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Rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is a matter of global concern and poses apprehension about how plants will adapt to the changing environment. Various studies have proved that under high CO2 levels, plant physiology alters and affects plant functioning. However, under elevated CO2, the stomatal characters and their relation with physiological responses are still not yet clear. To find out these changes in the stomatal parameters at ambient and two elevated CO2 (550 ppm and 700 ppm) levels, four genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) viz. DHM-117, Harsha, Varun and M-24 were grown in open-top chambers. In the study, it was observed that the stomatal density increased, stomatal size altered, stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) decreased under elevated CO2 (eCO2) while photosynthetic rate (Pn), water use efficiency (WUE), yield and biomass, of which especially the reproductive biomass increased. Under eCO2, stomatal and physiological changes were genotypic and CO2 concentration specific. Increased stomatal density at eCO2 was mainly due to increased abaxial stomatal density. The improved Pn and reduced Tr at 550 ppm improved the WUE in the plants, while this response was not observed at 700 ppm. These results elucidate that this C4 crop responded positively to up to 550 ppm of CO2 concentrations, and beyond this, the impact was minimal.

Byline: Sana. Rehman, Mohammad. Faizan, Nafaa. Ali, Kavita. Gulati, Arunabha. Ray AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex neuropsychiatric pathophysiology with an unmet need for safe, effective, [...]

Unfavorable environmental conditions pose a major barrier to sustainable agriculture. Among the various innovative strategies developed to protect plants from abiotic stress, the use of phytohormones and nanoparticles as "stress mitigators" has emerged as one of the most important and promising approaches. The objective of this study was to observe the protective role of melatonin (Mel) and silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiO-NPs) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings under cadmium (Cd) stress. Rice seedlings have reduced growth and phytochemical attributes when grown in Cd-contaminated (0.8 mM) pots. Seedlings under Cd stress had 38% less shoot length (SL), 53% total soluble sugar (TSS) and 57% protein content. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased by 51%, 37% and 34%, respectively, under Cd stress. Beside this, activities such as peroxidase (POX) also elevated in the plants subjected with Cd-stress. In contrast, Mel (100 μm) as foliar spray and SiO-NPs (100 mg/L) as root dipping reduced oxidative stress in rice seedlings under Cd stress by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, the application of Mel and/or SiO-NPs significantly increased the activity of antioxidative enzymes that scavenge ROS. The combined application of SiO-NPs and Mel increased growth, gas exchange and photosynthetic attributes, chlorophyll value, and protein content. It causes alleviation in the activity of SOD, CAT and POX by 73%, 62% and 65%, respectively. Overall, this study findings show that Mel and/or SiO-NPs can potentially protect the rice crop against oxidative damage under Cd stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is a matter of global concern and poses apprehension about how plants will adapt to the changing environment. Various studies have proved that under high CO2 levels, plant physiology alters and affects plant functioning. However, under elevated CO2, the stomatal characters and their relation with physiological responses are still not yet clear. To find out these changes in the stomatal parameters at ambient and two elevated CO2 (550 ppm and 700 ppm) levels, four genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) viz. DHM-117, Harsha, Varun and M-24 were grown in open-top chambers. In the study, it was observed that the stomatal density increased, stomatal size altered, stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) decreased under elevated CO2 (eCO2) while photosynthetic rate (Pn), water use efficiency (WUE), yield and biomass, of which especially the reproductive biomass increased. Under eCO2, stomatal and physiological changes were genotypic and CO2 concentration specific. Increased stomatal density at eCO2 was mainly due to increased abaxial stomatal density. The improved Pn and reduced Tr at 550 ppm improved the WUE in the plants, while this response was not observed at 700 ppm. These results elucidate that this C4 crop responded positively to up to 550 ppm of CO2 concentrations, and beyond this, the impact was minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The guarded hot plate method is widely used to measure the thermal conductivity and thermal resistance of materials having low thermal conductivity. An experimental set-up was designed and fabricated in-house to measure these properties. The set-up was built in accordance with ASTM D5470 standards. A novel insulating material waste tire rubber/polypropylene has been developed from the solid blend of waste tire rubber powder (425–300 µm) mixed with virgin polypropylene granules in a 2.5:1 ratio. The thermal conductivity of the newly developed insulating material in cylindrical solid form has been estimated. Further, thermal conductivity of a conducting material i.e., H-13 tool steel has been found out by using the present experimental set-up. In addition, the thermal contact conductance of a well-known thermal paste i.e., silicon grease has also been estimated for a range of temperatures and pressure using the present set-up. In the present study, the procedure for measuring thermal conductivity has been demonstrated along with the strengths and weaknesses of the experimental set-up and the suitability of the method for different materials. The experimental results reveal that the test method is equally suitable for the analysis of thermal interface material, and for measuring the thermal conductivity of solid specimens giving reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant hormones play important roles in controlling how plants grow and develop. While metabolism provides the energy needed for plant survival, hormones regulate the pace of plant growth. Strigolactones (SLs) were recently defined as new phytohormones that regulate plant metabolism and, in turn, plant growth and development. This group of phytohormones is derived from carotenoids and has been implicated in a wide range of physiological functions including regulation of plant architecture (inhibition of bud outgrowth and shoot branching), photomorphogenesis, seed germination, nodulation, and physiological reactions to abiotic factors. SLs also induce hyphal branching in germinating spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a process that is important for initiating the connection between host plant roots and AMF. This review outlines the physiological roles of SLs and discusses the significance of interactions between SLs and other phytohormones to plant metabolic responses.

Outliers in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), stemming from harsh environmental conditions and limited processing and communication capacities of sensor nodes, pose a significant challenge to data reliability and quality collected by the network. Energyefficient outlier detection methods are crucial for prolonging network lifespan. This study introduces a two-phase approach to address this challenge. At sensor nodes, a lightweight statistical method based on mean and standard deviation detects and removes outliers, conserving energy. Early outlier filtering reduces data transmission, saving substantial energy due to the high energy cost of communication in WSNs. At the base station, several unsupervised Machine Learning algorithms, including One Class Support Vector Machine (OCSVM), Histogram Based Outlier Score (HBOS), Isolation Forest (IForest), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Cluster Based Local Outlier Factor (CBLOF), identify remaining outliers. The base station, with greater computational power and energy resources, can handle these tasks without the constraints faced by sensor nodes. Evaluation using realworld datasets demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach, achieving a 77.59% outlier removal rate at the node level while maintaining over 90% detection accuracy at the base station. By employing computationally light statistical methods at sensor nodes, reducing data transmission, and shifting complex tasks to the base station, our approach optimizes energy efficiency, minimizing consumption and reducing the need for frequent recalibration or maintenance, thereby extending the lifespan of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is associated with cardiovascular risk, which is partly due to autonomic dysfunction and decreased cardiorespiratory fitness. This study examines the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in T2DM patients to understand their interconnected impacts on autonomic and aerobic functions. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 77 T2DM patients underwent HRV and VO2max assessments using standard protocols. HRV metrics were analysed in conjunction with VO2max, measured through direct breath-bybreath analysis. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationships between HRV indices and VO2max. Results: VO2max showed strong positive correlations with RMSSD (r = 0.89, p < .001), HF (r = 0.54, p < .001), and pNN50% (r = 0.52, p < .001), indicating higher parasympathetic activity with improved cardiorespiratory fitness. Negative correlations with LF (r = -0.60, p < .001) and the LF/HF ratio (r = -0.39, p < .001) suggested that better fitness levels lead to sympathetic withdrawal and a more favourable autonomic balance. Moderate positive correlations with SDNN (r = 0.46, p < .001) and TP (r = 0.58, p < .001) further suggested that overall autonomic modulation is enhanced with increased cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion: This study substantiates a significant correlation between HRV and VO2max in individuals with T2DM, highlighting the intricate relationship between autonomic function and aerobic capacity. These findings suggest that enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness may improve autonomic balance, offering potential avenues for mitigating cardiovascular risk in the T2DM population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal that naturally exists in soil, is dangerous for plants, animals, and humans to be in contact with. The primary causes of Cd contamination in soil include manure, sewage sludge, aerial deposition, and excessive use of phosphate fertilizers. Cd toxicity significantly reduced the crop productivity and physio-biochemical attributes. Present research aim was to investigate the effect of glucose in Solanum lycopersicum under Cd stress. Seeds of S. lycopersicum soaked in 50 mM of glucose for 5hrs followed by sown in the maintain pots. Cd stress (0.8 mM) was applied directly through the soil at the stage of 15 days. Results of this study demonstrated that Cd stress reduced the length (shoot and root by 41 and 70%), weight (fresh [32 & 66%] and dry [28 & 29%]), SPAD value, photosynthesis and related characteristics, carbonic anhydrase (CA) and nitrate reductase (NR). Beside this, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content increased in the presence of Cd in S. lycopersicum plants. However, pre-treatment of glucose partially or fully counteracted the toxicity triggered by Cd in the aforesaid parameters. Moreover, antioxidant enzymes activity and proline content are further increased in the plants which previously received glucose through seeds. Our study reveals the beneficial effects of glucose for improved growth and will support new avenue on overcoming Cd toxicity and improving agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Styrax tonkinensis is a kind of multifunctional tree with wood and medicinal value, and has high ornamental value, so it has been widely concerned by researchers. In this study, exogenous 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) was applied on the fruiting trees of S. tonkinensis to explore its effect on the photosynthesis and seed development of S. tonkinensis. The results showed that EBL enhanced starch accumulation in seeds, but had little effect on soluble protein content. Different EBL treatments caused various impacts on hormone content. EBL20 and EBL5 increased IAA and ABA content, respectively, whereas EBL didn’t affect GA3 content obviously. Exogenous EBL promoted the photosynthetic process of S. tonkinensis, primarily manifesting as an elevation in chlorophyll content and Rubisco activity within the leaves. In addition, EBL also exhibited a stimulatory effect on glucose oxidation pathway enzyme activity, with EBL5 exerting the most significant impact. Our findings underscore the potential of EBL application as a viable strategy to enhance the photosynthesis and seed development of S. tonkinensiS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed experimental investigation was carried out for the high-velocity ballistic response of AA 1100-H14 based carbon-fiber metal laminates (FMLs). FMLs with different metal volume fractions and the same thickness of carbonepoxy fiber laminates were tested to examine the surface and internal damage. The ballistic performance parameters, namely % escalation in absorbed energy, specific energy absorbed, ballistic limit, specific perforation energy, first cracking energy, and global deformation profile, were studied and a comparison was drawn with pure carbons fiber reinforced epoxy composite laminates. Despite having greater thickness, pure carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite laminates absorbed less impact energy than FMLs and failed catastrophically. For FMLs, the % escalation in the absorbed energy and the specific energy absorption kept increasing with the increasing impact velocity until the onset of perforation. Once the perforation started, both these parameters showed a decreasing trend. Thick FMLs absorbed a good amount of energy, leading to projectile recoil suffering minimal damage. The ballistic velocity, specific perforation energy, and first cracking energy on the front and rear face of FMLs layers showed an increasing trend. The minimum for the thinner and maximum for the thicker FMLs attributed to the large thickness and more metal volume fraction. Contrary to the large deformation of the impacting points, pure carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite laminates showed very minimal deformation as compared to FMLs. The brittle nature of the epoxy resin resisted the deformation to a large extent leading to less energy absorption. Highlights • High-velocity ballistic response of AA 1100-H14 based carbon-FMLs was investigated. • Ballistic performance parameters of FMLs were studied and was compared with carbons fiber reinforced composite laminates. • The ballistic limit of FMLs showed a direct dependence its thickness and metal volume fraction. • In the absence of any metallic layer, pure carbons fiber reinforced composite laminates absorbed less impact energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]