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Phosphorus deficiency in alkaline and calcareous soils is a worldwide burning issue. The use of mineral phosphatic fertilizers is quite popular throughout the world to cope with this deficiency. However, efficient use of these phosphatic fertilizers is still questionable. A study was conducted to improve the efficiency of these mineral phosphatic fertilizers using phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and phosphorus enriched compost (PEC) in cotton. Results showed that integrated use of PSB and PEC in different combinations improved nutrient use efficiency, growth and seed-cotton yield compared to alone application of single super phosphate (SSP). Significant improvement in morphological characteristics of cotton were recorded due to combinations of PSB and PEC with SSP.

Wasim A Memon, Zishan Haider, Mirza Amanullah Beg, Muhammad Idris, Tanveer-ul-Haq, Waseem Akhtar, Sidra IdrisRadiology Department, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan Every author contributed equally to the workObjective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of liver ultrasound for the detection of hepatoma in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients by either taking histopathology or serum α-fetoprotein levels or a biphasic computed tomography (CT) scan (whichever is available) as the gold standard.Study design: Cross-sectional.Place and duration of study: Radiology Department, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2007 to January 2010.Methods: A total of 239 patients (156 males and 83 females) with clinical suspicion or surveillance of hepatoma in CLD referred to the radiology department for ultrasound evaluation followed by either liver biopsy and histopathology or serum α-fetoprotein level or biphasic CT scan.Results: The sensitivity of ultrasound for hepatoma detection in CLD was 65%, specificity was 85%, and accuracy was 70%, and positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 92% and 45%, respectively.Conclusion: Ultrasound is a relatively quick, safe, reasonably accurate, and noninvasive imaging modality for the detection of hepatoma in CLD and can be complemented with clinical assessment of screening high-risk patients.Keywords: hepatoma, ultrasound, radiology, chronic liver disease

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that severely affects crop production in different regions of the globe. Barley is an essential cereal crop and there is a significant genetic variation among barley varieties for tolerance towards salt stress. Understanding of salinity tolerance mechanisms assists in developing salt tolerant barley varieties in a hydroponics experiment. There were twelve barley varieties and two NaCl stress levels (Control, 100 and 200 mM) in this study. The nursery of barley was seeded in sand and at two-leaf stage; plants were transplanted into hydroponic tubs. The plants were grown under salt stress for 65 days and data regarding several morpho-physiological parameters were collected. The statistical analysis of the collected data was implemented by using completely randomized design (CRD) with factorial arrangement. Exposure to NaCl stress significantly reduced shoot and root growth and relative leaf water contents (RLWC), while increasing Na+ concentration, with B-9006 showing the highest root dry weight (0.39 g) and YSM1 recorded the lowest root dry weight (0.10 g) under 100 mM NaCl. The maximum (232 ppm) Na+ concentration in leaf sap was observed in variety B-15011 (70 % from control) and minimum was observed in B-15018. Maximum K+ mM concentration in leaf sap was found as 72 % in Aia-03 and minimum was observed as 50 % in B-15035. At stress level of 200 mM, highest shoot dry weight (2.52 g) was observed in ZP2 (73 % decreased from control) while minimum shoot dry weight (0.19 g) (96 % decrease from control) was recorded in Franklin genotype. Maximum root dry weight (0.24 g) was observed in B-9006 genotype while minimum root dry weight (0.04 g) was recorded in Gairdner. Maximum K+/Na+ ratio (1.20) was recorded in B-15018 and minimum (0.14) was seen in B-15035. Therefore, based on our results, barley genotypes can be classified into salt-tolerant (B-9006, B-15018, Yerong, Aia-03), salt-sensitive (Gairdner, Franklin, B-15035, B-05011), and moderately tolerant groups at both 100 and 200 mM NaCl levels.

Situs inversus totalis is a rare autosomal recessive congenital anomaly that is characterized by mirror image anatomy of the abdominal and thoracic organs. We report a case of a 28-year-old male with situs inversus totalis, who developed an idiopathic ileoileal and ileocolic intussusception, which was diagnosed on computed tomography scan. Patient underwent successfully ileal resection and side-to-side functional anastomosis of ileum 12 cms from ileocecal junction. Postoperative course was uneventful. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of idiopathic adult intussusception with situs inversus totalis in the literature.

Despite the critical role of balanced nutrition in crop productivity, the use of potash (K) and zinc (Zn) is not much practiced by Pakistani farmers. The reduced nutrient uptake and crop productivity together increase the costs associated with fertilization and revisit farmers’ confidence in the efficacy and profitability of fertilizers. To address this problem, a field study was conducted in the research area of the MNS-University of Agriculture, Multan, in collaboration with Engro Fertilizers Limited. The research plan consisted of five treatments, including T1 = control (without N, P, K, and Zn fertilizers), T2 = NP in practice (NP at 32–23–0 kg acre-1), T3 = recommended NP (NP at 48–34.5 kg acre-1), T4 = balanced NPK (NP+K at 48–34.5–30 kg acre-1), and T5 = balanced NPK + Zn (NPK+Zn at 48–34.5–30 + 7.5 kg acre-1). Wheat was used as a test crop, and its growth, yield, and physiological and nutritional parameters were studied. The results indicated that NPK+Zn balanced nutrition increased plant height, spike length, photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and grain yield by 13%, 15%, 44%, 60%, 63%, 39%, and 78%, respectively, compared with the control. It was found that the combined application of NP, K, and Zn improved the recovery efficiency of applied nutrients, i.e., nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE) by 230%, phosphorus recovery efficiency (PRE) by 136%, potassium recovery efficiency (KRE) by 135%, and zinc recovery efficiency (ZnRE) by 136% compared to NP-alone application. Agronomic use efficiency of applied fertilizers, such as potassium agronomic use efficiency (KAUE) by 71%, phosphorus agronomic use efficiency (PAUE) by 72%, nitrogen agronomic use efficiency (NAUE) by 70%, and zinc agronomic use efficiency (ZnAUE) by 72%, was observed compared to NP-alone application. The results showed that NPUE, PPUE, NPUE, and ZnPUE were reduced by 5%, 3%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, compared to NP-alone application. Our findings suggest that K and Zn should be made an essential part of wheat nutrition management for higher yield and better quality of produce.

This research paper proposes a novel approach for constructing substitution boxes (S-boxes) over Gaussian integers, which are complex numbers with integer coefficients. The proposed method is based on the properties of the Gaussian integers and their arithmetic operations and ensures the S-boxes exhibit strong cryptographic properties. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates how these S-boxes can be utilized for image encryption through a substitution-permutation network (SPN) over Gaussian integers. The SPN involves iteratively applying the S-box and a permutation layer to the input image, which effectively scrambles the image data. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves high security and robustness against various attacks while providing efficient encryption and decryption performance. This research thus provides a promising avenue for developing secure image encryption schemes based on Gaussian integers.

Abstract Application of organic residues such as farm manure and biochar in various agricultural environments have shown positive effects on soil carbon sequestration. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the agronomical benefits of a single and small dose of biochar and farm manure in arid alkaline soils. Therefore, a field experiment with the given treatments (1) control (no amendment), (2) acidified manure (AM) at 300 kg ha−1, (3) nitrogen (N) enriched biochar (NeB) at 3 Mg ha−1, and (4) an equal combination of AM + NeB (150 kg ha−1 AM + 1.5 Mg ha−1 NeB)) was conducted in a typical cotton–wheat cropping system. A parallel laboratory incubation study with the same amendments was carried out to account for soil carbon dioxide emission (CO2). The N enrichment of biochar and its co-application with acidified manure increased soil mineral N (NO3 − and NH4 +) in the topsoil (0–15 cm), and increased total N uptake (25.92% to 69.91%) in cotton over control, thus reducing N losses and increased uptake over control. Compared to the control, co-application of AM + NeB significantly improved soil N and P bioavailability, leading to increased plant biomass N, P, and K (32%, 40%, 6%, respectively) uptake over control. The plant's physiological and growth improvements [chlorophyll (+ 28.2%), height (+ 47%), leaf area (+ 17%), number of bolls (+ 7%), and average boll weight (+ 8%)] increased the agronomic yield in the first-season crop cotton by 25%. However, no positive response was observed in the second season wheat crop. This field study improved our understanding that co-application of acidified manure and N-enriched biochar in small dose can be a strategy to achieve short-term agronomic benefits and carbon sequestration in the long run.

Abstract Background Under K deficiency the uptake and distribution pattern in plant cells is mediated through different transport proteins and channels which were controlled by specific gene family. Therefore, a hydroponic experiment was conducted under control condition for testing the gene expression pattern of the K transporter under adequate and low K supply levels. After that, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate five selected cotton cultivars (four K-efficient cultivars, viz., CIM-554, CYTO-124, FH-142, IUB-2013, and one K non-efficient, BH-212) screened from the initial hydroponics culture experiment and two levels of potassium (0 K2O kg·ha−1 and 50 K2O kg·ha−1) were tested under reduced irrigation (50% available water content; 50 AWC) and normal irrigation conditions (100% available water content; 100 AWC). Result Results revealed that the transcript levels of GhHAK5aD in roots were significantly higher in K+ efficient cultivars than that in K+ non-efficient cultivars. The GhHAK5aD expression upon K+ deficiency was higher in roots but lower in shoots, indicating that GhHAK5aD could have a role in K+ uptake in roots, instead of transport of K+ from root to shoot. Similarly, under field conditions the cultivar FH-142 showed an increase of 22.3%, 4.9%, 2.4%, and 1.4% as compared with BH-212, IUB-2013, CYTO-124, and CIM-554, respectively, in seed cotton yield (SCY) with K application under reduced irrigation conditions. With applied K, the FH-142 showed an increase in net photosynthetic rate by 57.3% as compared with the rest of the cultivars under reduced irrigation over K control. However, the overall performance indicators of K-efficient cultivars like FH-142, CYTO-124, CIM-554, and IUB-2013 were better than BH-212 (K in-efficient) under reduced irrigation conditions with applied K at 50 kg·ha−1. Fiber quality trait improved significantly with K application under water deficit. The increase in micronaire was 3.6%, 4.7%, 7.8%, 3.4%, and 6.7% in BH-212, IUB-2013, CIM-554, CYTO-124, and FH-142, respectively, with K application at 50 kg·ha−1 over without K application under reduced irrigation conditions during the cotton growing season. Similarly, the cultivars FH-142 increased by 12% with K application under reduced irrigation as compared with other cultivars. The performance of K-efficient cultivars under reduced irrigation conditions was 30% better in SCY and quality traits with the application of K at 50 kg·ha−1 as compared with K-non-efficient cultivars. Similarly, water use efficiency (WUE) (40.1%) and potassium use efficiency (KUE) (20.2%) were also noted higher in case of FH-142 as compared with other cultivar with K application under reduced conditions. Conclusion Higher expression of GhHAK5aD gene was observed in K-efficient cultivars as compared with K-non-efficient cultivars in roots indicates that GhHAK5aD may be contributing to genotypic differences for K+ efficiency in cotton. K-efficient cotton cultivars can be used for the low-K environments and can also be recommended for general cultivars.

Objectives: To identify that incidence of pulmonary barotrauma secondary to mechanical ventilation for the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus-disease-2019, and to compare it with the incidence of pulmonary barotrauma trauma secondary to mechanical ventilation associated with all the other causes. Method: The retrospective case-control study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data from October 2020 to March 2021 of patients who underwent mechanical ventilation. The data was divided into two groups. Data of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus-disease-2019 was in group 1, and that of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with any other cause in control group 2. Medical records were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical data, while the institutional picture archiving and communication system was used to review radiological images. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. Results: Of the 261 cases, 115(44%) were in group 1; 87(75.6%) males and 28(24.3%) females. There were 146(56%) controls in group 2; 96(65.7%) males and 50(34.2%) females. There were 142(54.4%) subjects aged >60 years; 61(43%) in group 1 and 81(57%) in group 2. The incidence of pulmonary barotrauma in group 1 was 39(34%) and 8(5.5%) in group 2 (p

AbstractLow nutrient availability in sandy soils is a serious threat to crop productivity. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of cotton-sticks biochar, sugarcane press-mud, and vegetable compost on soil chemical properties and chickpea yield in sandy soils. Two chickpea varieties, Bittal-2016 and Noor-2019, were grown in soil amended with cotton-sticks biochar at 10 and 15 Mg ha−1; sugarcane press-mud at 10 and 15 Mg ha−1; vegetable compost at 10 and 15 Mg ha−1; cotton-sticks biochar at 10 and 15 Mg ha−1 plus loaded with Fe/Zn including no amendment. Cotton-sticks biochar at 15 Mg ha−1 loaded with Fe/Zn significantly increased chlorophyll (48.40), N (3.1, 2.5, and 3.9%), P (1.13%, 1.10, and 1.4%), and K (1.44, 2.26, and 1.27%) in root, shoot, and grains of var. Noor-2019. Soil amended with vegetable compost at 10 Mg ha−1 and Fe/Zn-loaded biochar at 15 Mg ha−1 exhibited a marked increase in shoot length (43.2 cm), root length (25.8 cm), root fresh weight (8.0 g), pods per plant (34), 100-grain weight (32.7 g), and grain yield (25.9 g) for var. Noor-2019. Amended soil with Fe/Zn-loaded biochar at 10 Mg ha−1 depicted a remarkable increase in soil EC, pH, OM, and N by 2.12 dS m−1, 8.4, 0.67% and 0.20%, respectively. Conclusively, Fe/Zn-loaded cotton-sticks biochar at 15 Mg ha−1 and vegetable compost at 10 Mg ha−1 effectively improved the soil chemical properties, nutrient uptake, and yield of var. Noor-2019. Hence, cotton-sticks biochar could be used as eco-friendly approach for improving chickpea production in coarse-textured soils.

Abstract Management of endogenous Cushing syndrome is based on its aetiology. Increased Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) levels are the most common cause of this disorder and, therefore, it is critical to determine the source of ACTH before further management. Dynamic post contrast MRI is currently the most common investigation implied to diagnose pituitary adenoma; however, it comes with the drawback of low specificity and high false positive results. Inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) is an established invasive procedure performed to differentiate central versus peripheral source of ACTH which, in turn, results in hypercortesolaemia. This is a series of 14 patients who underwent IPSS at the Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2006 to December 2018. The case series emphasises the role of IPSS in the management of ACTH-dependent Cushing syndrome and combined efficacy of Dynamic post-contrast MRI and the procedure under focus. Continuous....