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The Wiener index is the sum of distances of all pairs of nodes in a graph; and the Zagreb index is defined as the sum of squares of the degrees of nodes in a rooted tree. In this note, we calculate the first two moments of the Wiener and Zagreb indices of random exponential recursive trees (random ERTs) from two systems of recurrence relations. Then, by an application of the contraction method, we characterize the limit law for a scaled Zagreb index of ERTs. Via the martingale convergence theorem, we also show the almost sure convergence and quadratic mean convergence of an appropriately scaled Wiener index that is indicative of the distance of two randomly chosen nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to examine the suppressive effects of Stachys byzantine leaf methanolic extracts on cancer cell lines and pathogenic microbes. Five concentrations of S. byzantine methanolic extract, from 25 to 400 µg/ml, were applied to HepG1 and HCT116 cells. S. byzantine methanolic extracts inhibited liver and colon cancer cell viability at different concentrations. The MTT assay results demonstrated that the extract’s IC-50 values for HepG1 were 271.61µg/ml and for HCT116 was 184.86µg/ml. The methanolic extracts obtained from S. byzantine showed antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Grampositive bacteria. The extract inhibited Staphylococcus aureus with 15, 20, and 22 mm inhibition zones at 100, 200, and 400 mg/ml, respectively. However, the extract was more effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with inhibitory zones of 30, 30, and 35 mm at 100, 200, and 400 mg/ml respectively. This study indicates that methanolic extracts derived from S. byzantine leaves have anti-cancer and antibacterial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the potential of silver metal organic frameworks (Ag‐MOF), we modified it with sulfanilamide (Ag‐MOF‐NH2) to create an efficient means for the adsorption of amoxicillin (AMX) from aqueous solutions. We characterized this new material with various imaging and analyzation techniques. Investigations into adsorption were conducted with varying solution pH, contact time, and adsorbent dosages. Moreover, the kinetics and adsorption isotherms were also tested by different models. Results revealed that equilibrium was reached between the antibiotic and the adsorbents within 100 min, with 1.93 and 2.63 mmol·g−1 as the maximum adsorption capacities of Ag‐MOF and Ag‐MOF‐NH2, respectively. The adsorption of AMX onto the adsorbents is closely in line with the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model, intraparticle‐diffusion model, and Langmuir isotherm, suggesting that the surface of the adsorbent is homogeneous and that the highest binding sites are filled first. By utilizing this data, an engaging conclusion can be drawn: the process of adsorption is efficient and effective. Optimizing adsorption results with Box–Behnken design (BBD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) produced impressive outcomes. Additionally, experiments were conducted on non‐buffered AMX solutions at various NaNO3 concentrations to ascertain the influence of the electrolytes' composition. Surprisingly, its capacity to take up the element was affected by different concentrations and has ability to be reused several times by capacity above 80% for up to four cycles. Discovering the intricate mechanisms behind AMX adsorption, such as electrostatic forces, π–π interactions, H‐bonding, and pore filling, proves to be an invaluable asset in reducing its concentration from real water samples. The mighty potential of Ag‐MOF and Ag‐MOF‐NH2 makes them excellent adsorbents with removal efficiencies ranging between 86% and 97% making them ideal for industrial uses and protecting our environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the heat and species transfer in a composite cavity linked with a horizontal channel. The cavity comprises a triangular porous layer and one of its vertical sides is exposed to a high temperature and concentration. The mathematical conservation equations are solved numerically using the Galerkin finite element method. The ranges of Reynolds and Richardson numbers are taken to ascertain laminar flow, Re = 50–250 and Ri = 0.1–100. The size of the porous layer is quantified by the thickness of the porous layer Hp = 0.25–1. The problem is studied for two cases of heat and species sources; the opposing case, when the active side is on the right, and assisting case, when the active side is on the left. Results reveal that for specified conditions, the triangular porous layer increases Nusselt and Sherwood numbers by 30% and 32%, respectively, more than the horizontal porous layer. The opposing case gives maximum convective heat transfer, where for Ri = 0.01, the Nusselt number is higher by 61% and 134% for Re = 50 and 250, respectively, while for Ri = 100, the percentages increase are 67% and 43%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pharmacy students should be eHealth literate by being skilful in searching, evaluating and applying online health information. Mobile health applications should be utilised when making clinical decisions to achieve optimal patient care with the ever-changing pharmacy practice. This study aims to explore the eHealth literacy and mobile health application utilisation amongst pharmacy undergraduates.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2021. An online survey, consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, Internet use, eHealth Literacy Scale and mobile health application utilisation, was distributed amongst pharmacy undergraduates in public and private universities in Malaysia. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance test, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test.Results: A total of 415 participants completed the survey (response rate    =    82.5%). The median eHealth Literacy Scale score (out of 40) was 31.0    ±    3.0 (interquartile range). More than one-third of participants (34.7%) were found to have low eHealth literacy. Many lacked confidence in making health decisions from online information (42.4%) and skills in distinguishing between high-quality and low-quality health resources (35.2%). Only 70.4% of the participants had mobile health applications installed on their smartphones and/or tablets. Some students felt that they were neither knowledgeable nor skilful enough to utilise mobile health applications (24.8%), whereas 23.9% were unaware of the mobile health applications available.Conclusion: In summary, the eHealth literacy of Malaysian pharmacy students can be further enhanced by incorporating eHealth literacy-focused programmes into the curriculum. Moreover, pharmacy students' mobile health application utilisation can be improved through increased awareness and support from universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ligand 3-(-(2-hydroxyphenylimino) methyl)-4H-chromen-4-one (SL) has been synthesized and examined as a chemosensor for some metal ions in aqueous solutions based on colorimetric analysis. Color changes were monitored using UV–visible spectroscopy. Binding stoichiometry and limit of detection (LOD) were estimated using titration experimentation based on UV–visible absorbance and Job's plot. The synthesized ligand was tested for selectivity in the presence of several cations and was examined for possible utility as a chemosensor in real water samples. The results indicated sensing ability and selectivity for Cu2+, Fe3+, and V5+. Stable complexes were formed between SL and Cu2+, Fe3+, and V5+, and the ligand-to-metal binding stoichiometry was found 2 : 1 in the SL-Cu2+ and SL-Fe3+ complexes, and 1 : 1 in the SL-V5+ complex. The results of LOD and bending constant were (7.03 μM, 1.37 × 104 M−1), (5.16 μM, 2.01 × 104 M−1), and (5.94 μM, 1.82 × 104 M−1) for Cu2+, Fe3+, and V5+, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global transition to 100% renewable energy (RE) aims to mitigate climate change, enhance energy security, and achieve sustainable energy systems. Despite numerous studies, reports, plans, and pathways toward achieving this target, comprehensive research on its feasibility is lacking. Thus, this paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the current status, feasibility, and future perspectives of transitioning to 100% RE. It addresses two main questions: "Is a global transition to 100% RE realistic and feasible?" and "What are the impacts of 100% RE on climate change?" The paper examines the global RE landscape, progress, and current status, focusing on increasing the RE share in the energy mix. It analyzes the feasibility of achieving 100% RE and its role in mitigating climate change at the global level. In this regard, the research, plans, and significant progress toward near 100% RE achievements in various regions and sectors are reviewed. The paper highlights innovative solutions, global policy landscapes, real-life examples, best practices, technical solutions, optimization methods, integration improvements, feasibility studies, market dynamics, and RE technology advancements and their role in this transition. A detailed analysis of the challenges facing this transition—including economic, environmental, technical, social, policy, standards, and energy efficiency aspects—is also discussed. Additionally, it provides insightful discussions on solutions and strategies to overcome these challenges, presenting a comprehensive perspective on the transition. Finally, the paper concludes with recommendations for future research directions. The insights provided contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding RE transitions, offering perspectives and considerations for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders as they navigate the path toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future for the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research intended to employ a facile and economical process, which is also ecofriendly to transform camel waste bones into novel heterostructure for cleansing of diverse waste waters. The bones of camel were utilized for preparation of hydroxyapatite by hydrothermal method. The prepared hydroxyapatite was applied to the synthesis of cerium oxide-hydroxyapatite coated with natural polymer chitosan (CS-HAP-CeO2) heterostructure. Being abundant natural polymer polysaccharide, chitosan possesses exceptional assets such as accessibility, economic price, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility as well as biodegradability, therefore style it as an outstanding adsorbent for removing colorant and other waste molecules form water. This heterostructure was characterized by various physicochemical processes such as XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM, and FT-IR. The CS-HAP-CeO2 was screened for adsorption of various industrially important dyes, viz., Brilliant blue (BB), Congo red (CR), Crystal violet (CV), Methylene blue (MB), Methyl orange (MO), and Rhodamine B (RB) which are collective pollutants of industrial waste waters. The CS-HAP-CeO2 demonstrated exceptional adsorption against CR dye. The adsorption/or removal efficiency ranges are BB (11.22%), CR (96%), CV (28.22%), MB (47.74%), MO (2.43%), and RB (58.89%) dyes. Moreover, this heterostructure showed excellent bacteriostatic potential for E. coli, that is liable for serious waterborne diseases. Interestingly, this work revealed that the incorporation of cerium oxide and chitosan into hydroxyapatite substantially strengthened antimicrobial and adsorption capabilities than those observed in virgin hydroxyapatite. Herein, we recycled the unwanted camel bones into a novel heterostructure, which assists to reduce water pollution, mainly caused by the dye industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nanostructured neural probes enable multimodal sensing and advanced imaging.. • Advanced probes integrate electrodes, sensors, and waveguides for precise analysis. • Decoding neural codes, brain mapping, and therapeutic advances hold great promise. • Addressing data integration and biocompatibility require multifaceted developments. Neuroprobes that use nanostructured photonic interfaces are capable of multimodal sensing, stimulation, and imaging with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. In addition to electrical recording, optogenetic modulation, high-resolution optical imaging, and molecular sensing, these advanced probes combine nanophotonic waveguides, optical transducers, nanostructured electrodes, and biochemical sensors. The potential of this technology lies in unraveling the mysteries of neural coding principles, mapping functional connectivity in complex brain circuits, and developing new therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders. Nevertheless, achieving the full potential of nanostructured photonic neural probes requires overcoming challenges such as ensuring long-term biocompatibility, integrating nanoscale components at high density, and developing robust data-analysis pipelines. In this review, we summarize and discuss the role of photonics in neural probes, trends in electrode diameter for neural interface technologies, nanophotonic technologies using nanostructured materials, advances in nanofabrication photonics interface engineering, and challenges and opportunities. Finally, interdisciplinary efforts are required to unlock the transformative potential of next-generation neuroscience therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, the number of grid-connected photovoltaic systems (GCPVS) has expanded substantially. The increase in GCPVS integration may lead to operational issues for the grid. Thus, modern GCPVS control mechanisms should be used to improve grid efficiency, reliability, and stability. In terms of frequency stability, conventional generating units usually have a governor control that regulates the primary load frequency in cases of imbalance situations. This control should be activated immediately to avoid a significant frequency variation. Recently, renewable distribution generators such as PV power plants (PVPPs) are steadily replacing conventional generators. However, these generators do not contribute to system inertia or frequency stability. This paper proposes a control strategy for a GCPVS with active power control (APC) to support the grid and frequency stability. The APC enables the PVPP to withstand grid disturbances and maintain frequency within a normal range. As a result, PVPP is forced to behave similar to traditional power plants to achieve frequency steadiness stability. Frequency stability can be achieved by reducing the active power output fed into the grid as the frequency increases. Additionally, to maintain power balance on both sides of the inverter, the PV system will produce the maximum amount of active power achievable based on the frequency deviation and the grid inverter's rating by working in two modes: normal and APC (disturbance). In this study, a large-scale PVPP linked to the utility grid at the MV level was modeled in MATLAB/Simulink with a nominal rated peak output of 2000 kW. Analyses of the suggested PVPP's dynamic response under various frequency disturbances were performed. In this context, the developed control reduced active power by 4%, 24%, and 44% when the frequency climbed to 50.3 Hz, 50.8 Hz, and 51.3 Hz, respectively, and so stabilized the frequency in the normal range, according to grid-code requirements. However, if the frequency exceeds 51.5 Hz or falls below 47.5 Hz, the PVPP disconnects from the grid for safety reasons. Additionally, the APC forced the PVPP to feed the grid with its full capacity generated (2000 kW) at normal frequency. In sum, the large-scale PVPP is connected to the electrical grid provided with APC capability has been built. The system's capability to safely ride through frequency deviations during grid disturbances and resume initial conditions was achieved and improved. The simulation results show that the given APC is effective, dependable, and suitable for deployment in GCPVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructure Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O photocatalyst was prepared by the hydrothermal procedure. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by different physico-chemical techniques. For Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composites, AgVO3 shows the monoclinic phase whereas Ag and Cu2O show a cubic phase. SEM images of Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composites illustrated that the surface of AgVO3 nanorods was covered by Ag and Cu2O nanoparticles. Ultra violet − visible diffuse reflectance spectra revealed that the calculated optical response of Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composite was found to be 2.24 eV. Additionally, the composite catalyst demonstrated improved photo-efficiency for the decolorization of methylene blue dye compared to that of pristine AgVO3. The better performance of the composite sample can be ascribed to its high charge separation and inhibition in recombination of charges in Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O catalyst Finally, this heterostructure Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O catalyst demonstrated good stability which simply can be recycled a number of times with steadiness; thus, unwraps new possibilities for applications as innovative photocatalyst [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Magnetite product with nearly 85 % of Fe 2 O 3 was extracted from Sinai copper ore. • Magnetite/heated glauconite mixture was activated to form a magnetic geopolymer (GMG) for crystal violet adsorption. • The Freundlich and multilayer models fitted the CRV uptake at all temperatures. • CRV adsorption capacities of this new material ranged from 612 to 684 mg/g. • GMG displayed high adsorption capacity (nearly 74%) after the fourth adsorption–desorption cycle. Sinai copper ore with 9.48 % of Fe 2 O 3 was treated using a laboratory-scale mineral processing techniques that included size reduction (below 75 µm) and a wet low intensity drum-type magnetic separation. After this treatment method, the separated magnetite product containing about 85 % of Fe 2 O 3 was extracted. A mixture of heated glauconite (900 °C/2h) and the extracted magnetite was activated by sodium silicate (Na 2 SiO 3) to obtain a novel glauconite-based magnetic geopolymer (namely GMG). Several analytical techniques (i.e., XRD, XRF, FESEM, FTIR, EDX, TEM, elemental mapping, and zeta potential) were used in the characterization of GMG and its performance for crystal violet (CRV) remediation was studied. The equilibrium data at pH 8.0 and 25 – 50 °C were fitted to a statistical physics multilayer model and classical isotherm equations to understand the CRV adsorption mechanism. The theoretical calculations indicated that GMG can adsorb 1.12 to 1.39 of CRV molecules per functional group (n), suggesting the presence of a multi-interaction mechanism and vertical adsorption orientation on GMG surface. For this basic dye, the estimated saturation adsorption capacities (Q sat) ranged from 684 to 612 mg/g, and an exothermic binding interaction was associated with the removal of this dye molecule. The adsorption energies (Δ E) ranged between 15.05 and 36.74 kJ/mol, indicating that physical forces, such as electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds, governed the GMG-CRV interactions. After fourth adsorption–desorption cycles, the regenerated GMG showed 74 % of its adsorption capacities, which suggested the suitability of this adsorbent to be regenerated and reused multiple times in water treatment. Overall, the combination between the separated magnetite and glauconite was an effective approach for the remediation of effluents that contain dye molecules [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (BC) is a diverse disease with heterogeneous subgroups in pathophysiology and behavior. Recent advances in biomarker-based therapy may help improve treatment options for BC. Thus, this study aimed to assess the role of interleukin (IL)-31 and IL-33 as biomarkers associated with BC risk. Serum concentrations of IL-31 and IL-33 were quantified in women with BC (n = 77), women with benign breast lesion (BBL; n = 51), and healthy women (n = 75), using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Compared with BBL or healthy women, IL-33 concentrations were significantly greater in BC patients and were associated with a 1.33-fold increased risk of disease and had excellent prognostic value in BC (area under the curve = 0.89). In addition, IL-33 expression was linked to triplenegative BC, distant metastasis, Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage, status of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. IL-31 concentrations showed no significant differences between BC, BBL, and healthy women, but were greater in patients with distant metastasis and those who were negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors. In conclusion, IL-33 and to a lesser extent IL-31 can be used as biomarkers associated with BC risk and to identify patients with a poor prognosis especially those with triple-negative BC. Furthermore, understanding the connection between IL-33 and BC progression may aid in the development of safe and effective therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, food scarcity and malnutrition are predominant problems encountered by indigenous people due to the exponential growth of the population and the unavailability of good-quality food. These problems are exacerbated by an increase in the homozygosity of crops, climate change, water stress, resistant pathogens, and the application of unnecessary fertilizers. The current study was designed to compare the effects of the modulations induced by zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), zinc aspartate (Zn-Asp), and aspartate (L-Asp) in water-stressed maize in Punjab, Pakistan. This experiment was designed with a split-plot factorial pattern involving two main plots (control and stressed plants). Each plot comprised eight rows of plants that corresponded to the following foliar treatments after 30 and 45 days: no spray; water spray; and foliar application of ZnSO4 (0.25%), ZnSO4 (0.50%), Zn-Asp (0.25%), Zn-Asp (0.50%), L-Asp (0.5%), and L-Asp (1.0%). Drought stress was imposed for 3 weeks after germination, and samples were collected periodically after 45 days after germination and up to 110 days to maturity of the crop. Various growth attributes, such as nutrient acquisition and agronomic parameters, were examined. Biofortification with Zn-Asp proved to be highly promising in terms of improved growth, increased yield, and induced drought tolerance. This study proved that the biofortification of crops by using mineral-chelated amino acids, such as Zn-Asp, was more fruitful than that with the traditionally used ZnSO4 and ameliorated drought. Hence, this experiment proved the beneficial effects of Zn-Asp on maize; these effects can also improve the nutritive quality of flour, grains, and other maize food products for better human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructure Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O photocatalyst was prepared by the hydrothermal procedure. The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by different physico-chemical techniques. For Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composites, AgVO3 shows the monoclinic phase whereas Ag and Cu2O show a cubic phase. SEM images of Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composites illustrated that the surface of AgVO3 nanorods was covered by Ag and Cu2O nanoparticles. Ultra violet − visible diffuse reflectance spectra revealed that the calculated optical response of Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O composite was found to be 2.24 eV. Additionally, the composite catalyst demonstrated improved photo-efficiency for the decolorization of methylene blue dye compared to that of pristine AgVO3. The better performance of the composite sample can be ascribed to its high charge separation and inhibition in recombination of charges in Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O catalyst Finally, this heterostructure Ag-AgVO3/Cu2O catalyst demonstrated good stability which simply can be recycled a number of times with steadiness; thus, unwraps new possibilities for applications as innovative photocatalyst [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of control in voltage overshoot, transient response, and steady state error are major issues that are frequently encountered in a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system, resulting in poor power quality performance and damages to the overall power system. This paper presents the performance of a control strategy for an inverter in a three-phase grid-connected PV system. The system consists of a PV panel, a boost converter, a DC link, an inverter, and a resistor-inductor (RL) filter and is connected to the utility grid through a voltage source inverter. The main objective of the proposed strategy is to improve the power quality performance of the three-phase grid-connected inverter system by optimising the proportional-integral (PI) controller. Such a strategy aims to reduce the DC link input voltage fluctuation, decrease the harmonics, and stabilise the output current, voltage, frequency, and power flow. The particle swarm optimisation (PSO) technique was implemented to tune the PI controller parameters by minimising the error of the voltage regulator and current controller schemes in the inverter system. The system model and control strategies were implemented using MATLAB/Simulink environment (Version 2020A) Simscape-Power system toolbox. Results show that the proposed strategy outperformed other reported research works with total harmonic distortion (THD) at a grid voltage and current of 0.29% and 2.72%, respectively, and a transient response time of 0.1853s. Compared to conventional systems, the PI controller with PSO-based optimization provides less voltage overshoot by 11.1% while reducing the time to reach equilibrium state by 32.6%. The consideration of additional input parameters and the optimization of input parameters were identified to be the two main factors that contribute to the significant improvements in power quality control. Therefore, the proposed strategy effectively enhances the power quality of the utility grid, and such an enhancement contributes to the efficient and smooth integration of the PV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Serum levels of IL-17A, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were up-regulated in male patients with ankylosing spondylitis. • Serum IL-31 levels were down-regulated in in male patients with ankylosing spondylitis. • IL-17A, IL-31, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were potential markers to differentiate between ankylosing spondylitis patients and controls. • IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-12, and IL-33 levels showed no significant variations between ankylosing spondylitis patients and controls. A case-control study was performed to explore eight pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1Ra (IL-1 receptor antagonist), IL-12, IL-17A, IL-31, IL-33, CXCL10 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10), and CXCL16, with the aim to understand their role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) pathogenesis and evaluate their utility as markers to differentiate between diseased and healthy individuals. Among these cytokines, IL-31 and CXCL16 have not been well studied in AS. The study included 94 male patients with AS and 91 age-matched control males. Interleukin and chemokine levels were measured using ELISA kits. Serum levels of IL-17A, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were significantly elevated in patients compared to controls, while IL-31 levels were significantly decreased in patients. IL-17A, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were associated with an increased risk of AS, while IL-31 was associated with a decreased risk of disease (odds ratio = 1.22, 1.78, 1.14, and 0.89, respectively). As indicated by the area under the curve (AUC), IL-17A, IL-31, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were potential markers to differentiate between AS patients and controls (AUC = 0.877, 0.735, 0.8, and 0.7, respectively). IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-12, and IL-33 levels showed no significant variations between patients and controls. Among the eight cytokines examined, IL-17A, CXCL10, and CXCL16 were up-regulated in the serum of AS patients, while IL-31 was down-regulated. The levels of IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-12, and IL-33 showed no significant differences between patients and controls. Serum levels of all cytokines were not affected by disease duration, HLA-B27 positivity, or disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia poses a considerable disease burden, notwithstanding its relatively low incidence rate. The escalation in population size and mean age has led to a substantial rise in the incidence of illness linked to schizophrenia, particularly in countries with moderate levels of prosperity. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to detect and recognize the illness as fast as possible to stop the consequences from occurring and stop symptoms from appearing before they even start. Within this study’s scope, fifteen distinct primers were selected randomly to determine whether or not they could recognize schizophrenia. To accomplish this, a Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was conducted utilizing DNA samples obtained from individuals afflicted with the condition and those in good health. The outcomes of the gel electrophoresis and subsequent analysis revealed that solely three primers including C12, E02 and E03 exhibited monomorphic characteristics. However, it was observed that 80% of the primers, precisely eleven out of fifteen, exhibited polymorphism. The results indicated that among the 15 primers tested, the primer labeled as H01 failed to generate any detectable bands. Subsequent examination of the polymorphic primers revealed that the primer efficiency varied between 0 and 0.0755, while the discrimination power ranged from 0 to 20 percent. The study observed variations in the frequency of disease occurrence between patients and healthy individuals. H05 primer utilization yielded three distinct polymorphic bands exhibiting diverse lengths. The band exhibiting the greatest length measured 1190 bp, whereas the other two bands had 480 and 430 bp lengths respectively. The two polymorphic bands exhibited 100% prevalence in the patient population while being completely absent in the healthy control group. Based on the available data, it appears that utilizing this primer to identify schizophrenia is a valid and valuable claim. Overall, DNA-based diagnostics may overlook a number of difficulties as laboratories have the ability to extract DNA from various sources easily. In this scenario, molecular and genetic techniques may be crucial for diagnosing some diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have studied the spectra of strange particles in pp collision at s = 0.9 TeV by using different simulation models, EPOS-1.99, SIBYLL-2.3c, QGSJETII-04 and EPOS-LHC. The transverse momentum and rapidity distribution in the p T range of 0 < p T < 1 0  GeV/c and 0 < p T < 2  GeV/c, respectively, are investigated for the strange particles, K s o , Λ , Ξ − . Similarly, a comparative study is done for the ratio of Λ / K s o and Ξ − / Λ as a function of transverse momentum and rapidity. The validity of simulation models is tested by comparing simulation results to the CMS experimental data at s = 0.9 TeV. For p T distributions, the EPOS-LHC model in the p T range p T < 0. 3  GeV/c, p T > 8  GeV/c and in 3. 6 < p T < 3. 8  GeV/c while EPOS-1.99 model in the p T range 2. 5 < p T < 2. 8  GeV/c and QGSJETII-04 model in the p T range 2. 5 < p T < 2. 8  GeV/c as well as, 3. 6 < p T < 3. 8  GeV/c explain the experimental data well. For the, Λ / K s o and Ξ − / Λ versus transverse momentum distributions, EPOS-LHC model in the p T range of, 2. 4 < p T < 2. 6  GeV/c and 1. 6 < p T < 1. 8 GeV/c, EPOS-1.99 model in the p T range, 1. 7 < p T < 2. 2  GeV/c, SIBYLL-2.3c model in the p T range, 1. 4 < p T < 1. 6  GeV/c and QGSJETII-04 model in the p T range 0. 4 < p T < 0. 6  GeV/c explain the experimental data very well. Similarly, for Λ / K s o and Ξ − / Λ versus rapidity distribution QGSJETII-04 predictions in the rapidity region, 0. 4 < | y | < 0. 6 , 1. 4 < | y | < 1. 6 , and | y | > 1. 8 , while EPOS-LHC model in the region, | y | > 1. 8 , very well explained the experimental data. Although good comparison of the models predictions with the experimental data is observed, none of them completely describe the experimental data the spectra of strange particles over the entire p T and y range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise power sharing considered is necessary for the effective operation of an Autonomous microgrid with droop controller especially when the total loads change periodically. In this paper, reactive power sharing control strategy that employs central controller is proposed to enhance the accuracy of fundamental reactive power sharing in an islanded microgrid. Microgrid central controller is used as external loop requiring communications to facilitate the tuning of the output voltage of the inverter to achieve equal reactive power sharing dependent on reactive power load to control when the mismatch in voltage drops through the feeders. Even if central controller is disrupted the control strategy will still operate with conventional droop control method. additionally, based on the proposed strategy the reactive power sharing accuracy is immune to the time delay in the central controller. The developed of the proposed strategy are validated using simulation with detailed switching models in PSCAD/EMTDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is among the top staple foods in the world, and salinity adversely affects its yield and quality. To improve salt tolerance in potato, the present study is focused on the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of potato by the Atriplex canescens betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) gene driven by single, double, and triple CaMV 35S promoters. The study led first to the detection of seven lines containing the BADH gene followed by the identification of T-DNA insertions via DNA hybridization and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The salt tolerance was found to be promoter dependent, as the lines with triple promoters showed a higher resistance than those tranformed with single and double promoters. The transgenic lines showed lower content of H2O2 and malondialdehyde and a lower relative electrical conductivity than wild-type plants. Furthermore, these lines also showed higher proline and chlorophyll content. In silico analysis confirmed that the A. canescens BADH protein had a remarkable tendency to interact with sodium ions and water molecules like other BADH proteins. Taken together, the overexpression of BADH under triple CaMV 35S promoters enhanced salt tolerance of potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of some new multi-functional analogues of 2′-hydroxy chalcone containing isoxazole and pyrazole functions were synthesized, and their pharmacological activity was tested. Chalcone derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of 2′-hydroxy acetophenone with various substituted benzaldehydes in a basic medium. Aurones were isolated upon treatment with mercuric acetate. Synthesized chalcones and aurones were converted into the corresponding isoxazole and pyrazole derivatives upon their reaction with hydroxylamine hydrochloride or hydrazine hydrate, respectively. Structures of the compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic methods. All synthesized compounds were tested for antioxidant and antibacterial potential. Some of those demonstrated excellent antioxidant activity, and one product was identified as a promising antimicrobial candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transverse momentum distributions and nuclear modification factor of integrated charged particles yield produced in p + Pb collisions at s N N = 5.02 TeV are investigated in mid-rapidity regions of − 0. 5 < y < 0 at one event multiplicity class 0–5% in the transverse momentum range of 0 < p T < 20 GeV/c. Simulations with EPOS-1.99, EPOS-LHC and QGSJETII-04 are compared with the ALICE data. All three models are in good agreement with each other up to p T ∼ 3 GeV/c for transverse momentum distributions but after that QGSJETII-04 overpredicts the experimental data. EPOS-LHC seems to describe the experimental data quite well as compared to the other two models. The ratios of the kaons to pions and protons to pions are also presented where again EPOS-LHC provides good agreement with the ALICE data. In case of the nuclear modification factor, for (anti) pions and (anti) kaons, the model distribution is around 1, whereas it is greater than 1 in case of (anti) protons which shows Cronin enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the charged particles spectra for the pseudorapidity region of ∣η∣ < 2.5, the multiplicity of charged particles, its dependence on pT as well as on η and the relation between average pT and charged particles multiplicity in pp collisions at √s = 0.9 TeV. For simulations, we have used the EPOS-LHC, EPOS-1.99, QGSJETII-04, and SIBYLL-2.3c models and compared their predictions with the experimental data of ATLAS experiment. For the pT distribution, predictions of the Sibyll-2.3c are matching with the experimental data in a region of 0.5 GeV/c < pT < 0.8 GeV/c and EPOS-1.99 model results are near to the experimental data for 0.5 GeV/c < pT < 1.5 GeV/c. For the case of average pT, EPOS-LHC, and Sibyll-2.3c predictions are closer to the experimental data. For the pseudorapidity charged particle density distributions, QGSJETII-04 model predictions are better describing the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the current study, carbonaceous clay was activated by (I) cetylpyridinium chloride and (II) a mixture of cetylpyridinium chloride with hydrogen peroxide. The raw and modified clays were characterized by FTIR, SEM, zeta potential measurements, and tested as adsorbents for phosphate. Experimental parameters effects including solution pH, shaking time, initial concentration, and adsorbent mass on phosphate adsorption were investigated. The phosphate adsorption kinetics was fitted well by the pseudo-second-order equation. At different temperatures (from 298 to 318 K), phosphate adsorption data were fitted by linear and non-linear forms of different traditional equilibrium models. Theoretical treatment including monolayer, double-layer, and multilayer models were applied for a deeper explanation of the adsorption process. Statistical modeling of phosphate adsorption indicated that monolayer with two energy sites fitted well the experimental data at 298 K. Double–layer with two energies was found to be the best model in describing the phosphate adsorption at 308 and 318 K. Physicochemical parameters governing the interaction mechanism of phosphate adsorption at all temperatures were determined and interpreted. For 298 K, the number of phosphate per site (n) ranged from 1.11 to 1.999 and the adsorbed phosphate amount at saturation (Q sat) extended from 10.915 to 21.364 mg g−1 at 298 K. With rising temperature to 308 and 318 K, the n values were found to be less than unity, while the Q sat increased from 91.456 to 130.813 mg g−1, respectively. The calculated adsorption energies (E) in the range of 20–22 kJ mol−1 reflected the involvement of dipole bond forces and electrostatic interactions in adsorption process. Thermodynamic parameters indicated that the phosphate uptake was spontaneous and endothermic. Highlights • Egyptian Qarara clay was chemically modified and characterized. • Phosphate adsorption properties of the synthetic composite were studied. • Modification of the raw clay enhanced its uptake efficiency for phosphate. • Statistical physics models were applied to understand the adsorption mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorapidity (η) and Transverse momentum (pT) distributions of charged particles produced in proton-proton (pp) collisions at √s = 13 TeV are studied. Transverse momentum distributions of charged particles are considered in the Pseudorapidity region of |η| < 0.8 and in the transverse momentum range of 0 < pT < 20 GeV/c. EPOS1.99, EPOS-LHC and QGSJETII-04 models are used to perform simulations. In order to check the validity of simulations performed using these Monte-Carlo event generators, the results are compared to the measurements of ALICE experiment at the LHC CERN. For the pT distribution, the EPOS1.99 and QGSJET underpredict the experimental data while the EPOS-LHC model reproduced the distribution very well. EPOS-LHC model describes the experimental data very well as compared to the other two models for the ratio of pT spectra of charged particles at √s = 13 TeV to 7 TeV. EPOS-LHC also describes the pseudorapidity distribution very well while the EPOS 1.99 and QGSJETII-04 underpredict and overpredict the distribution respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A comprehensive review of the available FRT control methods for PVPPs is presented. • These methods are classified into modified controller- and external devices-based methods. • Comparison in terms of grid code compliance, complexity and economic feasibility is carried out. • The MIC method is the highly efficient approach among all the other types. • This review provides useful information to solar PV manufacturers and grid operators. Abstract Over the recent years, the photovoltaic (PV) system generation and integration with utility grid became the most widely used energy resource among other renewable energies worldwide. Thereon, the integration of PV power plants (PVPPs) to the power grid and their dynamics during grid faults had become a critical issue in the new grid codes requirements. In line with this, the fault ride through (FRT) capability control of grid-connected PV power plants (GCPPPs) became the most important issue related to grid codes. In order to fulfill the FRT requirements imposed by grid codes, various approaches have been proposed in the last years. This paper presents an overview and comparison of several FRT capability enhancement approaches during grid fault conditions. A novel feature of this paper is to categorize FRT capability enhancement methods into two main groups depending on the control type and connection configuration including external devices based methods and modified controller based methods and then discuss their advantages and limitations in detail. A comparison between these methods in terms of grid code compliance, controller complexity and economic feasibility are also analyzed in this paper. According to the literature study, the FRT strategies based on external devices can be more effective. However, some of these methods come with significant increased cost. On the other hand, the modified controller-based FRT methods can achieve the FRT requirements at a minimal price. Among various types of control approaches, the modified inverter controller (MIC) is the highly efficient FRT capability approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract In the current study, calcination and thermo-chemical methods were applied in treatment of the processed diatomite fraction (<45 μm), which containing nearly 82.6 wt.% of the raw Egyptian diatomaceous earth. The untreated and modified diatomite fractions were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Thermo-chemical purification produced the highest concentration of diatom frustules (>92% SiO 2) without blocking impurities and created Si O Si active sites. These fractions were tested for Methylene blue (MB) adsorption at different pH solutions (2.0–10.0). The purified diatomite via thermo-chemical treatment (PD) gave the greatest adsorption capacity for MB compared to the untreated (UD) and calcinated (CUD) diatomite fractions. Effects of experimental parameters such as MB concentration (60–200 mg L−1), contact time (5–480 min), adsorbent mass (50–250 mg) and temperature (30–55 °C) on MB uptake were investigated. Linear and non-linear forms of Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) models indicated that Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity (q max = 105.03 m g g - 1) fitted well the adsorption data. The chemical nature of MB uptake was revealed by the values of mean free energy E = 8.655 k J / m o l and correlation coefficient of the pseudo-second-order model ( R 2 = 0.99 97). The calculated thermodynamic parameters ( Δ H 0 , Δ G 0 and Δ S 0) indicated that the removal of MB is spontaneous and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing penetration of photovoltaic power plants (PVPPs) to the electrical grid leads to continuous evaluation of grid interconnection requirements. For this purpose, Malaysian grid representative from Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) issued technical rules and requirements concerning the connection of photovoltaic system to low and medium voltage networks. The objective of this paper is to design a large-scale PV plant connected to the MV side of the Malaysian grid, taking the compliance of TNB technical regulations into consideration. In this study, the PV plant has been modeled using MATLAB/Simulink with nominal rated peak power of 1.5 MW. The sizing of suggested PV system is achieved in which the simulation results matched the sizing calculation results. The paper focuses on the model’s ability to reflect the important requirements that a PVPP should have based on TNB rules for MV connection. The results show that the proposed PVPP is compatible with TNB requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is aimed to investigate the transverse momentum ( p T ) distributions of primary charged particles produced in p − Pb collisions at s N N = 0.9 TeV and 5.02 TeV. In this perspective, we have considered the pseudorapidity (η) regions of | η | < | 0. 3 | , 0. 3 < η < 0. 8 , 0. 8 < η < 1. 3 , 1. 3 < η < 1. 8 and 1. 8 < η < 2. 3 and the transverse momentum range of 0 < p T < 2 0 GeV / c. In order to check the validity of simulation, we have compared the prediction of EPOS-1.99, EPOS-LHC and QGSJETII-04 models with the measurement of the p T distribution of ALICE experiment at s N N = 5.02 TeV for | η | < | 0. 3 | , 0. 3 < η < 0. 8 , 0. 8 < η < 1. 3 , and with the CMS experiment for 1. 3 < η < 1. 8. We discovered that all the models overpredict the distribution of the experimental data for p T ≤ 5 GeV/c while presenting consistent result with each other at 0.9 TeV as well as 5.02 TeV. For p T > 5 GeV/c, the models seem to be consistent with the experimental data where the EPOS-LHC describes both the ALICE and CMS data very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three series of biphenyl derivatives are synthesized, characterized and evaluated for Lemna minor phytotoxicity and antifungal activity. The synthetic biphenyl analogues 2c and 6c demonstrate significant activity, while compounds 4b and 6b demonstrate high activity. The compounds 2c and 6c can be considered as biaryl-based potential phytotoxic agents. According to in vitro antifungal bioassay the compounds 2b, 2e, and 6b demonstrate moderate activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sole phase of cancrinite was synthesized for the first time from raw muscovite via NaOH activation followed by hydrothermal treatment. The effects of different experimental parameters including alkali concentration, crystallization time and temperature on the as-synthesized products were investigated. The raw and the as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The optimum hydrothermal treatment conditions to synthesize cancrinite were 1:2 muscovite/NaOH ratio, 250 °C for 72 h. Dissolution of Si and Al from muscovite followed by nucleation and precipitation of silicate, aluminate and aluminosilicate species from solution is the main mechanism of cancrinite growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge of toxic ions including fluoride into the aquatic environment causes huge large-scale health problems, especially for developing African countries. Defluoridation of solutions by adsorption technique is commonly applied and exhibits helpful results. In this study, natural clay was individually modified by decyltrimethylammonium bromide and a combination of hydrogen peroxide with decyltrimethylammonium bromide. The natural and modified clays were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area (S BET ), and tested as adsorbents for fluoride from solutions in the pH range of (2.0–10.0) at 25 °C. The new strategy of natural clay treatment by a solution of the used combination gave the highest removal efficiency of fluoride as compared to the other adsorbents at pH 2.0. Fluoride adsorption studies were evaluated under different experimental parameters such as contact time, initial concentration, adsorbent dose, co-existing anions, and temperature. Removal of fluoride was found to be rapid and equilibrium was attained after 60 min of contact time. In the presence of phosphate, sulphate and chloride as competitive anions, fluoride uptake was slightly decreased. Linear and non-linear forms of Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich models were used in fitting fluoride adsorption data. Langmuir model with a maximum adsorption capacity (53.66 mg/g) described well the experimental data at 25 °C. The pseudo-second-order model with a correlation coefficient ( R 2 = 0.999 ) fitted well the kinetic data indicating that chemisorption process could be a rate detrmining–step. Based on thermodynamic parameters, fluoride uptake process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. This study suggested a new process for fabrication of a new clays based-adsorbent that could be efficiently used as a clean and cost–effective product for the purification of fluoride–bearing solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of momentum transfer across fluid-fluid interfaces in two-phase flow. A volume-of-fluid finite-volume numerical method is used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations for two-phase flow at the micro-scale. The model is applied to investigate viscous coupling effects as a function of the viscosity ratio, the wetting phase saturation and the wettability, for different fluid configurations in simple pore geometries. It is shown that viscous coupling effects can be significant for certain pore geometries such as oil layers sandwiched between water in the corner of mixed wettability capillaries. A simple parametric model is then presented to estimate general mobility terms as a function of geometric properties and viscosity ratio. Finally, the model is validated by comparison with the mobilities computed using direct numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw clay (RC) rich in organic matter (OM) was separately treated by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and a solution of CTAB/H 2 O 2 . The new strategy of RC modification using CTAB/H 2 O 2 –solution presented a swollen product (CTAB/H 2 O 2 –clay) with porous structure. Raw and modified clays were characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, zeta potential, S BET surface area and tested as adsorbents for hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and methyl orange (MO) from solutions. Adsorption experiments were conducted under experimental parameters including pH, shaking time, initial concentrations, adsorbent mass, temperature and ionic strength. CTAB/H 2 O 2 −clay gave the highest adsorption capacities for Cr(VI) and MO as compared to the other products at pH 2.0 and 3.0, respectively. Adsorption equilibrium of Cr(VI) and MO was evaluated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich models. Langmuir model fitted well the uptake results and the maximum uptake capacities ( q max ) at room temperature (25 °C) were found to be 67.05 and 194.28 mg/g for Cr(VI) and MO, respectively. The values of mean free energy ( E ) were > 8.0 kJ/mol revealed the chemical nature of Cr(VI) and MO uptake. The pseudo-second-order model with R 2 = 0.9999 described well the kinetics data. Thermodynamic parameters ( ∆H 0 , ∆G 0 and ∆S 0 ) indicated that the uptake of Cr(VI) and MO was spontaneous and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruption of energy metabolism, resulting in metabolic illnesses including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver, hypertension and atherosclerosis, will likely shorten human life expectancy over the next several decades. Past work focusing on diet and exercise needs to be continued, but new environmental factors such as exposure to pollutants and the disruption of circadian rhythms in modern life urgently need more attention and understanding. This review focuses on how environmental pollutants acting through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to cause circadian disruption lead to metabolic derangements. AhR-mediated metabolic dysregulation in the whole organism, and dysregulation specific to the liver and adipose tissue, will be explored. Finally, the role of AhR in circadian desynchrony and resultant effects on energy metabolism will be discussed. This review summarizes information vital to future developments that can combat metabolic illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The high integration of photovoltaic power plants (PVPPs) has started to affect the operation, stability, and security of utility grids. Thus, many countries have established new requirements for grid integration of solar photovoltaics to address the issues in stability and security of the power grid. In this paper, a comprehensive study of the recent international grid codes requirement concerning the penetration of PVPPs into electrical grids is provided. Firstly, the paper discusses the trends of PVPPs worldwide and the significance of improving grid codes' requirements. In addition, the comparison of common requirements covered in the majority of international grid codes considers high‐ and low‐voltage ride‐through capabilities, voltage and frequency regulation, and active and reactive power support requirements. Finally, a broad discussion on the compliance technology challenges and global harmonization of international grid codes that the PVPPs have to address is presented. The study summarizes the most recent international regulation regarding photovoltaic integration and research findings on the compliance of these regulations and proposed recommendations for future research. It also can assist power system operators to compare their existing requirements with other universal operators or establish their own regulations for the first time. Additionally, this research assists photovoltaic manufacturers and developers to get more accurate understanding from the recent global requirements enforced by the modern grid codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica was dissolved from a processed diatomite (PD) at 110 °C/48 h to prepare and coat MCM-41 on the PD surface developing a composite of (PD/MCM-41). The new composite was characterized by different techniques (XRD, SEM, EDX and TEM) and used as an adsorbent for the first time in hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) uptake. The adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of solution pH, contact time, initial Cr(VI) concentration, temperature and PD/MCM-41dose. The highest removal efficiency (93.4%) of Cr(VI) occurred at pH 2.0 through electrostatic interaction. The majority of Cr(VI) was removed within 5 min of contact time and adsorption equilibrium was attained after 30 min. For determining the behavior of Cr(VI) uptake, Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) equations were applied to the experimental data. Freundlich isotherm with a correlation coefficient, R 2 = 0.996 described the adsorption data well. The chemical nature of Cr(VI) uptake was confirmed by the mean free energy ( E = 8.765 kJ/mol) calculated from the D–R model. The pseudo-second-order model fitted ( R 2 = 0.9999 ) the sorption kinetics well. With large concentrations of chloride, phosphate, sulphate and fluoride in solutions, the synthetic composite exhibited high selectivity for Cr(VI) at pH 2.0. Thermodynamic parameters ( Δ H , Δ G and Δ S ) indicated that Cr(VI) sorption is spontaneous and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to modern grid codes (GCs), high penetration of photovoltaic power plants (PVPPs) to the utility grid requires a reliable PV generation system by achieving fault ride-through (FRT) requirements. In order to meet these requirements, there are two major issues that should be addressed to keep the inverter connected during grid fault. The two issues are the ac over-current and dc-link over-voltage that may cause disconnection or damage to the grid inverter. In this paper, the control of single-stage PVPP inverters is developed to address these issues and enhance FRT capability. The proposed control scheme introduces the dc brake chopper circuit and current limiter to protect the inverter and ride through the fault smoothly with no perceptible overcompensation. A 1.5 MW PVPP connected into the Malaysian grid and modeled in simulink is utilized to explain the proposed control scheme. The simulation results presented demonstrate the effectiveness of the overall proposed control strategy to ride through different types of faults and to help to ensure the safety of the system equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a simple and robust numerical scheme to model two-phase flow in porous media where capillary forces dominate over viscous effects. The volume-of-fluid method is employed to capture the fluid-fluid interface whose dynamics is explicitly described based on a finite volume discretization of the Navier–Stokes equations. Interfacial forces are calculated directly on reconstructed interface elements such that the total curvature is preserved. The computed interfacial forces are explicitly added to the Navier–Stokes equations using a sharp formulation which effectively eliminates spurious currents. The stability and accuracy of the implemented scheme is validated on several two- and three-dimensional test cases, which indicate the capability of the method to model two-phase flow processes at the micro-scale. In particular we show how the co-current flow of two viscous fluids leads to greatly enhanced flow conductance for the wetting phase in corners of the pore space, compared to a case where the non-wetting phase is an inviscid gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyelectrolyte (PE) microcapsules for drug delivery are typically fabricated via layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of PE layers of alternating charge on sacrificial template microparticles, which usually requires multiple incubation and washing steps that render the process repetitive and time-consuming. Here, ferrofluid droplets were explored for this purpose as an elegant alternative of templates that can be easily manipulated via an external magnetic field, and require only a simple microfluidic chip design and setup. Glass microfluidic devices featuring T-junctions or flow focusing junctions for the generation of oil-based ferrofluid droplets in an aqueous continuous phase were investigated. Droplet size was controlled by the microfluidic channel dimensions as well as the flow rates of the ferrofluid and aqueous phases. The generated droplets were stabilised by a surface active polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and then guided into a chamber featuring alternating, co-laminar PE solutions and wash streams, and deflected across them by means of an external permanent magnet. The extent of droplet deflection was tailored by the flow rates, the concentration of magnetic nanoparticles in the droplets, and the magnetic field strength. PVP-coated ferrofluid droplets were deflected through solutions of polyelectrolyte and washing streams using several iterations of multilaminar flow designs. This culminated in an innovative “Snakes-and-Ladders” inspired microfluidic chip design that overcame various issues of the previous iterations for the deposition of layers of anionic poly(sodium-4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and cationic poly(fluorescein isothiocyanate allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH-FITC) onto the droplets. The presented method demonstrates a simple and rapid process for PE layer deposition in ＜30 seconds, and opens the way towards rapid layer-by-layer assembly of PE microcapsules for drug delivery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach is presented to measure the in-situ contact angle ( θ ) between immiscible fluids, applied to segmented pore-scale X-ray images. We first identify and mesh the fluid/fluid and fluid/solid interfaces. A Gaussian smoothing is applied to this mesh to eliminate artifacts associated with the voxelized nature of the image, while preserving large-scale features of the rock surface. Then, for the fluid/fluid interface we apply an additional smoothing and adjustment of the mesh to impose a constant curvature. We then track the three-phase contact line, and the two vectors that have a direction perpendicular to both surfaces: the contact angle is found from the dot product of these vectors where they meet at the contact line. This calculation can be applied at every point on the mesh at the contact line. We automatically generate contact angle values representing each invaded pore-element in the image with high accuracy. To validate the approach, we first study synthetic three-dimensional images of a spherical droplet of oil residing on a tilted flat solid surface surrounded by brine and show that our results are accurate to within 3° if the sphere diameter is 2 or more voxels. We then apply this method to oil/brine systems imaged at ambient temperature and reservoir pressure (10MPa) using X-ray microtomography (Singh et al., 2016). We analyse an image volume of diameter approximately 4.6  mm and 10.7  mm long, obtaining hundreds of thousands of values from a dataset with around 700 million voxels. We show that in a system of altered wettability, contact angles both less than and greater than 90° can be observed. This work provides a rapid method to provide an accurate characterization of pore-scale wettability, which is important for the design and assessment of hydrocarbon recovery and carbon dioxide storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to calculate production efficiency (technical, economic and allocative) and determinants of inefficiency in open field tomato production in Punjab, Pakistan. Simple random sampling was used for primary data collection from 70 farmers in 2014. Data envelopment analysis explored the mean of technical (79.4%), allocative (58.1%) and economic (45.9%) efficiency. It showed the capability of 21.6 and 41.9% reduction in inputs and total cost, respectively with same output and technology. For sub groups, technical efficiency (92.1%) was more for medium farmer while allocative (74.2%) and economic efficiency (63.8%) was higher for large farmer. Tobit model explored the negative impact of education, experience, extension services and credit availability on inefficiency. Impact on inefficiency was positive for family size, area and vegetable market distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cervical spine immobilization results in a poor laryngeal view on direct laryngoscopy leading to difficulty in intubation. This randomized prospective study was designed to compare the laryngeal view and ease of intubation with the Macintosh, McCoy, and King Vision video laryngoscopes in patients with immobilized cervical spine. Method: Ninety adult patients of ASA grade I-II with immobilized cervical spine using manual inline axial cervical spine stabilization technique, undergoing elective cervical surgery were enrolled. The patients were randomly allocated into three groups to achieve tracheal intubation with Macintosh (MAC group n=30), McCoy (MCC group n=30), or King Vision video laryngoscopes (KVL group). When the best possible view of the glottis was obtained, the Cormack-Lehane laryngoscopy grade and the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score were assessed. Other measurements included the intubation time, the intubation difficulty score, and the intubation success rate. Haemodynamic parameters and any airway complications were also recorded. Result: King Vision video laryngoscope reduced the intubation difficulty score, improved the Cormack and Lehane glottic view, and the POGO score compared with the McCoy and Macintosh laryngoscopes. The first attempt intubation success rate was also high in the King Vision video laryngoscope group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the time required for successful intubation and the overall success rates between the devices tested. No dental injury or hypoxia occurred with either device. Conclusion: The use of a King Vision video laryngoscope resulted in better glottis visualization, easier tracheal intubation, and higher first attempt success rate as compared to Macintosh and McCoy laryngoscopes in immobilized cervical spine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egyptian kaolinite was processed to synthesize NaA zeolites; zeolite by calcination (ZC) and zeolite by alkali fusion (ZF). Characterization of the prepared zeolites was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. The influence of initial manganese (Mn 2 + ) concentration, contact time and zeolite dose in manganese uptake by ZC and ZF were studied. The removal efficiency of ZF for ions was high compared to that of ZC at all contact times and adsorbent masses. The adsorption characteristics for Mn 2 + were described well using the Langmuir and the pseudo-second order equations. Optimization of Mn 2 + uptake using the experimental runs of the response surface methodology (RSM) indicated that the maximum manganese removal efficiency by ZC and ZF was 82.2% and 99.96%, respectively, at the conditions of 50 mg/L of manganese concentration, 500 min of contact time and 1.4 g of dose. According to the polynomial model, the dose of ZF (0.9 to 1.12 g) at contact time (190 to 340 min) was predicted to enhance the maximum removal efficiency of manganese (50 mg/L) to 100%. In ZC case, the maximum removal efficiency of Mn 2 + was not improved using the RSM design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PAS domain–containing proteins can act as environmental sensors that capture external stimuli to allow coordination of organismal physiology with the outside world. These proteins permit diverse ligand binding and heterodimeric partnership, allowing for varied combinations of PAS-dependent protein-protein interactions and promoting crosstalk among signaling pathways. Previous studies report crosstalk between circadian clock proteins and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Activated AhR forms a heterodimer with the circadian clock protein Bmal1 and thereby functionally inhibits CLOCK/Bmal1 activity. If physiological activation of AhR through naturally occurring, endogenous ligands inhibits clock function, it seems plausible to hypothesize that decreased AhR expression releases AhR-induced inhibition of circadian rhythms. Because both AhR and the clock are important regulators of glucose metabolism, it follows that decreased AhR will also alter metabolic function. To test this hypothesis, rhythms of behavior, metabolic outputs, and circadian and metabolic gene expression were measured in AhR-deficient mice. Genetic depletion of AhR enhanced behavioral responses to changes in the light-dark cycle, increased rhythmic amplitude of circadian clock genes in the liver, and altered rhythms of glucose and insulin. This study provides evidence of AhR-induced inhibition that influences circadian rhythm amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet high gradient magnetic separation (WHGMS) of an Egyptian coal sample was carried out to minimize its pyritic-sulfur content reaching 1.60% (2.9% total sulfur). Optimization of the process using the Boxmag Rapid separator included feeding rate, pulp density, applied magnetic field, and the canister loading %. This was conducted through the CCRD and RSM, using Design Expert 6.0 software. Results showed that, at the optimum separation conditions, i.e., 10 l/h feeding rate, 5% pulp density, 2200 Gauss, and 0.6% canister loading, a coal concentrate assaying 0.57% pyritic sulfur was obtained with a recovery 58% and separation efficiency 79.34%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable cultivation in off-season is a new concept to meet increasing demand with more profit. This study was designed to estimate the costs, returns and revenue affecting factors in off-season tomato production. Primary data were collected from 70 off-season tomato growing farmers with stratified random sampling method. On average, total production cost of small, medium and large farmers per acre was Rs. 546841.04, Rs. 542636.04 and Rs. 598125.66, respectively. Per acre production was higher for large farmer (295,63 Kg) than small (275,24 Kg) and medium farmers (290,66 Kg). The net income per acre was higher for small farmers (Rs. 828679.19). Benefit-Cost Ratio is the ratio of total revenue with total cost and shows the return received on the costs of one rupee. BCR was higher for small farmer (2.52); but it was 2.47 and 2.22for medium and large farmers. Age, off-season tomato experience, education, irrigation and contact with extension agents had positive and significant effect on revenue. The model was significant on the basis R[sup 2] of (0.69) and F-value (10.35). Major problems were price fluctuation of the produce, disease attack, lack of extension services and higher initial investment. Government should take steps for the elimination of the problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viscous coupling during simultaneous flow of different fluid phases has a significant impact on their flow through porous media. In this work, a new multiscale strategy is proposed for multiphase flow in porous media. We use the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to simulate two-phase flow at pore scale and obtain empirical terms for the viscous coupling inside individual pores. The empirical coupling terms are then used in a pore-network model to efficiently simulate two-phase flow through porous media at core scale. It is shown that including viscous coupling leads to better predictions of relative permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study capillary trapping in porous media using direct pore-scale simulation of two-phase flow on micro-CT images of a Berea sandstone and a sandpack. The trapped non-wetting phase saturations are predicted by solving the full Navier–Stokes equations using a volume-of-fluid based finite-volume framework to simulate primary drainage followed by water injection. Using these simulations, we analyse the effects of initial non-wetting-phase saturation, capillary number and flow direction on the residual saturation. The predictions from our numerical method are in agreement with published experimental measurements of capillary trapping curves. This shows that our direct simulation method can be used to elucidate the effect of pore structure and flow pattern of capillary trapping and provides a platform to study the physics of multiphase flow at the pore scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]