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The semiconductor/insulator blends for organic field-effect transistors are a potential solution to improve the charge transport in the active layer by inducing phase separation in the blends. However, the technique is less investigated for long-chain conducting polymers such as Poly[2,5-(2-octyldodecyl)-3,6-diketopyrrolopyrrole-alt-5,5-(2,5-di(thien-2-yl)thieno [3,2-b]thiophene)] (DPPDTT), and lateral phase separation is generally reported due to the instability during solvent evaporation, which results in degraded device performance. Herein, we report how to tailor the dominant mechanism of phase separation in such blends and the molecular assembly of the polymer. For DPPDTT/PMMA blends, we found that for higher DPPDTT concentrations (more than 75%) where the vertical phase separation mechanism is dominant, PMMA assisted in the self-assembly of DPPDTT to form nanowires and micro-transport channels on top of PMMA. The formation of nanowires yielded 13 times higher mobility as compared to pristine devices. For blend ratios with DPPDTT ≤ 50%, both the competing mechanisms, vertical and lateral phase separation, are taking place. It resulted in somewhat lower charge carrier mobilities. Hence, our results show that by systematic tuning of the blend ratio, PMMA can act as an excellent binding material in long-chain polymers such as DPPDTT and produce vertically stratified and aligned structures to ensure high mobility devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A topological index is a number used in QSAR and QSPR research to assess the structural properties of a graph. The Sadhana and PI, polynomial-based topological indices, have been intensively explored in the study of chemical graph theory since a few years ago. These indices are computed using their related polynomials, however, in this study, we use an instantaneous and revolutionary approach to compute these indices for hexagonal boron nitride graphs and carbon nanotube structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape is a type of fruit widely grown globally and in Türkiye thanks to its importance in human nutrition and diversity of usage areas. Türkiye has a long history of grape cultivation, and the genetic diversity of local grapes grown in some regions has still not been revealed. This study showed the genetic diversity between 60 local grape genotypes selected from north Central Anatolia and nine reference grape cultivars;10 inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and 7 inter-primer binding site (IPBS) retrotransposon primers were used. The mean values of genetic diversity indices in ISSR and IPBS retrotransposon primers were calculated as expected allelic frequency (p) 0.476/0.195, observed allelic frequency (q) 0.524/0.805, number of effective alleles (Ne) 1.326/1.378, Shannon's information index (I) 0.308/0.367, expected heterozygosity (He) 0.199/0.232 and unbiased expected heterozygosity (uHe) 0.201/0.234, respectively. Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and model-based STRUCTURE analysis divided the studied germplasm into two groups. However, local genotypes were not grouped per the regions where they grew. As a result of the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) analysis, the inter-population variation was determined to be 11%, and the intra-population variation was determined to be 89%. The mean genetic differentiation value (Fst) between populations was 0.303. The results showed that ISSR and IPBS retrotransposon primers effectively explained the genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Biofortification of legumes using diverse techniques such as plant breeding, agronomic practices, genetic modification, and nano-technological approaches presents a sustainable strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies of underprivileged populations. The widespread issue of chronic malnutrition, commonly referred to as "hidden hunger," arises from the consumption of poor-quality food, leading to various health and cognitive impairments. Biofortified food crops have been a sustainable solution to address micronutrient deficiencies. This review highlights multiple biofortification techniques, such as plant breeding, agronomic practices, genetic modification, and nano-technological approaches, aimed at enhancing the nutrient content of commonly consumed crops. Emphasizing the biofortification of legumes, this review employs bibliometric analysis to examine research trends from 2000 to 2023. It identifies key authors, influential journals, contributing countries, publication trends, and prevalent keywords in this field. The review highlights the progress in developing biofortified crops and their potential to improve global nutrition and help underprivileged populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account the most recent improvements in graph theory and algebra, we can associate graphs of some mathematical structures with certifiable, widely known applications. This paper seeks to explore the connections established through edge labeling among Latin squares derived from Moufang quasigroups, which are constructed using additive abelian and multiplicative groups, along with their substructures and complete bipartite graphs. The algebraic characteristics of quasigroups exhibiting the antiautomorphic inverse property have been extensively examined in this study. These characteristics encompass identities associated with fixed element maps. To analyze the behavior of these groups under holomorphism, we utilize similar conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free space optical (FSO) systems offer an attractive and cost-effective solution for providing communication services in remote regions, as they allow secure transmission without the need for licensing and with lower deployment costs. However, the performance of FSO systems can be significantly impacted by atmospheric turbulences, creating considerable challenges to their deployment. To meet the expanding bandwidth requirements in optical networks, dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) has emerged as a viable option. The development of a 400-Gbps DWDM-FSO system with advanced modulation formats is the subject of this paper. To ensure efficient energy conservation in such a system, power consumption needs to be minimized while maintaining performance level; this calls for optimization of different components within the system. The system is made up of 10 channels and each channel can transmit data at 40 Gbps. Various modulation schemes like carrier-suppressed return-to-zero, modified duo binary return-to-zero, differential phase shift keying, and duo binary return-to-zero are studied for their impact on system performance parameters Q-factor and bit error rate (BER) in C-band around 1550 nm wavelengths. The assessment is also extended to the effects that changing FSO length, input power, and data rate have on these two parameters as well as an evaluation regarding how differing atmospheric conditions influence the FSO system's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a significant scheme to drive the numerical solution of multi-dimensional diffusion problems where the fractional derivatives are taken in Caputo sense. The Mohand homotopy integral transform scheme (MHITS) is the composition of Mohand integral transform (MIT) and the homotopy perturbation scheme (HPS) which can be used to investigate the numerical solution in the form of convergence series. This approach does not require any presumptions, limitations on elements, or any other hypothesis. The primary objective of this strategy is to perform its direct implementation to the recurrence relation. This method produces results in the form of a convergent series, which accurately predicts the exact results. Graphical results and plot error distribution show an excellent agreement between MHITS results and the exact solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sitting posture recognition systems have gained significant attention due to their potential applications in various domains, including healthcare, ergonomics, and human-computer interaction. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review and analysis of existing sitting posture recognition systems. Through an extensive examination of relevant research articles and conference papers, we identify and analyze the underlying technologies, methodologies, datasets, performance metrics, and applications associated with these systems. The review encompasses both traditional methods, such as vision-based approaches and sensor-based techniques, as well as emerging technologies such as machine learning and deep learning algorithms. Additionally, we examine the challenges, constraints, and future trends in the field of sitting posture recognition systems. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who want to comprehend the most recent developments and latest trends in sitting posture recognition technology will find great value in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study aims to enhance protease production by employing locally isolated bacterial strains using animal skin (beef) wastes as a substrate. A proximate analysis of the substrate (skin waste) was carried out to know the percentage of protein, fats, and ash. To understand the particle size, shape, and other structural changes, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of both untreated and treated samples were performed. The substrate showed 83.81% crude protein, 11.23% crude fat, and 4.96% ash contents. SEM and FTIR analysis revealed changes in treated samples as compared to that untreated skin waste (control). In 140 isolated strains, 60 strains showed clear zone on 1% skim milk agar medium. The selected strains were cultured for protease assay on a production medium. The maximum protease (249.65 IU/ml) producing strain was identified as Bacillus cereus AUST-7 morphologically, biochemically, and based on 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The bioprocess parameters like aeration rate, shaking speed, and incubation period were optimized in lab scale bioreactor of 1.5 L capacity. During scale-up in a bioreactor (1.5 L), 2 volumes of aeration rate per volume of liquid medium per minute (VVM) aeration, shaking speed of 500 rpm, and 24 h of incubation period yielded maximum protease (1917.5 IU/mL) under submerged fermentation. The results depicted that defatted skin waste could be utilized as a potential substrate for the cost-effective production of alkaline protease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal stress poses a significant threat to the productivity of agricultural systems and human health. Silicon (Si) is widely reported to be very effective against the different heavy metal stresses in crops. According to reports, it can help plants that are under cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) stress. The presented work investigated how silicon interacted in Cd- and Ni-stressed wheat and mitigated metal toxicity. A pot experiment was carried out in which wheat crop was irrigated with Cd- and Ni-contaminated water. Application of Cd and Ni-contaminated water to wheat significantly reduced the root and shoot growth parameters and physiological and biochemical factors while increasing the antioxidant enzymatic activity and bioaccumulation of Cd and Ni metal in shoot and root as compared to the control. Application of Si led to an improvement in physiological parameters, i.e., greenness of leaves, i.e., SPAD values (17% and 26%), membrane stability (26% and 25%), and growth parameters i.e., root surface area (42% and 23%), root length (81% and 79%), root dry weight (456% and 190%), root volume (64% and 32%), shoot length (41% and 35%), shoot dry weight of shoot (111% and 117%), and overall grain weight (62% and 72%) under Cd and Ni stress, respectively. It increased the activity of antioxidant activity (max. up to 20%) whereas decreased the metal bioaccumulation of Cd and Ni in the roots and shoot (max. up to 62%) of wheat. It was concluded that the application of Si potentially increases antioxidant activity and metal chelation resulting in decreased oxidative damage and reducing the effect of Cd and Ni stress on wheat which improves growth and physiological parameters as well as inhibits Cd and Ni inclusion in food chain under Cd and Ni toxicity reducing health risks associated with these metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A relatively new and rapidly expanding area of mathematics research is the study of graphs' spectral properties. Spectral graph theory plays a very important role in understanding certifiable applications such as cryptography, combinatorial design, and coding theory. Nonassociative algebras, loop groups, and quasigroups are the generalizations of associative algebra. Many studies have focused on the spectral properties of simple graphs connected to associative algebras like finite groups and rings, but the same research direction remains unexplored for loop groups and quasigroups. Eigenvalue analysis, subgraph counting, matrix representation, and the combinatorial approach are key techniques and methods in our work. The main purpose of this paper is to characterize finite quasigroups with the help of relatively prime graphs. Moreover, we investigate the structural and spectral properties of these graphs associated with finite quasigroups in the forms of star graphs, eigenvalues, connectivity, girth, clique, and chromatic number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In physical domains, Beta derivatives are necessary to comprehend wave propagation across various nonlinear models. In this research work, the modified Sardar sub-equation approach is employed to find the soliton solutions of (1+1)-dimensional time-fractional coupled nonlinear Schrödinger model with Beta fractional derivative. These models are fundamental in real-world applications such as control systems, processing of signals, and fiber optic networks. By using this strategy, we are able to obtain various unique optical solutions, including combo, dark, bright, periodic, singular, and rational wave solutions. In addition, We address the sensitivity analysis of the proposed model to investigate the truth that it is extremely sensitive. These studies are novel and have not been performed before in relation to the nonlinear dynamic features of these solutions. We show these behaviors in 2-D, contour 3-D structures across the associated physical characteristics. Our results demonstrate that the proposed approach offers useful results for producing solutions of nonlinear fractional models in application of mathematics and wave propagation in fiber optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soils pose significant challenges in civil engineering due to their susceptibility to volumetric changes, leading to structural instability and damage in infrastructure. This study evaluates the performance and microstructural characteristics of industrial solid waste materials (Class F‐fly ash and ground granulated blast‐furnace slag) as additives for stabilizing expansive soils. Tests, including moisture density, unconfined compressive strength, Atterberg limits, compressibility index (Cc), cation exchange capacity, direct shear test, and California bearing ratio, were conducted on the treated expansive soil. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) were used to analyze the changes in the soil matrix due to the incorporation of the waste materials. The results demonstrate improved engineering properties of expansive soil treated with these additives. The analysis confirms enhancements in particle arrangement, reduced porosity/pore sizes, and improved bonding between soil particles, indicating the formation of calcium silicate hydrate and calcium aluminate hydrate. This research suggests that these waste materials can be eco‐friendly and cost‐effective alternatives for stabilizing expansive soils in construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NS1 is an elusive dengue protein, involved in viral replication, assembly, pathogenesis, and immune evasion. Its levels in blood plasm are positively related to disease severity like thrombocytopenia, hemorrhage, and vascular leakage. Despite its pathogenic roles, NS1 is being used in various vaccine formulations due to its sequence conservancy, ability to produce protective antibodies and low risk for inducing antibody-dependent enhancement. In this study, we have used bioinformatics tools and reported literature to develop an NS1 variant (dNS1). Molecular docking studies were performed to evaluate the receptor-binding ability of the NS1 and dNS1 with TLR4. NS1 and dNS1 (153 to 312 amino acid region) genes were cloned, expressed and protein was purified followed by refolding. Docking studies showed the binding of NS1 and dNS1 with the TLR4 receptor which suggests that N and C-terminal sequences of NS1 are not critical for receptor binding. Antibodies against NS1 and dNS1 were raised in rabbits and binding affinity of anti-dNS1 anti-NS1 sera was evaluated against both NS1 and dNS1. Similar results were observed through western blotting which highlight that N and C-terminal deletion of NS1 does not compromise the immunogenic potential of dNS1 hence, supports its use in future vaccine formulations as a substitute for NS1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is a devastating obligate fungal biotroph that causes stripe rust disease in wheat in temperate and cooler regions, especially in Kazakhstan and Turkey. Chemical control of Pst is not a sustainable or economic strategy in these countries. Therefore, a suitable alternative to these pesticides, such as the development of resistant wheat cultivars, is needed. During the present investigation, a large set of wheat germplasms was characterized to determine the presence of the broad-spectrum resistance Yr15 gene using Y15K1_F2/uhw30_1R primers. This collection contained 360 accessions including 233 durum and bread wheat collected from KASIB cultivars and advanced lines that were developed by eight breeding programs within the Kazakhstan-Siberia Wheat Improvement Network and Turkey, and 127 wild emmer collected from Turkey only. The positive control was wild emmer IDs WEW 83-1, WEW 84-1, and WEW-85, which previously showed positive amplification of the Yr15 gene with these primers. Yr15, a broad-spectrum R-gene derived from wild emmer wheat encoding a putative kinase-pseudokinase protein designated as wheat tandem kinase 1, comprises a unique R-gene structure in wheat against the yellow (stripe) rust. None of the tested cultivated wheat germplasms from 174 durum wheat of the KASIB Network or 59 of bread wheat from Turkey showed positive amplification, but 89 of 127 (70.07%) wild Triticum dicoccoides showed positive amplification. The collection from the Karacadağ regions showed the maximum number of genotypes (46) with positive amplification for Yr15, followed by Eruh (10), Şırnak (5), Malazgir-Tunceli (4), Tunceli (4), Şırnak-Uludere yol (3), Tunceli-Pülümür (3), and Karacadağ/Kerteş Köyü –Siverek (3). We conclude that wild wheat cultivars are a good source of the Yr15 gene and that introgression of this gene into the cultivated wheat germplasm of both countries should be performed to manage the Pst pathogen in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sierpiński graphs are frequently related to fractals, and fractals apply in several fields of science, i.e., in chemical graph theory, computer networking, biology, and physical sciences. Functions and polynomials are powerful tools in computer mathematics for predicting the features of networks. Topological descriptors, frequently graph constraints, are absolute values that characterize the topology of a computer network. In this essay, Firstly, we compute the M-polynomials for Sierpiński-type fractals. We derive some degree-dependent topological invariants after applying algebraic operations on these M-polynomials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary concern of writing this article is to study the rheological properties of the micropolar non‐Newtonian nanofluid flowing through the porous medium along with magnetic field effects. In it, the outer boundary of the sheet is heated by applying an external heat source. The insertion of aluminum oxide nanoparticles in water turned it into a nanofluid. Together with the viscous dissipation phenomena, adding a magnetic field has another effect known as a Joule heating impact that is considered in the energy equation. To investigate the impact of viscosity and thermal conductivity on flow patterns, we considered the Koo‐Kleinstreuer‐Li model. A generalized Proudman‐Johnson equation is obtained by using similarity transformation on Navier‐Stokes equations. The well‐known classical shooting method is used to get the numerical solution to the said problem. Graphical results are portrayed for variant rheological parameters lke power law index, Reynolds number, volume fraction, Prandtl number, expansion ratio, and Hartmann number on the velocity and temperature of nanofluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses a new version of the (2 + 1) -dimensional Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation. This equation is used to model the behavior of nonlinear waves in various fields like ferromagnetic media, ion-acoustic waves in plasma physics, and fluid dynamics. It is instrumental in modeling surface and internal waves in straits or channels. The main goal of the research is to determine the exact solutions for this equation and analyze their physical characteristics. We obtain exact solutions using two improved techniques, namely the modified extended tanh-function and the modified generalized Kudryashov methods. These techniques investigate various exact solutions, such as exponential, rational, hyperbolic, and trigonometric. Besides, the sensitivity and the stability analysis of the model are presented. Additionally, three- and two-dimensional contour plots are created to present the physical behavior of the exact solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gridless inductive output tubes (IOTs) offer compact size and high-power amplification at sub-GHz frequencies. Minimizing cavity dimensions in the interest of compactness leads to smaller gaps, which may cause multipactor discharge under high-power operating conditions. The uncontrolled electron growth resulting from multipactor breakdown can lead to undesired effects including surface damage and system failure. This paper performs a parallel-plate multipactor analysis for a high-Q, L-shaped, aluminum, 431 MHz cavity designed for a gridless IOT to be operated in the MW-power regime. The cavity gap is 27 mm, and diameter is 339 mm. Multipactor susceptibility regions are calculated for non-zero emission energy, half-cycle, and non-half-cycle multipactor using a semi-analytic approach and a standard aluminum secondary electron yield (SEY) curve. The analytical results are validated with particle-in-cell simulation in CST Studio. Simulation results show a voltage range of 6.4–19 kV, compared to the analytically calculated values of 8.2 and 18.3 kV for the lower and upper bounds, respectively. Fluorocarbon coating as a means to reduce secondary electron emission is simulated, which shows 46% reduction in peak particle population with an 11.2 nm PTFE coating, with further reduction as coating thickness increases. The results show that the L-shaped cavity is a suitable choice for this IOT design as it does not exhibit single-surface multipactor and will not develop two-surface multipactor at full-power operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to develop ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage using the choongan (Caralluma tuberculata L.) extract and further to evaluate antioxidant potential and mineral estimation of the prepared RTD. The stem of Caralluma tuberculata was used to further isolate and purify the powder. Then, C. tuberculata powder was utilized in the formulation of beverages. All the treatments observed a decreasing trend for acidity, total soluble solids, total phenols, total antioxidant activity, total flavonoids, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and viscosity during storage whilst pH showed an increasing trend. It was observed that Caralluma RTD contained increasing trend of phytochemicals by increasing contents of the Caralluma extract. The same trend was also observed regarding all the mineral contents investigated in the present study. The treatment T4 (Caralluma RTD having 1.5 g C. tuberculata powder) showed the maximum values regarding phytochemicals as well as minerals. The microbial counts (log10 CFU/mL) for all the treatments increased during storage. Even though T4 showed promising results regarding phytochemicals and minerals, T1 showed the maximum sensory score even after 21 days of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of the lichen genus Lecaimmeria are described and illustrated from Pakistan, namely, Lecaimmeria asiatica and L. crispula. The former taxon is characterized by pale brown to dark brown thallus, up to 2-mm large areoles, flat to strongly convex apothecial disc, taller hymenium 120–150 µm, apically branched, not anastomosing paraphyses, large conidia 5–7 × 1.1–1.4 µm, with respect to ecology, and the absence of secondary metabolites, whereas L. crispula can be characterized by having a light brown to chocolate brown thallus, apothecia having flat to slightly concave discs with wavy margins that curl inward, a tall hymenium150–180 μm, branched and anastomosing paraphyses, large ascospores 25–33 × 12–17 μm, and absence of secondary metabolites. A phylogenetic analysis is provided based on nrITS and nrLSU sequences that support the separation of both novel species. Comparative analyses with related species of Lecaimmeria are provided to confirm the status of these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current work, the unsteady stagnation point's flow on a special third-grade fuzzy hybrid (Al2O3 + Cu/SA) nanofluid (HNF) through a permeable convective shrinking/stretching sheet has been scrutinized. In addition, the adverse consequences of heat source, viscous dissipation, nonlinear thermal radiation, and fuzzy nanoparticle volume fraction are likewise taken into consideration. Non-linear coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) get transformed into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using an effective similarity transformation. After that, the ODEs are numerically solved using the bvp4c algorithm. Regarding validation, the present results align with earlier published research. The effects of heat distribution, flow rate, Nusselt number, and skin friction coefficient on hybrid nanofluid dynamics are explored using graphical and tabular forms. The nanoparticle volume fraction is considered a triangular fuzzy number (TFN) [0, 5%, 10%]. With the use of TFNs, ODEs are transformed into fuzzy differential equations (FDEs). The TFNs are controlled using a widely used ζ - cut technique and ζ - cut ∈ [0, 1], which requires minimal computational effort to examine their dynamical performance. Also, the comparison of Al2O3/SA, Cu/SA and Al2O3 + Cu/SA through the fuzzy membership functions (MFs). The fuzzy MFs show that the hybrid nanofluid (Al2O3 + Cu/SA) in terms of rate of heat transfer is better than both Cu/SA and Al2O3/SA nanofluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of anticancer peptides (ACPs) is crucial, especially in the development of peptide-based cancer therapy. The classical models such as Split Amino Acid Composition (SAAC) and Pseudo Amino Acid Composition (PseAAC) lack the incorporation of feature representation. These advancements improve the predictive accuracy and efficiency of ACP identification. Thus, the effort of this research is to propose and develop an advanced framework based on feature extraction. Thus, to achieve this objective herein we propose an Extended Dipeptide Composition (EDPC) framework. The proposed EDPC framework extends the dipeptide composition by considering the local sequence environment information and reforming the CD-HIT framework to remove noise and redundancy. To measure the accuracy, we have performed several experiments. These experiments were employed using four famous machine learning (ML) algorithms named; Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), and K Nearest Neighbor (KNN). For comparisons, we have used accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, precision, recall, and F1-Score as evaluation criteria. The reliability of the proposed framework is further evaluated using statistical significance tests. As a result, the proposed EDPC framework exhibited enhanced performance than SAAC and PseAAC, where the SVM model delivered the highest accuracy of 96. 6% and significant enhancements in specificity, sensitivity, precision, and F1-score over multiple datasets. Due to the incorporation of enhanced feature representation and the incorporation of local and global sequence profiles proposed EDPC achieves higher classification performance. The proposed frameworks can deal with noise and also duplicating features. These are accompanied by a wide range of feature representations. Finally, our proposed framework can be used for clinical applications where ACP identification is essential. Future works will include extending to a larger variety of datasets, incorporating tertiary structural information, and using deep learning techniques to improve the proposed EDPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic hydrogen generation in alkaline medium has become widely used in a variety of sectors. However, the possibility for additional performance improvement is hampered by slow kinetics. Because of this restriction, careful control over processes such as water dissociation, hydroxyl desorption and hydrogen recombination is required. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) based on porphyrin and polyoxometalates (POMs) show encouraging electrocatalytic performance, offering a viable route for effective and sustainable hydrogen generation. Their specific architectures lead to increased electrocatalytic activity, which makes them excellent choices for developing water electrolysis as a clean energy conversion method in the alkaline medium. In this regard, TTris@ZnPor and Lindqvist POM were coordinated to create a new eco-friendly and highly active covalent organic framework (TP@VL-COF). In order to describe TP@VL-COF, extensive structural and morphological investigations were carried out through FTIR, 1H NMR, elemental analysis, SEM, fluorescence, UV-visible, PXRD, CV, N2-adsorption isotherm, TGA and DSC analyses. In an alkaline medium, the electrocatalytic capability of 20%C/Pt, TTris@ZnPor, Lindqvist POM and TP@VL-COF was explored and compared for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The TP@VL-COF showed the best catalytic efficiency for HER in an alkaline electrolyte, requiring just a 75 mV overpotential to drive 10 mA cm−2 and outperforming 20%C/Pt, TTris@ZnPor, Lindqvist POM and other reported catalysts. The Tafel slope value also indicates faster kinetics for TP@VL-COF (114 mV dec−1) than for 20%C/Pt (182 mV dec−1) TTris@ZnPor (116 mV dec−1) and Lindqvist POM (125 mV dec−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing concern regarding the degradation of the environment caused by unsustainable agricultural practices necessitates a more comprehensive examination of farmers' nature-friendly behavior and the influence of environmental legislation on their actions. This study employs face-to-face surveys conducted with a sample of 476 Chinese farmers to investigate the complex relationship between ecological commitment (ECO), environmental knowledge (EKN), the new ecological paradigm (NEP), and ecological behavior (EBH). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used as the analytical approach. The findings indicate that ECO (β =.421, p <.01), EKN (β =.301, p <.01), and NEP (β =.271, p <.01) have statistically significant positive effects on EBH. This research also establishes the moderating role of legal cognition, highlighting the influence of farmers' understanding of environmental legislation on the connection between their commitment, knowledge, and ecological behavior. The significance of environmental legislation is underscored as a crucial mechanism for regulating and encouraging nature-friendly behavior at farms. This study recommends the implementation of increased awareness strategies and emphasizes the need for local administrations to promote and motivate environmentally sustainable behaviors by improving the legal cognition of farmers as a means to address the issue of environmental degradation due to unsustainable farming behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of digitalization in higher education is a key to increasing the number of students getting access to education in the developing world. Inspired by the fast digitalization in higher education institutes and the lack of relevant empirical studies about the impact of this rapid digitalization on the learning behavior of students, we investigated: how does digital competence, along with personal innovativeness and attitudes toward digital learning, affect the learning behavior of students in China? This study also aims to examine the moderating role of the level of digitization at higher educational institutions between students' personality traits and their learning behavior. For this purpose, cross sectional data were collected from 1,569 Chinese students through purposive and random sampling through a face-to-face survey. The data were analyzed using the partially least square structural equation model. The findings indicate that digital competence (β =.688, p <.01) exerts a robust positive influence on students' learning behavior. The personal innovativeness had a significant impact on learning behavior (β =.720, p <.01). The study found that the attitude toward digital learning had a significant impact on students' learning behavior (β =.573, p <.01). The results also indicated that digitalization at higher education institutes moderated positively between student personality traits and their learning behavior. Thus, the enables individuals to cultivate creativity, explore novel concepts, and acquire fresh insights that enhance their intellectual skills. Ultimately, DHEI also cultivates their attitude toward formal as well as informal digital learning, which significantly influences their learning behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kawahara equation exhibits signal dispersion across lines of transmission and the production of unstable waves from the water in the broad wavelength area. This article explores the computational analysis for the approximate series of time fractional Kawahara (TFK) and modified Kawahara (TFMK) problems. We utilize the Shehu homotopy transform method (SHTM), which combines the Shehu transform (ST) with the homotopy perturbation method (HPM). He's polynomials using HPM effectively handle the nonlinear terms. The derivatives of fractional order are examined in the Caputo sense. The suggested methodology remains unaffected by any assumptions, restrictions, or hypotheses on variables that could potentially pervert the fractional problem. We present numerical findings via visual representations to indicate the usability and performance of fractional order derivatives for depicting water waves in long-wavelength regions. The significance of our proposed scheme is demonstrated by the consistency of analytical results that align with the exact solutions. These derived results demonstrate that SHTM is an effective and powerful scheme for examining the results in the representation of series for time-fractional problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to synthesize the corporate social responsibility decoupling (CSRD) literature, CSRD's causes and consequences and discuss other organizational attributes examined by CSRD scholars during 2010 and 2020. The authors provide suggestions for a future research agenda in this domain. Design/methodology/approach: The authors' systematic literature review (SLR) uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to extract CSRD studies. The authors filter collected articles against quality and relevancy criteria and finally review 175 published articles. Findings: A theme analysis identifies and structures the many themes related to CSRD. The authors discuss the drivers of CSRD and reveal the consequences companies face after CSRD. The authors also provide a comprehensive CSRD discussion in the context of developed and developing economies. CSR communication is also identified as a tool for decoupling and recoupling. Research limitations/implications: The identified themes provide a thorough illustration of CSRD literature for new CSRD scholars. The authors also provide suggestions for future research, such as examining country-level policy-making and implications of CSRD variance and identifying cultural and economic hurdles to achieving core CSR purposes. Practical implications: Policymakers and scholars may adopt the approach that CSRD is a misreporting of information similar to accounting fraud. This is particularly relevant given that an increasing number of CSRD scandals indicate that the purpose of bringing change through corporate CSR has not been adopted well by corporations. Originality/value: The authors' study offers a comprehensive literature review for the period of 2010–2020. The studies identified are structured into meaningful themes which can provide groundwork for future researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance distance in electrical circuits measures how much a component or an entire circuit resists the flow of electric current. When dealing with intricate circuits, this term explicitly denotes the total resistance observed between any two points, which varies based on the configuration and resistance values of the components within the circuit. The Kirchhoff index is a metric used to quantify the mean resistance distance across all pairs of nodes in an electrical network. In graph theory, these networks are depicted as graphs with nodes representing electrical components and edges symbolizing the connecting wires. The resistance distance between any two nodes is calculated as if the graph were an electrical circuit, with each edge functioning as a resistor. We focus on a particular type of graph known as a cacti graph, denoted by C (n , s) , which features interconnected cycles that share a single common vertex, with n representing the total number of nodes and s the number of cycles. This paper explores cacti networks to establish the maximum possible values of the Kirchhoff index for these structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising awareness of cybersecurity among governments and the public underscores the importance of effectively managing security incidents, especially zero-day attacks that exploit previously unknown software vulnerabilities. These zero-day attacks are particularly challenging because they exploit flaws that neither the public nor developers are aware of. In our study, we focused on dynamic application security testing (DAST) to investigate cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. We closely examined 23 popular WordPress plugins, especially those requiring user or admin interactions, as these are frequent targets for XSS attacks. Our testing uncovered previously unknown zero-day vulnerabilities in three of these plugins. Through controlled environment testing, we accurately identified and thoroughly analyzed these XSS vulnerabilities, revealing their mechanisms, potential impacts, and the conditions under which they could be exploited. One of the most concerning findings was the potential for admin-side attacks, which could lead to multi-site insider threats. Specifically, we found vulnerabilities that allow for the insertion of malicious scripts, creating backdoors that unauthorized users can exploit. We demonstrated the severity of these vulnerabilities by employing a keylogger-based attack vector capable of silently capturing and extracting user data from the compromised plugins. Additionally, we tested a zero-click download strategy, allowing malware to be delivered without any user interaction, further highlighting the risks posed by these vulnerabilities. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recognized these vulnerabilities and assigned them CVE numbers: CVE-2023-5119 for the Forminator plugin, CVE-2023-5228 for user registration and contact form issues, and CVE-2023-5955 for another critical plugin flaw. Our study emphasizes the critical importance of proactive security measures, such as rigorous input validation, regular security testing, and timely updates, to mitigate the risks posed by zero-day vulnerabilities. It also highlights the need for developers and administrators to stay vigilant and adopt strong security practices to defend against evolving threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the adverse impacts of abusive supervision on helping behaviors among employees, as mediating by intention to leave and moderating by Islamic work ethics (IWE). Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative approach was employed, and the sample consisted of 283 nurses working in various public sector hospitals in Pakistan. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS with the PROCESS macro. Findings: The results suggest that abusive supervision diminishes helping behavior among nurses. Additionally, the study reveals that intention to leave mediates the relationship of abusive supervision and nurses' helping behavior. Moreover, the introduction of IWE as a boundary condition reveals that the mediated link is weaker when IWE is higher, and vice versa. Practical implications: This study provides valuable insights for hospital authorities to develop intervention strategies and policies aimed at reducing abusive supervision in hospitals. Hospital management should also be aware of the detrimental effects of abusive supervision on nurses' helping behaviors, which can be mitigated by promoting ethical values aligned with IWE. Originality/value: This study makes a valuable contribution to the limited research on the link between abusive supervision and helping behaviors in hospital settings. It offers new perspectives by incorporating the Conservation of Resources theory, particularly within the healthcare sector. Furthermore, this research expands the current knowledge by investigating the mediating influence of intention to leave and the moderating effect of IWE in mitigating the adverse impact of abusive supervision on nurses' helping behavior in Pakistan's public sector hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of prevailing technological advancements, online shopping has become increasingly prevalent. A well-designed webpage interface, particularly in terms of visual appeal, has the potential to evoke customer emotions such as pleasure and arousal, thereby stimulating impulse buying among consumers. In contrast to global brands, local web stores have faced challenges in devising strategies to cultivate an environment conducive to enhancing brand perception and encouraging impulsive buying behavior, specifically in the realm of online local brand retailing. Previous studies have primarily focused on customers’ cognitive perspectives, including privacy concerns, content sharing, and websites credibility. However, existing research has yet to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding customers’ online impulse buying behavior. Addressing these gaps, this study aims to investigate the effect of different web store stimuli on creating consumers’ brand perception of online web stores and its impact on customers’ impulsive buying behavior. Data was collected through purposive sampling, involving 423 users of different online local web stores. The results showed interesting findings with implications for both theory and practice. Specifically, environmental stimuli, such as ambience (lighting), assortment, forum fnac and helping staff, were found to significantly enhance the brand perception of local web store outlets, consequently boosting customers’ impulse buying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent research and developments are driven by colossal permittivity (CP) materials due to their potential use in modern microelectronics and high-energy density storage applications. Even though, to date, many CP materials have been discovered, the task of developing them with the required high performance remains highly challenging. We present a tangible example, polycrystalline ZnO ceramic, that presents a highly frequency-stable CP (> 104) as well as a low dielectric loss (~ 0.3) over a broad temperature range from 278 to 433 K. Multifunctional polycrystalline ZnO nanoceramics are prepared through one-pot hydrothermal route and sintered at 300 °C and 600 °C. The highly magnified scanning electron microscopic images reveal excellent grain growth at high temperature. Temperature-dependent impedance spectroscopy is employed for pellet sintered at (600 °C) to explore different conduction mechanisms at various temperature ranges. The distribution of relaxation times (DRT) method is used to design the best equivalent circuit model for fitting impedance data. The non-Debye behavior of real permittivity (ɛ′) is well explained by fitting with Cole–Cole formalism. The change in the conduction mechanism is estimated around 343 K, and an adiabatic polaronic model is used to estimate activation energies of cations through different electroactive regions. The correlate barrier hopping (CBH) model is applied to measure electrical trapping parameters (like binding energy, hopping distance, barrier height, etc.) at various temperatures. Our finding presents a systematic approach toward frequency-independent ZnO ceramics with a stable colossal permittivity which can potentially be applied to develop energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many real‐world applications can be modelled as graphs or networks, including social networks and biological networks. The theory of algebraic combinatorics provides tools to analyze the functioning of these networks, and it also contributes to the understanding of complex systems and their dynamics. Algebraic methods help uncover hidden patterns and properties that may not be immediately apparent in a visual representation of a graph. In this paper, we introduce left and right inverse graphs associated with finite loop structures and two mappings, P‐edge labeling and V‐edge labeling, of Latin squares. Moreover, this work includes some structural and graphical results of the commutator subloop, nucleus, and loop isotopes of inverse property quasigroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study suggests a strategy for calculating the fuzzy analytical solutions to a two-dimensional fuzzy fractional-order heat problem including a diffusion variable connected externally. We propose Sawi residual power series scheme (SRPSS) which is the amalgamation of Sawi transform and residual power series scheme under the Caputo fractional differential operator. We demonstrate three different examples to derive the fuzzy fractional series solution which is characterized by its rapid convergence and easy finding of the unknown coefficients using the concept of limit at infinity. The most significant aspect of this scheme is that it derives the results without time effort compared with the traditional residual power series approach. Our findings confirm that the SRPSS is a robust and valuable method for approximating the solution of fuzzy fractional problems. Furthermore, we provide 2D and 3D symbolic representations to present the physical behavior of fuzzy fractional problems under the lower and upper bounded solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a refined approach for obtaining the analytical solution of the nonlinear shock wave model incorporating fractal derivatives. The Fractal Yang Variational Iteration Strategy (FYVIS) is utilized to obtain the approximate solution of a fractal model in the form of a series under Caputo fractional operator. The suggested method is the composition of the fractal Yang transform and the variational iteration approach. By using the two-scale fractal theory, we transform the fractal model into its traditional problem and then apply the yang transform to generate a recurrence relation. The variational iteration approach is now suitable to handle this recurrence relation without imposing any hypotheses or restrictions on variables. The derived results by the proposed scheme are shown in terms of series solution. Numerical calculations verify the accuracy and consistency of the suggested approach, demonstrating its excellent performance. The dynamic behavior of fractal components is explored by evaluating absolute errors and presenting two-dimensional diagrams across the fractal domain. This investigation underscores that the suggested technique offers an efficient and user-friendly solution for solving the nonlinear shock wave model involving fractal derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study presents a combination of two famous analytical techniques for the analytical solutions of linear and nonlinear time-fractional Emden–Fowler models. We combine the Elzaki transform (ET) and the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) for the development of the Elzaki transform homotopy perturbation method (ET-HPM). In this paper, we demonstrate that the Elzaki transform (ET) simplifies fractional differential problems by transforming them into algebraic formulas within the transform space. On the other hand, the HPM has the ability to discretize the nonlinear terms in fractional problems. The fractional orders are considered in the Caputo sense. The main purpose of this strategy is to use an alternative approach that has never been employed in the time-fractional Emden–Fowler model. This strategy does not require any variable or hypothesis constraints that ruin the physical nature of the actual problem. The derived series yields a convergent series using the Taylor series formula. The analytical data and visual illustrations for several kinds of fractional orders validate the effectiveness of the suggested scheme. The significant results demonstrate that our recommended strategy is quick and simple to use on fractional problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low solubility and enhanced fixation of zinc (Zn) in semi-arid and dry climates limits Zn uptake in plants. Zn deficiency in soil impairs crop production and human health, necessitating agricultural biofortification. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Zn and various types of manure on the Zn biofortification of lentils. The treatments, consisting of a control (Con), normal manure (NM), composted manure (CM), and acidified manure (AM), were applied under saline soil (EC 8.00 dS m−1) and non-saline soil (EC 1.48 dS m−1) conditions along with two levels of Zn, including Zn at 0 kg ha−1 (native soil Zn = 2.2 mg kg−1) and Zn at 25 kg ha−1 (62.2 mg Zn kg−1 soil was achieved). The AM was prepared by adding sulfur and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria to the composted manure. All the manures were applied at 1% (w/w), and ZnSO4 (33% Zn) was used as a Zn source. Lentil variety Masoor 2021 was cultivated as a test crop in five replications of each treatment arranged in a completely randomized design. Applying AM with Zn considerably increased the lentils' growth, yield, and Zn content under saline and non-saline conditions. Under non-saline soils, the treatment of AM + Zn significantly promoted the Zn content in the root (132.5%), shoot (91.7%), grain (49.1%), root length (79.7%), plant height (33.7%), and SPAD value (29.9%). Under saline conditions, application of AM + Zn promoted uptake of Zn in the root (218.5%), Zn content in the shoot (175.7%), Zn accumulation in the grain (107.7%), root length (109.7%), plant height (37.8%), and SPAD value (52.8%) compared to the control. According to the results, lentils should be grown with AM and Zn to increase their growth, yield, and Zn content significantly. This is a cost-effective and sustainable way to combat Zn deficiency in lentils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is an important crop throughout the world and is one of the most important industrial raw materials. It is very important to characterize the available cotton germplasm aiming to identify novel genetic and genomic resources that can be used for future cotton breeding. Keeping this in view, a total of 179 cotton genotypes were characterized with the inter-primer binding site (iPBS) retrotransposon marker system. Seven iPBS-retrotransposon primers yielded a total of 134 scoreable bands and among these, 128 bands were polymorphic. The mean polymorphic bands per primer were 18.28, with values ranging between 16 and 21. The mean polymorphism rate of 7 iPBS retrotransposon primers was calculated as 96.28%. The polymorphism information content value varied between 0.31 and 0.46 with an average of 0.395. Genetic similarity was calculated using the POPGENE software and values ranged between 0.320 and 0.955. Population structure and neighbor-joining analysis divided the evaluated germplasm into two populations. The analysis of molecular variance revealed that maximum variations (96%) are due to differences within the populations. The information presented here has comprehensively demonstrated the potential of iPBS-retrotransposon markers in detecting genetic diversity and phylogenetic association analyses of cotton. This knowledge will be helpful for future cotton breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cactus graph has many practical applications, particularly in radio communication systems. Let G = (V, E) be a finite, undirected, and simple connected graph, then the edge metric dimension of G is the minimum cardinality of the edge metric generator for G (an ordered set of vertices that uniquely determines each pair of distinct edges in terms of distance vectors). Given an ordered set of vertices Ge = fg1, g2, ..., gkg of a connected graph G, for any edge e ∈ E, we referred to the k-vector (ordered k-tuple), r(ejGe) = (d(e, g1), d(e, g2), ..., d(e, gk)) as the edge metric representation of e with respect to Ge. In this regard, Ge is an edge metric generator for G if, and only if, for every pair of distinct edges e1, e2 2 E implies r(e1|Ge), r(e2|Ge). In this paper, we investigated another class of cacti different from the cacti studied in previous literature. We determined the edge metric dimension of the following cacti: C(n, c, r) and C(n,m, c, r) in terms of the number of cycles (c) and the number of paths (r). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New 2,6-bis(1,3-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)propan-2-yl)pyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-1,3,5,7(2H,6H)-tetraone (2Tris@PMDA) and its polymeric hybrids with Anderson polyoxometalates (DiTA@PMDA) and with Lindquist polyoxometalates (DiTL@PMDA) have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. Using dr. Blade's approach, TiO2 based thin films of 2Tris@PMDA, DiTA@PMDA, and DiTL@PMDA have been designed to explore the adsorption study, optical activity, and photocurrent generation. The calculated electrical conductivity values for 2Tris@PMDA, DiTA@PMDA and DiTL@PMDA were 2.8 × 103 S/m−1.90 × 103 S/m, 2.7 × 103 S/m−1.7 × 103 S/m, and 2 × 103 S/m−1.65 ×103 S/m, respectively. Furthermore, computational analysis for 2Tris@PMDA, DiTA@PMDA, and DiTL@PMDA has been studied at B3LYP using 6-31 G (d, p) and LanL2DZ level of density functional theory. It indicates that the conjugation of 2Tris@PMDA with polyoxometalates makes them a suitable candidate for dye sensitized solar cell due to the charge transfer process in DiTA@PMDA and DiTL@PMDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries with wastewater irrigation and intensive use of fertilizers (minerals and organics), heavy metal deposition by crops is regarded as a major environmental concern. A study was conducted to determine the impact of mineral fertilizers, cow manure, poultry manure, leaf litter, and sugarcane bagasse on soil's trace Pb content and edible parts of vegetables. It also evaluated the risk of lead (Pb) contamination in water, soil, and food crops. Six vegetables (Daucus carota, Brassica oleracea, Pisum sativum, Solanum tuberosum, Raphanus sativus, and Spinacia oleracea) were grown in the field under twelve treatments with different nutrient and water inputs. The lead concentrations in soil, vegetables for all treatments and water samples ranged from 1.038–10.478, 0.09346–9.0639 mg/kg and 0.036–0.26448 mg/L, The concentration of lead in soil treated with wastewater in treatment (T6) and vegetable samples was significantly higher, exceeding the WHO's permitted limit. Mineral and organic fertilizers combined with wastewater treatment reduced lead (Pb) concentrations in vegetables compared to wastewater application without organic fertilizers. Health risk indexes for all treatments except wastewater treatment (T6) were less than one. Pb concentrations in mineral fertilizers, cow manure, poultry manure, leaf litter, and sugarcane bagasse treated were determined to pose no possible risk to consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the early complications of surfactant administration in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. Study Design: Perspective longitudinal study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital (PEMH), Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jun to Dec 2021. Methodology: A total of 64 neonates admited in ICU with gestational age 27-32 weeks requiring Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and surfactant administration were included. Neonatal complications after 24 hours of administration of surfactant and final outcome was recorded on a predesigned data colection tool. Results: Mean duration of stay on ventilator was 41.12±8.88 hours. Mean duration for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure was 43.59±22.70 hours. Second dose of surfactant was given to 34(53.1%) of neonates. Among neonates 25% suffered from pulmonary hemorrhage and 7.8% from bradycardia, 48(75%) were discharged and 16(25%) died. Conclusion: The mortality rate decreased in neonates after administration of surfactant. In future, we wil implement surfactant in term neonates, diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome, in order to improve the survival of neonates and reduce complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) design. CVT is highly beneficial for actuators with rotary output as it can improve the energy efficiency of the actuators by providing an optimum transmission ratio. This property of CVT is highly beneficial for fossil-fuel-based vehicles, electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial robots, etc. With the exception of Spherical CVT and DH CVT, all known CVTs like push belt CVTs, toroidal CVTs, Milner CVTs, etc., require additional gear sets and clutches for direction reversal and neutral gear ratio. However, Spherical CVT and DH CVT have low torque capacity due to a single traction point constraint. Foregoing in view, a new CVT named CAD CVT has been developed. The paper presents the design conception, the operating principle, the transmission ratio, the torque capacity, frictional losses, and experimental verification of the basic functionality by manufacturing a Proof of Concept (PoC). The proposed CVT is the only CVT capable of independent direction reversal and high torque capacity as it can transmit torque through multiple traction points. The new CVT will significantly impact high-torque applications in different engineering applications, especially land transport consisting of heavy vehicles like trucks, buses, and trailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]