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We present a visible light-mediated dual C–H sulfenylation of imidazopyridines using thiocyanate salt as a sulfur source. This method achieves regioselective thiocyanation of imidazopyridines, which are subsequently converted to bis(imidazopyridine)disulfanes upon base treatment. The disulfides are further transformed into thioethers via nucleophilic attack of indoles, azaindole, benzothiazole, and additional imidazopyridines. The antioxidant properties of selected imidazopyridine derivatives were assessed using the DPPH assay, demonstrating notable potential for therapeutic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) is an extremely contagious disease spreading around the globe. An efficient and fast diagnostic method must be designed to identify COVID-19 patients. There are several methods for identification and monitoring of the disease, namely radiological imaging of the patient's chest and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. Recent investigations have shown that radiological images are used to observe the effect of COVID on the lungs. Deep Learning is proven effective for image detection and classification in many applications. The majority of existing COVID-19 architectures detect irrelevant features for decision-making. In this paper, a novel network called XcepCovidNet is proposed for feature detection of chest X-rays. It employs transfer learning using hyperparameter-tuning to account for the inadequacies of the training dataset. The proposed model is found superior to pre-trained models such as VGG-19, ResNet-50, DenseNet-201, Xception, and DarkNet-19, in terms of different performance metrics. It is an automated, fast, reliable, and precise COVID-19 detection system for initial screening and diagnosing infected individuals. The obtained results indicate that XcepCovidNet yielded an accuracy of 98.67% and 93.66% for binary and four-class classification, respectively. A two-step verification is performed to validate the proposed model using different models of explainable artificial intelligence, i.e., LIME and occlusion sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to optimize pyrolysis conditions to maximize bio-oil yield from cattle dung, a waste product of livestock practices. Pyrolysis of cattle dung was carried out in batch type reactor. The pyrolysis process was optimized using a central composite design in response surface methodology, with conversion parameters such as pyrolysis temperature, vapor cooling temperature, residence time, and gas flow rate taken into account. The cattle dung bio-oil was analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), an elemental analyzer, a pH probe, and a bomb calorimeter. Furthermore, the ASTM standard procedures were used to determine the bio-fuel characteristics. The optimized conditions were found to be a pyrolysis temperature of 402 °C, a vapor cooling temperature of 2.25 °C, a residence time of 30.72 min, and a gas flow rate of 1.81 l min−1, resulting in a maximum bio-oil yield of 18.9%. According to the findings, the yield of bio-oil was predominantly affected by pyrolysis temperature and vapor cooling temperature. Moreover, the bio-oil that was retrieved was discovered to be similar to conventional liquid fuels in numerous ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recently, the popularity of software has grown significantly in the market. Enhancement of software is needed to decrease the burden of getting high-quality and reliable software. To achieve this, the software is upgraded by adding new features to the previous version. Therefore, adding new features in the last version to be consistent with the earlier version is challenging. This paper aims to discuss the optimal software enhancement and customer growth model. Design/methodology/approach: This paper discusses a model when new features are added to the software, and the customers' adoption of the software is presented as a customer growth model. An optimal control problem is introduced to maximize the profit obtained from the software system over the system's lifetime period. Total gain is calculated by the value generated from selling the software over the total expenditure during the software development process. The closed-form solution and some theoretical results are presented using the optimal control-theoretic approach. The theoretical results are supported by a numerical example. Findings: This paper gives several substantive insights during sensitivity analysis and provides essential results. The results discussed here are compatible with the actual scenario and useful in software enhancement. Originality/value: The authors have proposed a new feature growth and customer growth model to maximize the total profit using optimal control theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we define and study three novel summability concepts – strong deferred 휎-summability, deferred 휎-statistical summability, and 휎-statistical summability in intuitionistic fuzzy 푟-normed linear spaces (briefly called IF-푟-NLS) by using 휎-mean. We also provide an example in support of the new notions and uncover some interesting relationships. Additionally, we study deferred 휎-statistical summability in the context of two pairs of sequences of positive integers, namely, α n , γ n , and u n , v n satisfying α n ≤ u n < v n ≤ γ n . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to characterize the nutritional and potential applications of Dioscorea esculenta (Suthni) flour (SF) in comparison to potato flour (PF). Results revealed similarities in mineral content and crystalline structures, while the higher fat content in SF presents potential advantages in mouthfeel and flavor. SF exhibits a notably shorter peak viscosity (506.6 m.Pa) compared to PF (616 m.Pa), indicative of its rapid gelatinization kinetics and making it advantageous in rapid thickening products such as instant sauces or soups. The irregular and agglomerated structure of SF, compared to the uniform oval shape of PF, was revealed by SEM. Similar functional groups were observed in both tubers, as revealed by FTIR. Amino acid profiles highlight distinctions in protein quality, with SF showing higher a glutamic acid content and limited sulfur-containing amino acids and aromatic amino acids. The results indicated that a combination of 60% SF and 40% Refined Wheat Flour (RWF) had the highest acceptability. As the proportion of PF increased, a progressive reduction in hardness was observed. The addition of SF (40%) exhibited increased hardness (2971.95 g) and adhesiveness (89.35 g.s), contributing to higher gumminess (544.36 g) and chewiness (398.22 g). The cookies made with SF had higher L*, b*, and lower a* values. Based on these findings, SF shows promise as a substitute for RWF and as an ingredient in functional foods and baked goods, which could increase the commercial value of underutilized tubers like potato and yam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the synthesis of Sm-doped tin oxide nanostructures using a co-precipitation route to develop an aqueous ammonia sensor. The characterization of as-prepared samples was carried out by XRD, FESEM, FTIR, UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy, and energy-resolved photoluminescence, respectively. The crystallite size range is from 8 ± 0.4 nm to 17 ± 1 nm. All samples show nearly spherical morphology with a grain size range of 35–70 nm. FTIR spectra correspond to O–H, C=O, Sn-OH, and Sn–O–Sn functional groups, confirming the formation of SnO2 nanostructures. The energy band gap varies from 2.71 eV to 3.09 eV. An increase in bandgap observed for 9at% Sm-doped SnO2 nanostructures may be due to the Moss-Burstein effect. Photoluminescence studies show the increase in band-to-band and defect-related emission with the addition of a dopant and an increase in dopant concentration. Linear sweep Voltammetry of undoped and Sm-doped tin oxide nanostructures was done to develop an aqueous ammonia sensor. I-V characteristics show a rise in current for undoped and Sm-doped SnO2 nanostructured layers when immersed in water containing ammonia. The analyte detection capability of the samples also increases with an increase in Sm-dopant (3% to 9%) as well as with analyte (NH3) concentration (100 ppm to 500 ppm) in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the performance of High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF)-sprayed Titanium Carbide (TiC) and TiC + 50C (50%TiC + 50%CoNi) coatings on SS316 steel under three-body abrasion conditions. The microstructural analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of TiC particles within the TiC coatings, while the TiC + 50C coatings exhibited a more complex microstructure due to the presence of Co-Ni alloy. Mechanical testing demonstrated the superior microhardness of TiC coatings compared to the SS316 substrate, suggesting enhanced wear resistance. Slurry abrasion tests indicated reduced mass loss rates for both TiC and TiC + 50C coatings compared to uncoated SS316 steel, with TiC coatings exhibiting superior resistance to abrasive wear. Post-abrasion examination revealed distinct wear patterns, including abrasive chipping, plowing marks, crater formation, wear traces, and surface ruggedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different species of aphids, responsible for severe yield losses of cereal crops including wheat, (Triticum aestivum L.) are managed by insecticides, which are harmful to organisms and the environment under field conditions. Therefore, an environment friendly aphidicidal product of plant origin is required. Mentha spicata oil was found to be rich in carvone (81.88%), but the use of its oil and carvone in crop protection is lacking due to their volatility, poor solubility, and stability. A nanoformulaton not only solves these problems but also improve the efficacy and dose of the bioactive compounds. Thus, nano-emulsions of the oil and carvone prepared were characterized, and evaluated against Rhopalosiphum maidis (corn aphid) and Sitobion avenae (wheat aphid) The average droplet size of nano-emulsions of the oil and carvone was found to be 22.1 and 41.21 nm. Nano-emulsion of carvone exhibited higher aphid mortality (LC50 = 0.87–1.94 mg/mL) at 24 h and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 0.07–3.83 mg/mL) compared to the nano-emulsion of the oil (LC50 = 2.87–2.81 mg/mL; IC50 = 1.66–5.34 mg/mL). The repellence index (RI) in nano-emulsion of essential oil was found to be higher (84.73 and 81.72%) at the highest concentration (0.05 µL/cm2) than that of carvone (77.59 and 80.98%) for R. maidis and S. avenae. Further, in silico studies also revealed the favourable binding energy (− 6.6 to − 8.5 kcal/mol) of the main compounds in the oil with acetylcholinesterase, facilitated by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding. This study suggests that the nano-emulsions of the essential oil and carvone can be explored under field conditions to establish efficacy for their utilization as aphidicidal and repellent products against aphids. In the present study, aphidicial and repellent activities of its essential oil and carvone were reported for the first time against R.maidis and S.avenae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real-life scenarios, information about the number of clusters is unknown. Due to this, clustering algorithms are unable to generate the valuable partitions. Beside this, the appropriate and optimal number of features is also required to produce the good quality clusters. The selection of optimal number of clusters and feature is a challenging task in the clustering. To resolve these problems, an automatic multi-objective-based clustering approach called HMOSHSSA is proposed in this paper. In HMOSHSSA, the spotted hyena and salp swarm algorithms are hybridized to obtain a better trade-off between these algorithms' intensification and diversification capabilities. Two novel concepts for encoding and threshold setting are incorporated in the HMOSHSSA. The encoding scheme is used to choose the optimal number of clusters and features during the optimization process. The variance of dataset is used for setting the threshold values for both clusters and features. A novel fitness function is proposed to improve the optimization process. The suggested algorithm's performance is evaluated using eight well-known real-world datasets. The statistical significance of HMOSHSSA is measured through t-tests. Results reveal that the proposed approach is able to detect the optimal number of clusters and features from a given dataset without user intervention. This approach is also deployed for solving microarray data analysis and image segmentation problems. HMOSHSSA outperformed the other considered algorithms in terms of performance measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of diabetes mellitus, a pressing global health concern that is rapidly increasing, has prompted the exploration of medicinal plants for potential remedies, particularly those within the Rubus genus. This comprehensive review aims to connect traditional knowledge with scientific insights, shedding light on the antidiabetic properties of various Rubus species. An exhaustive exploration of the literature revealed that Rubus chingii Hu, Rubus idaeus, Rubus ulmifolius, Rubus fruticosus, Rubus amabilis, and some other Rubus species exhibited noteworthy antidiabetic effects, each operating via distinct mechanisms. Furthermore, Rubus species serve as abundant reservoirs of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, antioxidants, triterpenoids, and sterols. As indicated by various in vivo and in vitro studies, these compounds notably improve insulin secretion, increase hepatic glycogen synthesis, inhibit key digestive enzymes, enhance the functions of β-cells in the pancreas, and effectively reduce blood glucose levels. This review, which describes the antidiabetic potential of Rubus species in terms of both pharmacological effects and traditional uses, offers valuable insights for future scientific initiatives in the development of innovative antidiabetic therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries are expected to operate within a narrow temperature window around room temperature for optimal performance and lifetime. Therefore, in cold environments, electric vehicle battery packs must be extensively preheated prior to charge or discharge. However, conventional preheating is accomplished externally, which is slow and thus significantly increases charging times. Recently, internal heating has been demonstrated as a potential solution to quickly and uniformly preheat a lithium-ion pouch cell. However, internal heating has not been evaluated in other battery formats such as cylindrical batteries. In this work, we present a numerical model of a 4680 battery with internal heaters for fast preheating in cold environments. The effects that the number of heater layers, heating duration, resting duration, environmental temperature, and boundary heat transfer coefficient have on the temperature heterogeneity of the battery were investigated. The results show that internal heating alone reduces the temperature variation within the battery by a factor of 5 compared to external heating, and by a factor of 20 when combining internal and external heating. This study further proves that internal preheating of lithium-ion batteries is a promising thermal management strategy, and provides guidance on potential design considerations and heating protocols to implement internal heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted over two growing seasons (2022-2023 and 2023-2024). Using a randomised block design, 16 treatments consisted of combinations of vermicompost, biochar, jaggery, poultry manure, farmyard manure, cow urine, and neem cake, and three replications were used in the study. The objective was to assess how these organic amendments affected the antioxidant, phenolic and flavonoid contents in guava fruit. The treatment T6(Vermicompost 5 kg/tree + Biochar 7.5 kg/tree + Jaggery 1.25 kg/tree) produced the highest levels of antioxidant, phenolic and flavonoid, according to the results. T6 in particular showed an increase in antioxidant activity from 46.48% to 48.14%, phenolic content from 29.72 mg TA/g to 30.93 mg TA/g and flavonoid content from 23.88 mg/g FW to 25.14 mg/g FW. This study provides important information for sustainable horticultural practices by highlighting the potential of organic amendments to enhance the nutritional qualities of guava cv. L-49. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prepared guggul gum-based hydrogel (GgG-cl-poly(AA)) through a free radical graft copolymerization mechanism in this work. The preparation was carried out using ammonium persulfate as an initiator, acrylic acid as the monomer, and N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide as the crosslinker. The synthesized hydrogel's swelling capacity and equilibrium swelling ratio were thoroughly investigated by optimizing various reaction parameters: reaction time, solvent volume, microwave power, crosslinker amount, initiator concentration, and monomer concentration. The swelling results demonstrated that the synthesized hydrogel can attain a maximum percentage swelling of 980% within 3 h in an aqueous solution. The prepared hydrogel sample was characterized using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermogravimetric analysis. The prepared hydrogel was studied for water retention behavior in the soil, water absorbance in the open air at room temperature, reswelling studies, and resistive swelling studies in various salt solutions at different temperatures and pH values. Notably, the crosslinked hydrogel exhibited a reduced swelling capacity across various salt solutions compared to the aqueous solutions. The biodegradation studies were examined in both soil burial and vermicomposting methods for two months, revealing a maximum biodegradation of 95.65% through the vermicomposting method and 87.7% through the soil burial method. The results indicate that the crosslinked hydrogel based on guggul gum is a potential candidate for various agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information-theoretic measures play a vital role in training learning systems. Many researchers proposed non-parametric entropy estimators that have applications in adaptive systems. In this work, a kernel density estimator using Kapur entropy of order a and type ß has been proposed and discussed with the help of theorems and properties. From the results, it has been observed that the proposed density measure is consistent, minimum, and smooth for the probability density function (PDF) underlying given conditions and validated with the help of theorems and properties. The objective of the paper is to understand the theoretical viewpoint behind the underlying concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have presented rough statistical convergence of sequence on neutrosophic normed spaces as an important convergence criterion. As neutrosophication can handle partially dependent components, partially independent components and even independent components involved in real-world problems. By examining some properties related to rough convergence in these spaces we provide some useful functional tools in the situations of inconsistency and indeterminacy in the real world. Further, we have established some equivalent conditions on the set of statistical limit points as well as on the set of cluster points in these spaces for rough statistically convergent sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global consumption of poultry meat has led to the generation of a vast quantity of feather keratin waste daily, posing significant environmental challenges due to improper disposal methods. A growing focus is on utilizing keratinous polymeric waste, amounting to millions of tons annually. Keratins are biochemically rigid, fibrous, recalcitrant, physiologically insoluble, and resistant to most common proteolytic enzymes. Microbial biodegradation of feather keratin provides a viable solution for augmenting feather waste's nutritional value while mitigating environmental contamination. This approach offers an alternative to traditional physical and chemical treatments. This review focuses on the recent findings and work trends in the field of keratin degradation by microorganisms (bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi) via keratinolytic and proteolytic enzymes, as well as the limitations and challenges encountered due to the low thermal stability of keratinase, and degradation in the complex environmental conditions. Therefore, recent biotechnological interventions such as designing novel keratinase with high keratinolytic activity, thermostability, and binding affinity have been elaborated here. Enhancing protein structural rigidity through critical engineering approaches, such as rational design, has shown promise in improving the thermal stability of proteins. Concurrently, metagenomic annotation offers insights into the genetic foundations of keratin breakdown, primarily predicting metabolic potential and identifying probable keratinases. This may extend the understanding of microbial keratinolytic mechanisms in a complex community, recognizing the significance of synergistic interactions, which could be further utilized in optimizing industrial keratin degradation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality for women. It has had an impact on the lives of all individuals, regardless of gender—males, females, and transgender people. However, it is more common among women. Its fatality rate can be decreased with early discovery and treatment. Machine Learning (ML) is critical to the early detection of breast cancer. ML's use has grown in a variety of fields during the last decade. Analytical modelling with ML is mostly restricted to statistical approaches such as image recognition, resonance spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. This study gives an in-depth look at breast cancer and the many ML approaches used to identify it. A thorough examination of breast cancer diagnosis using machine learning is provided, comprising classification, prediction, and detection. Technical concerns with present prediction models and measuring methods (used to determine how active malignant and healthy tissues are) are highlighted to make future recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phalaenopsis bellina, an orchid native to Borneo, is renowned for its unique appearance. It releases distinct fragrances, which have been linked to the presence of terpenoids. However, the identification and study of sesquiterpene synthase in P. bellina remain limited. In this study, we examines the functional characterisation of terpene synthase (TPS) from P. bellina, known as PbTS, through recombinant protein expression and its manifestation in the flower. Methods and Results: Gene annotation of PbTS revealed that the inferred peptide sequence of PbTS comprises 1,680 bp nucleotides encoding 559 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 65.2 kDa and a pI value of 5.4. A similarity search against GenBank showed that PbTS shares similarities with the previously published partial sequence of P. bellina (ABW98504.1) and Phalaenopsis equestris (XP_020597359.1 and ABW98503.1). Intriguingly, the phylogenetic analysis places the PbTS gene within the TPS-a group. In silico analysis of PbTS demonstrated stable interactions with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). To verify this activity, an in vitro enzyme assay was performed on the PbTS recombinant protein, which successfully converted FPP, GPP, and GGPP into acyclic sesquiterpene β-farnesene, yielding approximately 0.03 mg/L. Expressional analysis revealed that the PbTS transcript was highly expressed in P. bellina, but its level did not correlate with β-farnesene levels across various flowering time points and stages. Conclusion: The insights gained from this study will enhance the understanding of terpenoid production in P. bellina and aid in the discovery of novel fragrance-related genes in other orchid species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDSs) have been proposed in the literature as security tools for detecting anomalous and intrusive network data traffic. However, the existing NIDS frameworks are computation-intensive, thereby making them unsuitable for deployment in resource-constrained networks with limited computational capabilities. This paper aims to address this issue by proposing computationally efficient NIDS framework for detecting anomalous data traffic in resource-constrained networks. The proposed NIDS framework uses an ensemble-based classifier model comprising multiple classifiers, which enables it to achieve high accuracy and detection rate across a wide range of low-footprint and stealth network attacks. The proposed framework also uses feature scaling and dimensionality reduction techniques to minimize the overall computational overhead. The proposed framework consists of two stages. In the first stage, four distinct base-level classifiers are utilized. The classification probabilities of the first stage are used in the modified meta-level classifier. The modified meta-level classifier is trained on the class probabilities of the base-level classifiers combined using a novel proposed probability function. The performance of the proposed NIDS framework is evaluated on a proprietary testbed dataset and two benchmark datasets namely CICIDS-2017 and UNSW-NB15. The results reveal that the proposed NIDS framework provides better performance than the existing NIDS frameworks in terms of false positive rate, despite using a significantly lower number of input features for its analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monkeypox virus was declared endemic in several nations when COVID-19 cases began to decline and people were readjusting to normal life. Monkeypox was identified in 1958, with the first human case occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970. It has primarily impacted the poor Central and West African countries. Over the years, the monkeypox virus has evolved to a contagious disease due to which the situation is becoming grave and disturbing. In this paper, the genesis of the monkeypox virus, its history, and its re-emergence are discussed. Also, a quantitative analysis of cases that occurred in affected countries is performed based on several factors. This paper also discusses the role of Internet of Things (IoT) in controlling the current spread of the Monkeypox virus. An ensemble deep learning architecture is proposed to envisage the monkeypox virus through IoT devices. The convolutional neural network is incorporated to improve the performance of the proposed architecture. The proposed architecture is tested over two well-known datasets and attained better performance than the existing techniques. The impact of infected people's travel history, gender, and hospitalization requirements is also investigated. This work motivates young researchers to work on the development of vaccines and other precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of the monkeypox virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ficus auriculata (Timla) is an underutilized wild fruit compared to the more commonly consumed fruit of the same genus, Ficus carica (Anjeer). This review focuses on the industrial and pharmaceutical benefits of F. auriculata while highlighting its potential as a valuable alternative to F. carica. Based on the vast literature found in Scopus database, both fruits have significant nutritional and medicinal value; however, due to the rarity and lack of widespread knowledge, F. auriculata still remains underutilized, unlike F. carica, which is well known and more popular in the human diet. In terms of nutrition, F. auriculata is superior in various aspects like protein (3–5.32%), magnesium (68.0 mg/100 g), potassium (329.0 mg/100 g), and iron (5.0 mg/100 g). As a result, it plays a pivotal role for addressing nutrient deficiencies. Besides, it has rich history of many noteworthy applications in traditional remedies which are also recognized in modern pharmaceutical research. This could be attributed to the presence of phytocompounds. Ficus auriculata needs to be promoted, not only as a nutritional addition to the plate but also as an economically viable fruit. Based on its considerable potential, it is possible that F. auriculata can also be used as an alternative to F. carica; however, further research and promotion of the benefits of F. auriculata could help to increase its utilization and provide additional health and economic benefits to communities. Moreover, omics technologies based comprehensive study of fruits can assist in the identification of bioactive metabolites, nutritional content, and possible health benefits. It offers insights into the genetic composition, gene expression patterns, protein activities, and metabolic pathways of fruits thereby revealing the mechanisms driving flavor, color, and disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ttarakhand has a rich plant biodiversity, many of which have high medicinal properties. Medicinal plants have been used against insects, diseases, and herbivorous mammals through the production of chemical compounds. Various reasons like overexploitation, overgrazing, unsustainable development, etc. lead to their extinction and make them threatened species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was established to prioritize species conservation, assess threat status, and develop suitable strategies due to the vast diversity of species. The genetic diversity of these threatened species can be determined using various markers. Molecular marker technology aids in analyzing genetic diversity, population structure, and species adaptation, enabling conservation measures and assessing genetic stability in conserved species. In this article, we have reviewed the genetic diversity of six threatened plants of Uttarakhand (Picrorhiza kurroa, Aconitum heterophyllum, Nardostachys jatamansi, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Zanthoxylum armatum, Saussurea costus) in India as well as in other countries. A review highlighting the use of recent molecular markers like ISSR, SSR, RAPD, etc. to determine genetic diversity. Most of the medicinal plants show diversity less than 0.5, which indicates that the plants are at extreme risk of extinction. The diversity is calculated based on polymorphism percentage. The analysis of genetic diversity between species using ISSR, nextgeneration sequencing, AFLP, and microsatellite markers reveals low genetic diversity in A. heterophyllum, P. kurroa, N. jatamansi, Z. armatum, D. hatagirea, and S. costus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of the Journal of Plant Growth Regulation focuses on the role of plant specialized metabolites in various aspects of plant growth, adaptability, and productivity. The articles cover a wide range of topics, including the interaction between native rhizobacteria and plants, the pathogenic interaction between ginger and Fusarium wilt, and the use of bacterial endophytes to promote plant growth. Other articles discuss the mitigation of salt stress in carnation plants, the increase of carbazole alkaloids in Murraya koenigii leaves, and the accumulation of steviol glycosides in Stevia rebaudiana plants. The document also explores the relationship between specialized metabolites and plant phytohormones, and how they impact plant growth and stress tolerance. The articles provide valuable insights into plant biosynthetic pathways and offer potential applications for optimizing plant growth and yield in sustainable contexts. [Extracted from the article]

The present study focuses on the estimation of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) in geotechnical projects. UCS is a crucial parameter in designing such projects, and traditional methods of measurement outlined by standards are often time-consuming and cumbersome. Additionally, obtaining standard core samples is always a challenging task in fractured or discontinuous rock masses. To overcome these limitations, alternative techniques such as simple regression (SR), multivariable regression (MVR), and artificial intelligence (AI) have been utilized to estimate UCS based on easily derived geotechnical parameters. While SR and MVR provide simple equations that can be used without the need for complex calculations, AI techniques offer the potential for higher prediction accuracy. However, AI models often require more complex solutions due to their intricate algorithms and computational processes. This makes AI less practical for ongoing geotechnical projects in which simple and quick estimations are often preferred. In this study, both the SR and the MVR models were employed to estimate the UCS using the Schmidt hammer rebound number (RN), density (ρ), porosity (ϕ), and point load index (Is50) as input parameters. Various SR and MVR models were tested, and the best-performing models were selected based on performance indices such as the normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), variance accounted for (VAF), efficiency (E), and correlation coefficient (R2). Furthermore, this study proposes a new performance index (PImod) to evaluate the predictive capabilities of the models. This index likely incorporates additional criteria or metrics beyond the aforementioned traditional performance indices. Overall, the equations derived from the regression models in this study offer a simpler and more practical approach for geotechnical practitioners to quickly assess UCS in any given area, providing a useful tool for their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Hypothesis: Congenital cervicovaginal agenesis in the presence of a functional endometrium is a rare Müllerian anomaly. The management ranges from hysterectomy historically to various reconstructive procedures more recently. We report our experience with utero-colo-vaginoplasty in the management of this anomaly and its long-term follow-up. Methods: The case records of all the patients with vaginal or cervicovaginal agenesis in our hospital from January 2002 to December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were then called for an outpatient visit and examined in detail. The anatomical variations, surgical procedures and outcomes were recorded and analysed. Results: Sixteen patients aged 14 to 26 years were included during the study period. They presented with cyclical painful cryptomenorrhea. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed cervicovaginal or distal vaginal agenesis. All the patients underwent utero-colo-vaginoplasty. Intraoperative rectal injury led to post-operative faecal leak from the perineal wound in one patient in the post-operative period. Restoration of painless menstrual flow was possible in all 16 cases. Long-term complications were seen in 4 patients. These were stenosis of the perineal neovaginal orifice in 2 patients, obstruction at colo-uterine anastomosis in 1 patient and mucosal prolapse at the neovagina in 1 patient. Three of these patients needed secondary surgical procedures. Five were sexually active and reported consummation of penetrative intercourse. None of them had conceived. Conclusion: In our experience, utero-colo-vaginoplasty allows for regular painless menstruation and coitus with minimal long-term complications. The sole disadvantage is the failure to conceive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chatting is a technical means of communication used to connect individuals and ideas. There is a significant increase in chat applications and their users since last decade. However, the majority of these applications do not ensure end-to-end security for users. This paper presents the procedure to design an end-to-end chat application that guarantee secure communication. In this application, users can communicate with each other via server with secure memory storage. The proposed architecture focuses on end-to-end encryption of messages, such that the messages are only visible in the sender's and receiver's devices. There is no third-party interference in the communication. This approach reduces the network traffic and provides dedicated communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of a radar to discriminate in both range and Doppler velocity is completely characterized by the ambiguity function (AF) of its transmit waveform. Mathematically, it is obtained by correlating the waveform with its Doppler-shifted and delayed replicas. We consider the inverse problem of designing a radar transmit waveform that satisfies the specified AF magnitude. This process may be viewed as a signal reconstruction with some variation of phase retrieval methods. We provide a trust-region algorithm that minimizes a smoothed non-convex least-squares objective function to iteratively recover the underlying signal-of-interest for either time- or band-limited support. The method first approximates the signal using an iterative spectral algorithm and then refines the attained initialization based on a sequence of gradient iterations. Our theoretical analysis shows that unique signal reconstruction is possible using signal samples no more than thrice the number of signal frequencies or time samples. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our method recovers both time- and band-limited signals from sparsely and randomly sampled, noisy and noiseless AFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetamiprid (ACMP) is a neonicotinoid insecticide that poses a significant threat to the environment and mankind. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are considered prime contributors to ACMP-induced toxic effects. Meanwhile, berberine (BBR) a natural plant alkaloid, is a topic of interest because of its therapeutic and prophylactic actions. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of BBR on ACMP-mediated alterations in mitochondrial functions and apoptosis in rat liver tissue. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (I) control, (II) BBR-treated, (III) ACMP-exposed, and (IV) BBR+ACMP co-treated groups. The doses of BBR (150 mg/kg b.wt) and ACMP (1/10 of LD50, i.e., 21.7 mg/kg b.wt) were given intragastrically for 21 consecutive days. The results showed that the administration of ACMP diminished mitochondrial complex activity, downregulated complex I (ND1 and ND2) and complex IV (COX1 and COX4) subunit mRNA expression, depleted the antioxidant defense system, and induced apoptosis in rat liver. BBR pre-treatment significantly attenuated ACMP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by maintaining mitochondrial complex activity and upregulating ND1, ND2, COX1, and COX4 mRNA expression. BBR reversed ACMP-mediated apoptosis by diminishing Bax and caspase-3 and increasing the Bcl-2 protein level. BBR also improved the mitochondrial antioxidant defense system by upregulating mRNA expression of PGC-1α, MnSOD, and UCP-2 in rat liver tissue. This study is the first to evaluate the protective potential of BBR against pesticide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in liver tissue. In conclusion, BBR offers protection against ACMP-induced impairment in mitochondrial functions by maintaining the antioxidant level and modulating the apoptotic cascade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study the correlation of thyroid hormone profile with biochemical markers of renal function in patients with undialyzed chronic kidney disease. A lot of data is available for dialysis patients but only a few studies on undialyzed patients in our country. Method- A cross sectional study was done at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala on 100 undialyzed CKD patients above 18 years of age and excluded patients with existing thyroid disorder, taking drugs affecting thyroid function, pregnant females and previous history of dialysis. Renal functions and thyroid hormone levels were analysed and correlated. Result- Major proportion of the patients was in CKD stage 5 (53%). Mean age of the patients was 59.21±14.23 years. Mean FT3 levels were 2.92 ± 1.28, FT4 levels were 10.06 ± 7.51, and TSH values were 3.60 ± 3.28. In present study, 38% patients had euthyroidism, 13% had overt hypothyroidism, 38% had sick euthyroidism, and 11% had subclinical hypothyroidism. Out of those in CKD 5, 41.5% had sick euthyroidism followed by euthyroidism (34%), overt hypothyroidism (15.1%), and subclinical hypothyroidism (9.4%). Conclusion-. There is direct proportionate relationship between the incidence of low T3, T4 syndrome and increasing severity of the kidney disease. No correlation was found between the serum levels of T3 and T4 and the severity of CRF. Our data supports that renal disease leads to significant changes in thyroid hormone levels that unlocks the significance of thyroid hormone quantification in CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated levels of Inter-alpha-trypsin-inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) have grabbed attention in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis, though its precise mechanisms remain unexplored. To elucidate these mechanisms, a comprehensive strategy employing network pharmacology and molecular docking was utilized. RA targets were sourced from the DisGeNET Database while interacting targets of ITIH4 were retrieved from the STRING and Literature databases. Venny 2.1 was used to identify overlapping genes, followed by Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) through Cytoscape 3.10.2 software, and molecular docking was performed in the ClusPro server. The study identified 18 interacting proteins of ITIH4 associated with RA, demonstrating their major involvement in the chemokine signaling pathway by enrichment analysis. Molecular docking of ITIH4 with the 18 proteins revealed that C-X-C chemokine-receptor type 4 (CXCR4), a major protein associated with chemokine signaling, has the highest binding affinity with ITIH4 with energy −1705.7 kcal/mol forming 3 Hydrogen bonds in the active site pocket of ITIH4 with His441, Arg288, Asp443 amino acids. The effect of ITIH4 on CXCR4 was analyzed via knockdown studies in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS), demonstrating the significant downregulation of CXCR4 protein expression validated by Western blot in RA-FLS. In conclusion, it was speculated that CXCR4 might serve as a potential receptor for ITIH4 to activate the chemokine signaling, exacerbating RA pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) functionalized with various biomolecules constitute an alternative to antibodies as anti-amyloidogenic agents. However, generating stable ultrafine Au NPs with high surface activity is challenging. Here, the capacity of phosphate groups in biomolecules is used to stabilize Au NPs. The characteristics of Au NPs decorated with adenosine mono-, di-, and tri-phosphate are compared as well as adenosine and peptide nucleic acid-containing adenosine as controls. Among them, ATP-Au NPs are found to be superior having small size (2-4 nm) and stability (for several months) when analysed by spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Spectroscopy analysis also revealed that each ATP-stabilized Au NP is decorated with 7-8 molecules of ATP. ThT binding analysis and TEM imaging showed that the ATP-Au NPs efficiently prevented amyloid fibril formation in vitro by Aβ-42, α-Synuclein as well as by the Glucosylceramide metabolite, and disaggregated their pre-formed fibrils. NMR analysis revealed the interaction of the ATP-Au NPs with the amyloid fibrils. The ATP-Au NPs are safe toward cultured SH-SY5Y cells and when co-incubated with α-Synuclein amyloids inhibited their cytotoxicity and readily enter the cells to inhibit formation of amyloid fibrils within them. The results indicates the pharmacological potentials of ATP decorated Au NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent advancements on the Internet of clinical things, intelligent agents, data frameworks, and cloud administrations has prompted a digitalized change in the health industry. The healthcare data has been processed using several software-based techniques over the years. The cloud environment is used to reduce the time and space complexity. The size of available healthcare dataset is increased using different augmentation techniques. However, hospitals and other healthcare organizations have been worried about privacy and security of patients’ data during transmission, storage, usage, and movement of information. During security breaches, several factors such as users, customers, partners, associations, and organizations are affected. This paper proposes an encryption framework that secures big data in healthcare on cloud technology. A ciphertext-policy attribute-based honey encryption (CP-ABHE) algorithm has been used to encode each sensitive public healthcare data document to enable the mechanism of versatile access control and fine-grained security for medical records. In the former stage, the security is enhanced with password protection, while in latter stage, honey words are produced to prevent unauthorized access by attackers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implantable chemoport is a very useful device for long-term venous access for infusion of chemotherapeutic drugs and other agents. Niederhuber et al. (Surgery 92:706–712, 1982) reported on the first use of the totally implantable central venous port system (TICVPS) in 1982. Five hundred patients undergoing surgical implantation of chemoports in Bharath Cancer Hospital, Mysore, India, between September 2020 and June 2022 were included in this prospective observational cohort study. Five hundred chemoport implantations were available for analysis. The cephalic vein cut down technique was attempted in 500 patients and successful in 410 patients (82.2%). There were no intraoperative complications. Venous access device systems are nowadays widely used in cancer patients to facilitate frequent perfusions of chemotherapy (Vescia et al. in Ann Oncol 19(1):9–15, 2008). The placement of totally implanted venous access devices started 30 years ago. Since then, different techniques were established to reduce complications and to make the implantation safe and comfortable for patients (Teichgraber et al. in Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 32(5):975–979, 2009). The cephalic vein cutdown approach for CICVAD placement appears to be a safe and better alternative to the percutaneous subclavian vein approach in cancer patients. Cephalic vein cut down approach is LESS with More benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inguinal skin flap necrosis (SFN) is a significant clinical problem associated with inguinal lymph node dissection (ILND). The aetiology of SFN is multifactorial, and its manifestations vary widely. Thermal damage caused by electrocautery during the elevation of the skin flap may contribute to this problem, which has not been studied previously. This prospective, observational study included patients undergoing ILND from January 2020 to July 2022. Based on the technique of raising the inguinal skin flaps, the patients were divided into two groups (cold knife or electrocautery). The remaining part of the procedure was the same. The inguinal wound was examined and photographed to assess the SFN. A total of 42 patients were included (21 in each group). Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), alcohol or tobacco consumption, immune compromised status, and serum albumin were comparable (p > 0.05). The average time required to elevate flaps was 13.14 vs. 11.47 min (p = 0.0231), and gauze soakage was 2.05 vs. 1.52 (p < 0.0001) with a cold knife compared to electrocautery. The incidence of SFN and surgical site infection (SSI) was significantly lower with the use of a cold knife [4.8% vs. 33.3% (p = 0.045) and 0% vs. 19% (p = 0.0378)]. Grade 3 necrosis was observed only with electrocautery use. Compared to conventional electrocautery, the cold knife technique lowers the incidence of SFN and SSI. Further research with a larger sample size and a standardized definition is needed to validate these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma is a frequent disease entity in otology, requiring surgery in overwhelming majority of cases. Despite the huge burden there is no established grading system available to assess the severity and extent of disease preoperatively until date. Aim of our study is to assess the applicability of ChOLE staging to preoperative HRCT temporal bone in Chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma. Methodology: Patients clinically diagnosed as COM with cholesteatoma, who underwent preoperative HRCT temporal bone imaging and mastoid exploration at our tertiary care centre were included. Preoperative radiology was assessed and a radiological ChOLE (r-ChOLE) was given by radiologist. This was then compared with the postop ChOLE. Results: 21 patients were included in the study. Data was linear and normally distributed (Shapiro wilk test). Pearson's product-moment correlation used to see relationship between radiological and postop Total score showed strong statistically significant positive correlation with correlation coefficient (r) of 0.977. Paired t test showed p value was 0.329 (p > 0.05) suggesting no significant difference between radiological and postop Total scores. Cohen kappa test of agreement was applied. It revealed an overall strong agreement (p < 0.001). Conclusion: ChOLE staging may be extended to preoperative HRCT of temporal bone in COM with cholesteatoma (rCHOLE). A preoperative radiological staging will help in better prioritizing, planning and execution of tympanomastoid surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piled raft foundations are a popular solution for supporting heavy structures on weak soils, but their design and analysis can be complex due to interaction among the raft, piles and subsoil underneath. The present study utilises finite element method to analyse the parametric dependence of ratio of average settlement (λavg), ratio of differential settlement (λdiff), ratio of shear force (SFR), ratio of bending moment (BMR) and ratio of load-sharing (χpr), for square raft with underneath connecting circular cross section piles for uniformly distributed surcharge all over the top surface of raft. The parameters varied are spacing to diameter ratio (S/D) of 2-20, diameter of piles (D) of 0.4 m-1.6 m, length to diameter ratio (L/D) of 8, 12 and 16, pile group to width of raft ratio (Wg/Wr) of 0.15-0.9 and raft-soil stiffness (Krs) of 0.069, 0.558 and 1.88 corresponding to raft thickness (tr) of 0.5 m, 1.0 m and 1.5 m respectively. The results of the present study depicts that the minimum values of λavg and λavg are observed at S/D ratio of 5 (approx.), lower Krs and larger Wg/Wr. To enhance χpr, smaller pile spacing (S) and larger pile length (L) are needed. Minimum SFR and BMR are achieved at lower and larger L/D ratios, respectively. The findings can be used to guide the design and analysis of pile raft foundations for a variety of applications, including high-rise buildings, bridges, and industrial structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meloidogyne incognita (root-knot nematode) is one of the most destructive pests of crops worldwide. Injudicious use of synthetic nematicides has led to environmental toxicity, development of resistance, and disruption of ecological balance, necessitating the need for safer and effective alternatives. Essential oil from Mentha spicata (Spearmint) has been reported to have nematicidal activity but the activity of its polar constituents is unexplored against the nematodes, infesting agricultural crops. Six compounds, stigmasterol (1), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (2), 3β,13β-dihydroxy-urs-11-en-28-oic acid (3), 5,6-dihydroxy-7,8,4′-trimethoxyflavone (4), 5,6,4′-trihydroxy-7,8,3′-trimethoxyflavone (5), and 5,6,4′-trihydroxy-7,8-dimethoxyflavone (6), were isolated from methanolic extract of Mentha spicata (spearmint) and identified by NMR (1D & 2D) spectral analysis. Compound 3 was identified for the first time from genus Mentha. In vitro nematicidal activity of pure compounds (2 and 4–6) was carried out against Meloidogyne incognita, and results showed significant mortality (LC50 values ranging between 62.64 and 74.19 ppm after 96 h). Molecular docking study revealed the favourable binding of the test compounds with acetylcholinesterase enzyme, facilitated by H-bond, electrostatic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions. The binding energy of the tested compounds with the target protein was found highest in 5 (− 10.0 kcal/mol) and 6(− 9.9 kcal/mol) followed by 2 (− 9.2 kcal/mol) and 4 (− 8.9 kcal/mol). The minimum binding energy was recorded in carbofuran (−7.5 kcal/mol), a positive control, and was also corroborated with in vitro nematicidal activity. This study showed the potent nematicidal activity of compounds (2 and 4–6), which can be further used for the development of nematicides against M. incognita in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective probiotic consortia requires a comprehensive understanding of strain interactions. While traditional methods focus on direct interactions of the participating microbes, the role of microbial metabolites remains largely unexplored. Present study introduces a novel approach of evaluating the impact of strains as well as their secondary metabolites on compatibility during co-culture by assessing the antagonistic and synergistic attributes for multi-strain probiotic formulation. Assessment of antagonistic activity by spot method indicated suppressive nature of PIG1FD and PIG1IR on other strain’s growth, hence not appropriate for consortia formulation. Findings of synergistic attribute demonstrated growth promoting role of cell supernatants from isolates PIG6IR and PIG5CI significantly, as it accelerated the entry of all other isolates into the log phase by 5–6 h and 0–2 h, respectively. By employing this methodology, we identified PIG5CI and PIG6IR (isolates identified as Bacillus spizizenii BAB 7915 and Bacillus subtilis BAB 7918 by 16S RNA sequencing method) as promising candidates for consortium formation due to their ability to enhance the growth of other strains through metabolite production. By attempting to elucidate the microbial interactions and metabolite-mediated effects, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of probiotic consortia dynamics and offers valuable insights for future translational studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the cathode of the fabricated microbial fuel cell (MFC) was optimised with a coating of tin oxide (SnO2) nanoparticles, and subsequently the MFC was used to develop a urea sensor; application of the MFC configuration for urea sensing has been reported for the first time. Chronoamperometry technique was employed for the coating of SnO2 on the copper (Cu) electrode used as an electron acceptor on the cathode side of the MFC. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to study the structure, field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to study the morphology, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was used to study the elemental composition. Electrochemical analysis was performed using cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Current–voltage (I–V) analysis was done to generate polarisation curves in the MFC, which exhibited better results with SnO2-coated Cu-cathode in comparison to the bare Cu-electrode. Additionally, the MFC device fabricated with the SnO2-coated Cu-cathode exhibited better energy generation in comparison to the bare Cu-electrode, highlighting the application of the compost-based MFC as a multifunctional device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During land plant evolution, the number of genes encoding for components of the thiol redox regulatory network and the generator systems of reactive oxygen species (ROS) expanded, tentatively indicating that they have a role in tailored environmental acclimatization. This hypothesis has been validated both experimentally and theoretically during the last few decades. Recent developments of dynamic redox-sensitive GFP (roGFP)-based in vivo sensors for H2O2 and the redox potential of the glutathione pool have paved the way for dissecting the kinetics changes that occur in these crucial parameters in response to environmental stressors. The versatile cellular redox sensory and response regulatory system monitors alterations in redox metabolism and controls the activity of redox target proteins, and thereby affects most, if not all, cellular processes ranging from transcription to translation and metabolism. This review uses examples to describe the role of the redox- and ROS-dependent regulatory network in realising the appropriate responses to diverse environmental stresses. The selected case studies concern different environmental challenges, namely excess excitation energy, the heavy metal cadmium and the metalloid arsenic, nitrogen or phosphate shortages as examples for nutrient deficiency, wounding, and nematode infestation. Each challenge affects the redox-regulatory and ROS network, but our present state of knowledge also points toward pressing questions that remain open in relation to the translation of redox regulation to environmental acclimatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vector control based on indoor residual spraying (IRS) is one of the main components of the visceral leishmaniasis (VL) elimination programme in India. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was used for IRS until 2015 and was later replaced by the synthetic pyrethroid alpha-cypermethrin. Both classes of insecticides share the same target site, the voltage-gated sodium channel (Vgsc). As high levels of resistance to DDT have been documented in the local sand fly vector, Phlebotomus argentipes, it is possible that mutations in the Vgsc gene could provide resistance to alpha-cypermethrin, affecting current IRS pyrethroid-based vector control. Methods: This study aimed to compare frequencies of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in Vgsc between two sprayed and two unsprayed villages in Bihar state, India, which had the highest VL burden of the four endemic states. Across four villages, 350 female P. argentipes were collected as part of a 2019 molecular xenomonitoring study. DNA was extracted and used for sequence analysis of the IIS6 fragment of the Vgsc gene to assess the presence of kdr mutations. Results: Mutations were identified at various positions, most frequently at codon 1014, a common site known to be associated with insecticide resistance in mosquitoes and sand flies. Significant inter-village variation was observed, with sand flies from Dharampur, an unsprayed village, showing a significantly higher proportion of wild-type alleles (55.8%) compared with the three other villages (8.5–14.3%). The allele differences observed across the four villages may result from selection pressure caused by previous exposure to DDT. Conclusions: While DDT resistance has been reported in Bihar, P. argentipes is still susceptible to pyrethroids. However, the presence of kdr mutations in sand flies could present a threat to IRS used for VL control in endemic villages in India. Continuous surveillance of vector bionomics and insecticide resistance, using bioassays and target genotyping, is required to inform India's vector control strategies and to ensure the VL elimination target is reached and sustained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar, produced from biodegradable waste through advanced thermochemical processes like pyrolysis, offers substantial environmental benefits due to its carbon-rich composition and versatile applications. This review delves into the transformative potential of biochar derived from diverse agricultural and municipal solid wastes. With its unique properties-including a high surface area, porosity, and functional groups such as –COOH, –OH, and –NH2 biochar stands out as a highly effective adsorbent for heavy metals and organic pollutants. Factors like feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, and residence time critically shape biochar’s characteristics and yield. Moreover, pretreatment methods and activation techniques further amplify its adsorption capacity. Biochar’s environmental applications are vast, spanning soil remediation, water purification, carbon sequestration, and waste management, all promoting ecological sustainability. Its remarkable stability and efficacy in pollutant removal highlight its potential as a catalyst and a vital component in improving soil health. Despite its many advantages, a thorough assessment of biochar’s environmental impact and long-term stability is crucial for its sustainable use. This review highlights recent biochar production, characterization, and application advances, emphasizing the need to balance economic growth with environmental development. By strategically integrating biochar into various sectors, we can pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]