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Objective: To determine the frequency, associated risk factors, and outcome of meningitis in neonates presenting with sepsis at Aga khan Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at pediatrics department of Aga Khan Tertiary University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from July 31, 2020, till January 30, 2021. Neonates of either gender admitted with neonatal sepsis were enrolled using non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Meningitis was diagnosed as per the findings of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) along with the outcome in terms of death and early neurological complications such as subdural effusions and hydrocephalus. Results: Of 209 neonates with sepsis, meningitis was observed in 59 (28.2%) neonates. A significantly lower mean weight (p-value 0.024) while significantly higher mean duration of stay (p-value <0.001) was observed in patient with meningitis. Moreover, a significantly higher proportion of meningitis was observed in neonates who had fever (p-value 0.048), vomiting (p-value 0.009), abdominal distension (p-value <0.001), and blood culture positivity (p-value <0.001). Blood culture positive Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was considerably higher among neonates with meningitis. Of 59 neonates with meningitis, mortality was observed in 2 (3.4%) neonates. Positive CSF culture was observed in 6 (2.9%) while hydrocephalus was observed in 7 (11.9%) and effusion in 6 (10.2%) neonates. Conclusion: Neonatal meningitis is common in neonates presenting with sepsis, but mortality rate is low. Positive cultures, particularly with MSSA, further underscore the bacterial etiology in neonatal meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vigna mungo L. (black gram) is a summer pulse crop endemic to Central Asia. It is one of Pakistan's top five premium food beans and a highly cost-effective crop. Allelochemicals in Trianthema portulacastrum L. (black pigweed) leaf extract decreased the V. mungo germination rate (34% to 6%), seedling length (10 cm to 3 cm), fresh biomass of seedling (2.4 g to 0.94 g) and dry biomass of seedling (1.2 g to 0.47 g). Biological agent Pseudomonas sp. (PF-097) act as bioherbicide and as plant growth promoter agent to decrease the T. portulacastrum allelopathic stress and to enhance the growth of V. mungo. Amendment of Pseudomonas sp. (PF-097) increase V. mungo percentage of germination (8-42%), seedling length (12-54%), fresh biomass of seedling (8-17%) and dry biomass of seedling (0.47 g to 1.2 g). In vivo pot experiment bioassay revealed that of T. portulaacstrum significantly suppress the shoot length (46 cm to 18 cm), shoot fresh biomass (2.6 g to 0.66 g) and shoot dry biomass of V. mungo (1.31 g to 0.33 g). Pseudomonas sp. (PF-097) PGPR incorporation in vivo experiment significantly increased the shoot length (4% to 12%), shoot fresh biomass (18% to 35%), shoot dry biomass of V. mungo (17% to 35%). Physiological activity of Catalase and peroxidase considerably increased in negative treatments amended with only T. portulacastrum and decreased in positive treatments by using biological agent Pseudomonas sp. (PF-097). Protein content of V. mungo seedling was significantly increased in positive treatments as compared to negative treatments. These results showed that allelochemical stress of T. portulacastrum on the V. mungo can be countered by the herbicidal activity of the Pseudomonas sp. (PF-097). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damaging influence of arsenate(V) on germination and early growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was checked through pot bioassays. Four concentrations of As(V) i.e. 0.013, 0.025, 0.038 and 0.05 mg pot-1 were used to spike sandy loam soil (sand: 76%, silt: 15%, clay: 9%). Different As(V) treatments in the soil resulted in significant reduction in germination rate (G%), germination index (GI) and relative germination rate (RGR), while increased in arsenic response index (ARI). Shoot growth and biomass were significantly declined by 40-90%, and that of roots were decreased by 50-99% in 2-week and 4-weeks old plants. Morphological symptoms like yellowing of leaf margins, stunt roots and stems were observed at higher dose (0.05 mg) of As(V) in 4-week seedling. The tolerance index (Tindex) of seedling was decreased and metal accumulation was increased that revealed increase in the seedling sensitivity with increasing concentrations of As(V). Root accumulated more metal than the shoots. It was concluded that As(V) has potential to drastically reduce seed and seedling growth of wheat by accumulating in plant tissues, therefore it is required to assess uptake by plants growing in arsenic contaminated areas to address food security challenging in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cr(III) removal ability of indigenous soil fungus of Pakistan (i.e. Rhizopus arrhizus Fisher) was checked through batch trails. Experiments were performed by taking 0.1 g of powdered fungal biomass in 100 mL of metal solution kept at 150 rpm for 3 hours. Results of FTIR spectroscopy revealed that amine (-NH2) and hydroxyl (-OH) groups participated in Cr(III) binding with the fungal biomass. There was an inversely proportional relationship between adsorption efficiency and capacity on increasing initial metal concentration in the range of 20-100 mg/L. The adsorption capacity of fungal biomass was 43.47 mg/g as determined by Langmuir isotherm. High correlation coefficient (R²: 0.99) acquired through Langumir and Frendulich models adequately described the adsorption mechanism on fungal biomass. pH optimization trials in the range of 2-10 exhibited significantly greater adsorption efficiency of 75% at pH 4, while metal removal rate declined with increasing pH. Adsorption/adsorption trials with four acids indicted that maximum desorption of Cr(III) was found with HCl, followed by HNO3, CH3COOH, and H2SO4. Adsorption-based trials summarized that R. arrhizus is a potential and inexpensive biomaterial with viable application in the removal of Cr(III) from the aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]