disturbance is stable and the region of attraction can be maximized. Inequalities based conditions are formulated for the static AW gain design by using Lyapunov stability theory, sector condition, L 2 gain reduction, OSL inequality, and quadratic inner-bounded (QIB) condition. The proposed AW technique is simpler to design, straightforward to implement and deals with a broader class of systems in contrast to conventional methods. An application example demonstrates that the proposed static AW can successfully mitigate the saturation consequences in OSL nonlinear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecological intensification (EI) approach successfully enhanced maize yield over farmer's practice (FP). • Lower abundance of microbial communities involved in N cycling was noted in EI approach as compared to FP. • Lower N 2 O emissions and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were found in EI approach than FP. There is global concern about the adverse impacts of conventional agricultural practices on the environment. Recent evidence has shown that ecological intensification (EI) of agriculture can safeguard the environment from negative impacts of agricultural practices and simultaneously produce substantially higher crop productivity. Here, we employed the concept of EI and compared it with conventional agriculture or farmer's practice (FP). We explored the effects of EI and FP treatments on maize yield, N losses via potential nitrification activity (PNA), potential denitrification activity (PDA), N 2 O emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and nitrogen (N) cycling microbial populations associated with nitrification and denitrification in fluvo-aquic soil and black soil of North China. There were four treatments, i.e., EI N-, FP N-, EI N+, FP N + at each site, - and + indicate no N addition and N addition, respectively. The results revealed that across the two soils, N addition increased PNA and PDA; however, compared with the FP N + treatment, lower PNA and PDA were observed in the EI N + treatment. Similarly, the abundance of N cycling genes, including AOA amoA and AOB amoA, for nitrification and nirS , nirK , and nosZ for denitrification were significantly increased under N addition, and compared with the FP N + treatment, reduced abundance was noted in the EI N + treatment. N 2 O and GHG emissions were quantified, and it was observed that, in comparison to the FP treatment, reduced N 2 O and GHG emissions occurred in EI treatments in the two locations. EI with best management practices also increased crop yield relative to FP. Owing to higher N rates in FP treatments, substantial soil acidification was noted in FP plots but not in EI plots. In addition, PNA and PDA were significantly positively linked with soil nitrifying and denitrifying communities, particularly in the black soil. Moreover, the N availability pathway rather than soil acidification mainly regulated N cycling microbial communities. Our results suggest that EI could be a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach due to higher crop productivity and lower N losses via PNA, PDA, N 2 O, and GHG emissions, thus preventing the negative impact of agricultural practices, especially N fertilization, on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imbalanced fertilization has caused lower yield and nutrient use efficiency for radish (Raphanus sativus L.) production in China. Estimating nutrient requirements for radish is crucial in optimizing fertilization to resolve the problem. On-farm experiments in the radish-growing regions of China from 2000 to 2017 were collected to investigate the relationship between fleshy root yield and nutrient accumulation in radish plant using the Quantitative Evaluation of the Fertility of Tropical Soils (QUEFTS) model. The QUEFTS model predicted a linear increase in fleshy root yield if nutrients were taken up in balanced amounts until yield reached about 60%–70% of the potential yield. The balanced N, P, and K requirements in radish plant simulated by the QUEFTS model were 2.15, 0.45, and 2.58 kg to produce 1000 kg of fleshy root, and the corresponding internal efficiencies (IEs, kg fleshy root per kg nutrient in total plant dry matter) for N, P, and K were 465.1, 2222.2, and 387.1 kg kg−1. The simulated balanced N, P, and K removal by fleshy root to produce 1000 kg fleshy root were 1.34, 0.30, and 1.93 kg, respectively. Approximately 62%, 67%, and 75% of N, P, and K in radish plant were presented in the fleshy root and removed from the soil. Field validation experiments confirmed the consistency between the observed and simulated nutrient uptake values. The QUEFTS model was proven to be effective for estimating nutrient requirements of radish and will contribute to develop fertilizer recommendations for radish cultivated in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in Pakistan. To date, few studies have explored RSV epidemiology in different areas of Pakistan. However, none have performed comprehensive phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses of RSV strains. This study presents a comprehensive genetic and phylodynamic analysis of RSV strains in children less than five years old in Karachi, Pakistan., Methods: This study used retrospectively collected nasopharyngeal (swab) samples from 155 children with qPCR-confirmed RSV infection. The samples were used to perform RSV genotyping using PCR employing RSV glycoprotein gene-specific primers. The RSVA and RSVB genotyping was performed using BLAST and Maximum-likelihood (ML) phylogenetic methods. Similarly, the relationship with other RSV strains was analyzed using ML phylogenetic cluster analysis. The RSVA and RSVB mean genetic diversity and coefficient of differentiation were calculated using MEGA7 software. Furthermore, the time to the most common recent ancestor (tMRCA) and effective population size of RSV genotypes A and B were estimated using a Bayesian MCMC analysis. Finally, site selection pressure and glycosylation analyses were performed using FUBAR and NetNGlyc/NetOGlyc tools., Results: Out of 155, 98 and 57 sequences were RSVA and RSVB, respectively. The tMRCA was estimated to be around 2002 and 2005 for RSVA and RSVB, respectively. RSVA sequences formed two NA1 genotype clusters, comprising 95 and three sequences, respectively. RSVB formed three clusters, where 24 and two sequences clustered with BA9 and BA12 genotypes, respectively, while 31 sequences formed a unique cluster. The RSVA and RSVB glycoprotein gene sequences exhibited N- and O- glycosylation and selection pressure at several sites. RSV B exhibited slightly higher (0.042) nucleotide diversity per site (π) as compared to RSVA (0.019)., Conclusions: Our results suggest that RSVA and RSVB strains in Pakistan exhibit distinct genotypic clusters and differ in their estimated tMRCA. Additionally, both genotypes showed glycosylation and selection pressure at specific sites, with RSVB exhibiting higher nucleotide divergence per site (π), indicating its potential to undergo further evolutionary changes and adaptation. Overall, this study provides unique insights into RSV molecular epidemiology. The study may also help improve our understanding of RSV evolutionary changes and the emergence of new genotypes in different regions worldwide and within Pakistan., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resins are widely used in medical and dental applications. Their susceptibility to bacterial biofilm formation poses significant challenges related to material degradation and infection risk. This study investigated the effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) biofilms on PMMA resin surface properties over a 45-day period at 35°C. The study examined various parameters including biofilm adhesion, morphology, surface roughness, hydrophobicity, solid fraction, and zeta potential. PMMA resin specimens were inoculated with bacteria and incubated for 45 days. Biofilm adhesion was visually assessed, while surface characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), roughness analysis, contact angle measurements, solid fraction determination, and zeta potential analysis. The P. aeruginosa and S. aureus isolates were selected based on their biofilm-positive characteristics, which were further confirmed using Congo red and biofilm formation assays through crystal violet staining and spectrophotometric analysis. The results demonstrated robust biofilm adhesion on PMMA surfaces. SEM and AFM imaging revealed textured surfaces with elevated structures and depressions within the biofilm matrix. Biofilm-exposed resins exhibited significantly increased roughness (Ra = 164.5 nm, Rq = 169.5 nm) and hydrophobicity (mean angle = 85.5°-90.5°) compared to control samples (Ra = 38-50 nm, angle = 55°). Solid fraction measurements indicated a denser biofilm matrix on exposed resins (0.908) compared to controls (0.65). Additionally, zeta potential values were more negative for biofilm-exposed resins (mean = -84.2 mV) than controls (-45.0 mV). These findings underscore the substantial alterations in PMMA resin surface properties induced by bacterial biofilms, emphasizing the critical need for strategies to prevent biofilm formation and mitigate associated risks in healthcare settings. Future research should focus on developing anti-biofilm coatings or treatments to preserve the integrity and functionality of PMMA materials., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Abstract: Male infertility is a worldwide health issue, affecting 8%-12% of the global population. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) represents a severe type of male infertility, characterized by reduced sperm count and motility and an increased frequency of sperm with aberrant morphology. Using whole-exome sequencing, this study identified a novel missense mutation (c.848C>A, p.A283E) in the coiled-coil domain-containing 34 gene (CCDC34) in a consanguineous Pakistani family. This rare mutation was predicted to be deleterious and to affect the protein stability. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of spermatozoa from the patient with OAT revealed multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella and transmission electron microscopy indicated axonemal ultrastructural defects with a lack of outer dynein arms. These findings indicated that CCDC34 plays a role in maintaining the axonemal ultrastructure and the assembly or stability of the outer dynein arms, thus expanding the phenotypic spectrum of CCDC34 missense mutations., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: ©The Author(s)(2024).)

Male infertility due to asthenozoospermia is quite frequent, but its etiology is poorly understood. We recruited two infertile brothers, born to first-cousin parents from Pakistan, displaying idiopathic asthenozoospermia with mild stuttering disorder but no ciliary-related symptoms. Whole-exome sequencing identified a splicing variant (c.916+1G>A) in ARMC3, recessively co-segregating with asthenozoospermia in the family. The ARMC3 protein is evolutionarily highly conserved and is mostly expressed in the brain and testicular tissue of human. The ARMC3 splicing mutation leads to the exclusion of exon 8, resulting in a predicted truncated protein (p.Glu245&#95;Asp305delfs*16). Quantitative real-time PCR revealed a significant decrease at mRNA level for ARMC3 and Western blot analysis did not detect ARMC3 protein in the patient's sperm. Individuals homozygous for the ARMC3 splicing variant displayed reduced sperm motility with frequent morphological abnormalities of sperm flagella. Transmission electron microscopy of the affected individual IV: 2 revealed vacuolation in sperm mitochondria at the midpiece and disrupted flagellar ultrastructure in the principal and end piece. Altogether, our results indicate that this novel homozygous ARMC3 splicing mutation destabilizes sperm flagella and leads to asthenozoospermia in our patients, providing a novel marker for genetic counseling and diagnosis of male infertility., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)